We know what Joe Biden is doing to us on the home front. We see it at the grocery store, the gas pumps, and our utility bills. We see it is on our credit card and home finance rates. We see it when we finance a car or check our 401K balance.

What is more difficult to comprehend is the damage Joe is doing on the international stage. The global impact is not so tangible, and you must look behind the curtains. When you do, you will not like what you see and why he has the lowest approval ratings of any modern-day President.

We see the endless money stream flowing to Ukraine like oil through a pipeline. We know much of that money is being skimmed, and some may even find its way into Biden LLC accounts. We know that China and Russia each pull the strings of the Biden puppet. You will never hear Biden call out China on human rights violations with the Uighurs or demand they stop manufacturing raw Fentanyl made into tablets in Mexico, killing our younger population in Small Towne America. But what is happening with Iran is very subtle, but the entire Administration is covering it up.

First, there is the $6 Billion that the Trump Administration had frozen. Biden unfroze the funds to sweeten the five-for-five prisoner swap in September. Biden and his staff swore the funds could only be used for humanitarian purposes, but Iran said it was their money and they would use it any way they wanted. There were reports yesterday that Biden finally refroze the funds. This action will be a sticking point when we begin negotiations to get our hostages back from Hamas.

Next was the sanctions placed on oil sales by Iran. Biden’s team swears they did not relax restrictions, but how do you explain 400,000 barrels produced in 2020 when we had sanctions and 4 million barrels per day now. Iran has used oil to enrich its balance sheet by over $50 billion. This could not have been accomplished with the sanctions in place and enforced. To say otherwise is a lie and insulting to the American people. Biden’s approach to Iran is very reminiscent of his approach to China. Truth and can never be pointed out for fear you offend a foe.

Whether Hamas out of Gaza or Hezbollah out of Lebanon, neither of these groups would have dared pull off this slap at America and the world without Iran’s blessing. The world is convinced that eliminating Hamas and Hezbollah without cutting off the head (Iran) is fruitless. The conflict is less than a week old, and protests against Israel are increasing globally. Criticism by the media about Israeli military tactics fills the airwaves, as are demands to turn on the water and electricity in Gaza. The world has gone soft and will not have the stomach to witness an urban battle necessary for Israel to satisfy its objective. There will be collateral damage, and that is unacceptable to many. It is a shame these same people were not so vocal when word of children beheaded or entire families left to burn alive in fiery buildings set ablaze by Hamas. War is ugly, and this will be no exception, but we must remind the critics that Hamas threw the first stone, and Israel deserves the right to throw the second. And let’s not forget the dead and captured Americans. Where are our actions to balance those actions?

The post What Does Iran Have On Joe appeared first on Granite Grok.

I met a lot of people at the Leadership Summit who were planning to come to Groktoberfest but had not yet purchased tickets. As we near the event date, I’d like to remind you that there’s no discount for waiting, and we’d like to know how much fun we can expect to have with readers, fans, friends, and family.

That’s a polite way of saying, if you can make it to this oversized GrokMeet, please buy your tickets this week. You can use the QR or the embedded form below – both of which are easier to navigate than the event page (Not a dig on the ticketing platform; it’s just a fact).

 

Support Independent Media – Please Scan the QR Code or Use the embedded form to get your tickets to Groktoberfest!

DonorboxEventWidget.embed({container: 'donorboxEmbed',embedFormSlug: 'https://donorbox.org/embed_event/504084'});

 

 

As a reminder, DonorBox might tell you this is a tax-deductible expense or donation, but that is not correct, and I have been unable to change that note. The ticket price pays for the event costs, and any remaining money supports GraniteGrok. Speakers and helpers are all volunteers. Our goal is to heighten awareness of our new circumstances. A paid staff member for whom we are raising a salary (that’s for me) and what we hope to accomplish with those dollars with a full-time dedicated Grokster. Taking GraniteGrok to the next, NEXT level.

We encourage you to get a ticket and come hang out with us for a few hours and then support us however you can. Read more, click more, visit our ad sponsors, donate online, or become a subscribing monthly donor. Or become a sponsor.

 

Free Speech Sponsor $100 VIP access* for a year for one email address when the service becomes available. Free Speech Guardian $500 VIP access*, and a Month of Promotional/ad space on Granite Grok. Free Speech  Champion $1000.00+ Free Speech Patron $5000.00+ Something larger in mind, reach out to us please.

Or just get a ticket and come hang out with us. Meet Corey Lewandowski, Dan Richards, Hal Shurtleff, Skip, and Myself, hang with some Groksters, local groups, and activists, but this is not a candidate event. No candidates are speaking, but they are welcome to attend and mingle, and you can talk about whatever you like. We won’t stop you.

Ian and Jody Underwood will be selling books, and we can listen to some music.

And we have a gun raffle (Ruger 10-22).

Note: at least a few folks said they could not make it but are buying a ticket anyway to support us. Thank you for that; we wish you could join us! And we’ll see everyone else on the 28th, 1-4 pm.

Location: The Londonderry Fish and Game Club
5 Lund St, Litchfield, NH 03052

 

+These levels of support are needed and welcome; we can’t reach our goal without them. If this is you, please contact us directly.

You can also support us by placing ads on the site—email steve@granitegrok.com for rates and options.

The post Reminder – Groktoberfest is Less than Two Weeks Away appeared first on Granite Grok.

Years ago, story after story would appear stemming from the developing  “outlook” of what Social Work Graduate Schools were demanding their graduates adopt. They kept throwing out students who were either Conservative, Christian, or both, or just not hewing to the Narrative of how the world was to be seen and dealt with by these newly minted graduates.

Some were within months or even weeks of graduating but were being told, “Sorry that you just wasted two years of your lives, but we aren’t going to let you be one of us.” I was agape that most of these folks’ grades were perfectly fine – just that their beliefs didn’t match up with the professors.

Imagine being told, in effect, to “throw away your Christianity” simply to get a diploma. To have to lie to get that sheet of paper? Isn’t the current mantra of “LeftSpeak” “be your authentic self”? But they didn’t have the right “disposition” to be authentic social workers, according to the Leftard Professors who believed, seemingly across the nation all at once, that only people like them could be trusted to “serve the people.”

These folks were being true to themselves – and were getting rejected. It’s been this way, however, for decades. “Inclusion” seems to have a NewSpeak definition that has the unspoken undertones of “but only if you are one of us – we get to inclusively exclude you if you aren’t.” And do so without penalty or accountability.

So why do I bring up these three specific words? Because something rubbed me the wrong way – seemingly a “new” disposition?

Part of my four-month “hiatus,” at least an extremely good part of two months, was taking thirteen classes offered by UNH that were designed for DCYF to educate both Foster Parents and Residential/Group Home staff members (newbies as well as ongoing). Some were “gut” courses, some were rather rote (even if on materials that I’ve never seen before but seemed to be common sense), and a couple near the end required a lot of time, thinking, and writing—sixty hours of classes.

At the end of every class was a questionnaire that wanted to know what I thought of the class – and I certainly told them what I thought. However, one question was always present and near the end of each of these end-of-class surveys.  While I failed to capture the survey pages (non-graded, so I didn’t bother), I should have. The question was (paraphrased) was:

Was this class taught in an inclusive, respectful, and equitable manner?

Huh? Say what? What is that question even trying to ask? Especially if most newly minting Foster Parents are just run-of-the-mill folks just wanting to open their homes to help kids in need and aren’t politically oriented like I am. I’m betting that they are wondering – huh? It’s only because much of my time is immersed in the viewpoints of the Left that I went, each and every time: WHY?

