Yes, I have been on a bit of a sabbatical lately and it will continue as I realized that life, after 9 years of GraniteGrok, had just tipped way over in being out of balance. I’ve said often that this hobby, over time, became more of an obsession, and then went beyond and when I noticed that my first post was 9 years and 5 days in the past, I went “uh-oh”. One only had to look at my house to see the effects of benign neglect because of what became so important that it literally overruled almost everything else. So for the last month or so, I’ve been rebalancing things to a more “sustainable” situation (heh!) and that will continue – but I will put up a few posts now and then – and besides, Steve asked for some content as his son’s graduation (Congrats, Steve!!) was more important than writing, so a few posts from me will go up. So here’s one:
TMEW and I like to frequent the local establishments, even in this age of online. I stopped by one very successful business and as we were sitting, the owner stopped by. Knowing each other, we immediately started to talk about the Prez wannabees and we traded some observations. Then he asked:
Are you still going to the monthly meetings (re: Belknap County)?
I laughed – and so did he. Then he said (paraphrased):
It’s a waste of time. They (meaning the NH GOP in general) don’t do what they say they will. They say one thing – and then do another.
I agree. Just look at the NH budget process right now. We are seeing, in real time, the meme of “Vote for us, we’ll spend a little less and manage it a bit better”. Look at the large amount Hassan wanted to raise the budget – the NH House Republicans raised it more than needed (thanks to the Democrat anointed Speaker of the House Jasper dancing to the puppet strings) and then the NH Senate Republicans raised it a whole lot more closer to what the Democrat Governor had.
What was SO wrong as to level fund it? What was SO wrong in taking the Principles of the Party and actually applying them (e.g., yes, the budget crafted by the Bill O’Brien Republicans)?
You hear so much from a certain set of Establishment Republicans that we should only be concerned with fiscal issues – drop the social issues. Yet, where did the NH Senate Republicans go, fulfilling my meme that “All social issues have fiscal costs”? Yes, the social issues.
You see, even as the Establishment Republicans decry the “social issues”, they then vote out of the other corner of their mouths and fund them.
Only because of “the Win”. Butts in seats – that’s all that matters. And then we’ll just make ourselves just a wee bit more moderate looking than the Democrats to the general public. And for their base?
They demand that we vote for them, simply because they can manage things and at a slightly less cost then the Dems. And we keep falling for them.
And so, he’s stopped caring about the Republicans – the message was that he’s done with Republicans that don’t act like Republicans.
Once again, I posit – “Winning is just a precursor; what you do afterwards is what is most important”.
Once again, I ask: Which clause of that statement is the more important one to you?
And are you willing to act/vote that way?
