NFL Ratings Crash Carries Into Post-Season

NFL fans making a statement 2017-09-26By Jim Johnson

From the Associated Press: “Ratings Crash for Vikings-Eagles NFC Championship Game, Jags-Pats Earn Lowest Early Game Rating Since 2013”

Television ratings for the National Football League continue to plummet, stadium attendance diminishes week after week, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seems oblivious to the leagues deteriorating appeal among football enthusiasts.

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End Female Genital Mutilation

NH House - state house

By Rep. Dave Testerman

In my opinion, one of the more important hearings last week was for HB 1739, addressing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

The mountain of testimony was not pleasant, but it was necessary for the committee to hear about this barbarous practice. Some cultures moving into New Hampshire want to continue practices from their home country that are not acceptable in America. It is important for each state to establish laws to reflect this.

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Statement on NH Senate Passage of HB 372 – Statutory definitions of “resident or inhabitant” and “residence or residency.”

NH SenateNews Release
For Immediate Release:

Birdsell pleased by Senate support of common sense voting laws

Concord, NH – Today, the Senate passed HB 372, a bill which would clarify the definitions of residency and domicile as it pertains to voting. Senator Regina Birdsell (R-Hampstead) issued the following statement:

“I am pleased to see HB 372 passed the New Hampshire Senate today. With the support of Secretary of State Bill Gardner, this legislation clarifies where one may vote, without changing the requirements for voting eligibility in the state of New Hampshire.”
“Free and open elections are essential to supporting democracy and in a state where elections are separated by very few votes, each one is critically important. By clarifying the definitions of residency and domicile we are making our elections more accessible by offering individuals’ greater ease in understanding the requirements surrounding New Hampshire elections as well as aligning our state with the voting laws in our neighboring New England states.”

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The Skilled Labor Shortage: Cause and Solutions

Trade school vs collegeBy Sam Costanzo

The labor shortage in general construction and such skilled trades as plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work has been well-documented throughout the country, with older generations of skilled tradesmen entering retirement much faster than they can be replaced.

According to a survey by the Associated General Contractors of America, some 70 percent of U.S. construction firms report difficulty finding qualified workers. And the US. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the nation’s need for workers in the skilled trades is increasing much faster than the growth of employment overall.  This can be surprising to the average American that may consistently require the efforts of skilled laborers for their home or car. Common sense would tell you there’d be a lot of demand to become a welder or painter or even offer residential estimating services.

Among those sounding the alarm is television personality Mike Rowe, former host of “Dirty Jobs,” who has appeared before a Congressional panel to call attention to the “skills gap.”

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Guest Post by the Honorable Norm Silber – Stop discrimination against Catholics!

Isn’t it long past time that New Hampshire ended blatant discrimination against Catholics in our state?

After the great Irish potato famine in the mid-1800’s, America experienced a large wave of Irish immigrants, many of whom were Catholics.   Some politicians wanted to prevent any public support of Catholic institutions and thus attempted, unsuccessfully, to amend the US Constitution to prohibit any public money being sent to Catholic institutions, even though they were not specifically named.  But everyone knew which group was being targeted for discrimination.

Although not all Catholics are Irish, most Irish are Catholics.  And I am old enough to remember my father telling me that John Kennedy could never be elected president of the US because he was Catholic.  He was also astute enough to opine that Nelson Rockefeller could never be president since he had been divorced.  I also remember seeing in antique shops old help wanted signs reading “Help Wanted – No Irish Need Apply” that appeared to be in common use many years ago.

Well, times have certainly changed, or have they?

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New Hampshire Senators Oppose Turnpike Toll Hike

NH SenateBy Sen. Kevin Avard

The New Hampshire Senate
Republican Majority Office
Senators oppose turnpike toll hike

Concord, NH – The Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation (GACIT) held a public hearing on Monday regarding the Department of Transportation plan for a statewide toll hike.

Senate President Chuck Morse (R-Salem), Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Regina Birdsell (R-Hampstead), Senator Kevin Avard (R-Nashua) and Senator Andy Sanborn (R-Bedford) issued the following statements after attending the hearing and speaking in opposition.

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Laconia Daily Sun Aids Belknap County Budget Shell Game Deceptions

Belknap County Bannerby Rep. Mike Sylvia

The shell game continues on County Drive. It’s understandable that this sleight of hand would lead to errors in the Laconia Daily Sun’s article covering the Belknap County budget.

Commissioner DeVoy, according to the Sun, said: “…it was poor budget management on the part of the delegation that helped create the current bleak fiscal situation for the county.”

While I’ll agree that ‘poor budget management’ is involved, the fact is the delegation appropriates funds, and the county administration is tasked with budget management. It would be helpful if the administration would keep their spending to monies that had actually been appropriated as opposed to finding ways to spend money which had not been appropriated.

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“Racist” is the new “Witch”

Monty Python - Witch

By Jim Kofalt

There is a very funny scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail in which a crowd of villagers drags a hapless woman before the local knight (Sir Bedemir) proclaiming that she is a witch and demanding permission to burn her at the stake. When the woman proclaims her innocence, Bedemir points out that she is in fact “dressed like a witch.”

