Steve MacDonald

Steve is a long-time New Hampshire resident, an award-winning blogger, and a member of the Board of Directors of The 603 Alliance and the National Heritage Center for Constitutional Studies. He is the owner of Grok Media LLC and the Managing Editor, Executive Editor, assistant editor, Editor, content curator, and more (yes, there's more) at GraniteGrok.com. Steve is also a former board member of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, the Republican Volunteer Coalition, and has worked for or with many state and local campaigns and grassroots groups, and is a past contributor to the Franklin Center for Public Policy.

Binnie Busters

Adding a thought to what skip provided, and Drew Kline’s initial post on the Binnie Camp’s response to the Cornerstone Ad.  Binnie ‘did call a lawyer’ when he didn’t understand.  The lawyers did not understand either; that Cornerstone is a New Hampshire group founded by who, Karen Testerman?  Yeah, she’s that out of state girl…running for governor … Read more

Hodespocrisy–“It’s Not A Schoomah”

It's Not A Toomah!In keeping with the holier than thou New Hampshire Democrat Party “rules” committee’s abhorrence of money from ‘corrupt’ sources, we bring you Chuck Schumer, New York Senator, Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, and committee member on Banking, Finance, and judiciary.  He has also stained Paul Hodes already questionable reputation with dirty money–$10,000.00 dollars worth of it.

Remember all those Wall Street firms Hodes was standing against? You know, the Wall Street vs. Main Street smackdown. The big bank vs. small bank rhetoric.   Well Hodes can probably thank them for the $10,000.00 dollars he got from Schumer.  Senator Schumer gets ‘fed’ by all of the bailed out boys and girls (and those in between), including an eye-popping career sum from SEC violators Goldman Sachs.  Goldman has shoveled almost half a million of its greedy dollars to Schumer– 486,000.00.  And Schumer’s total career “take” from the evil anti-main Street banking crowd is a paltry $7,000,000.00 million.

 

Can you hear the crickets over at the NHDP headquarters. Loud little bastards aren’t they?

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Where Do We Draw The Line?

No, It's not marraige.All you folks (regardless of your sexual disorientation) who’ve gone and gotten yourselves hitched by a JP or someone else who performs a legitimate civil union just got hosed by one federal judge in Northern California.  According to him, you’re not married.  That’s right, civil unions are not marriages. (That is to say, they are not contractually equivalent.)

It will get appealed for good reason, and it has no affect anywhere else, but you know how the left likes to think of every little thing some elitist radical judge does as a sign of whatever it is they want that no one else wants.  It’s the beginning of a transformation of the culture.  Actually it’s not.

 

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You Want Us To Take This Seriously?

Yeah? When pigs fly!Cynicism is the proper lens through which all political activity should be viewed–particularly by incumbents—so pardon my skepticism but this latest legislative effort by Paul Hodes strikes me as a bit hollow.

CONCORD — Members of Congress and federal regulators would be barred from working as lobbyists for a minimum of two years under a bill that U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes said yesterday he is sponsoring.

Hodes, D-N.H. is a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg. Hodes said his proposal would "stop the lobbyists’ revolving door" in Washington. House members would have to wait two years before moving to a lobbying firm, Senate members would have to wait six years. Regulators over the banking, securities and oil industries would have to wait six years.

Digesting? Good, let’s think this through.

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CLEAR gets KO’d For Now

Oil and GasWith bi-partisan support the Senate has blocked a new energy tax passed by the House that would have hit the middle class and working families right in their shrinking wallets.  The CLEAR act, a job killing tax raising attempt by House democrats beholden to radical environmentalists, would have driven energy industry jobs out of America by the thousands while raising taxes on oil and natural gas.  It also would have increased our dependency on foreign energy, enriching countries that just a few years ago the democrats were claiming should not be getting wealthy on the backs of hard working Americans.  Yet here we are with 10% or more of the population out of work or underemployed  and the disconnected ruling-class House democrats are passing massive new energy taxes and shifting more American dollars off shore to places they themselves have said do not have our best interests at heart.

