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.

Blogger Conference Call: Discussing Obama’s “Comprehensive Strategy to Fight Global Terrorism” [Full text included]

Sen Barack Obama in Laconia recently (GG file photo)
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Here at the ‘Grok, we make no bones about the fact that we are conservative Republicans and will almost without question be voting that way barring some unforseen and monumental circumstance. That being said, we are observing, studying, and chronicling what the Democrats are doing because we’re interested and, quite frankly, believe one must know what the "opponent" is thinking and doing. As the march to the White House continues, and the various candidates tramp through the Granite State en route, it seems like a good thing to see, hear, and possibly meet each and every one from both of the parties. After all, one will become the next president. And, while it pains me to say this, one must realistically expect that there’s a good chance the next will be a Democrat. This forces me to ferret out the good points from all comers, seeking the one I believe will do the LEAST harm to the US. To believe otherwise given the current situation would be a mistake. That doesn’t mean that the situation can’t change, but that is pure hope at the moment. But I digress…
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As we inch closer to election day, we find candidates beginning to release major policy remarks and proposals. Yesterday we heard Sen. Barack Obama unveiling his "Comprehensive Strategy to Fight Global Terrorism." While I disagree with his pullout from Iraq as proposed, there are some points that make sense. It was a thoughtful speech and I give him credit for its detail. Unlike others who have built their candidacies upon a foundation of "Bush Derangement Syndrome" (BDS), offering little but rhetoric and bumper-sticker-like slogans, Obama has at least delivered a plan. I am not alone in my guarded praise. Today in his blog, the Union Leader’s Drew Cline writes
In his speech on terrorism today, Sen. Barack Obama referred to the war on terror with a term almost identical to the one Rudy Giuliani invented for his campaign. Instead of saying “war on terror,” he said “al-Qaida’s war against us. . .” and “the terrorists are at war with us.”
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Rudy’s coinage is “the terrorists’ war on us.”
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Obama clearly wants the American people to know that he is not John Edwards, that he believes the terrorists are waging a war on this country, but that he would fight back differently. Smart.
I have reprinted the speech further down in the post. Late yesterday, I had the chance to participate in a bloggers’ conference call featuring Major General Scott Gration (USAF-Ret.) in a discussion of the Obama strategy. While relatively short, it was enlightening in more than one way.

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Robbery of Your Rights, Democrat Style!

Eekks! I hardly know where to start dispelling so many just-an-opinion rather-than-truth statements made in 3 or 4 letters to the editor printed in the Concord Monitor on July 30.

Perhaps addressing each one individually is the way to go.  Here’s Steve Metzger’s “Some Statesman” in response to “Unlike Democrats, I’m looking for answers on Iraq.”

Metzger states:

“First, Hodes and Shea-Porter are following the mandate given them by a majority of New Hampshire voters.”

Really? Perhaps you remember the old TV commercial where the old lady said: “where’s the beef?” Where do you get your information, Mr. Metzger? Where’s your proof?

And, for sure, Judd Gregg does have every reason to fault Hodes and Shea-Pompous for

 “their unwillingness to buck their liberal leadership’s agenda.”

Here’s Doug’s recent post on some proof that Hodes and Pompous vote along the party line consistently, click here.

Shea-Pompous has lied when she told military people that she had gotten back to the families who had repeatedly requested a meeting with her. She lied about taking money after she said she wouldn’t. She lied about voting for a minimum wage increase. She lied when she said she speaks for the troops. She’s lied and twisted the truth so much that perhaps she believes it herself by now.

Just because Blair had the nickname “Bush’s poodle” doesn’t mean it’s true. Those closer to Blair than you people would tell you otherwise. Look it up! Plus, who do you suppose gave him that name and for what purpose?

Did Bush lie about why we went to war or did he act on the intelligence available at the time? Even Chillary (hey, I like her new name and think I’ll use it more often) voted for the war based on the information available at the time.

