GraniteGrok

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Hour One:  

Things to be thankful for from 2008    Part 1   Part 2

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

Posted by Skip at 5:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Snippets will be coming soon!

Hour One:

Ray Carbone comes on to discuss his soon to be published book on New Hampshire's Lakes Region beauty.  Interested?  Click here.

Religion and politics and current events intersect in numerous ways - and sometimes in very controversal ways.  Skip and Doug talk with Danielle Delisle concerning NH's Gene Robinson, NH's openly gay Episcopal Bishop visit to a local Methodist church.  Rev. Thompson, leader of the group that invited him, calls in and things get a little lively. 

Hour Two: 

The discussion continues along the realm of religion intersecting politics with Danielle and Rev. Thompson (who has agreed to come onto the show in the near future).

It is budget season here in NH and the Belknap County gets an overall review by former Laconia Mayor Tom Tardif.  While this may be local to central NH, we know that from our friends around the country, the same things go on in your area - listen up and find out how "extra" money is extracted from your family!

SchlubCam:

Ray Carbone talks about his book - Part 1

Danielle Delisle (with Rev. Thompson) - Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4      Note: there are some periods of silence when Rev. Thompson joins via phone.  Dinglehoff (er, that's me) failed to switch the audio input of the Schlubcam - apologies!

Tom Tardif speaks about Belknap County budget - Part 1       

Break 1   Break 2   Break 3   Break 4  

Posted by Skip at 7:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Meet The New Press - Why education matters edition!

Hour One:

Grant Bosse (who we had endorsed for NH Congressional District 2 in the primary) was in studio as the new investigative reporter for the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy where he will be specializing in all things State related (budget, policies, the politics and inner workings).  He'll also be putting the results up at NH WatchDog! 

Part 1 & 2    Part 3

Steve DeMaura from Americans for Job Security comes on to talk about the Kill Company Campaign (otherwise known as the "Employee Free Choice Act"). 

Hour Two: 

Terry Stewart joins Doug and Skip to talk about the feeding frenzy of the "outside agencies" at the forum instigated by Bud Martin and hosted by the County Commissioners.  It was quite the sight, watching all these non-governmental agencies proclaim that all was lost and we were doomed if their funding was not put back into the budget.   Part 1    Part 2

Lisa Merrill joins us to talk about her quest for a more open and transparent government in Meredith with respect to video taping and broadcasting the Inter-Lakes School District meetings.  She also announces that she will be running for Inter-Lakes School Board!    Part 1   Part 2

SchlubCam:

Grant Bosse - Part 1  Part 2   Part 3

Terry Stewart - Part 1   Part 2

Lisa Merrill - Part 1   Part 2

Break 1   Break 2   Break 3   Break 5   Break 6   Break 7

Posted by Skip at 5:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Meet The New Press - Why education matters edition!

Hour One:

Educationalpalooza with Jane and Anne Marie!

Part 1   Part 2  Part 3   Part 4

Who wishes for fog?  Take heart - not satisfied with the election? Work to change things!  And we need to change Education from the liberal influence (which is not the same as Classic Liberalism) - so Jane and Anne Marie are back. Schools are no longer the same as in the 50s, 60s, and 70s...and conservatives have abdicated the curriculum.  Stories about kids indoctrinated FOR Democrat candidates.  The troops - wanted McCain.  Kids - voting from celebrityhood and Chanel marketing. Why are politicos jealous of Sarah Palin? 

We are seeing the results, in this election, of values installed by the government schools.  Discussion of Bill Ayers and his ilk on the teacher population, the co-opting of the language. Where is the clear thinking? It is free market and individual freedoms, not socialism, that has increased standards of living.  New Beginnings - indoctrinating out kids locally?  Is our real history being lost? On TV, why are Dads always denigrated and made fun of?  The Gag Rule (aka "The Fairness Doctrine")? Sen. Schumer (D-NY) - conservative radio talk = pornography?  Real hate speech - Prop 8 supporters? "None Dare Call it Education" - 12 fundamental beliefs being discarded.