Morons? Hard to tell. This looks like an intentional effort to make energy more expensive so their green lobby campaign donors and the deep pocketed environmental justice crowd can make the even more expensive ‘so-called’ alternative more attractive.  Whatever the goal the pain and suffering this new tax burden and job loss would place upon average families, and single moms with kids is unconscionable and the left could care less.

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Happy Birthday!

Today is my daughter’s 10th Birthday.  She shares the day with Roger Clemons, Louis Armstrong, The Queen Mother Elizabeth, Anti-Semite Helen Thomas, Redskins Running Back John Riggins, Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman… …and someone else of note—I can’t seem to remember who though.

Want To Know Why….

Want to know why you can never enter into a “bi-partisan” agreement with a liberal?   The same reason you can’t enter into any agreement with them.  No matter what you may think you have agreed to, if at some point in time they “change” their mind, they’ll just redefine it until they get their way.  … Read more

Why Not Bob Giuda?

As one of the leaders of the NHRCV I played a part along with our tireless leader Kevin McHugh when our membership voted to endorse Jennifer Horn late last year.  We here at the Grok have endorsed Jennifer and yes I had a hand in that as well.  And since then a few libertarians–Bob Giuda’s core of support–have tried to have their way with us on our selection.  I think that’s great and I encourage it.  But I thought it appropriate to offer something of a rebuttal–which happens to be one of the single biggest reason why I chose Jen Horn over Bob.

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Hodespocrisy–The Max Baucus Edition

Money money money money...Max Baucus, Democrat Senator from Montana, is the chairman of the Senate Finance committee and his Glacier PAC has donated $10,000.00 dollars to Paul Hodes for Senate.  Baucus may be best known for his influence on Health Care reform or Climate change legislation.  But what he should be known for is his relationship with lawyer/staffer Melodee Hanes, (here, here and here) whom he left his wife for, and also nominated for a job as US district attorney from Montana. (then there’s this) Talk about inside baseball.  But banging a staffer, dumping your wife, and then trying to hook-her up with a well paying federal job–even if it is love–demands questions about your core values and integrity so it’s a good thing he’s a democrat.

If Baucus was Mark Sanford for example, the media would have hung him from the pillory by his man-parts and shamed him out of seeking higher office which makes you wonder if Mark Sanford would have faired better if he’d tried to get his Argentinean mistress a job at the State Department?  Buy her a blue dress and hello Oval Office?  I guess we’ll never know, but since Baucus is a powerful Senator and a democrat, everything about it is a non-scandal-scandal to the unbiased media so he was never in any serious danger over that cozy relationship; but should it make Paul Hodes think twice?

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What Was The Point Of This?

If you and your employer “Part ways,” you are entitled to file for unemployment compensation assuming the departure was not the product of gross misconduct.  That means you didn’t do something that forced the employer to fire you.  Sexual misconduct, irrational behavior, negligence, abuse, and theft are all possible examples, many subject to the possibility … Read more

Welcome To The Hodespocrisy!

Hodespocrisy.jpg

On July 31st the New Hampshire Democrat Party declared open season on Paul Hodes political PAC money so I’m not wasting any time taking up the challenge.  The challenge?  Find hypocrisy in the donors or the donors to the donors—to Paul Hodes campaign.  Let me tell that it’s no challenge making Mr. Hodes and his NHDP supporters look like hypocrites.  So courtesy of the NHDP’s new ‘rules’ I am pleased to bring you an ongoing series of campaign finance investigations suitably called the Hodespocrisy.

First up is DANPAC, one of nine leadership PAC’s that have given Mr. Hodes $10,000.00 dollars this election cycle.  DANPAC is run by Senator Daniel Inouye, democrat from Hawaii, the chairman of the Senate appropriations committee.  DANPAC has given $10,000.00 to Paul Hodes, which Mr. Hodes has accepted despite glaring contradictions.

Contradictions you ask?  What might they be?

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Reducing Foreign Dependency On What?

Can we even count how many times our New Hampshire congressional democrats claimed that we needed to reduce our dependence on foreign oil?  Twice?  A dozen times?  Hundreds?  Is it safe to say that among the lot there has been enough rhetoric on reducing foreign dependence to fill the Verizon center?

