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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.

Batman, culture, guns….freedom vs safety / security…..Second Amendment vs “Responsible” – Part 2-B on updating concealed carry doodling

Update: On my previous post, I had written that even if I had been in that crowd with a concealed pistol that I would not be sure if I would have made a definitive difference in stopping James Holmes:

Some were insistent that if someone had been carrying (open or concealed) in that theater, some of those that died or were hurt could have been saved.  I was the only dissenter in that if you looked at the environment and looked at how the shooter, James Holmes, had equipped himself, it would be unclear.  A dark theater, a deranged shooter who was in rapid fire mode wearing complete body armor (ballistic helmet, body armor including throat and groin protection) who also had thrown two “grenades” that emitted a noxious gas that affected breathing and sight (not sure exactly what as I haven’t seen or heard the details, but it could have been tear gas or pepper spray cannisters – or something homebrewed).  Mass confusion – people screaming, moving to get out; unless someone was a trained SWAT or Spec Ops operator used to working and reacting PROPERLY in such a situation, I’m not convinced if a single person would have been able to make a difference.

Oh sure, as a distraction I might have made a bit of a difference: somebody firing back would have given him something to think about, allowing others to escape.  But to stop him?  At the time I wrote that, I didn’t think so.  But then I read this from Clayton Cramer‘s blog:

TacticalGear.com filled an order received on July 2 from Holmes, who allegedly opened fire inside an Aurora, Colo., theater on Friday, killing 12 people. Holmes paid $306.79 for an urban assault vest, two magazine pouches and a tactical knife.

Chief Executive Officer Chad Weinman said despite its name, the urban assault vest is not bulletproof, but is simply a vest made for carrying accessories.

Get that?  James Holmes was not wearing full body armor – initial reports seem to be wrong (as always). Here’s a link to the tactical vests they have to offer – they HOLD things, not block rounds.  This means that IF the theater was NOT a self-proclaimed “gun-free” zone, IF some CCW holders had been carrying their firearms, they very well could have made a difference in the result.

Heck, I could have made a difference.  You never know, however, how one would react given actually being in such a scenario.  I hope that I would be counted as one of the Sheepdogs.  Sheepdog?  Yes.  From Eject, Eject, Eject (the blog that Bill Whittle did before joining PJ Media et al), here is part of one of my all time favorite posts that forever made me cognizant of being self-responsible and being responsible for others :

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So, is NH GOP Platform Chair Jennifer Horn going to take the Platform towards being Democrat-lite?

The present NH GOP Platform is a rather conservative document.  When it comes to spending (something that Government does rather too well unless brakes are applied to it), it works fairly well as a philosophical foundation.  Well, the NH GOP Platorm Committee is now meeting to review the Platform and to make changes to it.  A little birdie let me (and a couple others) know that the following is under discussion:

Simple question about the NHGOP platform: Should it say:
1) We will limit the growth of spending; or
2) We will reduce spending

It now says “Work to limit the growth of state spending”.  Well, for me, THIS is easy: REDUCE!  After all the Repubs in the House and Senate HAD to REDUCE the spending as the Democrats had deliberately left an $800 million deficit to be used as a club for cutting the services that they had put in using the “excessive” Fed stimulus money flowed in via Obama’s “slush funding”.  To go further, I suggest to the Birdie:

 “not only will we seek to reduce the State budget, but we will seek to reduce all of the unfunded mandates that the State requires of towns and cities which will result in reduced local property taxes as well.“

A two-fer!  Given that the Republican Party is supposed to be for limited government and not just  “well, we’ll settle for a slightly smaller (and slightly less expensive and taxing) government than the Democrats”, my answer back to the Birdie actually addresses two components of the Platform, so I thought “there, done!”.

And then the Birdie relayed more info, and I went – Here comes the cowards that can’t stand up to the heat!

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So, has the Trillions Spent on the War on Poverty worked?

failed war on poverty

From economist Dan Mitchell, a chart showing the poverty rate since 1950.  It shows that before Federal Government insertion of itself radically into Society, Society was solving the poverty problem on its own.  Since then, the percentage in poverty has not really changed much.  You can also see (as Dan points out) that during the Presidencies of Reagan and Clinton, poverty rates started to decline once again.

