Op-Ed, Author at Granite Grok

Ideologies in our Schools (Part 3)

September 26, 2018May 13, 2018 Op-Ed

By Ken Eyring

This is the third part in a series that discusses indoctrination of our children through the introduction of ideologies in our schools. The focus below is in response to a Windham student, who took offense with my previous postings and mischaracterized my positions. You can find Skylar Hebert’s April 12^thletter to the editor in the Windham Independent here.

Dear Skylar,

In your letter to me in the April 12 Windham Independent, you made comments that indicate you misunderstood the messages of my previous letters and therefore mischaracterized my positions. My letters are against our school district bringing ideologies into our schools and classrooms.

My letter was not against your right to protest – which I support, but not during school hours.

Lack of Character in the Corner Office

September 26, 2018May 13, 2018 Op-Ed

By Ken Eyring

George Washington was a reluctant, selfless first President. He put his personal life on hold to serve as our nation’s first leader. He could have served as America’s President for life but didn’t. Having fought for the Rights and virtues that were written in the Declaration of Independence, and subsequently, in our Constitution, George Washington genuinely understood their meaning and their values. When his service as President of our country was over, he returned home to resume his civilian life. He was a true public servant – and not a career politician. George Washington put what was best for our country ahead of his personal interests.

Our founding fathers were acutely aware that this selfless form of service to our Government would be the greatest means to serve the American people.

Regrettably, George Washington’s virtues (and those of our Founding Fathers) are now only found in a few elected representatives… and NH’s Governor Chris Sununu is not one of them. Instead, Mr. Sununu is more interested in being re-elected to the Governor’s office for life, rather than respecting the GOP Platform and the promises he made during his campaign (view 29:13 of this debate).

Marriage and the NHGOP

September 26, 2018May 12, 2018 Op-Ed

By Carolyn McKinney – (Reposted)

To advocates for removing “traditional” from marriage in the NHGOP platform.

First, you are guilty of using the most frustrating and pernicious leftist debate tactic.

To try to make your case, you use examples outside the norm – such as families who adopt, grandparents raising their grandchildren, single parents due to the death of a spouse – in an attempt to undermine the norm. It’s no different than those who are pro-abortion trying to undermine opposition to abortion by raising rare cases of rape and incest, or more recently, using the existence of intersex persons to try to undermine natural sex/gender.

Many of us have friends or family whose situation is exactly one of those examples, but their efforts are a compassionate response to a crisis, not something that we should set as a legal standard.

Second, articulating an ideal is not exclusionary.

“a bridge too far”

September 26, 2018May 11, 2018 Op-Ed

By Jeff Chidester

“Republican Gov. Chris Sununu said he will sign the recently passed bill” – The public accommodation provision (of HB1319) was a bridge too far for me and many others. Shame on those that could not support a commonsense measure that would have respected the right of privacy. This is not about equality, but a capitulation to stupidity.

I won’t bother reexplaining my position, should it matter you can refer to an article I wrote. If you are a running for office, please do not bother asking for my support, vote, or endorsement, unless you have made a public statement against this idiocy. If you are a candidate running for office who has already received my endorsement, please make a public statement condemning this folly, or consider my endorsement withdrawn.

Why the obsession with spending money to attract people to move into New Hampshire

September 26, 2018May 9, 2018 Op-Ed

(or to keep them from leaving?)

By Dan Moriarty

Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon? If you were there would you ask yourself how you can spend people’s taxes to attract more visitors? While waiting in line to enter the sold-out Zion National Park would you think of ways to get more millennials to visit?

New Hampshire has many fine qualities. Near the top of my list is its low population which results in rare traffic problems and short lines virtually everywhere. Even in the heat of summer, it’s not too hard to find a place to spread out on the beach at Wallis Sands State Park. In the fall rush, a person can hike the trails of Pack Monadnock and still enjoy seclusion in the woods. In the summer, a family can get a ticket to the minor league ball game for cheap and not get turned away due to a sell-out.

At no point do I ever say to myself “I wish there were more people here.”

Healthcare In New Hampshire: A Brief History

September 26, 2018May 4, 2018 Op-Ed

By Aaron Day

Today the Republicans lead the charge to re-authorize Obamacare Medicaid expansion. The budget for New Hampshire for the past 27 years is built on a funding mechanism that borrows billions from children and ignores making real structural changes. Our healthcare system would be better and less expensive if we didn’t rely on the Federal Government and opened up the state to free markets in healthcare.

