The RINO/Uniparty NH-Journal, a/k/a NH-NeverTrumpJournal, regularly regurgitates the Left’s mantra that there is “no evidence” that the 2020 election was rigged. That claim is a LIE. A big, fat LIE.

I have pointed to the evidence repeatedly … the censorship of the Hunter laptop, the amplification of Deep State LIES (such as “Russian bounties,” “losers and suckers”), election “month,” ballot “harvesting,” “Zuckerbucks,” etc., etc., etc. The 2024 election is being rigged as I write this (2/7 10:00 AM) … the tidal wave of lawsuits have one common purpose: preventing Trump from again becoming President, TikTok instructing illegals how to vote, etc., etc., etc..

Mollie Hemingway sums it up in four minutes:

WATCH: In four minutes of testimony before Congress, @MZHemingway sums up everything wrong with America's elections from mail in ballots, to Zuckerbucks, to censorship, to Big Tech censorship, to Democrats trying to put Trump in jail. pic.twitter.com/lXAJJxFp7n

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 7, 2024

We have the Biden Regime instigating and enabling an illegal alien invasion of America; we have the Biden Regime doing all it can to put the leader of the opposition party in jail and bankrupt him. And what are NHGOP “leaders” talking about … eviscerating local zoning laws and cutting taxes for rich people and big business.

 

The post In Four Minutes … How Our Elections Are RIGGED appeared first on Granite Grok.

New Hampshire’s legislature has again voted on a measure which would let the NH electorate vote in a referendum on independence from the U.S. In 2022, very similar legislation received:
– 13 votes by state reps.
This time, the bill received:
– 24 votes by state reps.

Initially it appears few mainstream media have reported the latter number or the increase. But you can see the vote here for confirmation; this is the legislature’s official channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQHnyO93Vng
The vote occurs at 5:08:00

Here is the report on the less-successful 2022 effort: https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-house-secede-united-states/39400488?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot#
Around that time, a scientific poll by SurveyUSA indicated 42% support for an independence referendum, among NH residents…another under-reported number:
https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=f4ec3bab-2167-4e8e-ab64-671c1b4a5ddd

Merideth, NH Rep Matt Coker (D – until a few minutes ago) has announced -more or less – that his party has left him, so he’s decided to leave it. He has changed party affiliation and formally joined the New Hampshire Republican House Caucus.

After extensive reflection and deliberation I’ve made the decision to change my party affiliation from democrat to republican to better align my party with my core values. As I reflect on the first half of my term it is abundantly clear to me my proper place in this body is on…

— Matt Coker (@MattforMeredith) February 8, 2024

The NH Republican House Caucus is, of course, very excited about this transition.

 

Welcome to the Republican Caucus Representative Coker!

The Republican Caucus looks forward to working closely with Representative Coker to champion policies that empower individuals, foster economic prosperity, and uphold the values that define the great state of New Hampshire. pic.twitter.com/fsfspf1F1a

— NH House Republicans (@NHHouseGOP) February 8, 2024

My first instinct was to investigate just what sort of Democrat he was from the lens of the Republican/liberty universe. Coker’s NHHRA score last session, NHHRA measures key votes against the NH Constitution and State Republican Party platform, was 38.6. He voted with Republicans on key Republican bills more than one-third of the time while voting the other way just over 60% of the time.

The New Hampshire Liberty Alliance (NHLA) gave him a liberty rating of C-, which is not terrible while not compelling There are a number of Republicans whose liberty rating was worse. That’s not an endorsement of a C rating. I only want to note that we’ve had worse while we should aspire to better.

Having said that, this presents an interesting opportunity. As the NH House Republicans post on X notes, “The Republican Caucus looks forward to working closely with Representative Coker to champion policies that empower individuals, foster economic prosperity, and uphold the values that define the great state of New Hampshire.”

As the session progresses, there is an opportunity to see if Caucus can help Matt improve his Liberty Rating and HRA scores.

Everything’s a test, so here we go.

And congrats to the NH Republicans for adding another seat to their very slim majority and to Rep Coker for seeing some light if – in fact – that’s what happened.

Let us know in the comments what “improved” Liberty and HRA ratings you’d like to see by the time the session comes to a close.

The post NH Democrat with 38% HRA Score Decides He is a Republican – Leaves Dems to Caucus with GOP appeared first on Granite Grok.

A convergence of financial pressures threatens to send shock waves through America’s commercial real estate sector in 2024. As a record number of outstanding commercial mortgages mature, refinancing at nosebleed interest rates is a daunting hurdle for investors and lenders alike.

Concurrently, retail and office space demand has declined as more Americans shop – and work – from home. Vacancy rates are spiking. Rising real estate taxes, shoplifting, and inflation of essentially all overhead costs threaten the profitability of what has historically been a safe haven in real estate investment.

A Commercial Loan Crisis?

Commercial loans face what could prove to be a perfect storm of financial negatives. Unlike home mortgages, most commercial loans are “interest only,” increasing the risk of default if property values deteriorate. Some lenders are willing to extend favorable refinancing terms in exchange for increased principle (reducing the loan balance and improving loan security), but more and more borrowers may balk at throwing good cash after bad – if they have the cash at all.

This lending market has already been struggling for the past two years, but many loans carried one- or two-year extension options that provided a short-term hiatus that is now waning. The Wall Street Journal summarized 2024’s gargantuan loan exposure:

“In 2023, $541 billion in debt backed by office buildings, hotels, apartments and other types of commercial real estate came due, the highest amount ever for a single year, according to the data firm Trepp. Commercial-debt maturities are expected to continue rising, with more than $2.2 trillion coming due between now and the end of 2027, Trepp said.”

The loan-sticker shock of refinancing at much higher interest rates is exacerbated by declining property values, skyrocketing shrinkage (shoplifting and other losses) in retail businesses, declines in office space demand as more workers shift to home (accelerated during COVID), and anxiety about future inflation and economic stability. The combined impact of these disparate negatives on commercial real estate poses a substantial, persistent risk to lenders and real estate investors alike, with the potential to spill over into other lending markets, stock and bond markets, and consumer prices.

Pressures on Businesses

Many businesses have faced increasing costs in the current inflationary climate, but often these are passed on to customers. This pressure relief valve is unavailable for many commercial lenders, who face a triple whammy: vacancy rates skyrocketing, rents dropping in many market sectors, and insurance, tax, energy, and other costs inflating. Vacancy rates suggest an accelerating crisis: Office vacancy rates stood at 11.5% in the first quarter of 2020, rising to 15.1% by the second quarter of 2022, and 16.1% by the first quarter of 2023. This had climbed to an alarming 18.2% in November 2023.

Not all loans and properties are the same, with inner-city turmoil, closed stores, increasing crime and theft creating a particular vulnerability for commercial properties caught in the socio-political backlash. Indeed, eight markets account for fully half of all maturing commercial loan volume through 2024 — New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago being the top three. The industry-wide downturn is aggravated in America’s three largest cities. Other hostile market forces include struggling tech companies grappling with the double-barrel of remote work and broader industry-wide downturn: Some of the nation’s highest office vacancy rates are found in San Fransico (24.2%), Seattle (22.3%), and Austin (21.2%). Multifamily properties and industrial space are also exhibiting signs of weakness.

Progressive Policy Failures

These multiple pressures converge to wilt future prospects for commercial real estate investment, fueled by progressive policies that seed destruction instead of economic growth. Retail outlets — including vital grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods — have shuttered their doors in Chicago and Los Angeles. San Francisco and Portland resemble Mad Max film sets. What hedge fund or billionaire investor will buy up such headaches, except at a great discount? Defunding police departments increases building repair and security costs, while steadily expanded taxes on the “rich” undermine the profitability of businesses: Most leases are triple net, requiring tenants to pay a proportionate share of underlying tax hikes.

Progressive ideology disregards the mathematical and market realities of the real world. Defunding police drives up crime and retail price inflation; printing money willy-nilly for pet art projects, social justice scams, and renewables seeds core inflation; taxing the rich and doling out free money to slackards undermines hard-working businesspeople. A New York study determined that steady real estate tax increases there have been passed on to tenants, doubling from 2007 to 2017, “accounting for a rising share of total retail rent burdens.” Across the nation, rental prices are down and delinquencies are rising for commercial loans.

