---by Micheal
At a recent board of selectmen meeting in my town, there was both a bad precedent set, and an impossible goal voiced. The Nanny State creeps into small town government quietly.
First: The Problem. A resident had his house broken into early one morning. There was no town police officer on duty at that time. Three of them were out on medical leave, so the shift was unfilled. The call was routed to the State Police who took 25 minutes to get there. There was much outrage.
Second: The Bad Precedent. Selectmen, reacting to the upset resident, decided to hire an additional police officer. Whether they have the authority to do so will remain to be sorted out. Town residents have balked repeatedly over the years at budget requests to add to town-paid staff. One selectman exposed a sentiment which is poison for democracy. "Such decisions should not be decided by the town," said one selectmen. The selectmen, being so much better qualified, should decide. Incredibly, the audience applauded such arrogance.
The selectmen exhibited that hallmark Nanny State attitude. Only government officials know best. The voting majority can and should be ignored...for their own good! Thus begins the smug elitist's reign. Democracy is nothing but a hollow ritual. The State knows best and should decide all.
Third: The Impossible Standard. The break-in victim told the selectmen than residents have "a fundamental right to feel safe." I was shocked at the thought. Now, I can sympathize with his feelings. I've been there twice before -- once with the house, and once with my car. The feeling of being vulnerable and violated are powerful. I know that. But his is a completely impossible expectation. No town, no state, can ever satisfy collective feelings. What if a resident doesn't feel safe unless there is a policeman assigned to their driveway 24/7? It cannot be the job of any town's government to satisfy residents' feelings.
The victim-resident and audience expose the dark flip side of the Nanny State. Residents demand that their government be responsible for everything -- including their feelings. This resident's beef is with the other voters in the town. THEY voted to add only one policemen to the budget, not two. He should be demanding of the voters, at the next town meeting, that THEY satisfy his feelings. How far do you suspect that demand will go? The voters can take on that task or remind him that our collective safety is a shared burden, not a service to be ordered from the front desk.
The Nanny State does not have to arrive in jackboots or paratroops. It can sneak in quietly as local officials assume a smarter-than-thou arrogance, and residents demand nanny service.
12.28.2009
12.23.2009
Health care reform; no back room deals!
By Kelly Ayotte
With health care costs growing at unsustainable rates, it is becoming increasingly difficult for small businesses to provide coverage for employees and more expensive for New Hampshire families to obtain affordable coverage. Congress needs to enact meaningful health care reforms that lower costs and improve quality.
Unfortunately, the $1.3 trillion, budget-busting bill passed by Rep. Paul Hodes and the House of Representative takes us in the wrong direction. Hodes' plan raises taxes on small businesses and makes it more difficult for them to provide health care for their employees; it cuts Medicare for seniors; and it paves the way for government rationing of health care.
The Senate Democrats drafted their 2,733-page bill in secret, cutting back-room deals and holding their vote at 1 a.m., the weekend before Christmas. Why all the secrecy? They know the American people will be outraged by their plan, which raises taxes by $518 billion, cuts Medicare by $470 billion, and Congressional Budget estimates show will increase overall expenditures on health care by $200 billion over the next 10 years.
Congress should take a time-out and start over. We need to agree that any reform should meet the following principles: You should be allowed to keep your current plan if you choose; families and small businesses should be able to design a plan that meets their individual needs; Washington bureaucrats should not come between patients and their doctors; and it should not increase taxes or drive up our deficit.
I believe there are some common-sense reforms Congress could enact that would bend the cost curve of health care.
We should start with medical malpractice reform to reduce frivolous lawsuits. In underserved areas, the threat of these lawsuits has forced doctors out of practice, and this is especially true for obstetricians. As I travel the state, many doctors have told me they feel forced to practice defensive medicine out of fear of frivolous lawsuits. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that we could save $54 billion over the next 10 years if we enacted medical liability reform.
We should look more seriously at wellness programs that provide economic incentives for people to live healthy lives and use preventive care programs that have been implemented successfully by many large companies. Countless examples demonstrate that when wellness programs are used, insurance premiums go down and employees' health improves. Wellness is a win-win because we end up with lower health care costs and healthier families.
We need more transparency in our health care system. Health care is one of the only services we purchase where it is tremendously difficult to compare the prices of procedures and to obtain reliable information on quality. Consumers should have access to better information on the costs and quality of health care so they can make informed decisions about their own care.
We need to improve the efficiency and delivery of care with electronic medical records and better coordination of care. Patients who have chronic illnesses or diseases often have multiple doctors caring for them. Without coordinated care and physicians having access to complete information, a patient may receive duplicate tests or fail to receive the appropriate complementary treatment. Having electronic medical records and better coordination of care would save billions of dollars and provide patients with improved care.
We should allow small businesses to form a pool to purchase health insurance together. My husband, Joe, started a small business when he returned from serving in the Iraq War. Like other small business owners in New Hampshire and around the country, he has seen his health care costs explode over the last several years. By allowing small businesses to join together to purchase insurance, small businesses would have the same negotiating power as big companies. This can, and must, be done in a way that protects consumers. It is also inarguably true that when small businesses have lower health care costs, they are in a better position to create more jobs.
Finally, we should allow the purchase of insurance across state lines. This would create competition, driving down the cost of insurance. Additionally, it would give us more options to choose from when purchasing insurance.
There is no single silver bullet to solve our nation's health care problems. However, by using common sense, Congress can enact reforms drafted in the public's eye --instead of through back-room deals -- that reduce costs and provide us with better health care without raising taxes and driving up our deficit.
With health care costs growing at unsustainable rates, it is becoming increasingly difficult for small businesses to provide coverage for employees and more expensive for New Hampshire families to obtain affordable coverage. Congress needs to enact meaningful health care reforms that lower costs and improve quality.
Unfortunately, the $1.3 trillion, budget-busting bill passed by Rep. Paul Hodes and the House of Representative takes us in the wrong direction. Hodes' plan raises taxes on small businesses and makes it more difficult for them to provide health care for their employees; it cuts Medicare for seniors; and it paves the way for government rationing of health care.
The Senate Democrats drafted their 2,733-page bill in secret, cutting back-room deals and holding their vote at 1 a.m., the weekend before Christmas. Why all the secrecy? They know the American people will be outraged by their plan, which raises taxes by $518 billion, cuts Medicare by $470 billion, and Congressional Budget estimates show will increase overall expenditures on health care by $200 billion over the next 10 years.
Congress should take a time-out and start over. We need to agree that any reform should meet the following principles: You should be allowed to keep your current plan if you choose; families and small businesses should be able to design a plan that meets their individual needs; Washington bureaucrats should not come between patients and their doctors; and it should not increase taxes or drive up our deficit.
I believe there are some common-sense reforms Congress could enact that would bend the cost curve of health care.
We should start with medical malpractice reform to reduce frivolous lawsuits. In underserved areas, the threat of these lawsuits has forced doctors out of practice, and this is especially true for obstetricians. As I travel the state, many doctors have told me they feel forced to practice defensive medicine out of fear of frivolous lawsuits. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that we could save $54 billion over the next 10 years if we enacted medical liability reform.
We should look more seriously at wellness programs that provide economic incentives for people to live healthy lives and use preventive care programs that have been implemented successfully by many large companies. Countless examples demonstrate that when wellness programs are used, insurance premiums go down and employees' health improves. Wellness is a win-win because we end up with lower health care costs and healthier families.
We need more transparency in our health care system. Health care is one of the only services we purchase where it is tremendously difficult to compare the prices of procedures and to obtain reliable information on quality. Consumers should have access to better information on the costs and quality of health care so they can make informed decisions about their own care.
We need to improve the efficiency and delivery of care with electronic medical records and better coordination of care. Patients who have chronic illnesses or diseases often have multiple doctors caring for them. Without coordinated care and physicians having access to complete information, a patient may receive duplicate tests or fail to receive the appropriate complementary treatment. Having electronic medical records and better coordination of care would save billions of dollars and provide patients with improved care.
We should allow small businesses to form a pool to purchase health insurance together. My husband, Joe, started a small business when he returned from serving in the Iraq War. Like other small business owners in New Hampshire and around the country, he has seen his health care costs explode over the last several years. By allowing small businesses to join together to purchase insurance, small businesses would have the same negotiating power as big companies. This can, and must, be done in a way that protects consumers. It is also inarguably true that when small businesses have lower health care costs, they are in a better position to create more jobs.
Finally, we should allow the purchase of insurance across state lines. This would create competition, driving down the cost of insurance. Additionally, it would give us more options to choose from when purchasing insurance.
There is no single silver bullet to solve our nation's health care problems. However, by using common sense, Congress can enact reforms drafted in the public's eye --instead of through back-room deals -- that reduce costs and provide us with better health care without raising taxes and driving up our deficit.
12.20.2009
STOP GOV. LYNCH'S INCOME TAX!!!!
By Cory Lewandowski
Americans for Prosperity-NH
On Wednesday over 300 people attend the Department of Revenue Administrations (DRA’s) hearing to protest Governor Lynch's job-killing LLC tax.
During the hearing DRA Commissioner Kevin A. Clougherty stated that the DRA couldn’t hold more public hearings on the LLC tax due to state budget cuts. AFP State Director, Corey R. Lewandowski would like to remind the Commissioner that he is a salaried state employee that has a state issued vehicle and doesn’t pay tolls. Lewandowski went on to question what expenses the Commissioner was talking about. “I am sure that if the Commissioner needs a place to host a public hearing, any local library would provide a meeting room free of charge,” Lewandowski stated.
Commissioner Clougherty was clearly unnerved by the capacity crowd opposing this 5% INCOMCE TAX on small businesses. When asked why the Commissioner doesn’t target larger corporations as opposed to small business owners, the Commissioners response was simple “I’m going to be fair and I’m going to go after everybody.”
AFP is calling for Commissioner Clougherty’s immediate resignation. Please call Governor Lynch today at 603-271-2121 and ask him to fire Commissioner Clougherty. Clougherty is the mastermind behind not only the proposed 5% INCOME TAX on LLC owners but also the recent increase in the Rooms and Meals tax to 9%.
On Monday, December 21, 2009 at 10:00 AM, Governor Lynch will participate in an online town hall hosted by the Live Free or Die Alliance. This is your chance to let the Governor know that you oppose his job-killing small business income tax!
Americans for Prosperity-NH
On Wednesday over 300 people attend the Department of Revenue Administrations (DRA’s) hearing to protest Governor Lynch's job-killing LLC tax.
During the hearing DRA Commissioner Kevin A. Clougherty stated that the DRA couldn’t hold more public hearings on the LLC tax due to state budget cuts. AFP State Director, Corey R. Lewandowski would like to remind the Commissioner that he is a salaried state employee that has a state issued vehicle and doesn’t pay tolls. Lewandowski went on to question what expenses the Commissioner was talking about. “I am sure that if the Commissioner needs a place to host a public hearing, any local library would provide a meeting room free of charge,” Lewandowski stated.
Commissioner Clougherty was clearly unnerved by the capacity crowd opposing this 5% INCOMCE TAX on small businesses. When asked why the Commissioner doesn’t target larger corporations as opposed to small business owners, the Commissioners response was simple “I’m going to be fair and I’m going to go after everybody.”
AFP is calling for Commissioner Clougherty’s immediate resignation. Please call Governor Lynch today at 603-271-2121 and ask him to fire Commissioner Clougherty. Clougherty is the mastermind behind not only the proposed 5% INCOME TAX on LLC owners but also the recent increase in the Rooms and Meals tax to 9%.
On Monday, December 21, 2009 at 10:00 AM, Governor Lynch will participate in an online town hall hosted by the Live Free or Die Alliance. This is your chance to let the Governor know that you oppose his job-killing small business income tax!
12.11.2009
Action needed on health care reform
It is critical that you turn your full attention to the health care “reform” debate currently underway on Capitol Hill.
As I write, Harry Reid is forcing the Senate to meet 7 days a week to complete the Democrats’ march toward a federal takeover of the health care delivery system. He has even threatened to call Senators into session through the holidays if ObamaCare isn’t approved.
Although Reid sounds like the Grinch, we all know his bill would make the federal government a veritable Santa Claus when it comes to health care. That includes the potential for a government-run health plan in each state.
The Senate is now the central front in this fight. That’s why it’s critical that you contact Senator Jeanne Shaheen to express your strong opposition to the Obama/Reid/Pelosi health care bill.
Like Social Security and Medicare, the Democrat proposals add up to a massive, expensive new federal program. We can’t afford the entitlements we already have. How on earth do they think we’ll be able to pay for government-subsidized health care?
We all know the answer to that question: more taxes and stifling mandates. We also know who will pick up the tab: us.
What is less apparent, though, is the disproportionate share of the burden small businesses will bear. According to the independent Congressional Budget Office, new taxes on health benefits, prescriptions, medical devices, and reduced payments to hospitals would result in significant cost increases that will be passed on directly to employers and employees. That will make health insurance more expensive, not less.
For self-employed business owners buying coverage in the individual market, policies would be 10 percent to 13 percent higher in 2016 than the same coverage under current law. That is unacceptable – and it runs counter to the Democrats’ stated goal of expanding access to care.
Seniors and those nearing retirement should also be highly skeptical of the Senate’s pending legislation. That’s because Democrats want to pay for their $2.5 trillion bill, in part, by making cuts to Medicare. Just last week, they thwarted a Republican push to stop cuts for home nursing services that are critical for Medicare beneficiaries who can’t leave the house.
Bottom line, the Democrats’ plan will raise taxes, harm small business owners and gut Medicare. A public plan, or even a public option with any trigger attached to it, is a path toward a government takeover of our health care system.
But it’s not too late to stop them.
Today – immediately, if possible – you should make it clear to Jeanne Shaheen that New Hampshire doesn’t want the Democrats’ health care takeover. Tell her that competition and sensible marketplace reforms are what will lower premium costs and improve health care choices for individuals and businesses.
You can call Senator Shaheen at 202-224-2841.
Letting Senator Shaheen know where you stand is an important step toward stopping the Democrats’ bill. Call or write her today.
Sincerely,
Fred Tausch
Founder, STEWARD of Prosperity
As I write, Harry Reid is forcing the Senate to meet 7 days a week to complete the Democrats’ march toward a federal takeover of the health care delivery system. He has even threatened to call Senators into session through the holidays if ObamaCare isn’t approved.
Although Reid sounds like the Grinch, we all know his bill would make the federal government a veritable Santa Claus when it comes to health care. That includes the potential for a government-run health plan in each state.
The Senate is now the central front in this fight. That’s why it’s critical that you contact Senator Jeanne Shaheen to express your strong opposition to the Obama/Reid/Pelosi health care bill.
Like Social Security and Medicare, the Democrat proposals add up to a massive, expensive new federal program. We can’t afford the entitlements we already have. How on earth do they think we’ll be able to pay for government-subsidized health care?
We all know the answer to that question: more taxes and stifling mandates. We also know who will pick up the tab: us.
What is less apparent, though, is the disproportionate share of the burden small businesses will bear. According to the independent Congressional Budget Office, new taxes on health benefits, prescriptions, medical devices, and reduced payments to hospitals would result in significant cost increases that will be passed on directly to employers and employees. That will make health insurance more expensive, not less.
For self-employed business owners buying coverage in the individual market, policies would be 10 percent to 13 percent higher in 2016 than the same coverage under current law. That is unacceptable – and it runs counter to the Democrats’ stated goal of expanding access to care.
Seniors and those nearing retirement should also be highly skeptical of the Senate’s pending legislation. That’s because Democrats want to pay for their $2.5 trillion bill, in part, by making cuts to Medicare. Just last week, they thwarted a Republican push to stop cuts for home nursing services that are critical for Medicare beneficiaries who can’t leave the house.
Bottom line, the Democrats’ plan will raise taxes, harm small business owners and gut Medicare. A public plan, or even a public option with any trigger attached to it, is a path toward a government takeover of our health care system.
But it’s not too late to stop them.
Today – immediately, if possible – you should make it clear to Jeanne Shaheen that New Hampshire doesn’t want the Democrats’ health care takeover. Tell her that competition and sensible marketplace reforms are what will lower premium costs and improve health care choices for individuals and businesses.
You can call Senator Shaheen at 202-224-2841.
Letting Senator Shaheen know where you stand is an important step toward stopping the Democrats’ bill. Call or write her today.