Is it that Govt intervention stopped getting rid of poverty?  I am not able to say that, but I can state that with the spending of Trillions of dollars since LBJ began his Great Society, there has been precious little change of the plight of the poor – or has there been?  In fact, back in 2009 I posted this:

…“One in seven in total federal and state dollars now goes to welfare. But this is a completely unknown story,” Rector said. “This is not being reported. No one knows Obama is spending $10 trillion on welfare.”

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GrokTV Special Interview-NH State Senator Andy Sanborn (District 9) – Question 2: Where did the idea of using scooters for door-to-door campaigning; why not Segways?

I HAD to ask this question, based on his Presser showing the cute little scooters that he is using in meeting the folks (“residents tell me that I am the first politician to ever stand at their door step and introduce myself,”) in Bedford that is the new NH Senate District 9.  Why would he … Read more

That’s right, Andy has some experience with taxes

As this post points out, the ‘Grok started an interview series with NH State Senator Andy Sanborn which stimulated the hidden parts of the memory banks that brought up that Andy had been captured in a YouTube talking about all of the ways that the State of NH taxed him.  Here’s the link to that … Read more

EMail Doodlings – Presidential warning still relevant, Part 2

I have previously posted the warning about leaving Obama at the levers of power in the general election from one of the email lists I’m on here.  It bothered me then, and it bothered me to do a similar warning a couple of months later:

Alright, I’ll say it – with all of the levers of the Executive Branch at his command, and his willingness to use them regardless of whether he has Constitutional or even legal authorization to have them do the actions he wants, how much of this Country will be left?  In the news and in the blogosphere, I see agency and department in the Executive Branch doing what bureaucracies have always done – push their authorizations to do more and more.  And lately, there is a very disturbing trend that, under Obama (knowing that there will NEVER be retribution from him from doing so), they are making rules and regulations that totally disregard their authorizing legislation.

Heck, Obama’s own policy of “We Can’t Wait” has publicly said that he will go around and disregard Congress pretty much any time he wants.  Robert, what will be the end result of 4 more years of what is rapidly becoming Obama’s reign as Monarch (vs a Constitutional Presidency)?

Look, I am not one of the Conservatives that dislikes Libertarianism – in fact, there is a lot that I embrace from a smaller govt standpoint as well as fiscal sanity.  There are also a lot of Conservatives like me that have reached out to make common cause with Libertarians regardless of what the Republican Party thinks of us as a result. While I am an official Delegate to the NH GOP, I doubt ANY one would ever categorize me as part of the “GOP Establishment”:

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GrokTV Special Interview-NH State Senator Andy Sanborn (District 9) – Question 1: With everything thrown your way, why are you running again?

The ‘Grok was welcomed to The Draft (Concord, NH) when we interviewed NH State Senator Andy Sanborn (owner) as to why he was running for “virtual” re-election in a newly constructed district (“virtual”, as his original district was drawn out of existence).  We had all kinds of questions but did not get the chance to … Read more

Notable Quotes – Mark Penningtonn

[P]rivate property institutions are more robust because they enable people to cope with uncertainty by reducing the prospect of systemic error.  Compared to regimes where decisions are taken at the centre, the dispersal of ownership in a market tends to confine the effects of any errors to a relatively smaller sphere and provides decision-makers with … Read more

Where environmentalists explicitly wish no access AT ALL to anyone – and are willing to kill people to enforce it.

I’m not sure if the proper metaphor is “enough rope to hang themselves with” or “let them babble long enough to find out what they really believe.  Once again, from that crazy hothouse of Environmentalism meets Totalitarian Murder, TreeHugger.  This post’s author is absolutely aghast that our civilization has found just SCADS of high amounts of usable energy and that we’d actually use it:

Consider this: If we’re going to keep temperature rise below 2°C (a figure it increasingly appears is still too high to avoid some serious climate impacts, but it is internationally agreed to), then we have about 565 gigatons more CO2 we can send into the atmosphere over the next four decades or so.