Reasons why pulling kids out of government schools. The case for school vouchers - high testing countries use it, so why not us?  Who are the teachers union leaders really for?  Leo Sandy - another Bill Ayers?  Why is the NEA supporting CA Prop 8 - gay marriage - what does that have to do with education and is it emblematic of the problem?

Who to change the schools?  EduBabble?  The Showcase? what is HOT? Lots of experimentation Instead of being taught, the kids have to figure it out themselves - group learning instead of teacher direction. Absolute vs relative morality (isn't the latter working out just so well?)  Again - who really controls the local schools - you, the School Board, NH, or the Feds? Peeking under the blanket - kids using technology to record their teacher's ideological rants - why do we never see CONSERVATIVE rants?  webcams for parents?  Teachers - they want parents involved to get the nonsense out of the schools.

Hour Two: 

We talked with Duane Lester of the AllAmericanBlogger about corporate socialism with a bailout of the the Big Three automakers. "The church of Global Warming" on the left - killing off the internal combustion engine (why not give money to the electric car companies like Tesla?)  It all comes down to the UAW (whose average job cost is twice that of the average manufacturing company union employee).  Environmental zealotry.   Work rules - job bank. Example: England's failed attempt at saving British Leyland.  Contrasting costs (union, non-union) broken down by car.  Bankruptcy is better for the Big 3? Where does it stop? Reward bad behavior? Global warming - Maurice Strong - wealth redistribution by any means. Kyoto - fines are being paid by countries whose CO2 standards are so low that they cannot be met and sent to countries whose CO2 limits are so high they cannot meet them - simple wealth distribution.  Will Republicans vote with Pelosi and Reid to bailout the Big Three, and now the Governator, Detroit City, et al, with their hands out?  Are we doing away with risk?  What will Obama do now that the Feds outright own companies?  Devaluing the dollar?  Will free markets / capitalism be destroyed because of government distortions and creeping socialism?                Part 1   Part 2   Part 3

Back to Jane and Anne Marie - Is local control over education a sham?  State programs: Follow the Child, No Child Left Behind.  Fed programs: led by UN programs as the UN has strayed from its original mission of peace between countries to lots of programs for a one world government.  Huh? - UN and Marvel Comics for "social Justice" comics for your kids' schools?  New Beginnings in the Gilford's school system? NH sophomores to be able to test out with lower quality tests than seniors?  The problem - whose definition of "well rounded, well prepared" will win out?  Where is the curriculum behind this?  Didn't NH just pass a law preventing early dropouts? Effects on the achievement gap?  Government dependence (Katrina) vs self-reliance with a bit of government help (Flooding in the Mid-West).

SchlubCam:

Segment 1  Segment 2  Segment 3  Segment 4 Segment 8

Break 1  Break 2  Break 3  10 AM Top of the Hour News break

Break 6  After the Show

Posted by Skip at 9:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Meet The New Press - End of the Campaign Edition!

Hour One:

Coming soon

Hour Two: 

Coming soon

SchlubCam:

None this week

Posted by Skip at 6:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Meet The New Press - End of the Campaign Edition!

Hour One:

Coming soon - both Senator John E. Sununu and former Congressman Jeb Bradley come on to talk about last minute campaining and expectations.

Hour Two: 

Coming soon - Liz Mair from the RNC talks with a caller concerning healthcare and the various races with Doug and Skip.  Also, Jen Rubin comes on to analyze and give her expections on the races.

SchlubCam:

None this week

Posted by Skip at 9:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Note: OK, I'm late....was sick most of Saturday and Sunday - flog me with a damp handkerchief!  Snippets will come as soon as I can!

