Steve MacDonald

Steve is a long-time New Hampshire resident, blogger, and a member of the Board of directors of The 603 Alliance. He is the owner of Grok Media LLC and the Managing Editor of GraniteGrok.com, a former board member of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, and a past contributor to the Franklin Center for Public Policy.

Giuliani wins the straw poll. No, not THAT one…

by Steve MacDonald

Ron Paul’s supporters caravanning to the straw  poll? * . In the Nashua Telegraph’s blog page, "NH Prime Cuts", Kevin Landrigan reports on another, lesser-known straw poll that took place this past weekend. Given that it took place in NH, probably a more important state than Iowa in the requisite steps a candidate must take on the path to … Read more

Welfare Poem

by Steve MacDonald
welfare sticker
.
Well, I have no idea if the figures in the poem below are correct, etc., but you get the drift, huh? Read the poem (after my discourse)  and let me know if it makes you angry, okay?
.

Somewhat related to this, I’ve been following some of the coverage on the Pelosi/Shea-Pompous upcoming trip to New Orleans along with the other 13-14 democratic party animals. The story is interesting. Why, you ask? The comments are overwhelmingly against them going to New Orleans for what most people believe is merely another photo op and Bush bashing expedition at taxpayers’ expense.
.

What does Congress do about approval ratings in the single digits? Go on a trip, of course. They are all on vacation anyway. Many people are mad at Pompous and wondering why she doesn’t work here in NH to solve fixing the many roads and bridges that are red-lined, help those who have suffered flooding problems here, feed the one in ten children who go to bed hungry…you know work on NH’s many unsolved problems. We’re 6th in income but 49th in services to citizens right here in NH. Where’s the NH way?
.

Not a big photo op here, I guess, as it probably wouldn’t get national exposure. Playing on people’s sympathies works very well many times. What some people don’t seem to understand is that you can fell sorry for somebody, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to "do" something for them, especially if they’re not willing to do something for themselves.
.

We all like to give, partly because it makes us feel good about ourselves. Obviously, when there’s a real crisis as there was with Katrina, we should all try to do our part to help. But, sometimes people don’t appreciate what they get for nothing so it can be more harmful to them and what they may need is to become responsible and accountable and held to a higher standard sometimes too. I’m not saying we still shouldn’t be trying to help people in New Orleans, but sometimes "help" can actually hurt.
.

I was in Vail about a year ago. I rode the shuttle van from Denver and met a New Orleans’ football player who was going to see an ortopaedist in Vail. We started talking about Hurricane Katrina.
.

Read more

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

by Steve MacDonald
Sen Barack Obama in Laconia recently (GG file photo)
.
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…
.
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.”
.
Rudy’s coinage is “the terrorists’ war on us.”
.
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.

Read more

Howie Carr update

by Steve MacDonald

  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

Democrat Priorities Killed School Funding Solution

by Steve MacDonald

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

2 Questions for NH GOP candidates

by Steve MacDonald

    . 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…

by Steve MacDonald

    . 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

Crime Voters: A Surging Swing Group

by Steve MacDonald

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

200 NH Guardsmen Activated for Statewide Flooding

by Steve MacDonald

Soldiers from the NHNG survey flood damage in Alstead NH on Oct. 13, 2005. . CONCORD – Gov. John Lynch today activated 200 N.H. National Guardsmen in response to statewide flooding and road closures across New Hampshire. . As of noon, 125 soldiers and 75 airmen were deploying to at least seven communities including  Greenville, … Read more

President Bush slams the Dems

by Steve MacDonald
In this week’s radio address, President Bush discusses the passage of the outragous suplemental appropriations bill passed by Democrats over the objections of many people who believe we can win the war. He also talks about Democrat spending and looming tax increases that will result. He really slams the Dems hard in thiis one. If only he had been doing this for the last 6 years, he might be working with a Republican Congress instead of what we have now…
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. In recent days, the House and Senate each passed emergency war spending bills that undercut our troops in the field. Each of the Democrats’ bills would substitute the judgment of politicians in Washington for that of our generals on the ground. Each bill would impose restrictive conditions on our military commanders. Each bill would also set an arbitrary deadline for surrender and withdrawal in Iraq, and I believe that would have disastrous consequences for our safety here at home.
.
The Democrats loaded up their bills with billions of dollars in domestic spending completely unrelated to the war, including $3.5 million for visitors to tour the Capitol, $6.4 million for the House of Representatives’ Salaries and Expenses Account, and $74 million for secure peanut storage. I like peanuts as much as the next guy, but I believe the security of our troops should come before the security of our peanut crop. For all these reasons, that is why I made it clear to the Democrats in Congress, I will veto the bill.
Hear hear! I must admit that the President, along with other Republicans like McCain et al, have done a pretty good job at pasting the Democrats on the so-called "pork" loaded in the bill. He continues:

