As protests in Iran persist, demanding greater freedom and a transition to democracy, the United States needs to reflect on its past actions, particularly about Iran, and decide on a course of action. To clarify, The Iranian people have been yearning for change, and the United States must stand firmly with them.

So, let us evaluate the U.S.’s past and present policies toward Iran with some practical advice for the current administration. We will also try to critically examine former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s role in the rise of Shiite Islam in Iran and praise President Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Furthermore, let this serve as a warning against supporting groups like the Mujahidin Khalgh (MEK) while advocating for support for secular Iranians and condemning the Iran nuclear deal for its hidden perils.

The Iranian Uprising: A Cry for Freedom

Protests have been raging in Iran for over a year, ignited by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, who was arrested for the perceived violation of Iran’s strict hijab laws. The following protests have become a massive movement, demanding greater freedoms and a complete change in the country’s leadership. Many protesters chanted, ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ —a famous rallying cry after nationwide protests erupted following Amini’s death last year. As the world watches these brave Iranians struggle for a better future, it becomes abundantly clear that they support their cause more actively. Doing so is not just a matter of principle; it’s a strategic imperative for regional peace and stability.

Encouraging International Support

The United States should lead the charge in rallying international support for the Iranian protesters. Diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, and targeted measures against Iranian officials and entities involved in repression, censorship, and prison abuses should be employed. By taking the lead, the U.S. can encourage its European allies and other nations to join a unified front, sending a clear message to the Iranian regime.

A Democratic Movement in Iran

A popular democratic movement in Iran is desirable and necessary to bring about lasting change. The Islamic Republic’s oppressive regime is incompatible with the aspirations of the Iranian people. Our responsibility is to aid in the transition to a more democratic, representative government that respects the rule of law and individual rights.

Young Iranians, mainly the urban-educated Iranians, are among the most ardent believers in democracy worldwide. Many view America as the country with the best hope for spreading and protecting the high ideals of democracy. In a sense, many Iranians feel a closer affinity with a democratic Israel than all the neighboring Arab Muslim dictatorships. Although Islam was imposed on Iran some 1400 years ago, Iranians deeply value their ancient non-Arab identity and have never fully surrendered to the Arab culture. During the bloodletting war initiated by the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein against Iran, all Arab states sided with the Butcher of Baghdad against Iran. Yet, Israel was the only Middle Eastern country that remained neutral and helped Iran in the struggle. We Iranians don’t forget our friends, and we also remember our enemies.

Economic Measures

The United States should reconsider sanctions regulations that impede Iran’s interaction with international financial institutions, as such restictions may inadvertently harm the Iranian people. Instead, the U.S. should establish a fund dedicated to supporting the Iranian protest movement and promoting economic stability in the country during this period of upheaval. It is good that the US has imposed sanctions on Iranian officials and entities connected to the repression of protests, censorship, and prison abuses.

Amplifying Support through Media

• The US should utilize traditional and social media to amplify and sustain support for the Iranian people.
• By publicly championing their cause, we ensure their struggle does not fade into obscurity.
• Publicizing their plight keeps the international community engaged and aware of the ongoing protests, which in turn exerts more pressure on the Iranian government to address the demands of its people.
• President Joe Biden and other high-ranking officials should vigorously embrace traditional and social media to amplify and sustain their support for the Iranian people and remind demonstrators that the administration stands with them.

Facilitating Internet Access

Protesters in Iran rely heavily on the internet for communication and organization. The U.S. should take measures to facilitate greater access to the Internet for the Iranian people. This empowers them to organize more effectively and allows them to communicate with the outside world, shedding light on the situation inside Iran and garnering international support.

The Obama Fiasco

When Obama went on his apology world tour, bad-mouthing the United States and singing the praises of Islam and internationalism, he showed vacillation and weakness at every turn. For one, he did not even find it in himself to voice his support for the brave Iranians against the rule of fascist mullahs in the 2009 Green Revolution.

The results: Thousands of democracy’s best children of Iran were slaughtered, maimed, or imprisoned, and the Iranian mullahs are encouraged and have tripled their speed in the quest for their ultimate weapon, knowing full well that you neither can nor will do anything to stop them.

He failed to voice his support for the people. It implied that what was happening in Iran was a kind of family dispute best left to be settled by the Iranians themselves. A family feud indeed. One side of the “family” with legions of savages armed to the teeth, the Revolutionary Guard  (IRGC) and their hired thugs, and the other side of the “family” defenseless civilians using their voices to plead their case. The Islamic rulers spared no heinous means in mercilessly silencing the people’s representatives.

Today, the IRGC possesses an enormous power structure with influence over almost every aspect of Iranian life. Unlike the regular armed forces responsible for defending Iran’s territory, the IRGC was explicitly designed to protect the Islamic revolution itself and eavesdrop on the regular military. Khomeini never trusted the regular army.

No nation provided even moral support for the Iranian people, while the savage mullahs and their thugs consolidated their rule of terror with impunity. The same scenario is recurring, and the world’s silence is deafening while we are engaged in the Ukraine war.

Carter’s Legacy and the Rise of the Islamic Terrorism

It is impossible to discuss Iran’s tumultuous history without evaluating the role of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. His tenure oversaw a turbulent period in Iran’s history, ultimately leading to the rise of Shiite Islam and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. Carter’s actions, or lack thereof, are attributable to the birth of a regime that has caused immeasurable death, suffering, and turmoil, particularly during the Iran-Iraq war. The heavy toll of hundreds of thousands of Iranian lives lost in that conflict is a painful reminder of the consequences of policies that failed to support the Iranian people.

As President Carter dithered, Khomeini’s influence grew, and his message of Islamic revolution resonated with the Muslim population seeking an alternative to the Shah’s regime. The Carter administration’s failure to understand the dynamics of the Iranian opposition and its inability to support pro-democracy forces ultimately contributed to the rise of the Islamic Republic.

The upheavals of 1979 shattered the existing order, and a turbaned charlatan that Jimmy Carter called a saint, Ayatollah Khomeini, skillfully steered the forces of change to promote his brand of totalitarian rule—a rule aimed at taking Iran backward to a primitive, violent, and misogynistic society.

Carter made a bone-headed decision some forty-five years ago. Both Iranians and Americans paid dearly and continue to pay.

The Trump Administration’s Bold Move: Withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal

In stark contrast to Carter’s legacy, the Trump administration made a crucial decision in May 2018, withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and reinstating sanctions. This move was not merely an act of political bravado; it was a statement that the Iranian regime, with its history of deception, violence, and religious fanaticism, could not be trusted. It marked a turning point in U.S. policy toward Iran, reflecting an understanding of the true nature of the Islamic Republic.

The Iran Nuclear Deal: A Flawed Bargain

The Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was touted as a diplomatic achievement that would prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. However, it had significant flaws. Under the JCPOA, Iran was allowed to continue its nuclear program, albeit with certain limitations. While proponents argued that these restrictions would prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, critics rightly pointed out that it allowed Iran to maintain its nuclear infrastructure, setting the stage for a potential breakout once the restrictions expired.

Moreover, the deal did little to address Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region. Iran supported proxy groups, such as Hezbollah, and incited violence in neighboring countries. The influx of funds resulting from sanctions relief further emboldened Iran’s aggressive regional behavior.

The Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the deal recognized these shortcomings and stated that the United States would not disregard Iran’s destabilizing actions.

Beware of Cultish Groups: Rejecting the MEK

While we acknowledge the need to support the Iranian people, we must heed the warnings of history and avoid supporting groups like the Mujahidin Khalgh (MEK). We must discern our choices and not inadvertently back an organization that could harm the people it claims to represent.

The MEK, considered a terrorist organization, has a dark militant history and a controversial reputation. While it claims to advocate for democracy and freedom in Iran, it has been criticized for its cult-like practices and authoritarian leadership. Supporting such a group could have unintended consequences, potentially undermining the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people.

As we acknowledge the need to support the Iranian people, it is vital to heed the warnings of history and avoid supporting groups like the Mujahidin Khalgh (MEK). “The MEK is not a valid player on the Iranian political scene. They have no credibility in Iran,” warns Ryan Crocker, former US Ambassador to Iraq.

I must strongly warn my fellow Americans not to repeat President Jimmy Carter’s monumental folly that brought the infamous Ayatollah Khomeini to power and birthed Islamist jihadism by standing behind Maryam Rajavi, the leader of the notorious Mujahidin-e Khalq or (MEK), the most dangerous terrorist group that even abused and murdered their members for trying to defect or escape from Camp Ashraf in Iraq. It would be equivalent to betraying the ideals of America—the flag holder of freedom in the world.

Secular Iranians are our True Allies

The path forward lies in championing the cause of secular Iranians, the United States’ best friends in the Islamic world. Their vision for a democratic Iran, where individual rights and freedoms are respected, aligns with our values and interests. We must throw our full support behind them in their quest for a brighter future.

