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Bulldog Live! is hosted by "Bulldog" Brian Tilton weekdays 10am-Noon on WTPL 107.7FM "The Pulse" and worldwide at www.wtplfm.com.
Each day on Bulldog Live!, we're engaged in the issues that affect you right here in New Hampshire. We cover what's happening in topics and current events in your back yard, in Concord or in Washington, DC. We'll talk about what's affecting your wallet or pocketbook, and we're looking out for you with consumer safety alerts and fraud warnings.
Bulldog gets right to the heart of the matter through interaction with callers, expert analysis and opinion, tips and more! Whether he's talking with the leader of a local animal shelter or governor of New Hampshire, "Bulldog" Brian Tilton is talking LIVE locally on The Pulse.
If you miss a day, you miss a lot!
Stories, Topics & Links to Recent Guests:
The following is a highlight of some of the many guests, organizations and topics discussed on "Bulldog Live!"-
February 5, 2012 Taxpayers Subsidizing Basket Weaving And Easter Egg Decoration In North Dakota
I’m not real clear on whether or not these are state tax dollars or if this is federal tax dollars (according to their website the NDCA got $290,000 from Obama’s stimulus program), but either way it’s a colossal waste.
Gingrich Betting on Super Tuesday Surge
Gingrich, who came in second Saturday in the Nevada caucuses with 22 percent of the vote to Romney’s 47 percent, said he expects to do well in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee -- three of the 10 states that will hold primaries and caucuses on March 6. Discomfort among GOP consevatives with the more-moderate Romney has kept Gingrich in the race against the better-funded and organized former Massachusetts governor.
February 4, 2012 Sanborns to Move to Bedford
Sanborn said he had assembled a re-election team to compete politically in the new district. State Sen. Jeb Bradley will be co-chairman of the campaign. The finance team for the campaign will include Andy Crews of AutoFair and Tom Boucher of T-Bone’s, Cactus Jack’s, and other establishments.
Florida man sues Gingrich, alleging assault
Edward Dillard of Windermere, Fla., who filed a suit Friday in U.S. District Court, said he was standing at a polling place Tuesday in a Ron Paul T-shirt and holding a Ron Paul sign when Gingrich and his wife, Callista, approached him and shook his hand, TMZ reported.
Surprises about Planned Parenthood cancer testing
Those clinical breast exams are controversial -- government advisers don't endorse them. Yet for some, this simple exam has helped spot breast cancer. And Susan G. Komen for the Cure isn't the only group paying Planned Parenthood to do them -- the government does, too. Komen actually funds relatively few.
February 3, 2012 Spirit adds $2 fee, blames new regulations
The charge, which Spirit called the "Department of Transportation's unintended consequences" fee, is being added to most one-way fares in response to a new department rule that allows passengers to change their minds within 24 hours of booking a trip without paying a penalty.
Romney super PAC supporter has ties to Freddie and Fannie
A Detroit-area law firm that represents mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in foreclosure and eviction cases contributed $200,000 to a super PAC supporting Republican Mitt Romney for president.
Proposed rules won't help small businesses the way we intended
As business owners and legislators, we now find ourselves looking at new rules proposed by the state Department of Revenue Administration aimed at clarifying changes in record-keeping requirements of LLC owners, partnerships and sole proprietors.
North Country Towns Take On Northern Pass
PSNH spokesmen Martin Murray and Mike Skelton have recently said Northern Pass was never predicated on the use of eminent domain, but testimony to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by Northern Pass Transmission President James Muntz says otherwise.
Obamacare Expansion Of Medicaid Could Be Disastrous For States
With many of the states facing already facing abysmal, debt-ridden budget situations this is hardly a good thing. Illinois’ push toward this expansion of Medicaid is particularly crazy given that Illinois, behind perhaps only California, has one of the worst budget situations in the country.
Real Unemployment Rate Up To 11%, Underemployed Rate At 17.6%
Once again, the civilian labor force participation rate has declined, from 64 percent to 63.7 percent in a single month. Since January 2009, it has declined from 65.7 percent, resulting in approximately 4.7 million people no longer being counted towards the unemployment rate. If they were included, the real rate of unemployed working age adults would be 11.01 percent, and the underemployed would be 17.6 percent.
Komen Foundation Didn’t Entirely Cave To Planned Parenthood
Some are saying that this means the Komen Foundation will continue to fund Planned Parenthood (I still can’t figure out why they were funding the group to begin with), but that’s not entirely accurate. The Komen Foundation will continue to consider grant applications from Planned Parenthood.
Judge: Obama eligible to be Georgia candidate
The findings by Malihi, a judge for the State Office of Administrative Hearings, go to Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who will make the final determination. Last month, at a hearing boycotted by Obama's lawyer, Malihi considered complaints brought by members of the so-called "birther" movement.
Lawmaker wants ban on taxpayer-funded ad campaigns against sodas, junk food
DesJarlais introduced the bill following a flap in New York City over an anti-obesity subway poster. The ad showed a man on a chair who appeared to be missing a leg, with crutches in the background. "Portions have grown," the ad said. "So has Type 2 Diabetes, which can lead to amputations." But as The New York Times first reported, the man in the ad actually has both legs -- and the ad agency for the New York City Health Department had simply taken a stock image of the unidentified individual and edited out one of his legs.
February 2, 2012 Tussle between state & municipalities over boat fees renewed by bill introduction
The law governing the distribution of the proceeds from the boat fee provides that "every clerk, tax collector, and authorized agent shall each week send all boat fees collected to his town or city treasurer" and that the funds "shall be for the general use of the town or city." At the same time, the law stipulates that boat fees collected by the DOS "shall be deposited in the navigation safety fund." In 1999, the Legislature established the "navigation safety fund," which is non-lapsing and continually appropriated to the DOS, "to promote the safety of navigation and the administration and enforcement" of the statutes regulating the registration and operation of boats.
Obamacare’s Latest Victim Is Religious Freedom
It’s not just Catholics affected by the rule, however. Leaders from other faith traditions have expressed their concern, and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty has already filed a lawsuit on behalf of an interdenominational Christian college that objects to providing abortion and related education and counseling in its health care insurance. “The mandate is un-American, unprecedented, and flagrantly unconstitutional,” says an attorney for the college.
Top 10 problems with the proposed House transportation bill
Under current law, traffic calming and bicycle/pedestrian safety are eligible for funding from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). The House’s proposed bill would make traffic calming and bike/ped safety ineligible for funding, encouraging faster, more dangerous streets.
Justice, House GOP tangle over Fast and Furious documents
Attorney General Eric Holder lashed out Thursday at Republican members of a House panel investigating a botched federal gun-trafficking inquiry that allowed hundreds of firearms to flow to Mexico, refusing at one point to answer a New York congresswoman who asked Holder how many more federal agents would have to "die" before the attorney general took action.
COMPETE Coalition Supports Divestiture of PSNH Power Plants
“And the perception of a non-level playing field and discriminatory access to the distribution network keeps competitive suppliers from the market, along with the cost-reducing pressures and innovations such suppliers would bring to the state if allowed to compete fairly,” he said.
FDA Rules That Your Blood Is A Drug, And Interstate Commerce Too
You won’t be at all surprised to learn that the FDA’s legal justification for prohibiting patients having their own blood and stem cells put back in their body is, of course, the interstate commerce clause:
Florida GOP vs Gingrich
While national Republican rules for 2012 say no state can be "winner take all" before April 1, that's what Florida's GOP Primary was - and Mitt Romney was the winner of those 50 delegates.
Obama: Jesus would back my tax-the-rich policy
"For me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus's teaching that for unto whom much is given, much shall be required," Obama said, quoting the Gospel of Luke.
Sallie Mae will credit $50 fee to suspend payments
Previously, Sallie Mae did not apply the fees against loan balances. The company says the new policy will be retroactive to forbearances granted started Jan. 1.
Komen says Planned Parenthood plans are mischaracterized
Komen, which helped popularize pink ribbons as a symbol of breast cancer awareness, will not renew most of those grants because of a new policy denying money to groups that are under investigation. Planned Parenthood is being investigated by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., for possibly using taxpayer money to pay for abortions.
February 1, 2012 It’s Time to Stop Subsidizing PSNH’s Dirty Power
Meanwhile, like the proverbial ostrich, PSNH gets to ignore what the market is saying. PSNH’s state-protected business model is a relic that has become a major drag on the pocketbooks of New Hampshire ratepayers and New Hampshire’s economy. Current law protects PSNH from market forces because it guarantees PSNH and its Connecticut-based corporate parent Northeast Utilities a profit on investments in PSNH’s power plants, whether or not they operate and whether or not they actually make enough money to cover their operating costs – an astounding rule for the small-government Granite State, to be sure.
Landowners fight pipeline co.'s eminent domain land grab in Pa.'s Marcellus Shale gas field
A pipeline operator assured federal regulators it would minimize using eminent domain against private landowners if given approval to lay a 39-mile natural gas pipeline in northern Pennsylvania's pristine Endless Mountains. Yet the company was readying condemnation papers against dozens of landowners even as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was considering its application for the $250 million MARC 1 pipeline. Within two days of winning approval, Central New York Oil & Gas Co., LLC went to court to condemn nearly half the properties along the pipeline's route — undercutting part of the regulatory commission's approval rationale and angering landowners who are now fighting the company in court.
Federal Workers Overpaid, and CBO Agrees
The “alarming news” hit the national media yesterday, but there’s a funny thing about the report. None of it is really “news” — in fact, The Heritage Foundation long ago uncovered the truth about federal pay. The CBO’s report this week was spurred in part by two years of work on federal compensation conducted by Heritage and the American Enterprise Institute.
Cuba food prices up 20% in 2011
Yet nearly 2 million acres remain fallow and farmers have complained regularly about the state’s failure to deliver promised supplies such as gasoline and fertilizers as well as difficulties in transporting their products to market and getting paid on a timely basis.
Poll Reveals 91 Percent Oppose Individual Mandate
The mandate has, at various times, been embraced by conservatives and liberals. But now, it seems people of both persuasions are waking up to its damaging effect on individual rights. Only the most crazed advocates of the Nanny State (I'm talking to you, remaining 9 percent) would favor something so obviously intrusive. So why was it enacted?
Obama proposes home refinancing plan
Under the plan, anyone current on their mortgage could refinance to lower rates that now average less than 4% nationally. Many of those homeowners have loans at 6% or higher.
Cancer charity halts grants to Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood says the cutoff, affecting grants for breast exams, results from Komen bowing to pressure from anti-abortion groups. Komen says the key reason is that Planned Parenthood is under investigation in Congress — a probe launched by a conservative Republican who was urged to act by anti-abortion activists.
Indiana Senate approves right-to-work bill
The Republican-controlled Senate approved the bill in a 28-22 vote Wednesday morning. The bill now heads for the desk of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has said he will sign it upon arrival.
Your morning jolt: Mitt Romney's testy take on 'the very poor'
I'm not concerned about the very rich, they're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of the America, the 90, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling and I'll continue to take that message across the nation.
Health insurer Aetna's 4Q profit jumps 73 percent
Health insurance is Aetna's main product, but the company also sells dental, group life and disability coverage. Its medical membership fell slightly, to about 18.5 million people, compared with the 2010 quarter.
McDonald's: OK, We'll Stop 'Sliming' Our Meat
Months after the pressure was publicly placed on fast-food chains to stop using ammonium hydroxide, McDonald's agreed to stop. A statement on McDonald's website reads, "At the beginning of 2011, we made a decision to discontinue the use of ammonia-treated beef in our hamburgers. This product has been out of our supply chain since August of last year. This decision was a result of our efforts to align our global standards for how we source beef around the world."
After Obama’s remarks on drones, White House rebuffs security questions
The perception that “we’re just sending in a whole bunch of strikes willy-nilly,” Obama said, is incorrect. “This is a targeted, focused effort at people who are on a list of active terrorists, who are trying to go in and harm Americans, hit American facilities, American bases and so on.”
ACLU sues to force release of drone attack records
Wednesday’s ACLU complaint referred to wide media coverage of the administration’s 2010 decision to place Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen allegedly allied with Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, on “kill lists” compiled by the CIA and the military’s Joint Special Operations Command.
The politics of who pays taxes
To disarm the Obama class warfare strategy, Republicans in 2012 will need to focus not on fairness in the tax code or over who pays taxes — which is to fight the battle on Obama’s terms — but to shine the spotlight on Obama’s lousy economic and fiscal record.
Romney PAC stacked with financial heavy hitters
The list of major donors to Restore Our Future is studded with other veterans of Wall Street and the investment community. Tudor Investment founder Paul Tudor Jones contributed $200,000. Goldman Sachs [GS 113.45 1.98 (+1.78%) ] executive Edward Forst forked over $95,000. Four other Goldman employees gave at least $50,000. Lewis Eisenberg, a leader at private equity firm KKR, gave $25,000.
Huntsman family financing a test of money’s power
Mr. Huntsman’s father made a calculated decision, it would seem — the super PAC spent $50,000 on polling to gauge his prospects, an unusual function for outlets that have thus far existed largely to run television ads. The PAC spent $2.3 million on advertising, with all of it positive, unlike the attacks between super PACs supporting Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.
Forest Service Says Jesus Can Stay
“We are thankful that the U.S. Forest Service reversed its prior decision and renewed the permit, keeping the Jesus statue where it belongs on Big Mountain,” said Jeff Mateer, general counsel for Liberty Institute, a conservative legal advocacy group. “This decision honors the ultimate sacrifice of the Tenth Mountain Division for whom it was erected following their service during World War Two, and is a clear victory for the First Amendment, which prohibits government discrimination against this historic veteran’s memorial simply because of its religious viewpoint.”
Issa threatens contempt proceeding against Holder if Justice fails to comply with Fast and Furious subpoenas
In a four-page letter to Holder, Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., claims the Department of Justice has "misrepresented facts and misled Congress," which began its investigation of Operation Fast and Furious one year ago. Issa wrote that Holder's "actions lead us to conclude that the department is actively engaged in a cover-up" because it refuses to comply with previous subpoenas.
Fulton tax chief defends selling to collection agencies
In Fulton, delinquent taxes of as little as $50 can be sold to private companies that tack on monthly interest charges and sell houses at auction to collect accrued debt. In several articles last year, the AJC described how property owners, because of failings in the system, didn't know they owed overdue taxes until their homes were in foreclosure and they owed thousands of dollars to settle.
