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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.

GraniteGrok Endorsement: Ovide Lamontagne for NH Governor

Ovide Lamontagne For NH Governor 2012We have known Ovide Lamontagne for a number of years now, and the longer we have known him, the surer we are of his Conservative Principles and his stances on current events based on those Principles.  We have seen him refuse to take more politically expedient paths, ways the could yield better political outcomes for him personally, simply because it meant that he would have to cut corners instead of following those foundational guiding philosophies.  Many times, you might hear that a politician is a man of his politics.  That’s not Ovide; instead, you get a politician of steadfast convictions.  Enough so that we endorsed him for US Senate this last cycle.  Every stance is a Conservative one – we like an appreciate it. You know us – and we know Ovide Lamontagne.

Have no doubt, the Democrats will be putting up an extremist Progressive – and our bet is that Ovide will present the best alternative to those that will try (and make no mistake – they are campaigning on it right now) to recreate the Big Government go-round of 2006 / 2008?

Is this still the Live Free or Die State?  If you agree that it is, but that it hangs in the balance, consider this: It needs a Live Free or Die Governor!  One that not only can say the words but means, that lives, the philosophy behind it. That person, that Governor, is Ovide Lamontagne, the Happy Warrior!

We ask that when it comes to vote in the NH Republican primary in the Fall, please vote for Ovide.  And then again in November.

*****

When NH State Senator Jeanne Forrester had house event back February, Ovide Lamontagne was gracious in granting us an exclusive interview after having already spent  a couple of hours giving a talk to those present and then answered questions from them.  Both parts of that interview:

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NH GOP National Committeewoman race – Or is it the “whisper race”?

From Michelle:

Alas, if you’re a conservative mom, you’re damned if you do stay home and damned if you don’t. In 2008, Howard Gutman, a member of the Obama campaign’s national finance committee, attacked GOP vice presidential candidate and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s ability to be a good parent and have a high-powered public life at the same time. “Your responsibility is to put your family first,” Gutman lectured as he singled out Palin’s Down syndrome baby and then-pregnant teenage daughter. “The proper attack is not that a woman shouldn’t run for vice president with five kids; it’s that a parent, when they have a family in need…” should get out of the public sphere and stay home.

Sound familiar? Wait, haven’t I JUST HEARD THIS from a Republican?  Oh yeah…

Last time around and if my memory serves me well, four people were running for this position.  It seemed, at the time, that the candidates ran on the issues and their stances – what happens in most races, the dirty side, seemed to be invisible.  This time, not so much – it seems that it has come back near the end of this race – just like any other political race.  This time, it seems to have been launched against Pam Tucker; a sample:

Pam Tucker has come highly recommended by her peers.  I am thrilled that she is so competent at the State House, so much that I feel we NEED her there.   I understand that she will again seek office as a State Rep in the fall.  Her time is currently, and will be in the future, divided between her young family, her constituents from her district, and the added responsibilities as Deputy Speaker of the House.  I have heard Pam speak several times, each time stating that she will be able to attend the necessary meetings.

But are attending just the necessary meetings enough to build strong relationships with other states, and therefore retaining New Hampshire’s First in the Nation Status?

The underlying message:  She’s good, but not good ENOUGH.  She works hard. but couldn’t POSSIBLY add another task.  How COULD she abandon her family, her kids??  Sounds like a sexist argument to me – what about Dad, or is yet the next inference to be made is that he’s an incompetent boob who can’t be trusted to keep his “young family” alive without her?  My gosh!  She’s being split in too many ways – she can’t POSSIBLY do everything well!

Nonsense.  Well, I’ve never been one to be quiet – but “whisper campaigns” are not my style.  If someone has to rely on innuendo and whispers to secure a seat, well, that says:

  • You can’t win on your own in the public arena of ideas?
  • You are, perhaps, running as someone you aren’t and need “cover”?
  • It says something about “character”

So, in being loud, let’s dredge something up from the near deep recesses of the ‘Grok about newly “Conservative to the core” Juliana Bergeron from the Chair race:

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GraniteGrok Endorsement: At the NH GOP Annual Meeting, Please vote for Pam Tucker for RNC Committeewoman

As NH’s leading Conservative blogsite, we not only opine about politics (and culture) here at the ‘Grok, we also get involved – we run for (win and lose) local office, we certainly advocate for Conservative principles, and yes, many of us are either Delegates to or are Members of the NH GOP State Committee.  We not just write, we DO!  No, I think it highly unlikely that anyone, after reading the ‘Grok for any length of time, would take us to be partial to “the Establishment wing” of the party.  Rather, we hew to principle first over “politics and power” plays; we give our endorsements out on that basis.

