The Manchester Free Press

Sunday • February 8 • 2026

Vol.XVIII • No.VI

Manchester, N.H.

Syndicate content Granite Grok
News – Politics – Opinion – Podcasts
Updated: 18 min 27 sec ago

We Must Stop the Destruction of Western Progress and Culture

Fri, 2024-02-09 21:00 +0000

The mass immigration of 3rd world country populations into Western countries currently happening across the world has to stop and must be reversed.
Case in point: Reportedly, the most popular first name in the UK right now for baby boys is Mohamad, and the world is supposed to celebrate this in the name of diversity and all the “advantages” it supposedly brings.

The reality of this situation is far different than what is being presented and supported. Populations of people that have worked to build a country for millennia (as represented by France or the UK) or centuries (like the USA) are supposed to celebrate an invasion of folks from 3rd world countries who now change the entire demographic, take control, and reap the rewards from the progress and accomplishments of generations.

Even worse, the existing citizens, whose ancestors built the country and whose societal mores align with those who built the society, are vilified and labeled as selfish racists, all while crime (fentanyl, sex trafficking, and violence) and disease (measles and leprosy) are imported, and resources are expended on those who hate them but want their advantages. It is ludicrous for populations to accept this, especially while no vetting procedures, no health checks, and no assimilation processes are implemented.

I don’t advocate for the selfish hoarding of the fruits of the progress brought about by Western civilization. I wish to prevent the demise of that progress and offer the sharing of it to societies that want to learn from it and build it themselves. The United States’ geography isn’t the only one in the world to possess advantages in resources. Africa is a powerhouse of agricultural possibilities and mineral resources, including diamonds, copper, gold, oil, and natural gas. In spite of these resources being available, the societies in Africa have not advanced as have Western societies. The advances of modern society consistently originate from Western civilization, where freedom and individualism have flourished. Invention, which leads to improvements in quality of life, is prolific, where individuals are allowed to think and act freely within the boundaries of acceptable behavior.

Advances, not just technological but also societal (including the abolition of slavery and the concept of individual rights), originated from and are allowed to flourish in Western societies. When the populations of these advanced societies are diluted with people from societies that don’t have these values, the advanced society becomes unsustainable. The result won’t be the raising of the entire world to 1st World levels, it will lower the bar so that 1st World becomes 2nd World, and down to 3rd. Just look at the current condition of many US cities as an example of this drastic decline.

We want to thank Michelle Hoy for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
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What is the solution? First, to protect humanity from this inevitable decline, persons allowed to immigrate to places like the USA need to go through a process that involves:

1. Vetting to ensure that they are not criminals in their country of origin and/or enemies of their new country.
2. Medical testing to prevent the import of diseases that, for all intents and purposes, had been irradicated.
3. Education regarding the values and practical workings of the culture and government of the destination country so that they can assimilate into THAT COUNTRY’S society.
4. Most importantly, they must be LIMITED IN NUMBER so that the mores of the new society won’t be diluted to the point that that society regresses from all that they have achieved.

This is not a racist or selfish concept. A simple look at history will show that where freedom has been allowed to flourish and where governments have evolved away from totalitarianism and dictatorships, quality of life improves, not in a moment, but over time. Humanity in these areas adjusts, and their way of thinking evolves with societal growth.

This leads to the second way to improve the quality of life of humanity worldwide. Take it to the source. Simply moving populations from one location, where quality-of-life is sub-optimal or even abysmal, to a better one won’t fix the problem. The root cause needs to be addressed. Governments (and the people under them) need to decide to improve the lives of their citizens. Western Societies can’t force this progress. I’m not sure how to accomplish it since so many evil actors exist in this world who do not want to change the status quo, but I do believe that it can’t be done through military domination. Societies have to go willingly.

