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.

How To Keep An Economy Down..

September 26, 2018August 15, 2012 Steve MacDonald

It is hard to beat the annual burden of government regulation for keeping the economy down. It’s also a great way to keep unemployment up. If Businesses have to spend more money to comply with regulations there is less to invest in the business or more employees. And what’s even better is that this…(see chart on the jump)…is something the government did create. Forty-six billion dollars ($46,000,000,000.00) in new additional regulatory costs per year!, heaped on business owners–during a recession– thanks to Barry “Big Bureaucracy” Obama…in just three years.

(I wonder if the idea came out of one of those job summit break-out session?)

Another NH Democrat Violates DoD Rules

September 26, 2018August 14, 2012 Steve MacDonald

NH Democrat candidate Bill Kennedy violated DoD rules — Thanks for the Service, but you are violating DoD rules

Another New Hampshire Democrat running for public office, this time for Governor, has violated Department of Defense Rules. Bill Kennedy, one of three Democrats running in the party primary for New Hampshire Governor, is in clear violation of DoD directive NUMBER 1344.10

An entire page of his campaign web site includes details of his military service (for which we thank him), with pictures, in uniform. There is no required disclaimer.

This put’s Mr. Kennedy in the company of Democrat William Connery, who was also in violation of the same rule. Connery eventually removed the image from his Facebook Campaign page.

It’s A NH Democrat Bill Kennedy Kind Of Morning…This Time It’s About Tax Burden

September 26, 2018August 14, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Bill is probably a great guy, and I’m sure he never meant to violate Department of Defense regulations by posting images of himself in uniform on a campaign web site. But that’s not the only thing that caught my eye while I was there. Bill is also guilty of lying by omission.

You see, while claiming to be something of a centrist, he still suffers from the same illness as the majority of Democrats in New Hampshire when it comes to talking about taxes and tax burden. On the same page in which he violated DoD regulation 1344.10, he also engaged in partisan hackery when he says…

“NH is ranked 2nd or 4th worst (depending on whose statistics you use) for property tax burden.”

By using the word tax BURDEN, we are meant to presume a horrible thing but every tax is part of that burden. If we are going to have an honest discussion about tax burden, shouldn’t we talk about total tax burden? And why, despite Bill’s sound bite-which is accurate by the way– New Hampshire still has one of the lowest overall tax burdens in the nation?

Obama Cut 700 Billion From Medicare…

September 26, 2018August 14, 2012 Steve MacDonald

…yes he did. And he owned that 700 Billion Dollar cut. Watch him.

74% of Americans Support Voter ID – NH Democrats on the Wrong Side Again!

September 26, 2018August 14, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Why anyone believes that Democrats are the party of the people is beyond me. More aggressive PR perhaps. Well here is yet another example of where Democrats, and New Hampshire Democrats in particular, are in the super minority on what matters to most Americans. From a Washington Post Poll…74% of adult think requiring some form of ID to vote is a good idea.

(back up link if above has not been repaired)

But how about minorities?

Bipolar Domicile Syndrome…For Voting Purposes…

September 26, 2018August 14, 2012 Steve MacDonald

The New Hampshire TEA Party Republican Legislature did a lot more than just eliminate the 800 Million dollar deficit Democrats willingly left behind, while writing a balanced budget, and estimating revenues that came in on target. They also managed to repair some damage to election law in regard to domicile.

SB318, vetoed by Governor Lynch, was overridden by both the House and Senate (House Roll Call)(Senate Roll Call) and become law. And while there are several important corrections to the forms and language that were made the one that strikes me as the most important is this.

The Promise of The Democrat Police State

September 26, 2018August 13, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Inconvenient Speech Equals handcuffs in the Democrat Police State

Democrats obstructing speech they object to continued… after yesterdays post, which produced some necessary followup. Obama campaign officials obstructed a Pennsylvania reporter from speaking to Obama supporters waiting outside, in line for an Obama rally. A Commenter, C. dog, responded with a link to this story from 2008, at the Democrat National Convention, in Denver.