• Inclusive – well, everyone can take the class, right? Isn’t THAT inclusive?
• Respectful – well, almost everyone still recognizes what that means in the general sense, but the Left is slowly turning that definition around as well in that I (and you) are not to be respected.
• Equitable – OK, I have NO idea what or HOW that word even applies in this

So for each instance the above question was asked, I answered pretty much with this:

Why are “inclusive” and “equitable” even being used here?? Doesn’t “respectful” cover it all? Isn’t that the ONLY word that is necessary in your question?

Now realize that almost every class I took was self-paced. A number were supposed to take two weeks to do, a couple were three, and three were four weeks in length. I would generally do a class in a day with the four-week ones in a day and a half. So, I finished early and then went back to dealing, full time, with the Granddaughter, the school folks trying to work with her, DCYF, and now a host of “other party” folks being brought in to see what is ticking, kinda ticking, off-beat ticking, or not ticking within her. There is a consensus that is starting to build from all that, but that will be grist for a later post.

My point is that I rarely had to interact with an instructor unless I ran into problems (like dead links to external materials, outdated material, and things that didn’t make sense unless one was already an insider). I would have thought, after making it clear that TMEW & I were newbies to all this, that my question about the use of inclusive and equitable would have been taken seriously. After all, that WAS their role as “fixers” for such issues that I brought up. One would have thought perhaps ONE of these 11 instructors (two oversaw two of my classes each) would have taken my question seriously.

Sadly, now. Now, TO BE SURE, unlike the poor social work students at the top of this post, none of my grades were dinged even if I started to let my “authentic self” out in my answers. I had one 89% grade – all the others have been 100% with the exception of my last course (along with TMEW’s) for the title of Emergency Care Foster Parent – it is yet to be graded (due by 10/22).

Sidenote: I make no claim to be the smartest guy in any room – I’ve said for years that I’m just an ordinary schlub from Central New Hampsha; no better and no worse than anyone else. However, the one thing I’ve learned to do during my 40-year career in the computer industry IS to learn. Two STEM degrees and a whole FLOCK of technical certifications as technology changed and the companies I worked for said “Prove to use you’ve learned what we told you to do”. So, I know how to take tests and answer questions – that’s my “superpower” if I have any at all. I’m still just an ordinary guy…

So to that point (not dinged), at least there is still some intellectual honesty in the process. But it concerns me, 10-15 years down the line, that the Left’s outlook is sneaking into this kind of education in a matter-of-fact process: “Hey, this is normal – why are you complaining? WE are the experts, right?”. It is assumed that one is Woke to be able to answer the mandatory question (yes, I tried to leave it blank – they made it a mandatory answer text field).

It’s the institutional capture we’ve been dealing with all these decades: you are expected to accept our language.

All I wish, however, that ONE, just ONE, would have answered my question and leveled with me HOW inclusive and equitable were to be seen.

The post Was This Class Taught in an Inclusive, Respectful, and Equitable Manner? appeared first on Granite Grok.

If White Guilt needed a poster Girl, there are many from whom to choose, but if you don’t feel like looking, Leah Stokes fits the bill. She is the senior author of a paper funded by pro-wind-energy concerns titled “Prevalence and predictors of wind energy opposition in North America.”

Put down any beverage before you read this.

 

In the United States, opposition was more likely and more intense in areas with a higher proportion of White people, and a lower proportion of Hispanic people; in Canada, the same pattern held for wealthier communities. The names in articles associated with US opposition were overwhelmingly likely to be White. This suggests an environmental justice challenge we term “energy privilege,” wherein the delay and cancellation of clean energy in wealthier, Whiter communities leads to continued pollution in poorer communities, and communities of color.

 

Leah needs ot have a sit down and chat with Greta ‘How Dare You’ Thunberg. Muppet Greta led a protest opposing a wind project development in indigenous areas earlier this year. Something she called Climate Colonialism. I quickly pointed out how green-energy privilege leveraged as liberal privilege to create energy privilege was already ruining the lives of “indigenous populations” and their local environments.

 

Nearly everything “green” has CCP fingerprints on it. China owns many of the mines in Africa and South East Asia, where local low-wage or slave-level laborers work in criminally unhealthy conditions with massive environmentally damaging footprints. Not the fake damage used to sell the agenda but real, generational harm with long-term impacts on human health, land, water, and wildlife.

Can we expect Thunberg to visit the Congo, Indonesia, or the Mother Ship in China? What about CCP climate ‘colonialism’ and human rights violations? Will Greta stand before the UN and say, “How Dare You” support an energy transition under these circumstances?

And what about the rest of it? I mean, all of it. Are all the groups milking the colonialism schtick going to shoot their narrative or climate cash cows because the NWO energy transition depends on climate change colonialism and the harmful offshoring of emissions to third-world nations for the benefit of wealthy globalists?

 

It is a fine thing for Leah to collect data on wind energy development. Still, perhaps she should consider “whose land” they might be burying the unrecyclable bits from decommissioned wind turbines. Or how the planned exponential increase in the cost of electricity makes everything, not just electricity, cost more, and how that harms the poor minority first and most often?

That expanding domestic fossil fuel development in the US lowered the cost of living and improved the quality of life for tens of millions when the economic recovery that followed created jobs and increased wages for women, blacks, Hispanics, and teens to record levels.

Finally, that allowed to proliferate the economic and environmental cost of the rapid deployment of wind or solar is a) emissions offshoring to mines in third-world countries while China builds most of the green tech with dirty coal power, b) detrimental to the economic and national security of the West – putting more vulnerable people at risk, and c) would shift a significant portion of the middle class, including all people, below the poverty line.

So what if, maybe, these white people get all that and are doing themselves and, by extension, poorer communities a favor you are ideologically incapable of seeing?

 

The post White Guilt Wind appeared first on Granite Grok.

How much longer must we suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune from the political party that hates this country and hates us? You know, those of us who continue to do the difficult work of feeding, fueling, and defending this nation while the Hate America Party calls us racist, sexist, binary Neanderthals and climate deniers.

We want to thank Russ Wiles for this Op-Ed. If you have an Op-Ed or LTE
you would like us to consider, please submit it to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.

I am talking about the party that hates babies so much that they want abortion untethered to any limits whatsoever. The party that empowers criminals to terrorize us, even as some leftists have been targeted while outside their gated communities. Most GOP members act as though they have no idea that we are in a deadly game of survival with the party that embraces Marxism, the way toddlers cling to their teddy bears.

Dan Bongino is correct about fighting back, as if our life and liberty depend on it because it does. Kurt Schlichter is correct that we must vote out of office anyone who is unwilling to lock up criminals, deport foreigners here illegally, fire government flunkies, cut off funds to commie colleges, and demand that corporations decide if they want us as friends or enemies.

Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. yearned for a color-blind society with a focus on the content of character rather than the color of one’s skin. Yet, the Marxist Hate America Democrat Party now embraces the Southern Poverty Law Center’s recent slogan – “Colorblindness: The New Racism?”

As Dennis Prager notes, “the left generally holds the Constitution in contempt — at the very least, as a slavery-defending document.” The Democrat Party is on board with that notion. Where do you stand?

 

The post When Will Republicans Stand Up to the Party That Hates America? appeared first on Granite Grok.

When you show up at large events with mostly like-minded people in a state the size of New Hampshire, you will see people you know. If you write for GraniteGrok, some will know your work. The odds that they will not all love it seem likely, which is a good sign. We’re not monolithic bots. Debate is good.

But sometimes, people feel it is better to walk away and avoid debate either becasue they can’t support their position or, let’s be kind, they’d rather not say some unkind words. I’m unsure which this was, but he was not interested in talking to me. While mingling in the midst of several people, I knew this additional individual was introduced with the common, you know Steve MacDonald, don’t you? From GraniteGrok.

