Hobbes – Granite Grok

DISQUS Doodlings: Karens, Karens, Karens all around – even if they’re named Laureen

GraniteGrok would be FAR less of a place to be without our commenters. SMART, too. But there are exceptions. I don’t mind at all when people from the other side of an argument come over to present their point of view. In fact, I’m of the opinion that Conservatives MUST go out and do battle … Read more

Tales from the BudComm – Progressives hating on NH’s history of volunteerism

by Skip

It must be nice to think that other peoples monies is yours to spend. I don’t. The budget season has just left the starting gate for this year and this past Thursday was the first “get stuff done” (as opposed to organizational stuff). Thus, time for budget sub-committees to start bringing the results of their … Read more

Abuse of Power Scandals Make the Case for Limited Government

by Scott Morales

I’m frequently bewildered when I observe the Big Gov pom-poms shaken, Big Gov banners unfurled, and its flags waved with roaring cheers and applause. I wonder if those doing the somersault splits have actually thought through what they are doing flips over. Have they thought beyond the obvious short term, immediate consequence of more Government goodies in their grab bags? Have they truly considered all of the aspects, long term, intended, and possible unintended consequences?

I don’t believe many of the Big Gov cheerleaders have really thought about the consequences of much of what they’re advocating, or perhaps they have and are simply insouciant about it. Because many of the “solutions” to problems the Big Gov folks advocate for, more often than not, distill down to more Government. Therein lies the problem. Even Obama’s confidant David Axelrod admitted the other day that “we have a large government” and that the “government is so vast” to really know what’s going on down in its depths. So, how does making it bigger help anything? It doesn’t.

But it’s not just the size. Big Government as defined by most on the right does not refer to its size

Laconia Daily Sun’s “journalist” Mike Kitch decides to make sport of newly elected NH House Rep Mike Sylvia

by Skip

I met Mike Sylvia a couple of years ago now. Being a Big “L” Libertarian, his outlook on the size and role of Government is different than mine (not in direction but in a matter of degree; same page, different paragraph). Which, however, puts him in the cross-hairs of the local Hobbessian believing scribbler Michael Kitch (not same page, not just different paragraph – a completely different book) who has a major problem with anyone that doesn’t acknowledge the Primacy of Government in the smallest affairs of individuals (lots of samples of similar behavior after the jump). He has this thing for anyone that attacks his belief that only Big Government can maintain peace AND demand equality (including redistribution of political and financial capital).

Now in this case, reporting on how the Belknap County NH House reps voted on the rules that have now reversed the ability of people to protect themselves (and now have to rely on the State – a Liberal denial of the Right to self-defense), could Kitch just have reported the news (which would have been just the vote count)? Sure. Did he? Nope. He decided that he had to take a poke at Micheal Sylvia, who sits on the side of Natural Rights (including that of self-defense). Did Kitch add anything of like manner from any of the Democrats? Nope – not even a whisper (and I bet there would have been an opposing view).