Testimony of Ian Underwood on HB 1589

Today in Representative Hall, Ian Underwood presented the testimony below to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Affairs.  Eyes widened.

“Article 2A of the NH Constitution clearly states that:

All persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, their property and the state.

It doesn’t say ‘some‘ persons.  It doesn’t say ‘approved‘ persons.  It doesn’t say ‘persons who don’t scare us’.  It says ‘all persons’.

A right for which you have to ask permission isn’t a right at all.  So the first point, I think, that has to be made regarding this bill is that it takes the wrong approach towards the goal sought by its sponsors.  

The right approach would be to amend the NH Constitution:  to declare that NOT all persons have the right to defend themselves, or that self-defense is not a right but a privilege, or perhaps to change the definition of ‘persons‘ to something like ‘persons we like’.  But until such a change has been made, any 5th grader can see that this bill conflicts with the NH Constitution.  It takes a constitutional scholar to miss that.

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And THIS is the nub of the problem caused by our Legislators – on BOTH sides of the aisle

I have said this over and over and over again – and the problem is brought upon by legislators on both side of the aisle – the lack of respect for our Constitutions and the principles behind why we have government.  Susan posted Ian Underwood’s testimony on NH HB 1589 – a law that would require all sales of all firearms to be handled by FFL agents of the Government in undergoing background checks by buyers.  The money line is bolded:

The first is that a bill like this undermines respect for the very rule of law itself. After all, if the legislature isn’t going to respect the limits placed on it by the NH Constitution, then why should individuals respect the limits placed on them by that legislature — whether regarding guns, or schools, or traffic laws, or anything else?

If we’re going to disregard the big rules, why pay any attention to the smaller ones? For that matter, if words like ‘all’ and ‘person’ no longer mean what they’ve meant for centuries, then why should we pretend that laws, which are made of words, mean anything at all? In other words, if you can behave as if ‘all’ doesn’t mean ‘all’, why can’t I behave as if ‘not’ doesn’t mean ‘not’?

The essence of this law is to continue the process of turning us from Free and Sovereign Citizens that have a Government instituted to protect the Liberties that accrue to us simply by being alive to a Country and Government that bestows privileges upon its wards – and withdraws them as well, both on political whims instead on absolute values. At our founding, Citizens decided to have a government for THEM, with citizens being preeminent.  Progressives believe that this relationship MUST be reversed: that Government should remove such parts of our implicit Freedoms and Liberties such that it would rule its subjects.

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Blogline of the Day – Ian Underwood

“So the great irony here is that the very existence of this bill, and others like it, is the strongest argument for why, even if passed, they should simply be ignored — thus making felons out of people who are harming no one, but who simply decline to let the fears of a few undermine … Read more

HB 1589: A Means To An End

“There are three kinds of falsehoods: Lies, damned lies and statistics” —Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour

Rep. E. Elaine Andrews-Ahern with "Timmuh" Horrigan looking on.
Rep. E. Elaine Andrews-Ahern with “Timmuh” Horrigan looking on.

Clearly, we have a problem when legislators continue to find ways to incrementally chip away at our second amendment rights. But this bill is just a bit more insidious than what folks saw here today.

HB 1589 “requiring background checks for all firearm sales,” is a rather deceptive title because not only does it seek to wrest control of private firearms sales, but transfers that are made without money being exchanged.  The second aspect of the bill is that it provides the basis where shooting on privately owned lands may be curtailed. Finally, the bill begins with legislative findings that are chapter and verse from talking points used ad nauseum by the Bloomberg and Brady Campaigns.    

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Winner: Joe Kenney for the GOP nomination for District 1 Executive Council

Congratulations to Joe Kenney!  From the Union Leader: Former state Sen. Joe Kenney of Wakefield was the victor in Tuesday’s three-way race for the GOP nomination in the Executive Council District 1 race. Former Belknap County commissioner Christopher Boothby of Meredith issued this statement just before 9 p.m.: “In a two-month campaign, you get to … Read more

Have You Ever Noticed How Democrats…

“Have You Ever Noticed How Democrats like to create problems so they can then claim to solve them?” It has been a while since I made a new one of these for GrokTALK!. This one is about Medicaid Expansion. NH Medicaid Expansion and ObamaCare 65s

GrokTALK! with Joe D’Aleo (Co-founder of The Weather Channel)

Joe D’Aleo, The Cofounder of The Weather Channel talks weather and science, what really drives climate, problems with modeling, and what the traditional drivers of global temperature are currently telling us about our weather in the years to come. (Icecap / Weatherbell.com) **You can also listen on AC Nation Radio, iHeart Radio, Spreaker, and iTunes … Read more

How Does This Democrat Vote Fraud Grab You?

We’re breaking significant vote fraud news today, and it starts with Caitlin Ann Legacki.

