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Co-founder of GraniteGrok, my concern is around Individual Liberty and Freedom and how the Government is taking that away. As an evangelical Christian and Conservative with small "L" libertarian leanings, my fight is with Progressives forcing a collectivized, secular humanistic future upon us. As a TEA Party activist, citizen journalist, and pundit!, my goal is to use the New Media to advance the radical notions of America's Founders back into our culture.

RightOnline – Interview with Warner Todd Houston

This is WAY too long to file under our new "Micro-Interview" category, but it is still a good time spent! Warner Todd Houston was another blogger that I had met years ago via the Sam Adam’s Alliance (his "home" blog is PubliusForum.com). Since then, he has become one of the most prolific and widely read … Read more

RightOnline – Interview with Stella Lohmann

Stella walked into the Bloggers’ Lounge area and immediately commented on the hat I had on (my "Don’t Tread on me" of Gadsden Flag fame) but that she had a Freedom Czar hat from Laura Ingraham’s radio show – one upmanship!  So, I asked her to sit down and yak after learning that she was usually the one doing the interviewing (instead of being interviewed).  Thus, Part 1 was done:

However, I saw no hat – and chided her to bring it back.  Well, she did take the time to do so:

And then I had to take a quick pic of what was on the Right side (‘natch!) of her hat: a red, white, and blue TEA pot!

 

In showing off the had, we ended up doing Part 2 (after jump!)

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RightOnline – an indelible impression by Lou and Ed

The image below is not about me – it is about the size of the flag – and the size of the hearts of two men I met at RightOnline. 

American Flag at the Venetian

No, this post is not about the ‘Grok, what I did or what I said; it is rather, about two older gentlemen that taught me a lesson – old soldiers do not just fade away.

They stand, always ready to respond to" a call to arms" when their nation’s principles are in danger; they live on and are willing learn to fight another way.

I have encapsulated this story in a thank you email to Corey Lewandowski, the NH State Director of Americans for Prosperity (er, a bit edited from the email):

Hi Corey!

BOTH TMEW and I want to THANK you so much for the sponsorship to RightOnline….

…While the ad hoc roundtable was probably the best blogger highpoint, there was a much more indelible mark that was made on my outlook of what the RightOnline conference really means.  Also sitting at the table with TMEW, Candice, and I were retired servicemen: Lt. Col. "Lou" from the 82nd Airborne that is just getting started online, and Col. "Ed", retired from the Air Force.  Since the Eldest served in the Marines (Iraq) and Youngest is now in the 101st Airborne (in Afghanistan right now), I thanked them for their service.  I found out about Lou’s service during the pre-dinner chatting, and learned that he had served in both Viet Nam and in Desert Storm….  

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RightOnline – Interview with Maggie Thurber of Thurber’s Thoughts

RightOnline – an event by Americans for Prosperity I had the opportunity to be at the RightOnline conference in Las Vegas sponsored by Americans for Prosperity. Situated in the Bloggers Lounge area, I had a constant stream of folks sit down and yak with GraniteGrok.  The live stream worked fairly well and had a number … Read more

An answer for Amos – And it is still relevant!

Bumped / Updated / Title Updated / graphic added: Why?   Because it fits…and it amuses me. And I did write this: I have just been accused of a crime by one of the campaign staffers – it’s now personal.  Silly person who can’t read a waveform….and he should know far better than to get … Read more

RightOnline – The ‘Grok made the local news in Las Vegas!

Well, the radio gig scheduled for Friday early Friday morning didn’t happen.  However, the principals behind the show, Jim Sharpe and Samspherian blogger John McJunkin, stopped by and joined other Samspherian Em Zanotti.  Then Chris Heneghan from England (via NH) also joined us. Well, while discussing the the political scene, Nathan Baca from 8 News … Read more

RightOnline – Live Stream from Bloggers lounge

updated and bumpedOK, I thought I had more time in the Bloggers Lounge – maybe time to buy a watch….General Session time – lots of special speakers! ================================================= Fox commentator, Judge Napolitano is first up and is speaking on Natural law…not sure where this is going, but will be tweeting out (watch on the TWEET … Read more

Well, it’s all about the word “many”; the dripping continues

 

(A GraniteGrok photo, taken by a friend of the ‘Grok)

"…having attended and spoken at many of its events around New Hampshire…"

 I have a REAL big problem with this, a la Charlie Bass.  yet, it seems that the GOP insiders can’t seem to understand my motivation for pursuing this – it has nothing to do with who I support in which race.  It is ALL about what politician-wannabe is, from my standpoint, trying to co-opt the TEA Party movement for their own benefit.