Vapid progressive policies destroy American businesses. Chicago’s mayor proposed starting state-run grocery stores after food retailers fled that city. Government edicts for manufacturing and purchasing solar panels and EVs are patently regressive and transfer wealth from rich to poor. Calls for ever-more taxes on the rich craft burdens that land on the shoulders of the middle and business classes. If city taxes are raised sufficiently, property owners may simply bow out and let the government operate the buildings whose tenants it has taxed into unprofitability.

Defaults on the Horizon?

Loan defaults in the commercial real estate market in 2024 could spill over into other financial markets, leave empty retail/office shells looming over urban landscapes, weaken economic growth, and deprive cities of food, goods, jobs, and a healthy tax base. This is an “economic climate” crisis.

The post Taxes, Inflation, Vacancies, and Shoplifting Becoming Too Hard To Bear appeared first on Granite Grok.

There is not one Machine Media talking head or reporter who claims to be a journalist who wouldn’t sell their soul for a chance to interview Vladimir Putin. That’s just a fact. World leader. Times of crisis. Some amount of risk. It’s a massive get unless the journalist is Tucker Carlson.

He’s in Russia, and the left has lost their mind. Carlson is a Kremlin apologist—a useful idiot for Putin.

The same people would give up their souls for a one-on-one with any number of historical figures far more despicable or with whom they’ve little if any, respect, but it would be journalism. It is a rare opportunity for someone in Western media to be permitted that access. They might even have lists of questions prepared that they would want to ask.

Tucker Carson is in Russia, so it’s something else, but here’s the thing about that. Every reporter who interviewed Donald Trump after he became the Left’s Anti-Christ must then be a Trump Tower apologist. They are useful idiots for Donald Trump. They gave him a platform for his deplorable views.

Those are the new rules.

Kristen Welker, most recently. Josh Dawsey for the Washington Post. Jim VandeHei and Jonathan Swan for Axios. There are many others. And the comparison works because, in their minds, Trump is as bad or worse than Putin, and they still want to lob questions at him. Fastballs, sliders, curves.

And they’d want to interview Putin as well; they didn’t get that interview, so they have to smear Carlson, which suggests liberals never learn certain lessons.

The more they crap on Tucker, the more relevant and influential he will become. And the more they talk about it – the way they talk about Trump because that’s the sort of news that keeps them employed – the more people will be attracted to Tucker without their interference.

All over the world.

And they hate that more than Donald Trump.

 

The post So, Every American Journalist Who has “Interviewed” Trump is a MAGA Apologist? appeared first on Granite Grok.

If you want to know why Vermont is in such terrible shape on so many fronts, it is because the people we have elected to make important decisions for us are totally unmoored from any rational approach to problem-solving. They are devoid of any guiding principle, barring an intense desire to get their hands on our money and spend it as they see fit, which is usually not in a fit way. This is perfectly illustrated by the wildly divergent policies regarding marijuana, hard drugs, and nicotine currently under consideration in the State House.

I recently wrote about H.72 – An act relating to a harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use, which the Vermont House passed 96-35 largely along party lines (a handful of Democrats joined all the Republicans in voting no), that would establish and fund state-sponsored drug ingestion sites. These “safe spaces” – for all intents and purposes loosely supervised, no-tell crack dens – would allow anyone of any age to come in and do any drug without fear of criminal charges or being reported to health or other authorities, official or parental.

Then there is S.300 – An act relating to funding support services for persons who use drugs and eliminating misdemeanor criminal penalties for possessing or dispensing a personal use drug supply, which “decriminalizes” (de facto legalizes) the possession AND DISTRIBUTION of small amounts of you name it. Fentanyl, meth, heroin, cocaine, acid, ecstasy, peyote…

According to this bill – which 12 of the 23 Democrat senators have signed onto as sponsors – someone can have or distribute an amount of pretty much any drug defined as a “benchmark personal use supply” or “the quantity of a drug commonly possessed for consumption by an individual for any therapeutic, medicinal, or recreational purpose,” with no age restrictions mentioned about who one can distribute these to.

Then there is S.72 – An act relating to lifting the potency limits on concentrated cannabis products, for which the title is self-explanatory.

So, at this point, one might conclude that these are just a bunch of libertines with a “do whatever you want” attitude about what we all do with and put into our bodies. But then comes along the other bill getting a lot of attention this week, S.18 – An act relating to banning flavored tobacco products and e-liquids.

Wait, what?

How can we help you do your opioids? Who are we to say how much THC belongs in your edibles or your Tropicana Cookies Hash Rosin Vape (a real thing; I looked it up)? But that pack of Kools? Oh, no. You can’t make that choice for yourself. That bubble gum-flavored nicotine vape? Hand it over, you evil dirtbag! Think of the children!

The justification for a flavored tobacco ban is, as it so often is that it’s “for the children.” It’s not enough that these products are already illegal to anyone under twenty-one. It’s not enough that nicotine vapes are a healthier alternative to smoking that helps many people to quit. Kids are getting their hands on them. Sure. Just like kids got their hands on regular cigarettes before flavors were available. Just like kids get their hands on pot, they’re too young to legally buy today, and just like they got their hands on pot that was totally illegal not too long ago.

But (S.18 features two pages of teeth-gnashing and garment-rending “findings”) those flavors are attracting kids and getting them hooked… say the same people who want to allow for even more potent marijuana-laced gummies because that’ll be just fine and not in any way a temptation for four-year-olds thinking they’ve discovered a cache of leftover Halloween candy.

In fact, S.18 specifically states that the law “does not include cannabis and cannabis products that are offered by a cannabis establishment.” So, our legislators’ real message to kids: If you want to inhale flavored vapor like Cherry Snacks Liquid Diamonds (a real thing, I looked it up), your only option is a cannabis product that will get you really high. It’s almost as if these lawmakers didn’t so much care about kids’ health but were really just working in league with the pot dealers, knee-capping their competition in order to boost their cronies’ bottom line. Hmmmm.

Is it any wonder we have a dangerously out-of-control drug culture flourishing in our state? In the world our elected leaders are creating for us and our children to live in, a drug dealer would be allowed to dispense single-serving amounts of the worst, most addictive, most destructive drugs to elementary school kids — in a government-sponsored safe space designed for such a purpose, no less — and face no criminal penalties, whereas a gas station/convenience store owner who sells a pack of Newport Lights to a thirty-five-year-old could face civil penalties of $200 for a first offense and $500 for subsequent offenses. How messed up is that?

On the bright side, though, last week, the Joint Fiscal Office let the members of the House Ways & Means Committee know that banning flavored tobacco products would result in an estimated annual revenue loss of between $7 million and $14 million. And so much for all that “save the children” rhetoric. It evaporated like a cloud of tobacco smoke in the wind. Screw the children. The people who profess to care so much would rather have the money.

 

Rob Roper is a freelance writer with 20 years of experience in Vermont politics, including three years of service as chair of the Vermont Republican Party and nine years as President of the Ethan Allen Institute, Vermont’s free-market think tank. He is also a regular contributor to VermontGrok.

The post For the Children: Ban Flavored Tobacco, but Not Flavored Pot, Legalize Drug Dens (No Age Limits) appeared first on Granite Grok.

Mother convicted of manslaughter for murders committed by her son; Daniel from UK on the King’s medical issues and conspiracy theories; is the Taylor Swift/Kelce relationship a psyop? How many millennials believe the moon landing was faked? The fiasco of the border bill; the U.S. sec’y of state trying to meet with the Israeli military chief of staff with no one else present; Is Milei (in Argentina) backing down at all?

The post The Conservatarian Exchange Podcast #192 appeared first on The Liberty Block.

I just retired after 35 years of working in the human service field. I was appalled at the lack of truthfulness, informed consent, and irrational fear that was foisted upon citizens by the medical bureaucrats during the Covid pandemic years. Their many lies are coming to light with Lord Fauci, Patron Saint of Wuhan, merely the idolized figurehead.

I am equally dismayed at the way the medical establishment is handling the transgender issue for the same reasons.

People who feel they were born in the wrong body is nothing new. But the dramatic rise in those now identifying as transgender has almost tripled just since 2017, according to Komodo health reports. There is still much research that needs to be done before we know about the positive and negative consequences of “gender-affirming care,” as it is euphemistically called by the medical field.

