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From the Washington Post (no conservative rag, that; emphasis mine):

Just 37 percent say they have either a good amount or a great deal of confidence in the president to make the right decisions for the country’s future, while 63 percent say they do not. Those numbers are the mirror image of what they were when he was sworn into office in 2009 and lower than at any other time the question was asked by The Washington Post and ABC News.

That’s not good at all – and I can’t figure out why his overall approval is at 46% other than it may be the “nice guy” meme he’s had since being elected.  This next part, I totally believe:

Confidence in Democrats and Republicans in Congress, however, is even lower than for President Obama. Twenty-seven percent say they have confidence in Democrats to make the right decisions for the country, while 72 percent do not, and just 19 percent have confidence in Republicans, while 80 percent do not. Almost half lack confidence in all three.

For the GOP, the lack of faith in their decision-making includes their own followers. Just 36 percent of self-identified Republicans say they believe their party’s lawmakers will make good decisions. 

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This morning, I was talking with a Conservative activist and it jogged my memory that I had missed putting up a post.  You see, on the way down to the AFP/NH new office Grand Opening this past Wednesday nite, I noticed this license plate that passed me on 93 South just after climbing the big hill coming out of Concord:

Yes, TMEW’s iPad didn’t get a great shot but it says “3-21” and marked as a NH House Legislator plate.  It didn’t come out well at all, but it is a dark colored (deep blue) Subaru swathed in stickers (of COURSE, the requisite Obama was on the back).  I am a “sticker reader” and was curious as to that the others said, but when I tried to inch closer to read them (cognizant of the 65 mph speed limit), it kept speeding away.  In fact, it was going well in excess of the “speed limit + 5” de facto limit.

Now 3-21 is short hand for the seat assigned to that particular legislator (Image H/T – Project Smart Vote):

Representative Ruth Heden (d)
Hillsborough- District 23
Seat #:3021 

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Glenn Reynold’s (of Instapundit)  USA Today’s column spoke of both individual and State level nullification telling the Federal Government “Screw you!” (emphasis mine):

Meanwhile, on the marijuana front, the people of states like Colorado are engaging in an odd, 21st century variety of nullification. Unlike the 19th century John Calhoun version, state laws legalizing marijuana don’t purport to neutralize the still-extant federal laws banning cannabis. But the state, and millions of Coloradans, are simply ignoring the federal law and, in essence, daring the feds to do something about it.

State laws, of course, can’t neutralize federal law, as the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause makes clear. But, bloated as it is, the federal law enforcement apparatus isn’t up to the task of prosecuting all the marijuana users in Colorado. And if it tried, it would have to bring them to trial before juries in Colorado, who would probably acquit most of them. There would also be massive political backlash, amplified in the coming 2014 and 2016 elections because Colorado is a swing state. And in response to Colorado’s example, other states look likely to follow suit, making the feds’ problem much bigger.

So, despite all the federal laws on the books, Colorado has de facto nullified them, and started a process that may very well snowball, all without directly attacking the federal laws, or the federal government, at all. Meanwhile, millions of Americans may be in the process of effectively killing Obamacare simply by staying home. 

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Over at the Anti-Planner is a continuation of the display of communitarianism that I’ve written about concerning the Hathaway House in Laconia (here and here).  His story is not about a building but a tree that his neighbors seem to believe that they should have more say about the disposition of that tree than the owner has (reformatted, emphasis mine)…and, oh yeah, the blogger he references merely rents and is not an owner in the neighborhood:

That’s right, trees. Specifically, I want to talk about the decision made by a Somerville neighbor of mine to fell an old, beautiful, and perfectly healthy tree because it was “in the way” of his backyard improvement project — in the process adversely affecting the quality of life for me and several of my neighbors. Is it crazy or un-American to suggest that, at a certain point, a tree is no longer one person’s private property per se, and belongs to the community? And at that point, should the property owner be restricted as to what he or she may do with said tree?

No, it is not crazy to suggest it – merely that you are trying to rationalize that, deep down, you have no problem in being a thief without admitting it. 

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“Screw you!”

In the aftermath of Newtown and the Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy (and the tragedies before it), several states (all of them Democrat controlled)  immediately jumped to put new gun restriction laws into place.  The problem is that NONE of the passed laws would have stopped a single one of them from happening – not one.  The only thing that has happened is that each State has, in effect, declare its own law-abiding citizens to be “future felons”.

Take Connecticut for instance – citizens had to register their “assault weapons” as well as standard sized magazines (talk about a redefinition of language – STANDARD mags for AR-15s are 30.  But the Left can’t win using current language definition so they decided to call them “HIGH” capacity) by the end of last December or they would be considered to be felons.  Well, I guess a lot of the Ruling Class are seeing that the serfs are starting to ignore them (emphasis mine):

Governor Dannel Malloy and the government of the state of Connecticut are having their own “Oh, poop” moment, now that they’ve tallied the number of citizens who have registered their “assault weapons” and “high capacity magazines” required by the state’s unconstitutional gun laws, compared that to the estimated number of applicable weapons and magazines in the state, and realize they’ve been ignored.

Historically speaking, 90-percent or more of those required to comply with gun registration laws in the U.S. refuse to do so, and there is no reason to suspect that this registration attempt in Connecticut is any different. I’ve seen estimates of 1,000,000 firearm magazines that should have been registered under the law, but the state reports registering only 40,000… just 4 percent.

