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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.

Apologies, apologies – both show the rot in our culture…and both involve Obama

Obama Apologizes to California AG for Complimenting Her Appearance

“President Obama has apologized to California attorney general Kamala Harris for calling her the nation’s “best looking” attorney general at a California fundraiser yesterday, according to White House press secretary Jay Carney.

“He called her to apologize for the distraction created by his comments,” said Carney. “He did not want in any way to diminish the attorney general’s professional accomplishments or her capabilities.” He added that the president “fully recognizes the challenges women continue to face in the workplace and that they should not be judged based on appearance.”

…His remarks caused a stir among feminists and others upset that the president commented on Harris’s appearance.”

Chivalry: Coat Over Puddle For LadyWe were not a family of means growing up but my brother and I were taught and expected to know our manners and know how to behave both in public and in private so as not to embarrass either ourselves or worse, Mom. Yes, I grew up in what I consider now to be a much more chivalrous time when it wasn’t out of the ordinary to hold a door open for a lady, regardless of age, to seat a lady first before taking my seat at dinner, to hold the use of cruder words / jokes for times “with the boys”, to show manners, and complementing the ladies was an ordinary occurrence (or, expected at some types of events).  While just being polite was a large part of it, it was NOT as many feminists seem to believe…

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Jake Tapper – how many OTHER MSMers are willing to call Obama and Bloomie idiots?

Since Aurora and Sandy Hook, we who like to shoot and support the Right that the Second Amendment enshrines have just about had it in listening to all kinds of folks who believe that they know best for society with respect to “gun violence”.

Sidenote: and we all know that this phrase is a made up / focus group created phrase that means nothing special; violence is violence, regardless if a “violence tool” is used or not (are hands and feet considered to be a “violence tool” too?)

They tell us “you don’t need this”, “I don’t know anyone that…”, “it is for the common good”, “we have to consider the safety and security” and the one phrase they believe renders them harmless against all logical arguments: “this is for the children” (er, we are supposed to shut up at that point, otherwise we are selfish, cold hearted, and hate everyone else). Progressives are oft to say “Hey, trust Government – the best and brightest work here!”.  In fact, one of their basic theorems of governance is that those in Government DO know better than you in how to order and run your life and those of your family, and Civil Society as a whole.  Why?  Because they TRULY believe they are smarter than those of us they wish to rule.

And then, as Grokster Rick and Susan point out here and here, they do the one thing that renders them weaponless: they open their mouths and speak.

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More than a food fight at NH GOP HQ – and only one standing up for Principle thus far?

Will he, Dr. Robert Scott, be that only one standing?  Or has he just been led in front of the firing squad wall – alone?

I received either the same or a similar email thread that was sent to Pindell over at WMUR.  Unlike him, who only put up excerpts (er, why?  He’s got that blog site and putting it up is almost a negligible marginal cost.), I’m putting up what I have and you can decide.  Will this prevent more from coming in?  Dunno, but here is one thing you can count on.  Over the years, the ‘Grok has ALWAYS been on the side of a more open and transparent Government.  Given that, why not be open about one of the Parties, especially since James has already started the email dump?  And yes, it seems like everyone is trying to dump on Robert Scott for trying to stand up and protect the assets / good standing / name / history / <insert “good stuff” name here>.

Why put them up?  Why yak about what is going on at the NH GOP E-Board level? After all, these elites “rule” Party since we elected them, right?  Why should we trouble our little heads, we who ARE State Committee Members (like most of us here at GraniteGrok)?  Turn that question around: why shouldn’t the State Committee Members know of the food fight (with what seems to be with embedded razor blades)?  And instead of “ruling”, shouldn’t they be governing the Party with our consent?  Should we not be holding them to the same standards that are espoused in our Platform?