Yet the medical community thinks they are showing compassion by immediately accepting a child’s emotional belief that they were born in the wrong body. Until very recently, those with gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder were treated with counseling and mental health support. Neuropsychologist Alan Hopewell asserts that “administering hormones to a person under mental stress can exacerbate mental health issues.” “Hormones can change brain chemistry,” states Kathy Plantani, who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology.

Now, there are growing concerns over links between transgenderism and violence, according to an article in the January 31 edition of the Epoch Times. Audrey Hale is the most horrific example to date. Scary confrontations such as what happened to Riley Gaines after her speech at San Francisco University about protecting women in athletics and in the locker room will become more common and violent if cooler heads and common sense don’t soon return to the forefront of mental health and sports.

Michael D. Breen, Ph.D., wrote in the February 1 edition of the Laconia Daily Sun, “Efforts to mislead our still cognitively developing children and teens, even when well-intentioned, is not compassionate. It is often harmful. It should stop.”

The medical community is actually changing the definition of child abuse in an Orwellian fashion. A Montana father spent years to successfully appeal a jail sentence in British Columbia for “misgendering” his daughter. While the push to perform mutilating surgeries and dangerous hormone treatments on ever younger children is considered “compassionate child care.” Even Dr. Frankenstein performed his experimental surgeries on an adult. Of course, his patient ended up being the cause of his demise. Check back in seven more years, and we will likely know if there will be a similar result for this medical establishment’s dystopian horror show of confusion and chaos, in non-fiction fashion this time.

 

The post Night Cap: Transgenderism Madness appeared first on Granite Grok.

Not much makes sense in the homicide of GOP lawyer Alexander Talcott or the investigation and report on it from the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. Following the money is always a good place to start.

According to the final report from the AG’s office, Alex Talcott’s wife, Kristin Talcott, murdered him in self-defense in late August 2023. AG John Formella apparently identified him.

At the time of his death, there was apparently an investigation into his political candidacy in Conway, New Hampshire, while being a resident in Durham. Bizarrely, the investigation seems to have shut down immediately after because he was deceased. That seems like a red flag to anyone paying attention. Why would the NH DOJ feel the need to communicate this before any conclusions have been made about Alex Talcott’s death? Was the probe into his candidacy and business in Conway related to his death, and who else was involved in that? It would appear that Jay Lucas, who owns the Eagle Times, might be.

“DURHAM — The stabbing death of Alexander Talcott of Durham, who in 2022 ran briefly as a Republican for a District 1 state representative seat in Conway, has been ruled a homicide by the state officials. Attorney General John Formella identified Talcott, 41, Sunday and said an autopsy showed he died from a stab wound to the neck in his home at 98 Bennett Road in Durham.

Talcott, an investment executive who was general counsel and director of New Constellation Capital, also was an adjunct instructor in business law and finance at UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, according to LinkedIn.

In June 2022, he filed to run as a GOP candidate for one of three state representative seats in Conway that ultimately went to Democrats Steve Woodcock, Tom Buco, and David Paige.

Talcott never returned any of the Sun’s requests for comment on his campaign bid. However, on June 6, 2022, he sent a letter to the editor that said, “NH Gives, an initiative of the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, is underway June 7–8. Think the ‘Giving Tuesday’ tradition around winter holiday time. If you’re in a position to donate, I recommend the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust. Their community forest projects are opportunities to pay it forward. Alex Talcott, Center Conway.”

We want to thank Claire Best for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.

Kristin Talcott is listed as an officer on the board of a non-profit: “Oyster River Parents & Preschoolers.” She has been since 2009. You would think that the AG of New Hampshire and the major crimes unit might have some questions about this instead of closing the file. I understand that there has been no notice of a will belonging to Alexander Talcott either. Newspaper reports indicate the couple had three young children, but another report from 2004 indicates that they had a 6-month-old baby and a 3-year-old back then. This would put these children at 19 & 22 years old in 2023 when the homicide happened.

“Alex Talcott is keeping busy teaching finance and business law classes at Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, working with a financial planning service in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and working with an estate planning and elder law firm she affiliated with last year. The firm is expanding to Exeter and has offices in New York as well! Kristin (Steinert) Talcott teaches graduate social work virtually for Simmons College. Kristin and Alex were recently in Hanover for Homecoming with their 6-month-old daughter _____and 3-year-old twins ______ and ______. The weekend included a family 5k in Cornish, New Hampshire!”

Alex Talcott was associated with a couple of businesses in Conway, several companies in Durham, and a few others in Massachusetts and elsewhere, including overseas ventures. He is also associated with Jay Lucas, who has had businesses in Portsmouth dating back to shortly before the above notice in the Dartmouth Alumni magazine. It looks as though Alexander Talcott’s association with Jay Lucas may go back to this time.

The Sunshine Fund and Opportunity Funds of New England list Jay Lucas. They appear to be one and the same. They are tied to another company called Lexdan LLC on which Alex Talcott’s name appears.

Meanwhile, The Sunshine Fund appears to be tied to Sunshine Communications, which is also registered to Jay Lucas, who owns the Eagle newspaper in Claremont, New Hampshire. The purchase of the newspaper was announced on July 14, 2022.

The following day, on July 15, 2022, Alexander Talcott registered “Real Estate Action LLC” with his wife, Kristin Talcott, who is listed as the agent for it.

The email address for “Real Estate Action LLC” is with “New Constellation Capital”.

On 13th November, 2022, the following article appeared on Medium from Eric Pines — a federal employment layer. It suggests there should be more questions about the Alexander Talcott case and how news media and officials in New Hampshire have reported it:

“Alex Talcott is a real estate and private equity attorney in New Hampshire with investments in 16 other states and three foreign countries. He is an adjunct instructor at the University of New Hampshire’s business school and a graduate of Dartmouth College and Notre Dame Law School. Talcott serves on his State Housing Council and as a senior fellow for a community economic development nonprofit.”

One month before Alex Talcott’s homicide, Kristin Talcott opened another company: “Discovering Resilience PLLC.”

Alex Talcott’s relationship with Jay Lucas is worthy of scrutiny given another company that Jay Lucas has and the people involved in that and their ties to Primary Bank and Richard C Tracy, who is the top crimes investigator in New Hampshire:

“Ride to Recovery” is a non-profit listing Jay Lucas and Phil Taub of Nixon Peabody (New Hampshire’s Supreme Court Chief Justice, Gordon MacDonald, hails from this law firm). Phil Taub is on the board of directors for Primary Bank, which gave PPP loans (and forgave them) to companies belonging to its board of directors. One of these was Autofair, where Primary Bank Director Andrew H Crews was CEO. The company was sold to an address in Florida (with help from a Dartmouth alum, apparently) not long after the Pandora Papers articles were published. Crews stepped down and is no longer listed on the board of directors of the bank.

Phil Taub and Andrew H Crews are also listed on the non-profit “Granite State Children’s Alliance” (aka “The Children’s Advocacy Centers”). Richard C Tracy is listed as the Secretary. Coincidentally, Richard C Tracy had his appointment as the New Hampshire Chief Criminal Justice Investigator renewed by AG John Formella in 2021.

The report into Alex Talcott’s homicide would have included input from Richard C Tracy -connected to Phil Taub, who is connected to Jay Lucas, who is tied to Alex Talcott’s failed business ventures. Are New Hampshire law officials covering something up?

Jay Lucas has a Facebook page. From January 17th, 2024, he sheds praise on David Scanlan, the New Hampshire Secretary of State whose office looks after the registration of all Lucas & cos companies. Governor Sununu is featured in the photograph at the top of the page. What seems apparent in New Hampshire is that donations go a long way, and something doesn’t add up. Jay Lucas and Alex Talcott opened a number of companies between 2020 and 2023 (after the PPP loan windfalls). At least one of Talcott’s companies was opened with his wife. To claim that she was unaware of the financial woes until late in the day and to ignore the probe into his business and candidacy in Conway doesn’t smell right.

“In the summer of last year, Alex Talcott borrowed more and more money from friends and family as he looked for a job with a high salary. Kristin Talcott, a licensed social worker, renewed her license and started a practice in order to bring in money for the family.”

