The headline is “property taxpayers bear the brunt of costs.” The subject is education funding, which, if you are paying any attention, is a dramedy akin to The Money Pit but with no beautiful anything at the end of the “movie.”

There is no conclusion. Viewers, or in their case, taxpayers, get nothing for the effort except a larger bill every year and a declining return on investment. But the goal here, aped by the Valley News, is to increase taxes by pretending to offset the burden. They argue that programs will be cut without proper funding but never broach at least one very real problem.

Bloated administrative overhead sucks up most of the resources you would otherwise have for those programs.

Instead of addressing the contradiction that more money does not provide better results, they argue that the current funding model is unconstitutional. A cherished opinion backed by robed activists willing to screw taxpayers by giving progressives what they want. To expand the administrative state in Concord and add a metastasizing statewide taxing authority with an always carbon footprint.

They seek to wreck what has made New Hampshire a great place to live, with low poverty, high quality of life, the most economic opportunity, and better growth and freedom than any state in New England and most of North America.

There’s a reason for that: low tax burden and a focus (at least recently) on reducing bureaucratic burden—the opposite of the public education funding model.

Property taxes are an anchor around the neck of expanding government. A tax bill is a visible reminder of costs and obligations. But, the Schoolies, the Education Industrial Complex, effortlessly grinds conscientious objectors into dust. Towns negotiating contracts with national teachers’ union lawyers or reps can’t compete and almost always cave. Anyone daring to challenge an expansion of the money pit is met with a political firestorm.

Sure, 60% of funding comes from property taxes, but 75% of that tax bill is public education, and much of that has nothing to do with providing students with an education.

If property taxes in New Hampshire are too high, then the first question should be, why are we spending so much for public education and getting so little in return? And is it, perhaps, time for the town to consider separating some of the things a public school does that have nothing to do with reading, writing, or arithmetic and getting them out of the budget?

If a school can’t teach more than 4 or 5 kids out of ten to read at grade level, then no one deserves to be rewarded with anything extracurricular.

Alternatively, a town could probably hire a third-party vendor to run their schools and get better results, with more accountability to taxpayers, parents, and town officials at a fraction of the cost. And guess what? If they start to suck, you can replace them, and all you are doing is changing one lean management team for another.

The Valley News is more interested in pandering to the growing government education industrial complex than saving taxpayers money or educating kids.

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Over the weekend, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin explained to the American people what’s really wrong with US foreign policy. Some might find his conclusions surprising.

The US standing in the world is damaged not because we spent 20 years fighting an Afghan government that had nothing to do with the attacks on 9/11. The problem has nothing to do with neocon lies about Iraq’s WMDs that led to untold civilian deaths in another failed “democratization” mission. It’s not because, over the past nearly two years, Washington has taken more than $150 billion from the American people to fight a proxy war with Russia through Ukraine.

It’s not the military-industrial complex or its massive lobbying power that extends throughout Congress, the think tanks, and the media.

Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California’s Simi Valley, Austin finally explained the real danger to the US global military empire.

It’s us.

According to Secretary Austin, non-interventionists who advocate “an American retreat from responsibility” are the ones destabilizing the world, not endless neocon wars.

Austin said the US must continue to play the role of global military hegemon – policeman of the world – because “the world will only become more dangerous if tyrants and terrorists believe that they can get away with wholesale aggression and mass slaughter.”

How’s that for reason and logic? Austin and the interventionist elites have fact-checked 30 years of foreign policy failures and concluded, “Well, it would have been far worse if the non-interventionists were in charge.”

This is one of the biggest problems with the neocons. They are incapable of self-reflection. Each time the US government follows their advice into another catastrophe, it’s always someone else’s fault. In this case, as Austin tells us, those at fault for US foreign policy misadventures are the people who say, “Don’t do it.”

What would have happened if the people who said “don’t do it” were in charge of President Obama’s decision to prop up al-Qaeda to overthrow Syria’s secular leader Assad? How about if the “don’t do it” people were in charge when the neocons manufactured a “human rights” justification to destroy Libya? What if the “don’t do it” people were in charge when Obama’s neocons thought it would be a great idea to overthrow Ukraine’s democratically elected government?