Sincerely,
Fred Tausch
Founder, STEWARD of Prosperity
12.05.2009
Keep CHRIST in Christmas
By Jerry McConnell
Have you done your Christmas shopping yet? Neither have I. I have been waiting for some guidelines from shopper-friendly sources that monitor a business’s trends and attitudes regarding advertising using the actual word Christmas and not the avoidance word, ‘Holiday’. If the store or business won’t use the word Christmas they are practicing anti-Christianism. I won’t shop in a store that has chosen to avoid use of the word Christmas. It began many decades ago as a Christian celebration; let’s keep it that way.
Liberal Democrats are so imbued with the notion that to keep the Islamofascists happy and to save their heads from severance off their bodies, they must degrade Christians and Jews. They do this on a daily basis with assistance from the heathen organization of ACLU the Anti-Christian Loonies Union. This must stop.
The United States is a country comprised of approximate EIGHTY PERCENT Christians; it was founded and begun by Christians and it has flourished with the addition of Christian accepting Judeo believers who while celebrating their own version call Hannukah have lived in peace with the Christian celebration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
But over the past few years in an attempt to straddle the fence and try to be neutral many businesses have deliberately avoided the use of the word ‘Christmas’ in their advertising and store or place of business facility decorations, which sorely offends nearly eight out of every ten American citizens. This Christian celebration apparently offends a very tiny percentage of our country’s population and to placate those scant few, many businesses risk losing the loss of purchases from great numbers of Christians who reject the businesses exclusionary practices.
In recent years a non-profit organization called “Focus on the Family Action” has conducted a customer-focused ‘rate-a-retailer’ campaign by soliciting shoppers to furnish their ratings and comments online at “StandforChristmas.com”
This non-profit organization explains on their website, how in recent years ‘Focus on the Family’ has evaluated the advertising of major retailers and assigned ratings based on their level of “Christmas-friendliness” and provided these ratings in an annual shopping guide.
You can visit FocusOnFamily.com and FocusAction.org to read more about these organizations.
The businesses listed below are grouped into 3 convenient tiers of Christmas loving or Christmas ignoring company practices. There is also one tier where the businesses within are trying to placate both Christians and anti-Christians with “just a little bit of Christmas advertising and mention”.
For those of you that will be going forth soon to do your shopping, print out the names of all these business so you are able to visit the more favorable ones and, as the businesses ignore Christmas, you can ignore them.
Stores and businesses that are More than 60% Christmas Friendly:
Bass Pro Shops
Cabela’s
Dillards
JCPenney
Kmart
Kohls
Lands End
Lowes
Pier One Imports
Sears
Target
WalMart
Stores and businesses that are In the middle between FRIENDLY and IGNORES & need improvements:
Bed, Bath and Beyond
Home Depot
L.L. Bean
Macy’s
Nordstrom
Stores and businesses that are More than 60% Negligent and Offensive towards Christmas:
American Eagle Outfitters
Banana Republic
Barnes and Noble
Crate and Barrel
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Eddie Bauer
Old Navy
Toys ‘R Us
Best Buy (Business with less than 10% Christmas friendly rating)
Borders (Business with less than 10% Christmas friendly rating)
Gap (Business with less than 10% Christmas friendly rating)
Lane Bryant (Only business with a ZERO Christmas friendly rating)
Jerry McConnell is a long time New Hampshire resident, a Marine veteren of Iwo Jima, and a published novelist. He resides in Hampton New Hampshire
12.04.2009
Cracks of transparency.
Daylight appears as Congress puts spotlight on the Fed
By Gerry McConnell
At long last and many years of effort, a light has been directed into the deep, dark secrets of the Federal Reserve; a breakthrough that could make government operations more above board and honest in future years.
As reported in the New York Times Business section on November 19, 2009, by Edmund L. Andrews, for at least the past 25 consecutive years, Ron Paul, Conservative Republican Congressman from Texas, has attempted to introduce legislation in every session of Congress to bring the Federal Reserve Bank under increased scrutiny and transparency.
Paul had been unsuccessful in all of his previous attempts to make this huge government financial operation subject to normal oversight and investigative services, the House Financial Services Committee, under the chairmanship of Massachusetts liberal Democrat Barney Frank, who has been very much opposed to any information being furnished to the public taxpayers.
Though the measure that was approved was short of what Paul had tried to bring into the light of day for all of the taxpayers information, it did provide for Congress to order audits of all the Fed’s lending programs as well as of its basic decisions to set monetary policy by raising or lowering interest rates, the Times reported.
Now don’t get your hopes up too high because of this good news. There is certainly a healthy attitude in Congress to finally rein in a maverick agency that has operated under more secrecy than the CIA for a long time. And we’re talking about a very, very large amount of taxpayer’s dollars that were being handled as if they were the personal bank accounts of the individuals within the Federal Reserve.
Also, don’t forget that the current, tax cheating Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner was the President of the Federal Reserve just prior to be named to Obama’s Cabinet. We all have heard about just how secretive that man was about his money, or rather, the taxpayers’ money that he refused to take out of his own wallet as all of the rest of us have to do.
This latest approval to bring the Fed, as it is commonly known, into the realm of public scrutiny, was merely the result of a Congressional Panel; it was not the result of a full House of Representatives vote, which will come after the bill is heard and discussed on the floor. If history is any indicator, I can foresee a majority of liberal Democrats voting to kill the measure and keep the Fed’s operations totally secret as in the past, while the conservative Democrats and Republicans sit and seethe in disgust with “more of the same” liberal deceitful trickery.
One encouraging sign is apparent in the fact that the ultra-liberal, ‘to hell with what the public wants’ New York Times had the decency for once to make public a matter that their chosen political company has usually denied to for public consumption. The fact that the panel of the House Financial Services Committee that voted for the conservative Ron Paul’s legislation contained a good number of Democrat votes of approval may have helped the Times to go along with this legislation for the public.
Whatever it was, conservatives all over the country welcome the Times to the right side of the discussion for a pleasant change.
Jerry McConnell is a long time New Hampshire resident, a Marine veteren of Iwo Jima, and a published novelist. He resides in Hampton New Hampshire
By Gerry McConnell
At long last and many years of effort, a light has been directed into the deep, dark secrets of the Federal Reserve; a breakthrough that could make government operations more above board and honest in future years.
As reported in the New York Times Business section on November 19, 2009, by Edmund L. Andrews, for at least the past 25 consecutive years, Ron Paul, Conservative Republican Congressman from Texas, has attempted to introduce legislation in every session of Congress to bring the Federal Reserve Bank under increased scrutiny and transparency.
Paul had been unsuccessful in all of his previous attempts to make this huge government financial operation subject to normal oversight and investigative services, the House Financial Services Committee, under the chairmanship of Massachusetts liberal Democrat Barney Frank, who has been very much opposed to any information being furnished to the public taxpayers.
Though the measure that was approved was short of what Paul had tried to bring into the light of day for all of the taxpayers information, it did provide for Congress to order audits of all the Fed’s lending programs as well as of its basic decisions to set monetary policy by raising or lowering interest rates, the Times reported.
Now don’t get your hopes up too high because of this good news. There is certainly a healthy attitude in Congress to finally rein in a maverick agency that has operated under more secrecy than the CIA for a long time. And we’re talking about a very, very large amount of taxpayer’s dollars that were being handled as if they were the personal bank accounts of the individuals within the Federal Reserve.
Also, don’t forget that the current, tax cheating Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner was the President of the Federal Reserve just prior to be named to Obama’s Cabinet. We all have heard about just how secretive that man was about his money, or rather, the taxpayers’ money that he refused to take out of his own wallet as all of the rest of us have to do.
This latest approval to bring the Fed, as it is commonly known, into the realm of public scrutiny, was merely the result of a Congressional Panel; it was not the result of a full House of Representatives vote, which will come after the bill is heard and discussed on the floor. If history is any indicator, I can foresee a majority of liberal Democrats voting to kill the measure and keep the Fed’s operations totally secret as in the past, while the conservative Democrats and Republicans sit and seethe in disgust with “more of the same” liberal deceitful trickery.
One encouraging sign is apparent in the fact that the ultra-liberal, ‘to hell with what the public wants’ New York Times had the decency for once to make public a matter that their chosen political company has usually denied to for public consumption. The fact that the panel of the House Financial Services Committee that voted for the conservative Ron Paul’s legislation contained a good number of Democrat votes of approval may have helped the Times to go along with this legislation for the public.
Whatever it was, conservatives all over the country welcome the Times to the right side of the discussion for a pleasant change.
Jerry McConnell is a long time New Hampshire resident, a Marine veteren of Iwo Jima, and a published novelist. He resides in Hampton New Hampshire
12.03.2009
The cost of healthcare
By Lee Quandt
The battle over the new proposed government insurance program is getting heated up. In fact it does not appear to be about health insurance anymore; but, more about politics. If you support the government run health insurance do you support Obama? If you don’t support it does that make you a republican?
What is known, is it doesn’t appear that anyone in DC knows what they are doing or talking about. First of all insurance companies do not provide health care; they pay for it. The insurance rates to providers, doctor’s, hospitals, specialty etc, are negotiated with those providers. The insurance companies negotiate the lowest fee payment schedules with the providers, then tack on a decent amount for profit and charge you.
The dummies in DC are talking about the quality of health care when they should be talking about the quality of payments for that treatment plus big bonuses for insurance CEO’s; apples and oranges. Because of their apparent lack of understanding on how the system works I have serious questions as to the quality of the final work product.
If the government was serious about reducing the cost of health care delivery, they would revamp the medical malpractice laws. Secondly they would promote tax credits for health care delivery alternatives like free standing clinics for non life threatening medical issues, flu, sore throat, the dreaded ear infections for children, aches, pains etc; $50 payments vs. $800 emergency room visits.
They should not provide health care coverage to illegals. If that happens the US (that’s you and me) will be footing the bill for anyone who makes it to our shores for free health care and we will pay for it, driving up the price; bad idea.
Now looking at it politically, and deciding what poll you look at, the majority of Americans don’t want their health insurance tinkered with. The democrats say, “No we need to fix it, it is a crisis”. Everything with the Obama administration seems to be a crisis. If it is such a crisis why is it that it won’t take effect until after 2012, the next presidential election?
The best way to handle it is to leave it until the midterm elections and let the voters decide by electing candidates that will either fight it or pass it. That way it will be up to the voters to support socialized medicine that will be paid for by new taxes and ripping off Medicare to the tune of $500 million, or the old system that needs fixing.
What we do know is people do not like politicians messing around in their personal decisions such as health care or health insurance.
The battle over the new proposed government insurance program is getting heated up. In fact it does not appear to be about health insurance anymore; but, more about politics. If you support the government run health insurance do you support Obama? If you don’t support it does that make you a republican?
What is known, is it doesn’t appear that anyone in DC knows what they are doing or talking about. First of all insurance companies do not provide health care; they pay for it. The insurance rates to providers, doctor’s, hospitals, specialty etc, are negotiated with those providers. The insurance companies negotiate the lowest fee payment schedules with the providers, then tack on a decent amount for profit and charge you.
The dummies in DC are talking about the quality of health care when they should be talking about the quality of payments for that treatment plus big bonuses for insurance CEO’s; apples and oranges. Because of their apparent lack of understanding on how the system works I have serious questions as to the quality of the final work product.
If the government was serious about reducing the cost of health care delivery, they would revamp the medical malpractice laws. Secondly they would promote tax credits for health care delivery alternatives like free standing clinics for non life threatening medical issues, flu, sore throat, the dreaded ear infections for children, aches, pains etc; $50 payments vs. $800 emergency room visits.
They should not provide health care coverage to illegals. If that happens the US (that’s you and me) will be footing the bill for anyone who makes it to our shores for free health care and we will pay for it, driving up the price; bad idea.
Now looking at it politically, and deciding what poll you look at, the majority of Americans don’t want their health insurance tinkered with. The democrats say, “No we need to fix it, it is a crisis”. Everything with the Obama administration seems to be a crisis. If it is such a crisis why is it that it won’t take effect until after 2012, the next presidential election?
The best way to handle it is to leave it until the midterm elections and let the voters decide by electing candidates that will either fight it or pass it. That way it will be up to the voters to support socialized medicine that will be paid for by new taxes and ripping off Medicare to the tune of $500 million, or the old system that needs fixing.
What we do know is people do not like politicians messing around in their personal decisions such as health care or health insurance.
11.21.2009
Can anyone count?
By Jerry McConnell
Either this current government Administration has no one who knows how to tell the truth, including its leader, or it has no one with a degree even as high as a high school graduate who can do math correctly. As reported by NewsMax.com on November 19, 2009, the GAO stated on this date that there are too many errors to know how many jobs have been created.
In spite of report after report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) showing that there has been no significant move to increase jobs, everyone speaking for the Administration including its leader, keeps insisting and trumpeting all sorts of lofty numbers and not only for jobs created but insidiously including a phantom new level of “jobs saved”; what is that?
To arrive at that figure do they take the total number of jobs in which people are employed, then subtract the total number of jobs which have been lost, and the balance becomes the number of “jobs saved”? To me, this represents just what this Administration thinks of the mentalities of the people of this country; to wit: “The people don’t know how to count, so they’ll believe anything. After all, they elected us didn’t they”?
Newsmax.com also reported that “the Administration Internet website Recovery.gov is working on errors that appeared to show hundreds of millions of stimulus dollars were spent in nonexistent congressional districts, as reported by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board. Arizona's page, for example, showed the state's 52nd, 15th, and 86th congressional districts received hundreds of thousands of dollars in stimulus money, according to CNN affiliate KNXV. However, no such districts exist in Arizona, which has only eight congressional districts.”
One has to wonder how many jobs were reported as gained or “saved” in those non-existent congressional districts. Apparently truth and/or good records are not important as long as they show something to cloud the overall picture of Administrative ineptness.
Since when does a government put up obscenely high numbers of tax dollars to just give away to any big business that says it is hurting and losing jobs, in order to create jobs and then in a Machiavellian way take the number of jobs that are still in existence and call them “jobs saved”? Why the slight of hand, now-you-see-‘em, now-you-don’t, routine? Don’t they remember Abe Lincoln’s admonishment: “You can fool some of the people, some of the time; but you can’t fool ALL of the people, ALL of the time?” They must think that all of us have ACORNS for brains as do many of their followers.
What ever happened to good old American honesty? Oh, I forgot; this is not a good old American Administration, so we should not expect honesty; and they won’t disappoint us. Even our Congress has caught that fever and has lied so much about health care, climate voodooism, and labor union shenanigans that they can no longer recognize the truth. It has become as routine as three-day work weeks that were promised to be up to two more days during the campaign for election in 2006.
This collection of tax cheats and anti-Americans in Congress and the Administration is without question the absolute worst bunch of misfits ever assembled to run this country. If EVER there was a more compelling argument for TERM LIMITS, I never heard it. Today the percentage of millionaires, who were not even close to that prior to getting elected to Congress, is higher than it has ever been and probably exceeds businesses and banking institutions. And the greater number of these who have become excessively wealthy on government salaries, plus whatever other means, fall among the ranks of the liberal Democrats.
In 2010, we have a chance to return to the original concept of the founding fathers of honesty in government and turn these greedy profiteers out on their backsides; then elect only those who promise to support those two words that strike fear into the hearts of the liberals, - TERM LIMITS
Jerry McConnell is a long time New Hampshire resident, a Marine veteren of Iwo Jima, and a published novelist. He resides in Hampton New Hampshire
Either this current government Administration has no one who knows how to tell the truth, including its leader, or it has no one with a degree even as high as a high school graduate who can do math correctly. As reported by NewsMax.com on November 19, 2009, the GAO stated on this date that there are too many errors to know how many jobs have been created.
In spite of report after report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) showing that there has been no significant move to increase jobs, everyone speaking for the Administration including its leader, keeps insisting and trumpeting all sorts of lofty numbers and not only for jobs created but insidiously including a phantom new level of “jobs saved”; what is that?
To arrive at that figure do they take the total number of jobs in which people are employed, then subtract the total number of jobs which have been lost, and the balance becomes the number of “jobs saved”? To me, this represents just what this Administration thinks of the mentalities of the people of this country; to wit: “The people don’t know how to count, so they’ll believe anything. After all, they elected us didn’t they”?
Newsmax.com also reported that “the Administration Internet website Recovery.gov is working on errors that appeared to show hundreds of millions of stimulus dollars were spent in nonexistent congressional districts, as reported by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board. Arizona's page, for example, showed the state's 52nd, 15th, and 86th congressional districts received hundreds of thousands of dollars in stimulus money, according to CNN affiliate KNXV. However, no such districts exist in Arizona, which has only eight congressional districts.”
One has to wonder how many jobs were reported as gained or “saved” in those non-existent congressional districts. Apparently truth and/or good records are not important as long as they show something to cloud the overall picture of Administrative ineptness.