The views and opinions expressed by contributors are those of the author and may not reflect the opinion or position of  Grok Media, GraniteGrok.com, its authors, advertisers, donors, or sponsors.

The post The Strange Case of Alex Talcott appeared first on Granite Grok.

Last summer, a surprising bit of polling emerged from the Pew Research Center. It asked respondents about their tolerance for censorship by the government or big tech. A surprising number of Americans said they supported it, but a supermajority of Democrats were all in.

The secret to getting such high numbers, in my opinion, was how the questions were framed. They asked what they thought about moderating false information but without any reference to the mass of false information, misinformation, disinformation, and deceitful prebunking coming from big tech and the government.

At its core, the survey is misleading, but it is difficult to get past the Left’s quick and ready embrace of censorship, even if it limits freedom of information.

 

 

This deliberate embrace of censorship strikes me as a rhetorical cudgel as we approach the November elections. For all the talk of banning books that are still readily available with a click, Democrats are clearly the party of censorship, even if free speech suffers. Any Republican who fails to see the opportunity needs to open their eyes.

Candidate x, a Pew Research Poll, shows that 70% of Democrats approved of the government censoring speech even if it limited legitimate free speech. Do you agree with the majority of Democrats?

If they try to dodge it by leaning into the disinformation misinformation false-information narrative, say something like, what – like the Hunter Biden laptop? Or, how does the COVID-19 vaccine stops infection and spread, or how it is safe and effective, or do you mean the Steele Dossier?

Those were all government disinformation misinformation campaigns that interfered with elections and undermined informed consent and bodily autonomy. Masks, distancing, and lockdowns were also both disinformation and misinformation, and the key in all these examples is that those of us who challenged them early and often were fighting false information and censored by Big Tech, often at the behest of the government.

The government will censor the truth to protect its lies, and after all of that, 70% of Democrats still support more of the same.

I think Democrat candidates should be forced to run on that or at least defend it.

 

The post Reminder: 70% of Democrats Approve of Government Censorship and Dem Candidates Should Be Asked if They Agree appeared first on Granite Grok.

Why is it that Democrats put such a low value on human life? Whether writing laws that allow the killing of an unborn fetus up to the moment of birth or now, pushing for the legalization of state-assisted suicides, the authors and co-sponsors of these bills are showing zero regard for life.

There are three Republican sponsors, and maybe Representatives Phillips, Lynn, and Wolf should reconsider their party affiliation. We used to be a country and society that cherished life. We fund research to find cures and treatments for debilitating illnesses, and we used to look at the increase in life expectancy as a success. Today, our government does not intercede with the flow of illegal Fentanyl that kills 100,000 a year, promotes the killing of the unborn, and now wants to facilitate the voluntary end of life.

Below is a summary of the proposed New Hampshire bill scheduled for public hearings at the State House on Wednesday.

Official Summary/Bill Text

HB 1283-FN is a bill that establishes a procedure for individuals with terminal illnesses to receive medical assistance in dying through self-administration of medication. The bill outlines the criteria that must be met for a prescribing health care provider to provide a prescription for medical-assistance-in-dying medications to an individual. The bill also includes provisions for witnesses to the patient’s request and sets a waiting period before the prescription can be filled. The bill provides immunities and conscience-based decisions for those who participate in medical assistance in dying, and it prohibits penalties for health care providers who refuse to participate for reasons of conscience.

HB 1283-FN is a bill that allows terminally ill patients to request a prescription for medications that will end their life if they choose to self-administer the medications. The bill requires the patient to make a voluntary and informed request, and it allows the patient’s health care provider to contact a pharmacist to fulfill the request. The bill also includes provisions for witnesses to the patient’s request and sets a waiting period before the prescription can be filled. The bill also establishes standards of care for providers and allows for mental capability evaluations if there are doubts about the patient’s competence. The bill provides immunities and conscience-based decisions for those who participate in medical assistance in dying, and it prohibits penalties for healthcare providers who refuse to participate for reasons of conscience.

NH has a serious suicide crisis, especially among at-risk teens, veterans, and people living with disabilities. HB 1283 would normalize suicide as medical care to be administered by a doctor and strongly contradicts suicide prevention efforts. Once the initial hurdle is met and the bill becomes law, it will then be an easier process to expand the scope of deciding who meets the criteria to request assistance to end their lives.

A similar bill became law in Oregon, where some of the most used reasons to request assisted suicide include “fear of being a burden to others” and “loss of independence.” If passed, this bill invites coercion. Assisted suicide puts a new weapon in the hands of people who already abuse and exploit the elderly or infirm. The government should have limited control over the public, and inserting themselves into this issue is not where elected officials should venture.

The post Some In NH Think Suicide Is Another Issue For Government Intervention appeared first on Granite Grok.

The International Fraternity of Feminists (IFF) meeting took place at the lovely Brettonwoods resort earlier this month, and these little ladies have a lot to bitch about, it seems.

For those unfamiliar with the term, Feminism it can be defined as “a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes – all 284 of them to be exact, with 283 being feminine or feminine fluid. Speaking of feminine fluid, they may want to schedule it other than during a full moon because the passive-aggressive back-biting and hissing from these bimbos was enough to make a man cry little girly tears.

Scheduled to start at 8 am, the meetings were not able to convene until a quarter after ten as many of the participants struggled to find fashionably late parking and got hung up chatting and snacking in the foyer.  However, once the call to arms was raised, these brazen hussies set out to craft the next wave of the movement.

The broad’s spectrum of issues were:

• Reproductive rights
• Holding doors and handling heavy overhead luggage
• Sexual assault, sexual harassment or sex work – how to monetize misery
• This year’s approved hair colors (irate red & hypoxic blue led the way)
• Existential threats: TERFs, Toddlers, Trads, Trump & Taylor Swift
• A few others we didn’t pay attention to since a playoff game was on in the sports bar

After breaking into focus groups, the birthing units reconvened to watch a short documentary on the history of the feminist movement’s accomplishments.  Harkening back to days of yore, the film moved through a tableau of women’s clothing, beginning with lengthy hand-crafted dresses made by western women living under the patriarchy for pennies on the dollar to today’s triumphal peek-a-boo tops and skin-tight yoga pants made by less-privileged women and children also for pennies on the dollar.

A genuine sense of pride could be felt in the air as they celebrated overcoming male objectification by announcing this year’s top Only Fans earners.  This was followed by a lecture on “How To Be A Strong Woman,” which, checking our notes, sounded a lot like acting more like men.

The early afternoon talks centered around women’s health issues, which looked at the victory won over the kitchen and the drudgery of home-cooked meals.  The expert speakers asserted neither have any link to the West’s eating disorder and obesity epidemics, which they concluded are likely the result of climate change.  A brief survey of the attendees was taken in regard to current mental health status.  When asked, “What’s wrong with our current mental health crises?” the overwhelming answer from respondents was, “I’m fine.”

Next on the docket was women in politics.  Women’s suffrage was celebrated alongside the question, “How did women leaders let America get $17 trillion in debt?” followed by a how-to lecture on organizing your wardrobe for activism.  Some of the attendees went outside to burn their bras only to be met by dozens of eager men dutifully holding doors open in anticipation, which caused the protestors to reconsider.  Several ladies were able to find an American flag and some complimentary Gideon’s Bibles they were able to burn instead.

The late afternoon sessions included a celebration for women’s equality by having both Aunt Jemima and Mia the Land O’ Lakes squaw ceremonially retired.  A collective sigh of relief was shared as women would not have to worry about seeing these BIPOC, albeit cartoon, women subjected to mere commercial iconography as they sat down to start their day at breakfast. Girl power!

Also receiving the award for Womyn of the Year were Dylan Mulvaney, Caitlyn “Don’t Call Me Bruce” Jenner, and Rachel Lavine.  Both Jenner and Lavine gave speeches thanking the fairer sex for their support of men becoming women in the name of feminism.  Jenner, once the greatest male athlete on the planet, choked back the tears as s/he looked back on a year where she dominated her country club women’s golf league and also looked at a future in politics.  Lavine likewise shared a semi-emotional address to the uteran class as s/he wondered “Who’d have thought an overweight, near-sighted, mentally ill man with bad skin could be a federal health secretary and Womyn of the Year – GOD BLESS AMERICA!” garnering a standing ovation.

