Grant Bosse and Friends

Found interesting opportunity

2012-01-06T14:03:00.001-05:00

Hey there...

ive learned that things dont aways work out as planned without this id still be completely distraught it was important for me to stay positive.
http://behm-bec.de/profile/18GrahamMoore/ it proved that miracles can happen
trust me on this.
see you soon.

2011-09-10T11:42:00.001-04:00

http://gomiduquby.freecities.com/nokioee3.html

Chris Sununu in New Castle

2010-07-28T11:50:00.001-04:00

Rick Santorum in New Castle

2010-07-28T11:47:00.002-04:00

Tax Day Message from Rich Ashooh

2010-04-15T12:50:00.001-04:00

My friend Rich Ashooh asked me to share his Tax Day message:

NH has vacant spot on Republican National Committee

2010-04-07T11:08:00.003-04:00

With Sean Mahoney's resignation yesterday, New Hampshire is missing one of its three representatives on the Republican National Committee.

John DiStaso reports, accurately, that I'm thinking about running for the position.

Veteran activist and former congressional candidate Grant Bosse became the first Republican to signal a serious interest in the post. The former radio talk show host and news anchor who unsuccessfully ran for the 2nd District U.S. House seat in 2008, is a researcher for the free-market Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy.

Bosse said the GOP "needs some new energy and a focus on free-market politics and that's what I'd bring to the table if I end up running."

Meanwhile, some friends have started a Grant Bosse for National Committeeman Facebook page urging me to run. Thanks so much.

Redneck Nirvana

2010-04-06T08:21:00.002-04:00

Last night, at the Manchester Chamber of Commerce Legislative Dinner, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley described our state as "Redneck Nirvana", at least in the minds of people coming here for small government, low taxes, and personal responsibiilty. But he says these deluded rednecks soon find out how progressive and sophisicated New Hampshire has become under Democratic leadership, and move back to Texas or whatever backward state they came from.

What an elitist jerk. Let's show Buckley that disagreeing with his snobbish liberal vision of New Hampshire doesn't make us a bunch of Rednecks. Join Redneck Nirvana on Facebook.

Winter 2009 Alumni Council Report to the Class of 1994

2009-12-18T15:41:00.000-05:00

Seasons Greetings from Hanover, or at least close by. I recently completed my first Alumni Council Weekend as your representative for the Class if 1994. I'm honored to be your voice to the College, and your source of information for what’s happening on campus.

Trustee Nominations

The biggest news to come out of last weekend's meeting was the Nomination of two candidates for the two open seats on the Board of Trustees. The Council voted 89-1 to forward the recommended candidates of the Nominating Committee to the alumni body. I was the sole dissenting vote, not because I find any fault with the chosen candidates, but because recommending a single candidate for each open seat negates the reason for having an election.

The Nominating Committee believes that by forwarding a single candidate, another candidate will come forward through the petition process. This will then lead to a one-on-one election between the Alumni Council candidate and the Petition candidate. I believe this process cements a two-party system that recent rule changes have tried to avoid. I hope that I am proven wrong, and that we do have a spirited choice between outstanding candidates for both seats when we vote this spring. My objections to the process aside, I want to thank the Nominating Committee for giving us two spectacular candidates, Morton Kondracke '60 and John Replogle '88.

Both Mort and John came up to Hanover to introduce themselves, and both spoke passionately about their love of Dartmouth. Kondracke is best known for his years in journalism, from his time as a panelist on "The McLaughlin Group" to his current stint as one of the Beltway Boys on Fox News. He is also a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, but I promised not to engage in mudslinging.

Replogle is President and CEO of Burt's Bees, a leading personal care company that specializes in natural and ecologically friendly products. John is also a veteran of WFRD/WDCR, which is a sign of sound judgment and character. I wish them both the best of luck, and thank them again for stepping forward to run for Dartmouth Trustee.

I've been encouraged by Alumni Council leadership to campaign on behalf of Mort and John, but I will limit myself to providing you with a much information as I can on the candidates and the upcoming campaign.

You can learn more through the Alumni Council's Facebook page, and through the two announced candidates campaign websites, Mort4Dartmouth.com and John4Dartmouth.com. If and when petition candidates come forward, I will be happy to pass along information about them. Here's to a robust and positive Trustee Election.

Budget Crisis

New Dartmouth President Jim Yong Kim was kind enough to meet with the Alumni Council not once, but twice, during the weekend. While his stirring address to the Council Dinner on Friday night was moving and memorable, the stark outline he gave Saturday morning of the financial challenges facing Dartmouth needs to be communicated. The national economic recession has hit Dartmouth's Endowment hard, though not as hard some comparable universities with more aggressive investment strategies. With no changes to the College's budget and investment plans, Dartmouth is facing a $50 million deficit next year, growing to $122 million by 2014.

President Kim's plan to tackle this mounting deficit is to cut $50 million in expenses next year, another $50 the following year. This $100 million in annual savings will bring the budget back into balance over the next five years, but also mean some tough and painful choices have to be made. An alternative approach, one being adopted at Yale for instance, is to phase in the budget savings over several years while tapping into the Endowment to smooth the transition. President Kim and VP for Alumni Affairs David Spalding made a compelling case that making deeper cuts today will leave Dartmouth's budget and endowment in much better shape down the road, whether the economy rebounds strongly in the next year or suffers another dip.

For more information on Dartmouth's financial picture, I encourage you to visit budget.dartmouth.edu or watch President Kim’s recent 90-minute presentation on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HEN5J7jfuU. Copies of most of the slides used at available at http://budget.dartmouth.edu/communications.

Academic Affairs Committee

I’m thrilled to be a member of the Council's Academic Affairs Committee. Undergraduate instruction is the core of Dartmouth’s mission, and I can't think of a more important way to give back to the College. During Alumni Council Weekend, we received a comprehensive overview of the Native American Studies Program from Chair Bruce Duthu, and a fascinating presentation from the student editors of the Dartmouth Journal of Undergraduate Science. This periodical gives Dartmouth students a unique opportunity to publish original scientific papers. It is a wonderful resource that elegantly compliments Dartmouth's core academic mission, and provides real value to current and prospective Dartmouth students.

What can you do for Dartmouth today?

One thing we all have in common is an abundance of ideas for what other people can do to help Dartmouth. But I wanted to tell you about a few small things I did last weekend to help the College on the Hill.

I've started a Facebook group for those interested in the upcoming Trustee Election. On Facebook, search for DarTEC (Dartmouth Trustee Election Clearinghouse) and join. Hopefully, the Alumni Council page and Vox the Vote will provide comprehensive information on all Trustee candidates, but it's important to have an independent source of information on the issues facing the Board of Trustees as we consider who to add to that Board. The site is open to all to read and to post. Feel free to post links or commentary you find useful, and to make the case for your candidate. I will be monitoring the page in order to maintain a civil discussion, but will make no other editorial restrictions on content.

I've subscribed to the Dartmouth Journal of Undergraduate Science, http://dujs.dartmouth.edu Not only will this dramatically improve the quality of my coffee table literature which is currently limited to Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly, but it will support a great undergraduate publication.

And of course, I've made sure my Class Dues are up to date. But your Dues are current, right?

The next Alumni Council meeting is in May. In the meantime, I am available to answer any questions I can, and forward any I can't to the Alumni Relations Office. You can get in touch with me at grantbosse@gmail.com or call me at (603) 748-3659.

Thank you again for the honor of representing you on the Alumni Council, and Merry Christmas.

Yours in service to Dartmouth,

Grant Bosse '94

Dartmouth Trustee Nomination Follow-Up

2009-12-04T21:58:00.004-05:00

I wanted to add some follow-up thoughts to this afternoon's post about the Dartmouth Trustee Candidate Nominations.