Then consider: The amount of carbon contained in the proven coal, oil and gas reserves of national oil companies and private corporations is about five times higher than this, 2795 gigatons.

In other words, we simply cannot allow that fuel to be extracted and used, if we’re going to preserve the climate in anything like a state we’ve grown accustomed over the recorded history of human civilization.

Notice the hubis that he REALLY thinks that:

  • Humans can actually stabilize global temperature.
  • Sufficiently number of like minded folks are willing to live stone age lifestyles to make that a reality
  • What’s this WE bit on the pronouncement, kimosabe??  I see no crown tipped on your forehead

But that wasn’t even the worst.  This guy just just wants us to live poorly; this next guy wants something FAR worse!

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Guest Post by Mac Kittredge – Endorsement for Sam Cataldo

Mac has been a good friend to the ‘Grok as well as a long time advocate for individual Liberty and Freedom.  When he asked if we would post this, the answer was “absolutely!”

Sam’s the Man for NH State Senate (District 6)

Representative Sam Cataldo is running for NH State Senate. He brings the same focus and dedication that he brought to the NH House, because these jobs are critical to the welfare of New Hampshire! Tasks requiring far more than just good intentions, they require an extensive, diversified background and education; leadership and communication skills; hard work and dedication; and lots and lots of time.  The time requirements are very much greater in the Senate; it’s a full time job, and then some. Sam has a proven work ethic in the NH House, where he serves as Clerk for the Science, Technology and Energy Committee. He has the upbeat, collegial attitude of a cheerful warrior. He should, he’s a pilot and a Vietnam Era USAF veteran. He’s running because his oath to “Preserve and Protect” our nation and its Constitution didn’t come with an expiration date.

With wise and frugal spending, NH can balance its budget, but this alone is not enough to create a positive climate for free enterprise and job creation. Over-regulation, bureaucratic delays and massive red tape can discourage dynamic growth just as much as ruinous taxation. In view of this, Sam brings a wealth of practical, real-life experience; including six years in the legislature and over 50 years as a leader in business, engineering and technology. He wants to streamline state government, to continue lowering taxes and fees, to make NH future friendly and enhance the NH Advantage so that ours is the best state in which to live, get an education, find a job, raise a family or start a business.

To insure a bright future for our children, Sam will strive to return sovereign control of schools to the localities whenever practical. He recognizes that parents are the first and primary teachers of their own children, and that the job of the state legislature is to support this role. We must also empower local jurisdictions to provide for, fund and administer public schools; and that this must be decided by local voters, parents and their duly elected representatives; not by distant, unelected judges, however well intentioned.

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Is this a “Er, does the weatherman evah look out his windows before saying that the weather actually is” moment?

Oh dear, what are the gloom and doomers gonna do now?  Empirical data is just such a pain….it’s just not melting! According to a statement from the American Geophysical Union, announcing the new research: It turns out that past studies, which were based on computer models without any direct data for comparison or guidance, overestimate … Read more

Are we all about to start losing our private property rights? A parting gift from Gov. Lynch? Guest Post by Ken Eyring

Did you know that there is an executive commission that was set by Gov. Lynch to talk about water?  No big deal you say – yes it is.  Many homes in NH, if not most, depend on the water on their land for wells – or to be more technically correct, under your land.  Common law has been that what resides under your land belongs to you.  Period.  How do you think all those “shale millionaires” are now rich?  Wildcatters and energy companies are paying big bucks to explore and to frack the natural gas that lays under their land – and because they own it.

This “Lynch’s Last Gift” (“LLG”) wishes to administratively change this.  No House debate.  No Senate debate.  Just poorly noticed “listening session” (mostly during the day when ordinary people are working – but certainly attended by those that have NO problem in determining that your water belongs to them, er, all of us – the Collective.  THEY may not own the water, but they, sure as shootin’, are going to be the ones that will make the rules on how you can (or cannot) use that water.