The ovation was short-lived as the evening’s two keynote speakers took the stage.  E. Jean Carroll and Claudine Gay shared the lectern, telling their heroic tales of woe in the face of still more patriarchal oppression. Carroll reminded the women it’s never too late to sue a man who may or may not have sexually assaulted you like the scene from Law and Order SVU, while encouraging the wee maidens to re-imagine rape as “sexy” and not to be afraid to take sex tips from your dog.  Gay followed up by reminding women that plagiarism is not a crime but a matter of duplicative style and questionable attribution and that, even if one did it, and she wasn’t saying one did, women are still the victim in a world where a part-time professor makes just shy of nine-hundred thousand dollars.

Also meeting at the historic hotel was a small gathering of Moms for Liberty, who were offering a parenting seminar for new and expectant moms.  As the scent of Johnson & Johnson baby powder wafted into the banquet hall, many of the IFF attendees began to wander over, only to find themselves smitten with the tiny humans being passed around the room.  Though several instances of feminist fit-throwing occurred at the sight of the apparent betrayal, the Mom’s for Liberty chapter grew by nearly three hundred members in under an hour.

At the conclusion of the evening, the guests were to meet for dinner; however, the committee tasked with supplying the menu, despite having almost a year of planning, had yet to decide what they wanted to eat.  In the rush back to the parking lot, many of the women found their EVs would not start in the sub-zero temperatures of Northern New England and had to wait inside drinking hot chocolate as a team of local men weathered the cold until their vehicles were drivable.

As a result of the disappointing failure to name the new wave, the ladies from IFF are merging with the Betty’s from NOW under the banner Women’s True Feminist organization for next year’s WTF conference.

 

The post Bananas: Feminists Struggle To Decide On Fifth Wave of Movement … and Dinner appeared first on Granite Grok.

Democrats (mostly) have been arguing that removing age-inappropriate “books” from schools is book banning. They can’t shut up about it, but anyone can get these books with a few clicks electronically (for the groomer in a hurry) or in print in a handful of days. But the idea of “banning books” has a visceral feel.

It claws at even the most incomplete understanding of liberty. Banning book! Nooooooo! In other words, it’s good political marketing even when Penthouse Letters, Hustler, or the latest issue of Juggs are conspicuously absent and not considered banned, unlike what their president’s administration has been doing.

Using government intimidation to ban books.

Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack (watch our FITN Radio Row interview with her here) just shared the news that her committee has a report that implicates the Biden White House in a campaign to pressure Amazon to censor books of which it does not approve.

We always knew the banning books thing was projection with a dash of screw-you to mess up your kid’s minds and maybe their bodies. All that leaning heavily on fearmongering about a cabal of book banners and their moral duty to stop it. All while the Federal Government was using force to try and … ban books that did not agree with its political position on COVID-19.

The second thing she shares is news about government grants to universities to create AI products that censor Americans. Banning free speech, which we knew they love to do, that the Twitter files exposed, but they are still at it (and wait until hear who MIT thought was in need of censoring).

Here’s Kat (the full video is available on her Facebook page and includes additional topics and info).

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Rumble("play", {"video":"v49d52l","div":"rumble_v49d52l"});

If you were serious about opposing censorship and book banning, you might find more support if you first worked to stop it in your own party instead of insisting that under-age kids have unfettered access to cartoon sex pics and books about adult sexual assault of minors, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide.

By the way, the takeaway here is that when some Democrat groomer accuses you of book banning, bring up the Amazon files and see if they even knew.

The post Anti-Book Banning Dems Have a Huge Problem: Biden White House Pressured Amazon to Ban Books appeared first on Granite Grok.

As promised in Monday Memes, I have an overflow. My meme cup runneth over.  And yes there will be a Friday edition too.

Let the mayhem, mockery, and ridicule resume:

 

*** Warning, a few possibly off-color ones, in case tender eyes are about ***

 

 

My experience is that being uncomfortable often leads to learning.

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

 

I can understand a person who is crippled / severely disabled – e.g., quadriplegic – being willing to try this.  What I fear is that all the techphile groupies will rush to embrace this and gush over how cool it is.

 

 

 

Among other things, far too many STILL believe “Safe and effective” and for any candidate to discuss this would result in them being smeared.

 

 

Might there be a connection?  Hmmm…

 

 

 

 

At a recent doctor’s visit the PA was wearing a mask.  When I asked him about it, apparently the directive was that since cases are rising, they “recommend” (but don’t yet mandate) masks for the providers.  FFS.  Do these people not read any science these days?

 

 

I’m not so obsessed with polls per se, but this is interesting.  And the trends are great!

 

 

 

 

 

I can’t this needs to be said, again, but… nations don’t have FRIENDS, they have INTERESTS.  When interests align nations can be allied and work together, but make no mistake – any nation will do what’s seen as best for that nation.

 

 

 

I’m in.  Past time to do so.

 

 

 

Short answer.  Yes, yes they are.

 

 

 

 

The problem is that being LIKED strokes your ego.  Vanity.  And being liked gets you a good dopamine hit.  See:

Civilizational Collapse and Biology (Part 3) – Urban Scoop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOBODY got support and outpourings of affection like Trump in 2020.  NOBODY.

 

 

Because you don’t really own your land.  You lease it from the state who deludes you into thinking you own it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That resonates with me.

I recently asked an immunologist I know a question; very specific, because I want to be sure I’m factually accurate when I use it.  They made sure I understood – I had it right, BTW – but then said that Covidianism (and lots of other things too) are their religion, not reason.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s funny right there.

 

 

 

 

 

Prediction fulfilled.

 

 

 

 

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA

 

 

This is one reason why TPTB want to shut down more secure messaging apps.

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

 

 

 

 

Money in the pocket can only assuage so much conscience.

 

 

 

 

If it were truly up to me – and only me – we’d be on a subsistence farm waaaaaaay out.

 

 

 

I’m not going to say it’s truly racial; but IMHO it IS cultural.  ONLY White people seem to have LIBERTY in their collective culture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s an app – at least in Europe – where you can scan the label and it’ll pick insect ingredients out.  Or, just read the label knowing what to look for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice analogy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not saying I approve of this, but… a question.  64 cents an hour?  So what’s the prevailing wage there?  Compare the two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The problem is – any candidate that brings this up, no matter how legitimate the point is (and I believe it is), will immediately be labeled a “conspiracy theorist” and removed from any serious consideration.  Just like above on the Jab.  Certainly any serious coverage.  Doesn’t make it RIGHT, but it shows the nature of the problem in bringing things like this up.

 

 

 

The idea that they can take DNA and back it out to figure out a good idea of what you look like is terrifying.

 

 

 

 

The obsession is strong with this one.

 

 

 

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

Links (as always, some found by me, and some by my Jarhead friend):

 

Moonbattery Ethics Journal Defines Pregnancy as a Disease – Moonbattery

What was it Obama said about not wanting “his” daughters burdened with pregnancy?

—

Pfizer & Moderna found ‘slow kill’ killshot ‘sweet spot’? Did they devise their Malone, Weissman, Kariko, Bourla, Bancel, Sahin et al. mRNA technology based gene mRNA vaccine to kill ‘JUST ENOUGH’? (substack.com)

This is a very intriguing question.  This has been exquisitely done to create “enough” excess deaths and sterilizations, slowly enough, that it won’t catch the attention of most until it affects them personally.  Just how many different negative effects does this damned spike have?

