Donald Trump Talks Gas Prices (Video)

Celebrity Apprentice star and potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visited Portsmouth, NH yesterday. Here's what he had to say about gas prices:



"You look at these nations - Saudi Arabia, we protect them and then they want to raise the price of fuel. It's not high enough?"

"So it would be very easy and very quick to get gasoline prices down."

"Gasoline prices are $4, $5... they are going to $6 and $7 as sure as you're standing there."

"An then if you look at Saudi Arabia... what they did... it's unbelievable."

"Three days ago they announced essentially that they are going to raise the price of oil by cutting back on production. And we have nobody to speak to these people. We have nobody that calls and talks and says, 'You're not going to do it fellas. We're protecting you. You wouldn't be there except for us.' We have nobody."

"Now yesterday, the President said that he has very little impact over the price of gasoline. I think he's 100% wrong, because OPEC is setting the price of fuel."

"We have oil all over the place, all over the place. Every ship at sea is loaded up with oil. They don't know where to dump it. And yet everyday we are setting records. Pretty soon we're going to be at that $150 a gallon, the all time record."

"Now when the President says that, I mean it's pretty sad."

Sarah Palin: W.T.F are solar shingles?

Apparently, Sarah Palin is not a big fan of solar shingles. The 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee made that much clear during her speech at last week's Tax Day Tea Party in Madison, Wisconsin:

Less than 90 days after the election, in his State of the Union address, President Obama told us, nah, the era of big government is here to stay, and we’re going to pay for it whether we want to or not. Instead of reducing spending, they’re going to “Win The Future” by “investing” more of your hard-earned money in some cockamamie harebrained ideas like more solar shingles, more really fast trains – some things that venture capitalists will tell you are non-starters. We’re flat broke, but he thinks these solar shingles and really fast trains will magically save us. So now he’s shouting “all aboard” his bullet train to bankruptcy. "Win The Future"? W.T.F. is about right.

Not sure what W.T.F. stands for? The definition can be found in the Urban Dictionary.

Sarah Palin's profane attack on solar shingles appears to be belated response to something President Barack Obama said in his 2011 State of the Union address back in January:

Already, we’re seeing the promise of renewable energy.  Robert and Gary Allen are brothers who run a small Michigan roofing company.  After September 11th, they volunteered their best roofers to help repair the Pentagon.  But half of their factory went unused, and the recession hit them hard.  Today, with the help of a government loan, that empty space is being used to manufacture solar shingles that are being sold all across the country.  In Robert’s words, “We reinvented ourselves.”

That’s what Americans have done for over 200 years: reinvented ourselves.  And to spur on more success stories like the Allen Brothers, we’ve begun to reinvent our energy policy. We’re not just handing out money.  We’re issuing a challenge.  We’re telling America’s scientists and engineers that if they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields, and focus on the hardest problems in clean energy, we’ll fund the Apollo projects of our time.

The government loan in question was modest in size - $500,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to be precise. An estimated 20 private sector jobs were created as a result of the project. Sales of Allen Brothers' solar shingles kicked off in June of 2010, with 20 orders being filled in the first month alone. And yes, the company really did donate supplies and labor to help rebuild the Pentagon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks:

Even big time corporations like Dow Chemical Company are investing in solar shingles. In this video, a Dow Powerhouse spokesman explains how everyday roofing contractors can install solar shingles by "swinging hammers, hitting nails." Sounds like a pretty practical idea!

Gary Johnson moderates view on cap and trade

Gary Johnson is not just the latest Republican to jump into the presidential race. He's also a self described "avid skier". So when I heard about Johnson's plan to ski Mount Washington's Tuckerman Ravine, I figured it would be a good opportunity to make him aware of threat global warming poses to New Hampshire's ski industry.

I posted a story on Gather.com highlighting the fact that a number of local ski mountains have signed on to letters urging Congress to pass federal cap and trade legislation. You can imagine my surprise when Johnson shared a link to the story on his official Facebook page. I guess the man listens to voters!

Now Johnson is showing his independence from the Republican Party establishment by opening the doors to real bipartisan conversation on cap and trade.

"I don't believe in cap and trade," he said in a video posted on his Our America Initiative just two weeks ago.

The video has since been removed and replaced with more conciliatory language:

"The Initiative does not support 'cap and trade' policies as they are currently formulated."

It's certainly not a total about face, but it shows Johnson is willing to engage in an open minded conversation about the issue. In this day and age, that's something every voter should look for in a candidate.

Gary Johnson Announces Candidacy for President in New Hampshire

No exploratory committees, no online videos, no gimmicks. Gary Johnson announced his candidacy for president just moments ago in front of the State House in Concord, New Hampshire. Staff live tweeting the event posted the following statement just after 9:00 AM:

First time to say it: 'I am running for president.'

Along with the new campaign comes a new website: www.garyjohnson2012.com

So where does the latest Republican to jump into the 2012 presidential race stand on today's top environmental issues? Suffice to say that the word "environment" does not appear anywhere on Johnson's new campaign website.

