GrokTV Event: Is the EPA / DoT / HUD “Sustainable Communities Initiative” a stealth way to Federalize local communities?

After all, that single piece of “non-binding” paper of extremely nice sounding verbiage is that quintessential “something for nothing” from a Government that is “here to help you”.

Problem is, after now being a political blogger and a (former) Budget Committee member, I have a very jaded eye when ANY level of Government says “we can help!”  as the unstated words are always “but with strings attached”.  Or with this “Sustainable Communities Initiative” that is being pushed onto local NH communities (and nationwide as well), those behind this Progressive Enviro’s wet dream, they are actually denying the depth of the “strings attached” (heh – more like string strung together like a net).

Now, after reading that above paragraph, some of you might be thinking “Yo, Skip, that tinfoil hat is reflecting too much sun into your eyes”.  In this case, however, I wish I was going off a bit half-cocked; I’ve heard of Agenda 21 and other similar stuff, but when Ken Eyring and Eileen of the Southern NH 912 Project were done with their presentation at the Rye Republican meeting, visions of snippets of stuff I’ve been reading for years all started to settle into place.  No longer random stuff – this is an attempt to start transforming how Americans live and work.  We all know the transformations of our energy industry that the EPA is now doing (regulating coal out of existence, demanding more of other sources), Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood has made no secret that his Federal Department programs are meant to decrease our use of mobility and instead, create “walkable” communities.   Sounds nice, but make no mistake – this is not to just make nice neighborhoods  – it is policy to get us out of and get rid of cars.  Remember: while Freedom can be measured by the choices we can make, they are all about the choices they will allow us.  And one they wish to deny us is mobility – “walkable” and public transportation will be the choices (I have another post from last weekend’s foray at  NetRoots Nation coming  soon exactly on this point).

But – I am getting ahead of myself.  Here is Ken and his presentation on this initiative known as the Granite State Future Plan – Part 1 of 3:

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Google Bombing Brett Kimberlin, aka “Velvet Revolution”

Mike has been doing yeoman’s work on keeping up on the Brett Kimberlin story (the “Speedway Bomber” that has been using his non-profits and Internet henchmen / minions to slag and harrass Conservative bloggers (like ‘Grok friend Stacy McCain and RedState’s Erik Erickson) to the point of driving them out of their houses, causing them … Read more

RightOnline 2012……Loading….

I am sitting in the Manchester Airport waiting to board a plane to RightOnline in Las Vegas.  Several other Groksters and NH bloggers are also sitting in airports, or will be, from various places, headed to the same destination.  So with any luck, we’ll have plenty of content coming your way throughout the Weekend. I’m … Read more

EMail Doodlings – “You all owe me”

There are a few people with whom I converse with a lot – some agree with me all of the time, and some agree with me most (but not all) of the time.  This is from a gentleman that used to agree with me hardly at all (in the beginning) but now keeps seeing the actions rather than just passively listening to the words.    He complains (rightfully!) (emphasis mine):

Skip – twice in the last week I’ve heard comments about Social Security that made me realize how far apart our perceptions are.

The first was from an 82 yr old nurse, who bemoaned the fact she wasn’t part of a union and didn’t have a pension, and she was living off of SS and it just wasn’t enough.
Now I realize nurses aren’t treated the best, but I don’t understand why she feels we owe her a pension.  Yeah, she’s a democrat.

The 2nd is from a pastor who wants to convert the amt a congregation pays into his synod mandated pension, into cash so he can pay down his student loans.
Sounds reasonable, except when he was asked about cleaning out his pension and the penalties incurred, he was ambivalent and said not to worry – SS would be there for him.  And he didn’t want it counted as income – he just wanted the congregation to pay down  his loan directly (tax avoidance).  Ambivalent I understand – it wasn’t his money in the pension plan, and he wasn’t going without to plan for his retirement.  Typical pastoral attitude – he expects to be taken care of.  But just how smart is someone with a master’s degree and over $100K in loans, taking a career that pays $1K/wk?  His wife also has a master’s with over $100K in loans, and stays home with a newborn.Yeah, he’s a democrat.

I am under the (misguided?) impression that SS is there to keep old folks out of the food pantry lines, and volunteering at the food pantry instead, for as long as possible.
Never did I suspect it was intended as a retirement or pension plan.  My parents had a different take on money – 10% went to the church, 10% went to their parents, 10% went to savings, and the rest is what they lived off of.  And my parents weren’t Rockerfellers – my dad never made more than the “average” annual income. And yet my parents sent 4 kids to college.  hmmm

thx for letting me vent.

A socialist society is a selfish society – and as Government does more and more (notice that I did not say Society!), people expect and then demand more and more.  And in the Pastor example above, the worth of other peoples’ money and contributions become meaningless and of little worth because, well, it is EXPECTED.  Think of it this way – which is more appreciated?  Something that you know should be part of life, that has become “the norm”?  Or something that someone gives you out of the blue for little reason at all (and for the trifecta – something that you have actually had to go out and earn)?  My response:

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Email Doodlings – on the “Modern” Episcopal Church

Last month, Steve wrote a post on the NH Diocese of the Episcopal Church as it was time to replace retiring Bishop Gene Robinson (the first openly gay Bishop whose ordination pretty much set afire the whole of the Anglican Church).  At the time, the choices were another gay man, a divorced woman, and a heterosexual man.  The post he linked to assured everyone that even the latter was “a friend of the LGBT movement”.

