WND has an article that explores the solar energy connections surrounding the Bundy Ranch standoff, Harry Reid, his family, and some high-ranking Democrats.  It’s quite an interesting read.  Or did I mean Reid?

I guess the Chinese are out, and have been for a while, but there is a consortium of domestic interests that link to Clinton era insiders, Al Gore, and others.  They all have ties to solar farm projects looming in Clark County and want to suckle on the taxpayer incentives before the milk runs dry.

A close inspection of the project reveals why there is so much interest in the area and why the BLM, presumably at Reid’s urging through his former aide, Kornze, is so intent on getting Bundy off the land.

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Seeing as I posted one of these for Senator Bob Smith today, seems only right to do the same for Jim Rubens…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2014
Contact: Brian Tilton, Communications Director
603-504-2753
brian@jimrubens.com

Rubens Campaign Announces Policy Initiatives

Energy independence, reducing gun violence among issues highlighted on newly designed website

This week, the Jim Rubens for U.S. Senate campaign unveiled the new JimRubens.com  featuring additional policies and bold ideas.  Two major initiatives unveiled involve steps toward American energy independence and ways to reduce unlawful gun violence.

Rubens’ plan to restore American Energy Leadership includes three steps: reduce government red tape, phase out all energy subsidies and use the budget savings from terminated energy subsidies to boost pre-commercial energy research and development. 

Last month, Jim Rubens unveiled the “2^nd Amendment Protection Pledge”.  Today, JimRubens.com adds six things that can work to reduce gun violence:

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That’s right.  On April 15th, I messed up big time.  Actually, I figured it out on Monday, the 14th, as I did my taxes on a vacation day.  How badly had I booted it the previous year? Yeah, I’m getting a refund.  Which means that I failed – I just gave Obama an interest free loan for the year for the US Government, after taking my money from me legally by the 16th Amendment (which was originally sold as “just target the few highly rich people”).

Sidenote: “After all, the first tax ranged from merely 1% on the first $20,000 of taxable income and was only 7% on incomes above $500,000….(Ed. note: Expressed in 1994 dollars this sentence would read, “the first tax ranged from merely 1% on the first $298,000 of taxable income and was only 7% on incomes above $7,460,000.”)…The collection process was greatly facilitated in 1943 by a device created by FDR to pay the costs of WWII. It was called “withholding from wages and salaries”. In other words, the tax was collected at the payroll window before it was even due to be paid by the taxpayer. Economists point out that this device, more than any other single factor, shifted the tax from its original design as a tax on the wealthy to a tax on the masses–mostly the middle class.”

So, I’m mad at myself for not doing the right calculations and mad that, once again, we see the Left’s persistence on incrementalism – create a man-made need based on ideology (as opposed to solving a real life problem), 

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The Democrats are now not just “the bad guys” but “the petty guys”.Court Order – Gulick vs Cormier

That is from the judgment of Judge James D. O’Neill, III in Belknap Superior Court in the case of NH State Rep Ruth Gulick et al vs NH State Rep Jane Cormer, Clerk, et al. where the former sued the latter in what I considered to be a frivolous, political theatrical stunt with all the intentions of a SLAPP suit using the pretext of a RSA 91-A:2 violation that I knew to be absolutely false.  It was simply one way for the out-gunned Democrats of the Belknap County Delegation (aided and abetted most of the time by one Republican, NH State Rep Dennis Fields – but that is fodder for a future post) getting back at the Republicans, especially the Conservatives that made up the majority of the Republican members.  I did not attend all of the Belknap County budget meetings but it was clear that the Democrats were stymied at that lack of ability to block the Conservatives in protecting the taxpayers’ wallets.  They were not allowed to grow Government.

So, they lashed out in the only way they could (and the refuge of the scoundrels that having fairly failed to win Legislatively, turn to the Judiciary to subvert the democrat process) – they sued for a remedy that they could not get using a twisting of the statute that would not hold up. 

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Guest Post by Mark Acciard

Let’s get the labels out of the way FIRST; It is a FLAT TAX!