NIf you thnk lrtting proplr from out of state Vote in NH if OK youre Gonna have a bad timeew Hampshire Democrats know who Caitlin A. Legacki is.  She worked for Jeanne Shahenn’s 2008 Senate campaign.  She even voted from New Hampshire in 2008.  But Caitlin isn’t from New Hampshire.  She is a significant player in Democrat campaigns and politics, just like all the other transient voters who drift in, steal your votes, and then leave.

Caitlin is from Alaska, where her activism started in 2004.  She went to UNC, worked for John Edwards in Iowa circa 2007, for Jeanne Shaheen in 2008, was a paid congressional staffer for Congressman Burce Braley in Iowa (where she violated House Rules by campaigning for the congressman while on his staff), worked for Kay Hagan in NC, and most recently for Clair McCaskill in Missouri in the 2012 cycle and is currently in the employ of  the OFA catch drain called Precision Strategies with the infamous Stephanie Cutter.

So what about that big vote fraud news I mentioned in the title? Hold on to you ballot stuffing Transient Democrat Obama Voters, it’s a big one.

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NH Democrat Majority House – Yes, Let’s Give Illegal Alien’s Taxpayer Supported In-State Tuition Rates

The vote has been cast.   New Hampshire Democrats want you to finance in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. Slap!

(Full breakdown of the Roll Call available on the jump)

HB 474 passed 188 Yea 155 Nay, with 8 “republicans” joining the Democrat majority.  The usual suspects, of course, Kidder, Gargasz, Lockwood, and a few others.

It moves to the NH Senate now where last years much more reliable stop gap for left-wing stupidity has crumbled heading into this session.  So there are no guarantees that they will stand up and stop it.

If you ask me, if UNH want’s this they can fund raise.  They can eat the difference.  Better yet.  Since Democrats want it so bad, how about some of those very well-funded liberal NGO’s and the so-called non-partisan non-profit groups that get all that out of state money (and spend it on electing Democrats), create a scholarship reimbursement program to help fund the difference for in-state tuition for illegal aliens in NH?

No?  You’d rather put taxpayers on the hook for that?

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A Side Effect of NH SB 244? New York State (Of All Places) Has Already Warned Us

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David “Muddy” Watters bill (SB 244 ) to create the mental health equivalent of a “no fly list” for the feds so they can be told whom not to sell a firearm, has more problems than we can shake a fire-stick at.  Susan Olsen does most of this argument justice here and here, so I have no intention of rehashing that now.  But there is one point which I have not seen discussed that does need ‘airing.’  A detrimental side-effect that was observed in New York State, not that long ago.

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Have you Looked in the Mirror Lately?

telegraph tread markYesterday afternoon a NH House Rep. sent me a “heads up” that the Nashua Telegraph’s political doodler Kevin Landrigan had made note (on Facebook) of the frequency of articles at GraniteGrok regarding the DuckGate case of Nashua NH House Democrat David Campbell–a case with a number of unanswered questions that suggest a police commissioner helped hide the fact that David Campbell was drunk when he hit some ducks and ran away from police.

Mr. Landrigan remarked “Very Conservative GraniteGrok stays obsessed with Duck Gate scandal.  7th item in two weeks.”  Then there is a link to a tweet of the same construction.

A rather brisk discussion ensued on his Facebook wall, to which I contributed, but I failed to make an important point that should have seemed obvious at the time.

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Gun Rights Across America – NH State Capital, 1/19/13 – Jenn Coffey

This past Sunday was the Gun Rights Across America event with groups meeting in every state capital of these 50 states. New Hampshire was no different.  Unfortunately, it had snowed just before the event and living on the side of a mountain with a treacherous steep ravine between here and anywhere, and the snowplow didn’t appear until just before the even was to start.  However, Bill Wynne of Goffstown Today was there and has graciously allowed us to post the videos:

Here, Jenn Coffey of the Second Amendment Sisters, reviews the Bill of Rights and calls us to task for protecting our Freedom, and for those to come:

“Jennifer Coffey presenting, the 1st speaker at this event today. Coooooooold and a bit of snow, but that did not discourage people from coming out to speak and listen to just how things should be in America. It’s all about the United States Constitution and those in public office to uphold the United States Constitution and so much more. Jenn is the National Director of Legislative Affairs of the Second Amendment Sisters (“SAS”)  Team.

  • Jenn Coffey: National Director of Legislative Affairs
  • Susan Olsen: Assistant to the Director of Legislative Affairs [and Grokster!  -Skip] 

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Gun Rights Across America – NH State Capital, 1/19/13 – Shannon “Bear” Cothran

In this video, we finally get to meet the MC for the event – Susan Olsen who is the Second Amendment Sister’s Assistant to the Director of Legislative Affairs as well as being a Grokster of good standing!  Here, she is introducing Bear Cothran, a gentleman who, upon using his Second Amendment Right to defend himself when attacked at his place of employment, was fired by his employer (here or here).

