Daily Archives: March 31, 2022

Normally I wouldn't waste my time responding to an negative letter to the editor like the one from Joseph McCarthy but I need to set the record straight.

The Free Staters and the Libertarians are the FAKE Republicans a.k.a RINOs: they can't run as Libertarians because New Hampshire doesn't have a Libertarian Party. So, instead they write letters to the editor with their faulty, so-called "Republican advice". Remember, they and the extreme "Far Right" Republicans who blindly follow the Free Staters are truly the RINOs none of them are even close to being true Republicans. Remember, they're the ones who want the state of NH to secede from the Union.

Rather than trying to secede from the Union, they should move to a different country. I was elected to represent all my constituents it doesn't matter their political philosophy or ideals. When the majority speaks out in favor of the nursing home and sheriff's department it is my duty as an elected official to listen and support all the above.

Time and time again we see those who claim to "back the blue" slash law enforcement budgets meanwhile true supporters of first responders like myself co-sponsor bills like 1587-FN that rights the wrong done to our group two firefighters and law enforcement officers with their pensions.

When I was elected I vowed to look out for everyone not just my own personal agenda, again I must state many representatives can learn from this and I pray the public seeks common sense over extremists in any party.

I vowed to support Gov. Chris Sununu and the NH Advantage, Second Amendment rights and to back first responders. Promises made, promises kept end of story. I will never be or support extremists in either party.

Go here to see the original:
Mike Bordes: Free staters and Libertarians are the only RINOs here - The Laconia Daily Sun

In these confusing and confronting times might there be some ancient wisdom that we could turn to that will help guide us through. Amanda Ruggeri argues that 'whether it's war or a pandemic, our health or finances, no matter how challenging our lives might feel, the Stoics tell us, we still can thrive'.She explains the history of the Stoics and reminds us that 'for Stoics, it isn't the thing itself that causes turmoil. It's how you think about it. And few things cause more distress than fighting against circumstances outside of our control, or getting attached to an outcome that isn't in our power'. The Stoics teach us to recognize what you can (and can't) control, choose how to respond, see every challenge as a learning opportunity and to remember that change and loss is constant. She explains what that means in our times and why we need to remember that this too shall pass.

Then, (at 14 mins) Amanda gets on her soapbox to rant about one person making a difference.

Also, (at 15 mins) what are the limits of libertarianism? Joel Kotkin explains that 'in recent years, libertarians increasingly seem less concerned with how their policies might actually impact people. Convinced that markets are virtually always the best way to approach any issue, they have allied with many of the same forces monopoly capital, anti-suburban zealots and thetech-oligarchy which are systematically undermining the popular rationale for market capitalism'. He goes through some core libertarian beliefs and how they've changed and says that 'in many ways, libertarians, like all of us, are victims of history' and that to become relevant again, libertarians need to go beyond their dogmatic attachments, focus on bolstering the vitality competitive free markets'. That 'libertarian ideas still have great relevance, but only so much as they reflect markets that are open to competition and capable of improving everyday lives'.

Then, (at 28 mins) have Russia and Ukraine always been so intertwined? Professor Sheila Fitzpatrick explains the history of their shared history and says that ' Ukrainians tell a story of the origins of the Ukrainian nation going back to 11th century Kyiv, surviving centuries of oppression by Russia and Poland, and, finally, emerging out of the wreckage of the Soviet Union as a sovereign Ukrainian state in 1991. For the Russians, the various western and southern provinces now called Ukraine were populated by Slavic border people (Ukrainians) who were essentially Russian. They considered this land as a part of the Russian Empire for centuries'. She says that 'it is not clear if the younger post-Soviet generation in particular, young men liable for military conscription see Ukraine and its current Western orientation in the same way as their elders' and that 'it remains to be seen how the Russian Army and Russians back home will feel about the killing of Ukrainians: Slavic kith and kin'.