First, I neglected to thank both Tom Daniels '82, who chaired the Nominating Committee, and Janine Avner '80, Alumni Council President. Though I disagree wholeheartedly with their nominating strategy and their belief that the Alumni Council should now actively work to elect the Committee's nominees over any petition candidates who emerge, both have gone out of their way to welcome my input, and to give me a chance to share those opinions with my fellow Councilors. From past Councilors, I understand that this is a marked improvement from the way dissenting voices were welcomed over the past several years. It shows we can disagree, sometimes passionately, about the issue facings us at Dartmouth, and still respect each other. Of course, I think that reinforces my view of the world, but I would, wouldn't I.

Scott comments on the prior post that since petition candidates can and likely will step forward, it's unfair to claim that the Nominating Committee set up an uncontested election. But in the Nominating Committee's mind, there shouldn't be a contest. We should confirm its choices. And any candidates who get their name on the ballot should be defeated. I find this an obvious overreach of their responsibility.

Further, the Nominating Committee strengthens the presumption that Dartmouth Alumni are forever split into two camps, insiders and outsiders, and that each camp distrusts the other's motivations and judgement. Having watched the governance battles of the past five years, I believe that the division they seek the quell stems at least as much from Alumni Council defensiveness as from disaffected alumni. Building those divisions into the nominating process is a bad idea.

I'm not going to belabor the process argument much further. Alumni interested in serving on the Board of Trustees now have the opportunity to seek petitions to be put on the ballot, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to find out and share their vision of Dartmouth, along with Mr. Kondracke's and Mr. Replogle.

I'll have full report from the Alumni Council Weekend for the Class of '94 and anyone else interested tomorrow or Sunday. President Kim's speech tonight was phenominal. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to watch the Mort Report and buy some Burt's Bees lip balm.

Go Big Green!

Pre-empting the Election at Dartmouth

2009-12-04T11:52:00.002-05:00

The Dartmouth Alumni Council just voted 89-1 to nominate two candidates for the two Trustee positions up for election next spring. I was the one. Never before have I felt like such a voice crying out in the wilderness.

The Nominating Committee brought forward two outstandingly qualified candidates, Mort Kondracke '60 and John Replogle '88. Both men are extemely distinguished in the field, both made the trip to Hanover to introduce themselves to the Council this weekend, and both spoke passionately about their love of Dartmouth.

While I can't quiblle with the Nominating Committee's work in filtering the field of Dartmouth graduates down to a pair of Trustee candidates, I am left to wonder the point of an election with only one candidate for each office.

Tom Daniels '82 Chaired the Nominating Committee, and justified the decision to limit the field to one candidate based on "rumblings" that other candidates would surely emerge through the petition process, and that they wanted to ensure a one-on-one contest. Yet there is no guarantee that a petition candidate will qualify for the spring ballot, or that there will be only one challenger. What the Nominating Committee has done is game the system in an attempte to redetermine the outcome of the Alumni election.

Voters deserve a choice. That needs to be the cornerstone of any election. Yet the Nominating Committee, and the Council through its vote today, has decided to substitute its judgement for that of the voters. There are real issues facing Dartmouth, and real choices on where the College goes under the Kim Administration and beyond. Kondracke and Replogle may be outstanding Trustees, and might end up supporting them both once I learn about their priorities for Dartmouth. But I would never use my new position as my Class Representative on the Alumni Council to tell my classmates how to vote. I'm going to try my best to get them good information about both candidates, even if they end up unopposed, so that my classmates and the rest of the Dartmouth Community can make an informed choice.

Elections are inherently messy. Tempered get frayed and feelings get hurt. But the Nominating Committee, in its zeal to avoid any unpleasantness, is generating far more division. In a conference call before my first meeting of the Alumni Council, I was instructed that it my job not just to communicate the actions of the Council to my classmates, but also to advocate for the election of their slate of candidates. I'm skeptical of In Loco Parentis when it comes to college students. This paternalistic doctrine certainly has no place after graduation.

I may be wrong, but despite today's vote, I know I'm not alone. We deserve a real choice about the direction Dartmouth takes. I'm sick of Trustee Elections being all about how we elect Trustees. Let's trust our classmates to choose between competing ideas amongst qualified candidates who all love Dartmouth. Let's have a real election, and then let's move Dartmouth forward together.

Grant Bosse '94
Alumni Council Representative
Dartmouth Broadcasting Board of Overseers

Grant Bosse Launches Phantom Campaign for Congress

2009-11-20T23:45:00.003-05:00

Greetings Google searchers and Cavuto viewers. Here's my segment with Brian Sullivan on "Your World". For my latest work, please check out New Hampshire Watchdog.

Kelly Ayotte in Newport

2009-09-21T15:05:00.004-04:00

Potential Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte addresses the Sullivan County Republican Committee dinner in Newport last Friday evening.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Bold Prediction- Obama Approval Ratings will rise in next ten days

2009-08-22T09:05:00.003-04:00

I'm predicting that President Obama's approval rating will go up, at least 3 points and possibly more, over the next ten days.

We like our politicians more when they aren't showing up on television reminding us of how much they are doing to help us. Call it the John Lynch Popularity Model. He was extremely popular when he wasn't doing anything. This year, he's actually had to govern, done it badly, and is seeing his support erode.

President Obama has also sabotaged his signature initiatives, especially the ObamaCare debacle, by putting himself in front of the issue on every occasion. Now that's he's going on vacation for ten days, he won't be holding any awkward and pedantic press conferences or lying about AARP's endorsement at Town Hall meetings. This has to be good for his image.

As of Friday, Rasmussen has Obama's approval ratings at -8, 31% to 39%. I predict that by September 2nd, which will give the full vacation time to make its way into the poll, his approval rating will be up to at least -2. Then, he can come back to Washington and resume eroding his popularity.

President tells "folks who created the mess" to get out of the way

2009-08-07T12:01:00.001-04:00

I presume he's talking about Barney Frank:

Star Wars for the 4th

2009-07-03T11:12:00.003-04:00

Let me be clear ahead of time. If we end up shooting down a North Korean missile on the 4th of July, not only will that be super-cool, but I will give President Obama full credit.

He's said some silly things against missile defense in the past, but if he manages to demonstrate that the United States will not remain defenseless in the face of a ballistic missile threat, he will have greatly strengthened national security, which in turn will make the world a safer place.

Happy Independence Day

2009-07-03T08:06:00.001-04:00

By GRANT BOSSE

Mother Nature has a cruel way of reminding us that the Fourth of July isn’t all about fireworks and barbeques. This particular date on the calendar marks the anniversary of American independence. Maybe the rainy weekend will remind us that the day is about more than hot dogs and sunscreen.

On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia voted to declare the 13 American colonies independent from Great Britain. This was a bold and controversial decision, even for a group of revolutionaries that had been at war for a year. At the time, a sizable segment of colonists held out hope for reconciliation with the Crown, and a return to British rule with greater colonial autonomy. Declaring independence meant not only the prospect of a long war, but of a life without political and economic support from the British Empire if they won.

The Continental Congress announced this new Declaration of Independence on July 4, and most members signed the document on August 2. John Adams wrote his wife Abigail that “the Second of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.” He was only off by two days.

While the importance of independence and the tragic fate that befell so many of the Declaration’s signatories have made their mark on American history, it is the strength of Thomas Jefferson’s words that have truly changed the world. While it was conceived as a formal notice to King George of the grievances that led to separation from the Crown, Jefferson’s poetic preamble turned the Declaration into one of the most powerful statements of human rights ever printed. I would summarize its meaning, but Jefferson stated the inherent justice of self-government more succinctly than I ever could:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly 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. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. I still haven’t found a better way to describe the limits of government in a democratic society. It turns out the government the Founders instituted in 1776 didn’t work very well. The Articles of Confederation were scrapped in 1789 in favor a Constitution, granting us what Benjamin Franklin described as, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

Jefferson’s ideals have spread over the past 233 years. The rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are shared far beyond our borders. The people of Iran are fighting for those rights today. The people of North Korea are still trapped in darkness.