“They dressed me up like this,” she says, pointing at the angry mob. “And this isn’t my nose; it’s a false one.” “Well we did do the nose,” says one villager… “and the hat. But she is a witch.” Sir Bedemir asks them point blank: “Did you dress her up like this?” The crowd answers: “No, no… no … well… yes.  Yes, yes, a bit, a bit.” It’s obvious after all that the mob has no interest in facts. They are determined to burn a witch.

Fast forward to 2017. Steve Bannon comes to Manchester, New Hampshire to give a speech at a fundraising dinner for the 603 Alliance – a local group that aims to restore Constitutional values in government. As soon as the event is announced, the village mob swings into action on social media.

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Peter Lemiska: A common sense analysis of sanctuary cities

By Peter Leminska

The refugees and immigrants who come to America to escape poverty and oppression need safe haven.  The vast majority of them are good, hardworking people, and how they get here is unimportant.  Compassion for immigrants overrides federal immigration laws.

That represents a basic tenet of the liberal mindset, the force behind sanctuary cities.

The number of sanctuary cities expanded rapidly during Barack Obama’s administration.  The Washington Times reported in 2015 that there were more than 340 sanctuary cities in America.  This year, it reported that the number had grown to nearly 500.  According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), 279 municipalities refused to cooperate in at least one case during 2016.  That resulted in the release of more than 2,000 illegal immigrants that ICE had been trying to deport.

Those who support the notion of sanctuary cities should consider these points:

1.      Sanctuary cities violate federal law.

Cities and towns that harbor illegal aliens often cite the 10th Amendment,

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Vote Andrew Hemingway

https://www.facebook.com/events/657584721016419/  

Guest Post – Marilinda Garcia

As a new-generation conservative, I am running to keep New Hampshire independent and roll back the radical transformation of America caused by President Obama and liberals like Ann Kuster. My plan includes reducing the size and cost of the federal government, and restoring constitutionally limited government that puts more power in the hands of the … Read more

GraniteGrok Endorsements – Executive Council

Consistency breeds Trust yields Votes

The Executive Council in NH is often the red-headed step child that is ignored by the rest of the political world.  Outside of NH, people interested in the First the Nation Primary politics go “Executive Huh?” – and even most NH residents have little clue as to what it does and why it is important.  And make no mistake – it is important as it is supposed to be the last “brake” on the NH Governor’s decisions when it comes to official appointments and signing of contracts.  However, like most, it is subject to mere politics, like when this Democrat dominated EC decided to pass a 300 plus page contract for Obamacare’s Medicaid Expansion only gave the Republican Councilors 15 minutes to read all that – and then just passed it into effect.  This will have a real effect on the taxpayers of NH in the coming months and years.

We, the writers and authors at GraniteGrok are making only two Endorsements for Executive Council at this time

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GraniteGrok Endorsements – NH State Senate

Consistency breeds Trust yields Votes

There are a number of contested races in the NH State Senate primary races this cycle and we have been asked to give our guidance based on our Principles.  The following folks fall into the GraniteGrok mold of what we expect to see from NH GOP candidates – adherence to Conservative & Liberty Principles and a fealty to the NH GOP Platform and the NH Constitution regardless of the situation or this issue (even in the face of opposition, especially from their own Party).

We have known these folks over a long periods of time – they have shown that they have walked the talk and thus, proving their Consistency that has earned our Trust. Our bar for endorsement was quite high – while Ronaldus Magnus oft spoke of the 80%, we can and want better.

We believe we have to – times are much dire and the Left is much, much further left to almost being to the point of being indistinguishable from those we opposed in the Cold War and in the multitude of proxy wars fought during that time.  We need solid counterweights to balance not only the Democrats in the General Election but, in some cases, prevent those that would promote and advance the Democrat Agenda (as with incumbent NH State Senator David Boutin who voted for Obamacare’s Medicaid Expansion, for one MAJOR item).

Thus we humbly ask you all, in these different districts, to vote for these candidates for NH State Senate...

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The Republican Party and Civil Rights in America – The Untold Story

Rogers J Johnson
By Rogers J Johnson

There is no question that the Kansas-Nebraska Act which dissolved the Missouri Compromise was the catalyst for the creation of the Republican Party.  But its foundation firmly lays in the opposition of the single most reprehensible act in US history, slavery.

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Gov. Hassan and the Democrats Are Trying to Save Face.

Just one month ago, the New Hampshire Democratic Party called the Senate version of the state budget “reckless” because it was based on a “Tea Party ideology;” namely, that state spending should not exceed conservative revenue estimates and that taxes and fees should not be increased at a time when the economy is just starting to show signs of life.

Two weeks later when the barely altered budget agreement won the approval of both bodies of the Legislature, Gov. Maggie Hassan, the Democrats’ top elected state official, called the result a “fiscally responsible balanced budget” that “will encourage innovation and help create jobs.” Now that the budget has passed, we can assure you that she’s right on these points. Yet, we can also affirm that Gov. Hassan and her Democratic colleagues had very little to do with this budget.

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