Gregg is right to say that Hodes and Shea-Pompous are playing politics with the war. What democrat doesn’t continue to play politics at the cost of our soldiers and their mission? Democrats want nothing more than for the terrorists to win and for America to lose; in fact, they want to tell them the exact date when we’re leaving which is aiding and comforting America’s enemies and constitutes treason against America and Americans. If Bush wins the war, or another republican, the democrats lose. It’s about them and their political future not about what’s best for Americans.

And, puhleze, Mr. Metzger, your statement:

 “After years of abusive partisanship, towering arrogance and stunningly stupid decisions”

applies more to the current democratic leadership. What have they accomplished after hundreds of days in office? One thing, and that’s passing a minimum wage increase.

Perhaps the democrats are way too busy having slumber parties that accomplish nothing and pursuing the AG when there are certainly much more pressing matters facing America.

Oh yeah, they’re all leaving for a month’s vacation starting today with a lot of unfinished important business and have done nothing more than waste a lot of our tax payer dollars accomplishing very little after a lot of promises.

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Shoot the B#*!#^+s!

Ruger Mini-14
Ruger Mini-14. The "ranch rifle" of choice here at the ‘Grok
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Okay, much has been made of the upcoming GOP fundraiser so click here to read about it first,and then I’ll tell you why I love my right to bear arms!

My father owned a .22 rifle when I was a kid. He made sure that I, and my brother and sister, knew proper gun safety; how to safely handle weapons, load, unload, clean and everything connected with gun safety that he knew, he passed along to us. I will be forever grateful to him for his teachings, and he may have even saved my life.

I have great memories of growing up in Oklahoma City and going out to some remote location where our family would spend a day hiking, picnicking, finding a stream, floating cans and bottles and taking turns shooting at them or at targets. It was a very different time in America (yeah, I know, but nobody was concerned about the environment in those days), and we did not live in fear, as do many people today.

From a very young age thanks to my Dad, I became comfortable and confident in handling any weapon and did not grow up in fear of guns because of it. I did grow up respecting firearms and always handle a firearm assuming it’s loaded. Years later, my later father-in-law and I went out so he could show me how to handle a gun. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I already knew, since he took great pride in instructing me.

After I put six rounds pretty much in the bullseye, he beamed that he had done such a good job teaching me how to shoot. Years later, we shared great laughs about it when he learned about my background with firearms from my Dad when they had an opportunity to meet.

When I lived in Fairbanks, Alaska during the pipeline project in the 1970’s, when there were an over abundance of men compared to woman, I spent many nights alone. I always felt secure knowing I had a loaded handgun on my nightstand. While I always hoped I’d never have to use it, I was happy to have it when one night someone attempted to break into my home in the middle of the night.

 

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Breaking News: Petitioners file “Motion for Reconsideration” in Belknap County Right-to-Know suit.

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The petitioners in the Right-to-Know lawsuit filed against the Belknap County Convention, despite having "won" their case, today filed a Motion for Reconsideration of the ruling. As noted in this prior post, some of the words contained within Judge Bruce E. Mohl’s decision, if allowed to stand, could make matters worse when it comes to tarnsparency and openness in government. His ruling, while declaring the plaintiffs position to be correct– that the Convention violated the law– unfortunately reaches out and creates a new, smoother path for governemental bodies to conduct business behind closed doors. Additionally, by allowing the result of the law-breaking action to stand, namely for the illegally-appointed Sheriff to assume his duties, the judge has denied the petitioners injunctive relief, effectively rendering their action moot.
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This is the motion as filed today in Belknap Superior Court:
THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
BELKNAP, SS                                                                                  
SUPERIOR COURT
Doug Lambert and Thomas A. Tardif
v.
Belknap County Convention
No. 07-E-0140
PETITIONER’S MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
            NOW COMES the petitioners Doug Lambert, ProSe and Thomas A Tardif, ProSe motion for reconsideration in the above entitled matter, and in support thereof, the Petitioners say as follows:
            “A motion for reconsideration allows a party to present ‘points of law or fact that the court has overlooked or misapprehended.’” Barrows v. Boles, 141 N.H. 382, 397 (1996)