The protests in Iran have revealed the Iranian people’s unwavering determination for a better future in which they enjoy the same rights and freedoms that citizens of free nations often take for granted. It is our responsibility as the United States, a beacon of democracy and liberty, to support their aspirations.

While history contains valuable lessons, the present moment calls for a bold, resolute stance. We must rally behind the Iranian people, drawing from our past experiences to navigate the complex landscape of Iranian politics. By standing with the Iranian people in their pursuit of democracy and freedom, we can help pave the way for a more peaceful Middle East.

The time for action is now, and the United States must seize the opportunity to be a force for good in Iran and beyond. In doing so, we can ensure that the tragic mistakes of the past are not repeated and that the Iranian people can finally achieve the freedoms they so desperately desire.

Final note

Once the Islamic regime is defeated, it would be the greatest thing since the fall of Soviet communism. It would subvert virulent Islamic ideology by creating a truly democratic, secular, strong nation in tandem with Israeli democracy in the heart of the Islamic Ummah. It would be an answered prayer just as much for the world as for Iranians.

The post The Key to Peace In the Middle East Rests With The Iranian People appeared first on Granite Grok.

The temporary restraining order against hyperbolic fiscal disaster narratives is ending. The stopgap expires on November 17th. Elected officials, bureaucrats, talking heads, and empty heads will be prognosticating doom if America can’t find a way to fund the general government.

In other words, in two weeks, the government will Shutdown unless Congress manages to do its job. And if you think that’s something members of Congress want, you’d be correct. But they shouldn’t, not because of the lies about the vulnerable. Nothing critical stops working, and everyone else gets a paid vacation unless they don’t work for the government.

 

Air travel, tourism, medical research and many other sectors that rely on government services are greatly hampered by shutdowns. The last government shutdown, lasting 35 days in 2018, cost the economy an estimated $11 billion.

 

Whether you believe that or not, someone had an idea. What if we passed a law that eliminated the hyperbolic circus of shutdown narratives and forced Congress to get the job done? Pass appropriations bills, preferably clean and by the department. New Hampshire Democrat Senator Maggie Hassan signed on to a bipartisan proposal that tried to do that.

 

Upon a lapse in government funding, the bill would implement an automatic continuing resolution (CR), on rolling 14-day periods, based on the most current spending levels enacted in the previous fiscal year. This would prevent a shutdown and continue critical services and operations.

During the covered period of an automatic CR, the following restrictions are put in place:

• No taxpayer-funded travel allowances for official business (except one flight to return to Washington, DC) for the following:
  • White House OMB staff and leadership
  • Members of the House and Senate
  • Committee and personal staff of the House and Senate
• No official funds may be used for CODEL or STAFFDEL travel
• No use of campaign funds by congressional offices to supplement official duties or travel expenses
• No motions to recess or adjourn in the House/Senate for a period or more than 23 hours

In addition, under the bill, no other votes would be in order in the House and Senate unless they pertain to passage of the appropriations bills or mandatory quorum calls in the Senate. However, after 30 days under the automatic CR, certain expiring authorization bills and executive calendar nominations would be eligible for consideration on the Senate floor, including a nomination for a Justice of the Supreme Court or a Cabinet Secretary, and narrow reauthorization legislation for programs operating under an authorization that has already expired or will expire within the next 30 days.

These restrictions can be waived by a two-thirds vote in either chamber but not for longer than seven days.

 

Hassan, an otherwise reliable rubber stamp for Team Donkey, said

 

“Government shutdowns waste taxpayer dollars and put our nation at risk, and we need to avoid them whenever possible,” said Hassan. “This commonsense bill incentivizes Congress to fund the government on time and ensures that there is a plan in place to protect families and our economy if Congress cannot come to agreement.”

 

I can’t say if it was a clean bill. That someone didn’t pack something untoward within its pages to kill it, but it died. It needed 60 votes to pass, but only nine Democrats would join every Republican to support it. Senator Hassan voted yes for her bill, but the Granite State’s Senior Senator, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, was a no. I checked the latter’s Senate website but could not find a statement on the legislation or the vote, but Jeanne voted with the majority of her party.

They voted for hyperbolic shutdown antics instead of a requirement that they, Congress, stop using the budget process to score political points.

That’s worth knowing the next time Senator Shaheen sidles up to a microphone to badger her Republican colleagues about politicizing the process.

They all voted yes to stop doing that. She voted no.

 

The post Sen. Shaheen Votes No on Sen. Hassan’s “Cure” for Government Shutdowns appeared first on Granite Grok.

New York Attorney General Letitia James accuses Trump, his sons, and Trump Organization executives of engaging in a decade-long scheme to defraud lenders by inflating Trump’s net worth. However, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that these charges are baseless and appear politically motivated.

Let us explore key reasons why these allegations lack substance and highlight the potential for their use as a tool to smear Trump’s reputation.

One of the central allegations in this trial is that Trump and his associates used “false and misleading” financial statements to secure more favorable loan terms. However, it is crucial to distinguish between aggressive business practices and fraudulent intent. Trump’s alleged inflated valuations of assets can be attributed to his shrewd business acumen. Real estate values often vary and are subject to interpretation, making differing valuations familiar in the industry. The prosecution must demonstrate that Trump and his associates deliberately misled lenders and not simply that they had different assessments of asset values.

“No bank was affected. No bank was hurt” ~ Donald J Trump.

It is essential to emphasize that the charges against Trump and The Trump Organization are civil, not criminal. In a civil trial, the burden of proof is considerably lower than in a criminal case. The prosecution merely needs to show that specific actions occurred and that they were fraudulent without having to prove malicious intent. This lower standard for evidence makes it easier for allegations to be brought forward but does not necessarily indicate wrongdoing.

It is challenging to overlook the political context of these charges. Attorney General Letitia James campaigned on a “get Trump” platform, openly expressing her intentions to target the former president.

Accusations against a former president should be grounded in solid evidence and not serve to settle political scores.

However, it is heartening to note that, led by the experienced tax attorney Sheri Dillon, this legal team has been vigorously challenging the charges, relentlessly emphasizing contradictions in key witness Michael Cohen’s testimony and pushing for a verdict to end the case. So far. The defense team has been excellently fighting these allegations despite the challenges they face and the controversy surrounding Judge Arthur Engoron’s decision to deny the request for dismissal.

Cohen’s testimony, where he claimed to have manipulated the values of Trump’s real estate properties to match what Trump told him, has been a critical point of contention. The defense team has astutely highlighted the inconsistencies in Cohen’s statements, raising questions about the reliability of his testimony. These contradictions cast doubt on the credibility of a pivotal witness and underscore the importance of a thorough and unbiased examination of the evidence.

The defense team’s request for a verdict to “end this case once and for all” reflects their determination to expedite the trial and resolve it. This strategy aims to minimize the prolonged legal battle, which can be financially and emotionally draining. It also signals their confidence in dismantling the allegations and lack of concrete evidence against Trump and his organization.

Judge Arthur Engoron’s decision to deny the request for dismissal has drawn criticism from Trump’s defense team. They argue that the judge’s decision suggests bias against Trump.

The real impact of this trial is on the Democrat Party. Continuing to pursue these allegations, they are only digging deeper into their corruption and hypocrisy.

From the Mueller investigation to multiple impeachment trials and the constant scrutiny of Trump’s actions, these ongoing legal battles and quests against Donald Trump have become emblematic of the unyielding focus on the actual president by his political adversaries.

The American people have witnessed an unending series of investigations and trials against Donald Trump and have grown weary of the relentless political battles. They see this trial as another politically motivated attack on a popular president among a substantial segment of the electorate. They see this only as an extension of the broader “deep state” conspiracy, which asserts that powerful forces are working against Trump.

The history of American politics reveals that adversarial attacks against a political figure can often galvanize their supporters. In the case of Donald Trump, the civil fraud trial may further cement the loyalty of his base. His ability to withstand several investigations and problems during his presidency has made many perceive him as a resilient and unwavering leader.

At a time when the world is in torment and uncertain, the American people—true to the values that have always been at the core of America’s identity—firmly put their faith in President Trump.

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Vermont has a Democrat majority legislature and a governor who, while registered as a Republican, could use some basic instruction on what that means. As proof, he has just come out and touted his state’s red flag law as a s model for America.

 

The red flag law passed by the state Legislature five years ago allows a judge to temporarily remove a gun from a person who is believed to pose a danger to themselves or others.

Scott says he’s not certain that such a law would have prevented the recent mass shooting in Maine, which does not have its own red flag law. But he says he supports the passage of a national version.

“We’re ahead of many states in terms of what we did back in 2018, but I think it’s time for this to be a national conversation with other states on another level and to adopt some of the red flag laws that we’ve gone ahead with,” Scott says.

 

Vermont has experienced record numbers of homicides in recent years. In October of 2023, they had 8 of them. In 2022, there were twenty-five, and this year could match that, three times the number in 2021.