PamTucker head imageTomorrow is the NH GOP Annual Meeting where NH Republican Party business will be taken care of, lots of political yakking will be taking place, and new officers will be elected.  Being Members, we will be voting.  Being Conservatives and Libertarians, we know for whom we will be voting.  Being who we are here at the ‘Grok, we loudly ask for your vote for Pam Tucker for RNC Committeewoman from NH.  We are sure that she has the temperament, the communications skills, and the wherewithal to skillfully accomplish the goals of that position.

But most of all, we believe that of the two seeking the position, Pam Tucker is the principled and accomplished person for the job.  Her answers to our questions were solid and grounded and it is clear that her rapid political rise is due to her hard work, sense of proper priorities, and knowing what to do when the occasion or situation requires.

It is also clear to us, based on the inbound emails from both candidates how this race is going to be decided.  Certainly, we know who is backing Pam Tucker’s opponent – with very few “surprises” – and those that are backing Pam.  We know that we are with the right group of folks who are hoping that others will see that Pam will do the superior job in representing NH to the rest of the national Republican Party.  We also know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she can also be that “inward” ambassador in taking  Republican ideals and the Platform to others here in NH.  Unlike her opponent, she is the only credible ambassador from the grassroots back to the NH GOP Executive Committee.

Previous Questions:

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Dontcha just love seeing a taxpayer supported employee arguing against taxpayer interests? Here’s one: Nathan S. Greenberg, Superintendent

This was passed on to me by a concerned citizen – actually, an outraged citizen.  If this letter checks out (and nothing that I have found thus far leads me to think contrary to it), we see one level of taxpayer funded government (a local SAU Superintendent) electioneering against a proposed law that taxpayers have requested. Is his school system doing so well that he can turn his visage outward?  Or, is this really more of the entitlement mentality we are now seeing everywhere: hey, that’s MY money!!!  How DARE you take my entitlement to taxpayer money and give it to someone other than me!!  Don’t you know who we are?

Paid to lobby against you on your dime!  As my friend Doug said when we caught our taxpayer funded Superintendent getting ready to electioneer to a meeting of senior citizens (sponsored by the taxpayer funded Parks N Rec department on the topic of “why a tax cap would be bad for the School District): “LEAVE THE POLITICKING TO THE POLITICIANS!” In other words, the School Board should have done it – not a supposedly neutral employee.

This seems, more and more, to be the norm among the Public-Educational-Industrial Complex (which is larger, financially, than the Military-Industrial Complex) rather than what is best for the kids.  Remember too, the mentality seems to also be that they know better what is best for your kids.

Londonderry SAU LogoLONDONDERRY SCHOOL DISTRICT

April 12, 2012

Senator Nancy Stiles
Chair Senate Education Committee
Legislative Office Building
Room 103-A
33 North State Street
Concord, NH 03301

Dear Senator Stiles:

Unfortunately, I am unable to attend the hearing on HB 1607 on April 17, 2012 due to work related responsibilities.  Thus, I would greatly appreciate it if this correspondence could be entered into the record as my testimony in opposition to that bill.

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An apology and a retraction

Our official motto is “Spank’em when they’re wrong and Thank’em when they’re right”.  That can be applied to ourselves as well (as well as it should).  We try to get all of our facts rights.  With GraniteGrok closing in on 10,300 posts, we pretty much get it right almost all of the time. Almost. This … Read more

You know, it would be good to get it right, Mr. Kitch

Yesterday was a “day off from work / a day of blogging activities” for me as I had promised a lady in our town, Barbara Aichinger,  to video record a Supervisor of the Checklist hearing.  The back story is just before our local election last month, local Democrat activist and public employee  Joe “No Show” Wernig decided on a crass political stunt and accuse her of not being eligible to vote here in town.  Which,  as it turns out, meant that she could not run for office to. More on this later (full video of the hearing is here at the ‘Grok’s “little sister” blog I keep just for local activities) and in my opinion, an attempt to silence a strong voice that advocates for exactly for everything that Wernig stands for: smaller government, less taxes, and more personal liberty.  Why else call a press conference when issuing a voter challenge based on flimsy Internet based information?