That last part appears to have been a problem. After a weak handshake and a look that went from ‘Hello stranger’ to, I know you (but not really), I was told we (GraniteGrok) should stick to calling out Democrats and that I cost Republicans votes. He was not a fan of what I called our very big woodshed with room for anybody.

As he turned and walked away, I asked if he’d write an op-ed making his case and that I’d publish it, but he wasn’t having any of that. I sensed that short of being the NHGOP’s MSNBC, there was no pleasing him. I shrugged, filed it away in what passes for my brain, and returned to the conversation I’d been having.

And here we are.

Does GraniteGrok cost Republicans votes? Not nearly as many as Republicans do, but the two things are related.

While we have painted the odd GOP candidate in a less-than-favorable light, the why is more important than the how. Politicians and activists, as a class, get filtered through the same lens. NH Constitution, US Constitution, Party platform, and the idea that limiting government is the purpose for which we elect representation.

I get that deal-making is required to move the ball down the field and that sometimes you need to put some points on the board, but if no one reminds anyone why, they increasingly score goals for the other team, maybe without even realizing it. Or, we score goals so they can claim some accomplishment in time for the next election, even when that achievement chips away at natural rights and liberties.

The other – more important issue – is that a member of a private club (the GOP) who feels no requirement to uphold the club charter is less likely to heed their oath of office. If the oath has soft edges, so do the laws those members create. They make excuses for inaction or failing to reign in abuses. The club that got them there takes a back seat to a ruling class club, and at the far end of this path stands many a Democrat for whom the law is a thing to manage society. The Constitution enacted to prevent these abuses becomes less a road map and more a barrier.

Elected office becomes more about what political power can do for them, not how they might use their influence to restrain it.

Yes, we target wayward Republicans, and we won’t always get that right. And not every author agrees with every other on every issue or even how to approach it. We agree that creeping tyranny is a problem, and it is not limited to Democrats. That limited government is always better. And that there is plenty of room in the woodshed.

We are not the GOP’s MSNBC. You won’t get flowery praise for half-measures. If you disagree, we’ll happily publish any defense of your position, but you have to defend it and then send it, or that won’t happen. And not just 300 words but 600 or more. All you have to do is take us up on the offer. You’ll get front-page access, just like the rest of us.

Or you can walk away, but we’ll still be here.

 

The post At Least One Person Was Not Happy to See Me at the NHGOP Leadership Summit appeared first on Granite Grok.

There were so many important voices during the Revolution that founded our great country. Politicians, Lawyers, Doctors, and, of course, Clergymen! In fact, the brightest stars of the Revolution were the voices of ardent clergymen whose hearts set on freedom for all men and whose tongues were swords of truth to set the captives free!

One Pastor who was an outstanding leader and motivator for freedom was the Reverend John Wise, who was the Pastor of a congregational church in Chebacco Parish in the southeastern part of Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Many people know that Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, and of course, Jefferson was brilliant on so many levels. But he drew his revolutionary concepts and ideas from a source not often credited with that Declaration. The ideas came from the pen and the pulpit of the Reverend John Wise. He was the first son of an indentured servant to graduate from the prestigious Harvard University. He was a forceful preacher, a community leader, and a fluent and provocative writer.

He was often at odds with government officials. In 1687, the New England governor, Sir Edmund Andros, at the command of King James II, without consent of the legislative body, levied a tax upon the citizens. Pastor Wise took to action swiftly and sounded the alarm that Tyranny was at hand! Pastor Wise roused the people of his community and others to oppose the tax. Well, guess what? The Governor had him arrested! He brought him before a crown-friendly jury and royalist judges, and he so angered them by his defense that they threatened to sell him as a slave. He was suspended from his ministry and fined. However, he did not stop preaching against tyranny.

A year later, Governor Andros was deposed, and Pastor Wise was vindicated. Wise was very forward-thinking and was able to communicate in print and speech some of the great foundational truths of the Declaration of Independence, a few examples are listed:

• God created all men equal, and every man must be acknowledged by the state as equal to every man.
• The end of all good government is to promote the happiness of all and the good of every man in all his rights: his life, liberty, estate, honor, etc.
• The consent of the governed is the only legitimate basis for government
• Taxation without representation is tyranny

As a writer, he penned two important works that the founders read and that fanned the flames of the Revolution. After his death, the reprinting of his books quickly sold out and was reprinted again. His two most famous works are: “The Churches Quarrel Espoused.” and “A Vindication of the Government of New England Churches.”

His stature was tall, and he was considered a very rough man physically. He is depicted as muscular and a formidable wrestler! The story told that he was challenged by Andover’s champion wrestler, Cape. John Chandler. Wise refused at first sighting his age, i.e., being too old and infirm. But the Captain was persistent and prevailed. In a makeshift ring, Captain Chandler grappled with the elderly Pastor. Wise promptly threw him completely over the wall/fence. Captain Chandler got up, shook himself off, and proclaimed that he would be on his way as soon as the preacher threw his horse over after him!

Finally, Cornell University historian Clinton Rossiter, in his great book, “Seedtime of the Republic,” traces six individuals that he considers the most influential thought leaders of the American Revolution. In his estimation, two were political leaders, but four were ministers of the gospel, and of course, Pastor John Wise was named among these great leaders.

Until next week!
Pastor Allen

The post Pulpit Polity – One of Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Inspirations appeared first on Granite Grok.

This is both funny and, well, funny – if you are not one of these people, trapped between the contradictions of the progressive narrative mill and a hard place.

A comedic performance of what it might be like to be an actor who has to pick a side to save his career becasue he has to post something on social media, but there’s so damn much to consider. And here he is considering it.

Watch as he explores all the factors, seeks advice, and …

Actor Not Sure if He’s Supposed to Support Israel or Palestine pic.twitter.com/X3UDB8HWPI

— Ryan Long (@ryanlongcomedy) October 12, 2023

 

The post “Actor” Needs Help – Not Sure if He’s Supposed to Support Israel or ‘Palestine’ appeared first on Granite Grok.

There was a discussion about an outside agency coming in to “train” students of all grades in “Social and Emotional Learning” at a particular NH-based School District. What concerned folks was its progressive word-salad mission statement (shared below).

And (also of concern) that our Federal and State Government Executive Branches often exceed their statutory authority as written by our elected representatives (and SCOTUS has started a determined effort to rebuff and constrain bureaucracies back into the legal limits set by duly written and passed laws), this is appropriate:

 

“Acceptance and inclusion” means you must tolerate boys competing in girls’ sports and accept the loss of your parental rights. I voted no on adding SEL to our Definition of Student Success when I was on the School Board.  I was the only 1 of 7 to vote No. Divine Right of Bureaucrats is NOT an acceptable substitute for Divine Right of Kings.  Free people reject both.

 

We should reject it all, but we are living in a neo-aristocracy that is often best shown when we bump up against “Left captured” agencies and subdivisions-of-the-State. Many people take Government at face value and accept, pretty much, what it says. This is counter to our Founding when Americans, highly skeptical of government, knew it would develop its own special interests and move away from serving citizens to serving itself.

Doubt me?

WHY, then, has it been so easy for me to publish story after story coming out of the Public (Government) School system where staff members are doing exactly what I just said?

SEL -> Social and Emotional Learning. Time spent on that is NOT time spent on base academics. There can be no objective measures for SEL lessons – and this shows, to me, at least, that they no longer care about standardized testing that allows parents to determine how well their employees are fulfilling their jobs.

And remember, the Left has redefined “Inclusion” to be “we’ll include anyone into our clique as long as you agree with us. Otherwise, our definition of “inclusion” means we can exclude anyone that doesn’t. Like all of their other re-definitions, this tremendously skews any discussion and argument to their premises.

“Acceptance” means “You WILL accept what you are told to believe and told how to behave. Otherwise, there will be repercussions that you won’t like” which will be a cross between the old style of shunning and Mao’s Red Guard’s “struggle session” in which you will learn to love Big Brother. “1984” was meant to be a warning, not a How-To manual.