Still, the destruction of the advances and advantages in Western societies is not the answer. Importing the 3rd World way of thinking into Western societies will only make matters worse here without helping the people there. We need to stop the destruction of our way of life, help those who we can, and be an example as a way to encourage the rest of the world to join us in prosperity. Our resources didn’t get Western civilization to where it is. Our way of thinking did. Once other societies understand this and change, their quality of life will improve the same way it did in Western societies. They can then enjoy the life that they seek where they are. This won’t take them as long as it did the West. We’ve already laid the groundwork. I say, “Come on in, the water’s fine. Just do it for yourselves without demanding, taking, and eventually destroying what we have worked for millennia to build.”

The post We Must Stop the Destruction of Western Progress and Culture appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Bruen: We May be Going About This Wrong

Fri, 2024-02-09 19:00 +0000

The Virginia state senate just passed a bill essentially outlawing the AR-15 and similar firearms.

Now, anyone who’s familiar with the Bruen ruling and its two-part test knows that this bill simply ignores that ruling.

If the bill passes into law, gun rights groups will have to spend time, money, and effort going to court to have the law overturned. And while they’ll succeed, the same thing will just keep happening in other jurisdictions.  It’s a game of whack-a-mole.

It occurs to me that some enterprising state, controlled by conservatives, should do something like enact a law requiring prayer in school or something else that would drive progressives crazy.

Why?  Because progressives would start trotting out Supreme Court rulings:  You can’t have prayer in schools because of Bob v. Carol, Ted v. Alice, and so on!

To which the appropriate response would be:

Oh, we’re paying attention to Supreme Court rulings now?  Because, after looking at the gun control laws being passed in places like California and Virginia, we thought we were past that. If progressive states don’t have to listen to the Supreme Court, why should conservative states?

Hard to argue with that logic.

And it seems as though we have passed the point where the Supreme Court gets the final word on anything because state legislatures are learning to use the trick that the Court has been using almost since its inception:  If you just pretend that words that clearly say one thing actually mean something quite different, then you can claim that ‘the law’ is whatever you want it to be.

Which brings us full circle to the very first public comments I ever made, back in 2014, when I asked:

If legislatures are going to ignore the limits placed on them by their constitutions, why shouldn’t individuals ignore limits placed on them by those legislatures?

Substitute courts for constitutions (which many people believe is a reasonable thing to do), and you get another special case of a more fundamental question:

Does paying attention to what legislatures, and courts, and executive agencies say, bring us closer to the rule of law, or take us further away from it?

It’s getting harder to deny, I think, that the answer is further away.

That being the case, it’s probably time to scrap the whole system and go back to the drawing board, starting with the fundamental ideas of the Declaration of Independence.  (Which happen, by the way, to be the fundamental ideas of the GOP platform since the creation of the party — on paper, if not in practice.)  These are:

(1) people form governments to protect the rights they already have; and

(2) those governments get their just power to act from the consent of the governed.

Except, this time, we should actually take them seriously.

Or we could just start from the Golden Rule,

What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man.

and restrict ourselves to laws of the form

Because I do not wish to have someone else do ________ to me, I consent to be punished if I do it, or try to do it, to someone else.

At heart, these are really the same thing.   And we don’t need layers of legal priests to interpret them for us.

Could we do this?  Well, there is certainly precedent for it.

Back when the Continental Congress met to amend the Articles of Confederation, they came out of the meeting with a completely new plan for government, to completely replace the existing one.

They didn’t ask for permission to do that.  They didn’t consider whether it was allowed by the current framework or try to work within that framework.  They just did it.

And we could do it again.   When will it be time for that?  Again, we can turn to the Declaration for the answer:

all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed

We’ll do it when the evils stop being sufferable.  Or, as many people have said when enough of us get sick and tired of being sick and tired.

The post Bruen: We May be Going About This Wrong appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

ICYMI – Bill Maher Serves Haley Cult Leader Chris Sununu a Yuge Reality Sandwich

Fri, 2024-02-09 18:00 +0000

Bill Maher is wrong about a lot of things, but he has never been afraid to say what he thinks, and given who his audience is, that means a lot when it comes to issues like free speech. It also makes us giggle (like a schoolgirl on hormone replacement therapy) when he smacks down Haley-Homer Chris Sununu.