Well, two of the local pro-scribblers showed up; Michael Kitch from the Laconia Daily Sun filed his report and did a decent job (after having a “discussion” with Barbara, but that’s for another post) but got something wrong:

David “Skip” Murphy, who video recorded the session for his blog — Granite Grok — upon learning that Miller’s services cost the town $160 per hour wondered if there was any means of compelling Wernig, who has complained about the cost of frivolous litigation to the town, to foot the bill.

“No,” said Miller. “There is no recourse.”

Er, no.  This is why one brings a recording device to such an event – as he got this part of the my “public input” absolutely wrong:

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Another thing that this Voter Challenge made me realize

Like I said here, we had a political ideologue by the name of Joe Wernig issue, in my opinion, a thinly veiled attempt of political intimidation by trying to keep local Libertarian activist Barbara Aichinger off the local ballot via a Voter Role Challenge (complete video here of the hearing, with more commentary above that post).  As the hearing slowly wore on, the thought hit me: how often is this now happening, where the most basic philosophies of American jurisprudence is being turned on its head?  Just like we are loosing our freedoms as the Government continues to loom larger and larger and inserts itself into more and more areas of what used to be off-limits.

All of us have been brought up believing “innocent until proven guilty” and that you should have the ability to confront your accuser.  This hearing, through no fault of the Supervisors of the Checklist, seemingly turned that upside down.  Joe Wernig had made sure that when he accused Mrs. Aichinger of not being eligible, she was out of the country on business.  He didn’t notify her of his press conference or his intention of going to the Supervisors in issuing that challenge.  He made sure that she could not directly confront him and his charges.

Yesterday, he doubled down – he was a “No Show” – but his baseless charge put all three Supervisors through hours of research during the 30 day interval.  Barbara had to spend hours in assembling her records in her own defense.  This political coward couldn’t muster the courage to even make a token appearance before skidaddling back to his secure government job.  He couldn’t face the person he challenged.  Yes, I meant that word: Coward.

So much for the Mrs. Aichinger being able to face her accuser: he simply ran away like when a bully runs up against someone who isn’t willing to back down.  In fact, I’m betting he really thought she’d fold – not a smooth move.

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Notable Quote – Dr. Thomas Sowell

As many have warned in the past, freedom is unlikely to be lost all at once and openly.  It is far more likely to be eroded away, bit by bit, amid glittering promises and expressions of noble ideals. – Dr. Thomas Sowell, Economics Professor, syndicated columnist, author (H/T: Cafe Hayek)

GrokTV Special Interview: Pam Tucker-RNC Committeewoman Candidate on Freedom, 10th Amendment, Party Platforms

Even though the last question was the last formal question, Pam and I kept on talking after I had turned off the camera.  Here, you will see that I picked it up and turned it on again as what we were discussing I thought were important.  So, just call this “The Questions after the Last Question” edition.  We talked about the concept of Freedom, the value of the 10th Amendment, and the importance of the Party Platform:

Previous Questions: (on the jump)

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Notable Quote – Alex de Toqueville

“A man’s admiration of absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for those around him.” –  Alex de Toqueville, French historian And Obama wants to radically transform America to be a Government-centric country to replace its citizen-oriented one…. (H/T: PowerLine)

Why America needs “a gun in every pocket”…

…and why the anti-Second Amendment and anti-self defense movements in places like New York, Chicago, and California (with their draconian anti-gun laws) need to get used to it.

How to react to a terrorist or other criminal when you have no gun.

A few days ago The Wall Street Journal published a column by Con Coughlin, entitled “Mohamed Merah and the New Breed of ‘Nike Terrorists’.” Mohamed Merah is the radical Islamist who murdered three French soldiers and four Jewish civilians in France last month. The article explained that Merah is part of a developing “new breed” of Islamic terrorists who will act alone or in small groups with “homemade bombs, knives and guns.”

Think it won’t happen?

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GrokTV Special Interview: Pam Tucker-RNC Committeewoman Candidate. Question 11 – Get the NH GOP to become more active in local elections?