 

Here is that Mission Statement:

 

The Browne Center works with a variety of youth and student populations to promote learning and personal growth in participants.

Our programs consist of a customized sequence of experiential activities that foster individual and team growth. In an environment that is fun, safe, and respectful, our programs also provide opportunities for participants to make positive choices, gain self-confidence, and learn skills that are critical to their development.

With a long history of working with schools, The Browne Center has developed a year-long in-school Social and Emotional Learning curriculum.

Whether a year-long implementation or a “peak day” at The Browne Center challenge course, our programs enhance skills in:

• • Social & Emotional Learning
  • Empathy and Trust
  • Communication and Leadership
  • Team Development and Community Building
  • Healthy Risk Taking and Resiliency
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Diversity and Inclusion

Youth & Student Programs Overview [PDF]

Common outcomes for our youth participants include:

• • Building skills in collective leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and conflict resolution.
  • Understanding how effective communication and peer support can enhance group decision-making, the development of trust, and positive risk-taking.
  • Creating an atmosphere of acceptance and community.
  • Welcoming and integrating new students.
  • Offering opportunities for students to take positive risks.
  • Strengthening relationships between staff and students.
  • Deepening student’s awareness around accountability and responsibility.
  • Developing skills needed to be able to resolve team conflicts.”

 

It all sounds “nice”, doesn’t it? As opposed to doing pre-calculus, Physics II, Chemistry, Civics, and American History….

Does any of this speak to our Founding Principles beneath the flowing, smooth verbiage?

 

The post We Did Not Swap One for Another – We Have Fought for Our Freedom! appeared first on Granite Grok.

Recent data from the Pew Research Center shows that from 1994 to 2022, Americans’ views of opposing political parties became increasingly negative. In 1994, only 21 percent of Republicans and 17 percent of Democrats held “very unfavorable” views of the other party. In 2022, that category rose to 62 percent for Republicans and 54 percent for Democrats. If we include those who hold “unfavorable” views, then over 80 percent of both Republicans and Democrats have negative views of the other party.

One of the many undesirable effects of this polarization is an environment in which anything can become a political lightning rod. Whether it involves Dr. Seuss books, Mr. Potato Head, or the Barbie movie, controversy seems to lurk around every societal corner. Nothing is safe, nothing is sacred, and anything can be weaponized by one political factor against another. The term often used to describe this perpetual conflict is “culture war”—a depressingly apt term. But through all the angry tweets, op-eds, and “cancel” campaigns, few ask about where these culture wars come from and whether we can end them.

While a complex social event is never the product of just one factor, culture wars generally emerge from one group of people using some form of power to pressure another group into changing its beliefs or behavior. The pressured group may fight back and cause the pressuring group to redouble its efforts. This cycle, if it continues, can broaden into a full-blown culture war.

What does this dynamic look like in practice? Imagine a country where a group of ice cream fanatics decide to make every citizen eat more ice cream. They might try to pass legislation that favors eating ice cream, attack and shame ice cream skeptics, and encourage eating ice cream as a social norm. They would probably win converts, but they would also make enemies (especially the lactose intolerant!). Those who do not wish to eat ice cream would react negatively and maybe try to push an anti–ice cream agenda. Soon, an ice cream culture war could break out, each side pressuring the other to conform to its beliefs.

The catalyst of a culture war is the pressure exerted by one group on another to adopt its ways of thinking and acting. But why do groups elect to use force on others to spread their viewpoints? Prima facie, there is no strong incentive to resort to aggressive evangelism. Societies are built through cooperation, even between those who disagree. The baker sells his bread to members of his political party as well as the opposing party. If he sold bread only to customers who adopted his political beliefs, the market would turn on him. The same incentive to cooperate exists for groups motivated by ideology. While it is certainly in their interest to add to their ranks, doing so in an aggressive and forceful manner is likely to work against them.

The state does not obey the same social norms as its citizens; its injunctions are not optional but coercive in nature. More importantly, such coercion (e.g., taxation, legislation, and law enforcement) does not exist in a vacuum but aims to achieve various ends. Interest groups looking to spread their beliefs can redirect state power to their own purposes. This may involve anything from getting a subsidy for an ideologically friendly company to using state-enforced censorship against ideological enemies.

As the power and reach of a state grows, so too do the opportunities to direct that power. In terms of total spending, the federal government of the United States is the largest in history. It is no coincidence that now, when the power of the state is greater than ever, culture wars are raging all around us. These conflicts are occurring not because people are deciding to fight with one another but because they are compelled to. If there were only free and voluntary associations, then alternative beliefs could coexist. There would be no need to promote, for example, one lifestyle over another, because everyone could live how they see fit.

But state power removes all choice and variety. As the state increases its control over domains like public school curricula and corporate subsidies, fewer ideas and directions are given a chance to succeed. Culture wars fester within such narrowing policy confines because values and beliefs are either represented or excluded.

Conflicts instigated through state power always spill into other areas of society. When the political representation or exclusion of one’s beliefs is at stake, a culture war can become an environment in which any means of defense seems fair game. Social institutions, corporations, and popular media can all be weaponized and wielded against one’s enemies. The result is as familiar as it is exhausting: unending conflict and controversy, with every institution, organization, and event in society politicized and nowhere to hide from the unceasing cross fire.

Culture wars are not created solely by the state, but a state with too much power makes them inevitable. High-minded sentiments about “having conversations” and “understanding the beliefs of others” might sound like appealing options for cooling the tensions of a culture war, but they gravely underestimate the scope of the problem. No amount of civil discussion will remove the divisions created by state power. Until that power is destroyed—or, at the very least, greatly diminished—the culture wars will continue.

J.W. Rich is an economics student and writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can find his other writings on his blog at thejwrich.medium.com.

 

JW Rich | Mises Wire

Mises Wire We heartily encourage reprints and shares of Mises Wire articles. If you wish to reproduce an article in your blog, magazine, radio show, newspaper column, classroom material, textbook, discussion group, website, or any other venue, please do so. The original publication source must be included in an appropriate place.

The post Government Is the Hidden Hand Directing the Culture Wars appeared first on Granite Grok.

Perhaps Ron DeSantis’ campaign would NOT have nosedived IF he had answered questions about UKRAINE and J6 like this. Instead, we have gotten platitudes on these two defining issues.

Pledges to “end the weaponization of government” CANNOT be taken seriously if you are NOT willing to say that what has happened …and is continuing to happen … to nonviolent J6 protesters is un-American and evil AND that you are going to do something about it.

 

I will pardon *all* Americans who were targets of politicized federal prosecutions & those who were denied due process – this includes all nonviolent Jan 6 protesters like @BrandonStraka & those who were denied their constitutional due process rights. It is un-American for the… pic.twitter.com/TqyVUPAvar

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) October 14, 2023

 

The post Vivek Hits It Out Of the Park At NHGOP’s FITN-Summit appeared first on Granite Grok.

Last week, while eulogizing the collapse of another hurricane season – during a super hot summer narrative season – I hinted at the latest caterwauling by the climate cult. OMG, September was so darn hot; it’s a record. Hardly.

But, but September’s temperature anomaly, you say, yes, it looks like a hockey stick, and we know how much the Cult loves those when they feed the proper narratives.

 

 

That’s a thing, ain’t it? Despite the lack of satellite data prior to 1979, one might be willing to accept the super-hot-September narrative without question. Many have and will and do, but they’d be jumping to conclusions.

Locally, the US anomaly was pedestrian at best.