A la Drudge, consider this “Developing”.  Interesting that Dr. Scott starts off with a “wait, you agreed to not sign” with a Ms. Horn immediate response on Dr. Scott concerning FEC reports – such a deal!  Seems from these emails to be a “I want what I want and here’s how I’m gonna get it” and if a sullying of Dr. Scott’s reputation is but a tool in which to get it, er, well, politics ain’t beanbags as Papa Smurf has been known to utter.  Well, we’ll take his other advise: “talk, talk, talk, talk, talk…talk to your family, talk to your friends, talk to anyone”.

Indeed; it is what we do at the ‘Grok!  Begin forwarded messages (emphasis mine):

****************************

ROBERT SCOTT FIRST LETTER TO STOP SIGNATORY

Fiscal Liability?

Dr. Robert Scott (wisdomteam@hotmail.com)
3/28/13
To: jennifer@nhgop.org

Good Morning,

It has come to my attention of your interest in becoming a signer on one of our GOP bank accounts which is directly contrary to our mutual agreement that we determined after receiving the advisement of our counsel, auditor and insurance agent in regards to your personal fiscal liability. We agreed that you would not sign anything.

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Maggie “The Red” Hassan – MaggieGuns?

History has taught us that those of history desired power and wanted control over others grabbed products, services, and liberties under the rubric of “for the common good” or for your “safety and security”.   Never did you hear “we are taking these things so that you may be free and enjoy enhanced liberty”.  No, those two phrases are the shopworn platitudes of those that believe they have the right to organize life for others instead of others exercising their Rights to do it themselves.   Governor Maggie Hassan has already expressed and acted in this way when a State Senator:

  • First, they came for the speakers – MaggieSpeech (“your political speech will be regulated and taxed fee’d!”)
  • Next, they came for the capitalists – MaggieCare (“all your hospitals are belong to us!”)

If her legislation had passed, she would have ensured that Government would have put political speech into a straight-jacket – opposite of the reason why the First Amendment exists (to protect those that would criticize others, especially those in power and those in Government).  Then with MaggieCare, she would have wrested the power to decide operational details of all of the hospitals and placed it into a Governmental board that would have been populated by bureaucrats; unelected and unaccountable to the voters.  And they would have been self-sustaining  with the ability to tax those they oversaw without legislative oversight.

Back in the 1930s, that was called Fascism – who needed to own the means of production when Government merely controlled its operation and outcomes?  We also know that incremental steps were taken in other areas as well – including taking away the right to self defense.  So when a representative of Citizens for a Strong New Hampshire asked what her intentions concerning HB135, which would repeal the Stand Your Ground legislation passed last session (as well as upping the budget 16%, btw), what was her response?  Shades of Carol Shea-Runaway!  Watch:

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Gun manufacturers leaving Colorado – now Connecticut’s turn to lose jobs and tax money?

Good title – but this might be just as applicable: Is the US stratifying / splitting over culture and values?  Are the gun grabbers making this go faster?

After all, what good is it to stay in a State that has made it illegal to sell, transfer, or effectively transport your wares?  Or that your neighbors down the street couldn’t buy your product?  Hate to keep harping on it, but Progressivism depends on incrementalism – don’t go for the home run (unless you own all branches of Government) but do the singles all the time….one step by another.  Oh sure, you can sell your wares out of state…..today.  Tomorrow?  Some of the Connecticut gun and firearms manufacturers are confronting that now – like Stag Arms that makes AR-15s which can no longer be sold in Connecticut (reformatting, emphasis mine):

As the Connecticut General Assembly is poised to pass what is being called sweeping gun control legislation, the state’s gun manufacturers say the new laws could be crippling.  “I feel like we have one foot being pushed out the door,” Mark Malkowski, the owner of Stag Arms, said.   Stag Arms in New Britain, which makes the AR-15 rifle, received yet another offer on Tuesday to move out of the state. It brings the total to 21 offers.   “They’re really good offers,” Malkowski said. “They are offering tax abatement’s, they’re offering to build you a factory.”