Feds argue for graphic images on cigarette packs
The judge showed no sign that he was changing his position in favor of the government after the hour-long hearing Wednesday. "It sounds like they are headed to a place where you have to watch a 10-minute video before you can even buy a pack of cigarettes," he said.
FTC: phone card scam leads to $2.3M settlement
Here's how it worked: people bought prepaid cards with names such as "Africa Magic" and "Hola Amigo" for calls to Nigeria, Ghana, Mexico and other international locations. But the cards, the FTC said, often delivered less than half of the minutes promised because of all sorts of hidden fees.
Bill could prevent secret monitoring by cell phone companies
The legislation could require cell phone companies to tell customers what monitoring software is installed on his or her phone, what information is being collected, who is seeing it and why. It would also require consent from the phone owner before monitoring can begin.
University Defends Crackdown on Religious Groups
Christian student organizations at Vanderbilt University may be forced to go underground or meet in secret after university officials doubled down on a policy that bans student religious groups from requiring their leaders to hold specific beliefs, according to a law professor at the university. Vanderbilt said their nondiscrimination policy ensure that campus groups are open to all students. But opponents said the ban restricts their freedom of speech and could force some nationally-known groups off campus.
Family of murdered Border Patrol agent files $25M claim against ATF
The family stated in their claim against the ATF that Christmas 2010 was to be the first the family was to spend together in three years because of Brian’s ATF duties. Brian was killed two days before he was to fly home to Michigan.
January 31, 2012 When the Dead Vote, the Living Suffer Department of Justice is Wrong to Oppose Voter ID
Never mind that the Supreme Court's decision in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board already held, in 2008, that a state's photo ID requirement was closely related to a state's legitimate interest in preventing voter fraud. Never mind that, according to the Court, the slight burden of producing valid identification imposed on voters did not outweigh the state's "neutral and non-discriminatory" interests. Never mind that the controlling concurring opinion in Crawford was penned by Justice Stevens, the high Court's leading liberal at the time.
A Tribute to North Country Landowners
Bury the Northern Pass joins with Bob Baker (Columbia, NH) in paying tribute to the brave and selfless landowners of Coos County who value landscape, heritage, and community over private gain.
Bill Would Allow Online Driver's Ed. Classes
"At about one-10th the cost of classroom courses, online drivers ed. will enable needy kids to get their licenses and not be discriminated against because of their financial need," said Rep. Tara Sad, D-Walpole.
Neil Young: Steve Jobs listened to vinyl
"Sleep well. Wake up in the morning. Play some real music and listen to the joy of 100 percent of the sound of music," he said.
Freshman Senator Forrester leaves big mark on eminent domain issue
Opponents of Northern Pass rallied round the Forrester-Bragdon amendment. fearing that Bradley's language would allow Northern Pass and its corporate sponsors to qualify as a public utility then petition for the power of eminent domain. Their fears mounted when attorney Don Pfundstein, representing Northern Pass, told a House committee that the company did not intend to to use eminent domain, but if it did, the state would have to determine whether the project conferred a compelling public benefit.
Text Of State Of State Address
One of the biggest issues facing our state and our environment is the proposal for the Northern Pass. I support bringing more renewable power to our state. It is in our long-term interests to diversify our power sources, and we should not dismiss out of hand the idea of hydropower from Canada. But the proponents of Northern Pass need to listen better. This project cannot happen without local support. And it should not happen with eminent domain.
Federal Ban Scares Snake Breeders In NH
The ban stems from a problem in south Florida where certain exotic snakes have become a serious environmental issue in the Everglades. The ban makes it illegal to import Burmese pythons, yellow anacondas and northern and southern African pythons, or to move them across state lines.
Catholic Bishops Refuse To Comply With Obamacare Mandate
Most of the debate around Obamacare has had to do with numbers. Will the law really make health insurance and health care cheaper and more accessible? Very little of the debate has had to do with what the law means in terms of our liberty. The Supreme Court will be ruling on the individual mandate this year, with conservatives arguing that it infringes upon their economic liberty. But the Catholics are bringing to the forefront another problem.
Why Ct Husky User Wants to Repeal the Health Care Bill
After just 1 month we received a letter informing us that her Aetna coverage would be changing over to Connecticut’s Husky health plan as of January 1st, 2012. Our $270 monthly payment would stay in place, but the insurance carrier was now the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services. Translated: welfare.
Northern Pass's Newsletter (Issue 2): Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
The column to read carefully, however, is “Working With You: Rights-of-Way Access.” You or your predecessor may have deeded a ROW to PSNH, but not to Northern Pass. Northern Pass has zero authority over your contractual relationship with PSNH. But read the column anyway. It’s tricky. Watch the sleight-of-hand and ask yourself why Northern Pass is giving you “guidance” on an easement that it does not own and rights of access that it does not have.
James O'Keefe Sues the New Jersey Star-Ledger for Defamation after New Hampshire Voter Fraud Expose
O'Keefe commented, "Media outlets obviously intent on protecting a system that fosters voter fraud, have defamed me by claiming I and PV committed voter fraud. The Star-Ledger even went so far as to print a 'trying to tap phones lie' after retracting that lie over a year ago, when presented with court documents that proved the contrary."
Ethanol's food-fuel dilemma
It turns out that while the subsidies are gone, U.S. law still requires oil refiners to blend corn ethanol into fuel -- some 12.5 billion gallons this year and at least 15 billion gallons by 2015. That's still a small portion compared with the 133 billion gallons of gasoline that the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates Americans will burn this year, but nonetheless enough to keep upward pressure on corn prices. That law needs to change, argues Jeremy Grantham -- who oversees nearly $100 billion at his Boston investment firm, is known for calling both the dotcom and housing bubbles and is an environmentalist to boot. "It [U.S. ethanol policy] is truly diabolical," he says. "The subsidy was decoration. The mandate is the villain here."
Google Defends New Privacy Policy
A bipartisan group of eight U.S. lawmakers questioned whether the new policy would allow Internet users to opt-out of data-sharing systems and expressed concern about the safety of customer data, in a letter sent to Google last Thursday.
How the Public Schools Keep Your Child a Prisoner of the State
The confinement of children on the part of authoritarian figures who demand mandatory attendance illustrates how the federal public school system has become a security garrison with satellite detainment facilities. Moreover, yanking children from their parents and assimilating them into dumbed-down, draconian learning pools based on age and collectivizing their learning experience in a quasi-prison environment hasn't worked, and it will never be ideal for the vast majority of the children.
Asset Acceptance, a debt-buying agency, to pay $2.5 million in FTC settlement
The firm allegedly misled consumers about whether it could sue them for failing to pay old debts even though laws in many states ban debt collectors from taking legal action after a certain number of years have lapsed. The statute of limitations can range from two years to more than 15 years, depending on the state and the circumstances.
Group pushes to have tarmac-delay penalties written into law
Thompson and Kate Hanni, head of FlyersRights.org, argued that it's important the FAA bill include the tarmac rule so that a future Transportation Department can't simply rescind the rule.
Repeal Ponzi scheme known as CLASS
Last year, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius suspended CLASS after department attorneys conceded HHS lacked the legal authority to make CLASS appear more actuarially sound. Citing HHS, the Congressional Budget Office added: “The program cannot be operated without mandatory participation so as to ensure its solvency.”
Police Would Need Warrant To Access Cellphones Under Bill
Assistant Safety Commissioner Earl Sweeney said police usually get a warrant but currently can act without one in an emergency. He said he could support the bill if it allowed for emergency situations.
January 29, 2012
Price of Admission: America's College Debt Crisis
Student debt is nearing 1 trillion dollars. Could this be the next bubble to burst? CNBC sr. correspondent Scott Cohn goes inside the debt crisis that could keep taxpayers on the hook for generations.
Training mandate proposal riles N.H. nonprofits
And Sen. Bob O'Dell, R-Lempster, a sponsor of the bill, said he was "little bit dismayed" at the debate. "We are talking about organizations that are willing to take money from the state of New Hampshire. I think they ought to be willing to have one of their board members go for a couple of hours of training every couple of years."
Breaking Down Who Does–And Doesn’t–Support Eminent Domain For Northern Pass
First of all, our bout of data entry made one thing abundantly clear: There’s strong–and in some cases, overwhelming–opposition to eminent domain across the demographic groups surveyed. Depending on the group, anywhere from 60 to 81 percent of respondents were against the project.
Police Investigate Alleged Stabbing At UNH
Police said they discovered the two victims after responding to the report of a fight on Strafford Avenue near the intersection of Edgewood Road.
Two SNHU Students Robbed At Gunpoint On Campus
Kevin Mitchell, 20, of Wilmington, Mass., and Errol Fuertes, 20, of Litchfield, told police they were walking west on Eastside Drive when they were approached by three black men. One of the men then pulled out a handgun and demanded money, said police.
Hawaii may keep track of all Web sites visited
"This bill represents a radical violation of privacy and opens the door to rampant Fourth Amendment violations," says Daniel Leuck, chief executive of Honolulu-based software design boutique Ikayzo, who submitted testimony opposing the bill. He adds: "Even forcing telephone companies to record everyone's conversations, which is unthinkable, would be less of an intrusion."
New Hampshire Rejects Alternative Default Service Proposal at PSNH
"Those remaining customers would pay not only the actual cost of power they receive but the additional under-collection amount associated with Rate ADE, exacerbating existing adverse effects of customer migration on the Rate DE customer group," the PUC explained.
School puts store off-limits
Faraj refused, so Connolly banned students from visiting the store during school hours. Teachers who are already assigned duty at the front entrance enforce the new rule.
New rules for specialty hospital?
The Cancer Treatment Centers of America keep patients for a day or more after the diagnosis and immediately connect them with doctors, nutritionists, counselors and others, Keane said. "I don't fault the doctors here," he said. "They are dealing with all kinds of other (medical) issues at their offices. But here in the center, cancer treatment is the only thing they do."
Penn. middle school begins Ugg boots ban
Students in Pottstown, Penn., are not allowed to wear Uggs and open top boots in classrooms starting Monday. Students were using the unlaced boots to hide their cell phones. The school administration previously banned cell phones in classrooms.
Santorum Cancels Morning Campaign Events After Daughter Is Admitted To CHOP
Bella Santorum has Trisomy 18, a genetic condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 18th chromosome. When asked about her, Santorum says his daughter was not expected to survive until her first birthday and often has to catch himself to stop from tears.
Congress tries to police itself on insider trading
A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll of registered voters found 56 percent of them favor replacing the entire 535-member Congress. Other polls this year have given Congress an approval rating between 11 percent and 13 percent, while disapproval percentages have ranged from 79 percent to 86 percent.
Legal team tells Census Bureau to back off
“The right to be left alone has been characterized as ‘the right most valued by civilized men.’ By compelling responses to invasive, personal questions that go far beyond the type of census mandated by the United States Constitution, the federal government is intruding significantly into the ‘zone of privacy’ the United States Supreme Court has recognized as being protected by the Bill of Rights,” said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute.
Why All the Robo Signing?
These shady practices were concealed behind an electronic smokescreen called MERS (an acronym for Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.), which allowed houses to be shuffled around among multiple, rapidly changing owners while circumventing local recording laws. Title would be recorded in the name of MERS as a place holder for the investors, and MERS would foreclose on behalf of the investors. Payments would be received by the mortgage servicer, which was typically the bank that signed the mortgage with the homeowner. But the servicer was not actually the lender, which was the investment trust that put up the money.
January 27, 2012 Protect yourself from Facebook Timeline
So over the next few weeks, all of Facebook's 800 million members will see their profile page become a Timeline
Romney Backed by Goldman Sachs, Bailout Banks
Romney has long had a close relationship with Goldman Sachs. In 1999 Romney purchased initial IPO shares in Goldman that netted him $1.1 million in profits when he sold them in 2010. And The New York Times recently reported that “many of the assets in Romney’s blind trust” are managed by Goldman.
Obama Expands Aid For Delinquent Homeowners
The program changes announced today aren’t a part of a new refinancing plan that President Barack Obama promised to deliver in his State of the Union speech, Sperling said. That effort will be detailed in the coming weeks.
Mitt Romney’s Taxes and True Reform
As most Americans know, marginal individual income tax rates in America range between 15 and 35 percent. However, Americans making money from investments typically earn dividends. They face a lower rate to reduce the tax barrier to investing and growing businesses. For Americans in the lowest two income brackets, the tax rate on dividends is zero. For all the rest, the dividend tax rate is 15 percent — hence Romney’s rate.
Is Mitt Romney In Favor Of A Massive Government Mortgage Refinance Program?
During his state of the union address, President Obama called for a massive mortgage bailout program paid for with billions in new taxes on banks (which would quickly be passed on to you and I, bank customers). Asked about the issue by Lawrence Kudlow, would-be Obama challenger Mitt Romney didn’t disagree with the idea of such a bailout, but disagreed with the manner in which Obama would go about it (via Jim Pethokoukis).
Shocker: Obama Administration Owes $833,970 In Back Taxes
I reject Obama’s premise in these comments – that wealthier Americans somehow aren’t paying their “fair share” of taxes despite paying one hell of a lot more in taxes than the rest of us – but he is right that when some people avoid taxes it puts upward pressure on taxes for the rest of us.
Why is investment income taxed less than wages?
The Republican presidential candidate's taxes were so low because the vast majority of his income came from investments. The U.S. has long had a progressive income tax, in which people who make more money pay taxes at a higher rate than those who make less. But for almost as long, the U.S. has taxed capital gains — the profit from selling an investment — at a lower rate than wages.
Report: Taxpayers still owed $132.9B from bailout
The bailout launched at the height of the financial crisis in September 2008 will continue to exist for years, says a report issued Thursday by Christy Romero, the acting special inspector general for the $700 billion bailout. Some bailout programs, such as the effort to help homeowners avoid foreclosure by reducing mortgage payments, will last as late as 2017, costing the government an additional $51 billion or so.
Newt Backed Reagan, Romney Opposed Him
Nancy Reagan stressed Gingrich’s close relationship with Reagan in the video of her 1995 speech at a dinner honoring Ronald Reagan: “The dramatic movement of 1995 is an outgrowth of a much earlier crusade that goes back half a century. Barry Goldwater handed the torch to Ronnie, and in turn Ronnie turned that torch over to Newt and the Republican members of Congress to keep that dream alive.”