Here is a brief history of how New Hampshire got here. We will have to deal with this eventually. It is up to us to decide if we will address proactively or from a position of absolute crisis.

Sen. Avard Commends Senate Passage of Constitutional Amendment Restoring Taxpayer Standing

September 26, 2018May 3, 2018 Op-Ed

Press Release

For Immediate Release:
May 3, 2018
Media Contact:
Kate Spiner
(603) 271-3043
Kate.Spiner@leg.state.nh.us<mailto:Kate.Spiner@leg.state.nh.us>

Avard commends Senate passage of constitutional amendment restoring taxpayer standing

Concord- NH — Senator Kevin Avard (R-Nashua) issued a statement following passage of CACR 15 Wednesday which would give taxpayers standing to bring actions against the government.

The NFL “Invests” 90 Million to Turn Players Into Social Justice Warriors

September 26, 2018April 27, 2018 Op-Ed

By Jim Johnson

The National Football League and a handful of player advocates have compromised to reach what they believe is workable consensus 90 million dollars over seven years. A mere pittance when compared to league Commissioner Roger Goodell’s salary. (Between 2008 and 2015 Goodell was paid more than $205 million).

“Our partnership is designed to equip athletes as influencers and community leaders with the mechanics to develop their advocacy platform.”

Collusion with Democrats and Now The NFL

September 26, 2018April 26, 2018 Op-Ed

By Jim Johnson

A special secret meeting was held by NFL owners and players in October 2017. “This was not a “league meeting,” per se, but rather a scramble by both players and owners to try and grab ahold of the kneeling situation that was unfolding, amid President Trump blasting the NFL repeatedly for allowing players to kneel.”

So, it’s President Trump’s fault???

The constitutionality of education savings accounts

September 26, 2018April 16, 2018 Op-Ed

By NH State Rep Glenn Cordelli

Recently two of my colleagues in the New Hampshire House wrote that Senate Bill 193, the “school voucher” bill, is unconstitutional (Monitor Forum, March 24). I believe that my friends are incorrect, and the U.S. Supreme Court agrees with me.

Let me start out by correcting the repeated line about a voucher bill. SB 193 has nothing to do with vouchers. SB 193 established education savings accounts, which are similar to health savings accounts. The state money that would have gone to the school district to educate the child would instead go to parents so they could find the best education opportunity for their child. That is what this bill is all about – the best education for every New Hampshire child.

The repeating of ACLU talking points on constitutionality does not stand up to the facts.

Senate Hearing for Gender Identity Bill, HB 1319: Monday, April 16, 1:30 p.m.

September 26, 2018April 16, 2018 Op-Ed

By Cornerstone via Email Update

Important Reminders!
Gender Identity Bill Hearing Tomorrow, Monday, April 16

Tell Your Senator to Vote No on Therapy Ban Bill
Senate Hearing for Gender Identity Bill, HB 1319: Monday, April 16, 1:30 p.m.

Supporters of “gender identity” policy are deeply committed to passing HB 1319, a flawed and dangerous bill. Your presence at Monday’s hearing in opposition to the bill will be important, even if you do not testify aloud. The hearing is scheduled to be in room 100 of the State House.

Jane Cormier Announces Run for Executive Council District 4

September 26, 2018April 6, 2018 Op-Ed

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jane Cormier
Ph: 603-781-5695
Email: jane4ec@gmail.com

Hooksett, NH – The Honorable Jane Cormier, has announced her run for the Executive Council District 4. “The Executive Council provides many important responsibilities to the citizens of New Hampshire, including the oversight and approval of approximately $5.2 billion dollars of the annual expenditures that are appropriated by the legislature”, said Cormier, who served in the NH House from 2012 – 2014.

Ideologies do not belong in schools (Part 2)

September 26, 2018April 6, 2018 Op-Ed

By Ken Eyring

There’s a lot going on in our schools. Not all is good.

We have blindly entrusted the education of our children and their malleable, impressionable minds to our public education system. Upon doing so, we expect our children will be provided with an education that is free from ideologies. But that is not always the case, as we saw when the Windham School District joined the organized national protest against the 2nd Amendment on March 14th. I wrote about it last week.