Since when does a government put up obscenely high numbers of tax dollars to just give away to any big business that says it is hurting and losing jobs, in order to create jobs and then in a Machiavellian way take the number of jobs that are still in existence and call them “jobs saved”? Why the slight of hand, now-you-see-‘em, now-you-don’t, routine? Don’t they remember Abe Lincoln’s admonishment: “You can fool some of the people, some of the time; but you can’t fool ALL of the people, ALL of the time?” They must think that all of us have ACORNS for brains as do many of their followers.
What ever happened to good old American honesty? Oh, I forgot; this is not a good old American Administration, so we should not expect honesty; and they won’t disappoint us. Even our Congress has caught that fever and has lied so much about health care, climate voodooism, and labor union shenanigans that they can no longer recognize the truth. It has become as routine as three-day work weeks that were promised to be up to two more days during the campaign for election in 2006.
This collection of tax cheats and anti-Americans in Congress and the Administration is without question the absolute worst bunch of misfits ever assembled to run this country. If EVER there was a more compelling argument for TERM LIMITS, I never heard it. Today the percentage of millionaires, who were not even close to that prior to getting elected to Congress, is higher than it has ever been and probably exceeds businesses and banking institutions. And the greater number of these who have become excessively wealthy on government salaries, plus whatever other means, fall among the ranks of the liberal Democrats.
In 2010, we have a chance to return to the original concept of the founding fathers of honesty in government and turn these greedy profiteers out on their backsides; then elect only those who promise to support those two words that strike fear into the hearts of the liberals, - TERM LIMITS
Jerry McConnell is a long time New Hampshire resident, a Marine veteren of Iwo Jima, and a published novelist. He resides in Hampton New Hampshire
11.19.2009
9-1-1 spells "Mom"
---by Micheal
Here are three articles of evidence that the Nanny State is not just a conspiracy perpetrated by some shadowy ruling elite. The Nanny State is also being demanded by our increasingly stupid popular culture. Here are three examples:
Don't Like Your Food? Call 911! -- March 4th, 2009, FoxNews. A 27 year-old Florida woman calls 911 three times because she did not get the Chicken McNuggets that she ordered at a local McDonalds. She placed her order for a 10 piece McNuggets. After she had paid, she found out they were out of nuggets. The manager did not want to give her a refund, and she did not want anything else as a substitute. What to do? Call 911. "This is an emergency. She (the manager) wants to give me a McDouble, but I don't want one."
Scared of the Wild World? Call 911 -- October 25th, 2009, MSNBC. Two men and their sons are hiking in the Grand Canyon. They took with them an emergency locator beacon. In the span of three days, they pressed the "save me!" button three times, sending rescue crews and helicopters in to find them. The "emergency"? They hadn't packed enough water and got thirsty. They drank from a stream and thought the water tasted "salty." What to do? Call 911!
Life's Not Fair? Call 911 -- November 18, 2009, Cnet News. A 15 year-old boy is disciplined by his parents. They took away his Xbox. The boy asks the police if his parents have a legal right to confiscate his toy. A cruiser is dispatched to the family home to resolve the crisis before it explodes. Those mean people took away your toy! What to do? Call 911!
Common Denominator? -- Increasingly, average citizens of this country are turning to the Nanny State to be their moms (or dads). Instead of the Florida woman calling her mom to complain about McDonalds' service or ask advice, she calls for state emergency services. Heaven forbid that someone was trying to call in about a heart attack or a house on fire. We're talkin' Nuggets here! Apparently it was asking far too much that this woman sort out her life-wrinkles herself. Reason with the manager? Take the stupid McDouble and shut up? All options.
But no. The police had to go be her dad. They also told her to buck up and stop bothering them.
The canyon hikers were ill-prepared for a real trek through the wild. Not only did they not have enough of the right supplies, they did not have enough common sense to not go where they were clueless. They could have called their moms and dads and sought some advice on whether to make such a trip, and if so, what to bring. You might think that the first emergency call was enough to convince the noobs that they were out of their element and should maybe just go back to the safety of home.
But no. They kept hiking and called for emergency rescue two more times. The helicopter crew had to play "dad" and take them home.
The bratty gameboy considers his mom and dad to be some sort of accidental room mates and not parents. The kid assumes he has some Constitutional Right to play video games 24/7. Where's the ACLU on this? What to do? Call 911! God forbid that someone's house could be getting robbed, or a drunk driver crashing into things. We're talkin' video games here! This is an emergency. Apparently the kid had not thought to reflect on what his parents were trying to tell him, or learn a life lesson from a disciplinary action. All good options.
But no. He calls the police as if his civil rights had been violated. To their credit, the officers told the kid that his parents did have a right to control his gaming and stop bothering them. What a shock that must have been.
If and when the Great Nanny State becomes a reality, it may not be because some evil ruling elite has forced it upon us. It may well come about because our stupid populace demanded it. We are becoming a people who demand services from our state. We've abdicated doing things for ourselves. We want to stay frozen in childhood where we can shout "MOM!" when something upsets us. It's just that now, we spell MOM, 9-1-1.
Here are three articles of evidence that the Nanny State is not just a conspiracy perpetrated by some shadowy ruling elite. The Nanny State is also being demanded by our increasingly stupid popular culture. Here are three examples:
Don't Like Your Food? Call 911! -- March 4th, 2009, FoxNews. A 27 year-old Florida woman calls 911 three times because she did not get the Chicken McNuggets that she ordered at a local McDonalds. She placed her order for a 10 piece McNuggets. After she had paid, she found out they were out of nuggets. The manager did not want to give her a refund, and she did not want anything else as a substitute. What to do? Call 911. "This is an emergency. She (the manager) wants to give me a McDouble, but I don't want one."
Scared of the Wild World? Call 911 -- October 25th, 2009, MSNBC. Two men and their sons are hiking in the Grand Canyon. They took with them an emergency locator beacon. In the span of three days, they pressed the "save me!" button three times, sending rescue crews and helicopters in to find them. The "emergency"? They hadn't packed enough water and got thirsty. They drank from a stream and thought the water tasted "salty." What to do? Call 911!
Life's Not Fair? Call 911 -- November 18, 2009, Cnet News. A 15 year-old boy is disciplined by his parents. They took away his Xbox. The boy asks the police if his parents have a legal right to confiscate his toy. A cruiser is dispatched to the family home to resolve the crisis before it explodes. Those mean people took away your toy! What to do? Call 911!
Common Denominator? -- Increasingly, average citizens of this country are turning to the Nanny State to be their moms (or dads). Instead of the Florida woman calling her mom to complain about McDonalds' service or ask advice, she calls for state emergency services. Heaven forbid that someone was trying to call in about a heart attack or a house on fire. We're talkin' Nuggets here! Apparently it was asking far too much that this woman sort out her life-wrinkles herself. Reason with the manager? Take the stupid McDouble and shut up? All options.
But no. The police had to go be her dad. They also told her to buck up and stop bothering them.
The canyon hikers were ill-prepared for a real trek through the wild. Not only did they not have enough of the right supplies, they did not have enough common sense to not go where they were clueless. They could have called their moms and dads and sought some advice on whether to make such a trip, and if so, what to bring. You might think that the first emergency call was enough to convince the noobs that they were out of their element and should maybe just go back to the safety of home.
But no. They kept hiking and called for emergency rescue two more times. The helicopter crew had to play "dad" and take them home.
The bratty gameboy considers his mom and dad to be some sort of accidental room mates and not parents. The kid assumes he has some Constitutional Right to play video games 24/7. Where's the ACLU on this? What to do? Call 911! God forbid that someone's house could be getting robbed, or a drunk driver crashing into things. We're talkin' video games here! This is an emergency. Apparently the kid had not thought to reflect on what his parents were trying to tell him, or learn a life lesson from a disciplinary action. All good options.
But no. He calls the police as if his civil rights had been violated. To their credit, the officers told the kid that his parents did have a right to control his gaming and stop bothering them. What a shock that must have been.
If and when the Great Nanny State becomes a reality, it may not be because some evil ruling elite has forced it upon us. It may well come about because our stupid populace demanded it. We are becoming a people who demand services from our state. We've abdicated doing things for ourselves. We want to stay frozen in childhood where we can shout "MOM!" when something upsets us. It's just that now, we spell MOM, 9-1-1.
11.17.2009
Here's a thought.
By Jerry McConnell
Senator Richard Durbin, D-IL, the 2nd highest ranking Democrat in the U. S. Senate spoke on the evening TV news about how wonderful it is going to be to bring the Guantanamo prisoners of war to the United States for their trials and possible imprisonment. He emphasized that his great state of Illinois, the state with all those "different" politicians (my comment, not his) would be very happy to have them reside there.
As he spoke I had a very strong bipartisan wave come across me and felt I should show this very high ranking liberal Democrat that as a very low ranking conservative that I could support his plea for these wonderful Islamic, peace-loving prisoners to reside in his state while they were in this country; if, in fact, we MUST do it at all as the president insists.
Please know that this endorsement of Durbin's heart-felt plea to house these prisoners in the great state of Illinois, and hopefully in the pristine city of Chicago home of the country's "different" politicians, is not an approval of bringing them anywhere within 500 miles of our borders. No, I feel that Gitmo, as Guantanamo is known, is an ideal place which has been completely renovated and designed as a virtual shrine for an Islamic peace teaching vista, and I would prefer that they remain there. But president Obama feels that the integration of these gentle, pleasant, clean-cut, souls would be good for the United States.
So in the interests of bipartisanship I pass this along and ask each and every one to agree that if these prisoners MUST come to this country and there is no way of stopping it, then allow them ALL to be housed in Illinois, under the caretaker status of Senator Richard Durbin, the Majority Whip of the United States Senate.
I feel sure that the other 49 states will be happy to allow their share of any of these prisoners to be taken care of by the great and wonderful state of Illinois and Senator Durbin.
So let this message go to all of our wonderful United States for approval from the residents therein to give up the honor and privilege of housing these people in deference to the State of Illinois in the interests of bipartisanship.
All those in agreement are asked to show their name and state below and pass it on to as many people as you know within your own state and on to friends in other states with the hope that the last State will be those generous Illinoisians.
Jerry McConnell,
Jerry McConnell is a long time New Hampshire resident, a Marine veteren of Iwo Jima, and a published novelist. He resides in Hampton New Hampshire
Senator Richard Durbin, D-IL, the 2nd highest ranking Democrat in the U. S. Senate spoke on the evening TV news about how wonderful it is going to be to bring the Guantanamo prisoners of war to the United States for their trials and possible imprisonment. He emphasized that his great state of Illinois, the state with all those "different" politicians (my comment, not his) would be very happy to have them reside there.
As he spoke I had a very strong bipartisan wave come across me and felt I should show this very high ranking liberal Democrat that as a very low ranking conservative that I could support his plea for these wonderful Islamic, peace-loving prisoners to reside in his state while they were in this country; if, in fact, we MUST do it at all as the president insists.
Please know that this endorsement of Durbin's heart-felt plea to house these prisoners in the great state of Illinois, and hopefully in the pristine city of Chicago home of the country's "different" politicians, is not an approval of bringing them anywhere within 500 miles of our borders. No, I feel that Gitmo, as Guantanamo is known, is an ideal place which has been completely renovated and designed as a virtual shrine for an Islamic peace teaching vista, and I would prefer that they remain there. But president Obama feels that the integration of these gentle, pleasant, clean-cut, souls would be good for the United States.
So in the interests of bipartisanship I pass this along and ask each and every one to agree that if these prisoners MUST come to this country and there is no way of stopping it, then allow them ALL to be housed in Illinois, under the caretaker status of Senator Richard Durbin, the Majority Whip of the United States Senate.
I feel sure that the other 49 states will be happy to allow their share of any of these prisoners to be taken care of by the great and wonderful state of Illinois and Senator Durbin.
So let this message go to all of our wonderful United States for approval from the residents therein to give up the honor and privilege of housing these people in deference to the State of Illinois in the interests of bipartisanship.
All those in agreement are asked to show their name and state below and pass it on to as many people as you know within your own state and on to friends in other states with the hope that the last State will be those generous Illinoisians.
Jerry McConnell,
Jerry McConnell is a long time New Hampshire resident, a Marine veteren of Iwo Jima, and a published novelist. He resides in Hampton New Hampshire
11.03.2009
Time to eat the dog.
By Mark Brighten and Ramona Charland
We are a truly blessed nation. The bountiful nature of this blessing is very easy to quantify. It is not done in quarterly reports or gross national product. The amount of blessing is directly proportional to the amount of navel gazing that a society does.
Every morning there are those who get out of bed and immediately stick their index fingers into their navels and starting whirling them about. Within a half hour they are stunned to realize that their bellybuttons are sore and they continue whirling, hoping to find the reason.
The latest objects of navel gazing are global warming and its cousin, sustainability. We never have been able to embrace the concept of human induced global warming as the beginning of the end. We are beginning to envy our early 17th century forbearers. They only had to worry about malnutrition, rickets, scurvy and hideous wasting deaths. All of which are a minor inconvenience when put up against a global warming lecture delivered by Al Gore.
But sustainability is interesting. In the interest of full disclosure, we ourselves have embraced this latest form of navel gazing wholeheartedly. The geek rating of sustainability is very high and we are self-admitted geeks. In addition we have assumed the necessary level of guilt to carry us through.
We are as green as green can be. We soak our clothes in baking soda on Friday and then walk them down to the Piscataqua's edge on Saturday and beat them on rocks. We bathe only on Saturday nights in anticipation of Sunday services. We have painted the roof of our house white, compost our toilet paper and turned off our central heat. On our 80-by-50-foot patch of prime Portsmouth real estate we grow sufficient crops for all our food and for weaving cloth. Like the Amish, we have reverted to horse and buggy, minus the horse. Some of the aforementioned cloth we have made into a sail and go about shopping on windy days.
Our carbon footprint is so low that we would embarrass a gnat, or so we thought. A new book has completely turned our world on end. Victoria University professors Brenda and Robert Vale have a book out called "Time to Eat the Dog." The basic premise is that pets, dogs in particular, have a rather large carbon pawprint. "The eco-pawprint of a dog is twice that of a 4.6-litre Land Cruiser driven 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles) a year," according to these researchers. Since the typical American drives about 12,000 miles per year, this means one dog equals one SUV.
Upon reading this, our guilt level rose and the conflicted feelings began. We have a dog — all 24 pounds of her. We saw her picture in the paper as "Pet off the Week," drove to the Stratham shelter and fell in love. She was a Katrina survivor and had been in and out of kennels for 18 months, from Alabama through Ohio and then Stratham. Who could resist those eyes? We took her home and for three years she has resided contentedly with us. Now we find that we are guilty of perpetuating an ecological disaster.
Everywhere you turn in Portsmouth you will see an SUV with a golden lab in it. These profligates are doubly sinning. If our average-sized dog is equivalent to an SUV, these golden labs must be the same as a Sherman tank. And what does that say for the Newfie or Rottweiler? Are they equivalent to a Saturn rocket? Or perhaps they are equal to the size of Al Gore's SUV fleet and personal jet? In their defense, we would suggest that either type, at least, is far less somniferous than one of Al Gore's speeches.
Dogs are not the only ones on the hook. Cats apparently do as much eco-damage as a Volkswagen Golf. The villainous hamster takes up as much eco room as half a plasma TV. And just to raise the guilt level even more, the average human in a developed nation wreaks the havoc of six dogs.
Professors Vale and Vale are not actually advocating serving Fido for Thanksgiving. Annihilating the canine world to save some rare newt that no one has ever met defies all logic and is just plain stupid, but we can think of any number of activists who have already chosen the newt over humans. What passes for serious thought among true believers must now include canis familiaris along with humans as modern-day scurvy, rickets and wasting death for the planet. Another point of view, however, is that true believers are sucking sanity out of the planet and putting it at the mercy of a plague of hysteria. It's a working hypothesis.
We have reconsidered this carbon footprint thing. We are turning the heat back on and Fido stays.
Mark Brighton and Ramona Charland are residents of Portsmouth.
We are a truly blessed nation. The bountiful nature of this blessing is very easy to quantify. It is not done in quarterly reports or gross national product. The amount of blessing is directly proportional to the amount of navel gazing that a society does.
Every morning there are those who get out of bed and immediately stick their index fingers into their navels and starting whirling them about. Within a half hour they are stunned to realize that their bellybuttons are sore and they continue whirling, hoping to find the reason.
The latest objects of navel gazing are global warming and its cousin, sustainability. We never have been able to embrace the concept of human induced global warming as the beginning of the end. We are beginning to envy our early 17th century forbearers. They only had to worry about malnutrition, rickets, scurvy and hideous wasting deaths. All of which are a minor inconvenience when put up against a global warming lecture delivered by Al Gore.