 

 

A different look here: this is the three-month anomaly for the contiguous US. Not only was this summer, not the hottest (last year was hotter), but the summer of 1936 had a greater anomaly than any other year in the record, and none of that excess CO2 we are told is going to mean our end. The only thing scary is how natural and cyclical this record looks absent the Climate Cult narrative bias.

 

 

And?

This is all NOAA’s data, and NOAA is run by NASA, which means it is NASA data, and this isn’t exactly friendly to anyone who is not a card-carrying member of the Climate Cult.

But, but Global temperatures, they’ll cry – when the data winks at them and shows a little leg. When things are going the other way, as they have been for over a decade, there’s nothing to see.

Put differently, the climate is a series of years, decades, and sometimes centuries of trending that can’t be captured in one month or even three. The data we have is not even a wink in the history of Earth’s climate, which the secularists of scientism will remind us is older than the Bible claims. True dat, but so is the climate record, and it is not favorable to the approved cult narrative.

The current trend continues to be hospitable to life on earth but is more likely to get colder, making it less so while the Progs and their Green Army of idiots are working double-time to make getting warm nearly impossible.

Note: Steve Milloy has a relevant Summer/ 2023 Climate Facts PDF with more details, including on September 2023, here, if you are interested.

The post Temperature Anomaly Voodoo and The Scorching Hot September Narrative appeared first on Granite Grok.

Every time Congress decides to “debate” whether or not to give themselves a raise, they try to do it in secret because it’s a very unpopular move, for obvious reasons.

Whenever I hear that, I think of an alternative deal. The critters make $174K a year, which is about three times the average wages of the people who pay their salary.

The problem is that whenever these critters get together, their antics cost the taxpayers even more.

So, I have a modest proposal. If the critters want to grant themselves a $10k raise, I say give them a $50k raise, but only on the condition that they stay home and not “govern” us.

The problem, for us, is that they can make much, much more than that by not staying home. Feinstein died with a net worth of over $100 million. Pelosi has more than $100 million. There are others, in all parties, that have figured out how to milk the system for far more than their meager salary.

Consider the recent funding of Ukraine—hundreds of billions sent there with no accountability. Certainly, much of that has come back to members of Congress and their enablers in the military-industrial complex.

What if, instead, we officially recognized the obvious corruption and paid each member of Congress $100 million to go away? “OK, guys, you won. Take your winnings and go home. And never come back again.”

Let’s look at the economics.

Four hundred thirty-five members of the House and 100 members of the Senate. None Supreme Court justices, the President and Vice President. Five hundred forty-six hungry, corrupt mouths to feed. $100 million each is only $54.6 billion.

That’s less than half of the $113 billion that has been sent just to Ukraine in the last two years. Add that to the billions (trillions?) given to big pharma, big agriculture, big tech, and a thousand others.

And you can bet that there will be billions more sent to Israel as that certainly will become the darling of the military-industrial complex in the coming weeks and months.

So, I think giving every elected critter in Washington $100 million would be quite a bargain as long as they take the money and go away.

But what about the rent-seeking lobbyists? I mean, they bought these Representatives and Senators with their hard-earned (cough!) money. What will they get from my plan?

Well, that’s going to be between the critters and their enablers. The windfall that the critters would have received will have to be shared with their lobbyist enablers.

Maybe, in the spirit of transparency that my proposal would require, all lobbyist donors would be mandated to submit invoices to their beneficiaries detailing their contributions and demanding restitution, which would include principal, plus interest, plus a return that they expected on their investment.

Everyone wins. No more sneaking around with code words like Pedo Pete and “The Big Guy.” No more pretending that “we’re making the world safe for democracy.” No more lies about “you can keep your doctor,” “Yellowcake,” or “They hate us for our freedoms.” Plus a thousand others.

We all know the system is corrupt. Instead of dancing around trying to pretend everything is on the up-and-up, let’s just admit the bastards beat us and pay them to go away.

We’ll all be better off in the long run.

 

The post “A Modest Proposal” appeared first on Granite Grok.

It is not often that an entire city reaches such a level of decay that it deserves to be entirely razed to the ground, removed from existence. Sodom and Gomorrah are the pivotal examples in history that were destroyed by hellfire.

Whether that meant a natural disaster, an attack by an extraterrestrial force, or some sort of Earth-based warfare is up to your interpretation of historical accounts in the texts. Those cities hypothesized to have existed on the southern coast of the Dead Sea or thereabouts no longer exist.

“Ye shall know them by their fruits,” goes the biblical maxim. And what are the fruits of Gaza? Terrorism, plain and simple. A manifestation of pure evil. Last weekend, religious zealots spilled over the 1950 Armistice Agreement Line and went on an orgy of death. What followed has been widely discussed as to what actually happened. The details are unspeakably despicable and revolting to a good, upstanding citizen. The fact that so many are willing to engage in conversation about whether or not children were beheaded is a clear exhibit of the shocking moral decay of the entire English-speaking world.

The kneejerk response of some political figures and even student groups was to celebrate Hamas and affirm the Palestinian people’s right to resist their occupation. How stupid are these people? In cities across Europe and North America, Muslims held public rallies to support Hamas. The blowback has only begun. There is a simmering rage that is patiently waiting to unleash righteous justice.

Yes, Palestine has been oppressed, and at some points in the years since the establishment of the state of Israel, the citizens of Gaza have been treated like caged animals, confined to a narrow strip of land. But that was in May of 1948, now nearly 75 years ago. In all of that time, the Palestinian people have succeeded in two very distinct outcomes that define their present reality: (1) They have served as a breeding ground and civilian shield for Islamic fundamentalists’ war against Israel, and (2) They have utterly failed to build a functioning government or establish legitimacy as an actual state in the international community.

How long does it take a people to successfully build a government to represent themselves? I ask with astonishment. There are many governments that have successfully been formed and joined the international community since 1948, the date of Israel’s creation. That list includes every modern country in Africa (except Ethiopia, Morocco, Liberia, and South Africa), many Caribbean island nation-states, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Fiji. South Sudan, for example, became a successful independent state with a functioning government as recently as 2011. So, why do Israel and Palestine continue with their ridiculous two-state solution featuring a splintered Palestinian state across two geographically distinct territories— Gaza and the West Bank?

I offer you a perspective on the situation. Take the position that Israel-Palestine is one state. The main power centers are Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Gaza has been denied or failed to create a functioning government— see the causes for that as you like. The reality is that the government of Israel has total power and control over Gaza and the West Bank. Those territories and the people in them exist at the mercy of the Israeli government. That also means that Israel can de facto control when and how it engages with Gaza.

In the past decade or so, the IDF’s incursions into Gaza have been limited in scale, temporary in duration, and intended to be incisive so as to root out anti-Israeli militants. They were justified by the reality that militias, many Iran-backed, were constantly and regularly firing rockets into Israeli territory, typically haphazardly at civilians. Gaza was little more than a base for violent anti-Israeli jihadist militias. What country in its right mind would allow such a constant threat to exist directly on its border?

If you consider Israel-Palestine to be a single entity, then the socioeconomic structuring of the population is fractured and essentially two-class. Israelis are in a superior position, with Palestinians severely disadvantaged with those in Gaza the most disadvantaged. The real result of this situation has become that Gaza is a power lever for Israel that enables its incredible influence over world events. The globalization of the Islamic community and the spread of sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian people has made this situation such that there are groups of Palestinians, Palestinian sympathizers, and outright Islamic jihadists in cities across Europe and North America and in other urban centers in the Mideast and Asia as well.

When Israel acts with any force against Gaza in retaliation for the monthly barrages of rockets, there is protest and outcry. The Palestinians have won the hearts and minds of many on the political left worldwide. The situation in Gaza is a lever of power that can turn on globalized rage and outcry against injustice, colonialism, and state brutality. This is in the terms of the political left. Gaza is a time bomb.