The clip has been collecting in-box digital dust for a few days, so apologies for the delay (and thanks for the link), but it is something that – in my opinion – will never get old.

Chris Sununu is on Real Time with Bill Maher to continue to appeal to undecided voters and Democrats to pick the Republican nominee. That’s my guess. I can’t imagine any other reason why he’d be on or even invited.

And while we don’t have the whole interview or any surrounding context, the smackdown by Maher looks brutal (with a stylized ending by the X-poster that is smirk-worthy).

The post ICYMI – Bill Maher Serves Haley Cult Leader Chris Sununu a Yuge Reality Sandwich appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Friday Meme Overflow-Overflow

Fri, 2024-02-09 17:00 +0000

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!

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then they wonder why we don’t trust the enemedia any more.

 

 

 

 

Remember my cartoon:

 

 

 

 

 

I have a crapton of Delta SkyMiles.  Guess I won’t be adding any more.

 

 

 

I can only hope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wondering if I can get such a table, but with a lion or with a dragon…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why do I have the feeling I posted this one before…?

 

 

 

Or government.  Or medical professionals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA

 

Be on guard with the police.  They can lie to you.

 

LAWYER EXPLAINS: 12 Lies the Police Love to Use

 

 

 

LAWYER: 5 Ways to Outsmart the Police

 

 

This is another shattering of illusions moment for me, because – at least on the local level – I’ve always believed that I can trust the police.  Not so any more.

Lawyers may be expensive, but… better to get one than not.  You will never, ever talk yourself out of being a suspect, but you can blab your way into being arrested.  Or, worse, they can compile enough to even prosecute you.

 

ONLY 3 Things to Say to The Police!

 

 

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You and any descendants you have first.

Abstract question – who would win, a soldier arachnid (above) from Starship Troopers, or a Xenomorph from Alien?

 

 

Enemedia going batsh!t crazy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Links:

 

America’s Favorite Cookie Takes a Hard Left Turn (townhall.com)

Haven’t liked Oreos for decades.  No loss.  Kinda related, at least to me:

WATCH: Leaked Internal Footage of Senior Officials at Federal Aviation Administration Reveals Plan to Reduce Number of White Males in Aviation | The Gateway Pundit | by Cristina Laila

Woke is harmful and is going to prove deadly.

The Feral Irishman: Perspective…

Bunch of links with commentary.  Prep stuff too. Related to prepping:

Don’t Be Misled by Propaganda: Banks Are Collapsing | NC Renegades

And from Surak:

Economic deception and collapse – Surak substack blog

Also:

The Social Security clock keeps ticking – American Thinker

Some years ago I read that between the public debt and the unfunded liabilities for various programs in the US, the money needed to repay the debt and fund these is north of $100 trillion.  Worldwide, debt and unfunded liabilities was north of $200 trillion.  The wealth to do this literally does not exist.  And related to financing on a specific product:

Bayou Renaissance Man: Rooftop solar panels: warning lights are flashing

And on solar in general:

Greens in Shock at Australia’s “Rally Against Reckless Renewables” – Watts Up With That?

The True Costs of Net Zero Are Becoming Impossible to Hide – MishTalk

Full-Time Work Is Being Replaced by Part-Time Jobs as Americans and Businesses Struggle – Tennessee Star

“Wherever possible, businesses are eliminating full-time jobs and replacing them with part-time jobs to reduce costs,” E.J. Antoni, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Many firms are also conducting ‘quiet’ layoffs, according to multiple surveys. This involves eliminating a full-time position when the occupant either quits or is fired — the person simply isn’t replaced. The drop in payrolls is the same as if you laid off those people. Meanwhile, the sectors that are still hiring are predominantly bringing on people part-time.”

Has The “Cancer Cure” Been Known For 42 Years? * 100PercentFedUp.com * by Noah

As I understand it, cancer drugs are a huge industry.  Imagine if there was something simple that could cure cancer (or mostly).  There is an awful lot of incentive to quash therapies that don’t fit that model.