Would tyrants and terrorists have gained power if Washington did NOT get involved? No. Tyrants and terrorists got the upper hand BECAUSE Washington intervened in these crises.

As Austin further explained, part of the problem with the US is democracy itself. “Our competitors don’t have to operate under continuing resolutions,” he complained. What a burden it is for him that the people, through their representatives, are in charge of war spending.

In Congress, “America first” foreign policy sentiment is on the rise among conservatives, and that infuriates Austin and his ilk. He wants more billions for wars in Ukraine and Israel, and he wants it now!

And our economic problems? That is our fault, too. Those who “try to pull up the drawbridge,” Austin said, undermine the security that has led to decades of prosperity. Prosperity? Has he looked at the national debt? Inflation? Destruction of the dollar?

There is a silver lining here. The fact that Austin and the neocons are attacking us non-interventionists means that we are gaining ground. They are worried about us. This is our chance to really raise our voices!

 

 

Ron Paul | Ron Paul Institute

Copyright © 2023 by RonPaul Institute. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit and a live link are given.

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Progressives have been working hard to conquer the problem of Christmas. Undermine might be a better word. Erase it would be a likely goal. And this story about a #woke black female Santa has me pondering whether they ever wanted her to appear.

The story.

 

A city in Belgium has cancelled a scheduled Christmas event in which a black female ‘Santa Claus’ was set to reeducate attendees about “colonial ideology” and how “generations of Flemish people are racists.”

The Telegraph reports that people in Ghent have pressured the mayor to call off the appearance of one Queen Nikkolah, a character created by artist Laura Nsengiyumva, who would have ‘reworked’ Christmas fables about Santa for children at the event.

The report claims that the character was set to be dressed in the colours of the Palestinian flag (for some reason) while handing out gifts to children.

 

Was the point of featuring Queen Nikkolah (and to be honest, wouldn’t it have been better if she was a Drag Queen) to have her do her thing, or was it to get people so outraged they’d just cancel Christmas – or in this case, the Christmas event?

I’ve no issue with a black Santa or one of any other color. The message of individuals giving of their own free will is far too important to get muddled in minute details, especially since Jesus was most certainly not a pale white guy with Fabio’s hair. But how far from the template was this, and to what end?

Belgium is not known for its conservatism, but Europeans have begun to push back against the #woke cultural mandates of the EU, especially with regard to immigration and climate policy. So, was the choice of Queen Nikkolah to further bend and then overwrite the culture or to get it to cancel itself?

Who won?

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This past Thursday marks the 82nd anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. December 7, 1941, was described by then-President Franklin Roosevelt as “a date that will live in infamy.”

This attack happened on a Sunday, and it is interesting to see the schedule for the crew on the ships:

 

0745- Rig for Church (starboard forecastle, weather permitting).

0750- Send boat to Officers’Club landing for Chaplain Maguire.

0830- Chaplin’s Bible discussion class (port side Crew’s Reception Room).

0830- Confessions (Crew’s Library)

0900- Divine Service (Catholic)

1000- Divine Service (Protestant)

 

Of course, the attack began around 8:00 am, and this schedule was never followed.

I included this officer’s schedule to emphasize again the role of God, the Bible, and its doctrines of faith in the daily affairs of our country, and especially our military.  From George Washington to Pearl Harbor, God was honored in our military.

Today, sadly, not so much. Chaplains have been instructed to recuse the name of Jesus Christ in their prayers. The “Woke” agenda has become the measuring line of acceptance and tolerance.

Few people know that Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto actually studied English at Harvard University from (1919-21). He was also assigned first as an aide to an admiral and then as a naval attache in Washington (1926-28).

He grew to have a deep respect for the industrial aspect of America but a little affinity for the military as he viewed them as an officers club of bridge players and golfers.

It is said after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, that Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto said, “I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with terrible resolve.”

And that is exactly what happened. Americans did not pursue peace as he naively believed they would but instead took action to destroy those who had done such a vicious act of tyranny on innocent people.