Newt Gingrich Wants To Replace EPA, Voters Say No

Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich reiterated his call to replace the Environmental Protection Agency with something called the "Environmental Solutions Agency" during yesterday's interview with WKXL 1450 radio host Chris Ryan at the Barley House in Concord, New Hampshire.

American Solutions, Gingrich's 527 group, has been calling for an end to the EPA for some time now. According to the group's website:

Since its founding 40 years ago, the EPA has transformed from an agency with the original noble mission of protecting the environment into a job-killing, centralizing engine of ideological litigation and regulation that blocks economic progress. 

As USA Today reported a while back, recent polls demonstrate that voters actually want the EPA to do more, not less. A Natural Resources Defense Council/Opinion Research Corporation International poll asked more than 1,000 Americans to weigh in on Gingrich's plan to get rid of the EPA. Here's what they had to say:

• 67% of Americans oppose abolishing the EPA
• So do 61% of Republicans 

Study: Majority in NH believe global warming is real

A new study by the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire examines the results of four statewide polls of public opinion on climate change conducted in the Granite State over the past year. The report's key findings include:

• 88 percent of Granite Staters believe climate change is real
• 55 percent attribute the problem to human activity
• 35 percent think nature is responsible 
• Only 23 to 26 percent of New Hampshire Republicans who say they have a moderate to great understanding of global warming believe the problem is human-caused

Climate Change: Partisanship, Understanding, and Public Opinion also takes a look at national trends in public opinion. Read the official press release below:

Carsey Institute: Americans Believe Climate Change Is Occurring, 

But Disagree On Why

Disagreement On Causes Based On Political Views, Not Science

DURHAM, N.H. – Most Americans now agree that climate change is occurring, but still disagree on why, with opinions about the cause of climate change defined by political party, not scientific understanding, according to new research from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire. 

Republicans most often point to natural causes of climate change while Democrats most often believe that human activities are the cause. The greatest polarization occurs among people who believe they have the best understanding.

“Although there remains active discussion among scientists on many details about the pace and effects of climate change, no leading science organization disagrees that human activities are now changing the Earth’s climate. The strong scientific agreement on this point contrasts with the partisan disagreement seen on all of our surveys,” said Lawrence Hamilton, professor of sociology and senior fellow with the Carsey Institute.

 “However, most people gather information about climate change not directly from scientists but indirectly, for example through news media, political activists, acquaintances, and other nonscience sources. Their understanding reflects not simply scientific knowledge, but rather the adoption of views promoted by political or opinion leaders they follow. People increasingly choose news sources that match their own views. Moreover, they tend to selectively absorb information even from this biased flow, fitting it into their pre-existing beliefs,” Hamilton said.

A series of regional surveys conducted by Carsey Institute researchers in 2010 and early 2011 asked nearly 9,500 individuals in seven regions in the United States about climate change.

Key findings include:

• Most people say that they understand either a moderate amount or a great deal about the issue of global warming or climate change.
• Large majorities agree that climate change is happening now, although they split on whether this is attributed mainly to human or natural causes.
• Level of understanding about climate change varies considerably by region.

Beliefs about climate change are strongly related to political party. Republicans most often believe either that climate is not changing now or that it is changing but from mainly natural causes. Democrats most often believe that the climate is changing now due mainly to human activities.

Political polarization is greatest among the Republicans and Democrats who are most confident that they understand this issue. Republicans and Democrats less sure about their understanding also tend to be less far apart in their beliefs.

People who express lower confidence also might be more likely to change their views in response to weather.

“If the scientists are right, evidence of climate change will become more visible and dramatic in the decades ahead. Arctic sea ice, for example, provides one closely watched harbinger of planetary change. In its 2007 report the IPCC projected that late-summer Arctic sea ice could disappear before the end of the 21st century. Since that report was written, steeper-than-expected declines have led to suggestions that summer sea ice might be largely gone by 2030, and some think much sooner,” Hamilton said.

“We will find out in time—either the ice will melt, or it won’t. The Arctic Ocean, along with other aspects of the ocean-atmosphere system, presents an undeniable physical reality that could become more central to the public debate. In the meantime, however, public be liefs about physical reality remain strikingly politicized,” he said.

The complete report about this research is available at:

http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/IB-Hamilton-Climate-Change-2011.pdf.

This research was supported by grants from the Ford Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Office of Rural Development in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, UNH Sustainability Academy, and the Carsey Institute. The UNH Survey Center conducted all telephone interviews.

The Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire conducts research and analysis on the challenges facing families and communities in New Hampshire, New England, and the nation. The Carsey Institute sponsors independent, interdisciplinary research that documents trends and conditions affecting families and communities, providing valuable information and analysis to policymakers, practitioners, the media, and the general public. Through this work, the Carsey Institute contributes to public dialogue on policies that encourage social mobility and sustain healthy, equitable communities.