Christian UPS driver confronts company over LGBT and woke agenda (massresistance.org)

A man fights back.

Making Sense of Disease Mortality Charts (substack.com)

Surak weighs in; very interesting data, e.g., on measles.  Sanitation, nutrition, and food hygiene.  Speaking of:

Sweden & Germany: We found No Deaths In Children Due to Covid, by Dr. Paul Alexander; we also found not one healthy child in America across 4 years got COVID infection, or severe illness or died, NONE (substack.com)

And more:

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

So it causes heart disease, causes / accelerates cancers, and all these other effects.  Who the living F developed this?

Biden to send troops to STOP Texas from protecting border (wnd.com)

Treason.  Plain and simple – treason.

UK’s “Online Safety Act” OFFICIALLY grants MSM permission to publish lies – OffGuardian (off-guardian.org)

Incredible.  And whether on the books officially or not, I suspect this is the same in most countries.

How Empires Live and Die – Starving the Monkeys

RIP USMC – Starving the Monkeys

Wet Paper Tiger – Starving the Monkeys

Maf is Hard – Starving the Monkeys

Recently came across this blogger (Starving the Monkeys), and his insights on various military readiness issues (mostly involving Naval Warfare and/or Marines) were pretty amazing.  Some of these are long to read (and rather disheartening), but it paints the (fairly bleak) picture of how our military would fare in an actual peer to peer or near-peer conflict.

African Nation Passes New Law For Surgical Castration Of Convicted Pedophiles * 100PercentFedUp.com * by Danielle

Madagascar just passed a law allowing judges to sentence pedophiles to surgical castration, as the “chemical castration” was not working, and criminals would “re-offend”.

 

 

Looks like it’s catching on.  Bring it to America.  Heck, for regular rape… three separate-incident convictions… the odds you’re innocent in all three are ZERO.  Bye bye boys.  Though for pedos and repeat rapists, I’d suggest that the equation BULLET + BRAIN might be cheaper, and possibly more effective as a deterrent.

Moonbattery Leftists Threaten to Target Patriots in Homes and Churches – Moonbattery

So  what else is new?

Thermal Earring feels its wearer’s heat – via their earlobe (newatlas.com)

Closing out – wearable monitors.  Remember what Yuval said?  Surveillance under your skin.

 

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

 

Pick of the Post:

 

 

Slammed on so many levels.

And sooooo close behind, I’ll put it here, for the sheer, raw gut-feel mockery:

 

 

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

 

Palate Cleansers:

 

 

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

 

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

Please do consider buying me a coffee.

Buy Me a Coffee

 

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

 

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

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

‘Spanking’ Encourages Obedience

Fri, 2024-02-09 15:00 +0000

After reading an account of a 1948 primary election that detailed a probability of criminality, which apparently continues to be relied upon, I am reminded of more youthful times when parents, after learning of or witnessing bad behavior, would correct their children with a spanking.

As stated, the tactics employed in the 1948 stunner were apparently still in play during the 2020 Presidential elections. While some question just how a 1948 primary contest can be connected with today, many others still close their eyes when singing the rhyme of, “Oh, that’s just good ole Uncle Joe, he’s harmless.”

Has anyone ever asked about the purpose of re-electing a “harmless” Senator? If he’s really so harmless, just what is the worth of his Senate seat, especially when, during his career, he’s never been right on any foreign policy issue? This distinction of such a difficult consistency is well known.

Returning to that 1948 Texas primary, think about the similarities that re-surfaced in 2020. In 1948, LBJ was the underdog to the popular former Texas Governor, Coke Stevenson. Then, too, in 1948, poll watchers were distanced from the action, late discoveries of large amounts of ballots appeared many days after Texas’s three-day extension, former residents of Texas, along with dead people, submitted ballots, and the necessary media was controlled by Johnson and the State Constitution was blatantly violated.

Not only will this pattern of past success probably resurface in 2024, but more importantly, this comparison establishes an MO, a ‘method of operation’ from the same culprit source, the Democrat Party, while answering the same need. Since that source and intent remain unchanged and are now also being fueled by their increased trepidation of the probable 2024 outcome, this cannot and should not be cavalierly dismissed.