One of our loyal readers decided to take us to task for putting up such a post:

Skip – I’m calling you to task.  This is inappropriate.  But mentioning whether someone upholds all ten commandments would be nice.

I share your frustration – I just think there’s a better way to express it.

OK, confustion time on my part (not a hard state of being for me to be in, somehow):

You can call me to task any time you want – but I point out that I didn’t write the post.  To be honest, I haven’t figured out the conjunction of  your “This is inappropriate.” and “I share your frustration” – they seem to be diametrically opposed.  I get the second sentence (altho an Evangelical Christian, I am saddened by Churches that purport to be Christian but their leadership stray from Biblical teachings.  That’s why, when I was a Deacon in my church, I helped make the decision that we would withdraw from the American Baptist Convention because it was moving away from Biblical teachings to a more “social gospel” that was more in line with pop culture (in our estimation)).

But please explain your first sentence of “inappropriate”.

There are churches whose theology seems to reflect the Political Correctness of the Day.  Instead of using Biblical principles and interpret current events and issues through that lens of absolute standards, they twist those two things around and use that shifting sand of pop culture instead – after all, we can’t be hurting anyones’ feeling for telling them “er, that’s wrong”.  EVERYthing has become a target of the “non-judgmentalism movement”.  Problem is, then, what is right and what is wrong becomes entirely relative.  Is that anyway to deliver a Gospel message, when anything is permissible?

Skip – I mis-spoke – I meant that I wish to take GraniteGrok to task.  [It] seems inappropriate to mention someone’s sexual deviance…
Take the highroad and mention what they could have been measured against, or what they were measured by,  not what the media wishes to distract with.

Well, I was floored by this answer from this normally soberly outlooked friend.  In essence: “let’s not “see” the wrong in those that purport to be our spiritual Leaders and that are supposed to be the examples for their flocks; just see them as they are.  And besides, we can blame the media for this anyways.”  I am not a Calvinist in that I do not believe that everything in our lives is pre-ordained; we, given that we are created in the image of God, have Free Will – we can and do decide our own behaviors (all Progressive philosophy aside that holds that evil corporations and the dreaded 1% manipulate us all to make the decisions they want us to).

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Balloons and The Law That Almost Was

Balloon Bill HB 62 didn't pass but if it had...A special Interest story recently reported that a Balloon intentionally released in Michigan had landed in Bedford New Hampshire.  If we ignore the warm and fuzzy Bedford Boy Scout Troop members (who found the balloon) meet Michigan Girl Scout Troop (that released it), and jump in our way-back machine to New Hampshire circa 2007/2008, had HB 62 become law, someone in Michigan would owe the State of New Hampshire a $250.00 fine for littering.

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Some Super Fac’s About Super PAC’s – Before the Left Rolls out Their Tired Narrative Again

  From John Nolte at Breitbart/Big Journalism:  A few fac’s about super pac’s 1. Just like a campaign, Super PACs are required to publicly disclose any donor who contributes any amount over $200. 2. You wouldn’t know it from the media coverage, but… Yes, Virginia, there are pro-Obama super PACs currently hitting Romney and they’re … Read more

Byzantine

Common sense for the Choir but you should watch it because Democrats will hate it the way Vampires are supposed to hate the sun.  (Not like those wussy Twilight, ay walkers who look like bulimic Vanity Fair Cover Models ) Where was I?  Oh yeah.  America’s Byzantine Tax Code.  Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t-bVeLMz5mM

Axelrod – Can’t Fake Economic Optimism

When you cannot speak from a point of principle you will inevitable contradict yourself.  Democrats do it often.  And here’s David Axelrod (circa 1994) telling us that a sitting President shouldn’t fake economic optimism.  And certainly not from the 9th hole. Advice he seems to have forgotten to give to President Obama…and himself (Circa 2012). … Read more

Look For The Union Label (Hint: There’s a Hammer and a Sickle)

Unions being Unions: Angry socialists and communists Union leaders in Wisconsin promise that the fight to destroy capitalism will continue. We knew that, but thanks for sharing.  It’s nice to be able to remind the people who may have forgotten or never knew what your real mission was.  

Sometimes, a post needs to go up….and up….and up again. And then remind some that we didn’t think that they didn’t need them….at first.

From Steve’s post:

“They wont all need the Repair kit….but a few of them probably do…and we all know who they are.“

His minimalist Republican Repair kit really is all that is needed.  Really.  Two items.  The only thing I would add would be a STRONG Conservative outlook, demeanor, and action.  Oh yeah, one more thing that seems to be sorely lacking lately: Courage.  People will be willing to go to the mat for that person that embodies all that.  But that person, that singular personality, has to stand strong, stand up for the Right Principles, and when it counts, has made the decision to not compromise.  The example that lately comes to mind is WI Gov. Scott Walker – standing firm on Conservative principles, not backing down, and fighting the good fight.

