Sometimes, it’s easy and sometimes, there’s not much to work with.  But as I’ve said before, if Pindell is gonna ask, SOMEBODY has to answer……even if it is only me.  From last Friday’s Political Scoop:

• What did Andrew Hemingway’s camp make of Jeb Bradley’s comments on CloseUP that if Brown gets in the U.S. Senate race other Republicans could run for governor?

It not only sends a message to Andrew of “You’re not good enough for me” but also a message to the more vibrant part of the Party (the “New” Republicans, the Liberty & Freedom wing of the Party).  Not that he had to send much of a message with respect to the base – that was already done with pushing the Obamacare Medicaid Expansion.  It basically sends a big F. U. loud and clear so as to say, like much of the Establishment wing of the Party: “Go away, we don’t want you“.  Fair enough – old news.  What it also says is something FAR more dangerous for the future of the NH GOP, given the tilt of party registrations and the closeness of races in many of the districts with NH GOPers:

Not only do we not want you, we don’t NEED you either

Good luck with that. I’ll respond with this question: what does NH GOP Chair Jennifer Horn think of this constant “snub you” messaging to a large part of her Party?  Doesn’t she realize they may take that message to heart?

And then what happens (/sarc)? Now to his Up and Downs:

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Ron Christie at The Daily Beast has the observation:

In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a widening rift between the Republican establishment and the Tea Party activists who swept John Boehner into the House Speaker seat and put Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell within striking distance of a majority to effectively cement President Obama’s lame duck status.

And the question:

In conversations with members of Congress, lobbyists, and the chattering class on television–none of whom wished to speak on the record–many grassroots activists would rather take out an incumbent GOP officeholder in a primary challenge for perceived disloyalty to the base at the cost of Democrats winning the seat. That this switch of support by grassroots activists would occur less than four years after the GOP rode a massive wave of voter disillusionment with Washington is fascinating. The question is, what was the triggering event that created hostility between many conservative members of Congress and their constituents who elected them?

And the ANSWER (spoiler – been saying this for a while):  

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Most Democrats won’t give up abortion for anything.  They wouldn’t even trade it for an end to capital punishment.

Democrats try to pass legislation making it difficult to protest abortion, even though the right to protest–organizing to protest–is the foundation of every left wing change movement.

But NH HB 1503 doesn’t say anything about abortion.  And it says nothing about the “right to protest.”  It asks a question.  Do Women who want to keep the baby deserve civil and criminal “rights” when choosing life is denied them by a criminal act?

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I was prepared for something strange when this crossed by digital desk, but what I found was just bizarre.

The ONG 52nd Civil Support Team training scenario involved a plot from local school district employees to use biological weapons in order to advance their beliefs about “protecting Gun Rights and Second Amendment rights.”

Portsmouth Chief of Police Bill Raisin told NBC 3 WSAZ-TV in Huntington, West Virginia that the drill accurately represented “the reality of the world we live in,” adding that such training “helps us all be prepared.”

Local school district employees? Defending the Second Amendment?

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No,  Steve, it is NOT “not… intentional“:

I’m not saying that any of this was intentional, by the way.  I’m saying that the sponsors are probably too blinkered by their own arrogance, trapped in the tunnel-vision of their own circumstances, to realize the destructive power of what they are trying to do.

I believe SB120’s resurrection is BECAUSE of the Conservative base’s outright ANGER over Medicaid Expansion – while NH State Senator Chuck Morse is up front, the whisper behind his throne is that of NH State Senator Jeb Bradley – an attempt to insulate this crime against Republican ideals by locking down a Cone of Silence.  In essence, “I will use the Force of Government to shut up my opponents!”

I cannot think of any other reason to do such a thing contra “abridging the freedom of speech“, one of our foundational Pillars.

I believe it and will declare it: the actions of the NH Senate Republicans (especially two of the SB 120 sponsors: NH State Senator Jeb Bradley and NH State Senator Sharon Carson) ARE INTENTIONAL.  Those that are sponsoring this bill are not dumb (mostly).  Several are actually rather bright – they just believe that they can close this barn door behind them to keep the rabble (that would be anyone that disagree with their Highnesses) out.  Deliberate?  – I do believe that there is Malice aforethought, – after all, elections are coming up for all of them.  In this case, and in my humble opinion, a craven attempt for personal gain over what the Republican Party stands for – from the Platform: 

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“A charlatan makes obscure what is clear; a thinker makes clear what is obscure.” —Hugh Kingsmill (British writer and critic. 1889-1949)

Below is an email sent to legislators by Zandra Rice Hawkins of Granite State Progress. (Response is at the bottom)

My name is Zandra Rice Hawkins and I am the executive director of Granite State Progress. I write today to encourage you to support HB 1589, a bill that will require criminal background checks for all commercially advertised firearm sales in New Hampshire. Since there has been a lot of email traffic on this bill, our organization has put together the following information to help elected officials better understand the ins and outs of the legislation being voted on this week. My contact information follows for any further questions and we encourage you to reach out if we can help clarify any section of the bill or background.

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Two simple words that would have given a very clear message as to what this Republican is doing – can you catch what those two words are?

(H/T: RLCNH)

OK, if you missed them, here’s the transcript that I just did (and you really want to read the commentary too): 

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It’s been a long day and I am just getting to listen to WMUR’s Close Up.  Our official motto is:

Spank’em when they’re wrong and Thank’em when they’re right.

Bradley is right and I thank him, when he said he’s put a bill in to stem the leaks in the present Highway Fund that allows the gas tax monies to go to other entities than what that fund was meant for.  NH State Senator Rausch (R) is STILL wrong on trying to raise the gas tax.

He’s also right on being against Common Core and for letting and giving more choices for Parents in determining how and where their children should be educated.

However,

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Rumor has it that the NH Republican majority Senate is ready to dust off Republican sponsored SB 120, and push it through the legislature.  The democrats could not be happier.

SB 120 is a bill that redefines what a committee is, and what classifies as an expenditure for the purposes of political speech.  And it defines speech in terms of spending.  Democrats might want to observe that if you can limit political speech by limiting spending that spending is equal to speech.  If you are a Republican you might want to note that the Supreme Court has weighed in on this and you are on the wrong side.

If that does not sway you, then how about this?

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