Inability to learn English, pay cut behind Afghan’s murder of 9 Americans at Kabul military base
The Air Force report, said the Afghan official who was wounded in the shooting, also reveals clear evidence that the Ministry of Defense failed to conduct a proper background check on Gul, who had returned to active duty after spending 18 months in military housing in Hayatabad, Pakistan, where he became radicalized and increasingly anti-American.
January 25, 2012 Senate Passes Eminent Domain Bill (HB648)
"HB648 still needs to be agreed upon by a Committee of Conference between the House and the Senate, but we are extremely pleased that the Senate has joined the House in speaking loudly and clearly on the sujects of which kinds of projects have access--and which do not have access-- to eminent domain under Article 12a of the New Hampshire constitution."
1000 Days of Dysfunction
The last time the Senate passed a budget was April 29, 2009 – three months after Obama was sworn into office. Since then the federal government has spent $9.4 trillion – including $4.1 trillion in money it didn’t have (and thus had to borrow from future generations of taxpayers). As a result the U.S. debt has soared from $11.1 to $15.2 trillion over the past 1,000 days – and is projected to climb to $16.4 trillion by the end of 2012.
Obama’s State of Omission
It’s not surprising, of course, that the President would want to hide from his failures, but it’s troubling to see that he plans to continue on the progressive course he has set for the country. In the President’s words, “We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.”
Government requires more fruits, veggies for school lunches
Require schools to offer a minimum number of leafy green vegetables, red-orange vegetables, starchy vegetables and legumes each week. The amount varies by age group. For example, high school students have to be offered at least a half-cup of green leafy vegetables a week.
Obama Called For Massive Mortgage Bailout Paid For By New Bank Taxes In The State Of The Union
Obama has been vowing to fight off foreclosures since he was elected into office. We’ve already spent billions on his mortgage programs to date, and billions more isn’t likely to solve the problem. More money poured down the hole created by subprime mortgages will only kick the can down the road a little further.
Feds Trying To Hide Airline Fees
The retail industry has never included sales taxes in the prices they advertise. Part of the reason is because retailers want to be able to advertise lower prices, but they also want consumers to be cognizant of how much of the price they pay is taxes. And that’s as it should be. It is in nobody’s interest – except perhaps those in government – to hide from taxpayers the cost of government.
Shaheen Calls For End To Dispute That Threatens Super Bowl Viewing
"Through no fault of their own, subscribers have become bargaining chips in these negotiations and are being denied access to the TV programming they've paid to receive," Shaheen said. "Blacking out the Super Bowl would be a disservice not only to Patriots fans, but also to sports bars and restaurants across Southern New Hampshire that are counting on the game for much-needed revenue."
J.C. Penney gets rid of hundreds of sales
Penney's plan comes as stores are struggling to wean Americans off of the profit-busting bargains that they have come to expect in the weak economy. The move is risky, though, because shoppers who love to bargain-hunt may be turned off by the absence of sales.
Tickerguy's State Of The Union Address
There are people on the right side of the aisle who say that we have to "grow the economy" to get out of the current fiscal mess. They're lying. This mantra has been repeated for 30 years, and yet not once has this actually produced economic growth that exceeds the growth in debt through the economy. The economic bubble in Internet stocks in the 1990s and the housing bubble of the 2000s were both caused by outrageously-fraudulent acts -- first through making of knowingly-false statements about exponential growth of the Internet that could not possibly be true for more than a couple of years, and then again through the making of "fog-a-mirror" loans that were packaged up and sold as "solid AAA credits" through the financial system. Both bubbles were driven by knowing lies.
House Passes Bill To Promote Religion At War Memorials
A bill by San Diego's Republican congressional delegation aimed at protecting religious symbols on war memorials was passed by the House of Representatives Tuesday.
Judge rules Fifth Amendment to no longer cover hard drives
In a court case currently going on here in the United States including a Colorado woman who’s hard drive may well include incriminating evidence against her, it’s been ruled that her encrypted password on said hard drive must be bypassed by her, and is not protected under the Fifth Amendment. Before this case, a distinction had been drawn in cases which included such situations, the difference being clear between forcing a person to reveal their password and forcing a defendant to decrypt encrypted data without revealing their password. Revealing the password has up until now been ruled as forcing the defendant to reveal the contents of their mind, this bringing up some Fifth Amendment issues – that’s no longer the case according to Judge Robert Blackburn.
The 2nd Amendment: A Concealed Carry Permit
America has a gun culture, which historically speaking, is closely intertwined with our recognition of the God-given duty to preserve our own lives and our own liberty. And as it seems that more and more citizens are realizing this, perhaps we’ll be fortunate enough to see more and more states follow Alaska, Vermont, Arizona, and Wyoming down the path that recognizes not only our right to keep arms, but our right to bear them without infringement as well.
Judge Belvin Perry Seeks Re-Election
Perry is currently serving his fourth term as a circuit judge and has been chief judge since 2001. Perry also works with the Orange County Central Receiving Center to assist those with mental illness and substance abuse issues and serves on the Orange County Jail's oversight committee.
Mortgage deal could give $1,800 to 750,000 people
Those who lost their homes to foreclosure are unlikely to get their homes back or benefit much financially from the settlement, which could be as high as $25 billion. About 750,000 Americans — about half of the households who might be eligible for assistance under the deal — will likely receive checks for about $1,800.
Atty Says School Threatened, Punished Boy Who Opposed Gay Adoption
Wegner, a student at Shawano High School, was asked to write an op-ed for the school newspaper about whether gays should be allowed to adopt. Wegner, who is a Christian, wrote in opposition. Another student wrote in favor of allowing gays to adopt.
Gingrich Slams Romney For Hiring Charlie Crist’s Top Aides
"I think here in Florida, all we have to do is remind people that Mitt Romney is Charlie Crist," Rick Tyler, who runs the pro-Gingrich Restoring Our Future PAC, said on MSNBC Monday night. "If you voted for Charlie Crist, then you should vote for Mitt. If you didn't vote for Charlie Crist, then you should vote for Newt."
Invested Interests: Analyzing Rep. Jeb Bradley's Portfolio
Since then Bradley has voted in a way that makes him look more like a stockholder than an elected representative. For example, he owns nearly $1 million in oil, gas and electric company stock, and has taken over $45,000 in campaign contributions from energy industry PACs. Bradley has consistently voted with energy interests since taking office, often stripping key environmental and consumer protections in the process. It's a textbook case of why there should be some financial threshold at which it becomes mandatory for members of Congress to put their wealth in blind trusts.
Analysis: Two Reasons Why PSNH Will Not Announce a PPA with Hydro-Quebec
Let’s look at the numbers. Fairly stated (that is, including an appropriate cost allowance for the Bow scrubber and the costs of the above-market small biomass PPAs), PSNH’s electricity rate is somewhere between 8.5 cents and 9 cents per kWh. This is a high rate (one of the highest in the nation) because PSNH continues to run its old, inefficient plants (Bow, Schiller, etc.), and also because PSNH has locked itself into a series of long-term, above-market PPAs. Wholesale prices run roughly 5 cents per kWh, which means PSNH’s customers are paying WAY above market for our power. We’re subsidizing PSNH’s failed business model.
Inn Expansion Project Is Made In America
McLear said it took a little extra effort from the subcontractors to find the materials, but in the end, their efforts led to positive morale on the job site.
Tamworth Sled Dog Race Canceled
Race organizers said warm, wet weather and the conditions on Chocorua Lake will make the area unsuitable for dog racing.
Rand Paul is right about the TSA
Toting a 6-year-old from place to place takes enough toll on you without strangers in blue uniforms treating that 6-year-old like a potential terrorist. I know we’re all equal here. But I thought the equality bit would apply when it came to dividing up something we all actually wanted, like Safety or Cake. Please, give my share of the screening to the sweaty man with something that looks like a violin case. When you intentionally blind yourself to the differences among people, you wind up fumbling around in the dark, bumping a lot of people’s junk in the processs, and no one’s any safer.
BofA debit fees led to 20 percent increase in account closings
Out of fear that they would also suffer a backlash, Verizon Wireless canceled a $2 fee for single bill-pay transactions online or via telephone in December, just one day after the telecommunications company announced the fee.
Starbucks to offer alcohol in more locations
Starbucks said Monday that it would begin offering beer and wine at select locations in Atlanta and Southern California by the end of this year, to go along with several locations in the Chicago area that have previously been announced.
Pa. wife blames airline: Man's ashes gone from bag
Angeline O'Grady, of Trumbauersville, says her husband, Brian, died of cancer in October. She says Transportation Security Administration officials told her on Nov. 1 that she couldn't take the ashes through airport security at Philadelphia International Airport.
Steven Tyler's national anthem: Great or awful?
The Huffington Post says he had trouble "hitting the signature high note" with his raspy voice, but some fans say he was just doing his signature Aerosmith rock star scream.
Supreme Court rules warrant needed for GPS tracking
The court reversed the cocaine-trafficking conviction of a Washington, D.C., nightclub owner. In 2005, police secretly attached a GPS device to a Jeep owned by Antoine Jones while it was parked in a public lot. Agents then used evidence of Jones' travels over four weeks to help win the conviction on conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Celebrating School Choice Week
The groundswell of support comes after a year of significant strides in the school choice movement. A total of 12 states and the District of Columbia either enacted or expanded school choice options in 2011. Heritage education expert Lindsey Burke explains that last year, “more families than ever before gained access to school choice options, freeing them from assignment-by-zip code policies that often relegate families to the public school closest to their home, regardless of whether it meet their child’s needs.” As a result, more families have access to school choice options — including vouchers, tax credits, homeschooling, online learning, and even education savings accounts.
January 22, 2012 Northern Pass: taking land for greed, not need
The project is the controversial Quebec Hydro transmission line, better known as Northern Pass. Push is coming to shove on the controversial issue of eminent domain, the question of whether and when the state should allow a utility to take property against the owner’s will. It is an issue that strikes directly at the heart of landowners’ rights, right up there with family legacy, tradition and religion.
Bradley Amendments Undercut NH Property Rights!
Bradley’s changes disregard our state constitution and the will of the people by enabling unconstitutional "takings." In sharp contrast, Bragdon-Forrester respects our state constitution and brings the eminent domain statutes into line with the strict constitutional limits in Article 12-a of the constitution against eminent domain by private development projects.
13 Politically Incorrect Gun Rules
Gun lovers. Herewith are thirteen things to remember when carrying your weapon. BTW- this list is not original. I’ve Google up the bullet points but alas …I got nada in regards to who penned it. If and when someone schools me on who the author is you can rest assure that I’ll give him or her proper praise. Enjoy.
Ga. judge orders president to appear at hearing
A judge has ordered President Barack Obama to appear in court in Atlanta for a hearing on a complaint that says Obama isn't a natural-born citizen and can't be president.
Advocates for sea turtles seek to darken historic Hillsboro Lighthouse
The Coast Guard is soliciting public comment on the lighthouse's value as a navigational aid. It is offering three options: shut down the light completely, obscure portions of the light, or maintain the status quo.
New rules could boost New England renewable power
This new FERC change is intended to kick-start transmission line construction. And with an ISO-NE finding of “necessary” and a regulatory decision to put the costs of the line into the bills of the ultimate electricity customers, the developers of these lines will have a much stronger case (than private lines) when they seek eminent domain. They will have pretty much the same case, as far as FERC and ISO-NE go, as when they want eminent domain for a “reliability” line.
Armed pilots want to carry guns outside cockpits
"That would put us in line with standard law enforcement," said Marcus Flagg, president of the Federal Flight Deck Officer Association, which represents thousands of armed pilots.
Chandler says county government should be abolished
Clashes between officials became most apparent after Epstein asked why the state has a county government. Epstein suggested the nursing home could be privatized and corrections department's responsibilities could be given to the state of New Hampshire.
New Hampshire bill would boost speed
“Any law which is broken by three out of four people on a regular basis cannot possibly be a good law,” Vaillancourt wrote in a blog after conducting his own unscientific survey. “It breeds lack of respect for other laws. People are telling us with their pedal to the medal that 65 is not a reasonable speed.”
Bill would free N.H. products from federal rules
One government proposal sought to require nutrition labels for wine, he said. "There is no reason for that on a wire label," Zack said. "It is what it is."
TSA Elderly Fliers Weren't Strip-Searched
The complaints of Ruth Sherman and Lenore Zimmerman came within days of one another. Both claimed that after opting out of the walk-through metal detector, they were subjected to strip searches by two female TSA officers at the airport.
Government seeks help to stop teacher-led cheating
The move comes 10 months after a USA TODAY investigation found high erasure rates on standardized tests in many District of Columbia public schools, and six months after Georgia's governor released findings of a major investigation that found widespread cheating in Atlanta public schools.
Vote on online piracy bill halted
The Protect Intellectual Property Act has strong support from the entertainment industry and other businesses that lose billions of dollars annually to intellectual property theft and online sales of counterfeit products. But it also has strong opposition from Internet-related companies that argue the bill would lead to over-regulation and censorship of the Internet.
The Cyber Wars Have Begun
The draconian tools in SOPA and PIPA could be easily leveraged against Wikipedia, Twitter, Google and Facebook. It is a striking coincidence that one of the largest copyright crackdowns in history came one day after many popular sites across the Internet demonstrated the need for careful deliberation on any new laws in this area.
Supreme Court throws out judge-drawn Texas electoral maps
Their decision stressed that judges drawing new voting districts must take their lead from a state legislature yet "take care not to incorporate into any interim plan any legal defects in the state plan." Advocates for Latino and African-American voters had sued the state, saying the Legislature's voting districts discriminated against minorities and would dilute their power at the polls.
Auditing the FED's Gold
Every FED chairman has resisted any attempt by the Congress to mandate an independent audit of the FED by the General Accountability Office of the U.S. government. Bernanke was adamantly opposed in 2009. He of course did not mention what I regard as the main reason for his opposition to an audit: the missing gold. For all FED chairman, gold is a four-letter word. He mentioned only monetary policy, as if Congress has no authority over monetary policy, despite that ancient "barbarous relic," the U.S. Constitution.