ABC reporter Asa Eslocker was filming for a story about the financial influence of lobbyists and wealthy donors. While taking pictures of Democrat Senators and others on a public sidewalk he was arrested and detained by the police.

Maggie’s World -or- It’s Good to be the Duchess

September 26, 2018August 13, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Sustainability Ferris Wheel

Democratic candidate for governor, Maggie Hassan, was recently endorsed by New Hampshire’s largest union*, the National Education Association (NEA-NH).

In their press release, the union stated that “Maggie shares our belief that good public schools are the foundation for strong communities and a vibrant economy and that for our students and schools to thrive, we all need to be held accountable — teachers, parents, students and elected officials. She knows that continuing to slash school funding risks losing an entire generation of students who won’t get a second chance…”

Union President, Scott McGilvary, also stated that “it became very apparent that there was one candidate that can stand up for public education and bring us forward and that Maggie Hassan is our candidate.”

Medicare Fraud – [Updated and Bumped – Again…]

September 26, 2018August 13, 2012 Steve MacDonald

When I say “Medicare Fraud,” I’m not referring to the corrupt practices of people and professionals who are milking taxpayers by running fast circles around the bureaucratic behemoth that is Medicare. I am referring to the left-wing Democrat lie-factory that has nothing in its barren campaign quiver but fear tactics. That is the fraud I am referring to. That and the fraud they will perpetrate on every aspect of the Ryan Budget.

I just hope Harry Reid has nothing to say about the Ryan budget…you know…that might get awkward.

Here’s a short clip from CBS news c/o Hot Air on Romney/Ryan and Medicare…

[Update(s) on the jump]

Mysterious Folder Conundrum

September 26, 2018August 13, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Love Birds

Suppose you fall in love with someone who is good looking, well groomed, and has lots of potential. Let’s say you two lovebirds decide to get married. Giddiness and joy all around…congratulations.

One day, you are at the supermarket, casually buying grapes (so you can feed them to your love, like they do in the old-timey movies), when a shadowy person comes up behind you and hands you a sealed folder. The mystery person whispers in your ear and says…

Democrat Contradictions – Out Of State Influence in Local Elections

September 26, 2018August 13, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Democrats in New Hampshire take a lot of money from outside the state. Don’t take my word for it, just go look it up. Millions and Millions. They use candidates, campaign committees, so-called non-profits, and even have super wealthy out of state special interest donors making personal donations here and there to move money around the campaign finance camp fire, often right into the state Democrat party coffer, then back out to your local races.

No one should be surprised or even taken aback at this because it is all part of the business of politics, every party does some of this, it is all perfectly legal, and everything was fine up until the point when the New Hampshire Democrat party decided to make it a recurring campaign issue against Republicans. It wasn’t Democrats who were affected by objects of out of state money and influence, just the Republicans.

Democrats are clearly guilty of hypocrisy on the issue (no surprise there), but whenever they start a narrative like this it is usually because they are doing something else that might be worse, that they need you to be distracted from. And guess what? They were.

Following the Trail from Sustainability…to Tyranny (Part 2)

September 26, 2018August 13, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Sustainability Ferris Wheel

This is part-2 of a series that breaks down the “sustainability” movement, and explains how some in NH are working to constrain individual liberties with it. Read part-1 here.

The consummate community organizer, President Obama, knows the value of urban voters. He knows that urban living, with its clustered, infrastructure-heavy, and herd-like nature, depends on government more than suburban life, and far more than self-sufficient, independent rural living. He knows that more urban (or urban-like) voters mean utter dominance of the Progressive political class, at all levels.

He also knows that people have flocked away from cities, especially since the 1970’s, forming concentric suburban rings, referred to as “sprawl” (a word you will hear used quite a bit), which provide resistance to his urban, democratic-socialist ideals.

“The suburbs will define the outcome of the 2012 Presidential election”

Continuing to use the environmental movement as cover, and using the Presidency for credibility and funding, Barack Obama and his fellow community organizers are advancing the simmering ideology of “sustainability” by attacking the suburbs.