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“In moral terms, welfare programs amount to compulsory Good Samaritanism. Suppose it were argued that, out of compassion for those in need, every citizen should be compelled to work seven hours per week as a “volunteer” in a hospital, poverty center, or institution for the disabled. (Seven hours is 17.5 percent of a 40-hour work week and represents about the same proportion of taxable income that goes to support the welfare state.) In the sphere of private philanthropy, after all, people do contribute their time as well as their money. If government programs are simply a collective way to organize charitable activities, why not compel both sorts of contributions? Why not support welfare programs through a kind of “draft” as well as through taxes? Such proposals have in fact been made from time to time, usually in the form of national service requirements for the young. Such proposals illustrate the same principle as compulsory Good Samaritanism: by compelling a form of involuntary servitude, they negate the individual’s right to his own life.”

–David Kelly

Emphasis was mine.  In essence, Kelly is throwing down the gauntlet: if you are going to take my money for your purposes, you are taking my time.  In fact, why aren’t you forcing me to work for your “good works” at the same time – double taxation?

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You see, this former NH GOP Chair and now political mercenary is trying to push HB 474, a Democrat sponsored bill that would have NH Citizens pick up the slack by offering in-state tuition to the kids of illegal aliens.  He calls his group “Americans for Choice” – like, there is a choice anywhere in this process for taxpayers?

He decided to harangue Republican legislators – the normal rent-seeking process of a special interest group that takes the easy way of “persuade politicians to open the purse strings”.  Like any good Democrat, look to Government FIRST to solve your problem, eh Fergus?  But of course – it’s too HARD to do it the right way – form a group and go beg for money from individuals.  Knocking on all those doors in your community to ask your neighbors to reach into their pockets to give to you to individually hand out scholarships to these kids?

Naw, too simple.  I, of course, had a response to his pitch to pols instead of personally pressing the flesh: 

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This from the guy that could have had HIS ballot stolen by another:

Speaking exclusively to MSNBC host Ari Melber, Attorney General Eric Holder sharply criticized state-level voter identification policies and said that he believes those policies are a “remedy in search of a problem.” He added that, while some may be arguing for voter ID in good faith, he believes that most are advocating for this policy in order to “depress the vote” of those who do not support the “party that is advancing” voter ID measures.

“I think many are using it for partisan advantage,” Holder said of voter ID.

Or the flip side – can’t vote early and often if you have to show an ID, right?  We in the Northern part of NH just had the chance to vote this past in a special election.  You want to know something, US Attorney General Eric Holder? I LOVED the idea that I had to show my Government issued ID before my name was check on the Voter Registration list – even though the person on the other side of the table knew who I was.  It meant that no one, absolutely NO ONE, could vote for me – and steal my vote. 

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There is much justified discussion going on in New Hampshire within the Expanded Medicaid debate.  For quite a while, the Democratic majority of the House has tried its best to bring Medicaid Expansion into the Granite State. After a long and heated debate, the NH House recently voted to support Medicaid Expansion.  The Senate will be next to take up this issue in 2014.

It is important to understand with Medicaid Expansion, you do not have to qualify by being disabled AND financially impoverished as with original Medicaid.  Having an approximate income under $35,000 for family of four will put you on the rolls.  The question to ask is this: if someone is able to work, would this change in Medicaid, discourage them from looking for employment?  It is a viable question – “free” is hard to beat.  Medicaid was originally intended as a safety net for those who were unable to work AND poor.  This new definition will be a huge challenge for healthcare in any state which joins the expansion.

However, there is another reason to be cautious with Medicaid Expansion.

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From Bryan Preston at PJ Media, a list of items that I think most people would agree are “not what Government is supposed to be doing”.  Remember, we have heard from Progressive for DECADES is that the reason we should give up (in part or in whole) our participation in our own governance is because they PROMISE that the bureaucracy would be absolutely non-partisan in its actions.

I am not a rocket scientist, but there seems to be some kind of pattern here…maybe you can tell me what it is… (includes items from Ace’s co-blogger Maetenloch)

1.  IRS Targets Conservative groups – IRS auditor reaffirms that conservatives, not liberals, were targeted

2.  IRS Scandal – FBI Closes Case – Obama FBI Closed Case on IRS Targeting Scandal Before Interviewing Single One of 292 Targeted Groups (Video)

3.  IRS Harassed Sarah Palin’s Dad – Revealed: Obama’s IRS Harassed Sarah Palin’s Dad Six Times Since 2008

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And given the real partisanship in the country, they must REALLY be betting that more of their customers are Left of center than Right:

They probably won’t promote their 6-inch big hot pastrami sandwich, but the Subway chain of restaurants is partnering with first lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to persuade kids to eat healthier meals.

Subway and the first lady’s office announced a three-year commitment Thursday in support of Mrs. Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign. The sandwich shops will promote efforts aimed at getting children to eat more fruits and vegetables.  Subway offers a variety of low-fat sandwiches on its menu, along with choices that probably wouldn’t get the first lady’s approval, such as the six-inch chicken and bacon ranch melt with cheese, which contains 28 grams of fat.

Yeah, that’s the way to do it: Mom and Dad: “Yummy!  Cheese steak and Chicken Teriyaki!”. But the kids?   The kids will have SUCH a great reason to go: 

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Two were NOT enough – too long of a ride for TMEW and I to just get a couple of folks on camera.  So, grabbed a couple more.  Actually, one was Pam Tucker so I could get a wee bit better idea of what’s coming up in the NH House and what people should be watching out for.  The other was former AFP/NH Exec Dir Corey Lewandowski who has gone on to bigger and better things at Americans for Prosperity and is now watching over 25 other chapters including NH (re: I would guess “Regional Director”).

            NH State Rep Pam Tucker                        Corey Lewandowski, AFP Reg. Director

Previous Video: 

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