            The parties provided the Court with all relevant dates and documents pertaining to Petitioner’s right-to-know request in its petition and at hearing.  For the following reasons, the motion for reconsideration should be granted;

Fact and Law

1.      The court acknowledged that ‘On 29 May 2007, the Convention met to discuss the vacancy created in the Office of Belknap County Sheriff, occasioned by the resignation of Sheriff Dan Collis. The Convention voted to go into a nonpublic session pursuant to RSA 91-A:2 to discuss the process for filling the vacancy.(Emphasis added)

 

 

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“Kicking the tires.” Checking out candidates, NH style: The Democrats

media passes
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As a New Hampshire resident and an active citizen journalist sharing my observations and opinions here on the ‘Grok, on the radio program "Meet the New Press", and in a weekly newspaper column in the Laconia Daily Sun, media pass in-hand, I have had the opportunity to see a fair number of presidential wannabees live and in person. With the future of the New Hampshire “first in the Nation” primary uncertain, it has been my mission to partake of as much of what could very well be the last of its kind in its present form. Whether Republican or Democrat, I have found it both interesting and enlightening to get up close to listen to what these guys (and “gal”) actually have to say directly to real people, without the benefit of the normal filters in place throughout the old-fashioned mainstream media. As the wags like to say, I have “gone out and kicked the tires.” At the end of it all, one of these people is going to be our next president. Given the dangerous reality of the present times, it’s of paramount importance we choose wisely. In this post, I will focus on the Democrats.
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Barack ObamaHillary Clinton
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So, what have I learned? Well, first of all, as a conservative, ordinary-thinking and involved citizen, fairly well-informed, the prospect of a Democratic-controlled White House scares me above all else. When listening to their (mostly) big- government, socialistic sounding ideas and themes, I wonder how it can possibly be made to work. To hear them speak so freely of using the powers of government to dictate, regulate, and outright take from the private sector in the form of mandates and new taxes ought to frighten anyone that still believes in the right to keep a portion, no matter how small, of the fruits of their labor. Fuel efficient cars? We’ll just mandate them, and they shall be so. Oh- if it’s been that easy, why didn’t we just do so a long time ago? Let’s review…
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VLog: Rudy on the war (not just the Iraqi front)

At a town hall meeting in Concord NH on 7/10/07, Rudy Giuliani discussed the war from a broad view. He emphasised that the war with Islamic terrorists goes far beyond Iraq. He also counsels we wait for the September reports from the military leaders in Iraq before making any conclusions about defeat. I agree. He discusses … Read more

Howie Carr update

  Like many folks throughout New England, I too was stunned by the news that longtime afternoon talk show host Howie Carr- the "franchise" of WRKO radio these days, is jumping ship to another station to do a morning drive time slot. Many believe he’s making a play to replace Imus as the "king" of … Read more

Now, we wait… Will the NH peoples’ right to an open government be upheld… or eroded?

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Today was the hearing for the Right-to-Know suit filed by me and former Laconia Mayor Tom Tardif under NH’s Right-to-Know law (RSA91-A). (Click here to read a prior posting with the details and here for the Citizen newspaper’s reporting on the matter) As expected, our elected representatives vigorously defended their actions instead of simply dropping back and doing the right thing in compliance with the law. You know– default in the direction of openness. Instead, it’s time to circle the wagons…
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One of the things we asked the court for was to deny the assumption of the Sheriff’s position scheduled for Monday, based on our contention that the secret ballot used in an open meeting by the Belknap County Convention was illegal. Unfortunately, the judge decided that no harm would come from this happening, no matter what he ultimately rules on our overall case. While he’s right that the matter is one of process versus whether the person is suited for the job, which nobody questions, it validates the egregious action. Furthermore, I still believe this leaves the county wide open to future messy litigation as defense attorneys seek exoneration of clients using all available means, at undoubtedly great cost to the taxpayers.
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I believe we successfully made our overall point and will be found correct by the judge. What was interesting was that the county’s attorney framed the convention’s action as being an exception to the Right-to-Know law because they held an ELECTION, which is exempted from the statute. The problem for the county is, if that were true, then the election would have to be under the auspices of one of the three types as defined by NH’s election laws. If that’s the case, then the county violated ELECTION law instead of the RIGHT-TO-KNOW law. Either way, a body comprised of those we elect to MAKE the laws has broken some law, thus causing our honorable

lawmakers to become lawbreakers!

