Meet the New Press Podcast
WEMJ 1490 Saturdays 9am-11am (EDT)
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Hour One:
Sarah Palin (America is one place where ordinary people can make a difference – not just elitists), comparison of life here in America compared to other countries (freedoms, life style, life span, free markets). Discussion – major mistake conflating capitalism with morality. Free markets exist to create wealth and not adjudicate right and wrong.
Alternative media playing a greater role in providing news and opinion – more than by the Mainstream Media (contrast between the Lambert generations) and providing more choices. MSM poor choices made in delivering their viewpoint (vs news) and their financial suffering as a result.
Discussion of Meredith (NH) Selectman Flander’s comment that "COLAs are a sacred cow". Why is government that special that it should be protected from the financial maelstrom of today. Discussion of Selectman Palm (long time government employment) comments on profit sharing based on cost savings found by employees (and by implication, the old style thinking that only managers think, line employees only work).
New Hampshire Advantage Coalition – Spending Cap warrant articles for towns without Charters. Part 1 Part 2
Talk about NH’s status when there is an economic downturn nationally (we generally ride much "easier" than other states). How is that Advantage being attacked – and the New Hampshire Advantage Coalition’s fight to keep overall taxes down (even as their opponents decry the property taxes). No kidding property taxes are high but our overall burden is low because that is the only major tax that directly impact citizens. Low spending keeps taxes low; we are fighting the politicians to raise taxes to fill an inflated spending plan. Skip brings up Mr. Rogers – wants more spent on social programs one minute and then complains about high property taxes the next. Discussion of the spending cap promoted by the NHAC. SB2 can help in this regard as well. Discussion with Laconia’s tax cap.
Quick seque to Second Amendment rights and use. Talk about the NHAC’s spending cap – at the rate of inflation for a warrant article. It’s purpose is to close the disconnect between the level of taxes and the level of spending. Why is it that government NEVER grows smaller, even in hard economic time. Proper role of government is not to take care of people, it is to protect individual freedoms and liberties. People need to get involved and not just "ride it out"; lots of taxes will not fix the problem as politicians will always spend whatever comes in.
Hour Two:
Part 1 Why we do, what we do – you need to take action and don’t wait for someone else or government take "care of it for me"; one person CAN make a difference. We also have to keep politicians accountable (that scary, scary word). "War within the GOP" – the Laconia Daily Sun piece.
Showing how to have a concrete example of a Republican Ideal (less intrusive government) in Healthcare: how to translate Republican ideals into concrete examples. One is the "Minute Clinics" in RI that provides more access, lower costs, and higher level of customer service and a higher quality healthcare but is illegal here in NH because of a more intrusive NH government ("the Certificate of Need" Board)- over regulation does not allow for those clinics even as there are needs for it. In this case, government is preventing market based solutions; government is picking winners and losers.
Part 2 Doug’s plea – will a NH Republican file legislation to allow "Minute Clinics"! Caller – John – tips MTNP to a new walk-in clinic down at the Weirs. Starts a discussion on inhalers and why they are failing. This new government regulation on healthcare will cost consumers more. Caller – Chan – more on environmental wackiness "All hail, Malthus!" Discussion on the cost of health insurance and how it has disconnected healthcare consumers from the actual cost of delivering healthcare and how government adds to the cost of it with mandates.
Drew Cline of the Union Leader comes on to discuss a money grab, a stupid fine, and a dumb time to raise NH’s gas tax.
Sidenote: incoming during the show – Carol Browner, President-elect Barack Obama’s new energy czar, is a member of the Socialist International, perhaps the world’s preeminent socialist organization.
Browner is on the SI’s Commission
for a Sustainable World Society
NH Railroad Commission is making a grab for the Obama handout – how little it will actually stimulate the economy. So many dollars spent for so few to travel so little. The Commission neatly forgets to talk about operational costs and how few people it actually would help. It will not reduce congestion on 93 from a practical basis.
Representative Reagan (R-Deerfield) wants to fine utility companies severely for outages due to natural disasters. So, what happened to the Republican ideal of less intrusive government? Rep. Reagan has started another PR disaster for the Republicans and admits that the Legislature has no idea how to arrive at a formula on how to fine them (if it cost $50 million to fix, the fine should be $40 million). And does he think that the Environmentalists would allow clear cutting of up to 100 feet in both directions of the power lines (trees fell, not just branches). Summary: Dunderhead!!!!
The Gas tax – our State gas tax helps with the NH Advantage as it keeps our gas prices lower than the surrounding states. Our politicians want to raise it.
SchlubCam: No SchlubCam this week
