It is the last day of the Supreme Court session, and as usual, the decisions on the more complex cases are coming down in rapid succession. On Thursday, Joe Biden took little time to speak to the nation, and openly criticized the Court.

He probably should have held off until today and consolidated his disagreement. One of the decisions on Student Loan Forgiveness exposes the President circumventing Congress, utilizing Executive Order, and using the Supreme Court as a scapegoat for shooting down something the President should never have tried.

Biden knew he was overstepping his authority to promise thousands of dollars of relief to a specific group of Student Loan Followers. He and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi were on the record saying the attempt was unconstitutional. But that was inconsequential. What mattered was a promise to the young voters, and these gullible intellectuals bought the false promise hook, line, and sinker. Millions of students and graduates with student loans worked harder than they ever did in class to figure out how to spend their $20,000 gift from the American taxpayers. They did not care where the money came from. The card read, “Thanks for your vote, Joe.”

The comments from disappointed fleeced loan holders today were borderline hilarious. “I am at a disadvantage. The students who saved for school or worked to pay as they go don’t have the debt I have. They can afford a nice apartment or even a home. I need my loans paid off in the spirit of equity.”

Obviously, this kid was an economics major and had the same class ranking as Joe Biden. Politicians were fingering the schools for the blame. Money was so easy that tuition rates skyrocketed. It’s not the student’s fault. We need to bail them out. Every taxpayer is responsible for stepping up for these poor kids. Sorry, but no. These kids signed on the dotted line and can now sign the checks.

Biden’s comments today about the SCOTUS decisions were embarrassing. He put the entire blame on Republicans and the MAGA justices on the Court. He took no accountability for a bogus vote catch that he pulled off to help him win the 2020 election. He deceived millions of Americans but feels if he takes the microphone, goes into whisper mode, and continues to lie to America, he can deflect the blame and come out looking like the hero who tried to help the students. What a sham.

The great unifier is clearly in divisive mode as he readies for his re-election bid. According to the polls, he has had a bad run of SCOTUS decisions, and the economy continues to haunt him. Nobody is buying his leadership, and nobody shares his vision. A negative campaign will not reverse the polls, which show that most Americans do not agree with any aspect of his domestic, international, or economic policies. He also has his age and a feckless VP/running mate that will raise the anxiety level of most voters. The numbers indicate he should be a one-term President but don’t count out the Democrats when it comes to creativity in manipulating an election.

The post SCOTUS Speaks. Will Biden and The Left Listen appeared first on Granite Grok.

This is cute. It’s a music video featuring clips of politicians with lots of Biden fumbles and some voice over by Kari Lake about the electrion integrity movement. The song is called 81 million votes my ass, and referes, obviosuly the alleged Biden General election vote total that exceeded Obama.

It strains all credibility to think more people voted for Joe Biden than Barack Obama. Prior to 2020 the Democrat party wouldn’t give Biden 4% of the vote by himself. His campaing events were a joke. And we know there are issues, and they are not being addressed in most of the swing states where the exact same thing will likley happen again in 2024.

The GOP isn’t doing a damn thing to fix it. Ballot harvesting isn’t going to get done. The only cure is to end vote by mail and to reaffirm the security requiremtnes for absentee ballots. No other Western Nation allows it becaue it is how you steal elections.

Except in the US, where suggesting it is some sort of conspriacy.

Here’s the vidoe.

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Rumble("play", {"video":"v2qyvcw","div":"rumble_v2qyvcw"});

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So the last iteration in this series was the NH Legislative Ethics Commission whitewashing the breaking of the Law after they confirmed that the three defendants, Harry Bean, Travis O’Hare, and He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named (because of the NHLEC Confidentiality rules), Voldemort. They all  pleaded akin to:

1. Pleading ignorance of the Law gets you a pass. Unlike the rest of us that will end up in court or jail for saying, “I’ve never read the Law in question,” the NH Legislative Ethics Committee accepted the pleas of “I’m stupid and ignorant of the Law and “not my fault.”
2. A lack of personal responsibility gets you a pass: “I had no responsibility in carrying out my duties as specified in statute – I’ve been made a victim because it wasn’t my job – somebody else screwed up.”
3. Having no penalty in statute gets you a pass.
4. And most of all, if it isn’t in member Donna Sytek’s Fook of Unethical Behavior (the question she asked of me, to which my retort was, “I was taught growing up that breaking the Law ITSELF was unethical”).