Ask A New Hampshire Democrat … About Silencing The Press

May 18, 2023August 12, 2012 Steve MacDonald

New Hampshire Democrats have no problem silencing speech they object to, or that contradicts their agenda, so it will be interesting to get their take on this.

Palate Cleanser- Snow Dogs

September 26, 2018August 12, 2012 Steve MacDonald

I shot this last winter, then proceeded to play with the transitions in my video editing software of choice, then left it in a folder for a warm summer day. I’ve had a few opportunities for ‘warm summer day’ and not posted it, but better late than never. … so here are some cool dogs … Read more

Romney Picks Ryan for VP (Updated)

September 26, 2018August 11, 2012 Steve MacDonald

This morning Mitt Romney announced that Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan is his pick for VP.

I’d call this a great choice. Given that we very likley have over 200 Trillion in unfunded entitlements to deal with, and Ryan being the only guy with a well developed plan–not for cutting or gutting but for dealing with the promises we’ve made and working toward a long term resolution–choosing Ryan says that Romney is serious about dealing with entitlement spending.

And while no plan is perfect, at least there is a Ryan Plan.

Challenge Time

September 26, 2018August 11, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Challenge Accepted - Will NH Democrats show us their civility — Will NH Democrats Accept the Challenge?

I’ve been railing on the hypocrisy of New Hampshire Democrats and they don’t like it. But you see, it’s all their own fault. You can’t cry wolf at every remark your opponents make, demand everyone in the opposing party denounce them anytime you think it is politically convenient for you, and then ignore everything anyone in your own party says or does as if it is not equally or even more uncivil.

So it’s challenge time.

Because Democrat Timothy Horrigan Asked…

June 20, 2019August 11, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Calling out Left wing hypocrisy is my meat and potatoes. So, the other day, while asking (yet again) why anyone would trust Democrats given their party culture, I mentioned that one of their current NH House candidates had previously voted here while claiming to live in another State.

New Hampshire Democrat Timothy Horrigan asked when the candidate, William ‘Hud’ Connery, admitted to living in Tennessee? Another ‘anonymous commenter’ said the post was bogus and we had no proof.

I accept your challenge. You want proof, here it is.

Tolerance

September 26, 2018August 10, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Two Massachusetts Gay Groups will not be participating in the Nashua Pride Fest this Saturday because the Nashua Chick-fil-A is providing 200 chicken sandwiches to the event.

The groups claim that by accepting the donated food event organizers are promoting the Chik-fil-A brand, even though the owner of the local restaurant supports Gay Pride events and homosexual causes.

Question: Isn’t that judging the guy by the wrapper and not based on who he really is as a person and what he can contribute?

whisper/ “hypocrisy.”

NH Foreclosures Trending Downward

September 26, 2018August 10, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Foreclosures in New Hampshire are steadily trending downward — Steadily Trending Downward In New Hampshire

Fosters Daily Democrat (Fosters.com) is reporting some encouraging news on New Hampshire home foreclosures…

The cumulative total through the first half of the year — 2,029 foreclosure deeds — is about 3 percent below the same period in 2011, when there were 2,100, and 7 percent below the same period in 2010, when there were 2,188.

…”Barring disruptions in the economic recovery, there is reason to believe the number of new foreclosures in New Hampshire will continue to decline,” said the authority.

Notable Quotes: Henry C. Alford (President & CEO -National Black Chamber of Commerce)

September 26, 2018August 10, 2012 Steve MacDonald

Harry C Alford - National Black Chamber of Commerce

“When Obama became president, we were all happy about the symbolism–America’s first black president. We didn’t really care about his position or views on anything. We just wanted a black president no matter what. We should have been more careful, as his views on small business, especially black business, are counter to ours.

“His view of business is that it should be a few major corporations which are totally unionized and working with the government, which should also be massive and reaching every level of American Society. Thus, his first Executive Order was the reinstatement of Project Labor Agreements in government contracting.