**********

I know this is starting to be disjointed (when the other Grokster are saying "get ON with it", I guess it is) but have no fear, some of the blocks will start to fall into place.  I hadn’t really planned on this, but when the video of Sean Mahoney was posted about his incoherent answer on immigration (really, semantically or from a themantic standpoint, Steve is right – there’s a bunch of sentences strung together that say….what?  The title of the post does fit. 

And now a pattern is starting to develop – he speaks, we report, you decide. Now, don’t get me wrong, Sean IS a nice guy – really!  Warm personality, a ready smile, and a willing handshake – and that was before he started running.  But when you run for elected office, especially Congress, words start meaning things – and quickly and seriously.  And we here at the ‘Grok are known to take on those that speak "unwell", (to coin a word), even those that we have supported either in the past or presently. Our motto remains:

Thank’em when they’re right, and spank’em when they’re wrong

And we’d be hypocrites to do otherwise. So, what’s the problem here?  A word, a single word.  But words have meanings and so does context. So a spanking (public flogging?) is in order.

Here’s the context – GraniteGrok was a co-founding member of the NH TEA Party Coalition (we have recently pulled away; not on principle but on direction of action [er, really, the lack of inaction quickly enough for our purposes – we still agree wholeheartedly in the principles]).  At the beginning, NO one wanted anything to do with politicians and the GOP which was rightly blamed for failing their principles (even as a number of us were and still active in Republican politics – ONLY in that the GOP seems to be closer in philosophy than the Dems, even with their failures).  As time progressed, some of the anger dissipated as one thing emerged (at least here in NH) – it was unlikely that a third party was the way to go (even if it would have likely been "ideologically pure").  It became clear that it would be a case of "if the mountain won’t come to Mohammed…".

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RightOnline – an Americans for Prosperity event

    We are at the Right Online conference in Las Vegas, NV!   The radio show gig was canceled but we are in the Bloggers Lounge area:     while things are getting situated and bloggers are still rolling in (Maggie from Thurber’s Thoughts is sitting next to me)  Still early – events have … Read more

Want a quick reason why we oppose Progressives?

From a article by Michael Barone, this caught my eye:

But that was no longer the case in 1910. By then, another vision was being advanced, the vision of the Progressives—the vision of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, of political philosophers Herbert Croly and John Dewey.

The Progressives explicitly repudiated the Founders’ vision of limited government. They argued that government needed to redistribute property, to take money from one group of citizens to help others, and to regulate economic activity in ways previously considered unconstitutional. The Constitution, they said, was a “horse and buggy” document, suited perhaps to the simpler society of the 18th century, but dangerously out of date in a complex industrial society which could not expect ordinary citizens to make their way without government guidance and assistance. They were acting, they said, in the interests of the people. Their critics said they were acting out of hunger for power.

At every point, the Progressive ideal is directly opposed to that of the original intent of the Founders:

  • Instead of maximum individual freedom, Progressives want subservience to a technocratic elite so as to "better order" society
  • Instead of maximum choices made by solely by individuals for themselves and their families, Progressives believe that they have the right and the power to keep people safe from themselves – and limit what people can do on their own
  • They denigrate traditional values held dear by most Americans; they dislike the absolute idea of right and wrong, of self-responsibility, and "quaint notion" that charity comes not from a government bureaucrat but from an individual’s heart as a result feeling true compassion towards their friends and neighbors.
  • Most Americans believe in a higher Power than themselves and truly accept that their Rights stem directly from our Creator; Progressives crassly dismiss that as superstition, reject the idea that they will be held to account by God, and that one’s Rights are solely a result of superior lobbying by an oppressed victim group.
  • Instead of equality before the Law, and in the Rule of Law, they have decided that that what one earns can be taken from them in the name of Social Justice – in other words, you do not own you; rather, you are responsible for providing for the needs of the collective.