Finally, (at 40 mins) are all natural disasters caused by climate change? Fred Pearce argues that 'there is a growing debate among environmental scientists about whether it is counterproductive to always focus on climate change as a cause of such disasters. Some say it sidelines local ways of reducing vulnerability to extreme weather and that it can end up absolving policymakers of their own failures to climate-proof their citizens'. He goes through some recent disasters such as the floods in Germany, the food crisis in Madagascar and the dry state of Lake Chad in West Africa, all of which were blamed on climate change but in reality was a mix of poor irrigation practices or government polices. He believes that 'no doubt climate changes intensifies the situation, however other drivers are key' and we ignore them at our peril.

See the rest here:
Stoics and storms - Counterpoint - ABC News

Filings closed Tuesday for the August Primary election with a few races forming countywide.

For Presiding Commissioner, incumbent Republican Harold Gallaher is seeking another term. Ryan Cooper has filed as a Libertarian.

For Prosecuting Attorney, incumbent Melissa Gilliam and Blake Dudley have filed on the Republican ticket.

For Recorder of Deeds, incumbent Republican Jay Graf and Libertarian Jacob Reagan Goff have filed.

Kristina Bone and Elaine Easter have filed as Republicans for Circuit Clerk.

For Associate Circuit Judge Division III, Republican Brice Sechrest has filed for election for the position to which he was recently appointed.

For Associate Circuit Judge Division IV, incumbent Pat King and Julie McCarver have filed as Republicans for the position.

Angie Usery has filed as a Republican for St. Francois County Collector.

People are also reading

For County Auditor, incumbent Republican Louie Seiberlich has filed.

For County Clerk, incumbent Republican Kevin Engler filed.

For the Republican Central Committeeman - Perry Township, Randy Hubbard and Mike Miller have filed.

For the Republican Central Committeeman - St. Francois Township, Ben Bradley, Chuck Dodson and Kyle Smith have filed.

In Madison County, the primary includes Associate Judge 24th Circuit, Prosecuting Attorney, Presiding Commissioner, Circuit Clerk, Treasurer, Recorder of Deeds, Collector and Clerk of County Commission.

Daniel P. Fall filed in the Republican primary for associate judge.

Incumbent M. Dwight Robbins filed in the Republican primary for prosecutor.

For Madison County Presiding Commissioner, incumbent Jason Green and Jim Thompson have filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Circuit Clerk, incumbent Tenia Hermann filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Treasurer, incumbent Jessica D. Stevens filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Recorder of Deeds, incumbent Saundra Ivison filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Collector, Sarah B. Garcia filed in the Republican primary.

For Madison County Clerk of County Commission, incumbent Donal Firebaugh filed in the Democratic primary.

For the U.S. Senate seat, a number of candidates have filed for both parties. Republican candidates are Mark McCloskey, Eric Greitens, Hartford Tunnell, Deshon Porter, Dave Sims, Patrick A Lewis, Billy Long, Eric Schmitt, Vicky Hartzler, C.W. Gardner, Robert Allen, Dave Schatz, Bernie Mowinski, Dennis Lee Chilton, Kevin Schepers, Rickey Joiner, Robert Olson, Russel Pealer Breyfogle Jr, Darrell Leon McClanahan III, Curtis D. Vaughn and Eric McElroy. Democratic candidates are Gena Ross, Lewis Rolen, Spencer Toder, Carla Coffee Wright, Lucas Kunce, Scott Sifton, Josh Shipp, Clarence Taylor, Pat Kelly, Tudy Busch Valentine, Ronald William Harris and Jewel Kelly. Libertarian Candidate Jonathan Dine and Constitution Candidate Paul Venable have also filed.

For U.S. Rep. District 8, two Republicans have filed, Jacob Turner and incumbent Jason Smith. Randi McCallian has filed as Democrat and Jim Higgins as Libertarian.

For State Rep. District 115, incumbent Republican Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway has filed for reelection and Barbara Marco has filed as a Democrat.

Incumbent State Representatives Dale Wright, Mike Henderson, Chris Dinkins and Rick Francis have filed for their respective districts with no opposition.