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Hour One:

Part 1, Part 2 - MTNP tries to right a wrong as NH Democrat Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter called Gold Star Mom Natalie Healy a liar about her not contacting Natalie during a debate with Jeb Bradley (Republican candidate for NH Congressional District 1) .  NH Democrat Leader Ray Buckley compounds the slur when he accused this lady (whose Navy SEAL son was killed in Afganistan trying to rescue his buddies) of allowing herself to be "used" by the Bradley campaign.

Natalie and Debbie Lee, another Gold Star Mother who witnessed the incident, call into the show as Jeb is in studio.

Part 3 - Doug and Skip discuss on that Carol Shea-Porter refuses to contact certain constituents and refused a debate.  Taxes and Obama.  Paying final respect to National Guard Cpl Dimond of Franklin, NH.    Doug brings up the Pemi Machine Gun shoot to be held tomorrow.

Hour Two: 

Leslie Carbone comes on to talk about her upcoming book: Slaying Leviathan: The Moral Case for Tax Reform (Potomac, 2009) and why it is important (funding only what government should be doing for enumerated powers, violating the law of the land and we have to pay for it - Joe the Plumber, undermining incentives to create wealth, how the Left and Right view the tax code.  Morally, those that have worked for the rewards deserve them - not others; the role of charity vs taxes.  Those that game the system ).  Part 1    Part 2

John Russo returns on to discuss the event that Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson is attending here in Gilford.  Points - the demise of the "mainline Protestant denominations" as they move to a social gospel from an individual gospel, secular humanism vs absolute Christian theology,  "the slippery slope" and the homosexual agenda     Part 1    Part 2

SchlubCam:

Discussion with Jeb in studio - Carol Shea-Porter calls one Gold Star Mother a liar and NH Democrat Chair diminishes another Gold Star Mother's loss of her son    Part 1    Part 2    A Break

Posted by Skip at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Note: OK, I'm late....was sick most of Saturday and Sunday - flog me with a damp handkerchief!  Snippets will come as soon as I can!

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Hour One:

Segment 1 - The Gang talks about Senator Sununu - his actions (positive) speak louder than words - a better fit for NH, especially when he stands up for what he thinks is right (changes in the Patriot Act, Internet taxes, et al).  We talk about Jeb Bradley's openness to all (Carol Shea-Porter - if you are not a Dem, you aren't going to get to speak to her). Elected politicans do not get to choose who they represent (or not). Jeb is always at the military events and does NOT go for the mic or recognition.  CSP - in the tank for Big Unions

Segment 2 - Presidential polls are getting closer. "Common" fare for the campaign trail?  Caller asks Greg about the Laconia City Council's 10% raise for the City Manager and other issues.

Liz Mair comes back to the show and talks about the Sarah Palin event in Laconia and "Joe the Plumber" calling Obama out on his socialism.  Obama's Spendometer.

NH State Budget and Governor Lynch's refusal to show leadership in this Democrat sponsord fiscal debacle (of which, they were warned long ago)

Hour Two: 

NH's Senator John E. Sununu - talks with the Gang about how bad the Employee Free Choice Act is for Joe Six-Pack. Foxes watching the hen house (Dems at Fannie & Freddie).  Have to control spending! We talk about Internet, energy, stuff.

Joe Kenney - Republican candidate for NH Gov & 28 year Marine (from private to Lt. Col.).  Talks about Dem. Gov. Lynch's failures at controlling the budget.  Need an overall ERP system and let the citizens see the on-going results.  Talks about how he would reign in and fix the State's problems.

Warner Todd Huston, blogger at PubliusForum.com comes on to talk about his post decrying the Toledo (Ohio) Blade editorial that all but embraces socialism ("the right to a job where you live").

SchlubCam:

Greg Knytych joins Doug and Skip - Part 1, Part 2

Watch the Gang talk with Liz about "Joe the Plumber and Obama's economic plan

A Break

NH State Budget Discussion

The guys talk with NH Senator Sununu

Another Break

Joe Kenny, Republican candidate for NH Governor, talks with the Gang

Yet Another Break

After the show banter

Posted by Skip at 8:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Hour One:

Opening Banter - political debates - behind the scenes in the blogosphere by the campaign's E-campaigners.