Mortgage foreclosure law revisions advised
Lawmakers, who will consider the task force's recommendations as they take up mortgage foreclosure legislation this session, continue to raise concerns about protecting homeowners at risk of foreclosure.
The 9 American Cities Nearly Destroyed by the Recession
According to the Conference of Mayors’ report, many cities that rely heavily on merchandise exports, such as the automotive-based Flint, have been suffering as manufacturing businesses continue to move overseas. In 2005, nearly 10% of the Flint Michigan’s economy was based on exported goods. As of 2009, the number dropped to just 3.2%. Over that time, the value of the city’s annual exports dropped by roughly $850 million, or 70% of its original value.
Home Depot, PayPal pilot could change the way we pay
For PayPal, getting into physical stores allows access to customers in all their shopping lives, as they make purchases across a variety of platforms, from online to mobile to in-store. PayPal will sweeten the deal by allowing customers to opt into programs that connect their loyalty cards or offer specific discounts, said Donald Kingsborough, PayPal's vice president of global retail and prepaid.
January 19, 2012 Congressman Frank Guinta On His Opposition to SOPA
On January 19, 2012, Congressman Frank Guinta (R, NH-01) read a letter from Colleen in Portsmouth, NH regarding her opposition to SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act). Congressman Guinta responded to her letter via video echoing her concerns and voicing his opposition to SOPA as well.
NYPD Considering New Equipment Allowing “Virtual Pat Downs”
Beyond the privacy concerns, the problem I have is the assumption that someone carrying a weapon is automatically a criminal or intent on criminal activity. The 2nd amendment protects our right to keep and bear arms. Absent some other criminal activity, which would give police all the authority they need for a search anyway, merely carrying a gun isn’t illegal. Or, at least, shouldn’t be illegal.
Ballot fraud trial starts today
McDonough will be tried on 38 counts of second-degree forgery and 36 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. LoPorto will be tried on 29 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Each charge carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years if they are convicted.
Man arrested after spitting on sidewalk in Daytona Beach
According to Daytona Beach police, Austin Kennedy was walking along North Grandview Avenue when an officer saw him "pressing his lip together and created saliva from his mouth." Kennedy then "with force discharged the saliva from his mouth," according to police.
January 18, 2012
An Internet Blackout Over SOPA and PIPA
[L]imits on speech here are almost certain to be extended to other cases. If links to pirate sites are banned, why not links to sites disseminating national security secrets? Or sites “facilitating” violence by propagating extreme political positions? Moreover, other countries that have pursued content controls of their own, such as China, may be encouraged by steps in the U.S. to limit content.
Internet piracy bill: A free speech 'kill switch'
Consider this: Under the proposed legislation all that’s required for government to shutdown a specific website is the mere accusation that the site unlawfully featured copyrighted content. Such an accusation need not be proven – or even accompanied by probable cause. All that an accuser (or competitor) needs to do in order to obtain injunctive relief is point the finger at a website.
Bass: Stop Online Piracy Act Threatens Internet Freedom
No one questions that online piracy and counterfeiting are real problems with detrimental impacts to rightsholders, their employees, consumers, and the U.S. economy. However, I have serious concerns that the Stop Online Piracy Act goes too far in undermining the critical freedoms and functions of the Internet in the name of stopping this illegal activity and I am opposed to the bill as it is written.
ALG praises Wikipedia.org and Other Websites for Striking Against Online Censorship Bill
“Existing protections under the Digital Copyright Millennium Act already provide for the removal of copyrighted material from user-based websites, and give safe harbor to sites that actively remove content that violates intellectual property. SOPA and PIPA will override those safe harbor provisions, and take the posture that websites are guilty until proven innocent. In a free society, that is unacceptable. It is un-American.”
Poll: Most Granite Staters oppose eminent domain for Northern Pass
Earlier today, Northern Pass lobbyist Donald Pfundstein told a House committee considering other eminent domain bills that Northern Pass would be entitled to use eminent domain because although it’s a private project not deemed necessary by regulatory agencies, the energy from Canada would be benefit the public.
Obama rejects fast-tracking Keystone XL pipeline
"This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people," Obama said. "I'm disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my administration's commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil."
Christie says Romney should release tax returns now
Romney has indicated he will probably release his taxes in April. How much Romney pays in taxes is now an even bigger campaign issue with the former Massachusetts governor's admission yesterday that he pays close to a 15% tax rate because of his investment income.
Coalition limits details on troops killed by Afghans
Military commanders in Afghanistan have stopped making public the number of allied troops killed by Afghan soldiers and police, a measure of the trustworthiness of a force that is to take over security from U.S.-led forces
PSNH Warns Customers of Phone Scam
“If a customer gets a call of this nature, they can verify that it is PSNH by asking for some basic information about their account. Our customer service representatives will always be able to provide the name on the account, the account address, and the exact past due balance,” said Sharon A. Eberman, Director, Customer Experience Operations. “If the caller cannot provide that information, the call is not from one of our employees," Eberman said.
House Passes Amendment Prohibiting Income Tax
The House voted 257-101 Wednesday to send the amendment to the Senate, where a three-fifths vote would be needed to place it on the November ballot.
Romney Parks Millions in Offshore Tax Haven
Although it is not apparent on his financial disclosure form, Mitt Romney has millions of dollars of his personal wealth in investment funds set up in the Cayman Islands, a notorious Caribbean tax haven.
Friends, family, community offer touching farewell to WBAL's Ron Smith
The manner in which Smith shared his final days with his radio audience until he could no longer go on air, and then the way he said farewell to them in a live broadcast, was remarkable -- both public and yet incredibly intimate. In 35 years of reporting on media, I have heard nothing like it.
See Video And Photos: Memorial For Ron Smith At Goucher College
Ron was touched and buoyed by the response and support from so many people after he shared his diagnosis with his WBAL listeners. It was that outpouring of support that encouraged the Smiths and WBAL to plan the special tribute in the Kraushaar Auditorium at Goucher College.
NH Plagued With Voter Fraud – O’Keefe Exposes It
Andrew Breitbart has now picked up on the video O’Keefe created that clearly shows how easily someone could have used this writer’s name to vote multiple times (and did). It also validates what CNHT has been doing for years; hundreds of examples of fraud, all chronicled in our Voter Fraud section and other records we have kept and submitted to then AG Kelly Ayotte, SOS Bill Gardner, and then Asst Secretary of State Bud Fitch..
January 14, 2012 Why New Hampshire Needs HB 648 (Bragdon/Forrester amendment) Now: Some Q’s & A’s (Part 1)
HB 648 B/F does not target Northern Pass or any other specific project. It doesn't even mention Northern Pass or hydro power. It is general property rights legislation. But those who oppose 648 B/F typically want to talk about it in terms of how it is aimed at Northern Pass alone, so let’s start there with a few questions and answers. As you’ll see, however, 648 B/F is broad legislation that would protect all land and home owners, tenants, business owners, and others by preventing any private utility project, whether it be hydro, wind, biomass, solar, from abusing eminent domain.
Correcting the Martin Luther King memorial mistake
Some important people who hadn’t seen the quote yet read the op-ed and agreed. The poet Maya Angelou, who knew and worked with King, said the truncated quote made King seem like “an arrogant twit.” Roy Peter Clark, an expert on the use of words, wrote for CNN, “Everything I’ve learned about the language of enshrinement suggests that the inscription on the King monument should be revised.” Martin Luther King III told CNN: “That was not what Dad said.”
VA AG Fears DC Law May Relocate Rehabilitated Rat Families To Virginia
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli says he is worried that a new District of Columbia law that governs how pest control operators must handle rats may result in entire rodent “families” being relocated across the Potomac River into Virginia by D.C. pest control personnel.
Is signing foreclosure documents for others forgery?
The Nevada attorney general calls signing another person's name on documents used to repossess a home "forgery" and a "scheme." Michigan's attorney general launched a criminal investigation that includes whether "falsified signatures" were used in foreclosure cases.
Apple juice made in America? Think again.
Overall, America's insatiable desire to chomp on overseas food has been growing. About 16.8 percent of the food that we eat is imported from other countries, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, up from 11.3 percent two decades ago. Here are some other facts:
Banks find ways to recoup revenue lost to new rules
The banks are making up the lost revenue in three ways, Hewitt said: cutting expenses, restructuring existing products to be more efficient and profitable — and creating new products.
January 13, 2012 Save the Balsams Gifts Continue to Flow: 1300 Donors, $817,000
With 48 hours left before the deadline in the Save the Balsams Landscape campaign, more than 1,300 donors have expressed their desire to see the forests surrounding the historic Dixville Notch protected by making gifts small and large. We at the Forest Society are humbled by so much generosity and so many good wishes. We asked others to help us get the word out about the opportunity to protect this iconic landscape and everyone has continued to do so. Thank you.
Voter ID: Necessary or Discriminatory?
What happens when citizens lose trust in a nation’s government is they become subjects instead of citizens. In the words of Joseph Stalin: “The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”
So, You Think You’re Free?
Americans have been feeling the effects of the exploding government and resulting reduction in economic freedom. Some 13.1 million Americans are out of work, the unemployment rate has hovered between 8 and 9 percent, and the economy has merely been plodding along on the road to a very slow recovery. Though 200,000 jobs were added in December, Heritage’s James Sherk and Rea Hederman Jr., write, ”At that pace, the unemployment rate will not return to normal levels (or 5.2 percent) for four and a half years–not until September 2016.”
Obama Asks Congress to Lift Debt Ceiling by Another $1.2 Trillion
Prior to the August deal, the largest increase in the debt limit was the $1.9 trillion increase passed by Congress and signed by President Obama on Feb. 12, 2010. That law increased the debt limit from $12.394 trillion to $14.294 trillion.
Rick Perry's Virginia ballot lawsuit shot down
Perry sued last month after failing to submit enough signatures to get on the ballot. Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman also failed to qualify and later joined Perry's lawsuit. They asked Gibney to declare Virginia's law unconstitutional and add their names to the March 6 ballot.
Lawsuit: Woman denied rental discount because she's straight
In a just-filed federal class-action lawsuit, Evenchik's lawyers contend she was denied discounts of up to 20 percent that Avis "made available to gay and lesbian renters" through two different groups: a gay business association and a gay travel group.
Extra! Extra!: Dumbest headlines ever!
If Jay Leno can rip-off David Letterman, then we can rip-off Leno and share some of the worst, some of the funniest and some of the most ridiculous newspaper headlines that were definitely not fit to print.
State lawmakers: SC voter ID law would prevent dead people from voting
The Daily Caller published an exclusive video Wednesday showing multiple New Hampshire precincts handing out ballots to citizen journalists who used the names of dead people. In South Carolina, the state DMV director said Wednesday that records show 900 dead people may have voted in past elections.
Panetta: Urination video 'utterly deplorable'
The Marine Corps' top general condemned the video and called for criminal and internal probes into what has quickly mushroomed into an international incident that threatens to undermine the U.S war effort.
Survey: Mormons optimistic about fitting in
Mormons overwhelmingly (97%) consider themselves to be Christians, according to the survey. A Pew survey of the general public in November 2011 found only 51% of Americans agree, and the most common description non-Mormons gave for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a "cult."
Coca-Cola says it told gov't about fungicide in OJ
Neither the FDA nor the company said which orange juice products tested positive. Carbendazim is not currently approved for use on citrus in the United States, but it is used in Brazil, which exports orange juice to the United States.
New York City Proposes Using Obamacare Funding To Limit Alcohol Sales
It’s almost as though these people didn’t learn the lessons of Great Depression-era alcohol prohibition, which is that demand for alcohol will persist however the government might try to limit sale and consumption. If the government won’t allow legal alcohol sales, then Americans will just purchase it illegally.
Gingrich's 'Bain bomb' fizzles
The reality, however, is that Raytheon (RTN) and Bain weren't the same thing. And Bain wasn't involved in the early 1990s. Raytheon agreed to purchase UniMac in 1994, and later merged it into a broader commercial laundry unit that also included facilities in Wisconsin and Kentucky. Raytheon then sold that unit four years later to Bain Capital for $358 million, alongside another private equity firm.
Federal Judge Says Prayer Banner Must Be Removed
U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Lagueux ruled that the prayer banner at Cranston High School West must be removed immediately because it promotes religion. Jessica Ahlquist, an atheist student, had sued the city of Cranston and the high school after they initially refused to remove the banner.
Student who challenged prayer banner speaks out
U.S. District Judge Ronald Lagueux ruled Wednesday that the Cranston High School West banner, which includes the words "Our Heavenly Father" and "Amen", as unconstitutional.
High court ruling landmark for religion
In a 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court endorsed for the first time the “ministerial exception” to state and federal employment discrimination laws while rejecting the Obama administration’s argument that churches should be treated no differently than other employers.
January 11, 2012
Pass the Bragdon/Forrester Amendment on January 18!
Before January 18, please call or email your state senator and ask him or her to vote for the Bragdon/Forrester amendment to HB648. This amendment will ensure that private developers cannot use eminent domain for private, for-profit energy projects.
Mitt Romney and 100,000 jobs: an untenable figure
As we noted, “This tally obviously does not include job losses from other companies with which Bain Capital was involved — and are based on current employment figures, not the period when Romney worked at Bain.”
Romney at Bain: Big Gains, Some Busts
Among the findings: 22% either filed for bankruptcy reorganization or closed their doors by the end of the eighth year after Bain first invested, sometimes with substantial job losses. An additional 8% ran into so much trouble that all of the money Bain invested was lost.
Gingrich-Allied Attack Film Shows Romney as ‘Ruthless’ Rich
Release of the film, which attacks Romney’s record as the chief executive officer of the private-equity firm Bain Capital LLC, comes after the former Massachusetts governor’s victory in yesterday’s New Hampshire Republican presidential primary.
Has New Hampshire launched Ron Paul as the leading ‘Anti-Romney’ GOP candidate?
The results from New Hampshire show Ron Paul broke 20 percent of the vote for the second straight time, decisively winning second place. In Iowa, Paul finished strongly in third place with 21.4 percent of the vote behind Santorum and Mitt Romney who were virtually tied. And a recent poll shows Paul and Romney narrowly beating Obama nationally.