This piece of writing is a “voter beware sign” as to what we could face again this November. Naturally, to the more liberal-minded, this info is automatically viewed as “more MAGA propaganda.” Well, not so quick. This information was taken from a 1977 audio recording, which was posted to the archival website of the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum. MAGA wasn’t involved!

The twentieth century is loaded with examples that failed to spark any corrective proceedings, so this modern-day habit of inaction will not be a shocker, and neither will the results! What is needed is to appreciate and use this evidence against what has become a Democrat standard. Remember, to be forewarned is to be forearmed.

America needs to re-activate its law and order mechanisms without delay. The term “America” still means “we the people.” What is needed is to identify and then remove (spank) the undeserving at all levels of governing. It would require a diversion from our normal routines, but time and interest spent learning what these career politicians are really all about will bring unknown dividends. To paraphrase Dr. Ben Franklin when also explaining why education has ceased to educate properly, he believed that a nation that stays well informed “cannot be enslaved.”

Our “too busy” or “my vote won’t matter” refrains encourage these career undesirables and incompetents, and that is why their re-elections have become so routine. Both parties are busy grooming their own stable of controllable puppets; and it shows!

Spanking works, and judging from the lack of it, today’s youthful violence satisfies the democrat’s anti-American agenda. Without restraints and accountability, whether it be the child, the politician, or the rioter, their behavior will never change! Why would it?

Our people own the right and have the opportunity to correct and improve the country they love on each election day. It is the day when not only their voices are heard but finally listened to and obeyed! And since it appears that “we the people” are the only remaining contingent that cares, this solemn duty must be addressed. If not, then their abusive power, for which all governments are drawn, will continue, but more to the point, it will then reflect the truer caliber of our citizens!

The post ‘Spanking’ Encourages Obedience appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

HB1002 – Public Documents Tax Didn’t Pass But it Didn’t Fail – Recommitted (Back to Committee)

Fri, 2024-02-09 13:00 +0000

Last week, after a bill to charge citizens for access to public documents failed, I called the charge (fee, levy) a tax. Some boob took to X to tell me it was not a tax, as if the government taking money from citizens could be anything but. Later that day, a motion to reconsider was scheduled and reconsidered yesterday.

The vote to reconsider passed, but an effort to table it failed. HB1002 was eventually recommitted, which means it is still alive and back in committee where it was recommended as ought to pass the first time by a vote of 12-8. We’d like to see that change for many reasons, some of which we’ve shared on these pages already.

To facilitate this wind of change, you’ll have to reach out to the committee with many of the same points that helped get the reconsideration vote.

The original floor vote on HB1002 was 193-179. Seven votes the other way, and it fails. After the request to recommit, groups like the ACLU are alleged to have been working on the Democrat’s side in opposition to the legislation with as much enthusiasm as we were working on the Republican side. The vote to reconsider was 195-183. The vote to table it (kill it without killing it; someone can always ask for a vote to take it off the table) failed 126-254, after which it was recommitted.

It is back in the Judiciary Committee from which it originated, and at this point, our goal is to get the committee to vote it inexpedient to legislate, which will make it easier to kill come the next floor vote.

Advocates will do whatever they can to dress this thing up, but at the end of the day, it will be the same old whore in a new dress. A tax on access to public documents, which, as I noted here, “HB1002 will make the government less transparent, less accessible, and less accountable. Is that what you were elected to do in Concord, or was it the reverse?

Please get in touch with the reps on the Judiciary Committee and politely offer your thoughts in opposition to the bill.

No new fees, fines, levies, or taxes for public documents unless they are against the towns/individuals, making them more difficult to access; we could support that.

 

The post HB1002 – Public Documents Tax Didn’t Pass But it Didn’t Fail – Recommitted (Back to Committee) appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

So Kids, What Did We Learn From This Week’s House Session (2/8/24)?