I don’t suppose that is the law’s fault, and if we are honest, that was never the intention. Job one was to set a precedent for abrogating due process rights. Red Flag laws do that, and it is the only reason Democrats advance them with an understanding that at least a few who favor the political Left have no idea that this is the point.

Once you have justified denying due process rights for any reason, you can expand that infringement—incrementalism with the goal of making the people servants of the government’s will.

We have a similar tactic from the Left here in New Hampshire. Democrats pretend to be concerned about high property taxes. Yes, they are high, but that keeps the total tax burden low. The Granite State consistently has one of the lowest real tax burdens in the country. Our Dems decry high property taxes to justify a new or expanded state-level executive branch office of taxation. Once in place, this mechanism can grow to collect broad-based taxes anywhere, everywhere, and as often as the Governor or Legislature can imagine.

Democrats never lower spending. Taxes can only go up, so any exhortation to the contrary is a bald-faced lie.

The idea that red flag laws will lower violent crime or gun crime is also a lie, but it gets repeated without regard for anything approaching the truth. But everywhere they are implemented, the only thing that disappears is natural rights. Crime and violent death always rise.

Vermont is – if anything – a model for that.

 

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A year ago, I believed I would likely be voting for Ron DeSantis. Today, not a chance. The DeSantis campaign has been one of the most inept in history AND, rather than improving, it is getting worse.

The latest? His handlers put him on MSNBC, which in and of itself is a stupid move, and DeSantis exacerbated the stupidity by pandering to the extremist hosts, more particularly by accepting the absurd premise that the political persecutions of Trump are legitimate prosecutions and disqualifying if Trump is found guilty:

 

Just wow – instead of confronting Geist over his description of charges against Trump (convicted of overturning 2020 election?) and overall weaponization of DOJ to target Trump and his supporters, DeSantis grovels for approval from MSNBC crew. What a disappointment he is. https://t.co/rlIKWEk7sf

— Julie Kelly (@julie_kelly2) November 2, 2023

What DeSantis and his supporters ignore is the fact this same DOJ would be investigating and possibly indicting him for a number of imaginary crimes (like using state funds to kidnap migrants) if he was 40 points ahead.

He should consider himself lucky that’s not the case. https://t.co/oJpQ6BU08q

— Julie Kelly (@julie_kelly2) November 2, 2023

Is DeSantis running for the Democrat nomination? If not, his recitation of false and deranged left-wing talking points denying the total corruption of DOJ and FBI make absolutely zero sense.

Such a great governor, and such a terrible candidate. https://t.co/T8z9GUNgjG

— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) November 2, 2023

Trump is being judged by DC and NYC juries where 80% vote Democrat

He will not get fair justice and will likely be convicted in some of these show trials

He’ll then appeal where his odds of a fair hearing go way up and these rulings will be overturned

DeSantis knows this but… https://t.co/Bj3qFrHWMp

— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) November 2, 2023

The Rick Scott endorsement of Trump has the whole DeSantis campaign melting down.

He’s imploding. https://t.co/y5TlIokKKP

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) November 2, 2023

What was DeSantis even thinking with that MSNBC interview? How could he not use that as an opportunity to speak out about our govt being weaponized against the American people? Truly crazy to me

— Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) November 2, 2023

The post Time For DeSantis To Drop Out appeared first on Granite Grok.

We’ve connected with someone who appears to have two passions: memes and poetry. You will have already seen a few of the memes. I directed him to Nitzakhon, who will share them at his discretion. So, what about the poetry?

I went through this phase during high school, where I tried my hand at expressing myself through poetry. Back then, we couldn’t just change our gender. We had to explore reality, which – while the poetry was pretty bad – no one lost any parts or organs or was poisoned by chemicals meant to give one the appearance of something other than what they were.

Unlike gender transition, poetry is something kids are free to explore – in my opinion. Bad poetry is not just for adults. And good poetry is for everyone if you know what you like. While I have no issues grasping imagery or an of the other creative elements, poetry is not something I typically pursue, but someone asked me to check theirs out, and I did.

Some of it is political and some not, so I’ll lay some of it on you, man (fingers snapping in the background) – and you can let us know what you think.

A Leftist Rebukes Hamas

Hey, Hamas, you silly dolts,
You need to mow down more adults.
Keep fighting for your patch of sand,
Since Jews do not deserve the land,
But chopping off their babies’ heads
And slashing children in their beds?
You really need to be more subtle;
To succeed, you must befuddle.
Convince the unborn babies’ mothers
That nothing counts more than their ’druthers
And children are a dungeon chain
Forcing women’s toil and pain.
Convince them that it’s not alive
Until you see its face arrive
And anyone who disagrees
Hates women and ignores their pleas
(The usual apologetics).
Delegate the death to medics
Who live by an assassin’s dictum:
Kill when none can see the victim!

By pro-choice tactics, you may choose
A better way to kill the Jews,
But should you choose the final solution
Applied to France’s Revolution,
We still will stand up for your side
While your land is occupied.
Behead in public or abort—
The right to either, we’ll support.

 

One more…

The Rabbi

based on a true story from the 1995 talk
“Men and Marriage” by Rabbi Daniel Lapin

A rabbi in an airplane row
Sat by a famous Communist
And two young men who seemed to know
The rabbi’s needs, the foods he missed.

His feet swelled up like sausage links,
So they replaced his shoes with slippers.
They gave him sandwiches and drinks,
The envy of the other trippers.

The Communist, observing this,
Said, “Rabbi, I am quite impressed:
In no way are your sons remiss—
They give to you their very best!”

“My sons?”  The rabbi shook his head.
“It’s my disciples you just saw,
But if my sons were here instead,
You’d really look at them in awe!”

The Communist sat there and wept.
“I have four sons, ungrateful bunch!
My teachings, none of them have kept,
And they would never make me lunch!”

The rabbi said, “They heed your words,
They keep your ways.  You can’t escape
What all their lives from you they heard:
Their father’s one step more an ape!

“Just as a horse obeys a man,
All lower life-forms must respect
A higher one, so by your plan,
Such thinking’s what their acts reflect.

“I’ve taught my sons about creation;
I’ve taught them through God’s Holy Word:
One step toward Adam’s generation
Is one step closer to the Lord!”

The Communist just turned away;
He said no more and gave no nod.
Our tale ends here, but still I pray
He may have later turned to God.

 

And the author.

Joshua C. Frank works in the field of statistics and lives near Austin, Texas.  His poetry has been published in Snakeskin, The Lyric, Sparks of Calliope, Westward Quarterly, Atop the Cliffs, Verse Virtual, and The Asahi Haikuist Network, and his short fiction has been published in Nanoism.”

The post Poetry and Politics appeared first on Granite Grok.

Nikki Haley’s enjoying her moment. She’s inching up in the polls and, through her side job — ostensibly suspended during her campaign — of getting us into a war in Iran, has greatly benefited from the Hamas attack on October 7th.

While I appreciate her devotion to her cause, attacking Iran is certain to cost us dearly, greatly expand the Israel/Gaza conflict, bring any number of additional countries into the conflict, raise the stakes, and increase the misery.

We want to thank James W. McConnell for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
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Nikki Haley, like most Neocons, articulates the most convincing, fact-based or not, case for getting into a conflict. To Neocons, the human and military costs of a conflict and whether or not it diverts the resources and attention necessary to develop the technology, equipment, and training necessary for US forces to prevail in a peer-to-peer conflict are insignificant considerations compared to putting boots on the ground, US or surrogate, and playing policeman to the world. They avoid defining an objective as that creates a possible end point, and once the US is in a conflict, an impossible objective can always be conjured up, along with the sunk cost argument, to make the case for keeping it going. The pattern rarely varies, and America’s defenses and taxpayers always take a beating.

One of this century’s lessons we should by now have learned is that putting US boots on the ground in countries we don’t understand is counterproductive.

At the end of the 20th Century, the US led a unipolar world. Since then, we’ve squandered our advantage on Neocon-inspired endless misadventures. The next President should ensure we devote our attention to defending the United States.

When I think of Nikki Haley, all I can think of is George W. Bush in a dress.

 

James W. McConnell
Colonel, US Army – Retired

Chairman, New Hampshire Veterans for DeSantis
Former President, New Hampshire State Council of Vietnam Veterans (2014-2018)

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It has been challenging to watch the U.S. Government fawn over the millions of illegal immigrants who have forged the dangerous currents of the Rio Grande to break through our backdoor. A swag bag is waiting for each with a cell phone, debit cards, and a trip anywhere they want to go in the lower 48. Did I mention these people are illegal?

I thought so.

These people have been placing a tremendous financial burden on Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and even Florida. To prove a point and bring their plight to the mainstream media, that had been ignoring the Border problem, the Governors of Florida and Texas started busing illegals to Sanctuary Cities around the country. Washington D.C., New York, and Chicago received most of the transplanted illegals.