But sustainability is interesting. In the interest of full disclosure, we ourselves have embraced this latest form of navel gazing wholeheartedly. The geek rating of sustainability is very high and we are self-admitted geeks. In addition we have assumed the necessary level of guilt to carry us through.
We are as green as green can be. We soak our clothes in baking soda on Friday and then walk them down to the Piscataqua's edge on Saturday and beat them on rocks. We bathe only on Saturday nights in anticipation of Sunday services. We have painted the roof of our house white, compost our toilet paper and turned off our central heat. On our 80-by-50-foot patch of prime Portsmouth real estate we grow sufficient crops for all our food and for weaving cloth. Like the Amish, we have reverted to horse and buggy, minus the horse. Some of the aforementioned cloth we have made into a sail and go about shopping on windy days.
Our carbon footprint is so low that we would embarrass a gnat, or so we thought. A new book has completely turned our world on end. Victoria University professors Brenda and Robert Vale have a book out called "Time to Eat the Dog." The basic premise is that pets, dogs in particular, have a rather large carbon pawprint. "The eco-pawprint of a dog is twice that of a 4.6-litre Land Cruiser driven 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles) a year," according to these researchers. Since the typical American drives about 12,000 miles per year, this means one dog equals one SUV.
Upon reading this, our guilt level rose and the conflicted feelings began. We have a dog — all 24 pounds of her. We saw her picture in the paper as "Pet off the Week," drove to the Stratham shelter and fell in love. She was a Katrina survivor and had been in and out of kennels for 18 months, from Alabama through Ohio and then Stratham. Who could resist those eyes? We took her home and for three years she has resided contentedly with us. Now we find that we are guilty of perpetuating an ecological disaster.
Everywhere you turn in Portsmouth you will see an SUV with a golden lab in it. These profligates are doubly sinning. If our average-sized dog is equivalent to an SUV, these golden labs must be the same as a Sherman tank. And what does that say for the Newfie or Rottweiler? Are they equivalent to a Saturn rocket? Or perhaps they are equal to the size of Al Gore's SUV fleet and personal jet? In their defense, we would suggest that either type, at least, is far less somniferous than one of Al Gore's speeches.
Dogs are not the only ones on the hook. Cats apparently do as much eco-damage as a Volkswagen Golf. The villainous hamster takes up as much eco room as half a plasma TV. And just to raise the guilt level even more, the average human in a developed nation wreaks the havoc of six dogs.
Professors Vale and Vale are not actually advocating serving Fido for Thanksgiving. Annihilating the canine world to save some rare newt that no one has ever met defies all logic and is just plain stupid, but we can think of any number of activists who have already chosen the newt over humans. What passes for serious thought among true believers must now include canis familiaris along with humans as modern-day scurvy, rickets and wasting death for the planet. Another point of view, however, is that true believers are sucking sanity out of the planet and putting it at the mercy of a plague of hysteria. It's a working hypothesis.
We have reconsidered this carbon footprint thing. We are turning the heat back on and Fido stays.
Mark Brighton and Ramona Charland are residents of Portsmouth.
11.01.2009
Business taxes hurt the economy.
By John Stephen
At the tax summit held by the New Hampshire Legislature last week, one critical nugget stood out. Scott Hodge, president of the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, offered tremendous caution about our business tax climate.
With New Hampshire's high 8.5 percent business profits tax coupled with a business enterprise tax, our state has one of the highest business taxes in the nation. This, in part, results in nearly 16 percent of our workforce working out of state, the third highest rate nationally.
Our low personal taxes are bringing people here to live, but our high business taxes are forcing people to work elsewhere. If we want a thriving economy with robust job growth to match our outstanding quality of life, we must get our business tax structure to look more like how we tax people: as little as possible.
While we learned at last week's tax summit that we need to cut business taxes to jumpstart our economy, it was this week's spending summit that we must focus on to make reducing taxes a reality. As Gov. Meldrim Thomson said over 30 years ago, "Low taxes are the result of low spending."
We can't have a serious discussion about cutting business taxes until we are prepared to do the hard work to cut spending and make New Hampshire government run efficiently.
Traveling across the country, I have had the opportunity to see what does and doesn't work. New Hampshire is falling behind every day as other states zoom by us, implementing best practices taken from the private sector, while our state government sits idle and maintains the status quo.
We need to employ a culture of change where we start treating taxpayer money as we would our own. For example, we need to stop tying the hands of our state department heads by requiring that they submit budgets that keep doing things exactly the same way we have always done them. This leads to the "tyranny of custom" that ruins new ideas. We should require them to use their knowledge and experience and come forward with good ideas to save money for the taxpayers through the budget process.
We also need to follow the lead of 43 other states and give New Hampshire's governor line-item veto authority to cut wasteful spending and make budgets more efficient. At the same time, we should take the lead of Louisiana and put all state expenditures online, so people can see exactly where their tax dollars are going.
Other states, like New York and Wisconsin, have moved to consolidate business functions, like human resources, finance and purchasing, while New Hampshire continues to operate inefficiently. Texas and Oregon have become leaders in bringing Medicaid costs down by implementing aggressive managed care for beneficiaries, while we have kept an outdated fee-for-service model. Indiana has created a balanced scorecard approach to management to set program benchmarks and eliminate services that can't produce results; we have done nothing but give taxpayers more government, regardless of how effective it is.
These are critical steps that could save hundreds of millions of dollars and allow us to give tax relief to New Hampshire companies that would let them grow and create jobs, which are so critical in today's economy.
If we could just play catch-up with the rest of the states, we would be able to get out of this recession faster and better than our neighbors. If New Hampshire could then take the next step and become a leader in state innovation, we would be the envy of the country in growth.
John Stephen was the Commissioner of Health and Human Services from 2003 to 2007.
At the tax summit held by the New Hampshire Legislature last week, one critical nugget stood out. Scott Hodge, president of the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, offered tremendous caution about our business tax climate.
With New Hampshire's high 8.5 percent business profits tax coupled with a business enterprise tax, our state has one of the highest business taxes in the nation. This, in part, results in nearly 16 percent of our workforce working out of state, the third highest rate nationally.
Our low personal taxes are bringing people here to live, but our high business taxes are forcing people to work elsewhere. If we want a thriving economy with robust job growth to match our outstanding quality of life, we must get our business tax structure to look more like how we tax people: as little as possible.
While we learned at last week's tax summit that we need to cut business taxes to jumpstart our economy, it was this week's spending summit that we must focus on to make reducing taxes a reality. As Gov. Meldrim Thomson said over 30 years ago, "Low taxes are the result of low spending."
We can't have a serious discussion about cutting business taxes until we are prepared to do the hard work to cut spending and make New Hampshire government run efficiently.
Traveling across the country, I have had the opportunity to see what does and doesn't work. New Hampshire is falling behind every day as other states zoom by us, implementing best practices taken from the private sector, while our state government sits idle and maintains the status quo.
We need to employ a culture of change where we start treating taxpayer money as we would our own. For example, we need to stop tying the hands of our state department heads by requiring that they submit budgets that keep doing things exactly the same way we have always done them. This leads to the "tyranny of custom" that ruins new ideas. We should require them to use their knowledge and experience and come forward with good ideas to save money for the taxpayers through the budget process.
We also need to follow the lead of 43 other states and give New Hampshire's governor line-item veto authority to cut wasteful spending and make budgets more efficient. At the same time, we should take the lead of Louisiana and put all state expenditures online, so people can see exactly where their tax dollars are going.
Other states, like New York and Wisconsin, have moved to consolidate business functions, like human resources, finance and purchasing, while New Hampshire continues to operate inefficiently. Texas and Oregon have become leaders in bringing Medicaid costs down by implementing aggressive managed care for beneficiaries, while we have kept an outdated fee-for-service model. Indiana has created a balanced scorecard approach to management to set program benchmarks and eliminate services that can't produce results; we have done nothing but give taxpayers more government, regardless of how effective it is.
These are critical steps that could save hundreds of millions of dollars and allow us to give tax relief to New Hampshire companies that would let them grow and create jobs, which are so critical in today's economy.
If we could just play catch-up with the rest of the states, we would be able to get out of this recession faster and better than our neighbors. If New Hampshire could then take the next step and become a leader in state innovation, we would be the envy of the country in growth.
John Stephen was the Commissioner of Health and Human Services from 2003 to 2007.
10.27.2009
The good, the bad, and the ugly!
By State Senator Jeb Bradley
A Little Good News, Some Mixed News But Even More Bad News in Concord: The recent release of New Hampshire’s revenue receipts simultaneously offers glimmers of hope while raising even more concerns about the State Budget enacted in June.
First the good news: The “Rainy Day Fund” which is the State’s hedge against economic downturns ended the fiscal year with $56 million more of a cushion than anticipated. Governor Lynch froze new hiring, deferred equipment purchases, and curtailed out of state travel to produce these savings.
Despite the fact that Governor Lynch and Democratic Legislators approved an overall spending increase in 2007 of 11.17% and in 2009 of 10.48%, the Governor’s executive orders curbed the worst excesses of the Legislature’s spending blitz that has increased expenditures from $9.36 billion to $11.5 billion during that time.
This $56 million in the Rainy Day Fund will be a critical one-time buffer if the State loses its NH Supreme Court appeal of the JUA (Joint Underwriting Association) lawsuit. This lawsuit comes from a budget provision attempting to simply “take” $110 million from a fund designed to keep a lid on physician’s medical liability insurance costs. The State’s attempted money grab has already been ruled in violation of both the State and Federal Constitutions by the Superior Court.
The mixed news is that business tax revenues were only 4% lower than expectations. While it is preposterous to call any shortfall good news, in comparison to last year’s business tax receipts that were off by 25%, being 4% below expectations is a slim glimmer of hope. However, it's also a warning that if the trend continues the State will face a nasty budget deficit.
Despite the good and the mixed news, NH is far from out of the budget woe woods as the bad news dwarfs the good. Other revenue sources are badly underperforming, despite many taxes being increased in the budget. Receipts from the rooms and meals tax, communication tax, and real estate tax are all down by about 9%. The interest and dividend tax is down a whopping 25%. Even tobacco taxes are down slightly. In the three months since the budget was enacted revenues are down a total of $26 million or 6.4%. Should this trend continue the deficit will only grow.
Now that the state employees union has rejected the proposed contract that would have implemented 19 furlough days, Governor Lynch must begin a series of layoffs to save a mandated $25 million. Whether he will run into roadblocks if the union files a grievance for each position eliminated or political roadblocks from his allies in the Legislature – these savings may be questionable.
So with all these budget monkey wrenches, it is certainly understandable that its authors are quick to claim that the national economy is to blame and that revenues are likely to rebound when the economy turns around. But that is a cavalier attitude based on wishful thinking rather than rational evidence.
NH’s unemployment rate just jumped to 7.2% which means nearly 25,000 people have lost jobs this year. As bleak as that is, the national numbers are worse --- much worse. Since the federal stimulus legislation was enacted in February, 2.7 million Americans have lost their jobs and the national unemployment rate is at a 26 year high of 9.8%. The human toll of these numbers is staggering for individuals, families and businesses struggling to stay afloat.
Some pundits have tried to argue that things are getting better as only 263,000 Americans lost their jobs in September vs. 741,000 in January. While true, any signs that employers may be thinking of adding jobs in the future is at odds with the evidence. Job losses continue, while overtime and the average length of the work week both fell. Employers don’t need to hire anytime soon and consumer spending which drives our economy continues its retreat.
So NH Legislators who voted for huge spending increases --- not to mention the property tax hikes from cost shifting and 61 additional tax and fee hikes in the last two budgets --- are desperately praying for a rebound in the economy to produce the revenue they need to balance their budget. Voters should not hold their breath waiting for miracles.
Instead what Democratic Legislative Leaders are planning is a TAX SUMMIT to discuss new and innovative ways to separate taxpayers from their hard earned dollars. Will these leaders recommend an income tax, a sales tax, a tax on mortgage refinancing, an entertainment tax, or new levies on New Hampshire businesses? Every one of these taxes or others could be on the table at a time that 53,330 New Hampshire people are out of work.
After hiking spending 23% in the last two budgets, raising property taxes and 61 other tax and fee hikes one would think that Democratic Legislative Leaders appetite for new and varied taxes would be satiated. Most NH voters are shaking their heads wondering if a SUMMIT to REDUCE SPENDING is too much to ask for. Isn't it time for the Democrats to turn off the tax hike spigot and focus on fiscal discipline?
As tough as things are for families and businesses across NH, they will get much worse if taxes continue to climb to meet revenue shortfalls.
A Little Good News, Some Mixed News But Even More Bad News in Concord: The recent release of New Hampshire’s revenue receipts simultaneously offers glimmers of hope while raising even more concerns about the State Budget enacted in June.
First the good news: The “Rainy Day Fund” which is the State’s hedge against economic downturns ended the fiscal year with $56 million more of a cushion than anticipated. Governor Lynch froze new hiring, deferred equipment purchases, and curtailed out of state travel to produce these savings.
Despite the fact that Governor Lynch and Democratic Legislators approved an overall spending increase in 2007 of 11.17% and in 2009 of 10.48%, the Governor’s executive orders curbed the worst excesses of the Legislature’s spending blitz that has increased expenditures from $9.36 billion to $11.5 billion during that time.
This $56 million in the Rainy Day Fund will be a critical one-time buffer if the State loses its NH Supreme Court appeal of the JUA (Joint Underwriting Association) lawsuit. This lawsuit comes from a budget provision attempting to simply “take” $110 million from a fund designed to keep a lid on physician’s medical liability insurance costs. The State’s attempted money grab has already been ruled in violation of both the State and Federal Constitutions by the Superior Court.
The mixed news is that business tax revenues were only 4% lower than expectations. While it is preposterous to call any shortfall good news, in comparison to last year’s business tax receipts that were off by 25%, being 4% below expectations is a slim glimmer of hope. However, it's also a warning that if the trend continues the State will face a nasty budget deficit.
Despite the good and the mixed news, NH is far from out of the budget woe woods as the bad news dwarfs the good. Other revenue sources are badly underperforming, despite many taxes being increased in the budget. Receipts from the rooms and meals tax, communication tax, and real estate tax are all down by about 9%. The interest and dividend tax is down a whopping 25%. Even tobacco taxes are down slightly. In the three months since the budget was enacted revenues are down a total of $26 million or 6.4%. Should this trend continue the deficit will only grow.
Now that the state employees union has rejected the proposed contract that would have implemented 19 furlough days, Governor Lynch must begin a series of layoffs to save a mandated $25 million. Whether he will run into roadblocks if the union files a grievance for each position eliminated or political roadblocks from his allies in the Legislature – these savings may be questionable.
So with all these budget monkey wrenches, it is certainly understandable that its authors are quick to claim that the national economy is to blame and that revenues are likely to rebound when the economy turns around. But that is a cavalier attitude based on wishful thinking rather than rational evidence.
NH’s unemployment rate just jumped to 7.2% which means nearly 25,000 people have lost jobs this year. As bleak as that is, the national numbers are worse --- much worse. Since the federal stimulus legislation was enacted in February, 2.7 million Americans have lost their jobs and the national unemployment rate is at a 26 year high of 9.8%. The human toll of these numbers is staggering for individuals, families and businesses struggling to stay afloat.
Some pundits have tried to argue that things are getting better as only 263,000 Americans lost their jobs in September vs. 741,000 in January. While true, any signs that employers may be thinking of adding jobs in the future is at odds with the evidence. Job losses continue, while overtime and the average length of the work week both fell. Employers don’t need to hire anytime soon and consumer spending which drives our economy continues its retreat.
So NH Legislators who voted for huge spending increases --- not to mention the property tax hikes from cost shifting and 61 additional tax and fee hikes in the last two budgets --- are desperately praying for a rebound in the economy to produce the revenue they need to balance their budget. Voters should not hold their breath waiting for miracles.
Instead what Democratic Legislative Leaders are planning is a TAX SUMMIT to discuss new and innovative ways to separate taxpayers from their hard earned dollars. Will these leaders recommend an income tax, a sales tax, a tax on mortgage refinancing, an entertainment tax, or new levies on New Hampshire businesses? Every one of these taxes or others could be on the table at a time that 53,330 New Hampshire people are out of work.
After hiking spending 23% in the last two budgets, raising property taxes and 61 other tax and fee hikes one would think that Democratic Legislative Leaders appetite for new and varied taxes would be satiated. Most NH voters are shaking their heads wondering if a SUMMIT to REDUCE SPENDING is too much to ask for. Isn't it time for the Democrats to turn off the tax hike spigot and focus on fiscal discipline?
