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We just love Professor Thomas Sowell here at the ‘Grok – a black conservative Economic Professor that is Consistent, always for Free Markets, and his political analysis is generally spot on – I quote him a lot.  He’s now endorsed Ted Cruz for President – given Sowell’s reputation, I am hoping you will give this great weight (emphasis mine, reformatted):

Amid the petty bickering, loud rhetoric and sordid attack ads in this year’s primary election campaigns, the death of a giant — Justice Antonin Scalia — suddenly overshadows all of that. The vacancy created on the Supreme Court makes painfully clear the huge stakes involved when we choose a President of the United States, just one of whose many powers is the power to nominate justices of the Supreme Court.

Justice Scalia’s passing would be a great loss at any time. But at this crucial juncture in the history of the nation — with 5-to-4 Supreme Court decisions determining what kind of country America will be — Scalia’s death can be catastrophic in its consequences, depending on who is chosen to be his successor. Given the advanced ages of other justices, the next president is likely to have enough vacancies to fill to be able to shape the future of the court that helps shape the future of America.

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Ayup, our tax dollars in use – parents, you should be SO proud – OUTSTANDING!

The Daily Beast combed available statistics to figure out which campuses have both environments that may be permissive of drug use as well as a student body that partakes in illegal drug use. To rank the colleges and universities, we first turned to College Prowler, the largest student review database, to see which institutions had “drug scene” grades, which illustrate how students rate the prevalence of drugs on campus. A high grade, i.e. an A+, indicates that drugs and alcohol are not noticeable on campus and there is no pressure to use drugs. College Prowler provided an initial list of nearly 400 colleges and universities across the country of all sizes and academic rigor.

1. University of New Hampshire
Drug use grade: C-
Percentage of 18-25 year olds used illicit drugs in past month: 29.21
Percentage of 18-25 year olds used marijuana in past year: 41.54
Percentage of 18-25 year olds used cocaine in past year: 7.23
2009 on-campus arrests for drug law violations: 106
Student population: 15,253

We then

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If this was true, the NH GOP really WOULD have been all over the Voter Fraud issue for years.  So, do a Nexus-Lexus search and you’ll see the hollowness of her claim – nada, zilch, zero. Why? I have been told by high ranking NH GOP officials that the reason why this ready made issue against the Democrats has lain dormant for decades – it didn’t want to leave itself open if it went after Ray Buckley and his fellow vote stealers (like Martha  Clark’s Hotel and Flop House for wayward out-of-state vote fraudsters.  Primo example numero uno is  NH State Senator Jeb Bradley’s (R-Wolfeboro and implementer of Obamacare’s Medicaid Expansion) son who voted in the same election twice from two different states.  But I digress – here is her missive trying to take credit, once again, for something she has bothered to do anything about.  That is, until now as I bet someone dangled the idea of $$$ in front of her (that will move her like no other issue) (and no, I’m not including the links embedded in the email):

Have you seen the latest video showing just how easy it is to fraudulently vote in New Hampshire?

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NRO via Hot Air (emphasis mine):

GOP state representative Bill O’Brien, who was the speaker of New Hampshire’s house when the voter-ID bill passed in 2012, is appalled by just how porous its enforcement was in this year’s primary. “It’s an embarrassment this should happen in a state that is accorded the right to the first primary,” he told me. “More of this and people from outside the state will start to question that status, which would be very sad.”

But deserved.  Given our status and its importance in setting the pace for the Prez Wannabe primary, those outside of NH should be able to depend on an level field yielding a fair, honest, and correct result.  Voter Fraud upsets that.  So, others SHOULD be looking at this and go “Really?  Like all those districts that didn’t have ONE vote for Romney?  Is that going on in NH”?

O’Brien points out that the state constitution clearly says that the right to vote in New Hampshire is connected to someone’s actually living in the state. “But the local courts have basically reinterpreted that to mean you have a state of mind that you intend to live in New Hampshire and that should be enough to allow you to vote.” Even so, he says that some of the activities seen in O’Keefe’s video are clearly fraudulent. “We once had 50 voters use the administrative office of a local college as their legal address in New Hampshire,” he recounted. “They were clearly out-of-state campaign workers voting.”

So here is the Stupid Party, the NH GOP being its local branch, once again can’t even figure out that it HAS shoe laces (far before thinking that it ought to tie them).  

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And also remember, that ONLY Democrats voted for this “take healthcare away” bill because this AIN’T affordable.  Unexpectedly! (reformatted, emphasis mine):

Surprise! Health Insurance Costs To Spike 60 Percent, Thanks To Obamacare

A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report estimates that private health insurance premiums will continue to balloon over the next decade thanks in large part to Obamacare. The report states that, over the next 10 years, private health insurance premiums will increase by about 5 percent annually — a rate that outpaces the gross domestic product by 2 percentage points.

By 2025, employment-based coverage (health-care insurance an employer offers) will cost 60 percent more than it does today. For a family, that increase costs to an average of $24,500 per year. For those with an individual plan, health-care costs will increase to cost an average $10,000 per year.  What’s driving these price increases? Obamacare.

Remember, half the population of the US makes under $31,000 year.  $24K would be 77% of their entire year’s wages.  That basically sends this message from the Democrats to Americans: Families, drop dead!

Update: Oh yeah – this news: “…another one bits the dust”?

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“If I were a Republican — whether the Majority Leader all the way down to the county clerk — and every nominee I would say no hearings. No votes. Lame ducks don’t make lifetime appointments. There is no precedent. And I will simply add, the base will not forgive anyone. Senators will lose their jobs if they block the blockade. There should be an absolute blockade on this.”