President Abraham Lincoln, in his famed Cooper Union address, used a phrase that had been a part of philosophical writings and Stoics quotes since the 14th century. The phrase, Might Makes Right, had been a harbinger of the use of force to bring about social change at the behest of a leader strong enough to overcome everyone else and impose his/her will on others.

President Lincoln reversed the words of the phrase to say that “Right Makes Might.”

Lincoln, affectionally known as Honest Abe, understood, perhaps more than other leaders during his era, that if you are living the right lifestyle and doing the right things by your neighbor, i.e., the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Then, when the odds are against you, though you appear to be weak or even vulnerable to defeat, there is a spiritual law of truth that will prevail against every lie.

Pearl Harbor was an example of people doing the right thing who were severely wronged. Because they were doing life as they should, their might proved to be unstoppable.

America as a nation has done a lot of right things…but we must seek God to reform the dark areas of our culture…we have accepted abortion, alternate sexual lifestyle choices, sex trafficking, homelessness, drug addiction, prescription (legal) and illegal, lawlessness, drunkenness, mutilation of our most precious commodity our young children, the future of America. I can add to this list; however, if we do not have a great awakening or a return to morality, we will continue to lose our might. By that, I mean our ability to have a civil society of peace and prosperity, which we have all known for most of our lives.

So far, all the major attacks against our country have come from enemies from foreign shores…but little by little, we are seeing riots, burnings, looting, and murders from within on an unprecedented scale…the open border should put the fear of God in all of us. We are being inundated by thousands of young men, (healthy, strong). As one Texas ranger asked a group of young men they captured…if you are fleeing persecution and your life is threatened, why did you leave your family? ( Many of them had been questioned as to whether or not they had a family), they simply smiled.

Meanwhile, many Congressional Leaders, men, and women, are reaping personal financial gains beyond anything we could imagine. They boldly lie to us without a twinge of conflict in their souls. They refuse to reform the laws they have created for their own personal gain. They refuse to stand up for the innocent Americans who have been lied against in the media and jailed without a fair trial,  and they refuse to stop the twisting of laws to condemn the innocent. All the while, bribery is the mode of operation in our government.  Isaiah, the prophet, said, Truth is trampled in the streets, and we are living in an age where evil is called good and good is called evil. We put darkness for light and light for darkness…bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. ( Isaiah 5:20 )

I realize that some Congressmen and Women do go on TV and speak about these issues, however have you noticed there is rarely if ever any action in a timely manner to bring justice? I certainly have…those who have taken the oath to protect our country and us in return seem to be incapable of not only naming what is wrong….  (You know the buzzwords… alleged, appearances, follow the story where it leads? (Whatever that means?) With that attitude, it appears we are creating the story as we go along. How about we know where it leads? How about we know how the story ends?  It is clear what you have done.  Of course, it never leads to any conviction or justice for the person doing the wrong, no matter which political party they are a part of. Slaps on the wrists, pardons, daytime prison while you live in your own home, these are the rules for those who govern us.

However, we pay with our lives for infractions far less devastating than what they have done to us and our country. We have seen people go to jail before a trial. We no longer accept innocent until proven guilty. You are guilty and must prove you innocent…a bit like old England under Monarchial rule. Or Communist culture on steroids. We’ve all heard the song and dance. But the song and dance is usually on just one side…the other side just tells the lie as if it were true!  No dancing around what they see as wrong…

But remember, right (actions based on moral integrity and truth) will always win…light will always triumph over the darkness.

In closing, if you have the time this week, read Deuteronomy 28. Here, Moses told the Nation of Israel that if they turned away from following God and His Laws, this would be the end result. A lot of it fits our country right now.

Awakening is not just a social buzzword; it is a necessity if we are to survive!

Until next week,

Allen

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Perky CDC Director Mandy Cohen seems to have been picked for the job based on her communications skills, though she does have a bunch of letters after her name. And while the delivery is better, the message is the same.

With elevated cases of Flu, RSV, and even Pneumonia, the CDC wants you to know that you should do what you’ve always done to protect yourself, where “Always” means since mid-2020, and where “protection” means those things that didn’t work.

Masks were a fail. The Shots made things worse. But here we are, so this message is for those still not paying attention because the rest of us can’t believe it.