DNC Chairwoman Blames Tea Party For Shooting Gabbie Giffords
So the tea party, which consisted of lawful gatherings of mostly respectful protesters, is responsible for a “lack of civility” in American politics but not, say, the Occupy Wall Street movement which is known more for its violence, deaths and arrest record than any sort of a coherent political message.
The Return of the Chickenhawks
“We have hundreds of thousands coming back from these wars that were undeclared, they were unnecessary, they haven’t been won, they’re unwinnable, and we have hundreds of thousands looking for care. And we have an epidemic of suicide coming back. And so many have – I mean, if you add up all the contractors and all the wars going on, Afghanistan and in Iraq, we’ve lost 8,500 Americans, and severe injuries, over 40,000. And these are undeclared wars.”
Health Care And Hospitals: Scam
Let's assume that you ran a gas station. Your gas station posted no prices. Further, the same gas was sold to different people, all of who were similarly situated at the time they pumped the gas, at different prices depending solely on who their employer was, and nobody would know the price of the gasoline until after they pumped it. And if that wasn't enough insult the price would be $3/gallon for most people who worked for a long list of companies but if you were a passer-through in town and didn't work for any of those firms as a consequence the price would be $25/gallon.
Homeowners fight for property rights against EPA
Justice Elena Kagan asked why the Sacketts didn't apply for a permit before touching their lot. Putting aside what she described as the "weirdness" of applying for a permit the applicant believes is unneeded, Kagan asked why "couldn't [Sackett] have gotten the legal determination that you wanted through that process?"
Obama’s Arrogant Authoritarianism
For what, exactly, can’t the President wait? Quite simply, constitutional republicanism — the system of checks and balances integral to American government and political freedom. He grew impatient with the delays that inevitably accompany any legislative action an acted outside the Constitution’s mandated process. But the American people should ask, “Is such action really preferable to a deliberative, if slower-moving, constitutional republic?”
Court: Okla. ban on Islamic law unconstitutional
"The federal appeals court in Denver attempted to silence the voice of 70 percent of Oklahoma voters," Sykes said in a statement. "At some point we have to decide whether this is a country of by and for the judges, or of by and for the people. How far will the people let them go? This ruling is right along with legalizing abortion and forced busing of school children."
A Fine for Not Using a Biofuel That Doesn’t Exist
Penalizing the fuel suppliers demonstrates what happens when the federal government really, really wants something that technology is not ready to provide.
Fee limits may spur cash-only rules
In an odd twist that stems from the way swipe fees have been assessed, the new rule could prompt card issuers to actually raise fees on smaller purchases in order to offset lost revenue from lower fees on larger ones.
City Of Minot Begs Feds For Disaster Recovery Funds While Spending Millions On Sports Facilities
The City of Minot was much in the news last year, both in the state and nationally, because of a devastating flood that wiped out about 1/3 of the city’s homes. The flood waters are gone, but there is still a lot of recovery to be done. Entire blocks of homes remain in shambles. Schools need to be repaired. Roads and other infrastructure are in tough shape.
January 9, 2012
(Permission to distribute widely has been granted by the cartoonist and creator of the concept)
Mitt Romney ripped over ‘pink slip’ remark
University of New Hampshire political science professor Andy Smith said Romney will always have trouble trying to run as a regular guy: “He’s trying to identify with regular folks, but he’s seen as somebody who’s wealthy.”
Gingrich wades into multiple issues at NH town hall
But as Gingrich entered the hall at Public Service of New Hampshire, a regulated energy company, there was complete silence. Unlike most campaign events, where the candidate’s arrival is greeted with commotion on all sides, the only sound in the room was the click of a photographer’s camera as Gingrich slowly made his way to the podium.
Media mob chases Ron Paul from campaign stop in New Hampshire
As Paul’s SUV departed the restaurant, Hiller explained that her 90-year-old mother, Bea Hiller-Roth, split her time between Florida and New Hampshire, but had flown up to the Granite State to vote in the primary. “She really wanted to meet him. She was really waiting to meet him,” said her daughter. “I think he lost some votes.”
Mitt Romney’s “I Like Being Able to Fire People” Remark, which Referred to Consumers Firing Service Providers, Already being used Against Him
Here is a sound bite that will be used over and over again against Mitt Romney – by both GOP rivals and Obama (if Romney is nominated). Nevermind the context. Romney was talking about Americans having the freedom to choose their own insurance and to “fire” a provider that does a poor job for them. But he made the mistake of saying, “I like being able to fire people” – which is being used to mean he likes firing workers from their jobs.
U.S. debt is now equal to economy
The amount of money the federal government owes to its creditors, combined with IOUs to government retirement and other programs, now tops $15.23 trillion.
Forget inflation: Is deflation the real threat?
Debt — specifically, the inability to repay it — is one contributor to deflation. As a simple example, consider what happens when your neighbor can't pay his mortgage. Eventually, the bank forecloses on the house and sells it at a cut-rate price. When potential buyers look at other houses in the neighborhood, they base their bid on the last price — your neighbor's discounted foreclosure price — and home prices on the entire block fall.
U.S. Agents Helped Mexican and Colombian Drug Traffickers Launder Millions, Report Says
The documents are part of an extradition order against Harold Mauricio Poveda-Ortega, a Colombian arrested in Mexico in 2010 on charges of supplying cocaine to Arturo Beltran Leyva. A year earlier, Beltran Leyva was killed in a shootout with Mexican marines in the city of Cuernavaca, south of Mexico City.
January 8, 2012 Big turnout expected for N.H. primary
New Hampshire, as of last month, had about 232,000 voters who registered as Republicans, 223,000 as Democrats and 313,000 who are undeclared and can vote in either party. It's that last group of independents that is the most coveted in the Granite State, both for the primary and the general election.
Stephanopoulos struggles with fairness during NH debate
“I just want to raise a point about the news media bias,” Gingrich said after a rhetorical skirmish about gay marriage. “You don’t hear the opposite question asked. “Should the Catholic Church be forced to close its adoption services in Massachusetts because it won’t accept gay couples, which is exactly what the state has done? Should the Catholic Church be driven out of providing charitable services in the District of Columbia because it won’t give in to secular bigotry? Should the Catholic Church find itself discriminated against by the Obama administration on key delivery of services because of the bias and the bigotry of the administration?”. "The bigotry question goes both ways,” Gingrich added. “And there’s a lot more anti-Christian bigotry today than there is concerning the other side. And none of it gets covered by the news media.”
Pro-Gingrich group to air film critical of Romney
The Gingrich-leaning Winning Our Future PAC said Sunday that the 28-minute video — which assails Romney for "reaping massive awards" while head of Bain Capital — will be posted online soon and could show up on TV ahead of this month's primary elections.
For Ron Paul, Media Attention Was Just Too Much
However it was soon evident that the media corps wasn’t going away and Paul, sitting alone at a large table as his security detail debated what to do, eventually abandoned his breakfast.
American Research Group
Mitt Romney continues to lead the New Hampshire Republican Presidential Preference Primary with 40%. Jumping into second place is Jon Huntsman with 17%. Ron Paul follows closely with 16% and Rick Santorum is in fourth place with 12%.
Complete Video of the “Meet the Press” GOP Presidential Debate in New Hampshire – 1/8/12
Most of the debate seemed disjointed, with a series of odd questions from both David Gregory and the local New Hampshire media who helped ask some of the questions. In this debate, I don’t think Romney did as well as he did last night, but he held his own. I would rank the candidates this way: 1) Newt Gingrich 2) Rick Santorum 3) Mitt Romney 4) Ron Paul 5) Rick Perry 6) Jon Huntsman. You may see it differently. How would you rate the candidates in this debate?
Former NH gov. shouts down Chris Matthews [VIDEO]
“You guys don’t even understand New Hampshire politics when you think there’s something bad about tithing your time to serve. If there’s any state that understands that Mitt Romney going in and serving — and giving his time — and going back to the private sector is a normal part of the process, it’s New Hampshire,” he continued. “Stop being ridiculous and talk about the issues: The job problems in this country, the need to cut spending and the need to cut taxes. And when the candidates talk about that, you guys avoid it.”
Club For Growth: Claim That Santorum Is A “Big Government Conservative” Is “Mostly True”
Keep in mind that during Bush’s term in office, the Bush tax cuts reduced tax burdens and spurred economic growth. The left claims that the Bush tax cuts caused deficits, but in reality federal tax receipts increased substantially from the passage of the tax cuts through 2007. Had spending under Bush and a Republican Congress (which included Santorum) not increased even faster during that time we might have seen balanced budgets.
Fracking for oil, natural gas spurs sand mining in Midwest
Largely overlooked in the national debate over fracking is the emerging fight in the U.S. heartland over mining "frac sand," which has grains of ideal size, shape, strength and purity. Mining companies say the work provides good jobs in rural areas, but some residents fear the increase in mining could harm human health and the environment.
The Federal Government’s War On Whooping Cranes
On the other extreme, the federal government is actually seeking an exemption from federal laws protecting whooping crane so that companies owning wind power turbines won’t be prosecuted when the blades of their turbines slaughter the endangered species.
Drug company recalls bottles of Excedrin, NoDoz
Novartis said that some of the bottles of headache medicine Excedrin and caffeine caplets NoDoz with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2014, or earlier will be subject to the recall. Some of the packages of pain medicine Bufferin and stomach medicine Gas-X with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013,or earlier will also be affected.
‘Anti-bullying’ bill linked to allegations against Speaker O’Brien
Susan Emerson, R-Rindge, said her motivation for filing the bill was an incident last year when she was called into the Senate Chambers and yelled at by O’Brien for proposing an amendment to the state budget bill that would have restored funding to various organizations supported through the Department of Health and Human Services.
January 7, 2012 New Anti-Romney Video Attacks Bain Capital Work
An ex-Romney adviser is unleashing a half-hour attack video blasting Mitt’s work at Bain Capital. A pro-Gingrich super PAC just scooped it up. Peter J. Boyer reports.
First in New England: PSNH Is the Region’s Top Toxic Polluter
According to the data, PSNH is the region’s top toxic polluter, and PSNH’s coal-fired power plant in Bow, Merrimack Station, releases more toxic pollution to the environment than any other facility in New England. Because of PSNH, New Hampshire as a whole is first in New England in toxic pollution.
January 6, 2012 Huntsman: Corporations aren't people
The former Utah governor was referring, of course, to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who told a protestor at the Iowa State Fair in August, "Corporations are people, my friend."
Pat Buchanan: Romney’s Got it Locked Up
Buchanan was an insurgent himself, capturing the 1996 New Hampshire primary before coming up short against establishment candidate Bob Dole. But he said he doesn’t see much hope for Rick Santorum. The former Pennsylvania senator rode a wave of late support in the Iowa caucuses this week to nearly topple Romney.
SEC changes settlement rules for companies found guilty of crimes
“It nevertheless seemed unnecessary for there to be a ‘neither admit’ provision in those cases where a defendant had been criminally convicted of conduct that formed the basis of” the SEC action, he said.
Santorum, college students argue gay marriage
"Reason says that if you think it's OK for two, you have to differentiate with me why it's not OK for three," he added. "Let's just have a discussion about what that means. If she reflects the values that marriage can be for anybody or any group of people, as many as is necessary, any two people or any three or four, marriage really means whatever you want it to mean."
Gingrich to black people: paychecks, not food aid
Gingrich said if he has a chance to go before the NAACP, he would explain a "brand-new Social Security opportunity" for young people, "which would be particularly good for African-American males, because they are the group that gets the smallest return on Social Security."
Is Rick Santorum a supporter of limited government?
Santorum supported many items that most tea partiers consider acts of “Big Government. As Michael Turner pointed out at National Review, “He never met an earmark that he didn’t like. In fact, it wasn’t just earmarks for his own state that he favored, which might be forgiven as pure electoral pragmatism, but earmarks for everyone, including the notorious ‘Bridge to Nowhere.’”
Advocates: NJ law a model for Md. offshore wind
The offshore wind industry does not exist yet in this country and Mid-Atlantic efforts had a set-back last month when New Jersey-based NRG Energy officially ended its offshore wind power contract with Delmarva Power. NRG Energy, the parent company of Bluewater Wind, had said previously that it planned to terminate the contract if a buyer for Bluewater did not come forward because of problems gaining financing for the project, which would have put 49 to 150 turbines about 13 miles off the Delaware coast.
January 5, 2012 Interview- Andy Martin
Republican candidate for president responded to Rick Santorum's claims that he has the most foreign policy credentials.
Gingrich opposes Northern Pass transmission project
If the request to build the above-ground corridor through the Great North Woods were to come to his desk as President, Gingrich said he wouldn't sign it. The project requires a U.S. Deptarment of Energy Presidential Permit as it crosses an international border.
Boston Globe endorses Huntsman
The Boston Globe has subscribers in southern New Hampshire. It endorsed Sen. John McCain over Romney in 2007.
Santorum, college students argue gay marriage
It began when a student asked Santorum, an opponent of same-sex marriage: "How you justify your belief based on these morals you have about all men being created equal when two men who want to marry the person that they love ..." "What about three men?" Santorum interjected.
New England's Top Radio Stations and Nation's Top Talkers to Broadcast Presidential Candidates' Interviews Live from Manchester
New England's top radio stations and the nation's biggest syndicated radio show hosts will gather in Manchester to interview Republican presidential candidates, political pundits and celebrities during the New Hampshire primary. The New Hampshire Primary Radio Row will take place in the Manchester Radisson from 5:00 a.m. to midnight January 7 through January 10, 2012. This live broadcast event is organized by Talkers Magazine and Talk Radio News Service, with Granite sponsorship from the New Hampshire Energy Forum; support from primary radio sponsor WTKK-AM of Boston; and sponsorships from Autofair, Rivier College and Jack Heath of WTPL 107.7 FM, Hillsboro, NH.
Obama’s Tyrannical Abuse of Power
Here’s why the President finds himself so far outside of constitutional bounds. Under Article II, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution, the President has the power to fill vacancies that may happen during Senate recesses, as Gaziano writes. In this case, President Obama was seeking to fill the vacancy in the CFPB, a new agency that has come under significant criticism given its unparalleled powers to issue expansive regulations with virtually no accountability. Republicans in the Senate, to date, have refused to confirm the President’s nominees to head up the CFPB, vowing to block Senate approval until reforms are made to the agency. So President Obama has decided to act without their approval by attempting to make a recess appointment. The trouble is that Congress is not in a recess because the House of Representatives never consented, as required under the Constitution, Article I, section 5. That means that the President simply does not have the power to make this appointment. Gaziano explains the implications of the President’s actions:
Is Grover Norquist breaking up with SOPA?