These people are from around the globe, and these major metropolitan regions can no longer afford the cost of handling these aliens. These people have taken over major hotels, sleeping on sidewalks or in temporary shelters. The liberal Mayors are now begging Washington for a handout to balance the cost to their taxpayers. Sanctuary cities seemed like a good idea until reality set in. Mayor Adams of New York City is getting daily media coverage pleading for aid from Biden.

St Louis must feel slighted as they did not have any buses stopping by the Arch with global, “illegal” tourists, so they are looking to Chicago to have some brought in. They are looking for hundreds with work permits that can help relieve a worker shortage in Mound City. They offer free temporary housing, training, and an opportunity for a long-term stay in the Gateway to the West, and, almost forgot, another free cell phone.

What is with free cell phones?

Is that why these illegals walked thousands of miles to get to America? These people should have been sent back to their country of origin. Instead, they get free housing and a job. Welcome to America. Let’s look at another group of people who are not getting such a sweetheart deal, though they deserve one.

There are nearly 68,000 homeless veterans in America, and over one million living in poverty. These men and women volunteered to enter the military, fulfilled their obligations, and were kicked to the curb. The U.S. Government feels no responsibility to help these vets get on their feet and enjoy the fruits of the country they swore to protect. In addition to these downtrodden groups, we lose 44 veterans per day to suicide. That is more than 16,000 per year who see death as a better fate than living as a veteran in America. This situation is a national travesty and embarrassment and gets little attention.

Before another dime is spent on a free cell phone for an illegal alien, we should invest in our forgotten veterans. There should be no veteran sleeping on a sidewalk or under a bridge. There should be mental health services available to keep these thousands of desperate men and women alive and valuable. These people should be trained for any job a liberal city wants to give to an illegal. These people wore the uniform of this country and took an oath to die for her if necessary. These folks deserve a second chance, not those whose most significant accomplishment was wading across the Rio Grande.

 

 

The post Not Another Free Cellphone Until Every Veteran Has A Home appeared first on Granite Grok.

Former mayor Kendall Lane was quoted: “I think it’s very exciting to have Jay running for mayor…”. That was a neat trick: getting Jay and “exciting” in the same sentence.

Do you want exciting? – try Kahn’s opponent, Bradford Hutchinson. The moribund Keene Sentinel needs exciting news worth reading. Vote for Bradford! Save the Sentinel!

Our current mayor, Hansel, was not quoted. Maybe it’s the lack of popularity in his bulldozing of Keene’s proposed infrastructure program. We were first told that this boondoggle would cost $7 million – now it’s “more than $14 million”.

We bought Alaska from Russia for $7 million. I went to Stantec’s (Keene’s expensive consultant) website. The best I could figure, their merit is “climate change.” Carbon is the basis of all life. The carbon they want to eliminate includes us.

Jay takes his marching orders from Democratic Party Central (climate change, bicycles instead of cars, dead trees,…). The final item on the mailing says he will leverage his record on infrastructure upgrades to promote economic opportunities for Keene. Looks like Jay is supporting Hansel’s Folly. Count on higher taxes and more debt while disrupting small businesses. By the way, the Vilas Bridge is still unrepaired.

The so-called Democratic Party wants to wreck our first-in-the-nation primary, saying we’re too white. New Hampshire preferred Obama to McCain in 2012 and to Romney in 2016 – both by substantial margins, each margin larger than that of the USA at large.

In the 2020 Democratic Party primary, Biden lost to an older white man (Bernie), a gay man (Mayor Pete), a woman (Senator Klobuchar), and a woman claiming Native American heritage (Senator Warren). He lost to a diverse group. We don’t like Biden, so wreck our primary?

Bradford has lived here for decades and knows the streets and its people. Bradford owns a Tulsi cap and supports Kennedy for President. He favors independent thought.

I first met Bradford ten years ago when he introduced himself as The King of Keene. He, like many others these days, needs to be demoted. Please vote for Bradford Hutchinson for mayor.

FIRST DO NO HARM: Ditch Washington and the Democratic Party’s destructive, oppressive hypocrisies. Try something new! Send a message! Throw the bums out!

Save the Keene Sentinel! Please vote for Bradford Hutchinson for Mayor of Keene on November 7.

 

The post I Just Got a Slick Mailing Sent by “Kahn for Mayor” appeared first on Granite Grok.

To all those who are sending in memes, thank you!  Keep them coming please, as it helps me gather weaponry to fight the Left.  Please do share this post, and if you share an individual meme, consider mentioning you saw it on the Grok!

And Thank G-d It’s Friday!

Speaking of, from this week, Monday Edition and Wednesday Edition.  Also check out my latest Israel-focused meme & commentary post if that’s a topic of interest to you.

 

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

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to commitments over this weekend there will NOT be a meme post Monday.

 

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PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA

 

39-Year Intelligence Analyst: ‘There WILL Be Multiple Terrorist Attacks in the U.S.’ (westernjournal.com)

File under DUH!

But be careful people.  Between this, and the risk of WW3, and terror cells already here, and liberal DAs letting criminals loose… going to get very precarious.

 

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Pick of the Post:

 

 

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Palate Cleansers:

 

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And don’t forget… come back Monday for another edition.  Same Meme Time.  Same Meme channel.

 

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The post Friday Meme Overflow-Overflow appeared first on Granite Grok.

New Hampshire Democrat Colon Van Oscopy (Colin Van Ostern) sent an email out to his list last week in which he implored Democrat primary voters in New Hampshire to ignore the galactic-sized snub of their historic role in presidential politics and Write-In Biden.

Please pay close attention to the man (woman, whatever)  behind the curtain who robbed you of a 123-year tradition. When the Republicans – who kept their primary – go to vote, you should show up and write in Biden on the Democrat ballot.

 

Hi,

I’m sharing this with you because I think this is a critical effort — for our democracy, for New Hampshire and our primary, and for 2024 and beyond.

Every NH Democratic State Senators, dozens of NH House leaders, current and former party leaders, business and cultural leaders, and both our great Democratic 2024 candidates for Governor are already on board.

It’s all hands on deck – please follow the link to WriteInBiden.com/join-us below and add your name today.

 

There is a Democrat primary ballot for the First in the Nation Primary. It will have a list of democrat candidates’ names on it. Most are people no one has heard of, with a few regulars, but Joe Biden will not be on it. His first primary is in South Carolina. So, what should NH Dems do?

Everyone knows Joe’s son, Hunter. He’s a businessman with extensive international “trade” experience. He is alleged to have inside connections in both China and Ukraine (which the political left has been told to love). Hunter is also less likely to get lost on stage and – at least when sober – complete sentences in a language common not just to Earth but also to America. This not-so-big guy also supports legalized sex work, decriminalization of drugs, and sentencing and prison reform (mostly so he stays out of one). And he likes a good “party, especially at the White House.

Hunter Biden.

New Hampshire’s Dems should write in Biden. Hunter Biden. That would send a message to The Big Guy. You told us to stuff it, then sent your boot-licking lackeys to beg our forgiveness. All so you wouldn’t look bad.

How do we look, the Dems should say? Our entire congressional delegation and state party leadership was prostrate before the DNC, begging Joe not to take away their special place on the primary calendar. He did it anyway.

It is, of course, their fault. If they’d held primaries and promoted and voted for brown people, the DNC could have pretended to be appeased. Instead, the State Party kept pushing their pasty white delegation year after year. Even when a seat became available, we got Chris Pappas, who lands on the Benjamin Morre color palette somewhere between Timid White and Chantilly Lace. It’s almost as if they don’t like brown people.

The Democrats decide who is running and who wins the primary, then elect them. Democrats did this.

And, as I pointed out the other day, they should be proud to lose your primary.

 

The Biden write-in campaign, headed by long-time Dem party leader Kathy Sullivan – she who housed out-of-state vote stealer Jeff Wetrosky – will rally a lot of scribbles for Biden. She’s got this idea that he needs to win. Her State party can’t let it slide even when the National Party has moved forward and away from the Granite State.

And isn’t that what Democrats do? Every existing tradition and institution must be smashed. You need ashes before your utopian phoenix can rise. Joe Biden has done them a favor. He has lifted the rock of a 123-year tradition and pitched into the river. No longer burdened, Granite State Dems are free to salute the new primary order.

They’ve got a case of Primary Fundamentalism, and it is not very progressive of them.

 

So write in Biden. Hunter Biden. Who knows, maybe he’ll refuse to give him 10% of his delegates, as if that matters in a Democrat Primary for President. Joe will “get” the nomination regardless and then – as predicted on these pages – will be replaced by the DNC before the general election.

But writing in Hunter will send a message.

It would also be funny as hell.

 

 

The post NH Dems SHOULD Write-In Biden – “Hunter Biden” appeared first on Granite Grok.

From the opening sentences of his first address to the House as the 56th Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson had a different tone, a refreshing tone that is welcome in a town where everyone has an edge.