So why then have the House Democrats, Carol SEIU-Porter, and Paul ‘Sugar Daddy’ Hodes voted in favor of legislation (The CLEAR Act) that would tax domestic oil and gas even more?  Has it occurred to them that this will give foreign oil a distinct price advantage over domestic oil?  Probably not.

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Gregg Goes For Kagen

Rumor has it the Senator from New Hampshire that is not a woman (by birth) plans to vote to confirm the activist train wreck Elena Kagen. That’s right, Judd Gregg has been outed as for Kagen.  But before he casts his vote, we should let him know how we feel about that.  I already have. … Read more

NHDP Cries Hypocrite!

The New Hampshire democrat party–in a typical game of misdirection–is all lathered up about some tenuous connections between Senator Gregg–leaving the Senate, John Sununu–no longer in the Senate, and Kelly Ayotte–not even in the Senate, accepting contributions from two billionaires from Texas who have been charged with securities fraud. The operative word is "charged" not convicted, but the NHDP is already calling them ‘Hypocrites.‘ They are hypocrites for compaining about Hodes and his Rangel cash, while the GOPers apparently have taken "thousands of dollars" of their own. Remember the word "Thousands" as we try to take a look at the cry babies complaint.

Hodes is on the hook for what $13 to $17K from a guy who wrote tax law, while violating tax law, and using his postion to enrich himself at the expense of the people he was representing. Rangel was dirty before Hodes hit the House, but Hodes still took his money. He took, tens of thousands of dollars from Rangel. And that’s just Rangel. Hodes has other dirty money but let’s stay focused for now.

And what about those "billionaires?" Sam and Chuck Wyly are "under investigation" by the SEC for securities fraud. And apparently back on March 31st 2003, one of them (Charles) gave Judd Gregg $3000– back in 2003. That is ‘thousands’ but it’s what, seven years ago? (Link may not work) Make another mental note.

The NYT article announcing the investigation of the billionaires just came out on July 29th, 2010. It’s been two days and the NHDP is crying about a 3000.00 dollar donation from seven years ago. (I was lucky to get that info by the way.) Still with me?

There’s loads more fun on the jump.

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Green Eggs And H-amnesty

The White house is looking for a way to deem amnesty.  Can you imagine what possible reason they might have to do that?  Think about it.  Seventy percent of Americans, at least 70%, object to amnesty.  They don’t want it.  Seventy percent or more.  So the only possible reason to do it, to pass some executive order or cite some obscure construction allowing them to do it, is to piss off at least 70% of America.  Considering how frustrated we feel already there is really only one reason to do it.

If you deem amnesty odds are good that a few people who have been keeping their powder dry might decide that enough is enough.  Any politically motivated acts of violence (any) could invite the kind of left wing brick throwers and car burners we already encounter at global summits to join in; these folks might see it as an opportunity to make things look that much worse.  I can see them trying to start a race riot.  It would not be the first time.  But riots of any kind, viewed on television, have a strange effect on the people.  So if you push enough folks over the edge, and light a fus,e that might just "demand" some kind ofextended federal action.

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Yesterday’s GOP: Sen. Judd Gregg

Senator Judd Gregg allows himself to be used by the dominant ruling party in Washington, DC? Is this why the GOP is called "the Party of Stupid"? Is this type of thing why the GOP has been called "the tax collector for the welfare state"? Sigh. This just in from Liberty Central via RedState.com:

Judd Gregg, Kent Conrad Push Massive Tax Increases in Lame Duck Session

 

 

Posted by Brian Faughnan (Profile)

Wednesday, July 28th at 12:00PM EDT

21 Comments

Cross-posted from Liberty Central.

Obviously, balancing the federal budget is a worthy goal – an extremely important one, in fact. Congress has massively increased spending, to the point that the United States is projected to run inordinately high deficits for years to come. The problem is one of historic proportions. It would be a welcome change if this Congress were to consider a package of spending cuts before the election, designed to restore the nation’s long-term fiscal balance.