Its new skepticism is notable because, apart from trade associations such as the Motion Picture Association of America, it would be hard to find any Washington, D.C. advocacy group that has been a more ardent defender of intellectual property rights.
Is the Economic Threat From Iran Overhyped?
Still, the mere threat of an incident is driving energy prices higher and creating a new risk for investors still hurting from a number of global events such as Europe's sovereign debt crisis and the earthquake in Japan.
A Special Tribute For Ron Smith
Join WBAL and the family of Ron Smith for a special tribute to Ron, Tuesday, January 17th, at 11 a.m. at the Kraushaar Auditorium at Goucher College
January 4, 2012 Voter ID Prevents Election Fraud
Unfortunately, despite all the technological advances in our modern democracy, voter fraud still occurs, and yet there is still resistance to one very simple tool that could help eradicate it — voter ID. Some, like The New York Times, say that voting fraud is a myth, that “there is almost no voting fraud in America.” But as Heritage senior legal fellow Hans von Spakovsky explains, voter fraud is all too common in America today:
The Economy in 2012: Turbulence Ahead
For starters the nation’s battered housing market still hasn’t hit bottom, keeping the construction industry (and the manufacturers that supply it) largely on the sidelines. And while America’s gross domestic product finally showed signs of life in the latter part of 2011 much of this “growth” comes in the form of additional spending on necessary expenditures like food and energy.
State Utility Regulators 'Legally Obliged' To Review NU-NSTAR Merger
PURA is scheduled to consider and vote on a final decision January 18. If the draft decision is upheld in its final action, PURA would require Northeast Utilities to make an application seeking approval of Connecticut's regulators for the merger as well as its terms and conditions.
Santorum Surge Brings Ethics Questions
One of the top donors to Santorum's charity was also the beneficiary of an $8 million Santorum-sponsored federal earmark, according to published reports. Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor who filed an ethics complaint against Santorum in 2006 on behalf of a watchdog group, said her organization's website received a tidal wave of visitors in the past 24 hours, and in an interview she said she believes people will discover that the GOP presidential contender is "hardly the moral paragon he purports to be."
Gotta Watch: CNN 'After Dark'
Last night the Iowa caucuses kicked off the first contest of the 2012 election season. In the end, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney beat late front-runner Rick Santorum by just eight votes in a contest that carried into the early hours of the morning. And while it was an intense night of election coverage, CNN’s all-star political team was still able to have a little fun while delivering the results.
Do Musicians Block GOP Candidates From Using Their Songs?
Earlier this year, Republican hopeful Michele Bachmann was issued a “cease and desist” letter from rocker Tom Petty’s music publisher insisting that she stop playing his “American Girl” at campaign events. The Foo Fighters and John Mellencamp asked John McCain to stop playing their hits during his presidential run in 2008, and McCain settled out-of-court with Jackson Browne last year after the singer-songwriter sued McCain and the Ohio and national Republican committees, accusing them of using his song "Running on Empty" without his permission.
Rick Perry's Virginia lawsuit adds Gingrich, Huntsman, Santorum
Virginia requires candidates to submit the signatures of at least 10,000 registered voters, including at least 400 from each of the state's 11 congressional districts, to be placed on the ballot. Perry submitted about 6,000 signatures by the Dec. 22 deadline.
January 3, 2012 Record gun checks, sales for Christmas
Gun dealers cite fear of crime tied to a bad economy, expanded concealed-carry laws or the fear that the federal government will either restrict ownership or confiscate firearms.
Bringing Expired Debt Back to Life
Federal authorities have declared some of the offers deceptive because they failed to clearly explain to people they needn't pay back even a penny of the past debts because the obligations had expired under statutes of limitations set by individual states.
Virginia Attorney General Backs Off Call to Change Ballot Rules Before Primary
"After working through different scenarios with Republican and Democratic leaders to attempt to make changes in time for the 2012 presidential election, my concern grows that we cannot find a way to make such changes fair to the Romney and Paul campaigns that qualified even with Virginia's burdensome system," Cuccinelli said.
Obama signs Iran sanctions bill into law
But Mr Obama stressed that he had concerns about parts of the legislation dealing with the handling of foreign terror suspects.
Taliban Agree to Open Office in Qatar
The Taliban said they tentatively agreed to open a political office in Qatar to communicate with the international community, a step that could help pave the way for direct peace talks to end a decade of war in Afghanistan.
End of ethanol subsidy will raise the price of gas
Gas prices averaged $3.28 for a gallon of regular (E-10) nationwide Monday, according to AAA, up from $3.07 a year ago. E-85 ethanol averaged $2.95. But because cars can't squeeze as much mileage out of every gallon of ethanol, the price when adjusted to equal the mileage of a gallon of regular was $3.88.
Reporter Mike Allen Destroyed when He Uses Anonymous Sources to Play ‘Gotcha’ with Rick Perry: “You Got a Name?”
Here is video of Gov. Rick Perry just destroying Politico’s Mike Allen when Allen tried to ask Perry about supposed members of his staff who complain that Perry ran his campaign like it was a Governor’s race for too long. Perry immediately confronted Allen with the question, “You got a name?” As Allen continued to try and ask questions, Perry just kept repeating, “You got a name?” He then scolded Allen, telling him not to come to him with negative stories like that unless he’s got a name to back it up!
January 2, 2012 The Kelo Decision: Robbing the Poor to Pay the Rich (2)
On December 8th the judiciary committee met again to straighten out the mess. The result was nothing short of farcical. The committee, comprised of supposedly intelligent adults could not seem to understand the words, “or a participant-funded (private) transmission facility,” added to a statute forbidding the use of eminent domain for the construction of a generating facility. They did, however, agree to substitute a three page amendment filled with instructions enumerating the procedures needed to take private property. So, they turned a bill meant to protect our private property from corporate for profit taking, into an instruction manual on how to take our property.
Santorum says he would bomb Iran nuclear sites
Santorum tells NBC's "Meet the Press" that he would tell Iranian leaders that either they open up those facilities, begin to dismantle them and make them available to inspectors - or the U.S. would attack them.
Energy giant hid behind shells in "land grab"
The effort to secure leasing rights in Michigan was part of Chesapeake's national "land grab," a term the company has used in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Holder's Race-Baiting is about Obama's Re-Election, Not Voting Rights
Every eligible citizen has a duty to vote. But as we explain in our book Resurgent: How Constitutional Conservatism Can Save America, it is a duty to cast an informed vote. Although there are only so many hours in the day, we each need to make an effort to gather enough information to understand the major issues facing our nation, state, and community, and to carefully vote for candidates who offer the best solutions for our long-term safety and prosperity.
Hoplophobes To Oppose Three Gun Bills
Yet, Chief Halias neglects to acknowledge that a significant number of UNH students’ peers presently serve in the U.S. Armed forces where they are being asked to go out on patrols in Afganistan with a fully-loaded firearm and make split-second life or death decisions. Is this a “context” problem? Are the eighteen, through twenty-one year olds at UNH any demographically different than those spilling their blood overseas?
December 31, 2011 Northern Pass Mulls Options
"The way PSNH and Northern Pass handled the Balsams situation has clearly triggered people's indignation," he said. "It remains to be seen whether or not this has long-term ramifications for the Northern Pass project, but there's no question that it has angered a whole new group of people."
The Kelo Decision: Robbing the Poor to Pay the Rich (1)
Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random. The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms. As for the victims, the government now has license to transfer property from those with fewer resources to those with more. The Founders cannot have intended this perverse result. "[T]hat alone is a just government," wrote James Madison, "which impartially secures to every man, whatever is his own."
Obama delays request for $1.2T debt limit hike
Even if the Republican House or the Democratic Senate oppose the requested hike in the debt ceiling, Obama can veto the objection under an agreement reached with Congress in August.
Showdown expected over three gun bills
Concord attorney Penny Dean, who is involved in many Second Amendment issues before the Legislature, said Friday state that law currently prohibits the university system from banning weapons. The university is a subdivision of the state, and like cities and towns, they cannot regulate firearms, she noted; only the state can do that.
Iowa's GOP caucuses may see some Democratic defectors
Voters who helped elect Obama in 2008 are planning to cast Republican ballots Tuesday, and Rep. Ron Paul is perhaps the most likely to benefit from the crossovers.
Obama signs defense bill despite misgivings
The president pledged that his administration will use discretion in interpreting legal requirements to ensure U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism are not detained indefinitely by military.
December 30, 2011 Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina Republicans Reject Euro Bailouts
“In 2008, Republicans destroyed their brand by supporting the TARP bailouts for banks that were at the heart of the financial crisis. Politically, they were a catastrophe for the base and handed Democrats complete control of government for two years,” Wilson recalled.
New Hampshire pair down on 3rd party
“We’ve seen this before with Ross Perot — twice. He split the Republican Party and the Republican Party lost,” said Ken Smith, a Portsmouth, N.H., city councilor. “If any third-party candidate gets in now, they’ve basically handed this country back to Obama for four more years and I don’t believe this country can handle four more years of Barack Obama.”
2011: The year of annoying fees
"Oh Verizon I save trees, paper costs and postage for you by paying online. DO NOT add a fee because I do all the work for you," tweeted Vanessa Stiles, a small business owner in Indianapolis.
TSA Worker Caught Downloading Child Pornography
Given the clear pattern of TSA workers being caught engaged in acts of criminality, with a particular emphasis on sexual harassment towards women and children, anecdotal evidence suggests that perverts are being attracted to work with the TSA because the role affords them the opportunity to grope, harass and intimidate the targets of their perversion.
Kelo, Eminent Domain, & the Lust for Land
Ever since the Supreme Court's infamous Kelo ruling in June of 2005, America has struggled with the case's grim implications: the seizure of private property, often from people who can't afford to fight back. For those who have followed the pre- and post-Kelo saga of eminent domain in the United States, two questions often surface. First: "How the heck did we get to this point?" And second, usually after reading about some little old lady getting kicked to the curb: "Who are these people? Who would do this sort of thing?"
NU-NSTAR merger faces hurdles next week
Sylvia's agency had already been urging the Department of Public Utilities to stay any decision on the union in order to consider its impact on the environment and electricity rates. On Dec. 20 the Department of Energy Resources amended its request to include storm response.
Is America Losing Control?
America is losing control. Why? A failure to understand human nature and the lessons of history — and the mindless pursuit of Utopian dreams.
Incandescent light bulb phaseout begins Jan. 1
Still, the incandescent phaseout worries a third of Americans, who say they prefer traditional bulbs, according to an October survey of 303 adults conducted for lighting company Osram Sylvania. One in eight, or 13%, say they'll stockpile Edison's 100-watt bulbs.
Clark celebrates 40 years rocking New Year's Eve
This year's headliner is Lady Gaga, who gets the prime slot in Times Square in the moments before midnight. Justin Bieber, Pitbull, Hot Chelle Rae, Florence + The Machine, Gym Class Heroes, Nicki Minaj and Taio Cruz are among the other featured performers from New York and Los Angeles. Beyonce is scheduled to perform from London, where she's on tour.
Judge Rejects Perry Bid to Stop Va. Ballots
A federal judge in Richmond said today that he wouldn’t stop the printing before the next hearing in the case, scheduled for Jan. 13. He declined to rule on the merits of Perry’s challenge.
Retailers adjust marketing as more men take over grocery shopping
Meyer, 35, is part of a growing contingent of men taking over grocery duty. Experts say the trend has been building slowly for decades. But the recession hit men disproportionately with layoffs and left many of them home to manage the household.
Verizon Wireless: Yep, that'll be $2 to pay your bill online
The new fee will go into effect starting January 15 and doesn't apply to customers paying their bills with an electronic check or who enroll in autopay using a credit, debit, or AT&T cards, according to the memo posted on Endgadget. Customers using Verizon Wireless gift cards or Verizon Wireless device rebate cards and customers using standard paper check and money orders made payable directly to Verizon Wireless will also not be charged a fee, Phone Scoop reported.
The Unintended Consequences of Internet Regulation
But the two bills making their way through Congress are the wrong solution. They pose serious threats to freedom of speech and expression and raise security concerns. With the Senate possibly voting on the PROTECT IP Act in January and the House moving forward with hearings on SOPA, Americans should understand what’s at stake.
U.S. Transportation Department and Environmental Protection Agency guess at 2025 car sales
Of course, this should not be surprising for the EPA which regularly creates regulations based upon speculative global warming models that project weather patterns fifty to one hundred years in the future. So, automotive industry sales projections for the year 2025 must have seemed like legitimate economic analysis after dealing in the politically driven climate guessing world for the past few years.
Fallen heroes bill honors 9/11 victims
The legislation commissions the U.S. Treasury to design and strike three Congressional Gold Medals to honor the civilians, public safety workers, airline passengers and crew members killed at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the passengers and crew members of Flight 93, which crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pa.
At West Point, a quiet place to honor warriors
Americans will argue for years over what was won in Iraq. To understand what was lost, come to the U.S. Military Academy cemetery and walk through Section 36, a garden of unrealized potential and thwarted dreams that sits on a windy bluff over the Hudson River.
Santa do you wrong? Gift return tips
Retailers have gotten far better about not charging restocking fees and are no longer allowed to slap maintenance fees on unused gift card balances for at least a year under a federal rule enacted last year.
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton Again Top Most Admired List
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama continue to be named by Americans as the Most Admired Woman and Most Admired Man living today in any part of the world. Clinton has been the Most Admired Woman each of the last 10 years, and Obama has been the Most Admired Man four years in a row. Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, and Condoleezza Rice round out the top five Most Admired women, while the top five Most Admired men also include George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Billy Graham, and Warren Buffett.
Under Obama, an emerging global apparatus for drone killing
In the space of three years, the administration has built an extensive apparatus for using drones to carry out targeted killings of suspected terrorists and stealth surveillance of other adversaries. The apparatus involves dozens of secret facilities, including two operational hubs on the East Coast, virtual Air Force cockpits in the Southwest and clandestine bases in at least six countries on two continents.