Discussion with Karen Testerman - Cornerstone Policy Research, mentions Joe Biden intro'd by VP John Mccain.  Title V brouhaha at the Capital - Planned Parenthood (who gets over $1 Billion each year) and its allies tried to spike $90K used in abstinence education funding (even though PP gets over $1 million).  Jeanne Shaheen - refused it when Gov at first, then "wasted it" in admin just so she could say she took it. How Planned Parenthood / Teen Clinics, funded by government, separate kids from their kids in defense of "reproductive rights" and their sense of "morality".  In essence, Planned Parenthood does not want a choice out there - just their way.  Discussion - kids are not just sexual beings - they do have minds - it doesn't have to "oh, they're just gonna do it!  Choices have consequences! 

The process by which the Democrat Executive Councilors (except Shea!) tried to block that $90K funding.  Jorge calls in! Politician ratings by Cornerstone / CPR.  History of Doug, Karen, and Jorge (Skip's the Johnny-come-lately) in activism; the role of technology.  CT Supreme Court vote on validating gay marriage - effect here in NH?  Traditional and proven customs vs change for the sake of change. Karen - temp reloc with her husband to Australia!  Obama - a change to socialism aided and abetted by a Dem majority?  Traditional family - best for kids - the studies prove it (role models, poverty avoidance).

Jeb Bradley, Republican candidate for NH's Congressional District 1, calls in!   Sprinting to Nov. 2 and he is optimistic.  People want answers to bad economy, jobs lost, and high healthcare and energy costs, bailout.  Where's Carol Shea-Porter on her agenda?  Jeb talked about the AARP debate yesterday (she tried to blame Jeb for the problems and she didn't like Jeb quoting her voting record).  Raising taxes, not drilling: not answers!

Jeb wants the Blogger Debate that Carol Shea-Porter is running from!  Even with Liberals coming in to grill Jeb while Doug and I question her.  The people deserve to know where both Jeb and Carol stand on the issues (Skip points out - Jeb granted Carol a lot of debates; why is she not granting the same in return?  Open and transparency in how the candidates stand.

Skip will re-issue the invitation; convictions of the ideas should be demonstrated before the public.

Karen, Part 2 - Brings up that Jeb was always willing to take time for his constitutents when they came to DC.  Skip recalls the Carol Shea-Porter will not "You are not my constituent".   Get involved!  Life is up to you - and not the government.

Hour Two: 

Part 1 - Mark Primeau (President and CEO) and Steve Loughlin (Sr. Vice President, Commercial Lending) of Laconia Savings Bank come in to talk about the current financial tempest.  Wall Street & international finance have big problems but locally, banks are stable, are well capitalized, and lending; they do not have a credit crunch.  As a result of keeping their loan policies the stable for years, they are not in trouble - they simply lend to those that can repay their loans.  Politics has played a role in the current situation as well as complex financial derivatives / financial instruments.  Mark confirms - lending to homebuyers that really couldn't afford them started this bubble problem.  NH / Lakes Region is not in the same bucket as CA, FL, NV - foreclosures here number 151 so far this year - 116 last year (and no local banks are involved).  But there are THOUSANDS of mortgages that are fine here in the Lakes Region!  Comparison of economy in 1929 vs that of today - there isn't one even if there are some comparison that are true (e.g, asset bubble).  The economy is still pretty good here in NH.