Mark Marberry is a reporter for the Farmington Press and Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3629, or at mmarberry@farmingtonpressonline.com

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Here is the original post:
Filings close with races forming in SFC | Government and Politics | dailyjournalonline.com - Daily Journal Online

One idea that seems to have become widespread online is the political compass, a graph dividing political ideologies into four groups: Authoritarian Left (left-wing economically, but socially conservative and/or favoring a strong state), Libertarian-Left (also economically leftish, but more pro-civil liberties), Authoritarian Right (economically and socially conservative, generally favoring activist government in order to ensure law and order), and Libertarian Right (economically conservative, socially tolerant).

It seems to me that the political compass is easy to adapt to arguments about urbanism. For example, one axis of conflict is "status quo vs. YIMBY"- people who favor lots of new housing (colloquially referred to as "YIMBYs") vs. people who favor the zoning status quo. Another axis of conflict is "Sprawl vs. Smart Growth"people who view additional suburbanization as essentially harmless vs. people who view it as environmentally or socially harmful.

So for example, a libertarian purist would be at the "YIMBY/Sprawl" extreme, because a pure libertarian would believe that a) government has no business limiting the housing supply but b) also has no business limiting sprawl. For example, market urbanistScott Beyer is somewhere in this quadrant; he values the benefits of urban life and supports new infill housing, but views suburban development as a legitimate consumer choice that should not be overly restricted.

On the other hand, Todd Litman (who has written extensively on the Planetizen blog) is perhaps in the YIMBY/Smart Growth column; he has written extensively about the benefits of more walkable development, but has also discussed the importance of new housing supply in holding down housing costs. I am instinctively sympathetic towards this group, although in regions with housing shortages, I am more willing than I used to be to support additional suburban housing.

The "Status Quo*/Smart Growth" grouping seems to be very popular among older urbanists. The core idea animating this group is that even though sprawl is environmentally harmful, new infill development should still be carefully regulated. The major constituency for this group is older urban homeowners, who benefit from rising home prices, and who see no obvious benefit from new housing in their neighborhoods. Members of this group seem to be motivated by a variety of concerns, such as fear of gentrification, fear of low-quality architecture, and dislike of tall buildings. Others simply are unwilling to believe that the law of supply and demand applies to market-rate housing. More moderate members of this grouping claim to favor new housing is long as it is "affordable" (i.e. subsidized so it can cater to low- and moderate- income urbanites).

The "Status Quo/Sprawl" grouping tends not to have as much support among planning commentators as the other three groupings, but is arguably popular among suburban homeowners and the politicians who represent them. People in this grouping are perfectly happy with suburbia the way it is, and fear that new housing might bring a variety of unwelcome change. They tend to favor new housing, as long as it is low-density sprawl. President Trumps claims that he was protecting suburbia from civil rights laws was an attempt to cater to this group; similarly, sprawl advocate Joel Kotkin has criticized attempts to add density to existing neighborhoods.

I also note that the two "status quo" groups share a variety of concerns: both urban and suburban opponents of new housing fear that new housing might bring increased traffic, limit automobile parking, or otherwise stress infrastructure.

It also seems to me that the two "status quo" groups tend to be more politically extreme than the two YIMBY groupings: in my experience, YIMBYs tend to be center-left, while right-wingers and socialists tend to be more skeptical of new housing. In New York, the most "YIMBY" candidate was moderate Democrat Kathryn Garcia, while both the leading Republican and the more left-wing candidates tended to favor more obstacles to non-subsidized housing. However, I do not know if New York City is typical of the nation in this regard, so perhaps I am overgeneralizing here.

*More colloquially, NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard). However, this term is a bit underinclusive, since some people seem to be against new housing in anyone's back yard.

View original post here:
The Political Compass of Housing and Urbanism - Planetizen

The primary election is less than six weeks away. That means we have another five weeks of television political ads to sit through. It also means we have five weeks to determine which candidates we think would best represent us in the offices they are seeking.