Obama’s Drone Hypocrisy
According to the Washington Post the Obama administration is overseeing a broad expansion of the use of unmanned drones for assassinations and surveillance:
Pa. plant to convert generators from coal to gas
Ed Griegel, vice president of operations for the Sunbury power plant, said the move is being driven by toughening federal pollution standards and the high cost of burning coal, the Daily Item of Sunbury reported Wednesday. Similar moves are expected from other owners of power plants that feed the wider mid-Atlantic power grid.
Noted economist Michelle Obama has a better vacation wardobe than you do
And don’t think she’s dressing like a regular tourist while she’s there, either, you peons. As she accompanied Barack and family to church services on the Kaneohe Bay Marine Base on Sunday, Michelle sported a Resort Collection Sophie Theallet sundress (thumbnail), which, at the time it was purchased in late 2009, cost between $1K and $2K. Similar dresses from the Resort 2012 collection sell for that much and more.
Pro-Bachmann Super PAC switches to Romney
In turning the Super PAC's support toward Bachmann shortly after the Ames win, Ed Brookover, a political operative who works with the group, had lauded her conservative credentials.
Federal workers starting at much higher pay than in past
A 30- to 34-year-old lawyer started at an average of $101,045 this year, up from $79,177 five years ago. The government hires about 2,500 lawyers a year. And a mechanical engineer, age 25 to 29, started at $63,675, up from $51,746 in 2006. The government hires about 600 mechanical engineers a year.
Does Airport Security Really Make Us Safer?
To a large number of security analysts, this expenditure makes no sense. The vast cost is not worth the infinitesimal benefit. Not only has the actual threat from terror been exaggerated, they say, but the great bulk of the post-9/11 measures to contain it are little more than what Schneier mocks as “security theater”: actions that accomplish nothing but are designed to make the government look like it is on the job. In fact, the continuing expenditure on security may actually have made the United States less safe.
60 Minutes Broadcast Edits Out Laughable Obama Claim as 4th Best President
Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your Obama. That's because in his not so humble opinion, he ranks even higher than John F. Kennedy. Don't feel so bad, President Kennedy. Obama also feels that his administration is better than that of Presidents Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan to name a few.
Booze-fueled online shopping sessions produce surprises for some
Alcohol was "absolutely" a factor in at least some online purchases at eBay, the website's vice president for mobile Steve Yankovich told the NYT. He put this down to the fact that the eBay site gets the most traffic between 6.30pm and 10.30pm, a time when people are most likely to have a drink in their hand. "I mean, if you think about what most people do when they get home from work in the evening, it's decompression time. The consumer's in a good mood," Yankovich said.
December 27, 2011 Debunking The Anti-Paul Messages
They are saying, simply, that they have been so terrorized by their government and the mainstream media they are willing to surrender all their freedom and wealth to the military industrial complex and big government so people in a foreign land can be bombed into submission and subjugation. Years of government propaganda and years of war have cemented in their minds the need for perpetual war.
Gingrich ’06 Memo: “Agree Entirely With Gov. Romney” on Health Care
And, Gingrich wrote, the key to achieving that goal was doing what Romney did in Massachusetts: Requiring everybody who could afford it to buy health insurance. In fact, Gingrich makes an impassioned case for the so-called individual mandate — which is also at the center of President Obama’s health plan — on conservative grounds.
Sears, Kmart to shut 100-120 stores
He said that he believes most of the company's closings will be Kmart stores outside of its home base in the Northeast and Great Lakes region. He said Kmart has been caught in the crossfire of a price war between stronger discount retailers Target and Wal-Mart.
Judge: $178,000 in abandoned safe belongs to Mass.
A judge ruled the safe's contents belong to the state's Division of Medical Assistance for bills Daher incurred while in a nursing facility for five years prior to her death. State law allows for health care costs to be recouped from a person's estate.
Obama to Ask for Debt Ceiling Hike
Under the new budget, Congress can only vote to block the debt-ceiling extension with a disapproval resolution. Lawmakers have 15 days within receiving the request to vote down the debt limit increase.
Payroll Tax Holiday Extension Contained A Big, Fat Tax Hike
Under the terms negotiated by Congress, the law also includes a new “recapture” provision, which applies only to those employees who receive more than $18,350 in wages during the two-month period (the Social Security wage base for 2012 is $110,100, and $18,350 represents two months of the full-year amount). This provision imposes an additional income tax on these higher-income employees in an amount equal to 2 percent of the amount of wages they receive during the two-month period in excess of $18,350 (and not greater than $110,100).
Patriotic Millionaires For Higher Taxes Turn Out Not To Be So Patriotic After All
So the folks at the Daily Caller talked to some of the activists, and asked them if they’d be willing to make a donation to the US Treasury on the spot. And, showing what utter hypocrites they are, they refused. Because it’s not about them paying more. It’s about the government forcing other people to pay more.
Whose Country Is It, Anyway?
They did not mean that any particular denomination had been declared America's national religion — indeed, that was ruled out in the Constitution — but that we were predominantly a Christian people.
New laws: No caffeine in beer, shark fins in soup
California also became the first state in the nation to require a prescription for obtaining any drug containing dextromethorphan, an ingredient found in many popular over-the-counter cough suppressants, including Robitussin, NyQuil and Dimetapp.
New fee coming for medical effectiveness research
The government is already providing the institute with some funding: The $1-per-person insurance fee goes into effect in 2012. But the Treasury Department says it's not likely to be collected for another year, though insurers would still owe the money. The fee doubles to $2 per covered person in its second year and thereafter rises with inflation. The IRS is expected to issue guidance to insurers within the next six months.
SOPA is the end of us, say bloggers
“Of course, restrictions of results provided by Internet search engines amount to just that: prior restraint of their free expression of future results. Google and others, under SOPA, are told what they can or can’t publish before they publish it. Kill. The. Bill,” conservative blogger Neil Stevens argued at RedState.
2012: The Big Suck (2011 Review, 2012 Outlook)
If you're wondering why there's been no solution that's the reason -- there isn't one that doesn't involve taking these wealth-destroying institutions out back, shooting them, paying off depositors as best you can and then either charging their executives under the law or simply turning them over to the now-very-pissed-off citizens who just saw their pensions and social benefits go "poof" (never mind that it's really the politicians fault that it all happened in the first place!)
December 26, 2011 Faith in America
Nowadays, we are often told that religion is divisive and ought to kept away from politics for the sake of liberty. Religion somehow is opposed to liberty, and so liberty requires a diminution of religion in the public square.
EPA mercury rules may force changes at coal-fire plants in Portsmouth
The $450 million scrubber installed at PSNH's biggest coal-fired power plant means the Bow facility will meet stricter federal standards for mercury emissions, which were released Wednesday. Those new rules might force changes for two coal-fired power plants in Portsmouth, however.
Sen. Harry Reid's Unicorns: Fact Checking a Whopper
“Millionaire job creators are like unicorns. They’re impossible to find, and they don’t exist… Only a tiny fraction of people making more than a million dollars, probably less than 1 percent, are small business owners. And only a tiny fraction of that tiny fraction are traditional job creators…Most of these businesses are hedge fund managers or wealthy lawyers. They don’t do much hiring and they don’t need tax breaks.”
De Borchgrave: Obama Administration 'Totally Blind' in Confronting North Korea
Nonetheless, the U.S. intelligence agencies missed “something as easy to spot as a train . . . the only train moving around North Korea, with the boss on board, and somebody stops and there’s a flurry of activity . . . You’d think somebody would have spotted something,” said de Borchgrave, director of the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Flight home a nightmare for parents of dying boy
“There was a high likelihood we'd be stuck in an airport with a very sick child for a very long time,” he said. “We knew that the chances of us getting off that plane and getting home in time for Christmas were pretty poor.”
Cancer concerns mount over TSA body scanners
"Why would you buy a machine that emits radiation if you could buy one that didn't?" said Broward County Mayor John Rodstrom, a frequent flier who makes it a point to avoid the scanners.
Anti-Abortion Group Sues for Documents on U.S. Funding of New Hampshire Planned Parenthood
New Hampshire Right to Life is suing the Obama administration for access to records about a decision to fund Planned Parenthood in violation of state rules, a move that comes amid efforts by some state officials to get rid of virtually all federal funding to The Granite State.
TSA screenings aren't just for airports anymore
But critics say that without a clear threat, the TSA checkpoints are merely political theater. Privacy advocates worry that the agency is stretching legal limits on the government's right to search U.S. citizens without probable cause — and with no proof that the scattershot checkpoints help prevent attacks.
Growing wealth widens distance between lawmakers and constituents
Over the same period, the wealth of an American family has declined slightly, with the comparable median figure sliding from $20,600 to $20,500, according to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from the University of Michigan.
December 24, 2011 Letter of Approval from Charitable Trusts Unit
Having reviewed and considered the information provided to our office, and having discussed this matter with Attorney General Michael Delaney, we find that the Trustees have acted within the limits of their discretion and the provisions of the Trust. As such, we approve the Purchase and Sale Agreement between the Corporation and the Society.
Rep. Scott Rigell (R-VA) defies House committee with holiday greeting
"It's good and proper and right and constitutional for me to look into the camera and say to all of our friends and family across the second district and across the great Commonwealth of Virginia and the country Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah," Rigell says.
December 23, 2011 Cupcake Deemed 'Security Threat,' Confiscated By TSA
"In general, cakes and pies are allowed in carry-on luggage," said TSA spokesperson James Fotenos, adding they were looking into why this cupcake was confiscated.
Electronic Gadgets OK on Airplanes, Study Suggests
"All that information is pre-loaded into the iPad so there is no communicating through Wi-Fi or the cellphone network -- so it's really not sending any cellphone signal," he said.
December 22, 2011 Bulldog's Letter to NH Dept. of Justice
This letter is in response to Attorney Bisbee's letter to Anthony Blenkinsop, Director of the Charitable Trusts Unit.
Northern Pass Tries to Torpedo Tillotson Conservation Easement
First, Northern Pass has now lost any remaining credibility in the eminent domain debate. Northern Pass’s original proposal in October 2010 would have relied on massive use of eminent domain to ram the transmission lines over the property of non-consenting landowners and through the very heart of the North Country. After a huge public uproar, Northern Pass supposedly saw the light and said it would find a new route through the North Country based on “consensual” transactions – that is, willing sales by landowners.
Northern Pass Aims to Block Balsams Land Conservation
We believe that the Attorney General’s office will agree with the Tillotson Corp that the transaction outlined in our Purchase and Sale agreement with them is in the best interests of the North Country. The attempt by Northern Pass to interfere with a transaction between two private parties is a clear indication of their desperation. It’s the moral equivalent of using eminent domain to force a private landowner to sell to them.
Would Northern Pass swamp the regional market for renewable projects?
The bottom line for CLF: any plan to increase imports will need a robust and comprehensive set of enforceable commitments – which are completely absent in the current Northern Pass proposal – for the region to ensure that New England’s own renewable energy industry will prosper and grow into the future.
House leaders accept Senate tax terms
Lawmakers in both parties broadly agree on a one-year benefits extension in principle, but there remain partisan divisions over how to pay for the expected $200 billion cost of a longer term extension. That fight will continue next year
Michelle Obama’s Health Food Mandates Have Resulted In A Black Market For Chicken Nuggets
According to a weekend report by the Los Angeles Times, the city’s “trailblazing introduction of healthful school lunches has been a flop.” In response to the public hectoring and financial inducement of Mrs. Obama’s federally subsidized anti-obesity campaign, the district dropped chicken nuggets, corn dogs and flavored milk from the menu for “beef jambalaya, vegetable curry, pad Thai, lentil and brown rice cutlets, and quinoa and black-eyed pea salads.”
USPS carrier not allowed to deliver while wearing Santa suit
But only a few days after Thanksgiving this year, he was pulled off his route by a supervisor saying someone had complained about the uniform. He didn’t know who he had upset, or why the complaint was filed. “This was the first time; I don’t know what happened,” he said. “I don’t step on anyone’s toes. Being Santa isn’t religious to me; it’s secular. It’s about giving.”
Senators, Do Your Job and Get to Work
In a matter of days, the payroll tax “holiday” will expire, meaning higher taxes for working Americans. At the same time, fees for physicians and hospitals providing Medicare services will be severely cut and additional weeks of unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed will run out. None of this was unexpected. This was not an unforeseen calamity that caught Washington by surprise. They saw it coming, and it’s been on their list of things to do since last December–yet here we are waiting for a resolution and watching as Republicans and Democrats point fingers at each other.
Local Cops Ready for War With Homeland Security-Funded Military Weapons
A decade of billions in spending in the name of homeland security has armed local police departments with military-style equipment and a new commando mentality. But has it gone too far? Andrew Becker and G.W. Schulz of the Center for Investigative Reporting report.
Telegraph picks up on Liquor Commission Cars
Nashua Telegraph reporter Joseph Cote follows up on this morning’s story on New Hampshire’s Liquor Commissioners losing their state cars, and gets some comments from Commissioner Mark Bodi.
DRED Commissioner defends giving Cannon GM “Company Car”
DRED had eleven of its 168 state vehicles show up on a recent report detailing cars and trucks with more than 15% of their miles for Non-Business Use last year. A new state law, SB 402, requires that agencies track that mileage more carefully and redistribute vehicles above that threshold unless a they receive a waiver to let employees keep their state cars. Ten of those eleven vehicles received waivers, including Bald’s own car.
Washington Can Even Screw Up Christmas
The bet was that the House could pass no bill acceding to any of the president’s demands. That would leave Speaker John Boehner facing legislation passed by the Democrat-controlled Senate that might possibly have some form of new taxation in it. Imagine the situation if that had transpired and House Republicans were turning down an extension of the payroll tax holiday on revenue grounds alone. It would have been murder.
The Ugly Realities Of Socialized Medicine Are Not Going Away
The United Kingdom is the latest to tighten its belt. The National Health Service (NHS) — the centralized public agency that runs Britain’s government healthcare system — is being forced to shave $31 billion from its budget by 2015
DirecTV seeks judgment on New Hampton tax assessment
“The town believes that the character, use and relationship between the improvements and additions to the property, and the use of the property as an uplink facility, clearly establishes that the assets are fixtures and thus taxable,” attorney Judith Whitelaw of Laconia, who represents the town, wrote in a pretrial memorandum of law filed Dec. 8.