Here is the testimony I gave to the Belknap Superior Court today at 9:00AM:

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McCain Press Conference Call regarding fundraising difficulties.

McCain
 
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As noted in this prior post, fundraising numbers for the McCain campaign have dramatically declined. This is the full transcript of a conference call/ press conference held by campaign staff this afternoon to discuss the matter. You’ll note that just as I stated in my previous post, the illegal immigration matter has, as they admit below, harmed the campaign’s ability to raise money. There’s a pretty strong swipe at the "pundit community" within their words as well. Do they mean talk radio and the Blogosphere?
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TRANSCRIPT OF CAMPAIGN PRESS CONFERENCE CALL

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ARLINGTON, VA – U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign released the following transcript of today’s press conference call regarding 2nd quarter fundraising numbers.
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TERRY NELSON: Thanks Brian, and as Brian said, thanks everybody for taking the time to be on the call today. We’re going to make a couple of points about the campaign. I’ll make a couple of points about the campaign, and then turn it over to John Weaver, our senior strategist. As a campaign, we’ve worked through a number of challenges over the course of the last six months, and in some respects, we are encountering the kinds of challenges that other Republicans are facing. We face a difficult fundraising environment right now, and certainly difficult in comparison to what our Democratic counterparts are able to raise, and I think that will go for the entire field of candidates when our numbers are compared to their numbers. In addition, John McCain has offered change throughout his entire career. He has taken principled stands that have made him a courageous leader and a courageous presidential candidate. And these things will make him a remarkably effective president, but it sometimes makes fundraising more challenging. He stood up for the American taxpayer and fought against corruption, the influence of special-interest money, and its corrupting influence. He’s also fought a lonely fight against earmarks and wasteful spending in Washington, D.C., and that doesn’t always make us the favorite candidate of the special interests. The campaign has also witnessed as the American people have his resolve first-hand over the last month-and-a-half as he stuck with his principles, did not pander, and worked to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
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While this decision was the right decision for our country it also affected the campaign’s ability to raise money. Before the campaign began, we also made some incorrect assumptions about how much money we could raise. At one point, we believed that we would raise over $100 million during this calendar year, and we constructed a campaign that was based on that assumption. We believe today that that assumption is not correct. More recently, the campaign has made a number of finance a number of changes to our finance division. Mary Kate Johnson came in as our finance director, and she, working with our volunteer leadership around the country under the direction of Tom Loeffler, our national finance chairman, did a remarkable job. And the result of their efforts was that we raised $11.2 million for this quarter. To date, we’ve raised over $24 million, we have over 72,000 contributors, and currently have $2 mil lion cash on hand. Our donor community worked very hard, and, as I said earlier, we appreciate their efforts.
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A couple of other points to make, and then I’ll turn it over to John. First, I’d like to say that the campaign is seriously considering accepting public-matching funds. John McCain has long been a defender of the public trust, as I noted, because this is not a campaign designed to meet artificial benchmarks or the expectations of Washington, D.C. the Washington, D.C. pundit community. This campaign is about a man who spent his entire life in service to this country, and a man who is ready to lead this country from day one. Second, we’ve made a decision to restructure the campaign to help ensure that we have the resources necessary to win the Republican nomination. The campaign was restructured today, and we did that in order to make sure that we had the necessary resources to get John McCain’s message out through voter contact, television, radio, direct mail. We confronted reality, and we dealt with it in th e best way that we could, so that we can move forward with this campaign, focused on winning our primaries in the early states first Iowa, then New Hampshire, then South Carolina, going on from there. We feel good about the decisions we made today. The decisions we made today were not easy. They were tough decisions. But these decisions will make John McCain the nominee of the Republican Party. I’ll turn it over to John Weaver now.