(H/T: Hugh Hewitt via Instapundit)

Remember, Kelly Ayotte is in favor of abdicating her legislative power by showing approval for Obama’s EPA and its Clean Power Plan – a clear crossing of the separation of powers as the Executive branch is simply legislating what it will execute – no Senate need apply.   So the question will be is how she will react to the death of Justice Scalia.  Thus, I find this troubling:

Ayotte opposed the confirmation of Justice Elena Kagan, stating that Kagan was unqualified. Ayotte said that she probably would have voted in favor of confirming Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

So, can we Trust her voting here?  Certainly no one can say that

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Over at the Concord Monitor, a Tom Shamberg (a flaming Progressive from his voting record in the NH Legislature and ratings), is all about having the State take on the responsibility and cost for all of NH’s Education (hey, that’s what Progressives do – take away control but make everyone else pay for it).  From this proposition, he has a line on how NH Legislators should be acting to make his Utopia of freeing NH property taxpayers (which, when you think about it, is everyone). Problem is, it WILL require other taxes. The worst part is that even as he complains about the State interfering at the local level with unfunded mandates, his answer is not to strengthen the local communities but to continue the wrenching away of that local control and upshifting it to the State – further away away from those that should be in charge.  So, take away local governance on local taxes and what will you get?

Yeah – New Jersey’s taxation without the goodness. My response was (a little editing here):

Keeping control local is the NH way – not upshifting the responsibility, the cost, and the control. Property taxes are local – don’t like them? Run for your selectboard, budget committee, or school board and make sure your local government lives within your means. Remember, you chose to (continue to) live or move there – how is it “fair” to impose your local community’s costs on others?

Short answer: it’s not. It is neither fair or moral. How is it moral to put a claim on someone else’s stuff (money, time, expertise, labor, things) for your benefit? Schamberg is doing exactly that – and it sounds like you are too.

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Except one: More government.  Progressives are the car salesmen of the State, and there’s always more undercoating to sell.  More government is the one indispensible conviction of modern progressivism. Everything else is up for negotiation.

And he is right on the money; as he points out, Democrats/Progressives/Socialists CAN’T tell the truth (reformatted, emphasis mine):

7. You can’t trust liberals.

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Ayup – Bernie Sanders ought to be careful about what he claims to be rigged (the economy) and what really is (voting for the Democrat Party Prez nominee) (Image H/T: Powerline):

Bernie is now feeling the effects of the redistribution of the NH voters that he got – directly to his enemy.  Just like when A students are forced to get their skill and efforts given to those that party hardy and majored in underwater basket weaving (I guess nowadays it is “gender” studies).  The Republican base (to which I no longer belong, thankfully) oft complains about the Elites going backroom to deal them out; the Dems have institutionalized their “racism / discrimination against their own base” (emphasis mine, reformatted):

CNN’s “The Lead” host Jake Tapper…asked Wassereman Schultz, “Hillary Clinton lost to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire by 22 percentage points, the biggest victory in a contested Democratic primary there since John F. Kennedy, but it looks as though Clinton and Sanders are leaving the Granite State with the same number of delegates in their pockets, because Clinton has the support of New Hampshire’s superdelegates, these party insiders. What do you tell voters who are new to the process who [say] this makes them feel like it’s all rigged?”

She answered,

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SHOT:

US Constitution, Article II, Section 2:

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

Chaser:

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With this from Steve as a backdrop:

“The current New Hampshire Republican Party has devolved away from being any kind of bulwark against creeping progressivism and the ardent promotion of candidates who will man the bulwark or (God help us) take us into battle, to little more than an exclusive party for hand-picked political insiders, partying away in the captain’s quarters of our anchored and sinking fleet. They have been reduced to little more than a scurrilous cadre of ideological brigands fighting over a dwindling chest of booty, backstabbing anyone and everyone who stands in their way.”

I proudly announce

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The Constitution is supposed to be our FOUNDATIONAL Law – that which should not be trifled with, ignored, or disparaged.  Yet, the Left is doing what it can to do just that even as it forms the basis for our Rule of Law – but I guess that’s the point and I guess why this is now necessary.  Political Correctness, secularism, and the push to centralize power into the Administrative State (over the boundaries limiting government by the Constitution) sorrowfully is making this an issue:

Four remaining Presidential Candidates Ted Cruz, Ben Carson and Marco Rubio, and Jeb Bush have pledged to push for passing the First Amendment Defense Act within their first 100 days in office, while others still in the race have not.

The pledge, a joint effort of the American Principles Project, Heritage Action for America and Family Research Council Action, reads “If elected, I pledge to push for the passage of the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) and sign it into law during the first 100 days of my term as President.”

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But too many of them are actually beholden to unions themselves, value their seats over Principles, or are outright Democrats masquerading as Republicans. Or, really, are just spineless political protoplasm?  Me?  I think it is more the latter than the others.  They are UNWILLING to stand up for Principles that they mouth the words to.  Could they even find it in themselves to aspire to better?  Like these guys?

Over Governor’s Veto, West Virginia Becomes 26th State to Pass Right-to-Work

West Virginia Republicans overrode a veto by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin on Friday, successfully passing right-to-work.

Tomblin,a Democrat, vetoed the measure Thursday after expressing concern that it would not help stimulate the economy as some claimed. The policy outlaws mandatory union dues or fees as a condition of employment. Republicans argued that it could help reverse decades of bad economic policies enacted under previous Democratic control.

Frankly, the union whimpering about this allowing non-union folks to piggybacking on their “negotiations” is a red herring.  If it was all that dang important, simply say “ok dude, do it yourself”.  But they’d never, EVER say it or bring it up.

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