If you are a registered voter in Dawson County you have probably received a letter from the county clerk explaining the redistricting and how it may affect your voting location and your ballot. Every 10 years government entities are required to adjust their precinct, subdivision and district boundaries based on population data collected from the U.S. Census. Part of the requirement is to make sure that districts, such as county commissioner districts, are equal in population numbers.

We experienced the results of the redistricting in the Legislature as well, as new boundaries were drawn that changed which district the community is in and who our representative is. Dawson County was formerly in the 33rd Legislative District, represented by Sen. Matt Williams. As a result of the redistricting, the county is now in the 44th District under Sen. Dan Hughes.

A native of Imperial, Sen. Hughes is a farmer and businessman who was first elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2014. He was re-elected in 2018, and has not filed to retain his seat. Two candidates are looking to fill that position - Edward Dunn and Theresa Ibach.

Edward Dunn was born in Spokane, Washington. He served in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2014. He earned an associate degree from Phoenix University in 2007. Dunn has served as a Joint Operations Committee Board Member for Nebraska Municipal Power Pool, a Finance Committee Board Member for Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, the West Central Nebraska Development District President, the District Governor Elect for Nebraska Lions Multiple District 38L, and the Vice President of the Perkins County Chamber of Commerce. He is affiliated with the Grant Lions Club and the Grant Rotary Club.

Dunn will face off in the May 10 primary against Theresa Ibach, who has not yet completed a candidate survey or provided a biography.

Candidates you will see on the statewide primary ballot include: for Governor of Nebraska - Carol Blood and Roy Harris, Democratic candidates; and Republican candidates Donna Nicole Carpenter, Michael Connely, Charles Herbster, Brett Lindstrom, Lela McNinch, Jim Pillen, Breland Ridenour, Theresa Thibodeau and Troy Wentz. Libertarian Scott Zimmerman is also on the gubernatorial ballot.

No candidates will appear on the primary ballot for Lieutenant Governor, and for the office of Nebraska Attorney General two Republican candidates have filed: Jennifer Hicks and Mike Hilgers. There are no Democratic candidates for attorney general, and one third party candidate - Larry Bolinger, representing the Legal Marijuana Now Party.

There are no Democratic candidates in the primary for the office of Secretary of State. The three Republican candidates are Bob Evnen (Incumbent), Robert Borer and Rex Schroder. There will also be no Democratic candidates on the primary ballot for State Treasurer. Republican candidates are John Murante (Incumbent) and Paul Anderson; and Katrina Tomsen is also running for the office representing the Libertarian party.

The seat of State Auditor has two Republican candidates - Larry Anderson and Mike Foley. Also on the ballot for that position are Libertarian Gene Siadek and L. Leroy Lopez of the Legal Marijuana Now Party.

The State Board of Education is divided into eight districts, with Dawson County located in District 7. Currently we are represented on the Board by Robin Stevens of Gothenburg, who is seeking re-election. Opposing him on the primary ballot are Pat Moore and Elizabeth Tegtmeier.

Dawson County is also located in District 7 on the State Board of Regents, which has three candidates on the primary ballot for that seat. Those three are Nolan Gurnsey, Matt Williams and Kathy Wilmot. For Public Service Commissioner District 5 there are three Republican candidates: Mary Ridder (Incumbent), Dakota Delka and Kevin Stocker.

To register to vote in Nebraska, you must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the Nebraska county in which you are registering, and at least 18 years old by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. A voter registration application can be completed in person at the county clerk or election commissioner's office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, or other state agencies. In-person registration must be completed by the second Friday preceding the election - which this year is April 29. Applications returned by mail must be postmarked by April 22, and online applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on April 22.

Polls for the primary election on Tuesday, May 10 will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you have questions about your polling location contact the Dawson County Clerks office.

More:
ELECTION 2022: Statewide Seats on the Primary Ballot - Gothenburg Leader

This map shows the 17 North Carolina counties in which unaffiliated voters now outnumber registered Republicans and Democrats.

North Carolina marked a major milestone last week. Unaffiliated voters surpassed Democrats and Republicans as North Carolinas largest group of voters.