I hope the sun comes out long enough this weekend to use the grill. I’m taking the family to Fenway on Sunday. So I’m going to enjoy this Fourth of July. But I’m going to celebrate Independence Day.

Souter Wrong Again for Old Times' Sake

2009-06-29T17:04:00.004-04:00

The Supreme Court made a lot of sense today by siding New Haven firefighters who did well on a promotions exam but had the results thrown out, because those who did poorly didn't like the results. New Hampshire's own David Souter ruled that the city should have put political correctness over public safety, and that firefighters should have been promoted based more on skin color than on ability. His sloppy jurisprudence will not be missed, though likely-Justice Sotomayor's race-based rulings won't be any improvement,

Richard Epstein does into much more detail about the Ricci case, and it's implications for government-sponsored racism in the future.

I'd also recommend the continuing coverage over at the Volokh Conspiracy, the best legal blog on the planet.

And if you've still got the time and interest in the Ricci case, you can check out today's reaction from the worst legal reporter in America.

Cline on Sanford

2009-06-25T11:42:00.002-04:00

UL editorial guru Andrew Cline has a new piece in the American Spectator on the political suicide of Mark Sanford. Read the whole thing, but I had to clip this paragraph:

Beautiful women can impair men's reasoning faculties. If that was the case here, Sanford's mistress must be the most beautiful woman on earth because she turned his brain into grits.

Sanford exits Zipped Pants Caucus

2009-06-24T14:51:00.001-04:00

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is the latest politician who can't keep it in his freaking pants!

We Are All Iranians Now

2009-06-20T22:38:00.005-04:00

The future is on the brink right now in Iran. The next few hours may decide whether an oppressive regime hangs onto power or crumbles under the force of freedom. There is little we can from here, but perhaps we can make it just that much easier for Iranian bloggers to remain free from the state security services.

Join Operation Haystack, change your Twitter settings to Tehran, and provide some cover for those telling the world about what's going on in Iran right now.

After 9/11, the world reached out to America. Tonight, my prayers are with the Iranian people. We are all Iranians now.

Help the Iranian People

2009-06-20T12:15:00.008-04:00

Two small ways to help Iranians risking their lives for more freedom, one useful and one symbolic.

1) Change your Twitter location to Tehran, and your time to GMT +3:30. The State Security Services are searching Twitter to find protesting bloggers. Adding more hay to the haystack will make it harder for them to find the needles.

2) Change your Twitter and Facebook pictures to make them green in solidarity with the protesters.

It's remarkable how useful new media, and especially Twitter, has been in not only letting the world know what's going on inside Iran, but also helping protesters communicate with each other. I know people like to mock Twitter as just bloggers telling each other what they're eating, but any tool that makes it easier for people to communicate makes for a better world.

NY Times Reporter Escapes Taliban

2009-06-20T12:15:00.001-04:00

Nice.

Predicting Obama's Reaction to Iran

2009-06-17T15:29:00.003-04:00

Last summer, we got a glimpse into Barack Obama's likely response to a foreign policy crisis when he failed miserably to adequately respond to Russia's invasion of Georgia:

Moral relativism, appeasement in the face of aggression, and failed foreign policy: Barack Obama- Change You Can Believe In!

Powerline charts the Obama's weak response to tyranny on public display in Iran:

President Obama has figured out that "something has happened in Iran." Unfortunately, his take on what that "something" is suggests that he is uncaring, clueless, or both:

"I do believe that something has happened in Iran where there is a questioning of the kinds of antagonistic postures towards the international community that have taken place in the past."

In other words, the mass demonstrations aren't about the quest for freedom, they are about being more respectful towards "the international community."

The Zipped Pants Caucus

2009-06-17T11:10:00.003-04:00

More details are coming out about Sen. John Ensign's admitted affair with a campagn worker.

Political insiders in Nevada and in the Senate said that Ensign decided to acknowledge the affair publicly after the husband of the woman he had been seeing asked him for a substantial sum of money.

Ensign described the affair Tuesday as “the worst thing I have ever done in my life.”

“If there was ever anything in my life that I could take back, this would be it. I take full responsibility for my actions,” he said.

As the details come out, it shows that Ensign did the absolutely right thing by making this public. That is the proper response to blackmail.

Given the pressures of being a U.S. Senator, and the fact that he and his wife were estranged at the time of the affair, and that Ensign told his wife about the affair and ended it when they got back together....I still don't care.

You're a United State Senator. Until yesterday, you had aspirations to run for President. Keep it in your freaking pants!

Setting a Higher Standard

2009-06-16T18:20:00.004-04:00

Seriously! I mean, c'mon. I like John Ensign a lot. He was a great member of the Commerce Committee when I was working there, generally standing up for the right ideas. So was David Vitter.

But keep it in your freaking pants!

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) has acknowledged an extramarital affair with a campaign staffer in a statement released by his office. "I deeply regret and am very sorry for my actions," said Ensign. He is expected to announce the affair at a press conference at 6:30 pm tonight. The affair, which was with a woman who worked for both Ensign's re-election campaign and his Battle Born leadership political action committee, began in December 2007 and ended in August 2008. Ensign's wife, Darlene, said that the couple's "marriage has become stronger" and added: "I love my husband."

The link between sex and power is hardly a partisan phenomenon. How about we start a Third Party based on a platform of not being a cheating scumbag. We'll call it the Zipped Pants Caucus. It's a low threshold, but I think voters might prefer politicians who underpromise and overdeliver.

Rob Huxley at Hillsborough GOP Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T22:49:00.003-04:00

Rob Huxley addresses the Hillsborough County Republican Committee's Flag Day Picnic:

Andrew Hemingway at Hillsborough GOP Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T22:19:00.003-04:00

Andrew Hemingway addresses the Hillsborough County Republican Committee's Flag Day Picnic:

Robert Bestani at Hillsborough GOP Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T22:15:00.002-04:00

Robert Bestani addresses the Hillsborough County Republican Committee's Flag Day Picnic:

Ovide Lamontagne at Hillsborough County Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T22:00:00.002-04:00

Ovide Lamontagne addresses the Hillsborough County Republican Committee's Flag Day Picnic:

Fred Tausch at Hillsborough County Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T21:30:00.002-04:00

Fred Tausch, founder of STEWARD of Prosperity, addresses the Hillsborough County Republican Committee's Flag Day Picnic:

Jennifer Horn at Hillsborough County Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T21:29:00.003-04:00

Jennifer Horn addresses the Hillsborough County Republican Committee's Flag Day Picnic:

Charlie Bass at Hillsborough County GOP Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T21:02:00.001-04:00

Former Republican Congressman Charlie Bass addresses the Hillsborough County GOP's Flag Day Picnic:

Frank Guinta at Hillsborough GOP Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T20:39:00.001-04:00

Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta addresses the Hillsborough County Republican Committee's Flag Day Picnic:

Bob Giuda announces run for Congress

2009-06-14T20:00:00.002-04:00

Republican Bob Giuda announces his Exploratory Committee for Congress in New Hampshire's Second District at the Hillsborough County GOP Flag Day Picnic:

Grant Bosse at Hillsborough GOP Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T19:49:00.001-04:00

Grant Bosse on the meaning of Flag Day:

Steve Stepanek at the Hillsborough GOP Flag Day Picnic

2009-06-14T19:45:00.000-04:00

Chairman Steve Stepanek welcomes the crowd at the Hillsborough County Republican Committee Flag Day Picnic:

A Rainy Flag Day in Greenfield

2009-06-14T12:22:00.003-04:00

I'm MCing today's Flag Day Picnic for the Hillsborough County Republican Committee. Luckily, we're indoors at the Barbara C. Harris camp in Greenfield.