Lots of Red States, more conservative states, are ACHING to have them move out of Connecticut and to their State.  An offer to build you a factory will be hard to resist.

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IDPA – yeah, we’re ditching Colorado too

Colorado has now put some of the nation’s most draconian guns laws into place thus far (yes, California and New York are right there with them, and soon joining them, Connecticut).  Magupul and a number of other firearms and accessory manufacturers have announced they, their payrolls, their spending, and their tax monies are leaving Colorado posthaste.  Both Grokster Steve and I posted that sportsmen of the hunting nature have started to cancel their money bringing trips in lieu of more gun friendly climes.

And it is not just the hunters any more as other shooting sports are showing “solidarity” (such a distastefully unionista / socialist word, that) with the hunters: from the International Defensive Pistol Association:

Rocky Mtn Regionals - IDPAGRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Organizers of the Rocky Mountain Western States Regional IDPA Championship, initially scheduled to take place July 4-6 in Montrose, Colorado, have announced that the match is being canceled in the wake of Colorado’s recently passed gun control laws.

An estimated 300-plus shooters from the neighboring states and across the country were expected to attend the three-day competitive shooting event. This is the second shooting competition to abandon the state after a recent announcement by firearms maker Ruger that it was moving the 2013 Ruger Rimfire Challenge World Championship out of Colorado.

“With these new Colorado laws going into effect July 1, and based on the ambiguous way in which they were written, we have decided to cancel the Rocky Mountain Western States Regional IDPA Championship,” said event organizer Walt Proulx of Grand Junction.

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“It’s for the Children!” – except when it is all about an adult

Cub ScoutsThe Left’s second most rallying cry (and generally the lie most likely to be rolled out as a club) is “It’s for the children!” as if that is supposed to stop all debate by shaming their opposition (with the undertone of “what, you hate kids?  Don’t much like puppies or Mom’s apple pie either, do you?).  When drawn out of the Progressive quiver, it’s one purpose is to stifle and stop debate, for that is what Progressives want.  In their hands, the intent is to use it like a steamroller. Lots and lots of issues have seen this used over and over – because it works, mostly.  Children are precious – especially when they can be used as pawns.

Except when they get in the way of an adult’s politically correct ideology – which, pretty much, cares not a whit for real youngsters:

A federal civil rights complaint has been filed against the Salt Lake City School Board after a principal booted a Cub Scout pack from an elementary school.

About 30 young boys were told they could no longer meet at Mountain View Elementary School because the Boy Scout’s ban on gay members in leaders conflicted with the school district’s anti-bias policy.

The ban drew the ire of Michael Clara, a school board member and lifetime Boy Scout. Clara filed the federal complaint on behalf of two Latino parents.

“I believe it is an assault on the founding principles of our country for school officials to attempt to exclude a voice no less legitimate than its own from public school participation,” Clara tells me. “A marketplace of ideas devoid of competitive viewpoints engenders an insidious society of conformity, contrary to the fundamental precepts of our Constitution.”

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Do I REALLY have to explain this one?

Right – if those two headlines don’t get your blood rushing, you just don’t care. As the Dad of two combat vets, who put their lives on the line for this country, my blood boiled when I saw that active military have had their education cut short while those that shouldn’t even be here – … Read more

US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) votes the UN Small Arms Treaty over the Constitution?

“”To uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.“”

Jeanne Shaheen Wicked WitchGuess how our Senior Senator from NH, Jeanne Shaheen voted?