 

Virus season is here! Hear the latest. https://t.co/4jNWBWWzzl pic.twitter.com/RkMVttAygw

— Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH (@CDCDirector) December 6, 2023

 

COVID and flu vaccines, masking, and staying home if you are sick. The last one is the only one we’ve always done, so credit where due, but without knowing whether cases of this, that, or the other thing are up – well, they should be. It is almost winter. That’s also something we’ve always done. And I understand that Perky Mandy must do her Public Service Announcements. Pfizer money doesn’t launder itself. And maybe she’s just another useful idiot.

A perky, useful idiot. The CDC Glee Club president. The vaccine cheerleader. This is the program. It may have resulted in millions of unnecessary deaths worldwide, but much like socialism, if we keep trying, it will eventually work. Get vaccinated. Obstruct your airway. Again, with the understanding that we do not know what they mean by “work,” but we have our suspicions.

 

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Nobody can say Hunter Biden doesn’t see himself above all others. Being the son of Joe Biden, he learned early on that he was one of the elites in America and rules do not apply to that group. Hunter Biden has been a self-proclaimed porn star, pop artist, and chief financial officer of the Biden Family Cartel.

CFO may not be totally accurate as Hunter was the front man who shook down foreign companies, officials, and governments for money in exchange for access to his Vice President, now President, father. Hunter had one of his Dad’s puppets in his corner protecting the First Son, but that puppet has been forced to the center of the ring. Special counsel David Weiss leveled a nine-count indictment against Hunter Biden late Thursday, accusing President Joe Biden’s son of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 to 2020.

There is so much to this story that is not in the headline. The period that Hunter failed to file with the IRS goes back to 2014, but due to Weiss dragging his feet, the statute of limitations has run out on the sins of those earlier years. Coincidentally, those earlier years are when Joe was the Vice President. Weiss did his job well, not for the American people, but for the Biden family by ensuring the information from this period never hits the light of day. Hunter’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, caused many to scratch their heads when he claimed that Hunter was charged solely because he is a Biden. Most people with minimal insight see the special treatment Hunter received by delaying action on these charges for five years. If his name were not Biden, he would be in prison serving his sentence. Attorney Lowell got the message on Biden Communications: lie, lie again, and end your lie with “That’s a fact.” It is that last part that makes everything so believable. People are beginning to see through the smoke.

The glitch in the Biden Administration’s handling of Hunter’s felonious crimes was the IRS Whistle Blowers. These two gentlemen came before Congress, at dire penalties to their careers, exposed the delay tactics of David Weiss, and crushed the plea deal Weiss tried to ram through the system. They stood their ground in front of a barrage from the Democrat members of the committee, and their conviction was absolute. They were not going to let the injustice they witnessed go unchecked. Weiss had no choice but to act quickly to bring indictments against Hunter Biden in Los Angeles. This trial will take place next year while Joe is trying to win a second term and continue the era of Biden Corruption in D.C.

This action by Weiss comes on the heels of Hunter being subpoenaed to appear in front of a House Committee, and he is to appear next week or face possible contempt charges.

Hunter displayed a higher level of hubris by offering to testify in front of the House Ways and Means Committee regarding his role in the Biden Family money laundering scheme. The problem is that Hunter had already been served a subpoena to testify, so he really did not have an option. He was subpoenaed for a closed-door meeting. He has offered to testify in a public hearing. Hunter loves the bright lights and thinks the truth will be buried in a closed hearing. He will probably negotiate for a primetime made-for-TV hearing.

Getting into Hunter Biden’s head is a scary thought. It is challenging to uncover his motive for pushing for a public hearing. There does not appear to be an upside, but he has a history of airing his sins on primetime, as he did a 60 Minutes interview to discuss his Pornhub videos, womanizing, and drug use. He is banking on the format of a public hearing being easier to manipulate. Jordan and Comer will have no part in his offer. He can have his public hearing after the private deposition and the release of the transcripts to the public. Hunter may have directed his porn videos, but he is only the star of this show. Comer and Jordan will be calling the shots, and Hunter will keep his clothes on, but hopefully, his story will be stripped naked.

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