So I’m betting that these Three Stooges thought this was over – that they they “beat that group” once again. Bean even said that he wanted this all behind him. Well, there’s one more thing (actually, TWO more things – and I’m betting he has no idea what he said). Problem is, if one (or three – or more) have the hubris to think no one’s watching so you can do something that isn’t on the level, sometimes you get caught and there will be a consequence. But before I go through the time to bring Issue #2 up, I figured that I’d try to get an advance read on things. So if you read that post, you’ll know that I contacted Rich Lambert, the Executive Administrator of the NH Legislative Committee Ethics Committee (who has been nothing but gracious) to ask a question:

…even as the Committee found that the illegal meetings are summarized by the Committee’s words of ” That fact is uncontested” (Complaint 2023-6, Travis O’Hara, second paragraph).  Would those three, and other Belknap Representatives as well, having put in their self-authorizing forms for the per meeting and travel expenses (RSA 24:9-eee) and accepting such taxpayer monies for the now uncontested illegal meeting be considered to be an unethical action? That having this official ruling about the meetings, not returning the monies for meetings that should never have happened, be considered unethical?

Or would it be a charade to attempt to hold them fully accountable per Article 8 of the NH Constitution?

And he sent a response:

—— Original Message ——
From “Rich Lambert” < Rich.Lambert@leg.state.nh.us>
To “Skip” < Skip@granitegrok.com>
Date 6/30/2023 2:10:43 PM
Subject RE: A question for you and the Honorable Sytek’s Book of Unethical behavior

Good Afternoon Mr. Murphy,

In my capacity as the Executive Administrator of the Legislative Ethics Committee I am not able to address the questions posed in your email.  I cannot go beyond what the Committee has already stated in their decisions on the 3 complaints.

I trust that you will understand.

Sincerely,

Rich Lambert
Executive Administrator
Legislative Ethics Committee

Totally understandable. However, I have been told that I can be persistent:

From: Skip <Skip@granitegrok.com>
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2023 2:34 PM
To: Rich Lambert <Rich.Lambert@leg.state.nh.us>
Subject: Re[2]: A question for you and the Honorable Sytek’s Book of Unethical behavior

Hi Mr. Lambert!

I understand.

I will ask, however, if you would forward my latter questions to the Chair a la the Legislature asking the NH Supreme Court on advice about a bill:

Would those three, and other Belknap Representatives as well, having put in their self-authorizing forms for the per meeting and travel expenses (RSA 24:9-eee) and accepting such taxpayer monies for the now uncontested illegal meeting be considered to be an unethical action? That having this official ruling about the meetings, not returning the monies for meetings that should never have happened, be considered unethical?

Or would it be a charade to attempt to hold them fully accountable per Article 8 of the NH Constitution?

While you can’t, perhaps he would be willing, in an analogous fashion, to give a bit of advice?

Have a great weekend and Happy Independence Day!

-Skip

And so he did!

—— Original Message ——
From “Rich Lambert” <Rich.Lambert@leg.state.nh.us>
To “Skip” <Skip@granitegrok.com>
Date 6/30/2023 3:01:48 PM
Subject RE: Re[2]: A question for you and the Honorable Sytek’s Book of Unethical behavior

Hi Mr. Murphy,

I have forwarded your email messages below to Chairman Gordon.

Rich

So I thanked him. Now, some would tell me that showing folks my hand in this, by publishing this before getting a response, might end up with a witches’ brew of political machinations going on behind the scenes (as some told me before the exoneration, such might have happened in the first place) for Issue #2. So be it but sometimes it is sufficient to publicize what our elected representatives are flaunting in our faces. And while I wanted to see something other an exoneration, I tried as best as I could.