 

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Carol-Shea Pompous

By Judy

We can only hope that the citizens of NH wake up and realize what’s going on in NH by the next election. Read this article for a bit of background information by clicking here.

I’ve tried to think beyond the immediate crises in our state government, some of which is outlined in the recent article, and contemplate why Ms. Shea-Pompous would take the liberal left-wing stance she has on major, and even minor, issues.

Carol is playing with the big dogs in Washington with virtually no experience. I believe she has been swept up and used by the more-experienced dems probably because she has so little political experience, virtually no common sense and she’s easy to manipulate. Her "power" has likely gone to her head, and she may actually believe she has a future in politics. I think her political career is already over even though she may currently be unaware of that sobering fact. However, her actions still do not dismiss her personal responsibility to the voters of NH no matter how easily she’s been controlled by ill-meaning, self-serving politicians.

No doubt "promises" have been made to her that her fellow dems will stick by her and support her in the next election. Personally, I think she’s been easily used in her ignorance as a puppet and will be abandoned by her party faster than poop slides through a goose, and she’ll be thrown under the bus and sacrificed once the dems realize that, in deed, they have been commiting political suicide faster than a speeding bullet here in NH.

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Like a phoenix rising… Al Gore?

  . As I have noted here, here, and here, there is a very good chance that AlGore could toss his hat into the ’08 presidential ring. He’s a movie star. He’a an author. He’s a credible candidate, with a sizeable number of people believing he won the 2000 election. My guess is that he … Read more

Democrat Priorities Killed School Funding Solution

New Hampshire Republican State Chairman Fergus Cullen explains Gov. John Lynch’s failure to steward a constitutional amendment on education funding through the legislature this way in a press release: “Governor John Lynch’s weakness as a leader has finally caught up with him.  A leader cannot punt on issue after issue and expect people to follow … Read more

Live from Manchester- The GOP Debate!

9:00PM– It’s over. I’m proud to be a Republican, as they stood head and shoulders above their counterparts in the other party. Real issues and real ideas. Hopefully a majority of Americans will feel the same way next November. The contrast between the two parties’ candidates is severe- especially when it comes to the war. … Read more

2 Questions for NH GOP candidates

    . As the NH GOP works to implement party chair Fergus Cullen’s strategy of rebuilding the party structure and activist base from the ground up, which I applaud and support, I will be looking for more. In the wake of what’s happened since the Republicans fumbled power to the Democrats in the last election cycle, I will be … Read more

If only my backyard was bigger…

    . As sure as the sun comes up, each year at the start of the travel season for most Americans, we see rising gas prices blamed on "a refinery fire somewhere", or some other similar sad refrain. You know, it’s like the stories we hear at the beginning of the heating season– "Due … Read more

Some run for President. Others, well, they just bide their time…

Here at the ‘Grok, we have covered the ’08 prez campaign from the viewpoint of the ordinary person living and working in Central NH, giving our thoughts and observations as we see ’em. While a fair amount of time has been spent campaigning here by many of the announced and presumed candidates as they attempt to gain … Read more

Democratic Laundry List

    . Our friend Terry submitted the following in response to a letter from the Chair of our local county Democratic Party that appeared in several area newspapers: Recently the Democrat’s Belknap County Party Chair invited volunteers to help them in their cause. She neglected to mention the qualifying platform required to further their … Read more

Crime Voters: A Surging Swing Group

As stories file in about the murder of Corporal Bruce McKay, I am sad to report that I have become a “crime voter.”  The murder of Corp. McKay began officially to push me in that direction, but then an evening visitor at my front door sent me over the edge.  Seems one of my neighbors … Read more

Seizing the Opportunity

The upside to the GOP getting its brains beat out here in New Hampshire in 2006 is the opportunity it provides new faces with fresh ideas to enter the public debate.  Jim Rubens appears to be seizing that opportunity.  Rubens recently sent out a mass e-mail to an undisclosed list of Republican activists touting his … Read more

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