That is under your property.  That you paid for when you bought your property (know it or not).  Ken Eyring has been tracking this situation for a little while and saw that they are looking for comments, so this is what he wrote (emphasis mine):

My Reply to the NH Water Sustainability Commission’s Request For Public Comment

The Water Sustainability Commission is seeking input from the public regarding management of NH’s water over the next 25 years — but unfortunately, they are not consistent with their collection methods.  They have published an online survey using Survey Monkey, and the questions are written in a way that can be easily skewed to support almost any conclusion.  There is no way to ensure the integrity of the results, since anyone can log on and take the survey multiple times.  In addition, from the beginning of July until July 19th, they accepted Public Comments without requiring identification.

Because of the importance of water to so many aspects of our lives, including life itself, my concerns were elevated as it became clear that the commission perceives all NH water as property of the state — disregarding our riparian water rights to the water in the wells on our personal property.

With all that in mind, I wanted to make sure I provided my concerns to the misguided direction the commission has taken since its inception — and to encourage everyone else to do the same by using this email address: watersustainabilitycommission@gmail.com, or via US Mail to the address below.  The deadline to provide feedback is July 31st.

Here is the letter that I sent to them:

Water Sustainability Commission
c/o Synchrony Advisors, LLC
10 Myrtle Street
Exeter, NH 03833

July 18, 2012

Dear Commissioners,

You have asked for public comment regarding “managing the water challenges faced by New Hampshire over the next 25 years.”

I’ll begin by expressing my belief that everything you eventually propose to the Governor should be based upon respect for our Constitutional Rights.  In one of your recent meetings, one of your commissioners raised a concern for Constitutionality… and I was stunned to hear another commissioner dismiss those concerns by stating they will let the courts decide.  That is a reckless disregard of the responsibilities that you have been entrusted with.

Your commissioners have also made statements that disregard our riparian rights to the well water on our personal property.  Some examples include:

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Lakes Region Porcupines, Free State Project, Liberty, Freedom, and self – responsibility

A while ago, a now former NH State Representative Seth Cohn urged me to come to a meeting at the New Hong Kong restaurant to, as he said, “talk some politics with folks that are involved”.  Little did I know what I’d be getting into – and that was fine!  Many of the folks that attend are Free State Project “members” in that they came to NH because compared to other states, it had a low overall level of taxation and better yet, small government.  I have interviewed Dr. Jason Sorens before, so I knew the overall mindset – we tolerate a limited government, let it do a few things very well, and then leave us alone – we can be responsible for ourselves (the absolute antithesis of Democrats, who all but worship bigger government with the mindset, as we are seeing, that no one can be successful without out).

Sidenote: with that mindset, aren’t all Democrats then assuming that we are all LOSERS from the get-go? And boy, don’t the Dems go absolutely bat-crazy as more of the FSPers get involved in local and state politics – because the Dems just cannot understand that most of us don’t WANT the larger government they do.

Anyways, after this Saturday’s meeting, some of them went out to go clean the highway.  You often see those signs along the highways saying that such and such is doing the litter cleanup?  While some of them actually do the work themselves, most hire firms that specialize in doing just that.  The LR Porcs, on the other hand, believe in that self-responsibility and doing it themselves.  If one is going to be in Society, then one cannot outsource that responsibility.  So, out they went to show, in this small way, that they are not the anarchists that Ray Buckley (NH Dem Chair) claims they are and out to kill off government completely.  A very quickly done video:

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GrokTV Event-Rumney home event for Ovide Lamontagne (Candidate, NH Gov.) – Question 10 – Come to NH but vote like still in MA?

And the last question for Ovide Lamontagne who is running to be the Republican nominee for NH Governor, and the person who asked it was genuinely concerned that the traditional lifestyle and outlook of New Hampshire is changing due to folks moving into NH because of that attracton, but continue to vote as if they were still “back home”.