To prevent further escalations of conflict and to defuse the situation entirely, there is one absolute way. That is to totally destroy Gaza and relocate any civilians there who are actually peaceful civilians. They can move to Egypt, Saudi, Jordan, Lebanon, or even the West Bank. Anywhere. But this is one solution that is painfully clear: Gaza does not deserve to exist.

Gaza has not negotiated for itself a functioning government or territorial integrity. It is barely able to maintain its own sovereignty, if it has any, it is a stretch to acknowledge. And it insists on continuing as a shield for jihadists whose main goal in life is to kill Israelis.

This is a proposed solution that is harsh, but life is harsh. Reality is harsh. Gaza is a tumor on global civil society. When it is pressed, it creates pain and anguish all over the world. It is a decaying city with outdated infrastructure and little chance to ever stand on its own as a prospering state.

The current global environment is perfect for refugees. They can walk across the US-Mexico border and get a free iPhone, paid luxury hotel for several months, and free US citizenship. They can do the same in many European countries and many Arabic countries, too.

Palestine can be the West Bank, and that would be a massive step forward for peace in the Mideast.

Just get rid of Gaza.

 

The post The Case for Razing Gaza appeared first on Granite Grok.

If you are not familiar with Aaron Day, he’s a serial entrepreneur who is running for President. And while that may look like a long shot, he’s still got a lot of critically important knowledge to share that is worth our time ad attention.

We’ve known Aaron for a while. He is something of a fixture among the grassroots and within the Liberty Alliance. He also has a unique understanding of the dangers of Centralized Digital Currency. He sat down with Jan Jekielek for Epoch TV to discuss it, and while it is nearly an hour long, I think you should watch it.

We can’t share it here, but you can watch it at the Epoch Times, and I’ve got a few snippets from the transcript to entice you to do exactly that.

Aaron begins by talking bout how he got here, the businesses he started – and how the government kept intervening to wreck them. It gives you some insight into his mindset and approach to problem-solving. His embrace of Bitcoin and digital currency and how that led to exploring government control of currency and by extension, human activity.

 

I’m focused on CBDC as somebody that’s a proponent of liberty and has moved to New Hampshire because of my libertarian values. I see central bank digital currency as the single biggest threat to human liberty. It is the gateway to everything that you just described. Once your money can be monitored, controlled, and censored by the government, that ties into social credit systems, vaccine passports, and digital IDs. That is the plan. This is something that’s actually been worked on. We are 50 years into a plan to push for a one world, global, technocratic form of government with this level of top-down control.

…

 

No, free countries weren’t thinking about this. About 20 countries were looking at exploring this in 2020. It’s now 2023 and 130 countries are exploring CBDC, and 20 countries will have implemented a CBDC by the end of this year. Over a billion people on this planet will be using a CBDC by the end of this year. What’s more alarming is that the United States has actually conducted three pilots.

The official view that you will hear from the chairman of the Federal Reserve is, “We don’t know if we will be looking at this. We don’t know if we’re going to be seriously pursuing this.” The reality is they have conducted three successful pilots and they already have the technology needed to roll out a CBDC in the United States. That’s the discrepancy that we have.

 

And one more …

 

There are three pilots. The first one is a pilot called Project Hamilton. The MIT multimedia lab was involved in all three of these pilots. Interestingly, the guy that was the chair when these things were started had visited Epstein’s Island twice.

You can’t make this stuff up. It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but there it is. This MIT group has been involved in each of these projects. Project Hamilton is a retail central bank digital currency. That simply means this would be the replacement for what we consumers use on a day-to-day basis as cash.

They did a pilot from 2020 to 2022, and this pilot was able to handle 1.7 million transactions per second. I’ll tell you why that’s important. If you look at Visa, MasterCard, and now this FedNow thing, which I could talk about separately, the current, traditional financial system can do between 50,000 and 100,000 transactions per second.

This Hamilton Project pilot can do an order of magnitude more than the traditional financial system, and that technology is sitting on the shelf. In the conclusion they said, “While we have the technical details worked out, there’s still a few things we might want to tweak. The real next step is figuring out the legality of how to roll this out, and the marketing of how to get people to accept this.”

People can be complacent and say, “This will never happen in America. They don’t have the technology yet.” No, it’s literally on the shelf. Project Cedar was a wholesale CBDC pilot. This is basically a CBDC that’s used for banks to communicate with one another for larger transaction volumes and to do transactions across the border. That pilot was concluded.

There is another one that’s even more dystopian, which was why they gave it a bland name. It’s called the Regulated Liability Network. The idea behind that one is to create one ledger that tracks all CBDC transactions. It’s basically a way of consolidating and managing all transactions and all digital assets, whether they are CBDC or non-CBDC.

It has taken me a while to summarize all this. I’ll give you an example of what it means and why it’s important. Imagine a future where there is no more cash, and the only thing that you can use to make purchases is CBDC. For instance, you go to the Apple Store and use your CBDC to buy a computer, and now your computer is given a digital token.

That digital token is tracked on a ledger along with your CBDC purchase of that computer. If the government decides they don’t like something that you’ve said online, or if you have a social credit score like they have in China where you have dipped below a certain level, they can not only shut off access to your money, they can shut off access to your computer, because your assets are actually assigned digital IDs. That is what is being contemplated with the Regulated Liability Network.

You can watch the entire conversation here, after which you can consider yourself as about as up to speed on CBDC as you could. Feel free to thank Aaron when you see him.

 

The post Aaron Day on CBDC and The Dangers of Currency Control appeared first on Granite Grok.

It has been a week full of news about Iran’s Islamist Jew-hating-proxy Hamas’s massacring innocents within Israel. Acts of terrorism on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War when the Arab countries of Jordan and Egypt attacked it.

Streaming out of the Gaza Strip (between Israel to the east and north, Egypt to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west), they then retreated back into Gaza, showing their true colors; if they could, they would initiate Holocaust 2.0 immediately.

The week’s news has also had the effect of showing us who the Jew-Haters are around the world and here in NH (In NH, Dozens Gather To Defend Hamas While Hundreds Rally for Israel).

Of course, they are Progressives.

• “…Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), who has long supported the Biden administration’s outreach to Iran and voted against pro-Israel resolutions in the past…”
• the Party of Socialism and Liberation, whose leader, Joy Douglas, said:

At the same time, Douglas insisted reports of mass Israeli civilian deaths at the hands of Hamas are untrue. No civilians were murdered in their homes, no hostages were taken by terrorists, and no 300 concertgoers were gunned down by terrorists using paragliders. There’s no documented evidence that those people are dead,”

Holocaust Deniers in the Service of Islam and Progressivism/Socialism.

 

Gaza, Gaza, so what is this place – Gaza? Here is a template (map) to review if or when you watch the news.

 

(click to embiggen)

 

One would think that given their size and population, they COULD have gone in the direction of “not much land, not much in the way of resources – so let’s go intellectual!” and maximized what they have.  Instead, they’ve engaged in a fruitless and blinkered outlook that they can really succeed in killing all of the Jews (“from the river to the sea”) and conquer Israel in an Islamist Jihad.

HT | Visual Capitalist

The post With All This Talk About Gaza … appeared first on Granite Grok.

I spent most of yesterday hanging (Press Pass) with a few hundred Republicans on day one of the NHGOP First in the Nation Leadership Summit, collecting videos including several of the candidates who spoke, as well as talking to a lot of Republicans outside the main ballroom.

Clips below include Chris Christie, Perry Johnson, Doug Burgam, Ronna McDaniel, and Ron DeSantis. I did not stay late enough to hear Nikki Haley or Vivek Ramaswamay. All that old age and treachery caught up with me, and the event was running about 40 min behind schedule.

I was hoping to get something for everyone, so I apologize for missing those two if you think they are the next best thing in presidential contenders.