But refusing to Follow the Law in this regard (public notification of government meetings), it’s another thing, in my mind, to take money from Government (which is our money) for something that even the Ethics Committee agreed upon – the meetings were illegal. And no efforts by these three (and others – I have receipts, literally!) to make the people of Belknap County whole financially. Yes, in the grand scheme of things, the amount in question is paltry but that’s neither the point nor the principle.

So let’s see what Ned Gordon, the Chair, has to say about this. Will politics be in play here? Let’s get real – except for me and Mr. Lambert, EVERYone in this deal is a politician. The only way that we will know is either the response (if there is one) or by the result if I move forward (go ahead, tell me what you think the over/under should be for that?).

To be Continued…

The post The NH Legislative Ethics Commission Results Are In … Round 2? appeared first on Granite Grok.

What is it? Wikipedia says, “Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.”

We want to thank Michael Petruzziello for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
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Our founding fathers fought the British to give us freedom from tyrannical rule. They fought against taxation without representation. They fought for religious freedom, but most importantly, they fought to establish a new nation.

Our founders never sought fortune for themselves. Instead, they literally wagered their fortune to create a new nation.

A new nation whose President, eighty-seven years later, would pen these famous words, “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal……that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

These, of course, are excerpts from President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, delivered during the American Civil War at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery on November 19, 1863.

What have we done with the independence and freedom our founders fought so hard for?

What have we done with the “new birth of freedom” President Lincoln alludes to in his Gettysburg Address?

It’s been one hundred and sixty years since President Lincoln reminded us of the fragility of our Nation.

Have we cherished that gift, have we nurtured it, preserved it, and treasured it, or have we taken it for granted?

Have our political leaders dedicated themselves to serving the people as our founders intended, or do they only serve themselves?

Do we the people, embody the words, “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”?

Have we lived up to those words, or do we consider them outdated?

Do we love and appreciate our country, our independence, our freedom, and our flag, or are we ashamed of our nation?

Yes, our country is not and never will be, perfect.

So today, as we celebrate our two hundred and forty-seventh Independence Day, let us all take a moment to ponder the following quote:

“A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out.” – Tony Blair

Happy Birthday America, and God Bless you,

Michael Petruzziello
Major, USMC (Ret)

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Politicians say all their bills; bring us only good things all the time.  The truth is closer to they are offering free stuff to buy our votes.  The problem with their offer is; their policies generally make things worse.  Free healthcare, childcare, cell phones, education, and a universal basic income all sound good.  They sell politically.

But the government isn’t Santa or the Easter Bunny. Governments take what you have by force, when necessary, to do with it what the government will.  If anyone else did that it would be theft.  When you support government-provided free stuff, you are voting yourself a larger portion of someone else’s stuff… That’s what taxes are.  That cannot continue, well, at least not for very long without repercussions.

Law and regulations take away our money or freedom or both.  Regulations are bureaucratically imposed rules with the force of law.  Regulations are made by people nobody voted for.  If you care about living a prosperous life, you should care about what government economic policies are.  Your freedom, wealth, and ability to earn depend on it.

Economic freedom is based on things like the rule of law, regulatory efficiency, open markets, and fiscal health.  America is falling behind because Congress is spending so much more money than it takes from us in taxes.

We know sooner or later, the government will run out of other people’s money.  We also know when more dollars chase fewer goods, it leads to inflation.  Inflation leaves us with less financial freedom; it makes us poorer.

Politicians have nothing better to do than ban our choices, like natural gas hookups, gas-powered cars, and guns.  Our bureaucrats add thousands of individual freedom-restricting regulations annually. The result is an increasingly smothering government.

Something we know from experience is: The more the government is allowed to infringe on freedom, the poorer the living standards are for its citizens.  The poorest, most repressed people in the world are trapped in countries like Sudan, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea.

A poor policy with respect to freedom is as bad in the economic realm as it is in the political.  The two are complementary and reinforcing.  The freer a country is economically, the better off the citizens of that country are.  Enforcing the rule of law is good, but putting a few obstacles in the way of trying new things is imperative.

Does economic freedom over time lead to freer, more prosperous, healthier, and cleaner environments? It does.  That’s something to remember next time you are considering which politician to vote for.  Will they take away our choices and print more money?  Or will they make you more free?

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