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.

President’s radio address. Honors veterans, warns our enemies, and challenges Democrats.

September 26, 2018November 12, 2006 Steve MacDonald

President Bush commemorated veterans, warned our enemies not to misread the results of the elections, and challenged the Democrats, so very critical of his every move throughout the new world war, to cough up some ideas of how to win. Got that Democrats? WIN… not retreat.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This weekend we commemorate Veterans Day, a day when America honors every man and woman who has worn the uniform of our military. In Veterans Day celebrations across our Nation, we remember those who have served in previous wars, those who are serving today, and those who did not live to become veterans. Especially in a time of war, we see in our veterans an example of people who stepped forward to serve a cause larger than themselves. This weekend, I ask you to take a moment to thank our veterans for their service, and express your appreciation for the sacrifices they have made to preserve our freedom and way of life.

.

One freedom that defines our way of life is the freedom to choose our leaders at the ballot box. We saw that freedom earlier this week, when millions of Americans went to the polls to cast their votes for a new Congress. Whatever your opinion of the outcome, all Americans can take pride in the example our democracy sets for the world by holding elections even in a time of war. Our democratic institutions are a source of strength, and our trust in these institutions has made America the most powerful, prosperous, and stable nation in the world.

.

As a result of this week’s elections, the Democrats now hold a majority in both Houses of Congress. After the elections, I called the Democratic leaders in the House and the Senate to congratulate them on the victory they achieved for their party. On Thursday, I had lunch with Congresswoman Pelosi and Congressman Hoyer, and on Friday I met with Senators Reid and Durbin. We had good discussions. I told them what I have told the men and women in my administration: We must put these elections behind us, and work together on the great issues facing America.

.

The elections will bring changes to Washington. But one thing has not changed: America faces brutal enemies who have attacked us before and want to attack us again. I have a message for these enemies: Do not confuse the workings of American democracy with a lack of American will. Our Nation is committed to bringing you to justice, and we will prevail.

.

Iraq is the central front in this war on terror. I look forward to listening to ideas from the new leaders of Congress on the best way to support our troops on the front lines — and win the war on terror.

A chance to rebuild. “Purgation is often the beginning of a cure”

September 26, 2018November 9, 2006 Steve MacDonald

The following is Bill Asbell’s (Dover, NH) take on the election, and the recipe for reconstructing the Republican Party following its decimation in the election. Sometimes you have to wipe a slate clean and start anew. The opportunities are endless at this point. Bill’s letter is in response to an email from a friend obviously sending his sympathy over the election’s outcome…

Condolences accepted, but the glass is half-full, and this political Katrina can be an excellent brief opportunity to learn from our mistakes so as to come back stronger two years from now.
.
What this election showed is that the Northeast is getting more liberal as the south is getting more conservative. (Another GOP House seat was picked up in GA). We in NH have been under siege by liberals coming from all sides for some time now, and the Republicans that remain in New England with the exception of John E. Sununu are all moderate to liberal. Olympia Snowe, a Whitman clone is a typical example. In Maine, they prefer their Republicans neutered. But, Lincoln Chafee who voted against John Roberts, and publicly announced he was voting for John Kerry in ’04 lost, thank God, as did some other RINOs. Too bad Arlen Specter wasn’t running. Anyway…
.
Purgation is often the beginning of a cure. Rhode Island liberals figured, why vote for a pretend Socialist when you can have the real thing, which combined with a general feeling of "throw the bums out", anti-incumbency animus that was everywhere. Maine will eventually replace Snowe and Collins as Vermont replaced RINO Jumpin’ Jim Jeffords with avowed Socialist Bernie Sanders. Still, the turnover number was average for a 6th year in a two-term presidency. This was nothing like ’94. NH may remain a live-free-or-die state for a while yet, simply by being able to point to the surrounding states and say, "Do you really want to look like THAT?!" which is a powerful tincture against self-induced lunacy most of the time.
.
As I worked for Chuck, Jeb, and the local Dover candidates last Saturday, I spoke to Republican voters who told me point blank that they were going to "send a message", so I saw this coming. The message was two-fold, 1. Bush needed to WIN the war quickly or get out, instead of bleeding us to death by a thousand cuts, and 2. Republicans were going to be punished for their anti-conservative, decadent behavior over the past 6 years: Namely, "a bridge to nowhere", runaway spending, new entitlements, Abramoff-like influence peddling, Foley-page porn, failure to want to stem the flow of illegal immigration etc. The drive-by media’s considerable bias doesn’t help us either.
.

A funny thing happened on the way to the country club…GOP gets slammed in NH.

September 26, 2018November 8, 2006 Steve MacDonald

Holly Ramer writes in today’s Concord Monitor New Hampshire Democrats emerged from today’s elections more powerful than they’ve been in 94 years with a landslide in the governor’s race, upsets in both congressional races and strong gains in the Legislature. Tom Fahey and Riley Yates write in the Union Leader Democrats took control of the … Read more

The activist assessment. NH- the day after.

September 26, 2018November 8, 2006 Steve MacDonald

Friend Ed Naile of the Coalition of NH Taxpayers (CNHT) writes

Ouch!!!!!!!!!

Having been at the Ward 3 Manchester polls from 6:30 Am to 7:00 pm I have no idea what was going on around the state other than very somber phone calls late last night. Here is your chance to email back what happened in your town.

.

My take from "news" reports about the NH Congressional seats:

It looks like the theory of placating RINO Republicans by bouncing all over the map on votes and positions did not endear Bass and Bradley to the conservative base they think has gone away forever. And it certainly was gone to them last night.

Some of this is coat-tails of big out side money as much as any candidates.

.

No one except activists on the far left have any idea who has been just elected to the DC House seats so the left will be giddy about that until Hodes and She-Pot take off the mantle of CHANGE and actually start doing what comes naturally to libs. Arneson, Swett, Fernald, and Shaheen not showing their faces helped the Libs as well.

.

As I watched the ballot clerks stack the absentee ballots on the table we were working at in Manchester it was apparent that Questions One and Two would win in Manchester, of all places.

.

Does anyone have any sense of WHO was showing up at their local polls last night? In Manch. there was a very large crowd of last minute same day registrants, young, few little kids. The older crowd came early. The Moderator estimated about 1,200 -1,300 would show up but about 1,500 did, many new. There were many 04 voters who were on the Manch. voter list who moved and no longer receive mail leaving over 20% of the list full of names needing to be purged. Just last November many of these same voters in Manch ousted Mayor Baines and would have voted in a tax cap if it had been on the ballot. So I would guess that taxes and Baines’s arrogance are still issue. Chalk this election up constant Iraq and scandal news. Pounding the scandal and arrogance theme worked on Benson for the Dems. so how long can they ride that pony if they are now "in charge" of everything?

.

Last night’s election could provide an opening for conservatives who have been pinned under the Republican Party’s "Main Street" crowd since they sold out Bob Smith (who began leaning the same way himself). How many elections do Republicans have to see full page "Republicans for this or that liberal" advertisements to get the message?

.

Libertarians could have openings for seats in state offices with the demise of the Republican Party if they pick carefully.

.

I always feared NH would slowly drift into some sort of Ma., Maine, Vermont type of state but last night’s sweep by uber-libs leaves an opening for opponents.

.

Ed Naile

Ed’s right- this must be viewed as an opportunity to rekindle conservative philosophies and opportunity within what has become a moribund party with nothing but the retention of power as the goal.