The UN just passed their Small Arms Treaty that may well run into our Constitution – specifically the Second Amendment (here, here).  It also is a snare’s nest that may well be able to trump the US’s ability to set and sign trade treaties with other countries.  Like Obamacare when it passed, we may well not know all of the ramifications of this treaty that seems to tilt towards despots than legit democracies.  And being the hated US, coupled with the fact that we are only one of three countries that have gun ownership rights in their Constitutions, makes us the target.  In response, Senator Inhofe sponsored Amendment 139 (the above text)  to the current budget bill now going through the Senate – it passed 53-46.  ‘Grok friend Warner Todd Huston reports:

Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) offered Amendment 139 that was passed with a 53 to 46 vote. His Amendment contained language to affirm that foreign treaties would not trump the U.S. Constitution.  “Mr. President,” Inhofe said on the floor of the Senate, “I want to make sure that everyone understands what the United Nations trade treaty is. The trade treaty is a treaty that cedes our authority to have trade agreements with our allies in terms of trading arms.”

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NH Constitution: Part 1, Article 28-A

NH Constitution:

[Art.] 28. [Taxes, by Whom Levied.] No subsidy, charge, tax, impost, or duty, shall be established, fixed, laid, or levied, under any pretext whatsoever, without the consent of the people, or their representatives in the legislature, or authority derived from that body.

November 28, 1984

During my second term as a Budget Committee, I started to ask a question of both the Town leaders and of the School Board: “how many programs is the State forcing us to do and for which they send no or not enough money?  Hey, why are we doing all these things for free?  Has anyone ever said “No” (or even bothered)?  Sadly, those that were elected had never even contemplated such a thing and when I pursued the question, no one could even answer the question.  Worse, when I started to dig in my heels on this, I got outvoted when I made a motion – nobody cared and the Selectmen and School Board did not want be bothered.  It was not worth their effort to say “look at the money we can save” and be willing to use the NH Constitution as a defensive shield (which is what this article is supposed to do to protect the taxpayers against predatory politicians).

Thus, I was somewhat cheered when I read this in the Laconia Daily Sun:

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Immigrant Do-gooders want others to care for those they bring – yeah, that’s responsible

From the Union Leader:

Ready or not, the refugees are coming

The state’s refugee resettlement program is expected to spread from Manchester to Nashua in the coming weeks, with 50 refugees headed toward the Gate City. Officials in both cities are expressing concern over the plans.

“I was talking about my concerns with the head of the International Institute, and the next communication I have from them is to say that they (the refugees) are coming, and we’ve found housing for them,” said Nashua Mayor Donnalee Lozeau. “I asked, ‘Where? When? Who’s coming? Are there any children?’ No one has any answers. The concerns I raised were real ones, and I feel like they weren’t addressed at all.”

The International Institute of New Hampshire (IINH) has been working for months to resettle another 200 refugees in Manchester, despite a sometimes frosty relationship with city officials. Mayor Ted Gatsas wrote a letter in 2011 to the U.S. State Department, which oversees the refugee program, faulting its “complete and utter lack of consideration for the local resettlement community.”

Actually, that headline should read:

Immigrant Do-gooders bring refugees to places where they are not

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First New Yorkers, and now those in Connecticut

Well, it looks like the Esteemed Leaders in Connecticut have decided that they can no longer trust law-abiding citizens with what are standard capacity magazines for modern sporting rifles (AR-15s):

Connecticut lawmakers announced a deal Monday on what they called some of the toughest gun laws in the country that were proposed after the December mass shooting in the state, including a ban on new high-capacity ammunition magazines like the ones used in the massacre that left 20 children and six educators dead.

The proposal also called for background checks for private gun sales and a new registry for existing magazines that carry 10 or more bullets, something of a compromise for parents of Newtown victims who had wanted an outright ban on them, while legislators had proposed grandfathering them into the law.

The package also creates what lawmakers said is the nation’s first statewide dangerous weapon offender registry, immediate universal background checks for all firearms sales and expansion of Connecticut’s assault weapons ban.

PMagReally, and how many gun owners are going to come in to register their magazines? How is law enforcement supposed to know how many mags someone really has? Are you, Connecticut politicians,  going to be like that Politician in Washington State that would have a Sheriff come and inspect gun owners’ homes unannounced and without warrants to ensure compliance with this infringement (“er, just here to see if you are storing your guns safely – because we don’t trust you to do it right”)?