Fri, 2024-02-09 12:00 +0000

We learned that State Representative Matthew (Matt) Coker (R-Meredith) officially switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. The Republican Caucus welcomed him warmly and looks forward to working with him to serve his constituents with integrity and conviction.

A House Republican press release stated, “Representative Coker’s transition to the Republican Party underscores the inclusive nature of the GOP, which prioritizes diversity of thought and welcomes individuals from all walks of life who share a common vision for a prosperous and vibrant New Hampshire.”   You could say they put out the “Welcome Matt.”

We learned that the Consulat général du Canada à Boston is celebrating its 75th Anniversary! And to celebrate, we had a visit and speech from Consul General Bernadette Jordan who spoke about our northern border, our trade relationship, and our working together. With her was Deputy Ambassador Arun Alexander. Speaker Packard presented the Consul General with a declaration recognizing the 75th anniversary. The Consul General even treated us to lunch in the cafeteria. Sadly, there was no poutine. However, they did leave us maple candies at each table.

We learned that a bill that passed on February 1st was brought back for reconsideration after Rep Lisa Smart (R-Meredith) filed a motion for reconsideration after the House session after voting on the prevailing side. HB1002 passed last week 193-179. This bill allows public bodies to charge $25 an hour for documents requested under the Right to Know law if it takes over 10 hours to gather said documents. Anyway, the motion to reconsider passed 195-183. Then, a motion to Table failed 126-254, after which the bill was recommitted to the Judiciary Committee on a voice vote. Let’s see what they do to it there. It seems to me this bill will be totally ineffective because people will merely submit these large requests in smaller chunks to get around paying a fee.

We also learned that the 3 high-profile bills of the day yielded two losses and one win for School Choice in NH, even as almost all members of the Republican caucus wore yellow scarves in support of School Choice. First was HB1561, which failed 197-185. HB1561, relative to qualifications for student eligibility in the Education Freedom Accounts program, would have allowed students who are having difficulties in their school to qualify for the Education Freedom Account program, no matter what the family income bracket is. Children of families outside of the income cap, who are in vulnerable student groups, apparently do not have a chance to succeed, according to 197 who voted NO on Ought To Pass. All Democrats and 10 Republicans would rather pour money into systems failing these kids instead of investing in alternatives to help these kids succeed.

Additionally, we learned that HB1634 failed with a vote of 194-186 against the OTP motion, which would have made EFA’s universal and removed the income cap completely. All Democrats and 7 Republicans kept this bill from passing. After taking a lunch break, we came back, and thankfully, the third time was the charm. HB1665 passed 190-189 with 1 Democrat voting Yes and 4 Republicans voting No. This bill will change the income cap for eligibility from 350% to 500% of the federal poverty level guidelines. All votes on these three bills were roll-called. It appears people vote better on a full stomach.

We learned that slavery was back in the bill docket as we voted on HB1580. That bill would have prevented government procurement of electric vehicles containing components created through the use of forced labor. The ITL motion passed 294-84 and the bill failed primarily because it can’t really be determined what components of an EV would have been produced by forced labor. The bill was well-meaning but just not workable… unless we ban anything produced in places like China, etc.…. And why just stop at EVs? What about other stuff the state buys that’s made in places that utilize forced labor, like China?

We learned that HB1116 passed 221-157. This bill updates current law to remove the restriction on the action of the rifle and adds the use of straight-walled pistol cartridges of .357 or greater. The majority of the Fish and Game committee agreed that the action of the rifle has a negligible impact on the ballistics or power of the pistol round fired. They also thought that adding more options for hunters allowed for greater accuracy and safety. Of course, Democrats, who are clueless about firearms in general, just couldn’t bear the thought of firearms expansion with this bill. I guess you could say they were gun-shy.

We learned that a bill (HB1662) that would have prohibited certain Health and Human Services department members from having simultaneous employment with adoption or child placement agencies failed to pass. The ITL motion passed 190-187. 183 Democrats and 7 Republicans did not think that any kind of conflict of interest could happen. Perhaps we can sell them a bridge too.