Read more

Does he wear a tinfoil hat to prevent “them” from reading his brain waves?

by Steve MacDonald

Is it any wonder that the devastated city of New Orleans is still a mess? Is it really George Bush’s fault, or might it be possible that the hapless city’s Mayor Ray Nagin is the cause? And when you consider that the city’s voters reelected him, should we have a whole lot of sympathy? Consider … Read more

Romney wows ’em at CPAC

by Steve MacDonald
With the ’08 presidential nominating season seemingly in full swing, the wannabees from both parties are deep in the hunt. As I’ve noted several times in prior postings, Mitt Romney is not really my cup of tea. This is mostly based on my review of his past actions, statements, and his governorship of that infamous liberal state south of NH’s border. I have a real hard time with his denial of Ronald Reagan during his now famous 1994 debate with Ted Kennedy.
.
Despite all of this, Mitt continues to charge forward, unabashedly claiming to be THE conservative that can win the race. As I noted in this prior posting, he certainly talks the talk. The question is whether the talk is real or just politically expedient. I will give Mitt credit– unlike George W. Bush, who spoke in couched codes and hints about being conservative ("compassionate conservatism"), and then revealed himself as not very conservative at all in many areas– Romney speaks very plainly and openly about his chosen positions.
.
This past week at the CPAC event in DC, Mitt gave a speech that played well with conservatives. It contained many points that certainly got my attention. He talked about presidential actions and positions that I have long waited for in a Republican President. Friend Rich Killion, who works for Romney, was kind enough to forward the full text of the CPAC speech to share with GraniteGrok readers. I have highlighted my favoriite points…

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY’S REMARKS AT CPAC

March 2, 2007
As Prepared For Delivery
.
It’s good to be with so many conservatives. In fact, I invited all the conservatives in Massachusetts to come hear me today and I’m glad to report that they are both here.
.
I’m happy to learn that after I speak you’re going to hear from Ann Coulter. That’s a good thing. I think it’s important to get the views of moderates.
.
The mainstream media is surprised that we’re here. They wrote our obituary last fall. Course, they’ve written our obituary before: after Watergate, after the 82 midterm elections, after Iran-contra, and after Bill Clinton’s election. The truth is that their wishful thinking reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, I predict that we’ll be around a lot longer than . . . say, newspapers.
.
No conservatism is alive and well. And it is needed more than ever. America faces a new generation of challenges, critical challenges. Today is similar in many respects to what we faced as a nation 30 years ago, looking at the menacing face of communism. 

Read more

More inconvenient truths for the global-warming crowd

by Steve MacDonald

I don’t know if it’s just me, but it sure seems like more and more scientists and weather & climate types are taking a more vocal, prolific stand against the notion that man’s activities are the primary cause of global warming. In this recent post, I noted a hurricane specialist that attributed the current more active … Read more

Didn’t he get the memo?

by Steve MacDonald

I’m sure this guy will be out of a job before too long… Expert disputes storms’ link to global warming By Zane WilsonThe Sun News COLUMBIA – As population continues to grow on the coast and people build more structures, losses from hurricanes will go up drastically but it isn’t because of global warming, one … Read more

Can Sununu cut it in the new New Hampshire?

by Steve MacDonald

So I’m reading my NH Sunday News, (as I’ve done since 1985) pondering how much the Granite State has changed since then. When I moved here, it was the most Republican of states, and I was the envy of all the conservative friends I left behind in RI (well, I say "conservative", but heck, we … Read more

Education funding problem? No. Dysfunctional governement? Yes.

by Steve MacDonald
Attorney Ed Mosca submits the following commentary about the latest nonsense being bandied about as a "solution" to the ongoing education funding mess here in NH:

NO SHAME AND NO SENSE 

In an Op-Ed in the February 2nd Union Leader, ersatz Republican Mark Carter called for a grand compromise on education funding:  a constitutional amendment that allows “targeted aid,” but that also “allows for legal action should the state ever abuse its obligation to our communities.”  Now I’m just as opposed to obligation abuse as the next person, but think for a minute about what this lovely euphemism means.  It means that whenever anyone doesn’t like the result produced by democracy, he can run into court and sue to get his way. 
.
Ersatz Republican Carter claims that this “preserves the checks and balances power of the judicial branch.”  What poppycock.  The way that our system of government is supposed to work is that in matters of policy, and that includes education funding, we are supposed to attempt to persuade each other, and then decide the issue by voting.  We are not supposed to sue each other.   
.
Carter’s amendment would also write into the State Constitution the canard that the quality of public education is determined by the amount we spend on public education as it requires the State to provide financial assistance whenever a school district lacks the “fiscal capacity” to provide the “opportunity for an adequate education.”  This myopic approach ignores that a variety of factors affect education performance besides spending.  These include the competence of administrators, the quality of teachers, the talent and motivation of students and the involvement of parents.  Because of these variables, the cost of an “adequate education” varies not just by school district, but by student.  This means that in order to reliably calculate the cost of an “adequate education” the calculation must be done on a student-by-student basis and the calculation must account for the particular effect of non-financial variables on each student’s performance. 
.
For this and other reasons, defining an “adequate education” and determining its cost is the proverbial fool’s errand.  Yet Carter would make this fool’s errand a permanent part of the State Constitution.  What Carter and his ilk apparently don’t understand is that the State does not have an education funding problem it has dysfunctional government. 
.

