From Rich Ashooh’s campaign website:
There is a common theme among voters, and that is the desire for real leadership and accountability on the issues affecting our lives – unemployment, runaway spending, taxes and health care. As your Congressman, I will bring conservative, common sense to Washington, and restore fiscal responsibility and the economic principles that will help create jobs for our state and country.
He’s really gonna think that I’m picking on him, as this is two for two (er, wait until the Democrat is picked!). However, fair is fair – a while ago, I took after Mike Castaldo when he decided to get into the race (here) for NH CD-1.
If there is any hope of Rich Ashooh catching on with the NH TEA Party folks, he’s gonna have to do some spinning faster than the flywheel in a hybrid car. Two of the guiding principles of the TEA Party is a more limited government and less spending. Certainly, this did not bode well; neither does this bit of history. Steve at NH Insider has a bit on the ONE campaign (emphasis mine):
Well say hello to the ONE campaign, a media darling, politician attracting, anti-poverty organization that held a recent confab at Saint Anselm college, and whose fundamental purpose should make anyone on the political right want to puke in their boots.
How to break this gently. Remember Senator Barack Obama’s 2007 Senate Bill S 2433? That bill would require the US government to tax a percentage of total US GDP every year to fight global poverty. Obama wrote the bill to satisfy his socialist desire to redistribute America’s wealth through federal legislation, to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG). ONE campaign is part and parcel to that mission.
Here’s where Obama’s bill gets its roots– courtesy of MDG monitor.
8.1 Net ODA, total and to the least developed countries, as percentage of OECD/DAC donors’ gross national income.
MDG’s objectives run contrary to most if not all conservative principles, cloaked in warm and fuzzy third world initiatives. That’s not to say that some of the objectives are morally bad, or that most of the people associated directly see the contradictions, but what people think they are doing by supporting—or being seen to support—groups like ONE, ONE vote, and any of the other social justice organizations, is giving them credibility and expanding their reach. What they want sounds good, but how they want to do it is simply Anti-American.
And ONE is just the culmination of some Social Justice Groups peddling poverty and advancing the UN’s Millennium Development program…
…ONE brags about how it, in conjunctions with Global Call To Action Against Poverty (GCAP), milked a promise of 25 Billion from western countries to advance their efforts. GCAP is at the top of the list of non UN groups pushing the MDG and proud of it. Groups that Senator Obama was prepared to fund through federal legislation and a mandatory tax on American GDP, whether we liked it or not.
Via taxes…folks…via taxes!
Remember the tsunami? How about Katrina? And now Haiti? And just about every other hell-hole and disaster on earth, you can be sure that Americans, as private citizens, are there. We have a worldwide reputation of being the MOST generous people in the world – and that comes from our sense of individualism and Christian heritage that calls out for individual responsibility to help others. On the other hand, the collectivist leaning Statist believe that unless Government plays a lead role, there’s nothing being done. Sure, NOTHING can beat the US Military for response and organization (witness the heroic actions of the Coast Guard during Katrina, the Navy during the tsunami, and the Army and Marine in Haiti). But sustained actions? Who is responsible?
Look around at your neighbors and friends and fellow church members.
Keep this in mind as you continue to read this post; as I have pointed out over and over and over again, as Government takes more in taxes and starts to supplant what local community and individuals used to do for charity, both the amount of money given and the time spent goes down.
Yes, as the plan by Progressives becomes known, we see the forcing of Big Government more and more into that space that once had de Tocqueville marveling (e.g., that Americans did the work that European governments did), ask yourself this:
- Is this yet another manner by which we become more dependent upon Government?
- Is it a good thing for politicians to continue enervating the general public in this matter?
- Is this good for society in general (the further professionalization of charitable works)?
Steve continues with his warning:
I’m sure there’s a 2010 version brewing somewhere as well. And I know Obama has not stopped wanting it. But to facilitate the smoke screen groups like ONE campaign, in conjunction with organizations like GCAP and others, have to work on the political will, cloaked with high profile celebrity endorsements, focusing on poverty, without revealing the contradictions. And Republicans fall for it. But their agenda is more than it appears to be. And they have no problem hiding behind world hunger to advance their socialist redistributive solutions.
Conservatives understand that the only thing that lifts people out of poverty is a stable government committed to rule of law, the right to own property, the right to self defense, free markets and open trade, and some form of representative government. These are things we should support and strive for.
I went to the ONE site – it talks a lot about hunger. It talks about poverty. It talks about women, and children, and UN treaties and efforts, and a whole bunch more. But there is one thing missing and Steve nails it – proper governance.
Haiti is a basket case; a failed nation state. Problem is, that phrase was true BEFORE the earthquake. It was a corrupt government – and failed its people badly. It did not put in the proper fundamentals into place and only one example of that was poor building codes and inspections; the earthquake didn’t kill people, the poorly constructed and inspected buildings did. Frankly, Haiti was, is, and will be for quite some time, a poster child for dependency. There it is dependence on foreign aid. ONE wishes to perpetuate that with a UN oversight.
Steve ends up with this:
ONE campaign is a poison pill for conservatives and small government republicans, and they’d do well to keep their distance in the future.
This is NOT about the money (although 2.5% of the US GDP of approximately $14 Trillion or $350 Billion is not a small amount of money). IT IS about whether or not we are going to allow an incremental out sourcing of individual responsibility? It is about ceding yet more little piece of sovereignty to the UN. It is yet another step forward for the Progressive movement where Government becomes foremost as we cede our individualism to the State.