How far this country has fallen when those that govern us:

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Tweet of the Day – really, FORTRAN?

It seems that there was a Tweet fight between singer Duncan Sheik (supposedly, a one hit wonder back in the 90s – I certainly can’t remember it) and Greg Gutfield (host of “The Five” and “Redeye” on Fox. Hey @TheDuncanSheik you’re the fortran of pop music.— GregGutfeld (@greggutfeld) March 31, 2013 Zing! FORTRAN? Back in … Read more

A “be careful for what you legislate” moment…

Sheriff Badge - El Paso…being brought to you by people who hate the idea that there are some in those that actually put the Constitution first.  The first set of folks are those that are trying to put more gun control legislation into place.  The latter set of folks are those that are saying that they will not enforce laws they feel are unConstitutional.  The most vocal of these are County Sherrifs who have made it quite clear that they will defend the Rights of their Citizens (Groksters Rick, Tim, Steve, Tom, Don, and Mike have chipped in on this here, here, here, here, here, here and here).  The Political Class is getting frustrated that more gun controls have not been put into law fast enough.  They are apoplectic that where they have been, as in Colorado and New York, they are getting massive pushback (“c’mon, what’s with the Sheeple!”) – King Obama just can’t issue a proclamation, the Legislative process can’t roll fast enough, formerly friendly poll results are starting to crash, and then there’s that pesky thing called the Constitution and those pesky people that keep reciting it in Congress (i.e., Cruz, Lee, and Paul),  and back to these durned Sheriffs that won’t do as we tell them.   They refuse to follow the law. The White House has said, via Press Flack Jay Carney (and got a response):

“I think as a general proposition we think that people ought to follow the law,” Carney told CNSNews.com. “As an absolute matter of fact in my view, and I think many other constitutional experts, there’s not a single measure in this package of proposals the president has put forward that in anyway violates the Constitution. In fact, they reflect the president’s commitment to our Second Amendment rights.”

(Yeah, this from the guy whose boss’s Administration conducted Fast & Furious (the illegal gun running operation into Mexico) and Obama illegally making appointments that should have gone through Senate approval – simply the EPITOME of legal behavior, eh?).  So, what’s the other shoe to drop?

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Be on the Lookout. It Might Be Coming for You….

Will it creep up on you like a Democrat looking for new taxes in the night…or barrel toward you like a Mack truck, air horns blaring! Whichever it is, it is coming soon to a podcast near you.   Only we know for sure when, but soon — you’ll know too.

I thought I had seen this before….certainly, no astroturf here!

(Image H/T: Big Government) Go to that URL and what shows up is that URL but rebranded as “Organizing for America”.  Part of the text there says: “There’s another simple thing you can do right now to show the overwhelming support for universal background checks. Take the sign and put it somewhere folks will see … Read more

Google, is this a form of “evil”? Or is elevation of the political over religion “not evil”?

Update:  Sometimes we do clash on topics (great minds and all that); Grokster Steve posted on this as well – PLEASE read his post as well!

Today is Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Google is well known for celebrating certain days with their “doodle art” when you go to their home page – and some of it is quite clever.  Today, for the billions of Christians celebrate their holiest of remembrances, do you think that Google just might acknowledge that?  Well, you tell me?

Easte r2013 -GoogleHas Cesar Chavez Not Jeasus

No, I’m not sure that it it “outright” evil (Google’s motto is “Don’t be evil” but has come under great  criticism lately for seemingly skirting that when it comes to profit making) but amidst rumors that Google might be playing games politically with the results of its searches when it comes to conservative vs progressive issues, this doesn’t optic well.

Eric Schmidt, the former head of Google is buddy-buddy with Obama (which shows his political leanings) and is an avowed Greenie (hates fossil energy companies).  His former company, Google,

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