As tough as things are for families and businesses across NH, they will get much worse if taxes continue to climb to meet revenue shortfalls.
10.21.2009
The Road to an Income Tax
By James E. Rivers
Years from now if the citizens of New Hampshire are seeing income taxes taken out of their paychecks, they will be able look back to the week of October 19, 2009 in “tax history” as the turning point—a time when the foundation for a broad based tax was laid. House Ways & Means committee Chair Susan Almy, a Lebanon democrat who has long been a strong advocate for any tax, but especially an income tax, has put together a legislative “summit” that will convene this week to, “consider changes to the state’s tax laws.”
Rep. Almy first tried to keep this gathering of legislators a secret to avoid having the voters learn that an income tax would be included on the agenda. When the news of a “tax summit” was leaked to the media, Speaker Norelli told us not to fret because Gov. Lynch had pledged to veto an income tax. That’s comforting. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t he the same governor who, after telling us that marriage should be between a man and a woman, turned around and signed the gay marriage bill into law?
It is curious that one of the main speakers being brought to the table by Rep. Almy is Jeff McLynch, the Northeast Regional Director for the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy--an advocate for an income tax. In fact, in March he appeared before the House Ways & Means committee to testify in support of a bill that would establish an income tax. “I am here today to offer testimony on House Bill 642, which would improve New Hampshire’s tax system, both by generating additional revenue and by shifting greater responsibility for such revenue onto those state residents with a greater ability to pay,” he told the committee.
This “summit” should come as no surprise. Democrats actually been “laying the groundwork for an income tax” the moment they took control of the State House three years ago. Rather than controlling spending and forcing the state to live within its means, they chose instead to create the first $10B budget based on over zealous revenue figures. When the state’s income failed to meet their lofty projections to pay for their 25% increase in general fund spending over two budgets, they chose instead to create, or increase, more than 40 taxes and fees, and used more than $400 million in one-time money while downshifting millions of dollars to the local property tax payer.
In response to their fiscal missteps over the past three years, the Democrats’ answer is to hold a “tax summit” to try and find more sources of revenue to match their out-of-control spending. In fact, it was House Democratic Majority Leader Dan Eaton of Stoddard who best explained the Democrats’ position on the floor of the House last session when he told his colleagues “…it makes sense to know how much you’re spending before you decide how much money to raise.”
The beloved poet Robert Frost, in his poem The Road Not Taken, urged us all to ignore the “safe,” risk-free options and to make choices that offer greater risk and greater rewards. The State of New Hampshire has reached that fork in the road. The question remains, do we take the easy way out and follow other states by enacting broad based taxes to cover the over-spending, or do we continue to take the road less traveled and strive to become more fiscally responsible with our spending? The Democrats have spent the state into a huge deficit and now they are asking us to “study” an income tax. Hopefully the voters of this state are paying attention.
James E. Rivers
House Republican Office
Years from now if the citizens of New Hampshire are seeing income taxes taken out of their paychecks, they will be able look back to the week of October 19, 2009 in “tax history” as the turning point—a time when the foundation for a broad based tax was laid. House Ways & Means committee Chair Susan Almy, a Lebanon democrat who has long been a strong advocate for any tax, but especially an income tax, has put together a legislative “summit” that will convene this week to, “consider changes to the state’s tax laws.”
Rep. Almy first tried to keep this gathering of legislators a secret to avoid having the voters learn that an income tax would be included on the agenda. When the news of a “tax summit” was leaked to the media, Speaker Norelli told us not to fret because Gov. Lynch had pledged to veto an income tax. That’s comforting. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t he the same governor who, after telling us that marriage should be between a man and a woman, turned around and signed the gay marriage bill into law?
It is curious that one of the main speakers being brought to the table by Rep. Almy is Jeff McLynch, the Northeast Regional Director for the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy--an advocate for an income tax. In fact, in March he appeared before the House Ways & Means committee to testify in support of a bill that would establish an income tax. “I am here today to offer testimony on House Bill 642, which would improve New Hampshire’s tax system, both by generating additional revenue and by shifting greater responsibility for such revenue onto those state residents with a greater ability to pay,” he told the committee.
This “summit” should come as no surprise. Democrats actually been “laying the groundwork for an income tax” the moment they took control of the State House three years ago. Rather than controlling spending and forcing the state to live within its means, they chose instead to create the first $10B budget based on over zealous revenue figures. When the state’s income failed to meet their lofty projections to pay for their 25% increase in general fund spending over two budgets, they chose instead to create, or increase, more than 40 taxes and fees, and used more than $400 million in one-time money while downshifting millions of dollars to the local property tax payer.
In response to their fiscal missteps over the past three years, the Democrats’ answer is to hold a “tax summit” to try and find more sources of revenue to match their out-of-control spending. In fact, it was House Democratic Majority Leader Dan Eaton of Stoddard who best explained the Democrats’ position on the floor of the House last session when he told his colleagues “…it makes sense to know how much you’re spending before you decide how much money to raise.”
The beloved poet Robert Frost, in his poem The Road Not Taken, urged us all to ignore the “safe,” risk-free options and to make choices that offer greater risk and greater rewards. The State of New Hampshire has reached that fork in the road. The question remains, do we take the easy way out and follow other states by enacting broad based taxes to cover the over-spending, or do we continue to take the road less traveled and strive to become more fiscally responsible with our spending? The Democrats have spent the state into a huge deficit and now they are asking us to “study” an income tax. Hopefully the voters of this state are paying attention.
James E. Rivers
House Republican Office
10.16.2009
Democrats saving the day???
By former State Representative Lee Quandt
Mmm. Mmm, Mmm, democrat Donna Schlachman said the democrats have saved the day; Mmm, Mmm, Mmm.
A recent Op-ed piece by Rep Donna Schlachman was in the local newspaper touting the typical liberal propaganda as to how the democrats have saved the free world with their fiscal responsibility, and how the republicans are all evil. Republicans are not evil. They might be having a problem pulling the party together. Some are not too smart, but, they are not evil. I know. I deal with them on a daily basis. We are trying to build up trust in the party; however that is another column for another day. About the only thing that was factual in Rep. Schlachman’s piece is that there is a seventy six million dollar rainy day fund.
If you believe the state is in good financial health, stop reading because you won’t believe what I’m going to say anyway.
Months of negotiations between Gov Lynch and the SEU ended in a stalemate. The Governor and his Democratic controlled legislature threatened and used tactics of intimidation at every session. After the employees could go no further with the negotiations, the best deal they could get was put before the membership. I was flabbergasted. After ten months of threats and intimidations by the Governor and the democratic controlled legislature, the employees voted against the contract language. Some members even stated “I know I will probably get laid off; but, I will see these people at the polls.”
Right now the state has 1,357 vacant positions, for a total savings of approximately ninety eight million dollars. I’ve been told we have about seventy six million more that could be saved by getting rid of the consultants/private contractors.
While Donna and the Democrats have lost sight of the political and economic ball, and are constantly threatening the employees with another 750 layoffs, the whole program got away from them. They probably should have paid more attention to this than their crazy liberal social agenda.
What the Governor and democrats don’t realize is that the state employees run the state, pay bills, plow roads, process the hiring of other employees through personnel, take in money and pay out money. In other words, they make the state run. Who knows more about how an organization works other than the employees. It is like the old saying in the military, “if you want to know what is going on, ask a SGT”. When your employees come to you with proposals for huge savings and you reject them, what does that make you? How about the south end of a north bound horse?
You will hear how the liberal democrats try to reach out to the Republicans. Does it sound like it? They are not only trying to change the facts and divert the discussion away from how bad they stuck it to the state employees, they are also hiding behind a vail of bogus Op-ed pieces of how they screwed up the budget and the State.
The republicans share a small responsibility in this mess. They have not done a very good job of getting the word out as to what has happened and what is going on, but again, that’s another column for another time.
Mmm, Mmm, Mmm, the democrats are not doing so well, Mmm, Mmm Mmm.
Mmm. Mmm, Mmm, democrat Donna Schlachman said the democrats have saved the day; Mmm, Mmm, Mmm.
A recent Op-ed piece by Rep Donna Schlachman was in the local newspaper touting the typical liberal propaganda as to how the democrats have saved the free world with their fiscal responsibility, and how the republicans are all evil. Republicans are not evil. They might be having a problem pulling the party together. Some are not too smart, but, they are not evil. I know. I deal with them on a daily basis. We are trying to build up trust in the party; however that is another column for another day. About the only thing that was factual in Rep. Schlachman’s piece is that there is a seventy six million dollar rainy day fund.
If you believe the state is in good financial health, stop reading because you won’t believe what I’m going to say anyway.
Months of negotiations between Gov Lynch and the SEU ended in a stalemate. The Governor and his Democratic controlled legislature threatened and used tactics of intimidation at every session. After the employees could go no further with the negotiations, the best deal they could get was put before the membership. I was flabbergasted. After ten months of threats and intimidations by the Governor and the democratic controlled legislature, the employees voted against the contract language. Some members even stated “I know I will probably get laid off; but, I will see these people at the polls.”
Right now the state has 1,357 vacant positions, for a total savings of approximately ninety eight million dollars. I’ve been told we have about seventy six million more that could be saved by getting rid of the consultants/private contractors.
While Donna and the Democrats have lost sight of the political and economic ball, and are constantly threatening the employees with another 750 layoffs, the whole program got away from them. They probably should have paid more attention to this than their crazy liberal social agenda.
What the Governor and democrats don’t realize is that the state employees run the state, pay bills, plow roads, process the hiring of other employees through personnel, take in money and pay out money. In other words, they make the state run. Who knows more about how an organization works other than the employees. It is like the old saying in the military, “if you want to know what is going on, ask a SGT”. When your employees come to you with proposals for huge savings and you reject them, what does that make you? How about the south end of a north bound horse?
You will hear how the liberal democrats try to reach out to the Republicans. Does it sound like it? They are not only trying to change the facts and divert the discussion away from how bad they stuck it to the state employees, they are also hiding behind a vail of bogus Op-ed pieces of how they screwed up the budget and the State.
The republicans share a small responsibility in this mess. They have not done a very good job of getting the word out as to what has happened and what is going on, but again, that’s another column for another time.
Mmm, Mmm, Mmm, the democrats are not doing so well, Mmm, Mmm Mmm.
10.09.2009
My Nobel prize
By Ron Dupuis
Next year, “I, your mildly humorous yet succinct columnist” am going to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Here is the plan. Right before the nominations are due, the announcement will be that my intentions for the next year will be to bring all the leaders of the world together to join hands and sing We Are the World. or Kumbaya, or some other nonsensical globally recognized song that promulgates peace throughout land. The next step will be to find a friend (no easy task in itself) to nominate me. BINGO, the prize is mine. Not for what I have accomplished, but instead, like Barack Obama, for what I intend to do.
Barack Hussein Obama mmm, mmm, mmm.
Children all over the country, mostly at school venues led by teachers, are singing the praises of the president. On the surface this practice seems somewhat harmless. In a worst case scenario this practice by members of the NEA could be considered as early political indoctrination of our children. Let’s wait and see how many praises these teachers practice when the President extends the school day, or the school year, or both, as he stated he will do.
A few reflections
President Obama's "transparency" in government: Yes Mr. President, we see right through Tim Guithner, Rep Charlie Rangle and all the Marxist, Socialist you have in your shadow government (Czars)
If all of Obama"s Czars are in one office building should we call it the Kremlin?
How many people have looked up to find out what comes after a "trillion"?
How many un-insured people are there in America; 40 million, 30 million, 20 million?
Does that figure include the free for life health care promised to us veterans?
Hopefully all Republicans of good taste will stop comparing President Obama to Adolf Hitler. Hitler got the Olympics for Berlin.
Next year, “I, your mildly humorous yet succinct columnist” am going to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Here is the plan. Right before the nominations are due, the announcement will be that my intentions for the next year will be to bring all the leaders of the world together to join hands and sing We Are the World. or Kumbaya, or some other nonsensical globally recognized song that promulgates peace throughout land. The next step will be to find a friend (no easy task in itself) to nominate me. BINGO, the prize is mine. Not for what I have accomplished, but instead, like Barack Obama, for what I intend to do.
Barack Hussein Obama mmm, mmm, mmm.
Children all over the country, mostly at school venues led by teachers, are singing the praises of the president. On the surface this practice seems somewhat harmless. In a worst case scenario this practice by members of the NEA could be considered as early political indoctrination of our children. Let’s wait and see how many praises these teachers practice when the President extends the school day, or the school year, or both, as he stated he will do.
A few reflections
President Obama's "transparency" in government: Yes Mr. President, we see right through Tim Guithner, Rep Charlie Rangle and all the Marxist, Socialist you have in your shadow government (Czars)
If all of Obama"s Czars are in one office building should we call it the Kremlin?
How many people have looked up to find out what comes after a "trillion"?
How many un-insured people are there in America; 40 million, 30 million, 20 million?
Does that figure include the free for life health care promised to us veterans?
Hopefully all Republicans of good taste will stop comparing President Obama to Adolf Hitler. Hitler got the Olympics for Berlin.
9.28.2009
An Economy Built On Waste
-- by MichealIt was not AIG or Fannie Mae that were "too big", such that their failure would bring down the economy. It was our Waste Game consumerism. Wasteful consumerism failed this past winter and, sure enough, it caused the global economy to tank. Intentional waste employed millions (millions,) of people. Without that waste, our economy collapsed.
Waste was the great and grand engine that drove our entire national boom and bubble economy. Consume consume consume. Don't save. Waste. Buy more. That's what keeps people employed. In fact, people NOT spending wastefully on stuff they didn't need, is blamed for delaying the recovery. Naughty un-american savers. Waste! Spend!
A perfect example of the Waste Doctrine was the "Cash for Clunkers" program. The government bribed people into wasting resources (destroyed cars with years of service remaining) to boost the auto industry. People were paid to waste. Sure, that minivan might have another 100,000 miles in it, but destroy it now!. Buy a new one. It will save American jobs. Intentional waste -- a perfect vignette of our Waste Doctrine economy.
Imagine if such "clunkers" programs were applied to the surplus in the housing market. Burn a million older homes in order to 'encourage' people to buy up those empty new ones. It will create jobs. Shred half your wardrobe. Buy new clothes. Garment workers need you too.
This isn't increased productivity. It isn't even supplying "demand." Sustainable demand must have a foundation in need, not whim. Whims evaporate quickly.
This became abundantly clear when fear (of pay cuts and job loss, etc.) prompted Americans to stop playing the Stupid Consumer Waste Game and save some money for an anticipated rainy day. The old car still ran fine, so put off buying a new one. The old toaster still toasted. Why buy a new one? The TV seemed big enough last year (and was only a year old), so why buy a newer bigger one?
Late last year, American consumers temporarily stopped playing the Waste Game and our economy collapsed. It wasn't Lehman Brothers that "failed". It was the mindless american consumer who failed to keep consuming mindlessly. Now that economic indicators are sounding better, the pundits and government trumpets are trying to encourage us to play the game again. Waste, spend, waste, buy.
If we learned nothing from the "Great Recession", we will be back playing the Waste Game and the Recovery will be quick. If we've learned prudence and caution, the Recovery will long and slow.
The question going forward: Do we really want an economy that depends on stupidity?
9.18.2009
“I’m baaaack”. After what had to be medically the most horrendous year of my life, the funeral parlor has been taken off speed dial and all canes have been broken in half and thrown in the trash. Now is the time for “A conservative take on life, politics and more” as stated in IMHO’s headline banner.
Ron's ruminations
By Ron Dupuis
“Obama lied, Otis died”.: At a joint session of Congress last week President Obama in an effort to bolster his case for the thousand page health care bill (which no member of Congress has read by the way) spoke of Otis Raddatz who died as a result of being un-ceremoniously dropped from his health insurance plan because of a paper work snafu concerning a prior medical condition. The facts are Mr. Raddatz was dropped from his insurer, re-instated through the efforts of the Illinois Attorney General’s office, and continued his treatment for another four years. The old Communist manifesto comes into play here. “The end justifies the means”. Liberals will say and do anything to achieve their “end.”.
Déjà vu all over again; Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. For me, the years have not diminished the memories of chasing the Viet Cong through the jungle right up to the border of Cambodia where we were not allowed to cross. There they would reorganize, regroup, and plan a strategy for their next operation against us.
Currently our young hero’s in the military are fighting a war where the enemy engages them in a conflict causing as much chaos and loss of life as possible, then slips into safe regions of Pakistan where the American military are not allowed to go. There our enemy reorganize, regroup, and plan a strategy for their next operation against us.