Read more

Campaign ’08– GraniteGrok Analysis- A View from Central NH. Part 1: Republicans

by Steve MacDonald
Given the crop of presidential wannabees all jumping into the fray in the past two weeks, I’m beginning to think that perhaps it’s time for me to throw my hat in the ring as well. The way things are going, if I don’t hurry, I may be the last guy in America that ISN’T running for President in ’08. (Vote for Doug– he’ll cut taxes and kick some butt over in Iraq and Iran, solving the problem once and for all. Doug’s plan calls for winning the hearts and minds of any survivors. Oh, and he’ll build a wall as high and deep as necessary along the entire length of the southern border.) Unfortunately, I am otherwise occupied and hereby announce that I will NOT run for the Presidency in ’08. Because of this, I am desperately seeking a candidate I can support to do the job in my stead. Let’s review…
.
I’ll consider the Republicans first. Being a conservative, I’m fairly certain that whoever I end up supporting, he or she will most likely be of the GOP. I will review the Dems in a second posting to follow from the viewpoint of which one scares me the least. Partisan? Definitely– Not in a Repub/Dem way but in a conservative/liberal vein. The list is in alphabetical order, NOT in some kind of preference order. It includes declared and speculative candidates. I am using the list as presented on Ron Gunzburger’s Politics1.com site, which is an excellent starting point for candidate investigations for anyone who is so inclined.
  • Senator Sam Brownback:– He’s very conservative on the issues– he and I are in agreement on many. His name recognition at this point is mostly derived from recent Sunday morning appearances on the talking-heads shows– where he generally seems articulate and knowledgable– until this past Sunday. When pressed by Chris Wallace to substantiate his claim of being different than the other conservatives in the race, his inabilty to answer made him sound like he "shoulda stayed in a Holiday Inn last night." Certainly he’s a longshot, at best. Oh, and he’s pro-amnesty.
  • Jim  Gilmore: Former Virginia Gov. who’s great on the borders, the tax issue, and small government beliefs. He announced an exploratory committee on January 9th and has no web presence, other than a draft Gilmore site run by others. A grasp of the new media is an important criteria for me as I assess candidates. He looks particularly strong, however, in homeland security issues. After all, his state was one of the ones attacked on 9/11 (Pentagon is in VA) This previous post features a report from Ed Naile of the CNHT who had a chance to meet in a small group with Gilmore. Perhaps Jim will take off? He’s got a long ways to go, for sure.
  • Newt Gingrich: 5 main issues: 1. Securing America and her Allies By Defeating our Enemies; 2. Defending God in the Public Square; 3. Protecting American Civilization; 4. Competing and Winning in a Global Economy; 5. Promoting Active, Healthy Aging. Almost sounds like some sort of "contract," doesn’t it? Newt is this campaign’s wildcard. He is the one guy that, whenever he appears on TV, I tend to bump into people the next day who ask me if I saw Newt. He is extremely active in all media, has multiple websites, and needs neither spokesmen or cue cards to articulate a coherent, plain argument that is easily understood by ordinary folks. He is one of but a handful of people in the world that is recognized by first name (i.e. Hillary, Diana, Condi, Rush) alone. While he’s not yet declared his intentions, he still has a leg up on all but a couple of the wannabees in many aspects of a run. He’s my kind of politician who leads by actions on the issues. DO SOMETHING and, if it’s good, people will follow. For what it’s worth (hopefully  a lot), Newt came in first in RWN’s right of center bloggers’ poll. And then there’s his recent joint editorial effort with the next guy on the list…

Read more

The DNC unloads on Mitt

by Steve MacDonald
This is exactly what I fear about the future if Mitt Romney gets the GOP nomination. Remember how John Kerry never shook the "flip-flop" label? From the DNC:

Under Fire for Gun Flips, Fined for Campaign Violations, and Accused of ‘Abandoning’ Massachusetts – All in One Weekend!