I admit to no familiarity with Johnson until he took the gavel to lead the House, but I like what I hear and now know of the 51-year-old Representative from Louisiana. When asked about the Speaker, you listen to words not often associated with D.C. Soft-Spoken. Mild-Mannered. Humble, Kind, and a Raging Theocrat are some of the descriptive adjectives. The latter is the term that caught my attention.

Mike Johnson has no issue with being described as a theocrat. He readily admits that his spirituality drives and guides him. It is one of the reasons he cannot hold ill feelings toward his critics. His religious upbringing teaches him to love all and not harbor hate towards anyone. Johnson seems genuine and not just spewing words to mask the true man. Over the weekend, Johnson was compared to the Maine mass shooter by Bill Maher, and Jenn Psaki, the former Press Secretary for Joe Biden, said on her MSNBC show:

“Most Americans might not be able to pick Mike Johnson out of a lineup, but in reality he’s far from benign,” said Psaki. “It’s not just his political ideology that should scare us. Johnson is basically a Christian fundamentalist.”

This statement was part of her rant against Johnson and, by extension, anyone with a deep belief in God. I thought Maher was beginning to lean more toward the center, but his and Psaki’s comments were equally out of line.

We have heard much about hate speech and antisemitism in the last few weeks, but what is the difference between attacking Jewish people and taking shots at Christians? There is none, and we have to put an end to attacks on people based on their ethnicity or religion.

In an interview with Kayleigh McEneny of FOX News, Johnson brought her to the Congressional Prayer Room, where he said he would start each day as he meditates and prays for guidance in his duties and decisions. Speaker Mike Johnson is a marked man. Just like the FBI investigating Radical Traditional Catholics, this Administration and possibly Democrats as a whole see no value in religious beliefs in our politicians. These people worship the Green New Deal or Bidenomics. Religion would get in the way, as it would not allow them to propagate lies to the American people.

We are still unwrapping the gift from the Republican Party. The debacle from McCarthy being fired and the three-week process to elect a replacement was painful to watch and embarrassing as a Republican. If Mike Johnson is the real deal and can get Congress to cooperate and build a rapport with Chuck Schumer, then maybe every member of Congress should stop by the Prayer Room and kneel in front of the George Washington stained glass for divine inspiration.

The post Speaker Johnson Has A Chance To Change The Conversation appeared first on Granite Grok.

You need money to stay in Congress, so what’s a few grand from an anti-Israel member of the US House? I’m sure that’s what the Democrat’s DC ambassador to NH Congressional District-1 thinks. He got $8K from some anti-Semitic PAC, and everyone’s dander is up.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s Build Our Movement PAC has been spreading the donations around, but she’s got some baggage that just got a lot heavier after Hamas invaded Israel. She got some pushback after calling Israel a racist state. Her response was to clarify who she thought the racist Israelis were. And in an Omar-esque “some people did something moment,” she referred to Hamas’ invasion of the Jewish State as an ongoing situation in the Middle East.

Pramila is good buddies with the infamous anti-semite Rashida Tlaib and is considered to be a member of The Squad, fitting nicely with their worldview about socialism, tyranny, and hating Jews. But Pappas is reportedly standing with Israel – probably because someone in leadership told him it was okay to do that, and it is his turn to feel a bit of the fire under his feet.

Candidate Hollie Noveletsky wasted no time taking a shot at Pappas.

 

“Since the horrific attacks against Israel on October 7th, Chris Pappas has stated his strong support for Israel. Yet he has no problem taking money from a PAC closely connected to anti-Israel Congresspeople like Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” said Noveletsky. She continued, “Leadership is about actions, not just words, but it seems to be about political expediency for Chris. I sincerely hope he’ll return the money and condemn the blatantly antisemitic actions of colleagues in his caucus such as Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar.”

 

Russell Prescott, another candidate running to replace Pappas in CD-1, was even quicker to call on him to apologize and return the funds.

 

Jayapal voted “present” on a bipartisan House resolution declaring support for Israel and condemnation of Hamas’ terrorist attacks that killed more than 1,000 civilians, including 30 American citizens. She has criticized President Joe Biden’s strong support for Israel and believes it will cause him to lose support from Muslim voters. Jayapal previously called Israel a “racist state” at a progressive conference before walking the comments back due to widespread condemnation.

 

We should expect that, but here’s the thing. Pappas gets all of his money (likely with rare exceptions) from Democrats, and only when publicly prudent will they openly support Israel. The Left’s support for Iran has amplified the perception that Democrats – not all of them, but as a party – hate Israel. The rantings of their ideological offspring, most visibly on College Campuses, amplify the impression much the way a child yelling f**k at a dinner table surrounded by friends suggests an abundance of loose language at home.

You say you support Israel, but what’s all this then? Your political machine and its indoctrination wings – especially at the elite schools – are churning out anti-semites faster than a Hitler Youth Camp.

Members of your party with a documented history of anti-Israeli dogma keep getting elected by rank-and-file Democrats to public office.

Pasty white Pappas from an unreligious state that is only 2% Jewish and less than 1% Muslim finds himself in a bit of a pickle. Does anyone aside from his likely opponents care if he receives money from anti-Semitic political PACs? I mean, do they really care? And what’s $8,000.00 in a campaign for Congress to an incumbent? He raised over 5 million for the 2022 contest, more than double his first race for a gig inside the Beltway.

In other words, he can give it back, or he can keep it with all the money he gets from every other Jew-hating Democrat PAC because it’s a big pile of money from a party and people who are only friendly to (or about) Israel when the need to stay in power demands it.

That is your answer. If Congressman Chris is convinced by someone in leadership that he needs to appear to care and that this empty gesture will do that, he’ll have someone in the campaign cut a check to the Build Our Movement PAC with a little yellow post-it attached. “Need to return this. Hope you understand. See you in January 2025 (?)”

 

Note: we added “the truth” to the resist shirt in the featured image.

 

HT | Daily Caller

The post Should Democrat Chris Pappas Give the Blood Money Back? appeared first on Granite Grok.

First, let me say that I am writing this for all the right reasons and, likely, at considerable expense to myself. What I am about to tell you will not be received well by those with more power than me. I am not taking the typical political move of cowardly leaks and anonymity – I am putting my name on this.

I will not receive awards or promotions, and I suspect in the coming days and weeks, I am going to have a bad time.

I write this as I have taken every action available to me, and yet, I have not been allowed success in accomplishing a single reform to New Hampshire schools. It is my hope that you, dear readers, when armed with the truth, might make a difference here.

There are many procedural, ideological, and curricular causes to the current state of affairs in New Hampshire schools – so many, in fact, that it has been the subject of much debate in what order they should take priority. I tell you now that the foremost cause of the awful state of NH schools is none of these. It is not Critical Race Theory. It is not Gender (“Queer”) Theory. It is not Common Core. The foremost cause is not a theory, it is a man – a man with a name, a face, and a high-ranking position in government.

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

First, you must understand that the Democrats cannot beat us – they simply don’t have the numbers. Yet, they achieve victory after victory regardless. You see, not every person who stands for election with an (R) next to their name does so in order to carry out the will of the Republican voters. It is perfectly clear that the will of Republican voters is to rid our schools of the social “theories” listed above, to gut the administrative bloat, to eradicate far-left indoctrination, to do battle with the corrupt teachers’ unions, to kick the federal government out, and to win this for them at any cost to us.

Some “Republicans” elected by these voters would prefer we not win. Some of those with an (R) next to their name run specifically to thwart the will of the voters and to betray the base. I was elected to the New Hampshire House for the first time in November of 2022 and appointed to the House Education Committee (“HEC” hereafter) by Speaker Packard in January 2023, where I have served since, and I came to win at any cost. This session (Speaker Packard) and the HEC (Chairman Ladd, Vice Chair Cordelli, Clerk Ford), have been under Republican control – Republican control, yet we keep losing.

Upon being appointed to the HEC, I attended an “orientation” session. Merriam-Webster dictionary offers the following definition for “orient”: “to direct… toward the interests of a particular group.” So, to what group’s interests was the HEC directed during orientation? Well, there were no representatives of private schools, nor charter schools, nor of homeschoolers, nor of parents. So, who did Chairman Ladd invite to orient us? He invited lobbyists from the teacher’s unions and the Department of Education. From day one, Chairman Ladd referred us to the unions and the Department of Education for policy and procedure, and he has been a staunch defender of the unions in the HEC every time they’ve come under scrutiny from true conservatives.

Rick Ladd of Haverhill, NH, has chaired the HEC for the majority of the last decade. He came to the committee after a career in teaching and as an administrator in public schools. He was trained as a “social science” teacher. For those uninitiated, “social sciences” came about in the mid 1900’s when socialists successfully attached the word “science” to their beliefs to get around anti-Communism laws, which they then started using to indoctrinate students in schools. During the time that Ladd has chaired the HEC, proficiency in math and reading has gone down by roughly 7%, incidents of violence are up 7%, cost per pupil has gone up by over 30%, and suicidal ideation and depression have increased by 9.4% and 17% respectively – notably, these are trends attributable to policies supported by Ladd.