This is not only absolute insanity; it has caused me to rethink my position on the war.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and crazy Dan White. Many conservatives think that Speaker Pelosi’s recent comments concerning violence of the seventies is an accusation directed toward tea baggers and town hall forum participant who speak out against President Obama’s ten thousand page health care plan. Nothing could be further from the truth. The violence Speaker “Botox” is referring too was committed by crazy Dan White, a liberal Democrat San Francisco Supervisor who decided he new better than other duly elected officials as to how the city should be run. Speaker “Botox” is slyly creating a defense for the violence that has been, and will continue, against anyone and everyone of the “domestic terrorist” who speak out against President Obama’s policies.
President Jimmy “You’re a racist” Carter. According to President Carter, opposition to President Obama’s ten thousand page (which no member of Congress has read) health care plan is racially motivated. This is coming from a President who gave away the Panama Canal, had mortgage rates at 20% because of his failed economic policies, and concocted a botched rescue mission in Iran to caused the death of American military hero’s .
Will somebody please check this feeble octogenarian for dementia?
“Obama lied, Otis died”.: At a joint session of Congress last week President Obama in an effort to bolster his case for the thousand page health care bill (which no member of Congress has read by the way) spoke of Otis Raddatz who died as a result of being un-ceremoniously dropped from his health insurance plan because of a paper work snafu concerning a prior medical condition. The facts are Mr. Raddatz was dropped from his insurer, re-instated through the efforts of the Illinois Attorney General’s office, and continued his treatment for another four years. The old Communist manifesto comes into play here. “The end justifies the means”. Liberals will say and do anything to achieve their “end.”.
Déjà vu all over again; Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. For me, the years have not diminished the memories of chasing the Viet Cong through the jungle right up to the border of Cambodia where we were not allowed to cross. There they would reorganize, regroup, and plan a strategy for their next operation against us.
Currently our young hero’s in the military are fighting a war where the enemy engages them in a conflict causing as much chaos and loss of life as possible, then slips into safe regions of Pakistan where the American military are not allowed to go. There our enemy reorganize, regroup, and plan a strategy for their next operation against us.
This is not only absolute insanity; it has caused me to rethink my position on the war.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and crazy Dan White. Many conservatives think that Speaker Pelosi’s recent comments concerning violence of the seventies is an accusation directed toward tea baggers and town hall forum participant who speak out against President Obama’s ten thousand page health care plan. Nothing could be further from the truth. The violence Speaker “Botox” is referring too was committed by crazy Dan White, a liberal Democrat San Francisco Supervisor who decided he new better than other duly elected officials as to how the city should be run. Speaker “Botox” is slyly creating a defense for the violence that has been, and will continue, against anyone and everyone of the “domestic terrorist” who speak out against President Obama’s policies.
President Jimmy “You’re a racist” Carter. According to President Carter, opposition to President Obama’s ten thousand page (which no member of Congress has read) health care plan is racially motivated. This is coming from a President who gave away the Panama Canal, had mortgage rates at 20% because of his failed economic policies, and concocted a botched rescue mission in Iran to caused the death of American military hero’s .
Will somebody please check this feeble octogenarian for dementia?
9.04.2009
Health care and income tax
By Ron Dupuis
"One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It’s very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. Most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly can’t afford it.”
Ronald Reagan, 1961 before ever running for office
Senator "Teddy" Kennedy and the liberal left wing of the Democratic party have been trying to pass some sort of socialized medicine program for half a century. For over half a century the American people have rejected it. Now the torch has been passed to President Obama, Senator Harry Reid, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The problem is that the American public who question such a program have been labeled "domestic terrorist" by the current administration. There are two points here worth mentioning. One is that President Obama, Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi have a complete disdain for anyone who has the temerity to oppose them and their programs. The second is the Ronald Reagan was right way back in 1961.
**************************
New Hampshire Rumors
State Representative Susan Almy (D) Chairman of the House Ways and Means committee, along with Speaker Terie Norelli have organized a secret summit to consider changes in the State tax laws. Conclusion; there WILL be an income tax proposel in the next legislative session. You can take that to the bank. The question is whether Gov. Lynch will veto it. Stay tuned.
"One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It’s very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. Most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly can’t afford it.”
Ronald Reagan, 1961 before ever running for office
Senator "Teddy" Kennedy and the liberal left wing of the Democratic party have been trying to pass some sort of socialized medicine program for half a century. For over half a century the American people have rejected it. Now the torch has been passed to President Obama, Senator Harry Reid, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The problem is that the American public who question such a program have been labeled "domestic terrorist" by the current administration. There are two points here worth mentioning. One is that President Obama, Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi have a complete disdain for anyone who has the temerity to oppose them and their programs. The second is the Ronald Reagan was right way back in 1961.
**************************
New Hampshire Rumors
State Representative Susan Almy (D) Chairman of the House Ways and Means committee, along with Speaker Terie Norelli have organized a secret summit to consider changes in the State tax laws. Conclusion; there WILL be an income tax proposel in the next legislative session. You can take that to the bank. The question is whether Gov. Lynch will veto it. Stay tuned.
8.23.2009
A special thank you
By The Dupuis Family
After surviving what has to be medically the worst year of my entire life, it’s time to recognize and thank some of the people who, through their dedication and professionalism, helped me and my family.
Dr. George DiMov my primary care physician and Dr. Tom Wharton of Exeter Cardiovascular are at the top of my list. My family and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts (mine now is beating perfectly by the way).
The nurse “Angels” at Exeter Hospital; Stacy, Linda, Beth, Bret, Lauren, Linda, CNA’s Penny, Katie, and Erica, you are special people and will always be remembered in our family prayers.
A “thank you” goes to Georgia and almost all the staff at Exeter Health Care (one I swear was “nurse Ratchet” incarnate). You guy’s got me through one of the most critical incident during my entire stay at your facility and my family appreciates everything you did for me (except “nurse Ratchet” of course.)
HIPPA rules prevent me from knowing the last names of care givers that attended to me. There was one while I was on the fourth floor “telemetry unit” who merits a special “thank you”. Nurse Christina not only stopped in at the beginning of her twelve hour shift, she also said good-bye when her day was complete. This was even at times when I was not her patient for that particular day. May God bless you young lady and may He allow all your dreams and ambitions to be fulfilled. My family and I will never forget you.
Finally there is the North Hampton Parents Active in Learning and the residents of Grandview Terrace. Resident like the Sullivan’s, the Dionne’s ,the Malonys, the Hills, the Nigros and about a dozen others who not only provided food for my family but also made sure all of my daughters dentist and orthodontist appointments where kept. You people are the reason we live in this community.
God bless you all.
The Dupuis Family
964-8228
After surviving what has to be medically the worst year of my entire life, it’s time to recognize and thank some of the people who, through their dedication and professionalism, helped me and my family.
Dr. George DiMov my primary care physician and Dr. Tom Wharton of Exeter Cardiovascular are at the top of my list. My family and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts (mine now is beating perfectly by the way).
The nurse “Angels” at Exeter Hospital; Stacy, Linda, Beth, Bret, Lauren, Linda, CNA’s Penny, Katie, and Erica, you are special people and will always be remembered in our family prayers.
A “thank you” goes to Georgia and almost all the staff at Exeter Health Care (one I swear was “nurse Ratchet” incarnate). You guy’s got me through one of the most critical incident during my entire stay at your facility and my family appreciates everything you did for me (except “nurse Ratchet” of course.)
HIPPA rules prevent me from knowing the last names of care givers that attended to me. There was one while I was on the fourth floor “telemetry unit” who merits a special “thank you”. Nurse Christina not only stopped in at the beginning of her twelve hour shift, she also said good-bye when her day was complete. This was even at times when I was not her patient for that particular day. May God bless you young lady and may He allow all your dreams and ambitions to be fulfilled. My family and I will never forget you.
Finally there is the North Hampton Parents Active in Learning and the residents of Grandview Terrace. Resident like the Sullivan’s, the Dionne’s ,the Malonys, the Hills, the Nigros and about a dozen others who not only provided food for my family but also made sure all of my daughters dentist and orthodontist appointments where kept. You people are the reason we live in this community.
God bless you all.
The Dupuis Family
964-8228
8.05.2009
Criminally insane
---by Dave Buhlman
When I first read the headline, "New policy governs criminally insane" (The Telegraph, 7/26/09), I thought it would be about revised policies regarding how to better supervise the Governor and the Democrat-controlled legislature, due to their penchant for passing significantly increased state budgets and associated tax and fee boosts to support their wild spending sprees. Also included in this group, of course, are the Republican quislings in the legislature who ignored their party's platform, and supported these raids on the often meager finances of innocent taxpayers, also known as their constituents, the ones who voted them into office.
This behavior at the State House is "criminal" because the awesome power of government was used to take money from citizens, using the color of law; and "insane" because the perpetrators are convinced, despite all historical evidence to the contrary, that somehow, someday, somewhere outside of the Land of Oz, ever increasing spending and taxes will finally bring us the bliss promised by those who believe government is the answer to everything. It isn't, it was never intended to be, and it never will be.
But my first impression of the article was wrong. It was about those who committed specific criminal acts while later were adjudged to be insane. Although these acts no doubt delivered some awful pain to a relatively small number of people, when those under the golden dome in Concord engage in their irresponsible behavior, hundreds of thousands are hurt.
When I first read the headline, "New policy governs criminally insane" (The Telegraph, 7/26/09), I thought it would be about revised policies regarding how to better supervise the Governor and the Democrat-controlled legislature, due to their penchant for passing significantly increased state budgets and associated tax and fee boosts to support their wild spending sprees. Also included in this group, of course, are the Republican quislings in the legislature who ignored their party's platform, and supported these raids on the often meager finances of innocent taxpayers, also known as their constituents, the ones who voted them into office.
This behavior at the State House is "criminal" because the awesome power of government was used to take money from citizens, using the color of law; and "insane" because the perpetrators are convinced, despite all historical evidence to the contrary, that somehow, someday, somewhere outside of the Land of Oz, ever increasing spending and taxes will finally bring us the bliss promised by those who believe government is the answer to everything. It isn't, it was never intended to be, and it never will be.
But my first impression of the article was wrong. It was about those who committed specific criminal acts while later were adjudged to be insane. Although these acts no doubt delivered some awful pain to a relatively small number of people, when those under the golden dome in Concord engage in their irresponsible behavior, hundreds of thousands are hurt.
7.28.2009
One of my best ??? Feb 09
RON'S RUMINATIONS'
By Ron Dupuis
Does anyone else beside me, your succinct yet mildly humorous host, anticipate how Ed and Elaine Brown must feel now that tax cheat Tim Guithner has been placed in charge of the I.R.S? For those of you with short memories, the Browns are the convicted tax evaders of Plainville New Hampshire currently serving time for not paying their fair share. Surely they must be anticipating the list of names soon to be provided by Swiss bank officials as too who has the most hidden, tax free funds on deposit. Democrats or Republicans?
Another subject: President Obama recently stated that our troops will soon be “disengaged” in the occupation of Iraq. Would someone please inform our President that our troops have been engaged” in the occupation of Germany, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines, for over fifty years and may have to stay in Iraq in some capacity for an equal amount of time.
Still another subject: Attorney General Eric Holder is way off base in his statement that America is a “nation of cowards” when it comes to conversations on race relations. It has been the experience of many people that have spoken to me in the last few days that black people do not want to hear the word black in any conversation what-so-ever.
One final subject: Candidate Obama promised a “transparency in Government”. In order to question President Obama one must paraphrase “Dr Phil” and ask “How’s that working out for you?” Between Cabinet nominees with questionable jobs (non lawyer Tom Daschle as a “facilitator” at a Washington law firm at 1 million a year to several other questionable nominees with an array of tax issues) and a promise to post on line the final Stimulus package for all to see, President Obama’s “transparency in government” campaign promise seems a little transparent right now.
Ron Dupuis is a long time New Hampshire resident, a former State Representative, and a freelance writer. He may be contacted at drcdupuis@comcast.net
Posted by Ron Dupuis at 10:26 AM 0 comments
By Ron Dupuis
Does anyone else beside me, your succinct yet mildly humorous host, anticipate how Ed and Elaine Brown must feel now that tax cheat Tim Guithner has been placed in charge of the I.R.S? For those of you with short memories, the Browns are the convicted tax evaders of Plainville New Hampshire currently serving time for not paying their fair share. Surely they must be anticipating the list of names soon to be provided by Swiss bank officials as too who has the most hidden, tax free funds on deposit. Democrats or Republicans?
Another subject: President Obama recently stated that our troops will soon be “disengaged” in the occupation of Iraq. Would someone please inform our President that our troops have been engaged” in the occupation of Germany, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines, for over fifty years and may have to stay in Iraq in some capacity for an equal amount of time.
Still another subject: Attorney General Eric Holder is way off base in his statement that America is a “nation of cowards” when it comes to conversations on race relations. It has been the experience of many people that have spoken to me in the last few days that black people do not want to hear the word black in any conversation what-so-ever.
One final subject: Candidate Obama promised a “transparency in Government”. In order to question President Obama one must paraphrase “Dr Phil” and ask “How’s that working out for you?” Between Cabinet nominees with questionable jobs (non lawyer Tom Daschle as a “facilitator” at a Washington law firm at 1 million a year to several other questionable nominees with an array of tax issues) and a promise to post on line the final Stimulus package for all to see, President Obama’s “transparency in government” campaign promise seems a little transparent right now.
Ron Dupuis is a long time New Hampshire resident, a former State Representative, and a freelance writer. He may be contacted at drcdupuis@comcast.net
Posted by Ron Dupuis at 10:26 AM 0 comments
7.24.2009
End of Single Family Homes?
(Pffft. what's a foam peanut to do? Where IS everyone this summer?)
In an interview, author Christopher Steiner, predicted the single family detached home would be doomed by rising oil prices. The interview was about his book: "$20 per Gallon: How the inevitable rise in the price of gasoline will change our lives for the better."
Steiner sounds correct enough in predicting that when the price of gasoline hits certain "tipping points", people will change how they do things. That's hardly Nostradamus stuff. At $4/gallon, people stopped buying Hummers. They carpooled. They bought more hybrid cars. At $6/gallon, we'd see more of that.
What perked my ears up was Steiner's prediction that high oil prices spelled doom for the single family detached home. "Our pattern of the single family home, sitting on a quarter acre lot, was built around (automobiles)..." Really? Our suburban lifestyle, Steiner said, is built around being able to get in our cars and go do things. What he sees as the "sustainable" housing pattern of the future amounts to urban apartment buildings. Everything needs to be within walking distance. I suspect Steiner is an urban apartment dweller, so has a hard time imagining living any other way.
He would be right about most suburban developments since WWII. They definitely catered to the automobile. But the single-family detached house is far FAR older than the automobile. As I drive through "downtown" Chester, I pass a half-dozen single-family detached homes that date back to the early 1800s. THOSE families didn't have automobiles. How could they have possibly survived?
For one, their lifestyle was different. They didn't jump on their horse(s) and ride into town every evening to eat out. They cooked. They didn't jump on their horse and ride into town for a jar of pickles because they ran out. They waited. They didn't sit around their single family homes complaining that they were bored. "Let's jump on our horses and gallop around the countryside for awhile, just for something to do."
If/when gasoline does hit $20 gallon, our wasteful lifestyles will have to change. But, the single family home is not so clearly doomed. It worked before oil. It can work after oil.
4.27.2009
Pontiac: Future "old guy" litmus test
---by Micheal
Recently, General Motors announced that it would soon drop the Pontiac brand from its line-up. Some took the news hard. Some took it wistfully, like the passing on of an old friend. Muscle-car zealots may disagree with me, but I don't think the news is a signal of the coming apocalypse.
Pontiac was a created brand, unlike, say, Buick or Olds which were named after their founders. General Motors invented the brand in the 1920s as a higher performance line to augment it's modest performance entry-level Chevrolet line and its more stately luxury lines. People of driving age in the mid 1960s to 70s knew of the hot GTO, TransAm and later Firebird. "Ah," they'll say, "those were the days..." while staring wistfully into space.
But, time moves on. Car brands are created and dropped. Rambler, Nash, DeSoto, they've all had their heyday and then moved on into the foggy mists. This steady cycle of creation and demise does provide us something. It gives us a litmus test for whether you're an old man or not.
When I was a youngster, the old men would sit around on the front porch and talk wistfully about their Hudson or their Packard. Those were real cars. The other old men would nod respectfully. At that time, those cars had been out of production for years. As a young would-be driver, I oogled the latest Mustang or Camero, etc. Those were "living" cars to me. Hudsons and Packards, Studebakers and DeSotos, were old dead cars that rusted out back of the barn, and who lived on only in the minds of old men.