THE SPIKE PROTEIN OF SARS-CoV-2 BINDS HEMOGLOBIN, RELEASING IRON INTO THE CIRCULATION INDUCING ONCOGENIC, NEURODEGENERATIVE, INFLAMMATORY, IMMUNE AND VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS, SENESCENCE AND AGING – WMC Research

And more:

‘”What do they know?” Defense Dept report warns future pandemics will target specific genomes, races’; The Ministry of State Security on a Chinese social media app warned, “If used by individuals or (substack.com)

—

Biden appears to confuse Emmanuel Macron with French leader Francois Mitterrand who died in 1996 | Daily Mail Online

It’s becoming so utterly obvious that The Potato is approaching a potato in the intellectual wattage department that they’re going to HAVE to replace him.  Even committed Dems are recognizing this.  The question is… with whom?  Big Mike is a clear front-runner.  In parallel:

Biden Puts Union Workers in Vegas to Sleep as He Falsely Claims He Created 15 Million Brand New Jobs, Lies About Blacks and Hispanics (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit | by Cristina Laila

He’s already known as a liar.  This in-your-face stuff is just turning people off.  His physical health too:

Old Joe Biden Is Wiped Out – Can Barely Walk as He Returns to White House After Trip to Las Vegas with Short Campaign Stops | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hoft

—

Democrats Work To Strip All Opponents Of Representation In Court (thefederalist.com)

Effective GOP Attorneys General Face Politicized Ethics Charges (thefederalist.com)

This is an incredibly dangerous precedent.  It is a RIGHT to have a competent defense, and the Democrats are working to strip that ability from you if you are of the “wrong” political persuasion.  Related:

BREAKING: Appeals Court Stacked with Biden Judges Denies Trump Immunity in Jack Smith’s DC Case | The Gateway Pundit | by Cristina Laila

The more the Left perverts the system, the more people say WAIT ONE MINUTE.

—

EU FOLDS, FARMERS WIN: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Will Scrap Green ‘Sustainable Use Regulation’ Aiming To Halve Fertilizer Usage | The Gateway Pundit | by Paul Serran

Read between the lines.  The fundamental pursuit to crush farmers remains; this is a tactical withdrawal only.

—

GOP Bill Would Let Outsiders Buy A SD Address And Use It To Vote (thefederalist.com)

It’s like the GOP wants to lose.

—

Uncontrolled migration of infectious diseases – American Thinker

This is a big, big danger.  E.g., on Ebola specifically:

Raconteur Report: Do The Math, 2019 version

Bayou Renaissance Man: Ebola, rampaging superstition, and a complete ignorance of fact

—

Government-Funded Entities Are Building a Network to Flag “Misinformation” in Private Messages – The Liberty Daily

Control the information flow, control what people believe.

—

More Evidence Food Shortages Are Being Planned | Principia Scientific Intl. (principia-scientific.com)

You have to be blind to not see this at this point.  Or involved in it actively.

—

The New Gold Rush – The American Border | ZeroHedge

Clearly seen; it’s even worse than that though.  It’s not just monetary, it’s working to take America down.

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

Pick of the Post:

 

 

They want the whole planet.  Not Israel, not the Middle East.  Not just Europe.  All of it.  ALL. OF. IT.

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

Palate cleansers:

 

—

—

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

Come back on Friday for more memes.  Same meme time.  Same meme channel.

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

The post Meme Overflow appeared first on Granite Grok.

To whom it may concern: On February 5, 2024, the news site “In Depth New Hampshire” (for whom I have a great deal of respect – so this is not leveled at them as I believe they were unaware) published a “News Release” entitled “What to do about teen dating violence.”

At the end of the news release was a link to the NHCADSV website and a number to text.

The photograph used at the head of the article is linked to “Love is Respect,” which is another non-profit. You can look up their ad campaigns easily online and see that they launch these every year and that the “news release” in In Depth is essentially a repeat of an advertising campaign that goes back to at least 2019.

The teens in the photograph at the head of the article wear T-shirts in a certain shade of blue and a certain shade of yellow/gold, with pants in blue and grey, respectively. These are models for an advertisement.

My research indicates that this article is not a “news release” but a piece of branded content/advertising tied to the Democratic Party fundraising via NNEDV and NHCADSV, whose director of public affairs is Amanda Grady Sexton, listed on Opencorporates.com as a director of Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s re-election campaign committee. Senator Shaheen is in charge of the U.S. Senate committee, which obtains VAWA grants for NH.

I believe money is raised from engagement in the article and clicks on the links with a partnership to Target , possibly who have partnership campaigns for non-profits and pay 8% (per their partnership site) back to their partners). I believe that the fact that the article was published by In Depth will be used by the promoters as an “endorsement” for the ad campaign and non-profits and advertisers involved.

I believe that the clothing worn by the models in the photograph is available at Target or a partner retail shop for the campaign. I believe that the coloring of the rainbow in the photo is also carefully picked to market to teenagers. Articles on Researchgate by Sharyn Potter of UNH partnered with the NHCADSV talk about social media campaigns and making them more realistic to students.

Chessy Prout, NH State Witness in NH v Owen Labrie, did an ad campaign for Target as a “Survivor” for the non-profit “Vital Voices” tied to the Clinton Foundation, which is represented for PR by SKDK (a Democratic Campaign PR company) who also represent “Its On Us” which she has stated she worked with before the criminal trial of NH v Owen Labrie. “It’s On Us” is tied to Blue Crab Strategies and Civic Nation, which is headed by Valerie Jarrett, who was Obama’s Chief of Staff, and headed “Not Alone,” which was strategically tied to UNH PIRC and Sharyn Potter. UNH PIRC is tied to NHCADSV, whose legal counsel includes David Vicinanzo – a Clinton appointee, and Shaheen & Gordon, whose founding partner ran Hillary Clinton’s 2007/8 campaign and her 2016 SuperPac.

“It’s On Us” joined NHCADSV, NHCADSV, Amanda Grady Sexton, NNEDV, Congresswoman Ann Kuster in a social media and phone campaign in July 2019 to block ABC /GMA from airing an interview between Amy Robach and Owen Labrie. They used the #SurvivorsOverRatings, for which I believe there were financial kickbacks from advertising partners to the organizations (including NHCADSV and NNEDV, who are tied to this “Love is Respect” campaign) involved.

At the time the interview should have aired, the class action lawsuit Rapuano & Does v Dartmouth Board of Trustees was in mediation. The PR for the suit was paid for by Times Up/NWLC – another client of SKDK like Its On Us. Congresswoman Kuster supported the suit. NHCADSV were financial beneficiaries of the settlement. They received what appears to be $2.865 million. That money appears to have gone towards Every Voice Matters Coalition, which is part of Its On Us, which is part of Civic Nation and therefore a fundraiser for the Democratic Party.

One of the attorneys who led the suit is Steven J. Kelly Esq, who lobbied the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for A Survivors Bill of Rights in May 2015. Senator Jeanne Shaheen introduced this in 2016 when it passed. Kelly had been introduced to Chessy Prout by Laura L Dunn (an advisor to the WH “Not Alone” task force and a protege of Vice President Joe Biden), who had been recommended by Concord PD Julie Curtin, whose budget to investigate NH v Owen Labrie had been approved by the City of Concord Public Safety committee chaired by Amanda Grady Sexton on Senator Shaheen’s campaign committee.

Amanda Grady Sexton co-authored a guide to Pretrial publicity with Steven J. Kelly, who was on the board of directors for the National Crime Victims Law Institute, which published the guide, recognized Laura L Dunn as a “partner spotlight” in 2014, recommended Amanda Grady Sexton to Gordon MacDonald and/or Congresswoman Ann Kuster and recognized Concord PD, Julie Curtin. Early in the trial, Laura L Dunn announced that her client (later known as Chessy Prout) was a “Survivor.”

The exclusive TV coverage had been granted to WMUR, whose political director is married to Amanda Grady Sexton, who attended the trial to keep tabs on the media (per Concord Monitor) and who acted as a go-between between the Prout family and the Prosecutor (per Chessy Prout) and as the person who shaped the media for police, prosecutors and civil attorneys (per her own bio).

Political advertising that is not stated as such is deceptive and dangerous for parents and families. The NHCADSV news release is deceptive political advertising.

I trust you will take action and force the NHCADSV to be more transparent about its “news releases” and to admonish those involved in deceptive practices of using “news releases” for political agendas.

Thank you.

This is an email from Clair Best to the NH AG and a number of other recipients, including Nancy West (In-Depth NH).

The post Deceptive Political Advertising Complaint appeared first on Granite Grok.

Vermont Democrats banned militias last year, which we observed was an odd departure given that the state existed because of one. Comrade Ed Markey (D- MA), following Vermont’s lead, though it is more likely a shared totalitarian itch they have to scratch, has offered up legislation to ban “militias” nationwide.

The bill seeks to limit most militia activity, creating criminal penalties for people who engage in certain conduct, including intimidating elected officials, interfering with government proceedings, and pretending to be law enforcement.

Alert, Warning, Danger Democrat Will Robinson, Danger!