The district stated the protest was “led by students”, but it was actually organized by Women’s March. When our district administration sanctioned the event, our children were not only used as political pawns… they were also introduced to the Womens March organization and a plethora of their other radical ideologies. The group indoctrinates children to be community organizers to advance their radical agendas. This type of indoctrination has long term consequences – and does not belong in our schools. For instance… look at this link; it displays a webpage titled “HOW WE RESIST a discussion series”. The topic for March 24th was “CONFRONTING WHITE SUPREMACY”. I’m disturbed that did not trigger any concerns from the Windham School District Administration.

This is the same Administration that required parents to

David Hogg: Omission of Hunter Pollack a “Miscommunication” Op ed

September 26, 2018April 3, 2018 Op-Ed

By Jim Johnson

So, now David Hogg (self-anointed boy wonder) claims that Hunter Pollack’s omission from speaking at the ‘March for Our Lives’ was merely a “miscommunication.” Hunter Pollack disagrees and surmises his ‘message’ did not fit the “agenda.”

In retrospect, the organized ‘March for Our Lives’ has been a complete travesty.

Ideologies do not belong in schools

September 26, 2018March 30, 2018 Op-Ed

By Ken Eyring

It appears the Windham School District’s Administration has a double standard regarding when parental approval is deemed appropriate regarding student instruction. In September 2016, parents were required to sign a permission slip before their children would receive a copy of the United States Constitution on Constitution Day (Sept. 17th). That request rightfully raised some eyebrows in town. (And many students were never even offered a copy, even though the district was offered a donated copy for every student in the district…hmmm…)

Support Education Freedom Savings Accounts in New Hampshire!

September 26, 2018March 29, 2018 Op-Ed

By Michelle Levell – School Choice for NH

Our motto is “Live Free or Die,” but we don’t have the freedom to choose when it comes to education. Join us in support of SB 193 to give parents and students educational freedom.

Under this program, parents and students will have the opportunity to design an educational program that works for their kids through an education savings account or ESA. These flexible accounts allow parents to fully customize their child’s education to best meet their learning needs through tuition at another public school outside their district, tutoring, online learning, textbooks, educational therapies and other education-related services and products.

Op-Ed: “New Hampshire should stay in the Crosscheck program”

September 26, 2018March 29, 2018 Op-Ed

by Sen. Regina Birdsell, R-Hampstead, represents District 19.

Legislation comes in all shapes and sizes, including the bill introduced this session that would remove New Hampshire from the national voter Crosscheck program. The bill, SB 349, would repeal the state’s authority to share voter info or data with other states to ensure that each voter casts just one ballot in each election. Protecting voter data from misuse and ensuring the privacy of Granite Staters is essential, we know that this legislation was nothing more than a politicized solution in search of a problem.

The national Crosscheck program originated after the passage of the Help America Vote Act by the United States Congress in 2002. It was a collaborative effort of several secretaries of state across the country to make it easier to compare voter lists in a safe and private manner, to prevent inappropriately cast votes. In each election since many states use Crosscheck to verify that every legal voter receives only one vote as dictated by our Constitution.

Gilford Budget Committee – setting the record straight

September 26, 2018March 11, 2018 Op-Ed

By Norm Silber

To set the record straight regarding actions taken by the Gilford Budget Committee under my leadership, the real facts are (a) the Police & Fire budgets were never decreased in any of the prior 4 years; (b) the Fire budget was increased last year and this year to provide for the lease/purchase of a new fire truck (the new fire truck being the subject of heated debate and ultimate disapproval of an outright purchase long before I joined the Budget Committee) and a new fire boat;

Officials need to understand that not everyone in Gilford is affluent…

September 26, 2018March 10, 2018 Op-Ed

By Dave Horvath, Sr.To The Daily Sun,

Gilford may be an affluent town but not everybody in town is affluent. We need people in our elected positions who understand this dynamic. Gilford has many citizens that their only source of income is their Social Security check. Many people who work in the private sector have not seen raises for years on end. Obamacare has cost them dearly. Yet they are asked to keep supporting a never-ending rise in government costs.

This year we have contested positions for all of the Budget Committee seats.

Avard praises bi-partisan support of bill updating firearm terminology

September 26, 2018March 9, 2018 Op-Ed

Press Release

Concord, NH – Today the NH Senate adopted a bill, SB 500, amending references to firearms terminology with the unanimous consent of the body. SB 500 received the unanimous recommendation of Ought to Pass from the NH Senate Judiciary Committee.

“I am pleased this common-sense bill updating references to firearms terminology passed the Senate. The committee worked hard on the bill and ultimately came together to offer strong bipartisan support for these measures,” said Senator Kevin Avard (R-Nashua), the bill’s prime sponsor.