Now on to the Details;

A Flat 18% income tax. No loopholes, deductions, carve outs, No ways for crooked politicians to craft new tax policy specifically for their donors. Only a generous personal exemption of $10,000 per taxpayer, and $5,000 per dependent. THAT’S IT! OH, and if you end up with zero tax liability, or less than $500.00, you MUST pay the MINIMUM tax of $500.00. EVERYONE must have skin in the game. Everyone benefits from society, therefore everyone must contribute.

For Businesses it is ALSO simple. a Flat 18% tax on net operating profits.

Now to the numbers.

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From a longer piece at The Federalist (go read the whole thing, emphasis here is mine):

…Americans, Madison argues, are natural republicans–republicans in their heads and in their hearts, determined to show the world that “self-government” is possible. The republican principle, as Madison defines it later in the essay, requires “a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior.” That is to say, republican government is responsible to the people, from whom it ultimately “derives all its power” and to whom it must directly or indirectly give an account of its stewardship of those powers.

On this point, at least, there is no daylight between the positions of the 1960s-style liberal Robert Kennedy and the 1780s-style liberal James Madison. In both accounts, the people are primary; the government is secondary–a necessary help supporting self-governing citizens, in both the political and moral senses of the term.

Today, the Progressives leap from responsible government to

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When we see the armed might of the US Government arrayed against a single American rancher and not against illegal alien “invaders, why is it that those in Government wonder why “the consent of the governed” is being withdrawn from them?

We see multiple episodes of those wishing to cede from their own States to form new one because they are ignored and denigrated – the Rights of the suburban or rural “minority” populations trampled by the larger urban liberal ones.  We see Progressive legislators not trusting their constituents and take decisions away from them – and not seeing the anger building from being treated like children at best and cretins at worst.  We see “solutions” to the littlest problems put in place while avoiding the big ones we actually want them to fix (and those generally result from previous government tries to fix something that should have just been left alone).

Which IS the higher priority –

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Jerry Delemus called from NV yesterday (hmm, never got the return call…) and Sue sent this update in a bit ago (a few edits by me):

I finally got to talk to my wonderful husband around lunch time today. It’s hard to say what is best to do at this point. He doesn’t want to worry the movement. Others who are still there are asking for help from those closer to NV. The protesters have dispersed but the militias are still sticking around. The number of people there is staying pretty static. Some are coming to replace those leaving. There are a few Patriot camps that exist.  Each camp is autonomous and they are cooperating between themselves well, with security as a high priority. For example, while I was on the phone with him, a large furniture truck turned up the road he was on and headed toward the Bundy’s house. I can’t imagine that the Bundys have gone furniture shopping recently so everyone went into high alert and checked the truck for hidden personnel. As far as I know the truck moved on without incident. The Patriots there are staying vigilant and wary of everything. Helicopters and drones continue to be seen. Chuck Baldwin , Stewart Rhodes the founder of Oath Keepers and Sheriff Richard Mack arrived yesterday and are there right now standing with the Patriots who are still holding the line.

I asked Jerry what is needed there. He said

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Imagine my surprise when I went to put Mieka outside this morning:

Yeah, snow.  Middle of April.  Temperature was 17 degrees when I got up and when I went to pick up the Youngest after work, the temp by the car’s thermometer was 30. Normal temps this time of year are supposed to be in the upper 50s. 

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Andrew Breitbart said that politics is downstream from culture – in other words, the culture changes the mores of the population which changes political leanings.  We on the Right oft bemoan the capture of the educational system, the Hollywood movie / TV industry, the music industry, and the media in general, by the Left.  One cannot help see the changes by people who are voting that seemingly vote contrary to our founding philosophies – and then find out that they have no idea of what those founding documents actually are.  And we sit and think “well, that 250 years down the drain” and that the country is in decline.

Well, buckos, sometimes we are just too pessimistic a bunch at times.  John Nolte at Big Government has 11 points for you to consider if you believe that “all is lost!” in this culture war (emphasis mine):

1. While judges are legalizing gay marriage, Christianity is making a major comeback in the free market of entertainment.

2. While pot is being legalized in a few states, the pro-abortion movement is on its heels in a majority of states and in opinion polls.

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