Liberals (typically Democrats) and Conservatives (typically Republicans) have very different viewpoints about education. Liberals see the public school educational establishment (the unions, the government bureaucracies, the University Education Departments, etc.) as the way to educate children (except occasionally for their own children).
Conservatives believe results are the important thing, “Is the child getting a good education?” Government ads claim that every day 7000 children drop out of school and millions more graduate lacking basic knowledge. The educational establishment isn’t meeting society’s need to prepare children for adulthood.
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Here's a whole book on the subject....
Now that the New Hampshire primaries are over, and the opposing sides have shaken out, I have a couple or three observations about the Democratic Party and the people in it.
After watching their Presidential campaign ads, watching much of their national convention, and studying the faces and words of those people, I have to say that these people are not the Democrats of yesterday….
[Update: Romney left the Republican convention and headed…to Louisiana, to survey the situation. Obama… had all week to go…still aint been. Still too busy running for president to be the President.] Louisiana is getting pummeled by Hurricane Issac. President Obama has chosen to be on a three state campaign tour begging for a second term … Read more
Democrats today love name-calling about Republican “extremism.” I’t not getting much traction, but it does have a distinguished history. So…with a hat tip to a recent column by George Will, here’s what Dr. Martin Luthur King, Jr. had to say about “extremism.” In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” he wrote as follows:
At the end of the evening, there was one more person speaking in their own defense for their candidacy in a NH House race, and that was Harry Accornero in District 9. He spoke alone as his opponent, Glen Dewhirst, was a no show for the evening. Then, Dr. Chuck Fink was introduced as a write in candidated. Finally, a number of folks were allowed to speak to introduce themselves to the room’s activists even though they are not worrying about the primary – they go right to the general election. At the end, Alan just opened up the rest of the evening as an Open Mic session.
The last of the contested primaries here in NH’s Belknap County is that in NH House District 8: Jane Cormier and Peter Bolster.
Jane is a Conservative firebrand and is working hard to learn what is needed and working hard on her campaign. Our interview series with Jane ended here (see the Previous videos on the post for the earlier questions). She would be a breath of fresh air compared to her opponent.
Speaking of which, Peter Bolster, IMHO, is a Democrat registered as a Republican (and has publicly said as much in the past). We have written extensively on his dismal record as a republican in the NH House votes
it is sad (and maddening) that there are Democrats that are more in line with the Republican Platform than he is. In fact, I had a question to ask at the meeting and I followed the protocol of the meeting and wrote down my question and submitted it (after the jump).
“Independent” voter in the House? really? I will admit, he’s got chutzpah – he can’t possibly run using “Independent” in persuading most Republicans in the know concerning his actual record (which he did not go into). Read that again, look at some of the links, and it is easily seen that he has earned his title: RINO. What else do you call a Republican that consistently votes against the Republican Platform…..oh wait -> Democrat!
In Belknap County, there is a second NH State Senate race – that in District 7. Here, Josh Youseff and Bill Grimm are vying to be the Republican nominee to take on the Democrat contender. In my estimation, there is a certain divide between the two – Josh is more the Liberty & Freedom guy (and the last of our interview series with him is here; follow it backwards) while Grimm is more the Establishment guy. Also, as you listen to the video, it is plain that Grimm is not exactly “heads on and out front” on his answers; too much equivocation for me. And his unwillingness to commit to The Pledge is similar to one of the Democrats, Jackie Cilley (while less than that of Bill Kennedy who is opening arguing for a broadbased income tax here in NH).
No, that is not Josh in the video; instead, a surrogate stood in for him.
Next on the list of Contested Primaries night at the monthly Belknap County Republicans was that of the NH State Senate. Two races touch Belknap County – District 6 and District 7. The former, centered in Farmington, is being contested by Sam Cataldo (long term NH House Rep) and Dick Green (former State Senator & Mayor of Rochester).
Did I mention that Dick Green, as told to me, was a member of the infamous “Republicans for Lynch” (er, that would be current DEMOCRAT NH Gov. John Lynch)? A kindred spirit with Ray Burton (that ossified dinosaur). Yes, that is a”Conservative” outlook – really?
Going from the top race and proceeding “down ticket” at the event is that of the NH Executive Council and two candidates showed up for that: long time (in the tooth) politician and holder of the seat, Ray Burton) and Jerry Thibodeau who believes that he can overcome this ossified dinosaur and Master of the Patronage handshake (in my opinion) and change the name of the District 1 Executive Council seat back “to the people” (yeah, I’m biased – and have no problem in admitting it – I say what most other won’t DARE to about Burton). Especially with this:
These were not asked as a member of the New Media. Rather, they were submitted because I am a Member of the NH GOP State Committee:
To Ray Burton and Jerry Thibodeau (Executive Council, District 1):
Does it hurt the Republican “brand”, in your opinion, when an elected Republican official publicly endorses a Democrat in a race where there are Republicans running?
As in Ray Burton endorsing a Democrat up North? Like Dick Green (in running for NH State Senate now, who was a member of “Republicans for Lynch)”?