I’m not sure why I have to say this at all about the political Left intimidates elected officials every day and government officials often. I can’t imagine they’ve not thought of that, which is why that was not the reason from my headline. Democrats don’t follow laws, and they don’t take them to limit themselves or their advocates, but Markey is playing with fire.  Any immediate challenge to the bill, should it become law, and it will get challenged should that happen, would have a difficult time surviving even a constructionist reading of the Second Amendment.

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

You might argue, given the deliberate words in the Second Amendment, that it exists to prevent Ed Markey and Democrats from banning militias or anything the government decides has the appearance of one.  The Left has also gone to great lengths, for as long as they’ve been able, to argue that local National Guard units are what is meant by militia, but that makes no sense. A free state cannot protect itself from an overreaching tyranny with garrisoned National “troops,” even if they are constituted of locals. The word ‘National’ suggests fidelity to the general government, not the states.

The states ratified the constitution to restrain the national government in the interest of their freedom from it. It is, therefore, contrary to suggest that the security of a free state, in the form of a militia, can in any way be confused with a national guard. Or perhaps it can, but given the plain language of the Amendment and the fact that every other right of the people is individual, a Supreme Court-level challenge seems unlikely to survive this – if it even has to go that far to get turned away.

Not that I’m laying my hopes upon judges to protect the natural rights of self-defense and, by extension, an association or assembly or peaceful but armed citizens (is not a militia potentially protected by the First Amendment as well?).

Ian will have plenty of excellent thoughts about it, I hope, so we’ll leave the rest to comments, but I have to think that someone smarter than Ed Markey will have a “New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. City of New York” moment. The City, after realizing what it was likely in for in the highest court, changed the law to make the case moot.

This, I think, could be like that.

Markey is looking to take a big bite out of something he and his party may not be able to chew it.

S.3589, by the way, was announced on January 6th in response to an alleged insurrection in which none of the protesters was armed. It was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 16th, where it sits, like a companion bill in House HR6981.

S.3589 has only one co-sponsor in the Senate. The House version has eleven co-sponsors.

The post Ed Markey’s Bill to Ban “Militias” Nationwide Could Backfire in a Big Way appeared first on Granite Grok.

Nevada has a Primary and a Caucus, and they make you choose. Nikki Haley chose the Primary (no delegates are awarded, so how dumb is that). Trump chose the Caucus, the results of which are still two days away. But we know who won Tuesday’s Primary. Nobody.

Called with 50 percent of the vote in, “none of these candidates” garnered 60.3 percent of the reported vote, while Haley earned 33.4 percent and Pence and Scott — neither of whom is running an active campaign for the presidency — earned 4.2 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively.

Former president Donald Trump — who currently holds a 54.7 percent lead in national GOP polls, according to the RealClearPolitics average — did not compete in the primary, choosing instead to enter Thursday night’s caucus run by the state Republican Party. In a twist unique to this year’s contests, GOP candidates were required to decide between the primary and the caucus. Nevada had traditionally held the latter option in each presidential election cycle, but after the state passed a law in 2021 replacing the caucus with a primary and its Republican Party unsuccessfully sued, the Nevada GOP established its own caucus.

Haley’s campaign said it was rigged to favor Trump because the split (primary/Caucus) system resulted in them not spending resources there. That’s a hell of a dodge. You didn’t spend resources there because you chose to be on a primary ballot from which no delegates are awarded, but that’s not nearly as huge a blunder.

Given the choice between you, a bunch of candidates who dropped out, and nobody (remember, Trump wasn’t on this ballot), over 60% chose none of these candidates. Nobody.

Voters showed up at the polls to vote for nobody instead of you.

And even though Biden wasn’t officially a candidate – South Carolina is the first official DNC primary, he got over 90%.

Maybe that’s why. Without Democrats to meddle you couldn’t even beat none of the above.

The post Nevada Primary “None of These Candidates” Beats Nikki Haley by Nearly 30 points appeared first on Granite Grok.

Senator Rand Paul, in his talk, Deception: The Great Covid Cover-up, at Hillsdale’s College Washington campus, exposes many revelations of unknown nefarious facts about the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and their major role in initiating gain-of-function research at Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Do you trust Chinese research? Dr. Fauci does! Do I have trust in the government? Never! Do I claim that all government employees are dishonest? Never! Patrick Henry advises us that “we cannot rest our liberties on the assumption that our leaders will be virtuous.” Jefferson prescribes the solution to unscrupulous leaders: We must “bind them down from mischief to the chains of the Constitution.”

Reminds me of Union shops where the Union member is accused of feather bedding while management and government bureaucrats, more guilty of theft, escape unscathed. The average American may be unaware of how in Unions shop workers take advantage of new bosses because they know more about the job than the boss. The worker can milk the job (essentially stealing wages) only limited by his moral character. For the unscrupulous, it is a gold mine. This, I believe, is a microscopic picture of a scientist who milks government grants at will because we, who sign the checks for their license to steal, know not what they do. When this happens, it makes feather bedding by Union employees look like chicken stealing.

Senator Paul expressed his honest distrust of Dr. Fauci when he stated: “It is an open question how gain-of-function-research was funded in Wuhan without committee review.” Do you trust this laboratory  game “…involve[ing] taking two viruses and combining their genetics to create something more dangerous, more lethal or more contagious — on various coronaviruses at Wuhan Lab?”  According to Senator Paul, we can blame congressional ignorance about Fauci’s con game on Dr. Fauci. For the past four decades,  he has operated with very little congressional oversight. Congress trusts, I don’t. Do you? According to Senator Paul, mortality for COVID was less than one percent. Experiments now going on with viruses have the potential mortality rates of 15 to 20%.

Driving the weapon of citizen distrust was reinforced when Twitter files. “… we know that the mainstream media and Big Tech did not act alone in their many efforts to silence, to censor speech about the lab-leak theory, lockdown, masks, vaccines, and school closures, etc., … they were directed by the FBI and other intelligence agencies.”

This amounts to Executive unelected bureaucrats turning against We, The People, denying our First Amendment Rights.

In this national moral crisis:  “freedom to petition government” must impact Congress with questions like: Why was Dr. Fauci given an open check signed by the taxpayer for four decades? As Washington eloquently put it, “[t]ruth will ultimately prevail when there are pains taken to bring it to light.”

Senator Paul reminds us that Dr. Fauci’s funding of dangerous research and then lying to Congress and to the American people  about it for decades it equivalent to what C.S. Lewis called  a moral busybody:

”Of all the tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive…. [T]hose who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”

It is time that criminal acts by the government accepted as bureaucratic expertise are punished. Americans must be the accuser by filling the phone lines and email boxes of their Senators and Congressmen with a demand that the former world’s highest paid government “featherbedding” bureaucrat should be tried, convicted, and sentenced to jail.

“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” (Ecclesiastes . 8:11).

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My good friends, Don Bolduc and Rep. Bob Healey, recently got back-to-back coverage in the Union Leader simply because they espoused their ho-hum rhetoric against President Trump in favor of their friend Nikki Haley. Hey, I get it. We all want to showcase the good points of our favored candidate and disparage the “opposition.”

But, while Bolduc refrained from outright nastiness toward Trump, Healey went full throttle with his ridiculous portrayal of wizardry nonsense. Something, I’m sure, the Union Leader enjoyed printing.

Don and Bob put their own political spin on Trump. Healey claimed that Trump promised to cut spending, who then turned around and signed the largest spending bill in history. What he ‘forgot’ to mention was that it was during the 2020 Covid epidemic, and the Democrat-controlled Congress passed the whopping $900 billion pandemic relief package and tacked on a $1.4 trillion catchall spending bill. They then sent the 5,593-page – the longest bill ever – to Trump’s desk to sign. There was no chance of President Trump vetoing the bill because he did not have the votes in Congress to support it. Nice spin, though.

Fake Kudos” to the Union Leader.  They opted once again to choose to print Trump-critical’ op-eds while refusing to print my op-eds in favor of Trump.  Way to go UL!

Bolduc claimed Haley “represents the opportunity” to end the tit-for-tat rancor in politics. Hmm, when Don was running for U.S. Senate to represent NH, Haley backed and supported him. Healey worked for the Bolduc campaign. Now, they both have their own little tit-for-tat in support of their friend Haley. I’m not knocking it (good for them for their loyalty to her). I’m just pointing out that all aspects of tit-for-tat will always be part of the political scene, and Bolduc and Healey know it.