Scheduled speakers include:
Congressman Charlie Bass
Ovide Lamontagnge
Jennifer Horn
Mayor Frank Guinta
Fred Tausch
Bill Martel
and several potential Congressional candidates.

We'll post the video as soon as we can.

Another good rule

2009-06-13T10:51:00.002-04:00

I live my life by a few simple rules. Among them is this:

Never own a dog that can be blown away by a gust of wind.

WaPo- Security Guard Killed at U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

2009-06-10T16:46:00.002-04:00

The Washington Post reports that the guard shot at the Holocaust Museum this morning has died.

A gunman armed with a rifle walked into the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in downtown Washington today and fatally wounded a security guard before being shot and seriously wounded by two guards, authorities said.

I've been to the Holocaust Museum just once. It was a powerful and emotionally draining experience. It was like watching Schindler's List or United 93, only much more intense. You're reminded not only of man's capacity for evil, but also our ability to withstand that evil and rise above it. James Lileks has the most insightful comment I've yet heard:

The fact that the Holocaust Museum has several armed guards tells you why we need a Holocaust Museum.

This murder by a man now identified as a white supremicists and anti-semite is an act of terrorism. He used violence and fear for political ends.

The Union Leader reports that this lunatic once lived in Lebanon, and tried to take hostages at the Federal Reserve in 1981.

We don't yet know the murdered guard's name, and we may never know many lives he saved today. My prayers are for his family, and his colleagues who will put their lives at risk again the next time they go to work.

This murder comes ten days after Dr. George Tiller was killed because he performed controversial abortions. I hope these two crimes do not mark a trend. Violence and murder are not legitimate political tools. It's especially grotesque to see such violence at the Holocaust Museum, where we mark on the largest uses of murder as a political weapon in our history.

Today and forever, let us "confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity, and strengthen democracy."

PJ O'Rourke on Daily Show

2009-06-08T07:25:00.001-04:00

I live my life by a few simple rules, among which are these:

*Wait until the whistle to leave or go back to your seat at a hockey game

*Always use fresh cracked black pepper whenever possible

*Whenever a New Hampshire writer goes on a nationally televised cable comedy show to promote his new book, embed the video:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

P.J. O'Rourke

thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Economic Crisis

Joe McCarthy's Legacy

2009-06-07T08:48:00.000-04:00

The most long-lasting legacy of the McCarthy Era wasn't the damage done to those who were unfairly tarnished as Communists. It was that Joe McCarthy's self-serving, thuggish, and bombastic attacks on imaginary Communist spies made our federal government much safer for the actual Communist spies:

A former U.S. State Department official and his wife have been arrested for spying for the Cuban government for nearly 30 years, the Justice Department said on Friday.

Walter Kendall Myers, 72, aided by his wife Gwendolyn Myers, 71, used his Top Secret security clearance to pass on classified information to the Cuban government and at one point met with Cuban leader Fidel Castro, according to court documents.

The two were charged with conspiracy to act as illegal agents of the Cuban government and to communicate classified information to Cuba, the Justice Department said. They were also charged with wire fraud and acting as illegal agents.

Mr. and Mrs. Myers weren't recruited by Castro's regime until the 70's, well after Joe McCarthy left this world. But his buffonery made it hard to credibily run effective counter-intelligence for decades.

Blue Hampshire: When does "New Media" cross into "major nuisance"?

2009-06-06T09:17:00.005-04:00

Over at BlueHampshire, Zandra Rice Hawkins debates herself as to whether independent journalists working for think-tanks should be allowed access to state government:

As someone with an organization that routinely films political activity in the state for the benefit of our members, I try to gain access wherever I can. But I don't purport that I'm speaking for new media advocates when I'm asked to move to the gallery. Instead, I'd rather leave that space and make the case for new media that's reporting for general public interest rather than an organizational view.

Obviously, we disagree with Rice Hawkin's line in the sand. We would prefer to be judged by the quality our of work at the Josiah Bartlett Center and at NH Watchdog. At a time when traditional media organizations are cutting back on State House coverage, we are stepping in to fill the gap. The First Amendment has no requirement that the press have no opinions. We prefer to let people know that we are in favor of free markets and smaller government, and let our coverage speak for itself.

D Day Y+65

2009-06-06T06:30:00.001-04:00

UPDATE- Nice post by Paul Twomey over at BlueHampshire.

On June 6, 1944 at 6:30 am British Double Summer Time, the Allies launched the largest invasion in military history, breaching Hitler's Fortress Europe on the beaches of Normandy. Though a careful study of history would reveal socio-economic trends suggesting Germany would inevitably lose the war by this time, the cost of victory in Europe and the shape of the post World War II world were far from certain. Germany had lost the war by the summer of 1944, but the Allies still had to win it.

Without surprise, coordination, and above all, the sheer will of the American, British, and Canadian landing forces to hold and advance from five narrow beachheads into the teeth of Wehrmacht, Germany may have delayed the Allied advance on Berlin by months or years. The potential direct cost of this delay in incaluable. The costs of Soviet troops occupying all of Germany and beyond would surely still be felt to this day.

President Obama, French President Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown are marking the anniversary in several historic locations today. It's a shame that Queen Elizabeth, the only living Head of State who served in WWII, hasn't been invited. Her generation faced a challenge that drawfs even the military and economic problems we have before us today. The Queen's presence would have served as a reminder of Britain's resolve in the face of evil, and guided us as we continue to fight for freedom for all mankind.

Remembering the Battle of Midway

2009-06-05T08:27:00.007-04:00

I've got a post over at NH Watchdog going up tomorrow about the 60th anniversary of D-Day, but a similarly critical battle took place in the Pacific 67 years ago today. Powerline remembers.

Midway marked the eastern edge of Japanese naval expansion. Just six months after Pearl Harbor, Japan has pushed the U.S. Navy out of the Solomons and was threatening to acquire land bases within range of Hawaii and the American mainland.

The U.S. Navy, relying on intelligence gathered from broken Japanese codes, decided to take a stand at Midway. Using the airstrip on the tiny atoll, his last three carriers in the Pacific, and aging aircraft that were outclassed by their Japanese counterparts, Admiral Chester Nimitz gambled that his forces would be able to spot and attack the Japanese fleet first. He was right. U.S. planes sunk all four large carriers in the Japanese battle group. Japanese planes finally sunk the U.S.S. Yorktown, after mistakenly thinking they had sent the flattop to the bottom twice before. I highly recommend Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully's Shattered Sword, a compelling account of the battle, using primary sources from both the U.S. and Imperial navies.

The amount of skill, courage, and blind luck that took place over a vast stretch of ocean that day is astounding. I've had the opportunity to visit Midway, which is now a research station. The naval base was abandoned years ago, and the massive airplane hangers have been left to decay. But you can still see the bomb damage that they took on June 5, 1942. It's hard to convey the odd feelings of standing on that ground, knowing that this is where the tide turned in the War in the Pacific.

Though less significant in the overall course of the war, Japan also launched a diversionary attack on the Aleutian Islands in Alaska as part of the Midway campaign. Japan's decision to split its superior forces was a key to American victory in the battle. I've also had the chance to visit Kodiak Island, where my grandfather was stationed during the Aleutian campaign. This marked the only time a foreign army occupied American soil in the 20th Century. Brian Garfield's The Thousand-Mile War tells that story.

We need to remember our history. The events of June 5, 1942 were as pivotal to the future of the Pacific Rim as the events of June 6, 1944 were to Europe.

Kicked Out of NH Senate

2009-06-03T19:46:00.001-04:00

"I would not join any club that would have someone like me for a member." - Groucho Marx.

I found out today that the opposite is also true. I never really wanted to be on the floor of the New Hampshire Senate until they kicked me out.

Senate Budget Could Kick NH Kids Out of School

2009-06-02T06:43:00.001-04:00

Over at NH Watchdog, a new report on Charter Schools in the New Hampshire Budget.