I cannot attend day two (today), so no Asa Hutchinson, Tim Scott, or Mike Pence. I know. You were all pining for some Asa Hutchinson.

Overall

I can’t tell you how many times I heard someone say we must work together, unify behind our nominees, and how we can’t win if we don’t. It is a serious concern (but when is it not?). And while there was plenty of talk about what was wrong and what we need to fix, winning mostly meant stopping Dems from ruining the country or finishing the job the Left has started. That’s a big order, and everyone who spoke wants you to think they are the one.

Fair enough. Desperate times. Room for debate, but that aside, everyone who spoke sounded great. They all had good ideas and made excellent points. Hit something out of the park if you like—no shot in hell, but they had ideas that should not be ignored.

I did not record all of those ideas. My goal was to get a few seconds from each candidate to get a feel for their delivery and focus—some more than others.  I have several clips from DeSantis, but neither quality nor quantity are meant to show any preference. Nor are my notes anything but a few neutral observations of how I interpreted what I heard them say.

The Contenders

Chris Christie was the first Republican Presidential primary candidate to speak and the only one where I saw people leave the ballroom in deliberate protest. A small crowd got a little smaller, but it was early, and not everyone was there, perhaps protesting by simply arriving later.

Christie focused on the connections between what is happening in Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. He identified an evil axis without calling them that. China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Their goal is to create fear in the world. He also noted that Putin must be pleased about Hamas (helped by Iran) distracting us from Ukraine. How Putin wants to get the Soviet Union Band back together and letting him have any bit of Ukraine will embolden that.

This video is not edited and presented as is mid-thought or mid-stream.

 

One Clip

 

Next up is Perry Johnson. We learned about his blue-collar roots and self-made status. He’s the guy who wrote (created) the ISO 9000 standard (using quality metrics to optimize cost, quality, and productivity). That the RNC doesn’t like him becasue he would take away their power in Washington. And most importantly, how we need to fix the deficit and budget problems and how doing so will energize our economy. That every failed empire on earth went down becasue of economics.

He is pro-oil, pro-Israel, and would scrap the Dept of Ed. Again, the video is not edited and presented midstream and as is.

 

 

One Clip



 

Doug Burgam talked about energy, the economy, national security, job creation, the perils of war weakness, and Biden’s energy policy. One example was how Biden’s commitment to ending oil production affects Southeast Asian allies (especially Japan). They rely on the US for energy security. Biden’s commitment puts them all at risk from a geopolitically aggressive and expansionist China.

Burgam would open oil production – wide open – as both a move toward energy independence and to ensure allies who rely on it are not left to squirm under our enemy’s boots.

 

One Clip

 

Ron DeSantis had the most significant and loudest crowd, but I was not there for Nikki Haley or Vivek Ramaswamy, so again, that I saw. Lots of enthusiasm and his supporters appeared well-organized and there to put on a show for the cameras.

And he did have a great message and delivered it well without bashing any of his challengers. I have several unedited clips from his remarks. He stands with Israel. Defends Parental Rights. Rule of law. He wants the constitution enforced and opposes the administrative state as in – time to disarm the weaponized bureaucracy (my words, not his).

He wants to see the CDC, FDA, and NIH held accountable. Gov ROn went on to list his accomplishments in Flordia, from blocking CBDC to CRT to DEI. Lots of Republican red meat and all of it was well received.

 

 

Clip One

Clip 2

Clip 3

Clip 4

 

To close (as another reminder), yes, had I stayed later, I would have provided multiple clips for Haley and Ramaswamy, who are also, in my opinion, more interesting candidates likely to stimulate the most debate. They are not high on my list, but we have readers who would want to know what they had to say.  So, my apologies (again) for not having the stamina to make it until the end of the first day. The event was running late, and that was a big factor. But I was excited to get out and do some “reporting,” if you will, and plan to do more in the coming days and weeks.

Wait, I have one more. Ronna McDaniel spoke before Ron DeSantis if you are interested.

 

One Clip.

 

The post Pics, Video, and Observations from the NHGOP FITN Leadership Summit appeared first on Granite Grok.

The latest announcement from Steve Scalise has opened up the way for Jim Jordan. This decision that he has withdrawn from the race for the House Presidency was announced during a Republican conference meeting on Thursday night. Scalise had previously clinched the nomination for the post after narrowly beating Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, following a vote by the Republican conference on Wednesday.

The race for the next Speaker of the House had been underway following the unanticipated removal of Kevin McCarthy. Two candidates had emerged as frontrunners: Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan. While Scalise had secured the initial nomination in a secret ballot, it did not guarantee his ascension to the Speaker’s chair. He had to garner still sufficient support to win a total chamber vote.

Moreover, Scalise’s victory in the closed-door session, with a vote tally of 113-99, has sparked outrage among many conservatives. Much like McCarthy, some members see Scalise as a part of the “uniparty” establishment, a continuation of the status quo. This led many conservatives to rally behind Jim Jordan, a figure they see as representing their values and ideals.

Jim Jordan is not just another politician but a beacon of hope for conservatives. His candidacy is supported by none other than former President Donald Trump, a fact that bolsters his appeal among hardcore conservatives. Yet, despite this endorsement, the final decision rests in the hands of the House of Representatives members.

Interestingly, Jim Jordan had offered to nominate Steve Scalise for speaker on the House floor, which speaks volumes about his dedication to party unity. Despite narrowly losing the nomination, Jordan reminded his colleagues that the ultimate goal is to secure at least 217 votes on the floor, which is needed to officially elect the Speaker of the House. However, this was far from an endorsement of Scalise.

The reasons provided by Scalise were “the deep divisions within the Republican Party” and, therefore, “the inability to secure the necessary votes.” Despite being formally nominated by the House Republican conference, Scalise felt that the meeting still had not come together and was not united.

Moreover, concerns were raised over Scalise’s health, as he is battling blood cancer. While this was not the main reason for his withdrawal, it did add to the uncertainty surrounding his bid for speaker.

All the while, Jordan’s emphasis was not on ‘personal victory’ but on ensuring that the party presented a united front. This was evident in his decision to offer Scalise his support and attempt to persuade his colleagues to do the same. However, the deep fractures within the House Republican conference made it difficult for Scalise to secure the necessary votes to win the gavel.

Many had vehemently argued that such a process as a secret ballot conducted in Congress lacked transparency. In retort, Scalise accused conservative holdouts in the speaker’s race of having their own “agenda” and stated that he believed they needed to put their agendas aside and focus on what the country needed. Indeed, it was the belief of many conservatives that all votes put forth in the name of constituents should be transparent, allowing those constituents to monitor the actions of their representatives.

The GOP Congress’s decision to go behind closed doors and choose Scalise over Jordan has been seen as yet another instance of the party disregarding the desires of its voters. Despite the overwhelming support for Jordan among Republican voters, the party opted for Scalise, a decision met with widespread disappointment and frustration.

In a political landscape where big money donors and lobbyists often dictate the course of action, it is no surprise that they favor Scalise for Speaker. This influence is often seen in campaign finance, where wealthy donors can pour unlimited amounts of money into campaigns through Super PACs, drowning out the voices of ordinary Americans. However, it is the voters who want Jordan as Speaker, a sentiment that appears to be largely ignored by the Republican Congress.

The actions of our elected representatives have made it clear that they are not working for us; they are working for themselves. This is a wake-up call for us to hold them accountable and demand that they act in the best interest of our republic and not just their own.

To this effect, the Republican Accountability Project has launched an initiative to hold Republican members of Congress accountable for their votes, including by helping credible primary challengers against them. While it may be challenging to reduce the influence of big money donors and lobbyists on American politics, there are efforts to limit campaign finance, increase transparency, and enforce fair and effective election laws.