“Citizen Shannon “Bear” Cothran presents to the crowd about his life experiences in protection of himself, others and rights under the United States Constitution. Bear became a victim of JOB LOSS while protecting the assets of his employer and protecting himself as an armed United States Citizen.

Gun Rights Across America New Hampshire is an organization in New Hampshire and across the United States. For more information follow this link; http://www.gunrightsacrossamerica.com/ …. For the New Hampshire Chapter, follow this link; https://www.facebook.com/GunRightsAcr…
This film production is filmed, edited and produced by Bill Wynne (Goffstown Today)… All Rights Reserved….
MUSIC in this film production “AMERICA” is authorized by Larry Bisso. Please visit Larry on line at http://www.LarryBisso.com”

Previous Videos:

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Anyone Else Tired of the Gaystapo Yet?

You can’t claim to be the tolerant ones when you use religious bigotry to put someone out of business, quite often when there are dozens of other businesses that provide the exact same service within a reasonable distance in modern America, just because you think you can.

Well Sweet Cakes by Melissa agrees with me.  The state of Oregon charged them of violating a lesbian couples ‘civil rights’ when they refused to make a cake for their wedding on grounds that it violated their religious conscience, to which they responded…

“We still stand by what we believe from the beginning,” said Aaron Klein. “I’m not sure what future holds, but as far as where we’re at right now … it’s almost as if the state is hostile toward Christian businesses.”

“Oregon is hostile toward Christian businesses.”

You should put that on a bumper sticker.

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Gun Rights Across America – NH State Capital, 1/19/13 – Rick Olsen

Londonderry Fish & Game President, NH Wildlife Federation President, and GraniteGrok’s own Rick Olsen was the next speaker.  A prior Chief Warrant Officer in the US Marine Corps, he’s a straight ahead take-no-prisoners, you-know-where-I-stand (or soon will) type of guy.  Here, he talks about how our Freedom own and use our Private Property. He talks about the process of how much it costs ($38,000)  and how much Government inserts itself into process “of enjoying your own Private Property” – the hassles and hoops the LFGC had to jump through to put in a new range.

“Rick Olsen, a Grokster at heart when it comes to freedom and our rights under the United States Constitution. Rick writes articles with GrantiteGrok.com and he is the President of the Londonderry Fish and Game Association. Catch up with Rick on http://www.GraniteGrok.com. It’s all about our freedom. Watch and listen to what Rick has to say during his presentment at the 19 January 2014 Gun Rights Across America Rally in Concord, NH.
Gun Rights Across America New Hampshire is an organization in New Hampshire and across the United States. For more information follow this link; http://www.gunrightsacrossamerica.com/ …. For the New Hampshire Chapter, follow this link; https://www.facebook.com/GunRightsAcr…
This film production is filmed, edited and produced by Bill Wynne (Goffstown Today)… All Rights Reserved….”

Previous Videos: 

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A View of Common Core: an educational forum

 

A VIEW OF COMMON CORE

abc and bookDo you know all the details of the

Controversy surrounding the

COMMON CORE CURRICULUM

in New Hampshire’s Schools?

How does it affect students? Why was it implemented?

Join our esteemed panel of experts

for the most informed and accurate information

Thursday, January 30

7-8:30 p.m.

Kingston Town Hall

163 Main Street

Featured speakers:

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Victor Davis Hanson: The strand of civilization

“A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot…”

– Robert Heinlein

One of my most favorite folks to read is VDH – a California Professor who speaks of today’s disintegrating culture in terms of the Classic Western history and philosophy who is not seeing great things in our near future as Political Correctness and cultural hubris of Elites can’t see the cracks, crevasses, and dark corners that are now dotting our landscape.  Go read the whole thing and get depressed, but here’s a few ‘graphs to get you interested (emphasis mine):

Rather our way of life is changing not with a bang, but with a whimper, insidiously and self-inflicted, rather than abruptly and from foreign stimuli. Most of the problem is cultural. Unfortunately it was predicted by a host of pessimistic anti-democratic philosophers from Plato and Aristotle to Hegel and Spengler. I’ve always hoped that these gloom-and-doomers were wrong about the Western paradigm, but some days it becomes harder.

Over 90 million Americans who could work are not working (the “non-institutionalized” over 16). What we take for granted — our electrical power, fuel, building materials, food, health care, and communications — all hinge on just 144 million getting up in the morning to produce what about 160-170 million others (the sick, the young, and the retired who need assistance along with the 90 million idle) consume.

Given that the number of non-working is growing (an additional 10 million were idled in the Obama “recovery” alone), it is likely to keep growing. At some point, we will hit a 50/50 ratio of idle versus active. Then things will get interesting… 

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