This year’s record demonstrates that Chairman Ladd has no business in a Republican leadership position on, arguably, the most important committee in the House.

1. He voted to allow men to use girl’s bathrooms and locker rooms.
2. Ladd sponsored, voted for, and passed legislation to bring social media and digital badging into public school classes, with all attendant risks and harms of social media, and placing students under the 3rd party speech codes (terms of service) of social media companies that will silence dissent and create a quasi-social credit system in public schools. We received testimony from Concord Schools that teachers will instruct students on the speech codes and what ideas are not allowed in public.
3. He demanded that Education Freedom Accounts, which allow students to leave failing government schools to attend a school of their parent’s choosing, not be expanded, and limited the increase in eligibility to a mere 16% (even less than what the governor had been publicly willing to sign).
4. Ladd refused to consider adding Communist atrocities, such as the Holodomor and Mao’s Great Leap, to Genocide curriculum, stating that they are obviously too obscure to be taught because he doesn’t know what they are – he further demanded we kill a bill naming the “Armenian Genocide” after receiving a letter from the Turkish consulate based on his apparent fear of angering “those people.”
5. He went back on his word after negotiating with committee Republicans a much-weakened Communism education bill only to kill the original bill with the amendment and then kill the newly amended bill as well.
6. He negotiated directly with Democrats to kill many good Republican bills, and he did so without even notifying the Republicans whose bills were to be killed (by tabling) on the House floor, choosing to surprise them at the last moment and making it impossible to effectively resist his betrayal. One such bill would have eliminated “Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)” indoctrination in schools – a major source of our problems. I have it on good authority that he has already begun negotiating with Democrats to kill another round of Republican bills next session.
7. Ladd runs the committee with a total intolerance of any dissent from the right, often not even allowing pointed questions to be asked by Republicans, while allowing Democrats nearly unlimited leash to attack Republicans, tirades sometimes extending tens of minutes, and even attacks on members of the public testifying.
8. Ladd sponsored and passed legislation to circumvent privacy rights and provide NH data on children and their families to the federal government in exchange for a promise of marginally more federal money for schools.
9. He pushed through an expanded “civics” education mandate despite knowing that the curriculum for this program will be provided by far-left organizations that teach the Constitution is to be reinterpreted however is useful, that the Supreme Court is the highest government authority, that America was inhabited by the ‘Noble Savage’ before western colonialism genocided them, and other such ahistorical myths and fictions.
10. Ladd is pushing for the addition of “mental health” in schools by law, which is yet another method of indoctrinating students via Social-Emotional “wellness” practices and “empathy” training towards creating social activists, and further erodes parental rights by bringing the practice of healthcare into the classroom with no parental consent or knowledge.
11. He is supporting a major overhaul at the Department of Education, bringing in “competency-based” education, where teachers become mere managers of the checklist while students learn from technology like artificial intelligence, and they’re not allowed to move on until they’ve mastered a “competency,” including “social and emotional competencies,” that include ideological viewpoints, i.e., students must adopt socialist ideology to pass.
12. Ladd has been a major force behind expanding expensive “green” energy and pushed to further subsidize the industry by providing taxpayer-funded training of their workforce in NH schools for jobs that don’t even exist yet and probably never will.

Beyond all this, Ladd regularly betrays the Republicans on his own committee by outlining a Republican strategy in caucus only to abandon the strategy and join with the Democrats immediately. When he does this, he leaves the Republicans on the committee without any plan or leadership going into debates and votes, and it becomes impossible to mount an effective resistance to Democrats. There’s every reason to believe this is done on purpose to undermine us in favor of the Democrats – after all, Ladd argued more against other Republicans on the House floor this year than he did against Democrats last session.

The cost increases and money being shifted around in NH that is directly attributable to Chairman Ladd is staggering, and it would be well worth taking a very good look at where all of that money is being distributed – there’s an awful lot of lobbying done on his part to send more and more funds to specific places, including Manchester. He also has very close ties to the University System, served as a trustee, acts as their defender-in-chief on the committee, and was instrumental in killing a very popular bill requiring colleges to respect the First Amendment rights of students – a bill strongly opposed by UNH.

It is said that America is undergoing a Cultural Revolution. Many decades ago, China underwent its Cultural Revolution under Chairman Mao. Mao, before being Chairman, had pretended to be a member of China’s conservative party in order to destroy it from the inside and then radicalized the schools to produce a generation of revolutionaries who went on to murder millions. We in New Hampshire have our Chairman Ladd, likewise, pretending to be a member of the conservative party to destroy it from within while radicalizing a generation of students, and we have recently seen the fruits of such radicalization across the country in antisemitic, anti-white, anti-Asian, and anti-American violence.

Things don’t have to be this way. We don’t have to lose. We can win. The facts are on our side, and we are the good guys. We just need to start acting like we can win. I would ask that you consider contacting the office of Speaker Packard (603-271-3661, sherman.packard@leg.state.nh.us) to request a new Education Chairman be named. The committee has, unfortunately, and significantly due to the influence of Ladd, been so thoroughly steeped in Progressive education ideology that it would be best if a new Chair were brought in from outside the committee. No reform of NH schools is possible until this happens. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your help.

 

The post The True Cause of Failed Education in New Hampshire appeared first on Granite Grok.

We have arrived at the dystopian future depicted in the 2005 film V for Vendetta, which is no future at all. Set in the year 2020, V for Vendetta (written and produced by the Wachowskis) provides an eerie glimpse into a parallel universe in which a government-engineered virus wreaks havoc on the world. Capitalizing on the people’s fear, a totalitarian government comes to power that knows all, sees all, controls everything, and promises safety and security above all.

Concentration camps (jails, private prisons, and detention facilities) have been established to house political prisoners and others deemed to be enemies of the state. Executions of undesirables (extremists, troublemakers, and the like) are common, while other enemies of the state are made to “disappear.” Populist uprisings and protests are met with extreme force. The television networks are controlled by the government with the purpose of perpetuating the regime. And most of the population is hooked into an entertainment mode and are clueless.

With Vendetta, whose imagery borrows heavily from Nazi Germany’s Third Reich and George Orwell’s 1984, we come full circle. The corporate state in V conducts mass surveillance on its citizens, helped along by closed-circuit televisions. Also, London is under yellow-coded curfew alerts, similar to the American government’s color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System.

Sounds painfully familiar, doesn’t it?

As director James McTeighe observed about the tyrannical regime in V for Vendetta, “It really showed what can happen when society is ruled by government, rather than the government being run as a voice of the people. I don’t think it’s such a big leap to say things like that can happen when leaders stop listening to the people.”

Clearly, those we appointed to represent our interests have stopped following the Constitution and listening to the American people.

What will it take for the government to start listening to the people again?

In V for Vendetta, as in my novel The Erik Blair Diaries, the subtext is that authoritarian regimes—through a vicious cycle of manipulation, oppression, and fear-mongering—foment violence, manufacture crises, and breed terrorists, thereby giving rise to a recurring cycle of blowback and violence.

Only when the government itself becomes synonymous with the terrorism wreaking havoc in their lives do the people finally mobilize and stand up to the government’s tyranny.

Acts of desperation and outright anarchy are what happens when a parasitical government muzzles the citizenry, fences them in, herds them, brands them, whips them into submission, forces them to ante up the sweat of their brows while giving them little in return, and then provides them with little to no outlet for voicing their discontent: people get desperate, citizens lose hope, and lawful, nonviolent resistance gives way to unlawful, violent resistance.

This way lies madness.

Then again, madness may be unavoidable unless we can wrest back control over our runaway government starting at the local level.

It is time to recalibrate the government.

For years now, we have suffered the injustices, cruelties, corruption, and abuse of an entrenched government bureaucracy that has no regard for the Constitution or the rights of the citizenry.

By “government,” I’m not referring to the farce that is the highly partisan, two-party bureaucracy of the Republicans and Democrats. Rather, I’m referring to “government” with a capital “G,” the entrenched Deep State that is unaffected by elections, unaltered by populist movements, and has set itself beyond the reach of the law.

We are overdue for a systemic check on the government’s overreaches and power grabs.

We have lingered too long in this strange twilight zone where ego trumps justice, propaganda perverts truth, and imperial presidents—empowered to indulge their authoritarian tendencies by legalistic courts, corrupt legislatures, and a disinterested, distracted populace—rule by fiat rather than by the rule of law.

Where we find ourselves now is in the unenviable position of needing to rein in all three branches of government—the Executive, the Judicial, and the Legislative—that have exceeded their authority and grown drunk on power.

This is exactly the kind of concentrated, absolute power the founders attempted to guard against by establishing a system of checks of balances that separate and share power between three co-equal branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary.

Unadulterated power in any branch of government is a menace to freedom.