And Rich Ashooh, with others in the supporting cast, with support of this (and its push for Government) is enabling it.
*****
I followed one of the links - much to my chagrin. First, the smoke and mirrors:
Right off the top, we see the Political Leaders being publicized (er, no surprise there); an emphasis on them as they have the keys to the Treasury.
…Our New Hampshire state chairs: former democratic party leader Joe Keefe, and former RNC Committeeman Rich Ashooh just spoke and talked about some of the great works that both parties have come together over the past few years to achieve in the developing world.
…They are both talking about the movement of Americans that are realizing just how many people we can save in the developing world. Both Jack and Mike are talking about how ONE Vote ‘08 allows us, the voter – the American public – the opportunity to make sure that the next President of the United States knows that fighting AIDS and poverty is a priority!
From looking around this room, it is clear that the time to make poverty history is now. ONE Vote ‘08 is our chance to make a better and safer world for all and save people around the world.
This has been an incredible event and it is very clear that here in New Hampshire, people are realizing what can happen when we come together as ONE! Today was for the poorest people on Earth. This is why Jack Oliver and Mike McCurry came up, this is why Joe Keefe and Rich Ashooh
You know, I expect Democrats to want Government to do more, and expect that Government would tax its citizens more so as to redistribute their wealth for their notions of good works. And I will fight them tooth and nail – in my mind, this is not the proper role of government.
Frankly, it pains me to see Republicans, who seemingly espouse fiscal conservatism and limited Government supporting a program that is diametrically opposed to that philosophy. Yet, in that ONE posting were two other Republicans were mentioned: State Rep. Shaun Doherty and Manchester GOP Chair Cliff Hurst.
Not to be seen as just picking on Rich Ashooh, I emailed them on Saturday about this. To this point, neither have bothered to respond:
On 2/13/2010 4:34 PM, Skip Murphy wrote:
Hi Shaun,
Skip from GraniteGrok here; you were nice enough to do an interview with me at the STEWARD Chowdahfest and posted on GraniteGrok.
I just listened to it again- in it, you said one of the reasons you were running for re-election was for more fiscal conservatism, a more streamlined government…"why the economy cannot be burdened by a lot of debt". I also asked you specifically about the fact that our school system is not teaching the proper role of civics within society….and that a large percentage of folks believe in socialism. Your answer was that socialism doesn’t work….and if people believe that, a better education system is needed.
The reason why I am asking is that I just read Steve’s post over at NH Insider that linked over to the ONE site where I read this:
After the event, we were able to catch up with many ONE members and community activists, including ONE’s Marine (Michael Castaldo), State Rep. Shaun Doherty, Manchester GOP Chairman Cliff Hurst, and former State Senator Dave Currier who was still sporting his ONE band from our NH ONE Vote launch in 2007, he even took a fistful of ONE bands on his way out the door. We even had a special guests as Tom’s parents even came out to support Tom, and all ONE members life saving efforts.My question to you is – how is raising my taxes to support the notion that Government is responsible
for charitable works around the world under the guise of the UN’s MDG, implementing more fiscal conservatism and a more streamlined government? And indeed, ONE is looking to do exactly that – shifting the work of charity from individuals to that being a primary function of government (else, why the need for a Senior Director of Government Relations?).I await your response.
Kindest Regards,
-Skip
GraniteGrok.com
I followed that up with another email to Shaun as I had forgotten something:
Hi Shaun,
I forgot: Your answer was that socialism doesn’t work.
Er, how is this ONE campaign and it developing emphasis on US Government action NOT an application of socialist theory (taking from those "that can afford it" via taxes to give to those that "deserve it")?
And no, I am not picking on you in particular – I AM asking any of our political leaders that have espoused fiscal conservatism and a more limited government what their roles have been in this and how they believe this fits with their (your) stated political philosophy).
Might I ask – if you have Cliff Hurst’s email address, would you be willing to forward it so that I might ask him the same questions? Like I said, I’m not concentrating on you specifically….
-Skip
And I did obtain Cliff’s email from another source, and sent him a similar email:
Hi Cliff,
Skip from GraniteGrok here; previously you had invited me to the ONE event that was held at St. A’s a bit ago (which I had declined because of a scheduling conflict); thus, I have a question for you.
The reason why I am asking is that I just read Steve’s post over at NH Insider that linked over to the ONE site where I read this:
After the event, we were able to catch up with many ONE members and community activists, including ONE’s Marine (Michael Castaldo), State Rep. Shaun Doherty, Manchester GOP Chairman Cliff Hurst, and former State Senator Dave Currier who was still sporting his ONE band from our NH ONE Vote launch in 2007, he even took a fistful of ONE bands on his way out the door. We even had a special guests as Tom’s parents even came out to support Tom, and all ONE members life saving efforts.
My question, as a proponent of a more limited government, a fiscal conservative, and a believer that charity is an individual’s voluntary act, is this:
How is raising my taxes to support the notion that Government is responsible for charitable works around the world under the guise of the UN’s MDG, accomplishing those three things? And indeed, ONE is looking to do exactly that – shifting the work of charity from individuals to that being a primary function of government (else, why the need for a Senior Director of Government Relations?).More and more, it seems that a nation’s level of "charity" is measured not by how much its citizens give (and by anyone’s measure, we are #1) but by how much is spent by Government.
I await your response.
Kindest Regards,
-Skip
GraniteGrok.com
So, Rich, in the words of Bill O’Reilly: "How say you?"
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