With Oldsmobile (five years ago) and now Pontiac's demise, we have some new benchmarks for old-man-hood.
Now we'll have some men sitting around the BBQ grill, talking wistfully of their Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs. The young would-be drivers will roll their eyes. Their hearts will be taken with a shiny new Green-E from OneWorld Motors or MegaWorks' RapidCharge 3000, or whatever the new brands will be.
Talk of Pontiacs will instantly tag you as an old man. Rather than fight it, just go with it. Times change. Those young whipper snappers will have their day. Some time down the line, they'll be sitting around their virtual food fabricators, talking wistfully about their old Green-E or their favorite red RapidCharge. Their kids will just roll their eyes and fantasize about CosmoCorp's FluxoPod or whatever. Times keep changing.
So, goodbye Pontiac. It was great to know ya. You've got a new role now. Your red arrow-head logo will become a badge of honor on old men's caps -- a way to set apart those who know real cars from all those young whipper snappers who don't know what a real car is like.
Recently, General Motors announced that it would soon drop the Pontiac brand from its line-up. Some took the news hard. Some took it wistfully, like the passing on of an old friend. Muscle-car zealots may disagree with me, but I don't think the news is a signal of the coming apocalypse. Pontiac was a created brand, unlike, say, Buick or Olds which were named after their founders. General Motors invented the brand in the 1920s as a higher performance line to augment it's modest performance entry-level Chevrolet line and its more stately luxury lines. People of driving age in the mid 1960s to 70s knew of the hot GTO, TransAm and later Firebird. "Ah," they'll say, "those were the days..." while staring wistfully into space.
But, time moves on. Car brands are created and dropped. Rambler, Nash, DeSoto, they've all had their heyday and then moved on into the foggy mists. This steady cycle of creation and demise does provide us something. It gives us a litmus test for whether you're an old man or not.
When I was a youngster, the old men would sit around on the front porch and talk wistfully about their Hudson or their Packard. Those were real cars. The other old men would nod respectfully. At that time, those cars had been out of production for years. As a young would-be driver, I oogled the latest Mustang or Camero, etc. Those were "living" cars to me. Hudsons and Packards, Studebakers and DeSotos, were old dead cars that rusted out back of the barn, and who lived on only in the minds of old men.
With Oldsmobile (five years ago) and now Pontiac's demise, we have some new benchmarks for old-man-hood.
Now we'll have some men sitting around the BBQ grill, talking wistfully of their Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs. The young would-be drivers will roll their eyes. Their hearts will be taken with a shiny new Green-E from OneWorld Motors or MegaWorks' RapidCharge 3000, or whatever the new brands will be.
Talk of Pontiacs will instantly tag you as an old man. Rather than fight it, just go with it. Times change. Those young whipper snappers will have their day. Some time down the line, they'll be sitting around their virtual food fabricators, talking wistfully about their old Green-E or their favorite red RapidCharge. Their kids will just roll their eyes and fantasize about CosmoCorp's FluxoPod or whatever. Times keep changing.
So, goodbye Pontiac. It was great to know ya. You've got a new role now. Your red arrow-head logo will become a badge of honor on old men's caps -- a way to set apart those who know real cars from all those young whipper snappers who don't know what a real car is like.
4.22.2009
Many Americans Catch On
---by Dave Buhlman
The stock market tanked around 2002, and Americans, most of them regular folk, lost about $8 Trillion. They hung in there.
Recently, the stock market tanked again and Americans, most of them regular folk, lost about $11 trillion. This recent bust also included the collapse of a portion of the housing market.
With the recent Tea Parties, which were much maligned by those in the controlled media, some Americans showed that they are catching on. Many were suspicious of the political system with its many cozy arrangements, but it was acceptable as long as those 401ks kept pace and led them to believe that a decent retirement was still possible. What they are catching onto now is that the system is rigged against them. Not only is it rigged against them, the rigging was set by those they voted into the Congress and Senate with all decent hope of these guys and gals doing the right thing. And they did do the right thing, for themselves and the banksters that control them. The banksters inhabit the system from the “Federal Reserve” bank, through the big boys like Bank of America, down to the savings and loan on the streets named Washington, and Ash and Oak, and Main.
Congressman Barney Frank (D-Commiewealth) was dedicated to protecting his boyfriend at Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, Senator Chris Dodd (D-Nutmeg) was getting a sweetheart mortgage from the made man who ran Countrywide Mortgage into the ground, and many others in Congress were dancing to the sweet music=2 0and raising their glasses at Versailles parties held along the banks of the Potomac. All was well…for them.
Presidents Bush and Obama, and their main money aides, cooked up bank bailouts of about $700 billion, and more handouts for others were created. All recipients had indented footprints in the gravy train line leading to both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. They made out quite well, even doling out big bonuses to those who engineered the near collapse of these companies.
The bailout, the associated never-ending debt, the bonuses, and the obvious favoritism bestowed by Washington on members of the monied nobility, caused many clean-living, government-defending Americans to catch on. Maybe some them, the few who remembered the lesser knowns of the 2008 presidential election cycle, thought for a fleeting moment about that brilliant Congressman from Texas w ho was warning about the shaky money system and the damage debt was doing to the economy and our quality of life. Maybe Ron Paul, MD, wasn’t as far off the beam as the controlled media led people to believe.
In response, on April 15, hundreds of thousands of good, hurting Americans gathered at hundreds of Tea Parties across the country to express their distaste for the corrupt system that greed had created in the former swamp now known as Washington, DC.
In response, the power brokers in Washington, and in its toady media outlets, yawned.
Dave Buhlman is a former two-term New Hampshire State Representative.
The stock market tanked around 2002, and Americans, most of them regular folk, lost about $8 Trillion. They hung in there.
Recently, the stock market tanked again and Americans, most of them regular folk, lost about $11 trillion. This recent bust also included the collapse of a portion of the housing market.
With the recent Tea Parties, which were much maligned by those in the controlled media, some Americans showed that they are catching on. Many were suspicious of the political system with its many cozy arrangements, but it was acceptable as long as those 401ks kept pace and led them to believe that a decent retirement was still possible. What they are catching onto now is that the system is rigged against them. Not only is it rigged against them, the rigging was set by those they voted into the Congress and Senate with all decent hope of these guys and gals doing the right thing. And they did do the right thing, for themselves and the banksters that control them. The banksters inhabit the system from the “Federal Reserve” bank, through the big boys like Bank of America, down to the savings and loan on the streets named Washington, and Ash and Oak, and Main.
Congressman Barney Frank (D-Commiewealth) was dedicated to protecting his boyfriend at Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, Senator Chris Dodd (D-Nutmeg) was getting a sweetheart mortgage from the made man who ran Countrywide Mortgage into the ground, and many others in Congress were dancing to the sweet music=2 0and raising their glasses at Versailles parties held along the banks of the Potomac. All was well…for them.
Presidents Bush and Obama, and their main money aides, cooked up bank bailouts of about $700 billion, and more handouts for others were created. All recipients had indented footprints in the gravy train line leading to both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. They made out quite well, even doling out big bonuses to those who engineered the near collapse of these companies.
The bailout, the associated never-ending debt, the bonuses, and the obvious favoritism bestowed by Washington on members of the monied nobility, caused many clean-living, government-defending Americans to catch on. Maybe some them, the few who remembered the lesser knowns of the 2008 presidential election cycle, thought for a fleeting moment about that brilliant Congressman from Texas w ho was warning about the shaky money system and the damage debt was doing to the economy and our quality of life. Maybe Ron Paul, MD, wasn’t as far off the beam as the controlled media led people to believe.
In response, on April 15, hundreds of thousands of good, hurting Americans gathered at hundreds of Tea Parties across the country to express their distaste for the corrupt system that greed had created in the former swamp now known as Washington, DC.
In response, the power brokers in Washington, and in its toady media outlets, yawned.
Dave Buhlman is a former two-term New Hampshire State Representative.
4.16.2009
Obscure Economic Indicators: Rising
---by Micheal
Every day on the radio, I'm bombarded with news about this or that economic indicator. Up, down, sideways. In the toilet. Recovering, Whatever. There are as many spin-meisters as there are radio stations. Sorry to say, I'm here to add one of my own.
Obscure Economic Indicator: How many calls my boss gets from investment firms.
Background: I'm the first one to get at work, so for an hour or so, I answer the phones. Months ago, my boss (a partner/owner in the small firm) would get one or two calls a week from investment firms. They would call early (when I was there alone) on the assumption that they could get the early-bird boss before the receptionist arrived and would screen his calls. They would also cloyingly act like an old personal friend of his as another tactic to get through the screening. "Is my ol' buddy Frank in yet?"
They all seemed to assume that as a business owner, Frank had a big pile of cash that really needed investing. Tyco this isn't. No lavish office curtains (actually, no curtains at all), no big expense accounts or fancy trips. We're brown bag all the way. Frank had no interest in talking to them, so I stopped taking down their 800 numbers.
Now that I think about it, those ol' buddies stopped calling last autumn. Not that I really missed their calls, mind you. They just quietly disappeared.
This morning, that changed. The phone rang before 8:00 am. "Hey, is Frank in yet?" asked the assertive and a bit too friendly voice. "Um...no, he's out of town until Tuesday," I said. The distinctive background buzz of a dozen other cubical callers droned behind John's cheery words. "Oh, well, tell him John from Morgan Stanley called. I'll call him Tuesday." (click)
They're calling again. Frank still doesn't have a stash of cash, but it struck me that I might have just witnessed an obscure economic indicator. The investment guys are active again. If, years from now, we look back and see that the recession bottomed out and started recovering in April of 2009, then remember my obscure economic indicator. It may turn out to be the secret crystal ball that has eluded all those other radio pundits.
Every day on the radio, I'm bombarded with news about this or that economic indicator. Up, down, sideways. In the toilet. Recovering, Whatever. There are as many spin-meisters as there are radio stations. Sorry to say, I'm here to add one of my own.
Obscure Economic Indicator: How many calls my boss gets from investment firms.
Background: I'm the first one to get at work, so for an hour or so, I answer the phones. Months ago, my boss (a partner/owner in the small firm) would get one or two calls a week from investment firms. They would call early (when I was there alone) on the assumption that they could get the early-bird boss before the receptionist arrived and would screen his calls. They would also cloyingly act like an old personal friend of his as another tactic to get through the screening. "Is my ol' buddy Frank in yet?"
They all seemed to assume that as a business owner, Frank had a big pile of cash that really needed investing. Tyco this isn't. No lavish office curtains (actually, no curtains at all), no big expense accounts or fancy trips. We're brown bag all the way. Frank had no interest in talking to them, so I stopped taking down their 800 numbers.
Now that I think about it, those ol' buddies stopped calling last autumn. Not that I really missed their calls, mind you. They just quietly disappeared.
This morning, that changed. The phone rang before 8:00 am. "Hey, is Frank in yet?" asked the assertive and a bit too friendly voice. "Um...no, he's out of town until Tuesday," I said. The distinctive background buzz of a dozen other cubical callers droned behind John's cheery words. "Oh, well, tell him John from Morgan Stanley called. I'll call him Tuesday." (click)
They're calling again. Frank still doesn't have a stash of cash, but it struck me that I might have just witnessed an obscure economic indicator. The investment guys are active again. If, years from now, we look back and see that the recession bottomed out and started recovering in April of 2009, then remember my obscure economic indicator. It may turn out to be the secret crystal ball that has eluded all those other radio pundits.
4.06.2009
Obama Backs Up The Bus
Now we have yet another example of the messy reality of being president vs. the purity of being a candidate. The early weeks of the Obama presidency have seen quite a few examples of reality not being nearly so easy and tidy as it seemed on the campaign trail. Obama (like all the other Democrats) promised to pull all our troops out of Iraq very quickly. The voters lapped it up. He gets into office, and behold, it's not as easy as all that. There might be some troops in Iraq for many years. Getting us out of the middle east was a big selling point, yet we're getting even more involved in Afghanistan. It was all so easy last November. Oops. Gotta back up the bus folks.Then there was that notion that one could have a "clean" administration -- free from all ethical dark clouds and the taint of (hold up your crosses) lobbyists! The first few weeks proved that the Democrat ranks are every bit as muddied by ethical problems. Refusing to involve any lobbyists would mean having too few staffers to get the job done. It was so easy last November. Now? Have to back up that bus to pick up some new riders.
On the campaign trail, it so easy to proclaim that the era of ear-marks and pork legislation would be over. Enter the new term, and a back-breakingly bloated budget has BILLONS in ear-marks and pork. It was so embarrassing that Obama had to sign it behind closed doors. It was so easy to stand out in the spotlights back in November. Now? Gotta back up that bus a bit.
Now we have our latest backing up of the national bus. On the campaign trail, Obama promised Armenian-Americans that he would officially brand the mass killings in 1915 as "genocide." Now, he's overseas trying to get foreign relations up to speed and is dealing with our ally in the mid-east: Turkey. Lo and behold. When asked about his campaign rhetoric about Armenian genocide, Obama backs up. He sidesteps the issue with the mealy-mouthed evasion common to politicians. It was all so easy last November. Now? Not so much. Back up that bus.
It's not like I particularly blame Obama. He's a politician. They will say anything YOU want to hear to get your vote. Lie, steal, cheat, promise you anything. It doesn't matter. They know they cannot deliver. Reality is never as glossy and simple as it seems on the campaign trail.
Who I do blame, are all the blindly naive voters out there who fell for it. Poor fools. Have they never bought a product which did NOT perform as promised on TV? Have they never been told 'the check is in the mail" yet it never arrived? Have we really become a nation of gullible dweebs?
Perhaps we have. Obama has been regularly backing up the bus on his many strident campaign promises since day one. Bush was so purely and simply wrong. HE would step in and do the purely and simply obvious right things. It hasn't happened. Reality is so much more difficult than campaign pipe dreams. Yet, how many of his voters have even noticed? Obama told them the check would be in the mail. They're still sitting by their mailboxes -- waiting.
Michelle might be proud now, but I'm embarrassed.
3.29.2009
NewMass
---by Dave Buhlman
A pack of cigs over five bucks, a budget increase of over 17 percent, increased fees to register vehicles, mandated kindergarten, a planned 83 percent increase in the gas tax, additional tax payer funds to support abortion, gay marriage (Note: I cosponsored a bill a few years ago to get the government completely out of marriage, and end these battles, but it was killed quickly.), and men allowed to use the ladies rooms.
This is a partial litany of what rule of the State House by Democrats has brought, or will bring, to the former Live Free or Die state. The Democrats did not do it on their own, of course. They had help from many pretend Republicans to turn the granite hard island of sanity of New England into the mushy state of NewMass.
And what brought us to this deplorable condition? Republican President George Bush singlehandedly ruined the Republican party by lying us into wars, running up massive deficits, creating the unconstitutional offense of adding signing statements to many of the bills that came to his desk, signing the Patriot Acts, and being just plain smugly arrogant. Do blame me. I voted for him twice. The alternatives the Democrats put forth, however - the Goracle and the Golddigger from OldMass - gave me and millions of others no choice. Maybe Pat Buchanan was right - the two parties have become two wings of the same bird of prey.
So in 2006 the voters of New Hampshire handed the reins to the Democrats, in both the State and federal legislatures, due in part to their disgust with Bush. We are now reaping what we sowed.
It felt good when we moved here from OldMass over ten years ago. We left behind state income taxes and sales taxes, a one-party kleptocracy run by the Democrats, gun laws that would please Stalin and Mao, and higher costs for almost all goods and services. Now, all of that is in the process of changing as the Democrats and the Republican quislings turn the governing philosophy of this state upside down. I don’t think this is what most voters wanted, but it’s what we got.
When the socialist philosophy is creeping in everywhere, I guess you can run, but you can’t hide.
Lets’ turn it around in 2010 by sending legislators to the State House to support the many brave souls now there who are upholding Republican principles of small government and low taxes, and trying to hold in place the granite-hard principles that made New Hampshire the best state in the country.
Dave Buhlman is a former two-term New Hampshire State Representative.
---
A pack of cigs over five bucks, a budget increase of over 17 percent, increased fees to register vehicles, mandated kindergarten, a planned 83 percent increase in the gas tax, additional tax payer funds to support abortion, gay marriage (Note: I cosponsored a bill a few years ago to get the government completely out of marriage, and end these battles, but it was killed quickly.), and men allowed to use the ladies rooms.