Grant Bosse screwing up search engines

2009-06-01T22:56:00.001-04:00

Somebody looking for "College Grants" will be sorely disappointed.
http://www.grantmoneydirect.com/college-grants/grant-bosse-at-nh-college-republican-convention

Kevin Niparko is making sense: Never Collis

2009-06-01T10:39:00.004-04:00

During my junior year, Dartmouth college shut down the Collis student center for a major rehab. They reopened the building halfway through my senior year, and gave the campus a pool hall, a larger and more accessible function room, and a decent on campus pub. But the food at Collis Common Ground was as inedible as it was when I first arrived on campus. Hippie food.

The today's edition of The Dartmouth, Kevin Niparko '11 writes that not much as changed over the past 15 years:

I’ve had this Collis debate with so many people (females), I decided I would do myself (and all men on this campus) a favor and explain why Collis Cafe is not an attractive option for anything but breakfast (and maybe a midnight snack). I’m always dumbfounded when I walk into Collis and see the hordes of Collis-extremists fighting over the last piece of orange poppy seed tea bread, or chewing balsamic vinegar-soaked lettuce like Peter Rabbit. Have our collective campus taste buds really become so dysfunctional that we willingly resign ourselves to Collis’ flavorless foods?
For lunch, our Collis options are made-to-order sandwiches, stir-fry and salad. The sandwich selection at Collis is insultingly limited. It ranks last among our College’s sandwich stations, with “specialty” bread straight from the supermarket that you can’t even get toasted. As for stir-fries, every time I get one, I’m reminded of week-old Chinese food. The chicken is Blimpie quality, and the rice it’s served on is bland and overcooked.

Hey, hippies have the eat, too. I think. I've never really paid that much attention. And I'm glad that Collis is part of the campus dining mix. But Mr. Diparko explains very well why me, and I, would prefer to meet somewhere else for lunch.

Jennifer Granholm flunks history

2009-05-28T23:06:00.004-04:00

The Governor of Michigan thinks that her state built the B-1 Bombers that won WWII.

As the Arsenal of Democracy during World War II, Michigan was called upon in a time of crisis to transition our auto manufacturing base to tanks and B-1 bombers.

The B-1 Bomber took its first flight in 1974, which was a little late to have much effect of the Luftwaffe. To be fair, Michigan did build the nuclear submarines that defeated the Royal Navy in 1912, and the X-Wing fighters that flew air support over Grenada. That's what you get for going to Berkeley and Harvard Law.

PS- Of course, this was just a slip of the keyboard by whichever staffer ghost-wrote her piece (badly) on the Huffington Post. Such errors are only signs of low intelligence when committed by Republicans.

Hattip: American Princess

Grim Ferry Tales

2009-05-28T11:55:00.003-04:00

Our friend Scott St. Clair has been doing great work at the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, investigating waste and mismanagement on the taxpayer-subsidized ferry system.

One page reads: "Ferry Tales: A tragicomedy about failure, folly, and
foolishness at Washington State Ferries."
Volunteers have been handing out the pamphlets to passengers waiting in line at ferry docks.
Scott St. Clair, who did the research that went into "Grim Ferry Tales," says the goal is pull back the curtain and give people a glimpse of how their tax dollars are being
used and misused at W.S.F.
"We wanted to take a look at some of the issues inside the ferry system," he said.
The pamphlet hammers WSF for letting unions control what hours ferries and the ferry repair shop operate. It also goes after the ferry system for not building the boats that were promised after a gas tax hike six years ago.

What's happening at NH Watchdog?

2009-05-27T15:25:00.002-04:00

Lots of good stuff at NH Watchdog:

Fosters rails against raising the gas tax.

PJ O'Rourke documents our slide into a banana republic.

Charlie Arlinghaus wants to make us more like Canada.

An Ohio Police Chief tries to blackmail voters into higher taxes.

China warns the Federal Reserve about printing too much money.

Sonia Sotomayor getting Nomination

2009-05-26T09:43:00.003-04:00

Wow, got one right. President Obama will nominate New York appeals court judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Liberals are thrilled that Obama will nominate a woman and a Hispanic, which seem like really trivial reasons to anyone who believes people should be judged "not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

Opposition will likely center around a recent piece in the New Republic by Jeffrey Rosen questioning Sotomayor's legal temperment:

The most consistent concern was that Sotomayor, although an able lawyer, was "not that smart and kind of a bully on the bench," as one former Second Circuit clerk for another judge put it. "She has an inflated opinion of herself, and is domineering during oral arguments, but her questions aren't penetrating and don't get to the heart of the issue."

Conservatives will point to a video where Sotomayor says that appeals courts are where policy is made as proof that she's an activist judge:

To be fair, she doesn't seem to say that policy should be made at the appeals court; only that it does.

I'd be more concerned about her tendency towards judicial errors. Three times, she has been reversed by the Supreme Court, not for some disagreement over proper interpretation of the Constitution, but for legal slopiness. She has repeatedly failed to correctly apply the law. That's not a good trait on a Court that deals with complicated technical issues of the law more often than with the controversial big-ticket items like the death penalty, abortion, and gun control.

Barring any unpaid taxes or similar scandals that seem to attract Obama nominees, Sototmayor will be confirmed. I hope for a vigorous and healthy Senate debate. Given the makeup of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I'm not holding my breath.

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T11:12:00.001-04:00

I've been lucky enough that both my grandfathers made it back from WWII, and my father came home from Vietnam. Today, we remember those who didn't make it back; who gave their lives to defend our freedom.

Frank Guinta Interview

2009-05-23T13:22:00.001-04:00

RedHampshire has posted an extensive interview with Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta, who has announced his candidacy for New Hampshire's First District.

Honoring New Hampshire's Veterans

2009-05-23T10:28:00.002-04:00

Over a NHWatchdog, I've posted a graph showing when all of the estimated 122,000 veterans in New Hampshire served.

NH Veterans by Date of Service
NH Veterans by Date of Service Grant Bosse This graph shows the number of New Hampshire veterans and when they served. It was prepared by the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy Lead Investigator Grant Bosse, and released on Memorial Day, May 25, 2009.

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Humanities Research grant bosse New Hampshire

Why Journalists Deserve Low Pay

2009-05-22T00:14:00.001-04:00

HEH!

Mandating Paid Vacation

2009-05-21T15:30:00.001-04:00

Over at NH Watchdog- Mandating Paid Vacation.

First post in forever

2009-05-20T23:53:00.002-04:00

I know. I've been giving all the blog love to NH Watchdog, your best source for coverage of the New Hampshire budget, but I felt it was time to get things going again over here at the personal blog.

In case you missed it, here's my story on Tom Thomson taking over as Honorary Chairman of Americans for Prosperity NH at RedHampshire, and an article in Foster's about the possible impact on local school districts if the Senate cuts Building Aid.

Rising Republican Stars

2008-12-30T11:11:00.002-05:00

Thanks to folks at PolickerNH.com, who had some nice things to say about me this morning:

Grant Bosse: Bosse might have finished fourth in a four-way Republican primary in the 2nd Congressional District, but Bosse redeemed himself by skillfully managing Bill Denley's State Senate campaign. In addition, Bosse's work with the Josiah Bartlett Center will serve as talking points for Republican legislators.

They'll be doing their year-end lists all week, and started with the Top Ten (actually 11) Rising Republican Stars, and I appreciate the mention. It's a great list, and shows that the GOP has a lot of talent on tap. You can read the entire list here.

The Future of the NH GOP

2008-12-28T12:06:00.004-05:00

Former Governor John Sununu and State Republican Chairman Fergus Cullen joined Sean McDonald this morning on WMUR's Close-Up to discuss the future of the New Hampshire Republican Party:

Part I:

Part II:

Part III:

Part IV:

Yes, Virginia...