December 20, 2011- Today's show is dedicated to Ron Smith Ron Smith 1941-2011
Harbaugh gave Ron the game ball after the Ravens beat the Cleveland Browns Sunday, December 4.
Baltimore Broadcaster Spent Decades On Air
Here's what he wrote in a column in April 2010: "A confession: I've never been able to keep my mouth shut. If I see something that seems important, I can't keep it to myself. This makes me incapable of being a good corporate citizen and insures that I'm seen as a pain-in-the-ass by authority figures. It took years to figure out how to overcome this characteristic enough to stay employed and make a living. Luckily, there was talk radio, the one place where extreme candor can pay off."
Ron Smith, 'Voice of Reason,' dies
"School was like a prison," he said. "I had to get out. I always read easily since the time I was a little kid. I used to read the Encyclopedia Britannica Junior since the time I was 7 or 8 years old, so I educated myself. And, of course, educating yourself is a trap because you go down the wrong road quite a bit. But, on the other hand, it allows you to investigate what you really think is interesting and useful. And those characteristics came in handy in terms of my later career."
Ron Smith: ‘My work here is done’
The country is torn asunder between those who perceive a profound decline and those who believe passionately that there is no decline at all, but rather the beginnings of a march into a progressive utopia. That all previous utopian schemes have failed utterly is ignored.
Bulldog Tribute to Ron Smith
His relentless pursuit of the truth also inspired others to take action and ensure justice. Since leaving WBAL, we have remained friends, a gift I always treasure. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to work with the finest man in the industry. While there for a relatively short time in his long career, the lessons I learned from Ron will last a lifetime. Just as we all draw from life's experiences, my time spent working with Ron holds the biggest influence over my daily broadcasts in the 'Live Free or Die' state.
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Gives A Congressional Floor Speech About Ron Smith
Ron is a true conservative in the classical and historical meaning of the term. With equal enthusiasm and utmost respect, Ron asked tough questions of guests and callers and dissected the arguments of liberal elites, Democrats and Republicans and others who call themselves conservative.
Michelle Malkin: WBAL’s Ron Smith, R.I.P
He was not only a radio legend, but also a passionate supporter of the arts in his community and a media personality who truly cared about his listeners. I came to know of him initially through my brother-in-law, Daniel — one of Ron’s biggest fans and a cellist in Baltimore. When Daniel launched a local educational series called “Music In Common,” Ron volunteered to narrate the chamber music kick-off.
Ron is the one who gave me the name "Bulldog" while I was his producer at WBAL Radio in Baltimore. Please take a moment and consider a donation to the pancreatic cancer research foundations at Johns Hopkins, then maybe someday there will be more successful treatments and perhapd a cure for pancreatic cancer.
Congress Is Playing Games With Your Paycheck
First off, it was bad policy from the get-go to de-fund Social Security – we have been told for decades by both parties that we should not count payroll taxes as a regular tax since they go to Social Security and Medicare. By passing this reduction in the first play, Congress put payroll taxes on the table as a new political football.
House Republicans Get It Right In Rejecting Senate’s Two-Month Payroll Tax Holiday
And the temporary nature of this policy is, in and of itself, likely offsetting any minor good from tax relief by creating enormous amounts of uncertainty in the hiring markets. Plus, it’s dumb policy to begin with. Nobody hires workers to get a temporary payroll tax break.
Judge rules towns can't make own motorcycle noise rules
“If each town in New Hampshire had the authority to enact different noise emission ordinances, the state would be subject to a checkerboard pattern of laws,” ruled Superior Court Judge Kenneth McHugh. “For example, a motorcyclist who complies with the state noise emission limit could be precluded from driving through a town because that town enacted a lower noise emission limit than the state.”
School Gives Santa a Temporary Reprieve
Regardless, the superintendent stood by his decision until word began to spread across the community. By late Monday, Santa had been given a temporary reprieve. The Saugus School Committee is expected to address the issue next month – meaning Santa’s days may be numbered.
Trash Can Tickets In Queens
It is legal to put out the trash cans the day before pick-up but the time of the day matters. City sanitation rules say the cans can be put out no earlier than 4:00 p.m. from October 1st to April 1st. Janson's ticket was written at 3:27 p.m.
Biden Says Taliban Is Not Our Enemy
Need a brief refresher on history, Mr. Press Secretary? Mr. Vice President? Over the past 10 years the United States has waged a costly war in Afghanistan with the purpose of destroying al-Qaeda, eradicating the Taliban regime which gave the terrorist organization safe haven, and creating a viable democracy in that country. For too long, al-Qaeda had operated from Afghanistan with impunity. Osama bin Laden formed an alliance with the Taliban, his forces trained with Taliban forces, and his relationship with Taliban leader Mullah Omar grew. After bin Laden and his affiliates were found accountable for the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa, the Taliban refused to extradite the guilty parties to the United States, claiming that “without any evidence, bin Laden is a man without sin… He is a free man.” Meanwhile, bin Laden praised the Taliban as the “only Islamic government” in existence and praised the Taliban’s leader.
December 19, 2011 Study: Nearly 1 in 3 will be arrested by age 23
The new data show a sharp increase from a previous study that stunned the American public when it was published 44 years ago by criminologist Ron Christensen. That study found 22% of youth would be arrested by age 23. The latest study finds 30.2% of young people will be arrested by age 23.
Are Americans crazy for treating our pets like kids?
"Most people recognize, whatever endearments they use or actions they might take, that their pets are not furry humans," he concludes. But emotionally healthy humans have the "need to nurture," and pets are the perfect recipient. They return the favor of all the love, care and baby talk with their innate ability, proven in scientific studies, to reduce stress, speed healing, and improve humans' fitness and social-interaction levels.
The Death of Kim Jong-il
However, the death of Kim Jong-il would presumably delay a resumption of such negotiations as the new North Korean leadership assesses to what degree it is willing to open up to the outside world. Although the demise of Kim Jong-il provides an opportunity for change on the Korean Peninsula, it is a transition fraught with uncertainty, nervousness, and potential danger.
Unemployment rate actually 11.04 percent
What growth? Propaganda is not going to get those 28 million people into honest, paying jobs. It’s not going to help folks who are on the edge of foreclosure keep their homes. It’s not going to help new college graduates from getting started off in the workforce on the right foot.
2 cited for shoplifting become crime victims
Investigators say the two flagged down the officer who cited them as he was leaving the store, and the officer took a crime report from them.
NY students suspended over tribute to NFL's Tebow
Connor Carroll said in a telephone interview on Friday afternoon that he and his friends — nearly 40 took part in the last of three demonstrations on Wednesday — merely wanted to pay tribute to Tebow as a “role model, leader and winner.”
Eric Holder Answers Fast and Furious Charges by Calling Accusers Racists
And who are the people going after Holder and Obama because of their race? Those rascally “conservative commentators and bloggers” of course. They are those who are part of what Holder describes as a “more extreme segment” of news reporting. (I suppose it’s extreme because it’s not news that’s run through a White House sensor or an MSNBC producer before being disseminated to the public.)
Boehner demands Senate cancel its vacation
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Congress’s top Democrat, said he’s not bringing his troops back to town until the House passes the two-month bill first.
Group accuses Gingrich of illegally profiting from campaign
Many Gingrich campaign events have revolved around book signings. Those proceeds go to the Gingriches -- not the campaign -- and the events often involve mixing staff and resources from the campaign and Gingrich Productions, according to recent reports in the Post and New York Times cited by CREW.
December 18, 2011 Havel, leader of "Velvet Revolution," dies
"His peaceful resistance shook the foundations of an empire, exposed the emptiness of a repressive ideology, and proved that moral leadership is more powerful than any weapon," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
Army is pressed on why it kept trusting Manning
A military hearing for the Army private charged with spilling a mountain of secrets to WikiLeaks focused Sunday on why Pfc. Bradley Manning remained entrusted with highly sensitive information after showing hostile behavior to those around him. A supervisor who might have shed light on that question refused to testify.
December 17, 2011 The New Hampshire Gold Rush (3)
From these known facts, two obvious questions arise. First, it's clear why a new PSNH transmission line would "jump off" to the west of Franklin in order to inject Hydro Quebec power into Vermont, but why would one jump off to the east? Second, the Doucet Survey map shows the reestablished PSNH ROW passing through Rochester and ending at the Maine border? What would it connect to?
Colorado couple's lawsuit over post office gun ban is allowed to proceed
"Large numbers of people from all walks of life gather on postal property every day," the motion stated. ". . . The Postal Service is thus responsible for the protection of its employees and all the members of the public who enter postal property."
Mortgage Fees Would Rise Under Payroll Tax Cut Deal
But the mortgage fee provision would have widespread long-term impact, considering nine out of 10 mortgages go through one of the three government-sponsored finance organizations affected.
Senate OKs payroll tax cut, huge spending bill
Headlining that was a provision they inserted forcing Obama to make a decision within two months on whether to allow construction of the proposed 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, which is to deliver up to 700,000 barrels of oil daily from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Texas. The language requires him to issue the needed permit unless he declares the pipeline would not serve the national interest.
Gingrich expands call to reel in federal courts
Expanding on his call for a rollback of the federal courts, Newt Gingrich said Saturday the time has come for a national conversation on the courts’ overreach and the roles the president and Congress have historically had to reel them in.
Are Americans really to be jailed at Gitmo?
"We're talking about American citizens who can be taken from the United States and sent to a camp at Guantanamo Bay and held indefinitely," explains Rand Paul of Kentucky, one of 13 senators who voted against the bill. "There are laws on the books right now that characterize who might be a terrorist: someone missing fingers on their hands is a suspect, according to the Department of Justice. Someone who has guns, someone who has ammunition that is weatherproofed, someone who has more than seven days of food in their house can be considered a potential terrorist. If you are suspected because of these activities, do you want the government to have the ability to send you to Guantanamo Bay for indefinite detention?"
December 16, 2011
The New Hampshire Gold Rush (2)
The 19 mile PSNH easement from Deerfield to Maine crosses through the following towns: Northwood, Strafford, Rochester. PSNH's 32 mile easement from Fitzwilliam to Amherst crosses the town of Rindge, New Ipswich, Greenville, Mason, Milford, and Brookline.
Save the Balsams Landscape in NH
A video tour of the 5,800 acres surrounding the Balsams Resort that the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is working to conserve.
In Smith & Wesson We Trust
At gun stores the country, a large part of the increase in sales is the result of handgun purchases for females. Store owners say they are seeing women coming in with their husbands to buy concealed carry handguns to keep in their purses or on their persons. Guns like the Smith & Wesson BODYGUARD .38 Special and Sig Sauer’s P238 .380 are flying off the shelves.
Lifetime Achievement Award For Ron Smith
Ron remains at his home in Pennsylvania surrounded by his family and friends, and he told WBAL News this week that he is making an effort to respond to as many of the cards, letters and emails he has received over the last few weeks.
Bill would require PSNH to divest assets
"The way economics has developed, we're almost daily in an up and down situation where the price of electricity in the open market is less expensive than PSNH can manufacture themselves, so ratepayers have to pay more because PSNH has to provide electricity through these generation plants," Garrity said. He said mandates like Clean Power, which required the $340 million construction of a scrubber at one of PSNH's plants, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, contribute to costs passed onto ratepayers. "The older these plants get and the more strict environmental regulations get, the more expensive it will be to get electricity from them," he said, adding with such a competitive energy market, ratepayers are leaving PSNH in response, which narrows the pool of PSNH customers to share a larger portion of the cost.
Ex-Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac execs charged with fraud
Fannie and Freddie both entered into agreements with the government on Friday, accepting responsibility for their conduct without admitting or denying the charges. The government-controlled companies also agreed to cooperate with the SEC on the cases against the former executives.
FACT CHECK: Gingrich off on his budget history
In the 1996 and 1997 budget years, the first two years he served as speaker of the House of Representatives, the government actually ran deficits. In 1998 and 1999, the government ran surpluses. Two more years of surpluses followed, but Gingrich was gone from politics by then and had nothing to do with them.
Congressmen can't say 'Merry Christmas' in mail
"I called the commission to ask for clarification and was told no 'Merry Christmas.' Also told cannot say 'Happy New Year' but can say 'have a happy new year' – referencing the time period of a new year, but not the holiday," said a Hill staffer who requested anonymity.
AP-GfK Poll: More than half say Obama should lose
The president's approval rating on unemployment shifted upward - from 40 percent in October to 45 percent in the latest poll - as the jobless rate fell to 8.6 percent last month, its lowest level since March 2009.
Fla. request in health care overhaul denied
Florida's Republican-controlled state government has led the legal fight to declare the overhaul unconstitutional. The case will go before the U.S. Supreme Court next year and a decision will be rendered next summer right as the presidential election heats up.
An 11th-Hour Spending Deal That Comes Up Short
And while some might spin the $1.043 trillion figure as a victory, that price tag doesn’t truly represent how much Congress will spend. In addition to the mega-omnibus deal, Knudsen writes, the House will consider an additional $8.1 billion “disaster” relief measure to pay for past events like Hurricane Irene or even, believe it or not, Hurricane Katrina! And, when combined with earlier spending amounts, brings disaster spending to $10.4 billion over and above the spending limits in the bloated BCA. Heritage explains that these disaster funds are a misguided use of taxpayer dollars. What’s more, though the deal attempts to pay for that spending with budget offsets, Knudsen says those likely won’t occur, meaning that Washington spending will increase, as usual.
High school athletes suspended for Tebowing in the halls
"We had no idea that we could get suspended for such a thing. It was a joke between a group of friends that took a life of its own. We figured at the most we would just be told to stop."
‘Doc fix’ debate a symptom of deeper Medicare ailment
Doctors and Washington policymakers of both parties agree that a wholesale redesign of Medicare's dysfunctional payments system is needed. Still, Marietta Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey, co-chairman of the GOP Doctors Caucus, said it could cost $275 billion to permanently overhaul the payments, and finding offsetting savings will be a challenge.
Military given go-ahead to detain US terrorist suspects without trial
"It's something so radical that it would have been considered crazy had it been pushed by the Bush administration," said Tom Malinowski of Human Rights Watch. "It establishes precisely the kind of system that the United States has consistently urged other countries not to adopt. At a time when the United States is urging Egypt, for example, to scrap its emergency law and military courts, this is not consistent."
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