Independent now make up 34.6% (2,503,997 ) of North Carolinas registered voters. That edges out Democrats at 34.5% (2,496,434) and Republican at 30.3% (2,192,073). Libertarians (48,654) make up 0.7% of the states voters.

Meredith College political science professor David McLennan tells NC Policy Watch that while people might register as unaffiliated, they still can hold strong political leanings.

Really only about 10 percent of the unaffiliated group are true independents, McLennan said. Its also worth saying they dont vote necessarily at the same degree as registered Republicans and Democrats. Theres about a 10 percent drop-off.

McLennan said the drop-off could be the result of a lack of engagement in the election process or frustration with the two parties.

As we see the two parties to some degree move to the extremes, I think a lot of people in the unaffiliated group are just people who consider themselves more moderate, he explained. The real question is what do candidates do to try to get at the true independents, but also the people who arent party regulars. I think you need a different message, and maybe different policy positions to stir-up those unaffiliated voters.

For this weeks Monday numbers column, we take a closer look the 17 counties in North Carolina where unaffiliated voters top Democrats and Republicans. (Numbers are based on State Board of Elections data from March 19, 2022.) To see which party holds the majority in your county, click here and visit the NC State Board of Elections.

1. Buncombe CountyDemocrat 75,307Republican 45,791Unaffiliated 81,668

2. Cabarrus CountyDemocrat 44,089Republican 51,286Unaffiliated 54,195

3. Camden CountyDemocrat 1,485Republican 2,908Unaffiliated 3,433

4. Chatham CountyDemocrat 21,184Republican 14,030Unaffiliated 22,972

5. Dare CountyDemocrat 7,581Republican 10,470Unaffiliated 12,352

6. Haywood CountyDemocrat 13,322Republican 15,769Unaffiliated 16,111

7. Henderson CountyDemocrat 17,528Republican 31,876Unaffiliated 36,836

8. Jackson CountyDemocrat 9,014Republican 8,208Unaffiliated 11,540

9. Lee CountyDemocrat 13,122Republican 11,687Unaffiliated 13,406

10. Madison CountyDemocrat 5,436Republican 4,690Unaffiliated 6,563

11. New Hanover CountyDemocrat 51,218Republican 53,590Unaffiliated 69,097

12. Perquimans CountyDemocrat 3,156Republican 3,330Unaffiliated 3,446

13. Polk CountyDemocrat 3,740Republican 5,955Unaffiliated 6,249

14. Swain CountyDemocrat 3,114Republican 2,972Unaffiliated 3,713

15. Transylvania CountyDemocrat 6,072Republican 8,490Unaffiliated 11,481

16. Wake CountyDemocrat 288,365Republican 179,911Unaffiliated 319,913Libertarian 6,477* (*Wake also holds the distinction have having the largest number of registered Libertarians in the state.)

17. Watauga CountyDemocrat 11,548Republican 12,691Unaffiliated 19,410

Follow this link:
Monday numbers: A closer look at the counties where unaffiliated voters top Democrats and Republicans - ncpolicywatch.com

The Insiders Segment 1

DES MOINES, Iowa A new project could keep more beef in Iowa, bring another major employer to the state and pay hundreds of workers a better-than-average paycheck, the owner of a Des Moines cattle industry construction firm said.

Cattlemens Heritage Beef Company owner Chad Tentinger said his beef-processing facility in Mills County near Council Bluffs could process 1,500-head-per-day and approximately 400,000 per year.

Because of the states current limited capability, nearly one million head of cattle has to go outside the state to get processed. That increases costs for producers. Tentinger has requested $150 million from the state to help with the costs of the proposed facility.

COVID-19 has amplified issues with the food supply chain across a variety of industries. Tentinger believes that his operation could ease some of the issues by saving producers both time and money to get their beef processed.

If he can secure funding, he hopes to have his plant fully operational by late 2023 or early 2024.

Tentinger said that he isnt concerned about finding the 750 workers that his plant will require, despite a national workforce shortage. He said that he believes the plant can draw employees from the nearby Council Bluffs and Omaha markets. And since his positions will average $55,000 annually plus benefits, he said that should make them appealing to the rural Mills County area.

