OK…Back to Work

Sorry for the lack of posting as of late. Trying to balance real life commitments with my virtual ones.

Got a lot to catch up on here.

Still got a Republic to save.

Gonna be a busy summer.

Golden Opportunity

Democrats in Concord will have an excellent opportunity on Wednesday to demonstrate whose side they are on in the education debate. Will they vote for improved educational opportunities for the children of New Hampshire, or for the continuing enrichment of their political allies in the teachers’ unions?

CONCORD ­- The state House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Wednesday on charter school legislation that could set the stage for an end to a moratorium on new charters imposed in September by the Board of Education.

If the preliminary measure is approved in the House, it will go to the House Finance Committee for review, prior to a final vote, after which the Senate will have to act before the bill goes to the governor for her signature.

Despite the fact that Democrats hold both the House and the Governor’s office, there is a chance this bill will pass.

There’s still a long legislative path ahead, but charter school supporters are more optimistic than they have been for years, given that Gov. Maggie Hassan has included additional money for new charter schools in her budget proposal for the next biennium.

If the State insists on being in the education business, we must see to it that our tax dollars are used in the most effective manner possible.

If Only It Were True

Grant Bosse at New Hampshire Watchdog has a piece titled “Fourth Graders are running the State House”.

I wish.

Even the average nine-year-old in New Hampshire knows you can’t go the store and buy things with imaginary money.

It’s Not the Speed….

…it’s the stupidity.

WMUR: House considering raising speed limit in parts of NH.

CONCORD, N.H. — If some lawmakers have their way, drivers will be able to go 70 miles per hour on a stretch of Interstate 93 north of Concord, N.H.

The House votes Wednesday on a bill to raise the limit from 65 mph to 70 mph from Exit 18 to the Vermont border. The current speed limit would remain the same through Franconia Notch.

Sounds fine to me.

I’d rather be surrounded by safe, responsible drivers doing 85 mph than a bunch of road raging maniacs, drunk drivers, and texting teenagers swerving all over the road at 65.

If (and that’s a BIG if) public safety is the main concern here, and not speeding ticket revenue, they’ll pass this bill and turn their focus to those individuals who are driving recklessly on the roads.

Fairness

We here at the New Hampshire Soap Box don’t have an unreasonable interpretation of the Second Amendment. We just want the president and Congress to respect our right to posses the same kind of guns that the Obama administration smuggled into Mexico for the Mexican drug cartels to use against our country’s law enforcement personnel.

All Rights Are Equal…

…but some rights are more equal than others.

If this story popped up on the wires, what would be the over/under on the number of cities, towns, and college campuses burned to the ground in violent protests across the country?

WASHINGTON — A decision by a South Carolina county is roiling the already contentious debate over potential abortion laws.

Lexington County’s Public Health Department is closing abortion clinics indefinitely.

“It is a temporary moratorium. We will revisit this,” says Steven Fairbanks with the agency’s South Carolina-National Health Care Commission. “We are taking everybody’s opinions and actions into account.”

Fairbanks is promising the department will re-evaluate its decision after lawmakers in D.C. and Columbia are done debating possible abortion bills.

“We felt that given the potential legislation on the state and the federal level, we are putting a hold on that activity for now until we can reassess after the legislative session.”

The move includes only abortion clinics that receive county funding and has led to the cancellation of several scheduled abortions.

The protests would be deafening.

The mainstream news media would be virtually crucifying those responsible for perpetrating this crime against humanity.

The damage to private and public property caused by rioting mobs of “progressives” would run into the millions of dollars.

BUT….

Since we’re talking about guns instead of abortions, it’s OK.

Nothing to see here.

Move along.

WASHINGTON — A decision by a Maryland county is roiling the already contentious debate over potential gun control laws.

Prince George’s County’s Department of Parks and Recreation is banning gun shows indefinitely.

“It is a temporary moratorium. We will revisit this,” says Anita Pesses with the agency’s Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. “We are taking everybody’s opinions and actions into account.”

Pesses is promising the department will re-evaluate its decision after lawmakers in D.C. and Annapolis are done debating possible gun control bills.

“We felt that given the potential legislation on the state and the federal level, we are putting a hold on that activity for now until we can reassess after the legislative session.”

The move includes only shows that would take place on county-owned land and has led to the cancellation of at least one event.

Public Service Announcement

Shooter’s Outpost in Hooksett, New Hampshire has a pretty good inventory of Sig Sauer SIG-M400 Enhanced AR-patterned rifles in stock. $1249, comes with one 30-round magazine.

Also in Olive Drab Green and Flat Dark Earth.

 

(made in Exeter, New Hampshire)

The New Spin

Gun bans out.

Gun protection in.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress’ latest crack at a new assault weapons ban would protect more than 2,200 specific firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle that is nearly identical to one of the guns used in the bloodiest shootout in FBI history.

Where would we be without caring people like Dianne Feinstein around to protect our guns?

Kristen Rand, the legislative director at the Washington-based Violence Policy Center, said the Ruger Mini-14 model that would be banned under Feinstein’s legislation is easier to hold while firing because it has a pistol grip, and it’s easier to hide because it has a collapsible stock.

Because someone using a Ruger Mini-14 to shoot up a playground would never think of sawing off the wooden stock or cutting down the barrel to make it easier to conceal.

Oh, wait…that would be illegal. Such an upstanding, law-abiding member of society wouldn’t want to run afoul of that particular law while committing mass murder.

Things That Make You Go “Huh?”

Boston.com: NH’s Shaheen pushing for reforms to sugar program

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is part of a group of legislators supporting a measure to reform the federal sugar program to save consumers money.

The “federal sugar program”?

Seriously?

Let me guess. It’s been costly and ineffective?

Shaheen says the federal sugar program has cost consumers and businesses an estimated $14 billion over the last four years. About 112,000 jobs have been lost in sugar-using industries between 1997 and 2009.

Yeah…couldn’t see that coming.

:-| (shocked face)

She says the Sugar Reform Act will reform domestic supply restrictions, lower price support levels and ensure adequate sugar supplies at reasonable prices.

And, that’s the federal government’s business how, exactly?

The bill rolls back provisions added in 2008 that the group says unfairly benefit wealthy sugar farmers at the expense of consumers.

And, of course, what “progressive” economic proposal would be complete without an attack on the evil rich?

Shaheen is participating in a news conference Thursday at 1:15 p.m. in Washington to discuss the measure.

It’s been almost four years, and I’m still waiting for her to participate in a news conference to discuss her refusal and/or inability to stand up to her party’s leadership and insist that a federal budget be voted on in the U.S. Senate.

Will she explain to the voters of New Hampshire why she believes that having an operating budget for our country’s trillion-dollar-plus economy isn’t really that important?

Will she show us where in the Constitution it describes price fixing of household commodities as a responsibility and duty of the government?

How To Be a Network News “Journalist”

It’s a simple recipe for success, really.

If it involves a political ally of the progressive authoritarian machine, it’s not a scandal.

There’s a creepy new accusation in the sexual-harassment probe of Assemblyman Vito Lopez — that he even leered at a 14-year-old intern and made comments about her sexy attire, sources told the The Post.

“He made comments about a 14-year-old intern, how attractive she dressed, and he wanted one of the female staffers to dress in a sexy way like this 14-year-old,” said one of several sources familiar with the ethics probe.

If Lopez were a Republican, open flame would be shooting out of the veins on Scott Pelley’s temples. Forget about about the Martin Bashir’s of the world. They’d have bled out through their eyeballs within seconds, before even getting a chance to take to the airwaves with their commentary.