So, what can we do to wrest back control over a runaway government and an imperial presidency?

It won’t be easy.

Freedom—or what’s left of it—is threatened from every direction.

We are—and have been for some time—the unwitting victims of a system so corrupt that those who stand up for the rule of law and aspire to transparency in government are in the minority and often find themselves treated as the enemy. This corruption is so vast it spans all branches of government—from the power-hungry agencies under the executive branch and the corporate puppets within the legislative branch to a judiciary that is, more often than not, elitist and biased towards government entities and corporations.

We are ruled by an elite class of individuals who are completely out of touch with the travails of the average American. We are relatively expendable in the eyes of government—faceless numbers of individuals who serve one purpose, which is to keep the government machine running through our labor and our tax dollars.

The predators of the police state are wreaking havoc on our freedoms, our communities, and our lives. The government doesn’t listen to the citizenry; it refuses to abide by the Constitution, which is our rule of law, and it treats the citizenry as a source of funding and little else.

Bottom line: nothing has changed, and nothing will change unless we insist on it.

How to do this?

Turn off the televisions, tune out the politicians, and do your part to stand up for freedom principles in your own communities.

Use your power—and there is power in our numbers—to nullify anything and everything the government does that undermines the freedom principles on which this nation was founded.

Don’t play semantics. Don’t justify. Don’t politicize it. If it carries even a whiff of tyranny, oppose it. Demand that your representatives in government cut you a better deal, one that abides by the Constitution and doesn’t just attempt to sidestep it.

That’s their job: make them do it.

As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart, The Erik Blair Diaries, all freedoms hang together. They fall together, as well.

 

 

John & Nisha Whitehead | Rutherford Institue

The post Night Cap: It’s Time to Recalibrate the Government appeared first on Granite Grok.

We can give you plenty of reasons why you should find a way to homeschool your children, not the least of which is so they learn to read. The public school experiment has failed, and while there’s room for reform, more parents are taking matters into their own hands.

 

 

Home schooling has become — by a wide margin — America’s fastest-growing form of education, as families from Upper Manhattan to Eastern Kentucky embrace a largely unregulated practice once confined to the ideological fringe, a Washington Post analysis shows.

The analysis — based on data The Post collected for thousands of school districts across the country — reveals that a dramatic rise in home schooling at the onset of the pandemic has largely sustained itself through the 2022-23 academic year, defying predictions that most families would return to schools that have dispensed with mask mandates and other covid-19 restrictions.

 

The Post admits that numbers are likely more significant in some locations because reporting is unnecessary. Parents can school kids at home without having to ask permission or notify local districts or authorities—a thing the Education Industrial Complex and its Democrat Union leadership decry as irresponsible.

It is a strange position to take.

Proficiency scores were tumbling long before COVID lockdowns and lockouts. Add the mandates, scaremongering, partisan screeds, indoctrination, and now grooming, and if you have parents who are paying attention, they are looking for ways to get kids out of that failed system.

The Market has responded to the demand. Private charter schools, homeschool groups, there are even turnkey businesses to start a home school, and apps to help parents and homeschool educators connect and coordinate subjects and schedules. Literal and virtual one-room schools where kids of different ages get individual attention and help from older students.

What used to be a parent and their kids has become a network of individuals working together to teach children to read, write, and do math. A village to borrow from Hillary Clinton, though not in the Marxist sense she intended. This is free market learning where parents can move kids tomorrow if the fit is not right without interfacing with a bloated, incompetent, and uncaring bureaucracy.

The Political Left and their Union dogs don’t care for it, but the solution to their problem is to improve the public product. Instead of dumbing down standards and then teaching to those minimal goals or running your school like a gender transition facility, make some changes. Gut the bloated administrative overhead and go back to basics—math, reading, writing, history, critical thinking. And it is in the teacher’s best interests to get this done. When taxpayers can no longer justify the excessive spending for such poor results, the first thing they cut will be teachers and programs, not bureaucrats. And kids will suffer all the more.

You’d think career Democrats would know that, and maybe they do and don’t care. The system has, after all, long been little more than another way to convert tax dollars into campaign contributions. To fund “grassroots” activists (teachers and staff) who regularly violate electioneering laws while pouring progressive drivel into the minds of other people’s kids.

Children have already suffered. The system’s response is to graduate them even when they can’t add or read.

It’s unsustainable, and the Dems know it. Why else would they work so hard to protect a system that does such a poor job? Homeschool parents aren’t donating to Democrat campaigns, holding signs, or knocking on doors.

And the political left will do anything to preserve this lousy institution. No matter what it costs you. And more parents are beginning to see that.

 

The post The Meteoric Rise of Homeschooling in America appeared first on Granite Grok.

President Joe Biden announced last week that the United States would be funding – and possibly fighting – three wars in three different parts of the world at the same time. It is an ambitious foreign policy for a president who doesn’t even seem to be able to express a coherent thought without the help of a teleprompter.

 

Nearly every word of Biden’s speech was untrue, including the preposterous suggestion that “American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe.”

US interventionism in Ukraine for over ten years and in the Middle East for decades has brought those two regions to the brink of an explosion unlike anything seen before. And if that is not enough, Biden’s neocons are also determined to take us to war with China over Taiwan. The world is literally falling apart in front of us as Biden claims we are the only thing holding it together!

After a brutal attack on Israel by Hamas earlier this month, Israel declared war not just on the terrorists who attacked its territory, but on the entire population of Gaza itself. Israel’s policy of collective punishment – razing Gaza to the ground – has inflamed Muslims from the Middle East to Asia to Western capitals. The anger rages more fiercely than we have seen in decades, perhaps since the founding of Israel in 1948.

Yet instead of trying to help facilitate a ceasefire and a peaceful solution, Biden has poured gasoline onto the fire, sending two US carrier groups and at least 15,000 troops, while threatening war on Lebanon, Iran, and Syria if they intervene in Israel’s war on the Palestinians. What might Russia do if the US attacks Russian forces in Syria or Russia’s allies in Tehran?

Biden also repeated the line that “Israel has the right to defend itself.” While that may be true, it is not Israel defending itself. It’s the US government intervening to defend Israel. And as the entire Muslim world rages against Israel over the destruction of Gaza, how do we think they will feel about us as the financiers and facilitators of that destruction?

By dragging the United States into this war, President Biden has planted the seeds of innumerable 9/11-style blowback attacks on the US. Yet he has the audacity to claim that all of this is keeping us safe.

Recent polls show that most Americans disagree with Biden. A CBS/YouGov poll taken last week shows that the majority of Americans oppose sending weapons to Israel. His Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen assured us that “we can afford” to finance two wars because the US economy is doing “exceptionally well.” Maybe the American people know something Yellen and the elites do not.As Biden demands another $105 billion to fund the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Taiwan, his speech seemed to have a touch of campaign rhetoric in it. “I’m told I was the first American [president] to enter a warzone not controlled by the United States military since President Lincoln,” he said in his speech. The statement is blatantly false, but he must believe it gives him an air of bravado.

They say that it is advantageous to be seen as a “wartime president” when elections roll around, but Joe Biden may have miscalculated the level of support he will get for being a “World-War-Three-time president.”

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

The post Biden Election Strategy: ‘Let’s Fight Three Wars at Once!’ appeared first on Granite Grok.

The new Speaker of the House wants to (1) decouple aid to Israel from aid to Ukraine and (2) offset the aid to Israel by reducing spending. Guess who this makes irate. If you guessed Mitch McConnell … that’s a BINGO.

The Speaker’s proposal is politically brilliant. Is an IRS crackdown on the middle class more important to the Biden regime than funding Israel?

 

JUST IN: New Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled a $14.3 billion aid package to Israel that would simultaneously cut $14.3 from the IRS.

Some of the money to Israel would fund their new 'Iron Beam' as well as their Iron Dome defense system.

The cuts would slash… pic.twitter.com/89byu9VyB5

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 31, 2023

But that makes Mitch mad. You don’t embarrass Mitch’s BFF, Joe Biden. And worse you don’t miss an opportunity to pour even more money into the already brimming pockets of the military-industrial complex. Mitch and his ilk are NOT the opposition. They are enablers. On issue after issue after issue, they are on the same side as the Biden-regime and against Republican voters.

Mitch McConnell is a complete fraud of a Republican.

He went on the floor of the Senate to slam Mike Johnson’s Israel aid bill because it doesn’t include aid for Ukraine.

He agrees with Chuck Schumer apparently that without Ukraine funding he can’t get behind Israel funding.

I…

— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) October 31, 2023

Senate Republicans accuse Mitch McConnell of undermining Speaker Johnson on Israel war aid https://t.co/du85ngqOyu pic.twitter.com/GEFn3bqzD3

— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 1, 2023

The post Mitch McConnell And “Republicans” Like Him Are The Problem appeared first on Granite Grok.

