Before Dodd-Frank’s passage, former Sen. Chris Dodd said that “no one will know until this is actually in place how it works.” Today we know. The law he co-wrote with former Rep. Barney Frank is gradually turning America’s largest financial institutions into functional utilities and taking the power to allocate capital—the lifeblood of the U.S. economy—away from the free market and delivering it to political actors in Washington.

– US Congressman Jeb Hensarling

And we are supposed to believe that the Smart People in Washington know what is best for us?  More from that column after the jump along with some observations from Powerline (emphasis mine):

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Conservative Review had a good piece on the 3 types of Republicans that are in that cattle herd called Prez Wannabees (reformatted, emphasis mine):

1. Change Agents
2. Reformers
3. Progressives

It was this last category that I read twice and went – yup, this is why we are in trouble.  The post gives a definition for each, the type of voters that are attracted to them, and which candidates are in each category.  It was the last category that really is important – as the innuendo is that these are the folks that allow others of us (and yes, I would be a voter in category #1 call them “Jr. Democrats” while professing their R bona fides.  After all, a Progressive (incremental Socialist) is a progressive no matter WHICH / WHAT party you have affixed yourself to:

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Obviously, on this topic, nothing:

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)  won’t defund Planned Parenthood. He wants “facts first.” What more does he need? Planned Parenthood rips children apart, uses its clout to fund Democrat candidates, and preys on the black community.

Again — this is why Trump is doing so well. Republican leaders will not fight and will not lead. They are scared of their own shadow and scared of being disliked. So they are disliked.

I am betting that NH Executive Councilor Joe Kenny will lead.  I am betting that NH Executive Councilor Dave Wheeler will lead. While an erstwhile candidate for Governor is just sitting. 

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Again, if they were to act like they talked, if they were to vote as they say they believe, I could go on to other stuff.  But they are masochists – they just BEG us to use the club they give us.  And I’d really prefer to write about other stuff – but these are the nitwits I’m supposed to hitch my wagon to?  Getting more and more doubtful as the days keep walking by.  My last post talked about being disliked; it is becoming more and more apparent that, due to their own actions, they ARE being more and more disliked (emphasis mine from this Pew Poll):

The current survey finds that positive views of the GOP among Republicans have declined 18 percentage points since January, from 86% to 68%. Independents also view the Republican Party less favorably; 29% today, compared with 37% six months ago.

Among Republicans! Among Independents! This is what happens when you promise and don’t deliver.  Once again, I find myself talking about Trust – and we are now seeing the result of Republicans throwing that Trust away as it becomes more and more clear their actions are not matching their past and current words:

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Yup.  The Republican Leadership really has but one job to do – pass the bills that fund and direct spending of the Federal Government.  Not even this can they do right, it seems.  One job to do – and with majorities in both parts of Congress, what’s their excuse (reformatted, emphasis mine)?

Congress won’t get its spending bills done in time for the new fiscal year,House Speaker John A. Boehner said Thursday, saying they’ll need to pass a short-term stopgap to prevent a government shutdown. It marked a grim admission from GOP leaders who, after winning control of the Senate in last year’s elections, had promised to do better at writing the dozen annual spending bills that keep the basic operations of government running year to year.

And passing a “continuing resolution,” or “CR” in Capitol-speak, might not be particularly easy either.

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All I can do is shake my head in disbelief:

WASHINGTON (AP) — A GOP-controlled Senate panel has voted to lift a decades-long ban on travel to Cuba, giving a boost to President Barack Obama’s moves to ease travel restrictions and open up relations with the Castro-governed nation.  The Senate Appropriations Committee also voted to block enforcement of a law prohibiting banks and other U.S. businesses from financing sales of U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba.

The Obama administration issued rules in January to significantly ease travel restrictions to Cuba and allow regularly scheduled flights for the first time. The Senate Appropriations Committee 18-12 vote comes just days after the U.S. and Cuba formally ended more than a half-century of estrangement by re-establishing diplomatic relations cut off during the Cold War.

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A very good show, in my estimation (which makes two good shows in a row)!

Segment 1 – Groksters Steve, Mike, and Skip yak with Kimberly (on the phone) about the News of the Day and Week

Segment 2 – Keith Carlson comes in to talk about the Health Compact movement; a way for States to get out from under the strictures of Obamacare?

Segment 3 – Michelle Levell comes in to talk about some of the Educational bill that Gov. Maggie “The Red” Hassan vetoed as they took power away from government and returned them to where it should be – with parents.

Segment 4: started up with more Grokster banter as we waited for former NY Gov. George Pataki to come in (parking in Concord is all screwed up right now).  He did show up but certainly we did not get to all the subjects that we would have wanted to  – but a decent start.

Segment 1                                       Segment 2

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Rad Mod had left the following as a comment to my post that called out to him: This one is for you, Rad Mod!.  So, I figured that if he had the time and inclination to write it, I’d elevate it to its own post.  Emphasis mine:

Thank’s for the shout out Skip, but I would never be able to enjoy using the public soapbox if it wan’t for the good graces of those at GraniteGrok [You’re welcome, Rad  -Skip]. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to engage in public discourse.

The American Thinker column highlights the fact that both parties are attempting to take America down a specific path regardless of the wishes of the remnants of traditional America. Two key definitions from the article;

Progressive Democrats: “The people who adapt these ideas to current needs are not the Democratic base, but a small group of intellectuals drawn almost exclusively from a handful of elite universities.”

Establishment Republicans: “They provide the illusion of a contest to events that have been carefully choreographed in advance.”

What do these to descriptions have in common? They indicate the existence of an external force or ‘idea’ guiding both parties in a common direction

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Attached is an invitation for your pastor and their spouse to attend a Pastors luncheon on Monday, July 27th at noon in Concord New Hampshire.

This is not a political event.  Pastor Cruz will be sharing his life in Cuba under the Batista regime, how he came to the US, and what lead him to become a pastor. A short bio is included on the invitation.

You may give a copy to your pastor at church tomorrow and if they are interested they can RSVP per the invitation.

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