So, despite Jordan’s efforts to rally support for Scalise, it was clear that the race for the Speaker position was far from over. Some members of the House, including several of Jordan’s supporters, have indicated that they will still be voting for Jordan. This suggests that while Jordan may prioritize party unity, his supporters still see him as the best candidate for the Speaker position.

It is now clear where the hearts of true conservatives lie. They lie with Jim Jordan, a man they perceive as representing their values and ideals. Their support for Jordan is his political stance and their desire for transparency, accountability, and a government that genuinely represents the people it serves. As the final decision looms, one thing is sure: the voice of the people and true conservatives demands to be heard.

As the latest development of Scalise dropping out of the Speaker’s race unfolds, Jordan should have a clear path to victory, that is, if Republicans can come together and unite the party.

The post Jim Jordan Is the Conservative Choice appeared first on Granite Grok.

We used to use the phrase “Bring Big Flashlights” when we first started, but like many things, there were lots of “Shiny Objects” that captured my attention over the years. And after my latest DCYF-induced hiatus of several months, I am starting to rev back up again.

And what better way than to go back to doing what our NH Constitution holds us, we citizens, responsible to be actively doing:

 

[Art.] 8. [Accountability of Magistrates and Officers; Public’s Right to Know.] All power residing originally in, and being derived from, the people, all the magistrates and officers of government are their substitutes and agents, and at all times accountable to them.  Government, therefore, should be open, accessible, accountable and responsive.  To that end, the public’s right of access to governmental proceedings and records shall not be unreasonably restricted.  The public also has a right to an orderly, lawful, and accountable government…

and

[Art.] 38. [Social Virtues Inculcated.] A frequent recurrence to the fundamental principles of the constitution, and a constant adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, industry, frugality, and all the social virtues, are indispensably necessary to preserve the blessings of liberty and good government; the people ought, therefore, to have a particular regard to all those principles in the choice of their officers and representatives, and they have a right to require of their lawgivers and magistrates, an exact and constant observance of them, in the formation and execution of the laws necessary for the good administration of government.

After all, if you accept the definition of “Character” to be “that which a person does when they don’t think anyone is looking or can find out”, I have learned the hard way that there are more than a few that have no compunction in trying VERY hard to do those things the rest of us would turn in disgust. Therefore, we ALL must be vigilant and observant to ensure that those we put into trust positions, by election, appointment, or by hiring, continuously keep to high standards in keep that trust alive. It’s called Accountability.

So, in my restart, baby steps. After all, I am getting a bit creaky and starting to run takes a bit of time which makes me a bit cranky. That said, can one find joyfulness in being cranky the right way (I’m sure trying to make that happen!)? Well, I’m going to try:

—— Original Message ——
From “Skip” <Skip@granitegrok.com>
To randerson@mascenic.org; jlampinen@mascenic.org; tfalter@mascenic.org; kmatson@mascenic.org; eneilson@mascenic.org
Date 10/12/2023 1:47:02 PM
Subject RSA 91-A Demand for SAU87 Enrollment Information

Good afternoon, School Board members,

Please find, attached to this email, a Right To Know demand for Enrollment information for the past five (5) years for the High School as well as the District as a whole.

I thank you for your lawful attention in this matter.

-Skip

Skip Murphy
Founder, co-owner
GraniteGrok.com | Skip@GraniteGrok.com

And, since I haven’t posted one in full for a while, here is the RSA 91-A demand that I sent:

October 12, 2023

Right to Know Request per RSA-91A: Total Enrollment information for the Mascenic Regional School District / SAU87

[Art.] 8. [Accountability of Magistrates and Officers; Public’s Right to Know.] All power residing originally in, and being derived from, the people, all the magistrates and officers of government are their substitutes and agents, and at all times accountable to them. Government, therefore, should be open, accessible, accountable and responsive…The public also has a right to an orderly, lawful, and accountable government…

Demand:

Pursuant to the Right to Know Law (RSA. 91-A:4 (I) ), I am demanding access, within 5 business days, to the below enumerated Governmental records:

• For the last five (5) years, the following enrollment numbers:
  • High School number of students
  • Total District number of students

If this cannot be fulfilled within that 5 business day mandated window per RSA 91-A:2, II, please advise when the Responsive Record(s) will be made available.

Per RSA 91-A:4 IV(c) If you deny any portion of this request, please cite the specific exemption (RSA 91-A:5) used to justify the denial to make each record, or part thereof, available for inspection along with a brief explanation of how the exemption applies to the information withheld.

Additional: It is not up to the Requester to be made to look up the subjects or materials that are the focus of this Right To Know (e.g., from the Respondent: “here’s the URL so do the search yourself”). It is the responsibility of the Respondent to fully supply all demanded materials.

As you are aware, in 2016, the New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled that a governmental body in possession of records is required to produce them in electronic media using standard common file formats: Green v. SAU #55, 168 N.H. 796, 801 (2016). Unless there is some reason that it is not reasonably practical to produce such, explain why it is not practical to comply.

Please also note, per RSA 91-A:4 III, III-a, and III-b, you are required to maintain the safety and accessibility of such Responsive Records. This also includes such responsive records (e.g., emails, query files, policies) which may have been deleted from respective local hardcopy or software systems but are still available on the applicable servers or in application or archival system(s) either in-house or hosted.

Please let me know when these records are available for inspection or you may email the records to me at Skip@GraniteGrok.com. If the volume is turns out to be substantial, I’ll be happy to supply a Dropbox folder invite to hold the responsive records.

Thank you for your lawful attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Skip Murphy
Founder
GraniteGrok.com

I also sent a similar one for the budgetary information for the District as a whole as well as for the high school budget.

The clock has started to tick…

The post Time for Me to Get Back to Holding Government Responsible Again … appeared first on Granite Grok.

A quick shout out to all the “Vaccine Deniers” in the house we call ‘Merica. You should be proud of yourselves. In a nation with over 300 million people, not counting the tens of millions of unvaccinated illegals, DHHS says only 2% have lined up for the latest COVID booster.

This means that the Xbb.1.5. 2.9. Omicron SUV Epsilon Law and Order CSI Hawaii, Morrocco, Bangladesh Halloween 27 booster shots are not popular. Only a fraction of the population is still playing Pfizer-Roulette.

It must be embarrassing.

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data shows that the major vaccine manufacturers, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, have gotten their updated shots out to about 2 percent of the population as of Wednesday,  Reuters reported.

 

And not for lack of trying. Big Pharma continues to ply the airwaves with ads on radio and television cajoling the masses to roll up their sleeves. COVID, RSV, and Flu, to name a few.

And what of those poor Democrats and their rhetorical terror campaigns? Vaccine denier. Anti-vaxxer. Terms of derision driving acts of tyranny that are falling on an increasing number of deaf ears. They’ll need to rethink that.

98% of Americans and some unknown number of non-Americans are vaccine-hesitant. They deny the efficacy of additional injections by refusing or failing to do – what can only be described – as their patriotic duty.

What is a progressive to do?

While we wait, here is Aaron Rodgers – alleged to be a royal asshat of a human being but one with the sense to exercise some intellectual medical autonomy – at least on the subject of “mandatory emergency use COVID vaccines.” He would like to debate Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce (better known to many as Taylor Swift’s next ex-boyfriend) on the subject of these vaccines.

 

Aaron Rodgers is inviting Travis Kelce to have a vaccine debate.

Rodgers proposes that it be him and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. against Kelce and Anthony Fauci.

(via @PatMcAfeeShow)pic.twitter.com/tcqPmptGtB https://t.co/xvH9M5MlpR

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 10, 2023

 

HT | Breitbart

The post The Rise of the Vaccine Hesitant? – 98% of American’s Have Not Received the Latest COVID “Booster” appeared first on Granite Grok.