This is a partial litany of what rule of the State House by Democrats has brought, or will bring, to the former Live Free or Die state. The Democrats did not do it on their own, of course. They had help from many pretend Republicans to turn the granite hard island of sanity of New England into the mushy state of NewMass.
And what brought us to this deplorable condition? Republican President George Bush singlehandedly ruined the Republican party by lying us into wars, running up massive deficits, creating the unconstitutional offense of adding signing statements to many of the bills that came to his desk, signing the Patriot Acts, and being just plain smugly arrogant. Do blame me. I voted for him twice. The alternatives the Democrats put forth, however - the Goracle and the Golddigger from OldMass - gave me and millions of others no choice. Maybe Pat Buchanan was right - the two parties have become two wings of the same bird of prey.
So in 2006 the voters of New Hampshire handed the reins to the Democrats, in both the State and federal legislatures, due in part to their disgust with Bush. We are now reaping what we sowed.
It felt good when we moved here from OldMass over ten years ago. We left behind state income taxes and sales taxes, a one-party kleptocracy run by the Democrats, gun laws that would please Stalin and Mao, and higher costs for almost all goods and services. Now, all of that is in the process of changing as the Democrats and the Republican quislings turn the governing philosophy of this state upside down. I don’t think this is what most voters wanted, but it’s what we got.
When the socialist philosophy is creeping in everywhere, I guess you can run, but you can’t hide.
Lets’ turn it around in 2010 by sending legislators to the State House to support the many brave souls now there who are upholding Republican principles of small government and low taxes, and trying to hold in place the granite-hard principles that made New Hampshire the best state in the country.
Dave Buhlman is a former two-term New Hampshire State Representative.
---
3.23.2009
I met a young Marine
By Ron Dupuis
I met a young Marine and didn’t know just what to say.
The event was a social function that my wife had been looking forward too for some time. Ever the diplomat, and aware of my disdain for such events, I was first approached in a thinly veiled, patronizing sort of way.
“Honey, would you come with me?’
“You’re so good at these things and I want to show you off to all my friends from work.”
My response was such that I knew I was in trouble the minute I said it.
“I painted the basement today and I have to stay home to make sure it dries right.”
Except for the uncomfortable silence, the drive to the affair was un-eventful.
Arriving a little late, we entered the hall as unobtrusively as possible. Playing the role of a supportive, doting husband, I followed my wife’s lead through the maze of tables and chairs leading to our seats, all the while enduring both the formal, polite, handshaking introductions of upper level management, to the girlish squeals of some co-workers who she had not seen in some time.
I dutifully held the chair for my wife and was about to park myself down ready to endure a long boring evening when I saw him.
“My God” I said to no one in particular. “He’s just a baby.”
There he was, standing ramrod straight in the middle of the room among a hundred or so guest. Dressed in Marine Corp “dress blues” complete with white barracks cap, gold buckled duty belt, and white gloves, he was all of 5 feet 2 inches tall and could not have weighed more than 160 lbs. His insignia of rank indicated he was a Lance Corporal and there were three “theater” medals on his chest. To me, he looked all of 15 years old.
“Who’s just a baby” my wife asked? Before I was able to respond she was deep into introductions of the other table guest. I tried being the supportive spouse and show an interest in my wife’s coworkers and friends. I really did. There was even a spark of enthusiasm when the subject turned to politics. That is until one individual declared Ted Kennedy one of the most effective legislators he had ever met. “He’s not afraid to reach across the aisle.”
I made a smart aleck comment under my breath and quickly changed the subject.
“How bout them Sox?”
The memories of another era started to return, first slowly, then at a pace that I had no control over. Chu Lai, Da Nang, Hue and about a dozen other palaces that I chosen long ago to bury in the dark recesses of my mind. Captain Reynolds, Corporal’s Williams and Smith and Sgt Fey names that had not passed my lips in at least four decades. For a reason I still fail to understand, I had to speak with this young Lance Corporal.
As I approached I gave the unofficial signal Marines give each other under such circumstances.
“URAHH!”
The young man snapped to attention and responded with a sincere “How do you do Sir”, “When were you in?” After talking briefly of my experience’s I asked how old he was. He told me he was almost 21 and that he will be returning to Iraq for his second tour next month. I wanted to give some sage advice or at the very least assure him that he will be safe. I couldn’t find the words. He seemed to sense that.
Don’t worry too much about me Sir” “I’ll do what ever is necessary to get the job done and stay alive.” “Kind of like what you probably did in Viet Nam.” He ended with “After all, we’re Marines.”
I’ve been a Republican my entire life. I supported the first Gulf war and I supported the current involvement. I’ve even spoken with two Presidential candidates about my concerns. Both of them advised me to continue my support until the results of the current build up could be evaluated. I promised that I would. I can’t keep that promise. Iraq has had its opportunity for a democratic society. Twice. That young Marine who told me that he would do whatever is necessary to “get the job done” struck a nerve with me. Our leaders in Washington failed miserably in doing “whatever is necessary” and we should stop sending our children in harms way, immediately.
“All this because “I met a young Marine and didn’t know just what to say.”
Ron Dupuis is a long time New Hampshire resident, a former State Representative, and a freelance writer. His e-mail address is drcdupuis@comcast.net.
I met a young Marine and didn’t know just what to say.
The event was a social function that my wife had been looking forward too for some time. Ever the diplomat, and aware of my disdain for such events, I was first approached in a thinly veiled, patronizing sort of way.
“Honey, would you come with me?’
“You’re so good at these things and I want to show you off to all my friends from work.”
My response was such that I knew I was in trouble the minute I said it.
“I painted the basement today and I have to stay home to make sure it dries right.”
Except for the uncomfortable silence, the drive to the affair was un-eventful.
Arriving a little late, we entered the hall as unobtrusively as possible. Playing the role of a supportive, doting husband, I followed my wife’s lead through the maze of tables and chairs leading to our seats, all the while enduring both the formal, polite, handshaking introductions of upper level management, to the girlish squeals of some co-workers who she had not seen in some time.
I dutifully held the chair for my wife and was about to park myself down ready to endure a long boring evening when I saw him.
“My God” I said to no one in particular. “He’s just a baby.”
There he was, standing ramrod straight in the middle of the room among a hundred or so guest. Dressed in Marine Corp “dress blues” complete with white barracks cap, gold buckled duty belt, and white gloves, he was all of 5 feet 2 inches tall and could not have weighed more than 160 lbs. His insignia of rank indicated he was a Lance Corporal and there were three “theater” medals on his chest. To me, he looked all of 15 years old.
“Who’s just a baby” my wife asked? Before I was able to respond she was deep into introductions of the other table guest. I tried being the supportive spouse and show an interest in my wife’s coworkers and friends. I really did. There was even a spark of enthusiasm when the subject turned to politics. That is until one individual declared Ted Kennedy one of the most effective legislators he had ever met. “He’s not afraid to reach across the aisle.”
I made a smart aleck comment under my breath and quickly changed the subject.
“How bout them Sox?”
The memories of another era started to return, first slowly, then at a pace that I had no control over. Chu Lai, Da Nang, Hue and about a dozen other palaces that I chosen long ago to bury in the dark recesses of my mind. Captain Reynolds, Corporal’s Williams and Smith and Sgt Fey names that had not passed my lips in at least four decades. For a reason I still fail to understand, I had to speak with this young Lance Corporal.
As I approached I gave the unofficial signal Marines give each other under such circumstances.
“URAHH!”
The young man snapped to attention and responded with a sincere “How do you do Sir”, “When were you in?” After talking briefly of my experience’s I asked how old he was. He told me he was almost 21 and that he will be returning to Iraq for his second tour next month. I wanted to give some sage advice or at the very least assure him that he will be safe. I couldn’t find the words. He seemed to sense that.
Don’t worry too much about me Sir” “I’ll do what ever is necessary to get the job done and stay alive.” “Kind of like what you probably did in Viet Nam.” He ended with “After all, we’re Marines.”
I’ve been a Republican my entire life. I supported the first Gulf war and I supported the current involvement. I’ve even spoken with two Presidential candidates about my concerns. Both of them advised me to continue my support until the results of the current build up could be evaluated. I promised that I would. I can’t keep that promise. Iraq has had its opportunity for a democratic society. Twice. That young Marine who told me that he would do whatever is necessary to “get the job done” struck a nerve with me. Our leaders in Washington failed miserably in doing “whatever is necessary” and we should stop sending our children in harms way, immediately.
“All this because “I met a young Marine and didn’t know just what to say.”
Ron Dupuis is a long time New Hampshire resident, a former State Representative, and a freelance writer. His e-mail address is drcdupuis@comcast.net.
3.13.2009
For Godless, beatings are okay
Following up on the recent media frenzy about singer Chris Brown's beating of his girlfriend and fellow singer Rhianna, Boston.com reports on a survey of 200 teens in the Boston area to see how they felt about it all. Here is the article. The quick bottom line, which seems to shock even the liberal press, is that a sizable number of the teens saw nothing wrong. Fighting in relationships is normal. Guys beating up girlfriends is normal. No big deal. In the spirit of blame-the-victim, a majority thought she had it coming anyhow.
Why are the liberal commentators shocked? This is EXACTLY what they get when they removed God so completely from everything. If we're not going to follow God's standard, use His rules, and use ourselves as the ultimate guide, THIS is what we get. If the world is able to define "normal" (i.e. acceptable) by our own behavior, the Brown beating Rhianna is NOT wrong. It just is.
For all those liberated, enlightened folks who bemoan about domestic violence, how can you? Why is beating anyone wrong? They're holding up some self-declared standard ("Women should not be beaten,") but it has no more force of power than Brown's standard that women should be beaten and savagely, if he wants to. No big deal.
Why do a majority of teens think Rhianna's beating was no big deal? Because, indirectly, that's what our enlightened humanist society has been teaching for the past 40 years. Do what you want. You are your own guide. There is no God. We write our own rules. That all sound fine as long as everyone was pretty much following God's rules anyhow. That wasn't going to last.
Now we have a majority-rules dictate: Beatings Are Okay. Who do the liberals think they can appeal that decision to? They declared that there is no higher power. Mankind is it.
Face it. For the Godless -- who have no standard beyond their own selfish desires -- Rhianna's beating is just as legitimate as someone else deciding to trim his hedge or ordering a pizza. All just stuff a man is free to do.
This is your brave new world, liberals. You've wanted to push God out of the picture for a long time, and put humans in charge. The will of the majority rules. What if the majority has decided that it's okay to beat women? Apparently, you've just got to accept it. In fact, if you're not going along with the majority opinion, you're liable to be labeled a counter-culture trouble maker. We can't have that.
So, liberal men, you'd better beat your women. Liberal women, you'd better just accept your beating. The majority has spoken. You have no higher standard to appeal to.
I am certainly glad I don't live in their world. God said a husband is to treat his wife with godly respect (1 Peter 3:7). God said it's not okay to beat wives. I would rather appeal to God's standard, than be forced to accept man's majority opinion on the matter. We're seeing where that path is leading.
Why are the liberal commentators shocked? This is EXACTLY what they get when they removed God so completely from everything. If we're not going to follow God's standard, use His rules, and use ourselves as the ultimate guide, THIS is what we get. If the world is able to define "normal" (i.e. acceptable) by our own behavior, the Brown beating Rhianna is NOT wrong. It just is.
For all those liberated, enlightened folks who bemoan about domestic violence, how can you? Why is beating anyone wrong? They're holding up some self-declared standard ("Women should not be beaten,") but it has no more force of power than Brown's standard that women should be beaten and savagely, if he wants to. No big deal.
Why do a majority of teens think Rhianna's beating was no big deal? Because, indirectly, that's what our enlightened humanist society has been teaching for the past 40 years. Do what you want. You are your own guide. There is no God. We write our own rules. That all sound fine as long as everyone was pretty much following God's rules anyhow. That wasn't going to last.
Now we have a majority-rules dictate: Beatings Are Okay. Who do the liberals think they can appeal that decision to? They declared that there is no higher power. Mankind is it.
Face it. For the Godless -- who have no standard beyond their own selfish desires -- Rhianna's beating is just as legitimate as someone else deciding to trim his hedge or ordering a pizza. All just stuff a man is free to do.
This is your brave new world, liberals. You've wanted to push God out of the picture for a long time, and put humans in charge. The will of the majority rules. What if the majority has decided that it's okay to beat women? Apparently, you've just got to accept it. In fact, if you're not going along with the majority opinion, you're liable to be labeled a counter-culture trouble maker. We can't have that.
So, liberal men, you'd better beat your women. Liberal women, you'd better just accept your beating. The majority has spoken. You have no higher standard to appeal to.
I am certainly glad I don't live in their world. God said a husband is to treat his wife with godly respect (1 Peter 3:7). God said it's not okay to beat wives. I would rather appeal to God's standard, than be forced to accept man's majority opinion on the matter. We're seeing where that path is leading.
3.09.2009
Stem Cells: The Fiction of Neutral Science
---by Micheal
President Obama delivered on one of his liberal agenda campaign promises today, and reversed President Bush's ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. (Reminder: this was only a ban on embryonic stem cell work, not all stem cell research.) At the same time, Obama blusters about mandating that "science be neutral" -- that is, non-political.
What a lovely fiction. What an outright lie.
Truth is, science can never be truly neutral. Why? Scientists are people. People cannot be truly neutral.
Much about science becomes ethical (and therefore political) issues once the theoretical starts to become the practical. Practical issues -- what to do about this or that -- are entirely the realm of human politics. A harsh reminder of this lives in history (which is, sadly, a largely unknown country).
In the late 1800s and early half of the 1900s, the science of Eugenics was hot. Born of Darwin's theories on evolution, scientists studied ways to improve the human species. Very quickly, the scientific theories of eugenics developed into practical actions. Physically "ideal" humans should breed. Physically imperfect humans should be prevented from breeding. Someone (even a "neutral" scientist) telling you whether you or your children should be allowed to have a family or not, is far from a neutral issue. When, in the early 20th century, it became clear that humans were nearly impossible to regulate, stern government mandates stepped in. The imperfect should be sterilized so they cannot breed. Whole imperfect groups should just be eliminated so they cannot undermine the upward progress of mankind. Does anyone remember how well that worked out last time?
No. Science cannot be neutral. Someone must be keeping an ethical eye on it or it will become ruthless. Ethics cannot help but be political. Should old people be protected or disposed of? Should the poor be fed or turned into food? Scientists are driven by agenda as much as any congressman. The notion that science can somehow be neutral is a total (and self-serving) fiction.
The reality is, Obama and the new liberal regime want embryonic stem cell research and increased abortions for their own political reasons. Scientists who align politically with the new liberal regime are the only ones who will be blessed with the label: "neutral." Opposing scientists will not be allowed if they do not genuflect at the Democratic Platform altar first.
President Obama delivered on one of his liberal agenda campaign promises today, and reversed President Bush's ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. (Reminder: this was only a ban on embryonic stem cell work, not all stem cell research.) At the same time, Obama blusters about mandating that "science be neutral" -- that is, non-political.What a lovely fiction. What an outright lie.
Truth is, science can never be truly neutral. Why? Scientists are people. People cannot be truly neutral.
Much about science becomes ethical (and therefore political) issues once the theoretical starts to become the practical. Practical issues -- what to do about this or that -- are entirely the realm of human politics. A harsh reminder of this lives in history (which is, sadly, a largely unknown country).
In the late 1800s and early half of the 1900s, the science of Eugenics was hot. Born of Darwin's theories on evolution, scientists studied ways to improve the human species. Very quickly, the scientific theories of eugenics developed into practical actions. Physically "ideal" humans should breed. Physically imperfect humans should be prevented from breeding. Someone (even a "neutral" scientist) telling you whether you or your children should be allowed to have a family or not, is far from a neutral issue. When, in the early 20th century, it became clear that humans were nearly impossible to regulate, stern government mandates stepped in. The imperfect should be sterilized so they cannot breed. Whole imperfect groups should just be eliminated so they cannot undermine the upward progress of mankind. Does anyone remember how well that worked out last time?
"There's no arguing with science, sir. Facts are facts. Now, step into this gas chamber. You're slowing down our progress."
No. Science cannot be neutral. Someone must be keeping an ethical eye on it or it will become ruthless. Ethics cannot help but be political. Should old people be protected or disposed of? Should the poor be fed or turned into food? Scientists are driven by agenda as much as any congressman. The notion that science can somehow be neutral is a total (and self-serving) fiction.
The reality is, Obama and the new liberal regime want embryonic stem cell research and increased abortions for their own political reasons. Scientists who align politically with the new liberal regime are the only ones who will be blessed with the label: "neutral." Opposing scientists will not be allowed if they do not genuflect at the Democratic Platform altar first.
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