The Insiders Segment 2

Rick Stewart collected the signatures, now he needs to gather the support to be a competitive candidate in the 2022 race for governor. Stewart is a Libertarian and has previously unsuccessfully run for office four times. Libertarians lack the structure statewide that Republicans and Democrats have, which can make fundraising and organization challenging.

But Stewart claims that he will be much better funded during this campaign and sees an opportunity.

The Insiders Segment 3

Rick Stewart said that he supports using tax dollars to help some students attend private school. He also has an idea that he said will help the most successful teachers. He wants to see districts pay teachers based on the number of students who choose to be in their class.

The Insiders Segment 4

Libertarian candidate for governor Rick Stewart takes this weeks Insiders Quick 6.

Follow The Insiders host Dave Price on Twitter: @idaveprice

Excerpt from:
$450 million plant needs funding and workers, candidate for governor has plan to raise pay for best teachers - WHO TV 13 Des Moines News & Weather

Challenges are set in three state House races and three County Council races forthe June 14 primary election, according to the final list of candidates who filed for office in Spartanburg County by the noon Wednesday deadline.

The general election is Nov. 8.

Three incumbent Republican state House members in Spartanburg County will face challenges, according to the S.C. Election Commission.

In District 33, Bill DeVore has filed to run against incumbent state Rep. Travis Moore.

In District 35, Joseph Pellegrino has filed to run against incumbent state Rep. Bill Chumley.

2022 SC Elections: Register to vote

And in District 36, Rob Harris has filed to run against incumbent state Rep. Rita Allison.

Districts 35 and 36 include portions of Greenville County.

No one filed to run against Democratic District 31 state Rep. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers; and Republicans District 32 Rep. Max T. Hyde; District 34 Rep. Roger A. Nutt; District 37 Rep. Steven Long; and District 38 Rep. Josiah Magnuson.

Donald Trump's influence:Trump's influence in South Carolina could be tested

For Spartanburg County Council, there will be challenges in the Republican primary for three council seats.

In District 2, O'Neal Mintz filed to run against incumbent Councilman Jack A. Mabry. Constitution Party candidateand Kathleen K. Wright also filed.

In District 5, Republicans Jeffrey A. Horton Jr. and Louis Nespeca filed to run against Republican incumbent Bob Walker.

In District 6, Republican Alex Turner filed to run against Republican incumbent Jessica Coker.

Republican incumbent County Council Chairman Manning Lynch is the only one who filed for his at-large seat.

Other Republican incumbents who have filed for office in Spartanburg County include Ponda A. Caldwell, probate judge; Sharon H. West, auditor; Oren L. Brady III, treasurer.

Henderson-Myers is the only Democrat out of the 23 candidates who filed in Spartanburg County. Twenty-one are Republican, and one is a Constitution Party candidate.

Incumbent Republican Gov. Henry McMaster filed for re-election. He faces a primary challenge from Republicans Harrison Musselwhite and Mindy L. Steele.

Also filing for governor are:Jokie Beckett Jr. andMichael Copeland, Independence Party; Carlton Boyd, Joe Cunningham, Mia S. McLeod, Calvin CJ Mack McMillan and William H. Williams, Democratic Party; Bruce Reeves, Libertarian Party; Gary M. Votour, Labor Party.

Incumbent Republican Tim Scott filed for re-election and faces no opposition in the primary.

Also filing for Scott's seat are Democrats Catherine Fleming Bruce, Angela Geter and Krystle Matthews.

Incumbent 4th District Republican U.S. Rep. William Timmons faces a primary challenge from George Abuzeid, Mark Burns andMichael Mike LaPierre. Also filing for Timmons' seat areMichael Chandler, Constitution Party; and Ken Hill, Democrat.

The 4th District covers large portions of Spartanburg and Greenville counties.

Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com. Please support our coverage of Spartanburg County with a digital subscription.

Originally posted here:
2022 election: Who is on the ballot in Spartanburg County Council, SC State House races - Spartanburg Herald Journal