2008-12-24T09:56:00.001-05:00

The Union Leader publishes my favorite column of the year:

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following editorial, among the most famous ever written, appeared in The New York Sun in 1897 and remains appropriate for this Christmas season 111 years later.

We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor: I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun it's so." Please tell me the truth: Is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon.

115 West Ninety-Fifth Street

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except (what) they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal life with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world, which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

President Bush and the Horrible, Awful, Really Bad Idea

2008-12-19T13:46:00.003-05:00

Awful, awful, awful decision:

The White House announced a $17.4 billion rescue package for the troubled Detroit auto makers that allows them to avoid bankruptcy and leaves many of the big decisions for the incoming Obama administration.
Speaking from the White House, President George W. Bush said the administration decided against forcing a bankruptcy to compel cost-cutting, in order to avoid the risk that consumers would desert one or more of the companies and touch off an industry collapse, deepening the current economic downturn.

Good for Ford for passing up the cash with strings attached, and good for Senator Gregg:

"The Administration's decision to use funds from TARP as a bridge loan to the auto companies to stave off bankruptcy is inconsistent with the purposes of TARP. These funds were not authorized by Congress for non-financial companies in distress, but were to be used to restore liquidity and stability in the overall financial system of the country and to help prevent fundamental systemic risks in the global marketplace."

Heeere's Reggie! Cap and Trade comes to New Hampshire

2008-12-19T12:11:00.002-05:00

New Hampshire has netted $4 million by selling the right to emit carbon dioxide. Read all about it over at NHWatchdog.

Also, here is a great resource for all of your questions about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Making a bad idea worse

2008-12-09T09:07:00.002-05:00

Bailing out automakers for their bad decisions in a bad idea. Putting the federal government in charge of them is even worse.

Congressional Democrats and the White House worked to resolve their last disputes Monday over terms of a $15 billion bailout for U.S. auto makers - complete with a "car czar" to oversee the industry's reinvention of itself - that's expected to come to a vote as early as Wednesday.

Cullen Stepping Down; Sununu Stepping Up

2008-12-08T08:41:00.002-05:00

New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Fergus Cullen will not be seeking a second term following Governor John H. Sununu's decision to seek the post. Fergus is a friend of mine going back to high school, and I'm a fan.

The Party Chair is a truly thankless job. The State Party has never won an election, and gets the blame for every loss. In New Hampshire, it's a volunteer position. Fergus worked hard in an awful year for the GOP. He could have done better, and could have done worse. I want to thank him for her service to the party, and hope he stays involved.

Right to Carry in National Parks

2008-12-08T08:37:00.002-05:00

This seems like good news.

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), through the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has announced the final amended version of its changes to rules on carrying of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. DOI’s move will restore the rights of law-abiding gun owners who wish to transport and carry firearms for lawful purposes on most DOI lands, and will make federal law consistent with the state law in which these public lands are located. NRA led the effort to amend the existing policy regarding the carrying and transportation of firearms on these federal lands.

I spoke extensively about the right to carry in National Parks on the campaign trail, and am glad that this right has been restored. Let's hope the Obama Administration decides not to go to the trouble of reversing this sensible and overdue decisions.

Organization Day in the NH

2008-12-03T15:06:00.002-05:00

The House and Senate met today to take their oaths, and elect officers.

Check out all the day's events at NHWatchdog, including a brief profile of 17-term Secretary of State Bill Gardner.

Budget Cuts and Gas Tax Increases

2008-11-25T08:21:00.002-05:00

This morning at NH Watchdog:

How deep are the Governor's proposed budget cuts, and should New Hampshire tap the Rainy Day Fund?

Will New Hampshire will increase its gas tax?

Should the Executive Council give up its oversight over low-dollar state contracts?

GrokCast

2008-11-24T10:59:00.001-05:00

Here's the podcast from my Saturday appearance on Meet the New Press with Doug and Skip from Granite Grok.

On the air

2008-11-22T07:26:00.002-05:00

I'm in studio with Doug and Skip on Meet the New Press this morning at 9am.

We were pleased both for our friend Grant, who we enthusiastically endorsed in the NH 2nd CD Republican primary, and for the Josiah Bartlett Center, an excellent Granite State public policy think tank. Grant will join us in the studio to discuss his new position, Governor Lynch's budget cuts in Concord (yep-- they all made fun of Joe Kenney for his cell phone usage reduction to save $$ and, guess what?!) and proposed budget requests for next year. What's a couple billion dollars more among friends?

Deal With It

2008-11-21T18:38:00.003-05:00

Sarah Palin doe the whole pardon-a-turkey thing.
TV cameras interview her.
Turkeys are killed.
HuffPo freaks.

After the pardon Palin proceeded to do an interview with a local TV station while the turkeys were being SLAUGHTERED in the background!! Seemingly oblivious to the gruesomeness going on over her shoulder, she carries on talking for over three minutes.

Ann Althouse has the only proper response.

Deal with it, you candy-asses. If you eat meat, something like that is going on in the background for you too.

Oh well, I guess this is what's going to make news while we wait for the 3rd Clinton Inaugural in January. Enjoy your tasty, no-longer alive, turkey next week.

TWO BILLION DOLLARS

2008-11-21T14:16:00.001-05:00

I feel like Doctor Evil. The annual kabuke theater of state agency budget requests kicked off this afternoon, and by the end of the biennium, our bureaucrats are asking for over $2 trillion a year in General Fund spending. That would be a record.

Thanks Wally

2008-11-21T09:42:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the folks at PolitickerNH, who seem to think I'm a good fit at the Bartlett Center.

Winners and Losers
Winners
Grant Bosse

Policy wonk lands on his feet at the Bartlett Center. About as good of a fit as you could dream up.

Of course, I was on their Winners List a lot during the Primary, and we all saw where that got me.

Budget Cuts

2008-11-21T09:39:00.003-05:00

Governor Lynch is proposing roughly $56 million in budget cuts to the Fiscal Committee.

I'll be covering the hearing at NHWatchdog.

Lynch proposing limited cuts to budget

2008-11-20T08:54:00.001-05:00

Read about the Governor's proposed budget cuts at my new blog, NH Watchdog.

Sununu Against Auto Bailout

2008-11-20T08:48:00.003-05:00

In the morning's Union Leader, our outgoing Senator nails why the currently proposed bailout in an awful idea:

It is simply not the role or the responsibility of government to provide subsidies, support or special benefits to specific businesses. Using government funds for such purposes is unfair to taxpayers, especially those working for businesses that are left out. Instead, the government's role should be to create the best possible environment for investment, job creation and economic growth, and then to let businesses compete for customers on a level playing field.
Government subsidies for the auto manufacturers or any other business also create a moral hazard -- the significant risk that bad behavior and investments will only be encouraged in the future. We have seen the very real implications of moral hazard in the spectacular failures of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Senator Sununu's support of the Wall Street bailout package was both bad policy and bad politics, though not enough to have changed the outcome of his race. Glad to see he's making such a clear case against this latest incarnation.

Where was this in October?

2008-11-19T12:00:00.003-05:00

Okay, the toxic atmosphere of the Bush Presidency probably wasn't going to allow a Republican victory in 2008, but jumping feet first into socialism certainly didn't help. Today, Mitt Romney finds the message that the GOP should have adopted at the beginning of the Wall Street Meltdown:

IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.
Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself. With it, the automakers will stay the course — the suicidal course of declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens, technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses. Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check.

This is the New York Times, which may require a password to access.