Part 2 - All is not rosy as the financial problems could ripple into the general economy. Some of the problems highlighted in the media are part of an industry and companies within it and not part of the financial meltdown - but does our educational system have a part in this - does it teach what capitalism is (and isn't)?  Regulations have effects too -> see France!  Capitalism -> the freedom to screw up!  Context check - far more banks died in the last crisis during the early 1990s than so far now; Steve lists just the banks that failed on Oct 10, 1991.  Right now, it is the big banks, the sub-prime players, that are in trouble - not the community banks like Laconia Savings.  Quick discussion on "Mark-to-Market" - the theory sounded good - not so much in reality so quickly.  An emailer - Laconia Savings' online banking system is primo!

Joe Kenney, Republican candidate for New Hampshire Governor calls in to talk issues - Dems went into spending mode with $500 million over revenues for a 17.5% rise in spending.  Lynch has not protected the taxpayer. Doug - Lynch is going to the employees to solve the problem. Joe - not addressing the problem and has not made the cuts needed to keep the budget balanced.  Lynch says he has solved the retirement system problem - Joe calls him out for his absence in the actual process.  The retirement system is the elephant in the room - a big problem that is not going away.  How would he differ from Lynch - a real balance budget, a better financial / ERP system (Pew rates NH near the bottom), and get the line employees to suggest better procedures.  Openness and transparency - Joe will put the check register and the departmental audits out on the State's website (like Alaska) to allow citizens to do policing of their government.  Joe cites the non-open process of last minute bonding - that should have been open!

Part 2 - New Hampshire Advantage - "what would you do to preserve the NH advantage?" Joe - no income or sales tax, biz friendly state, individual responsibility, limited government.  Lynch - NH Advantage - it's wonderful people. - it shows the problem with Lynch, that you don't know where he stands.  Joe stands on core conservative principles - Lynch says what's needed to just get elected.  Doug asks Joe about Jane Aitkins's (one of our go-to education gals here at MTNP!) Letter to the  Editor (Laconia Citizen):

Editor, The Citizen:

Your endorsement of Lynch is some sort of sick joke isn't it? $500M deficit, 25 new taxes, RGGI nonsense, SPA nonsense, and abortions for 11-year olds really don't show 'leadership' in any way shape or form. Not to mention that he cannot string together a coherent sentence when responding to questions, that is, if he responds at all. Most times he runs away.

Shame on you, Citizen.

J. Aitken
Manchester

Parental Notification - Joe is pro-life and feels that when Lynch signed that repeal, he took away the right's of parents.  Dems all but say "kids, you don't have to listen to your parents".

SchlubCam:

Karen Testerman - Part 1, Break 1, Part 2, Break2, Part 4

Karen while our friend Jorge Mesa-Tejada and Congressman Jeb Bradley call in.

Mark Primeau and Steve Loughlin from Laconia Savings Bank talking with Doug and Skip about the current financial credit crunch and why community banks like LSB are not only surviving but doing well.     Coming in, Part 1, Break 2, Part 2

Posted by Skip at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Hour One:

No snippets this week

Hour Two: 

No snippets this week

SchlubCam:

None this week!

Posted by Skip at 5:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

To play (or "stream") a clip now, just click on it.  To download it to your PC, right click on it and tell the process where to save the file for you.
 

Hour 1              Hour 2

Hour One:

Opening Banter - MTNP Movie Critics?  Matt Murphy and Brink Slattery of the Granite Staters for Employee Freedom join Doug and Skip to talk about the Card check legislation (ill named Employee Free Choice Act. Animal House meets Captain America?

GSEF Part 1 - what is the bill about?  Why is the secret ballot superior to just signing a card to bring in a union - what are the pros and cons?  Where can the union go to get you to sign?  What is the business owner allowed to do?  McCain does not support it; Obama and the Democrat Party does.  The Biz owner would now be under a gag order.  What can the union do to "convince" you to sign?  Forces the Biz owner to reach binding arbitration in 90 days; else, in 30 day, the Feds WILL mediate an agreement. After that, the arbitrator and the unions sets the pay, benefits, and working conditions for 2 years - the biz owner has no say. The unions are allowed to combine several small companies to "get enough" to have a union.  Percentage of union participation now?