They claim that Trump is polarizing and divisive, but the only polarization being done is from the actions of Democrats and the media who, in controlling the message to the uninformed voters, promote their agenda of orange man bad. The media and their Democrat pals are the ones who perpetuate divisive politics with their false narratives and selective editing.

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Let’s talk about Haley and her track record. She can’t run from it; she’s been in party establishment politics much longer than Bolduc claims. The reality of her twelve years in South Carolina as a state legislator, then governor, was a variety of incompetence, shocking mismanagement, and scandals. She doled out endless favors to big donor corporations and the rich, and her practice of pay-to-play made her legendary in SC politics. In other words, she was – and still is – owned by Wall Street billionaires.

She gave tax incentives – taxpayer money – to Chinese Communist companies. She sided with Disney, opposing parental rights for Florida. She opposed SC legislation to keep boys out of girl’s bathrooms. She says she’s opposed to vaccine mandates, but she voted against allowing parents to opt-out.

Haley’s leadership is inclusive all right, not to the needs of the people of SC, but to the lobbyists of corporate America who continue to line her pockets with the $ millions they give her.

Bolduc claims that candidate Haley gives us “fresh ideas” but the thousands of Haley Mail that choked our mail boxes every day for weeks prior to the NH Primary tells a different story.

They mimic every policy that Trump has already delivered when he was in the White House.

Nothing new and fresh to see here from Haley. She speaks in ‘talking points,’ and when she is forced to go off-script when a voter asks a question, she makes Bidenesque flubs and makes a fool of herself.

Haley came in a distant third in Iowa’s caucus. And, then she lost to Trump by double digits in New Hampshire’s primary. Haley can spin the results, but it was Democratic-leaning Independents who picked up a Republican ballot on January 23 to vote for Haley simply to skew a Republican primary vote. Oops, they lost.

What makes Don and Bob think that those same Democrat Independents will vote for Haley if she became the nominee in November? No, they will treat her the same way they treat Trump. They will vilify her and vote for Biden like good little partisan voters.

 

The views and opinions expressed by contributors are those of the author and may not reflect the opinion or position of  Grok Media, GraniteGrok.com, its authors, advertisers, donors, or sponsors.

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The nation’s recent deep freeze stranded many expensive electric vehicles (EVs) with drained batteries, often in front of charging stations equally disabled by the cold. Warmer areas like California, where some 39% of EV car owners reside, do not abuse their batteries with the harsh seasonal winters that threaten many regions of the nation and world. Electric vehicle sales were quite chilly even before the arctic blast, despite price drops and government subsidies. The cold weather troubles reveal why the market for this vaunted technology may continue to cool.

Car Conspiracy

The 2006 documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” explored the possibility that government and industry forces conspired to ensure the failure of the prototype electric vehicle of the mid-1990s: the General Motors EV1. EVs may have been viewed as a threat to oil or automaker profits, but automakers claimed the failure of the vehicles to succeed was primarily attributable to a lack of consumer demand. Current public displays of the sharp drop in efficiency of electric batteries in frigid environments will not boost popularity, instead offering yet one more reason for consumers to prefer the traditional gasoline engine.

EVs are relatively expensive, and many remain skeptical that charging stations and electric grids can support them – even in warmer temps. Growing awareness of the pollution generated in the mining of lithium and other materials in EV battery and vehicle manufacturing (and the eventual disposal of non-recyclable batteries) undermines the environment-sparing messaging used to justify the hefty price tag. And then there is “range anxiety.”

Range Anxiety

Range anxiety refers to the understandable concern of consumers that EVs lack the ability of gas-powered cars to travel long distances reliably. Indeed, concerns about vehicles that could, at that time, travel less than 100 miles per charge were likely part of the lack of consumer appeal for GM’s EV1 in the 1990s. Today’s models approach the three-hundred-mile range – until it gets too cold. Car batteries lose energy much faster when the thermometer plummets and the increased energy requirement to keep the driver and passengers warm certainly doesn’t help. It is estimated that sub-freezing temps can reduce EV range by 40% when the heater is on.

Many consumers will hesitate to buy a vehicle in which turning on the heat could leave them stranded on the roadside in life-threatening weather. In the recent cold snap, many EV owners claimed their cars would not charge at all or that charging stations failed to function. And while EV proponents claim gas stations too are vulnerable when the power goes out (and that future EVs will permit charging other vehicles), it is a familiar rescue to Americans when someone pulls a can of gasoline from the back of their truck to get “old-fashioned” motorcars back on their way.

Electric Vehicle Rental Disappointment

Hertz Rentals launched an ambitious EV car rental program, purchasing 100,000 EVs and installing charging stations for its users. The plan has been back-pedaled as the company recently shed about a third of its EV fleet. Rental customer experience may have a lot to reveal about the broader long-term salability of EVs.

Americans often rent cars for long journeys, perhaps seeking a more reliable vehicle than their personal auto, or to spare it the extra mileage or risk of a far-from-home breakdown. Road trips are part of the American wilderness experience, a la Jack Kerouac. Such journeys tackle long distances over this grand American geography: Many people drive hundreds of miles a day, or even through the night, to reach their vacation or business destination.

Enter the electric vehicle rental. Depending on the departure location, there may or may not be ample charging stations en route. An app or other electronic access is also required before departure in order to use the electric charging stations, as no cash is allowed. The stop will not be a three-minute fill-up with coffee and donuts as in the gas station era, but likely a one-hour affair (if the charging stations are operational and available, and if it’s not sub-freezing). Some technologies (Tesla Superchargers) can accelerate charging times, but it is still far more time-consuming to juice a battery than to simply pump petrol: EV charging stations cannot recharge cars anywhere near as fast as liquid fuel stations.

A traveler hoping to drive 750 miles or more in one day to a family member’s wedding, graduation, funeral, etc., would thus have to make at least two lengthy stops with an electric vehicle rental, making an already-exhausting journey dangerous, perhaps necessitating a hotel and an extra day (or two, if returning) car rental. Better to take a gasoline-powered rig.

Hertz admits as much on its website:

“But if you’re keen to explore the many benefits of driving an electric car – low emissions, a quieter ride, and lower running costs among them – don’t let range anxiety stop you from giving it a go….

“So, while you won’t be able to drive from dawn till dusk, EVs are great for day-to-day driving and multi-stop road trips. Electric cars also offer better efficiency in city settings, thanks to regenerative braking: the ability to build up power reserves when stopping repeatedly.”

Many Americans want to drive from dawn till dusk, or even from dusk till dawn. Hertz also experienced higher repair and tire costs with its EV fleet. Repair costs for bodywork on EVs (especially Teslas) are generally substantially higher than for gas-powered vehicles; EVs go through tires 30% faster. All of these are negative factors not just for car rental companies, but individual American car buyers increasingly concerned about a wobbly economy in an even wobblier election year.

Freedom of Safe Travel

A subconscious instinct against dependency infuses pictures of EVs parked in darkness due to harsh, frigid elements. If there is a time consumers want dependability for their loved ones, it is in times of emergency such as a winter storm. Then there are the many consumers accustomed to the self-reliance of a woodstove or generator, who are also reluctant to relinquish that independence for the techno-enslavement of heat pumps. Like EVs, heat pumps decline in efficiency as temperatures drop. Even with improvements to this problem, there remains a complete dependence upon the electric grid for life-saving warmth. The Boy Scout motto of “Be Prepared” is pretty useless if all one can do is wait for the power to come back on to stave off hypothermia in a home or car.

Like a load of heavy, wet snow on a cheap tin shack, the numerous problems that accompany EVs promise to break the unfulfilled technological promises and dubious climate justifications concocted to prop them up. Winter storms reveal EVs stalled in squalls with dead batteries; summer EV driving threatens California with blackouts. Lithium mining and battery disposal eclipse the claimed environmental benefits of carbon dioxide reduction, and EV subsidies are “inequitably” regressive.

With such a fast-growing list of insurmountable problems, the EV appears to be killing itself.

 

John Klar is an Attorney, farmer, and author. Mostly farmer… And Regular Contributor to GraniteGrok and VermontGrok.

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