Since this series of questions was done, most towns have had their local elections (be they SB2 based or the traditional formats).  This season, a number of conservatives and libertarians who are Republicans lost their bid for local offices and were replaced by rather hard-left leaning folks (e.g., Carla Horn, a real self-avowed Leftist that would fit in well with the Democrat Socialists of American won over a really good conservative, Colette Worseman up in Meredith; I and a few others lost in Gilford).  Many politically active folks on the Right have been watching the ‘staff up’ being done by the Dems, ostensibly for the Presidential election – it is now evident that they had active hands in organizing in these elections too (as well as the Unions).

Thus, this question,  a future-now-past,  proves that there is a problem: Can you, as Committeewoman, help nudge the NH GOP to better assist local elections “below the NH House races (think: farm team)?

Previous Questions: (on the jump)

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Obama’s Buffet Rule – serious or a campaign stunt?

Update:

NTU - Who Pays Income Taxes - 2009So, Joe Biden wants to come and defend this crock?  Hey Joe, those folks ARE paying the same rates on their EARNED income – how else is the top 1% paying 37% of all income taxes? And if this chart is insufficient, try these.  Fair, Joe Biden – how much is enough to be “fair” to “help others”?  Remember, this?

=============================================

Obama, over the last two weeks has let us all know that he is in full campaign mode – after all, he is attacking pretty much anything that moves in the political world that doesn’t fit his political worldview (boy, how paranoid he must feel to know that everyone is out to “get him”?  Well, sport, you’ve kinda brought it upon yourself, eh?).  Certainly, one of his tools is going to be those misbegotten words (at least, now it is) “fair” and “fairness”.  Sure he uses it, but as I have learned over last few years, he isn’t about to define and REALLY state what “fair” and “fairness” is, other than to be a political club against his enemies (and make no mistake – we’ve seen him treat those that most of us would consider to be national enemies (or, “not friends at all” at best) far better than his political rivals here at home.  Truly, he believes that old saw “Conservatives believe that Liberals are just wrong; Liberals believe that Conservatives are EVIL!” and treats everyone else as such (why does Obama hate “The Other” so much?  Isn’t he all about diversity?  Oh, sorry, that only goes skin deep – ask his Granny).

For a guy that promised so much to be a “post-political” President and “unite us and heal our planet” kind of guy, he’s really showing his BULLY side, ain’t he?

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Stacy McCain spins a great phrase “the Denunciation Derby”!

OK, this weekend’s political scalps: on the Left, the still anonymous NBC “producer” that doctored up the now famous Tryvon Martin case’s “he looks black” in trying to insinuate “racism by a white Hispanic” (what, as opposed to a purple and green one?), Mr. Zimmerman.  On the Right, John Derbyshire, late of National Review for a column at another site, got cashiered by NR for saying what he did.

However wrong their actions and words, Stacy points out the Level 2 problem: “the Denunciation Derby” (quick Stacy, trademark that!):

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So, how is Karl Marx linked directly to the modern Democrat Party?

Presto!  Multiple links!  And remember, Political Correctness is simply Cultural Marxism: And they call TEA Party folks “radical”??  Only from the perspective in that we refuse to submit to Marxism.  Hey Collin, care to comment?  Wanna dispute any of this?  I do have a question for you, Collin – didn’t they miss the SEIU when … Read more

Speaking of the modern Democrat Party roots, here’s one of their results

When you give the reins of power, you have done so because of their rhetoric.  What you actually end up with is the results of their philosophy.  Like their actions not reflecting their rhetoric: Obama PROMISED, his minions PROMISED that the Stimulus would keep more Americans off the dole and gainfully employed if we just. … Read more

Where Maya Angelou intimates that we can be legislated to love each other

Huh? I was looking up a word that was the equivalent of gaggle at Dictionary.com but starting with a “p” (then it popped up in my head: ” radical vision of Obama and his punishing posse of Progressives“) but there was a quote that was in the right sidebar from  Maya Angelo (emphasis mine): Strictly … Read more

From James Pindell’s Political Standing

Really? “Is there any truth to the rumor that next weekend Republican National Committeeman Steve Duprey will be challenged on the floor from an opponent from the right flank?” Interesting rumor…

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