Question 10:

A lot of people moved across the border  and they came to NH because they wanted the NH way of life yet they still vote the way they did in Massachusetts

Previous:

  • Ovide’s talk
  • Question 1:  The Speaker has announced that he wants to cut an additional 2% out of the budget. what are your feelings on that?
  • Question 2:  Last year, the health insurance at the bank increased by 7%.  We just got new numbers for this year:14%. You know, last time we talked you wanted to join the fight against Obamacare and now the Supreme Court has come out with their ruling. What can you do for the State of NH against Obamacare at this point?
  • Question 3:  Do any tort reform in the State in order to help us?
  • Question 4: Competition in the medical industry.  I want to have a test done and I have to pay for it myself.  I start to call around and I find the best place for me to have it done is Concord Hospital. But in order to go to Concord Hospital, I have to hire a physician at Concord Hospital because my physician cannot send me to Concord Hospital. There’s a problem with that system!
  • Question 5:  Ovide, one of the issues going on at the Federal level right now is this arms treaty at the UN and everyone is predicting that that’s probably going to go through and what its going to end up being is gun control. How do we protect ourselves here in NH other than Jerry shooting everyone?  How do we protect ourselves from them coming in and taking our guns?

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GrokTV Special Interview – Rick Parent (Candidate, Congress (NHCD-1) – Question 9 – too big, too small, or just right?

The last question for Rick Parent is the same as a lot of folks get from the ‘Grok – a simple question which immediately give us a clue as to how they view the relationship of Government and sovereign citizens – The Bigger the Government, the smaller the citizen.  A bigger Government is a more intrusive, more expensive, and a more meddling one while purporting to be a more “caring” one by Progressives.  A smaller government means more individual freedom and liberty, but also requires more responsibility from citizens for their own lives and to those around them.  So, we ask it:

Question 9:

What are your governing principles with respect to: government too big, too small, or just right?

Previous:

  • Question 1:  Why are you one of the sponsors [of the Smart Girl Politics / NH First Annual Armed and Fabulous gun shoot]? What possessed you to say, in this hot and heavy political race, “I’m going to help sponsor a gun shoot”?
  • Question 2:  Why are you running for Congress in NH-CD1?
  • Question 3:  What are your top three things? What do you bring to the table, besides being a working man and not in politics, that Frank Guinta that Frank Guinta didn’t or has failed to do?
  • Question 4: You were talking about the debt resolutions, the continuing resolutions, that your opponent in the primary voted for and raised the debt ceiling. If you see a bill that is going to spend more than it did last year (outside of the military because it is one of primary Constitutional duties of the Federal Government), how would you vote?
  • Question 5: Does Congressman Rick Parent introduce bills to respond to these kinds of issues you’re talking about or defund them?

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Update – Ray Burton (NH Exec. Councilor, District 1, Grafton County Comm.) is pulling a Governor Peterson in endorsing….a Democrat??

An update to the post where little birdies told me that Ray Burton, long time district 1 Exec. Councilor had decided to endorse a Democrat over a Republican (and NH GOP Chair Wayne MacDonald publicly took a walk on it) – someone finally sent me a copy of the news item: (“And Burton, a North Country force, made clear that he would back Cryans over Sharp, despite the party labels.“).

And look – Ray Burton is approving of the fact that the guy he’s endorsing voted his own non-profit monies from the county budget?

I think that is cronyism at best and a complete conflict of interest for both Cryans AND Burton.  And Burton wonders why Jerry Thibodeau is starting to get noticed in his attempt to unseat him?  Is this a case where it is just time for Burton to be retired for the sake of better government?

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“There may yet come a day when you will have no choice.”

Steve beat me to it in using the Second Amendment support from Ice-T (“The right to bear arms is because that’s the last form of defense against tyranny.”); it was going to be my lead in for this post I found over at Hot-Air where the money line, THE important line, is the title to this post:

That was the moment when it hit me. The combination of that premise taken by anti-gun groups with the previous historical perspective on our country reminded me of what may be the most important piece of the puzzle. When having this conversation, it’s far too easy to say, “Oh! Of course we don’t want to kill people! So let’s discuss your proposition.”

It’s time to come out with it and speak the plain truth which was born and bred into the very soul of the United States from day one:

There may yet come a day when you will have no choice.

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