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following is a statement by the Democratic National Committee: By any measure, Smooth Talking Mitt Romney had a rough weekend. An Alaska newspaper revealed that the Republican Governors Association was fined for breaking state elections laws under Romney’s leadership, the Boston Herald accused him of abandoning Massachusetts voters, and the Boston Globe highlighted his recent flip-flopping on gun control issues.
.
"Smooth talking Mitt Romney’s effort to run from his record has hit a  rough patch," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. "From his dismal tax raising record, to his newfound support of President Bush’s failed Iraq strategy and his waffling on gun rights, Mitt Romney seems to think that he can talk his way out of his problems with primary voters and into the Republican nomination. What Romney doesn’t understand is that voters want real leaders with strong principles, not blatant panderers who will shift in whichever way the political winds take him."
Ouch! Keep in mind– the ones writing this are the opponents the GOP nominee will face in the general election. Keep reading…

Read more

Bush details four main goals of the so-called “surge”

by Steve MacDonald
In his radio address this week, President Bush provided more detail on the plans for Iraq he discussed in his prime-time speech this week.
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. On Wednesday night, I addressed the Nation from the White House to lay out a new strategy that will help Iraq’s democratic government succeed.
.
America’s new strategy comes after a difficult year in Iraq. In 2006, the terrorists and insurgents fought to reverse the extraordinary democratic gains the Iraqis have made. In February, the extremists bombed a holy Shia mosque in a deliberate effort to provoke reprisals that would set off a sectarian conflict. They succeeded, and the ongoing sectarian violence, especially in Baghdad, is making all other progress difficult.
Not to mention the ongoing badmouthing of the President, the war, and the new plans for success in Iraq by the Democrats, antiwar moonbats, assorted Bush-haters, and moderate squishes. This makes progress difficult too.
.
The President continued, defining four main points in the strategy:
Only the Iraqis can end the sectarian violence and secure their people. Their leaders understand this, and they are stepping forward to do it. But they need our help, and it is in our interests to provide that help. The changes in our strategy will help the Iraqis in four main areas:
.
First, we will help the Iraqis execute their aggressive plan to secure their capital. Eighty percent of Iraq’s sectarian violence occurs within 30 miles of Baghdad. The new plan to secure Baghdad fixes the problems that prevented previous operations from succeeding. This time, there will be adequate Iraqi and U.S. forces to hold the areas that have been cleared, including more Iraqi forces and five additional brigades of American troops committed to Baghdad. This time, Iraqi and American forces will have a green light to enter neighborhoods that are home to those fueling sectarian violence. Prime Minister Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference with security operations will not be tolerated.
There can’t be any real peace with the Iraqi people unable to safely exist in their homes and neighborhoods. Michelle Malkin has an excellent photo series here, showing the current plight of some of the poorest of the poor in a Baghdad slum.
.
Bush went on to number two:

Read more

George Bush looks forward to working with Dems. Likewise, I’m sure.

by Steve MacDonald
In this week’s radio address, the President welcomed the new Congress with its new majority led by Democrats. He laid out certain areas of agreement that he thinks he shares with many within the Congress that they can and should work together to achieve.
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Earlier this week, the newly elected members of the House and the Senate took their oaths of office and became part of the 110th Congress. I congratulate them all, and I look forward to working with them over the next two years.
.
Since the November elections, I’ve had a number of productive meetings with the new leaders in Congress, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. I was encouraged by our discussions, and I’m confident that we can find common ground in our efforts to serve our fellow citizens and to move our country forward.
.
One area where we are already finding agreement is in our effort to spend the people’s money wisely. This week, I announced that I will submit a five-year budget proposal that will balance the federal budget by 2012, while making the tax relief we passed permanent. Some Democrats have indicated that balancing the budget is a top priority for them as well. By holding the line on spending and continuing our pro-growth policies, we can balance the budget and address the most urgent needs of our Nation, which are winning the war on terror and maintaining a strong national defense, keeping our economy growing, and creating jobs.
It’s too bad President Bush wasn’t this focused on spending restraint when the GOP was in charge. I believe the lack of fiscal discipline was one of the contributing factors to Republican losses. Bush continued…
 We also see bipartisan agreement emerging on reforming the earmark process in Congress. Earmarks are spending provisions that are often slipped into bills at the last minute — so they rarely get debated or discussed. Many earmarks divert precious funds away from vital priorities like national defense and education to wasteful pork-barrel projects. I appreciate Democratic leaders who have pledged to maintain our current levels of spending without additional earmarks this year. And I support the temporary moratorium on all new earmarks announced by the Democrats.
Ah yes, earmarks. This is another area the GOP took a beating for. The Dems are very smart to take this up as an issue. Whether their reforms last, or are even real remains to be seen. At the end of the day, earmarks are the "crack cocaine" of the so-called bacon brought back to congressional districts, and those in Congress, on both sides of the aisle, are hopelessly addicted. Bush adds his own idea to this problem, but as with many other new initiatives, seems a day late…

Read more

Share to...
BufferCopyFlipboardHacker NewsLineLinkedInMastodonMessengerMixPinterestPocketPrintRedditSMSTelegramTumblrVKWhatsAppXingYummly