Why does Ray Burton get a pass from other Republicans – and why does Leadership do nothing as the Public looks on (often, with the mantra on their lips “There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between the two parties”) instead of cleaning up and cleaning house? Sheesh….
This past Wednesday nite was the monthly Belknap County Republican Committee (“BCRC”) meeting. I’ve missed the last few but only because there has been so many different meetings in so many places on Wednesday nites lately, I’ve gone to some of those “one time only’s” vs something that is there like a clock. This month, however, was different than most. Instead of the standard monthly mantra of one or two “special” speakers, it was devoted to giving those candidates that are in contested primary races (i.e., a higher number of Republicans running for a lesser number of available seats) here in Belknap County. Each race had all of the Candidates come up and talk, and answer questions from the audience if there were some. Here is Rick Parent, running to be the US Congressman from NH First Congressional District (his competitors were no shows):
Sidenote: Unfortunately, in what I felt was an overblown adherence to the so-called 11th Commandment (which generally is invoked to protect the guilty by those that can’t stand waves), MY questions were crumpled up and thrown away for being ‘too divisive in a public forum” by the BCRC Chair, Alan Glassman; I will be post them on the appropriate videos so that you may judge…oh heck, here they are:
Michelle Obama was in New Hampshire recently, talking about how Barack will win here because they have “New Hampshire Values.” I realize that what she meant was New Hampshire Democrat party values, which are more like ‘Chicago Values,’ than actual ‘New Hampshire values.’ You know the values she means; big spending, more taxes and fees, … Read more
Last night was the Granite State Institute of Politics Republican Gov. Debate that was hosted and moderated by John Burt. The two candidates seeking the Republican nomination for NH were Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith. Questioners were Alex Talcott (Communications Director for 4RG) and Speaker of the NH House Bill ‘Brien. The debate lasted about … Read more
Debates are all about the questions – and Speaker Bill O’Brien and Alex Talcott asked some pretty good questions of Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith. . The first four are here (questions 2 – 4 are after the jump).
Question 1:
“What names are Democrat politicians or others calling you that distort or oversimply what you are about and why are they wrong?“
Previous Posts:
Live Stream – GrokTV Event: The Granite State Institute of Politics Republican Gubernatorial Debate
Recording of the Live Stream – GrokTV Event: The Granite State Institute of Politics Republican Gubernatorial Debate
Continuing on with the questions from the Granite State Institute of Politics Republican Debate featuring Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith, here are the next four questions:
Question 5:
“Got my hair cut. Stylist complained about high gas costs. General thoughts on energy costs?”
Previous Posts:
Live Stream – GrokTV Event: The Granite State Institute of Politics Republican Gubernatorial Debate
Recording of the Live Stream – GrokTV Event: The Granite State Institute of Politics Republican Gubernatorial Debate
Question 1: What names are Democrat politicians or others calling you that distort or oversimply what you are about and why are they wrong?
Question 2: The Commissioner of Employment Security stepped down over fiscal corruption charges. What would you doto insure that ethics return to the Executive Branch?
Question 3: Salesman-in-Chief; why can’t Jackie Cilley or Maggie Hassan get on the horn and call up CEOs and credibly convince them to create jobs in NH as effectively the way you can?
Question 4: The Legislature left open the issue of education by the State this past term. Can you discuss what your understanding of the issue is, what its likely and possible impact will be on the State budget and how you would go about addressing it?
And now for the third set of four questions (list of previous questions and their links after the jump) from the Granite State Institute of Politics Republican Gov. Debate that was hosted by John Burt, questions asked by Speaker Bill O’Brien and Alex Talcott , and answered by the Candidates for the Republican nomination for NH Governor, Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith.
Question 9:
“One of the least known aspects of Obamacare is how it seeks to hijack State finances in order to expand insurance coverage particularly in the area of Medicaid. One area it does this in is doubling income elegibility. That’s the aspect to bring forward the decision. That’s the aspect and the reason for the Supreme Court decision that it is optional to the States. Can you tell us whether or not NH should take up that option and expand its population? As part of your answer, can you tell us where Medicaid is going in NH and how NH is going to finally be able to protect its sovereignty from the Federal Government trying to push us to overspending here in NH?”
A lot of people avoid politics because it seems so complex. And there are plenty of people who make it that way on purpose to keep those very same people from getting involved. If you are not involved you are more likely to buy into the nonsense or not pay much attention. But I’m here today to make it as simple as I can. It’s Friday. Things should be simple on Friday.
So here we go.
New Hampshire Democrats want to raise your taxes. (Just look at 2007-2010 if you doubt me.) They are convinced that the government needs the money more than you do and with Democrats the government always comes first. So the first thing they do is spend it, then find ways to tax it out of you.
Most New Hampshire Republicans would disagree. While there are some things government could do, can do, and maybe even should do, none of them take priority over you and your family, or your job or your business. And that is on the good days. In this economy we really don’t need to add to the cost of unnecessary government which is why the Republicans cut spending and the deficit, and cut unnecessary taxes and still balanced the budget, rather than taking money from you to do it. They wanted you to keep more of your own money, especially in these trying fiscal times.