Forget next election, worry about now

2008-11-19T09:14:00.001-05:00

In this morning's Union Leader, Charlie Arlinghaus reminds us that there's something between the last election and the next one, governing:

In New Hampshire, we face a significant budget crisis, perhaps the greatest in recent history. Partisans on all sides will be tempted to look ahead to the next election. They need to avoid that temptation and follow Gov. Palin's advice to focus on the task at hand, the job they were elected to do.
In doing that job, they can focus on principle or abandon principle in search of some mythic consensus or middle ground. Lamar Alexander suggests action based on principle.
Voters elect people to represent them. We expect each to do the right thing, to adopt policies he or she believes will be effective and to accomplish something. Sometimes a policy choice might achieve consensus or something close to it. However, consensus is necessarily rare. If it weren't, it would be because there were no policy differences and elections wouldn't matter.

Out in Alaska

2008-11-19T08:44:00.003-05:00

Ted Stevens will not be returning to the U.S. Senate. He lost his re-election bid to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. I don't know Begich at all, but I do know Stevens, and it was past time for him to go.

Ted Stevens has led an amazing life, including distinguished service in WWII, as a U.S. attorney, and possibly the man most responsible for Alaska's statehood. He is the longest serving Republican in Senate history, and it was past time for his to go.

Pork-barrel politics is toxic to American democracy. Politically, it is especially poisonous to Republicans. Stevens was a staunch defender of earmarking, believing it was his responsibility to bring back federal money to his constituents. His recent conviction on seven counts of failing to disclose gifts was marred by prosecutorial misconduct, and will likely be overturned on appeal. But Stevens' casual comfort exchanging favors with those lobbying his Senate Committee was disturbing enough, even if it were legal.

As a Republican, I'm not thrilled that the Senate will have someone who by all appearances will be nothing more than another rubber-stamp for Majority Leader Harry Reid. But I also see an opportunity to bring the Republican Party back to its core values. Tom Delay destroyed the Republican Caucus in the House, and he's gone. Ted Stevens was the King of Pork, and he's leaving. The GOP needs new leadership in Washington to end earmarking, hold the Democrats accountable for their shady tactics and failed policies, and present an agenda of smaller, more responsible government to the American people.

I'm sad today for Ted Stevens. He has served his country and his state for longer than most of us have been alive. But his way of doing things was long past over, and I'm not sad to see him go.

Politics, taxes, and gambling

2008-11-17T13:18:00.002-05:00

Some more of this morning's guests from WGIR Morning News.

James Pindell of PolitickerNH.com on Republican leadership in the House and Senate.

Mike Biundo of the NH Advantage Coalition on the Manchester Tax Cap.

Lauren Dorgan of the Concord Monitor on whether this is the year for casino gambling in New Hampshire.

Jim Rubens and Lou D'Allesandro on the pros and cons of slot machines.

Michael Yon live from Kuwait

2008-11-17T10:18:00.003-05:00

Michael Yon called in from Kuwait to discuss his ongoing efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Good news in Iraq; sobering news from Afghanistan. Listen to the entire interview at WGIRam.com.

Pick up the best book I've read all year at Amazon.com.

And check out Michael's latest dispatched at PajamasMedia.com.

On the Air

2008-11-17T05:59:00.002-05:00

I'm filling in again for Charlie Sherman on WGIR this morning.
Scheduled to appear:
6am
Michael Yon, live from Iraq.

7am
James Pindell of PolitickerNH.com
Monarchs Coach Mark Morris

8am
Mike Biundo of the NH Advantage Coalition

8:30am
We'll talk about gambling in New Hampshire, based on a story in yesterday's Concord Monitor:
Lauren Dorgan of the Concord Monitor
Jim Rubens from the NH Coalition Against Expanded Gambling
Senator Lou D'Allesandro, a strong supporter of slot machines at NH tracks.

Call in at (603) 645-6161 or tune in live at wgiram.com

Gambling in NH?

2008-11-16T10:16:00.002-05:00

As legislators scramble to fix the budget mess they created, they might turn to expanded gambling to generate free money. Lauren Dorgan takes an extensive look at the chances of slot machines coming to New Hampshire next year in this morning's Concord Monitor:

The pro-gambling case has made inroads in the House and Senate over the past year. Last spring, a slot machine bill narrowly failed in the Senate; this fall, the House Ways and Means Committee voted 9-8 to recommend a bill to expand gambling. That's a tremendous change, said Jim Demers, a lobbyist who represents Millennium Gaming, the Las Vegas-based company that wants to install slot machines at Salem's Rockingham Park, a horse and dog racetrack.
"I think the actions of the House Ways and Means Committee, which is not considered an extremely pro-gambling committee, speaks volumes to the concerns legislators have as to how to deal with the budgetary process," Demers said.

We'll talk to Lauren tomorrow morning on the WGIR Morning News, where I'll be filling in for Charlie Sherman.

No Recount in District 3

2008-11-15T13:04:00.002-05:00

Judge Bud Martin has withdrawn his recount request in District 3. Bill Denley is the Senator-Elect.

Congratulations, Senator Denley.

Speaking Out: Four Years Later

2008-11-15T12:54:00.003-05:00

After four years without leadership, someone is finally starting to hold John Lynch accountable for his popular but directionless reign as Governor :

John Lynch is "the worst governor the state has ever had," former Gov. John H. Sununu told members of the Seacoast Federated Republican Women meeting yesterday in Portsmouth.
Later, explaining his opinion to a reporter, Sununu cited a $250 million state budget deficit; what he called the erosion of family values in the last legislative session; and Lynch's failure to persuade lawmakers from his own party to vote for his constitutional amendment on education.
"A deficit that size is huge and makes it impossible to do anything else worthwhile," Sununu said. "The deficit and the education issue are the two biggest issues in New Hampshire."

Lynch has never shown real leadership, has repeatedly been streamrolled by the extreme spenders in his own party, and has consistantly avoided making any decision that might risk his own popularity. I'm glad Governor Sununu is addressing New Hampshire's mounting financial trainwreck head-on, and John Lynch is driving the train.

Best of WGIR

2008-11-14T10:25:00.002-05:00

Here are some of the best interviews from my three-day stint filling in for Charlie Sherman on the WGIR Morning News.

Doug and Skip of Granite Grok.

Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta

House Speaker Terie Norelli

Bond. And more Bond. Maybe I'll post a review of Quantum of Solace.

Jim Merrill, who wants to draft John Sununu for the RNC.

Newly elected Senate Minority Leader Peter Bragdon.

Back on the air Monday morning at 6am, with Michael Yon.

Victory is Mine!

2008-11-14T09:58:00.003-05:00

Getting results in Manchester!

Yesterday was James Bond Day in Manchester. Thank you, Mayor Guinta.

UPDATE: Roger Ebert isn't thrilled. His review seems to long for the days of Roger Moore and underwater cars. Yikes!

Back to blogging

2008-11-14T09:52:00.003-05:00

Okay, sorry about that whole two month absence.

I promised to keep blogging after the Primary, but as I was helping Bill Denley win a State Senate seat in Wolfeboro, I was a little busy.

Plus, I didn't want anything stupid I said to hurt his chances. Needless to say, I'm thrilled that Bill held off Bud Martin in District 3. Judge Martin seems like a good guy, and I certainly salute his service to New Hampshire for 30 years on the bench.

But he has no modesty at all about the role of government. At one debate, he actually gave a closing statement saying how he "wants to take care of you." Yikes!
Bill Denley is an experienced businessman, a distinguished veteran, a former school board member and State Rep. Now, he'll be an outstanding Senator.

So, I'll be back to posting. I welcome your comments and emails.

Grant

Burning Down the House

2008-10-02T15:26:00.002-04:00

I hadn't planned to post this video, as I'd seen it on a lot of other sites. They I learned that Time Warner and YouTube pulled the video. I guess the Democrats don't want people to learn from history. See for yourself:

Fanning the Flames at Fannie

2008-09-22T15:41:00.002-04:00

Gee, let's help people buy homes. What a great idea:

In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.

The action, which will begin as a pilot program involving 24 banks in 15 markets -- including the New York metropolitan region -- will encourage those banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Fannie Mae officials say they hope to make it a nationwide program by next spring.