This past Friday nite at the Future of Journalism weekend event was the first annual Brietbart Awards in honor of Andrew Breitbart who changed the outlook of the Right Blogosphere and was one of the most influential folks that helped to upset the balance between the MSM and the New Media.  He showed that simply showing up, and standing up, can change the direction of the political battles in which we find ourselves.  The first annual Award winners were:

Of course at such an awards night, there are others that are doing the introducing of the winners and such.  In each case, those that did were those that knew Andrew well or had touched their lives in a given way.  Dana Loesch, reporter for Breitbart and conservative radio talk host was one of the speakers and  made an impassioned, emotional speech (and yes, I have asked Erik Telford, VP at Franklin Center (along with the Heritage Foundaton, the hosts for the event) to see if there is video of it).  In it, she had two lines that meshed with the overall theme of the night, in which was that we are not just in a war of ideas, but in a Cold Civil War for the future of America just as real, just as deadly, and will have as much impact on our future that the actual Civil War had going forward.

  • You cannot win by running away
  • We cannot leave any warriors on the battlefield

Practical reasoning – practical advice. The following is not what Dana said, but what struck home as she uttered these principles.

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Blogosphere Line of The Day – Diversity on the Left isn’t that diverse

From the end of a post at The Corner: I hate to bring up other “mid-century notions” but intellectual diversity on the left is increasingly indistinguishable from Tupperware night with the Stepford Wives. I love a good turn of phrase! All those same plastic dishes, in such pretty colors – but just the same thing … Read more

“Carefully considered and narrowly tailored…?”

Governor John Lynch pretends he cares about free speechNew Hampshire Governor John Lynch Vetoed SB175 this week, a bill that would allow heirs to control the commercial use of a celebrities identity.  But I’m not all that interested in the Veto or the bill, I am more…amused…by the hypocrisy in his explanation for it.

The Union Leader reports Governor Lynch as suggesting that this particular bill could have “a chilling effect on legitimate journalistic and expressive works.” That “legislation that could have the impact of restricting free speech must be carefully considered and narrowly tailored?”

Had I been drinking coffee when I read this I would have spit it all over my laptop because this is the same man who two years ago said he was willing to sign HB1459 which would have bureaucratized paid political speech by any business out of existence for fear of failing to properly meet all the requirements before “speaking.”

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Jeb Bush On This “Temporary” Hyper-Partisan Moment

Jeb Bush is out there shilling for compromise. “Ronald Reagan would have, based on his record of finding accommodation, finding some degree of common ground, as would my dad — they would have a hard time if you define the Republican party — and I don’t — as having an orthodoxy that doesn’t allow for … Read more

Palate Cleanser – Stoned Wallabies Make Crop Circles

Stoned Wallabies creating crop circles in TasmaniaIn Tasmania the legal production of poppies is a major industry.  According to the BBC they provide about 50% of the worlds legal opium “for morphine and other painkillers.”  Some of the local Wallaby population has taken to digesting the plant and then wandering through the fields high.   This wandering is producing  “crop circles.”  Those worn down designs and mazes visible from the sky, believed by some to be the work of other-worldly beings, but not is Tasmania–It’s the Wallabies.

(Rumor has it they are not all exactly indigenous so this would still technically make them ‘aliens’ crop circles.)

Several thoughts come to mind if this were happening in America.

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That WMUR mention last night? Enthusiasm Drop-down?

“I can tell you that there is an enthusiasm drop-down compared to last time around.  Now, what will happen as we get close to the race, who knows?”

In trying to get caught back up from the weekend in Providence, I failed to see this email when it first came in (reformatted here):

Skip —

Was hoping to run into you at tonight’s Guinta kick-off.  Just looking for some perspective on the Congressman from the GOP/Liberty side of things.  If you can give me a call tonight for a phone interview before 10pm, I’d greatly appreciate it.  Sorry for the short notice!  I’m at XXX-XXXX.  Thanks!

Adam Sexton
Reporter, WMUR-TV

To be honest, I knew that Frank’s office was opening, but given that I was away the entire weekend, I just couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to let TMEW know: “Oh, btw, I’ll be in Manchester tonite”.  There’s times when a man has to know his [wife’s] limits, but more realistically, it was that enthusiasm gap – I just could not pump myself up to overcome the inertia to just stay home.  Adam has proven himself to me to be a fair reporter so I called him up and chatted for a little while and then he recorded a couple of sound bites.  Yes, the one that went over air was indicative of my current outlook.  A lot of TEA Party type folks got behind him in the last cycle – and so did GraniteGrok.  Expectations were high when he took office – me, the other Groksters, and a lot of those Liberty and Freedom activists that worked their butts off to the point that Frank beat Carol Shea-Porter in her hometown.

We activists promised that even if he voted “wrong” according to the Dems and the Republican Leadership, we’d have his back.  Promised.

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