We also learned that HB1049 was not only killed, but was Indefinitely Postponed with a vote of 324-53. This bill would have allowed overnight mooring of houseboats on bodies of water held in public trust, otherwise known as inland waters over 10 acres in size. House members received hundreds of emails from people on Lake Winnipesaukee asking to kill this bill because they didn’t want people lingering overnight, polluting the lake with trash and sewage, or partying and making a nuisance. I was afraid that we might not have had the time to vote on this bill because, clearly, we were still reading all of the hundreds of emails sent to us.

We learned that HB1700 failed to move on after an ITL motion passed 315-58. This bill would have prohibited the intentional release of polluting emissions, including cloud seeding, weather modification, excessive electromagnetic radio frequency, and microwave radiation into our skies. The bill included stiff penalties for violations. Now on its face it’s a good idea not to want to have all kinds of chemicals sprayed above us, but this bill identified a very wide range of items, some of which have not been proven to be harmful. Additionally, the reporting mechanism and enforcement were just not ready for prime time. That being said, my feeling is that in the near future, this issue should be something we should look at more closely for workable legislation and not just allow this to dissipate into thin air.

We learned that some people thought that HB1062 was a frivolous bill. It clarifies how “cover plates” on your vehicle can be used. It states that it is OK for you to use your cover plate on one end of your vehicle and your regular license plate on the other. It passed 198-177. So, frivolity wins!

Finally, we learned that a bill pulled off the Consent Calendar (HB1228) which was ITL’d in committee 15-2 was then summarily ITL’d 312-61 in the House. This bill had to do with establishing a fish and game guide committee to determine qualifications for fish and game guides. Apparently, folks are upset that applicants are failing licensure tests because they are having trouble due to learning styles and problems with the oral testing. This bill didn’t really address the issue, and perhaps it’s a better idea that instead of passing a new law, NH Fish and Game should collaborate with the Dept. of Education on how to do an effective evaluation of skills. At the end of the day, we don’t want to lower standards and allow people to pass these exams who cannot read maps or perform other necessary skills, so that we can fill positions.

There’s more to come next week…

The post So Kids, What Did We Learn From This Week’s House Session (2/8/24)? appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Trump Wins Nevada Caucus … With 96.4% of the Vote

Fri, 2024-02-09 11:00 +0000

Nevada’s screwed-up primary/caucus has even the ordinarily well-informed scratching their heads after Tuesday’s primary with Haley, no Trump. Haley didn’t do well on Tuesday, losing to none of the above by over 30 points. The Caucus, held last night, appointed delegates, and Candidate Trump crushed it.

Trump was one of two candidates on the caucus ballot, along with pastor Ryan Binkley, who failed to secure a delegate in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. As of 11:02 p.m. ET, NBC News had called the race when Trump garnered 96.4 percent of the vote to Binkley’s 3.6 percent, with one percent reporting. …

As the state Republican Party pointed out, Govs. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Doug Burgum (R-ND), entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) had originally qualified for the caucus ballot but were removed after suspending their campaigns. Notably, all of the men but Christie have come out and voiced their support for Trump.

Trump, who flew to Nevada on Thursday afternoon, won the Virgin Islands Republican Caucuses as well on Thursday night.

Haley was actually on the ballot in the Virgin Islands, but Chris Sununu won’t likely be chasing microphones to tell us how vital this non-victory was to her campaign. Trump won it 74% to 26% – 182 to 64 votes. 4 Delegates were up for grabs.

Nevada offered up 26 delegates—a few. Trump has 63 delegates total, compared to Haley’s 17 (DeSantis has nine, Ramaswamy has three).

South Carolina is next (Super Tuesday, Feb 24), where Trump is polling at 68% to Haley’s 31% with 50 Delegates up for grabs. Michigan, Idaho, Missouri, DC, and North Dakota are the week after – March 5th is Super Tuesday, with 16 more states voting for a Republican Nominee.

 

The post Trump Wins Nevada Caucus … With 96.4% of the Vote appeared first on Granite Grok.

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