But Congressional leaders and the White House recognize that it might be unpopular to push for spending cuts or tax increases before an election. They are deeply worried about the political impact of a controversial vote – one that might lead to catastrophic losses for the majority party. So rather than doing something gutsy, they are shifting responsibility to an unelected commission, and deferring a vote until a lame duck session of Congress:

Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad says a legislative session after the Nov. 2 election and before the new Congress is sworn in could be “one of the most significant lame-duck sessions in the history of the United States.”

In an interview with CongressDaily, Conrad referred specifically to the prospect of votes on the recommendations of President Obama’s bipartisan deficit commission, which is due to report on Dec. 1. Conrad, who is on the panel, believes it could help lead the country to a sounder fiscal path.

That sentiment is echoed by Senate Budget ranking member Judd Gregg, also a commission member. Gregg even suggests the lame duck could trump the historic vote on healthcare reform, which he opposed, if the commission’s recommendations are meaningful and Congress embraces them.

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Contested Primaries

If you happen to have a contested Republican House Primary in your district (or maybe you don’t know if you do), there’s a place on-line to get a quick view of who is running.  Over at a web site called New Hampshire Election Information, no affiliation with the state sites, they have a list of the contested … Read more

A problem for the Oily Populists.

Hope you got your permit to do that?Paul Hodes is scalp hunting BP over the Gulf Oil spill—even though BP ponied up 20 Billion already and has spent plenty trying to fix things besides.  Fine and dandy “but how do I use that for populist traction” cries Sugar Daddy Hodes.  “I need votes.”  His answer is another press release promising something or other—it doesn’t really matter with Hodes.  Anyway, what he should be doing, if in fact he is truly interested in reform and reparation, is investigating his own government and how the bureaucracy totally screwed things up.

P-Diddy Hodes won’t want to do that. He didn’t want to investigate Adolphus Townes on potential ‘Friends of Angelo’ connections to sweetheart loans. (That was the one with the famous Hodes running away video).  He still can’t return the tainted Rangel money because, well, like I said who cares what he said it’s Hodes.  He took that $10,000.00 payday from a major sugar producer after forcing a massive ethanol handout past two separate vetoes—and he’s not about to admit that was a corrupt act.  So investigate his own love of the endless layers of paper-pushing progress staunching bureaucrats?  No frikkin way.  He’s voted for plenty of 2000 plus page bills destined to deforest how many acres just to get the rules and regulations written down—none of which he cares anything about unless it costs him votes with the left wing, America hating, progressive-compulsives.

The problems with the spill are epic, so Hodes has plenty to ignore, particularly when all the government had to do was keep the oil off the beaches.  That was it.  Keep the oil off the beaches.  But they waited weeks before even responding, ignoring pleas, and bogging down every effort to protect the shoreline with bureaucrats and paperwork.   And even when they did try to do something, they did it the only way they know how.  FUBAR! 

Winston Groom, in the July 12th issue of the Weekly Standard spotlights a few of these transgressions which I have paraphrased below—issues which Hodes and the democrats have now imposed upon the health Care system thanks to Obama care, not that you have any reason to be concerned.  The list is on the jump.

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Hodes Monkeys With The First Amendment

Right to What?Reading Paul Hodes blog at the daily KoS is the literary-equivalent of watching monkeys throw poo. What is perhaps more disgusting is that the KoS Kids roll in it like heather and serve it to each other as if it were pâté de foie gras , encouraging their own sheer ignorance as they dance nine times widdershins about the burning remnants of the US constitution.

This week’s poo fling comes after Chuck Schumer’s evil plot to water-board the first amendment failed to properly rise in the oven Schumer usually cooks his constitution in. He’d helped craft something called the DISCLOSE act, which disclosed to us just how brazen power hungry incumbents can be when their brazen power-hungriness gets the best of them. They write laws to silence the speech they don’t like while ignoring speech they do. So when the soufflé dropped after Paul Hodes already voted for it he did what any cry-baby liberal does. He grabbed his talking points and hid in the skirt of the moon-bat mother ship.

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It’s not a Surplus It’s A “Lessifit”

Landigren rolled out the surplus meme again in last Sunday’s Telegraph. Trust me it’s intentional. Lynch just bought more government durring a recession, and then mortgaged the state some more but still could not claim fiscal parity. So he ran begging to his sugar daddy in the federal government for another hit, you know–just to … Read more

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