If you were not sure whether Manchester mayor Joyce Craig was a typical, rubber-stamp Democrat without an original policy idea in her head, this should help clear things up. After the Lewiston, Maine shooting, she did what every Democrat does. She announced a comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence …

 … filled with things that have never reduced gun violence.

 

Like Maine, New Hampshire has some of the weakest gun laws in the entire country, making it easier for dangerous individuals to acquire guns and cause harm to our communities. Common sense gun safety legislation such as universal background checks, requiring permits to carry a concealed gun, and extreme risk protection orders are necessary steps to prevent gun violence and limit the potential for a devastating mass shooting in our state.

 

Is there a web page for Dems with templates where you write in your name and ta-da? Or maybe Mayor Joyce is plagiarizing because not one single thing she suggests – the entire list is below – is original, nor will do any of the things she claims—quite the opposite.

We Need More Armed Citizens

Earlier today, I shared some thoughts about the shooting in Lewiston that relate to Frau Craig’s incremental tyranny. “The shooter knew where to find people who the state of Maine had disarmed. Call me a Second Amendment purist, but the most common factors in every mass shooting are the absence of equal or greater force and the ability of the allegedly mentally insane to know this.”

These people are crazy enough to know where the gun-free zones are.

Nothing Crazy-Legs Craig suggests can be proven to reduce shootings or any violence of any sort. There’s no there-there, but she also left out some critical truths related to New Hampshire’s weak gun laws. The Granite State is consistently one of the safest in the nation. Low crime, low violent crime, low murder rates, and, as I pointed out here, other factors matter, which Democrats are guaranteed to screw up given the opportunity.

 

Gun restrictions can’t prevent homelessness, indiginacy, fentanyl, and human trafficking, or an impossible swell of illegal aliens who have no connection to the culture or language. Progressive states can’t even teach American kids to read English. Their welfare systems see more people slip through the cracks into poverty. Unemployment programs support listlessness. High minimum wages prevent skills acquisition by the untrained. It is a system designed to fail where people find the only way to get a hand up is to lift a hand  (knife, bat, or gun) and take something from someone else.

Disarming the law-abiding citizens who might otherwise try to help people outside the failed system is going to produce victims by encouraging criminality.

 

The very existence of Joyce Craig and the Democrat party will lead to far more violent crime and shooting deaths than New Hampshire’s lack of a license requirement to carry a concealed firearm. Remember, the Lewiston shooter knew where to go to increase the odds he would have the greatest force advantage.

Related: Vermont as Example of How More Gun Laws Lead to More Crime and Violence

Gun grabbers like Joyce Craig make that possible.

Craig’s plan would result in more soft targets (Prohibit Guns in K-12 Schools), leave women unprotected (Implement Three-Day Waiting Period for Gun Purchases), deny law-abiding citizens due process rights (Pass an Extreme Risk Protection Order Law), and a host of other useless Left-Wing gun grabbing that, when implemented elsewhere, has resulted in loss of rights and rising crime—property crime, assault, rape, robbery, manslaughter, and murder.

Joyce Craig is dangerous to the public safety of New Hampshire’s citizens, who need a protective order from her policies so New Hampshire can continue to be one of the safest states in the nation.

Don’t believe me? Compare what she wants to what Democrats are doing in Vermont. It went from one of the safest states to nearly tripling its annual homicide rate almost overnight. That is Joyce Craig’s promise to New Hampshire.

Here’s Craig’s plan.

Joyce Craig for Governor Gun Violence Prevention Plan

 

The post If Elected Governor … Joyce Craig Promises to Come For Your Guns appeared first on Granite Grok.

A newly circulating video presentation given by Dr. David E. Martin in the European Union in Brussels on May 3, 2023, at the 3rd International Covid Summit is not only raising serious questions regarding the handling of the COVID pandemic both here in the states and the rest of the world but goes into precise detail uncovering the history of the SARS coronavirus dating as far back as the 1960s.

The relatively brief presentation includes both timeline and citations proving Pfizer, the CDC, and its leaders like Anthony Fauci, not only lied to the people of Vermont and the world but openly declared their desire to deliver a global vaccine, evidence of harm be damned, and the willful use of media to manipulate both a purposely panicked public as well as attracting investors to make massive profits.

The implications are that we just witnessed not the crime of the century but the greatest crime ever perpetrated in human history, with those responsible still walking the streets of America and elsewhere yet to face criminal charges.

Related: David Martin – The CDC Bribed the US Patent Office to Own the SARS Coronavirus Genome (Then Patented its Detection)

Dr. Martin begins by pointing out the irony of having sat in the same chair speaking to the same parliament ten years prior, warning them of what was coming, namely a pandemic as we saw from COVID. The nature of that meeting was whether Europe should allow, as the United States had, the patenting of biologic materials that could be weaponized against humanity.  His warning then, as now, was to consider the dire consequences.  The consequences we now see in hindsight include:

• Mask mandates harming children’s literacy and development
• Vaccine mandates causing loss of freedoms, job loss, injuries, and death
• Media messaging deliberately designed to propagandize Americans to fear and submit tyrannical measures such as lockdown
• Media used to hype the pandemic creating a false narrative also used to attract investors
• Medical doctors targeted and suppressed by Big Pharma, Government and Social media for speaking in favor of alternative treatments to the vaccine, such as Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin.
• The rise of the “died suddenly” footage and testimonies from around the western world
• The largest transfer of wealth in human history at the expense of small business while benefiting the largess of already massive companies like Amazon, Wal-Mart and Pfizer

Who is Dr. David Martin?  The answer is given from the Totality Of Evidence website:

“Dr David Martin is the founder and owner of the company M-CAM International, which has provided research and corporate advisory services to over 160 countries, and he has personally served as an advisor to the World Bank and many governments. Dr. Martin first came to the attention of the world when he was featured in the August 2020 documentary by Mikki Willis called Planandemic Indoctrination.

Dave wrote his first classified briefing about bio-weapons corruption in 2001 and has been presenting lectures at bio-weapons conferences since then. He has been tracking Dr. Anthony Fauci’s spending and notes that Fauci has authorized $191 billion in funds for the bio-weaponization of viruses against humanity.”

Reading from his personal website, we learn:

“His first invention was a laser-integrated system to target and treat inoperable tumors. His mathematics helped unravel the way the human body processes hormones and led to the detection and treatment of many diseases. His observation of human behavior led to his development of technology, which deciphers the intention and motivation of communication – a technology that has impacted and saved the lives of billions.”

Clearly, this man is an actual scientist with entrepreneurial genius intended to save lives, which explains his disposition toward the weaponization of biologics against people.

His warnings began back in the early 2000s when he was still sought for his expertise on such cable networks as CNBC and Bloomberg, both of which have since cut ties with him as a result of his exposing the many big names and players complicit in the details that follow.

The timeline begins not in 2019, as we were told, but as far back as the early 1900s.  The Chronicle ran a piece questioning the similarities of COVID to the misnamed Spanish Flu of 1918, which featured many of the same players and features, such as the Rockefeller family, German pharmaceuticals, the American military, global masking, and an experimental vaccine.

Fast forward to 1965 when SARS coronavirus was first isolated, and Dr. Martin illustrates the knowledge of its highly mutating nature gave it the ability to be manipulated in humans as a pathogen.  In 1966, the virus was part of a trans-Atlantic (US & UK) data-sharing experiment for the purpose of studying its efficacy in this capacity.  He pauses to state, “I hope you’re getting the point of what I’m saying.  This was not an overnight thing but something that was long in the making.”

“I want that to chill with all of you,” he says before asking, “Where were we when we allowed in violation of biological and chemical weapons treaties…where were we when we thought it was acceptable to take a pathogen from the United States and infect the world with it?”

The 1970s saw the coronavirus as a “chimera” relegated to the title of the common cold, however, it was tested in animals throughout the decade.  From the 1980s to the 1990s, it was found to have industrial implications in dogs and pigs.  Reports of it causing gastrointestinal problems in both became the basis for Pfizer patenting its first vaccine patent for spike-protein in 1990.

Not 2019, like we were led to believe, thanks to Operation Warp Speed…1990, nearly thirty years earlier.

He goes on to describe in detail the machinations and citations within the government and Big Pharma industry that were covered up while the world suffered this manufactured crises.

Just recently a Rasmussen Poll revealed the following data after surveying Americans regarding their experience with COVID and the vaccines:

1. 47% personally know someone who was killed by the COVID virus
2. 24%personally know someone who was killed by the COVID vaccine.
3. 42% said it was somewhat likely or very likely they would join a major class-action lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies for vaccine side effects. That would make it the largest class action in US history by a long shot.

 

Steve Kirch’s article estimates a conservative “500,000 Americans die” at the hands of government and Big Pharma with nary a word from the same media used to generate the deliverable agent responsible.

His final take?  “Heads should roll, now.”

 

The post Dr. David Martin and Rasmussen Poll Reveal COVID Crimes Against Americans appeared first on Granite Grok.