GraniteGrok has now endorsed a number of people:

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Unloved – kinda the middle part of the story

Well, let’s say it started here.  I decided that a bit of background was needed, so I added this.  Now, I think I’m right on this, but decided to ask all of you folks here (even though I’m dragging this out a bit, it IS a hint). And I would be remiss if I failed … Read more

‘Grok Straw Poll – US Senate (NH, Republican)

OK folks, time for the ‘Grok to start in with the polls of the various races.  We are looking to measure a topic not quite covered in the debates that we have covered and we’ll start with the Senate race here in NH.   The rules are simple: One vote / week (at least, that’s … Read more

‘Grok Straw Poll – NH First Congressional District

OK, the US Senate poll is up; this is the same but for NH’s First Congressional District; let’s get to it! Same rules as before: One vote / week (at least, that’s what PollCode says – but remember, this is an unscientific exercise). Two questions answer. Slight twist – have added the Democrats! Of the … Read more

TEA Party – co-opting by The Republican Establishment – or by those seeking its coattails?

"In this, we do not compromise."
 
Gadsden Flag

Fights aplenty this political year – and not just between the Republicans and Democrats.  Simply put, this is shaping up between the Political Class (those that are in high positions within Party or Governmental structures) and those that are governed.  Waking up this morning, this was not a pleasant reminder that there are those that put the Constitution first, and then there are those that put themselves and their position/power first: 

Any possible shred of doubt remaining in anybody’s mind about former Senate GOP leader Trent Lott’s true allegiance have now been definitively removed: Lott is a paid tool of the Washington Establishment who hates the Tea Party and all other insurgents who have had it with politics-as-usual.

"We don’t need a lot of Jim DeMint disciples. As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them," Lott told The Washington Post in an incredibly revealing story.

Well, he certainly is confident, isn’t he?  Honest, too – I’ll give him that  He knows that he’s basically unelectable in the future but is making his $$ as a lobbyist.  Like many, he’s taken the attitude of "hey, the TEA Party is just a fad…and we’ll be here afterwards".  Certainly,like many, I thought he got a bum’s rush by the hyper-Politically Castraters (even as they protected their own KKK leader, the newly departed Robert Byrd) when he tried to say nice things about Strom Thurmond on his birthday.  However, given the above, I’m over it.  Good and over it.  It rather shows that he and his type are betting that their perches are on solid ground – but is there an incipient earthquake already starting to tremble under their feet?

Sen. Jim DeMint, of course, is the South Carolina conservative Republican who last year formed the Senate Conservatives Fund to back precisely the kind of insurgent conservative Senate candidates most feared by the Lotts of the world.

Lott’s quote points to the all-too-familiar GOP-losers mentality that GOP officials can just go on as they did in the years before they lost their congressional majorities in the Senate and House, talking the talk of limited government but not doing anything concrete or permanent to make it a reality.

They live in denial – they believe that they can outrun what may be heading towards them, which is EXACTLY what polls are saying – they want limited government, limited spending, limited taxation, and limited intrusions into their business and personal lives. Yet, Lott and his ilk are laughing at it.

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Finally, a “national name” talks about Priorities – and names them!

I DVR’d WMUR’s "Closeup" program yesterday and am just watching it now. 

Before his head hit the pillow on Night One, he should have understood, there’s a 100,000 gallons an hour gushing out of the Gulf floor, and this is my New Number One Priority"

– Jim Bender, candidate for US Senator

Priorities – we hear that a lot from politicians and talking heads.  Jim is right – Obama said it was a crisis but did not act as if it was actually a crisis (e.g., hat, no cattle) – there was no Federal "All hands on deck" until the political  effluent hit the vertical circulating device. 

The sad fact is, few are willing to put substance to those words.  I’ve gone on record, as an elected local official in my hamlet, as to what I believe should be a town’s priorities: DPW (we all use roads all the time), public safety (e.g., Police, Fire; when help is required, it has to be there NOW even if used infrequently), tax collector (can’t run the first three w/out this one), education, and then downward from there.  PRIORITIES are important, otherwise you end up with what the son in the animated movie "The Incredibles" stated: "If everyone’s special, then nobody’s special."  If what Government cannot figure out what is special, all you get is spending on everything.

Gee, that’s what’s happening now, isn’t it?

Tim Pawlenty has been coming to this First in the Nation Primary State a few times already –

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