GSEF Part 2 - Pat?  How close to passage?  Stance of President Bush?  Senate?  What will Obama?  Unions have already spent $500 million to advocate for this (and will spend up to $1 BILLION dollars!  Big Oil?  Big Business?  How about Big Unions and the pay rates of the union bosses - how many people have to pay how much to give them that pay level?  Tom calls in to defend unions.  Doug reveals his stance about unions.  Again, the main issue will be the loss of the private ballot for the common guy in deciding about union participation.  With card signatures, the "voting" stops when 51% of the employees have agreed to the union - the rest of the employees don't matter.

GSEF Part 3 - Three Stooges vs Little Rascals? Pre-1947 was card check - replaced by private balloting because of unions threats.  Shaheen - Big Labor in support.  Matt and Brink talk about their experiences in trying to talk about Shaheen's stance, talking with ordinary union members, and union thuggish behavior when they dislike the camera.  Shaheen won't tell why she supports this legislation.  The trials and tribulations of taking video.  Why isn't this "bigger" news and being talked about (er, most people aren't political / news junkies)?  The union leaders threaten Matt and Brink in "throw you in the river" and one sticks his finger onto the camera lens.

Doug and Skip continue the discussion from last week about SWAT / Police - recap from last week and a new incident where a SWAT team member was killed entering a house; turns out that the occupant may be exonerated from murder charges (thinking his house was being burglerized, he shot at the door) because the SWAT team made some very bad mistakes.  Double standard example (citizen treated differently than a law enforcement officer for falling asleep at the wheel)?

Hour Two: 

Jen Rubin, Part 1 - her article mentioned by Rush Limbaugh!  New media - comraderia, conversations amongst us all.  A meritocracy - if you are good, you will succeeed!  Jen's article on Joe Biden - lots of earmarks (and Obama too!).  Change?  Not really!  A talk about the financial mess and politicians role in it and how earmarks can be corrupting. Million dollar earmark by Obama to his wife's employer and her subsequent pay raise?  Community organizer = lobbyist.  Burning down the house - viral video - explains how government created this mess.  Skip's commentary on an similar IBD editorial.

Part 2 - Jen of "everywhere!"  New gig too - DC Editor of Pajamas Media including PJTV! Bailout bill - Jen give's us the latest and what might happen in the near future. <Digression: Doug -> is Bill Clinton the Ron White of the political scene.>  Jen talks about the ideological differences to the approaches to solving the fiscal bailout bill mess. She thinks McCain did help (and Pelosi wants cover from the Republicans). 

Debate?  She thinks McCain won (because Chris Matthews is upset!).  Has McCain gotten inside Obama OODA even in the debate?  A "Kitty Dukakis" moment for Obama? Does Obama really understand "bad people"?  Discussion of appearances / presentation - Obama seemed angry, kept interrupting McCain, and seemed annoyed when challenged; McCain seemed at ease.  A "George Herbert Walker Bush" moment for Obama, too - had to look at the bracelet "I have one too!".  Doug talks about Matthew Stanley.

Skip and Doug debate about the Debate; Part 1 - They argue about McCain's decision to suspend his campaign (Skip -> 'dumb", Doug - "good!").  Why aren't the Senators actually doing Senate work?  McCain - better communicator than Bush, throws Dems another curve with "debate - will he?  Will he not?".  Debate format notes.  Why are we allowing society to mitigate bad decisions. 

They continue - Part 2 - Obama seemed to keep take punches ("I agree with John"); McCain campaign staff gets ad out before end of debate.  Obama seemed to be on the defensive and always having to explain himself.  McCain "adjusts" and stops allowing Obama to interrupt (again, annoying Obama more).  McCain - changed the debate from speechifying and debating to a townhall event.  Obama could not tie McCain to Bush.  "Believe in the US before you become the President".

American Carol - the movie!

SchlubCam:

None this week!

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