However, this might not work out well:

In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.

This is from the New York Times, in 1999.

John Sununu has been warning that mismanagement and social engineering at Fannie Mae could have disastrous results on the American economy. John Sununu was right.

On the Air

2008-09-15T07:08:00.002-04:00

I'm guest hosting this week on WNTK's "Wake Up New Hampshire" from 6:00am to 9:00 Monday through Thursday. You can listen online at WNTK.com.

Stay Classy, San Diego

2008-09-13T08:37:00.002-04:00

Barack Obama, continuing his campaign's spiral, is now mocking John McCain for not being able to send email. This is of course a not-so-subtle slap at McCain's age, but the real reason why McCain can't send email is that the Viet Cong limited his ability to type on a keyboard:

Yep. The day after 9/11, as part of its "get tough" makeover, the Obama campaign is mocking John McCain for not using a computer, without caring why he doesn't use a computer. From the AP story about the computer illiterate ad:

"Our economy wouldn't survive without the Internet, and cyber-security continues to represent one our most serious national security threats," [Obama spokesman Dan] Pfeiffer said. "It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."

Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by "extraordinary." The reason he doesn't send email is that he can't use a keyboard because of the relentless beatings he received from the Viet Cong in service to our country. From the Boston Globe (March 4, 2000):

McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain's severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain's encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He's an avid fan - Ted Williams is his hero - but he can't raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball.

In a similar vein I guess it's an outrage that the blind governor of New York David Paterson doesn't know how to drive a car. After all, transportation issues are pretty important. How dare he serve as governor while being ignorant of what it's like to navigate New York's highways.

Hattip: Powerline

Never Forget

2008-09-11T11:33:00.001-04:00

Seven years ago today.
Doug at Granite Grok posts a helpful reminder.

Palin Derangement Syndrome

2008-09-11T06:23:00.000-04:00

One of the odd similarities between Bill Clinton and George W. Bush is their ability to drive their opponents starking, raving mad. It appears that Sarah Palin is having a similar effect, not only on radical Code Pinkers, but on the core of the Democratic establishment and on Barack Obama himself.

Consider:

* Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen compares Obama to Jesus Christ, while mentioning that Pontius Pilate was a Governor.
* South Carolina Democratic Chairwoman Carol Fowler says that Governor Palin's "primary qualification seems to be that she hasn’t had an abortion."
* And Obama himself breaks out the "lipstick on a pig" line without either knowing or caring that it would be taken as an obvious personal slap at Governor Palin.

And that was just this week. Sarah Palin has simply sent them off the deep end. They can't get their heads around a young, conservative, female Governor who has connected so quickly and so well with the mood of the American people, and it's sent them around the bend. I hereby christen the phrase "Palin Derangement Syndrome" to describe anytime attacks on Governor Sarah Palin reveal that her attackers have lost the minds.

Thank you

2008-09-10T09:59:00.000-04:00

Thank you. It was an honor and a privilege to seek the Republican nomination in New Hampshire's Second Congressional District. Thank you to everyone who lent me their encouragement and support. Last night's results showed that we were simply not able to communicate our message of smaller government and personal responsibility to the voters of New Hampshire. I remain convinced that it is still the right message for the Republican Party, and I will work as hard as ever over the next eight weeks to help spread that message for John McCain, Sarah Palin, John Sununu, Joe Kenney, Jennifer Horn and our entire Republican ticket.

Throughout this campaign, I've insisted on providing the voters with real ideas on national security, border security, and economic security. I've provided 50 ways to cut the federal budget. And I've nearly driven my poor car into the ground criss-crossing New Hampshire from Pelham to Pittsburg. I've proud of our campaign, and glad for the chance to share my priorities for this nation with old friends and new.

Please join me at our Unity Breakfast Friday morning at 7:30 at the Yard in Manchester to support our Republican team. And please keep informed and involved over the next eight weeks as we work to secure New Hampshire's crucial four electoral votes for John McCain and Sarak Palin, re-elect Senator John Sununu, and replace the free-spending Democratic machine with our low-tax, low-spending Republican team.

Thank you and God Bless,
Grant Bosse

Polls are Open

2008-09-09T08:31:00.001-04:00

Get out and vote.
Please vote Bosse for Congress!

Bosse Keeps $30 Billion Promise

2008-09-08T12:47:00.000-04:00

Conservative Candidate Shows Unmatched Commitment to Cutting Spending

(Concord) Republican Congressional candidate Grant Bosse today completed his groundbreaking “50 Days, 50 Ways to Cut Federal Spending” Initiative, calling for the elimination of the Advanced Technology Program. Over the past 50 days, Bosse has proposed a cut in federal spending every day, showing a commitment to fiscal discipline unmatched by his rivals. Overall, Bosse has proposed over $30 billion in annual savings for taxpayers.

“In the Republican Primary, three candidates are asking voters to trust them to cut federal spending if they get elected. I’m the only candidate willing to tell voters where I would do it,” Bosse said. “If we want to rebuild the Taxpayer Majority upon which the Republican Party is based, we need to give voters more than empty promises.”

The Advanced Technology Program is a poster child for corporate welfare in Congress. It provides $139 million each year in taxpayer subsidies for companies to bring new products to market. After receiving federal money, these companies then profit from their new products, but do not refund taxpayers for their investment. Bosse has made such corporate giveaways a target of his “50 Days, 50 Ways” Initiative, along with pork-barrel projects and federal programs that can not show any results.

“Voters get to choose the direction of the Republican Party at the polls when they pick the candidate to take on Paul Hodes in November,” Bosse concluded. “We can stick with earmarks and empty promises, or we can make a real commitment to cutting federal spending. I’m the only candidate who can be trusted to cut spending in Washington.”

"50 Days, 50 Ways to Cut Federal Spending" proposed a grand total of $30,106,500,000 in taxpayer savings by eliminating unnecessary federal programs. Bosse's opponents combined to offer $0 in taxpayer savings. To learn more about Bosse’s aggressive grassroots campaign, go to www.Bosse2008.com.

Obama on Guns

2008-09-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

From the Wall Street Journal:

“If you’ve got a gun in your house, I’m not taking it,’’ Obama said. But the Illinois senator could still see skeptics in the crowd, particularly on the faces of several men at the back of the room.

So he tried again. “Even if I want to take them away, I don’t have the votes in Congress,’’ he said. “This can’t be the reason not to vote for me. Can everyone hear me in the back? I see a couple of sportsmen back there. I’m not going to take away your guns.’’

“Even if I want to take them away, I don’t have the votes in Congress,’’

Let's keep it that way.
Vote Bosse for Congress tomorrow!

From the Nashua Telegraph

2008-09-08T08:49:00.002-04:00

Reporter Al McKeon summarizes the Second District race in the Nashua Telegraph:

Far-reaching differences are rare, but memorable. For instance, the candidates have sparred over earmarks, the controversial process in which members of Congress secure spending for pet projects, usually in their home states.

Clegg said he doesn't oppose earmarks – differing from Bosse, Horn and Steiner – but rather, wants them approved through individual floor votes to ensure transparency. Horn, particularly, has used Clegg's remarks as a platform to stand out on government spending, saying he doesn't "understand the problem."

Meanwhile, Bosse has criticized Horn for saying she opposes all earmarks despite recently showing limited support for the process in a recent Concord Monitor interview. As a campaign theme, Bosse has told voters that if they expect money from earmarking, they shouldn't cast a ballot for him.

Bosse, a former environmental and energy policy aide for Sen. John Sununu, touts that he has the most detail-oriented plans for the 2nd District. For example, the 35-year-old Hillsboro resident offers a list of 50 federal programs he'd like to cut, including public television and milk subsidies.

From Granite Grok

2008-09-07T23:00:00.001-04:00

Grant joined the Granite Grok guys on the air this weekend. You can listen online.