The Carsey Institute was established in May 2002 through a generous gift from UNH alumna and noted television producer Marcy Carsey. For more information about the Carsey Institute, go to www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

Media Contact: Lori Wright | 603-862-0574 | UNH Media Relations 

Secondary Contact: Amy Sterndale | 603-862-4650 | UNH Carsey Institute

Herman Cain: Drill Here, Drill Now (Video)

"We have an energy crisis," 2012 GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain told fellow conservatives gathered at last week's Taxpayer Tea Party rally in Concord, New Hampshire. He went on to embrace the "Drill, baby, drill!" mentality that has become the Republican Party's mantra for dealing with tough questions about the future of U.S. energy policy:

I don’t know about you, but I have a problem when the president of the United States goes to Brazil, loans them $2 billion, and then tells Brazil, ‘We’re going to become their best customer as it relates to oil.’

Why don’t we make the United States its own best customer and drill here drill now?

We don’t need to keep sending money to foreign countries when we’ve got enough energy here to become energy independent. We need a strategic energy independence plan and that’s would you would see if Herman Cain becomes president of the United States of America.

Video of Cain's comments - energy segment starts at 4:10

In 2010, domestic oil production reached its highest level since 2003. Despite this fact, gas prices are now skyrocketing towards $4 a gallon. Volatile gas prices once again threaten to sink the economy, just as they did in 2008 - a year that saw Exxon Mobil raking in record profits.

Why is Herman Cain so eager to implement policies that would put even more power into the hands of Big Oil? It turns out that last week's Taxpayer Tea Party in Concord was sponsored by Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a group that has received millions of dollars in funding from foundations supported by oil industry giants Koch Industries and Exxon Mobil.

Cain was joined at the event by fellow GOP presidential hopefuls Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum. On April 29, the Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF) is sponsoring a second gathering of Republican presidential contenders in New Hampshire, featuring the same lineup - plus Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann. Expect to hear the phrase "Drill here, drill now!" more than once on that night.

Haley Barbour Talks Energy in New Hampshire (Video)

Mississippi's Republican Governor Haley Barbour sat down with Amelia Chasse of NH Journal during his first trip to New Hampshire of the 2012 election cycle. Barbour, who is openly considering a run for president, provided an early preview of his energy platform.

Chasse: Turning to something that’s on just about everybody’s minds right now, gas prices are going through the roof, almost I think over $4 a lot of places – not quite yet here in New Hampshire, but certainly pretty close… so energy is increasingly on voters minds.

What would be your plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and, to give a little local flavor, we’ve got a nuclear power plant here in New Hampshire – Seabrook – and would nuclear be a part of that plan?

Barbour: Well let me just start off by saying the Obama administration’s policy from the beginning has been to drive up to cost of energy so Americans would use less of it. That’s not energy policy, that’s environmental policy. They’re doing that to reduce pollution.

From when I was chairman of the Southern Growth Policy Board, Obama’s first year, we had a conference on energy policy just because of this problem. 

What we need in America is more American energy. We need more oil. We need more natural gas. We need more coal. We need to learn to use it cleaner and we are learning to use it cleaner.

But we also need more nuclear. We have a nuclear power plant in my state. About 20% of Mississippi’s energy is generated by nuclear and it’s the least expensive baseload power that we have.

But at the same time we’re building a coal fired power plant in Mississippi that not only will use indigenous liptinite coal, it will be the first commercial scale carbon capture and sequestration coal fired power plant in the United States. It will emit at the rate of a natural gas fired power plant.

So when I say all of the above, I mean all of the above. We make solar panels in Mississippi. We’re deeply involved in conservation and efficiency – a very important part of energy policy.

But for us to become more energy secure, it’s very simple. We need to produce and use more American energy. 

Survey: Majority of Tea Party Believe Global Warming Exists!

2012 GOP presidential candidates should take a good hard look at the Brookings Institute's "National Survey of American Opinion on Climate Change". Among the study's key findings:

• 58% of Americans believe there is solid evidence of global warming, up from 52% in 2010
• Only 26% believe there is not solid evidence of global warming
• 54% of Tea Party members and 56% of Independents believe there is solid evidence that the average temperature on Earth has been getting warmer over the past 5 decades
• 58% of Americans disagree with the statement that scientists are overstating evidence about global warming
• 57% believe Renewable Electricity Portfolios should be adopted by both state and federal governments

Republican presidential hopefuls like Tim Pawlenty and Newt Gingrich may want to start highlighting their past support for bipartisan solutions to climate change on the campaign trail. It could give them the edge they'll need to attract those key Independent and Tea Party votes in 2012. 

Fred Karger vs Mitt Romney - Who has the best announcement video?

The 2012 presidential election is heating up! Yesterday, Mitt Romney made a surprise visit to the University of New Hampshire, where he filmed a video announcing the launch of his new President Exploratory Committee.

Today, openly gay Republican presidential candidate Fred Karger is reminding voters that he beat Mitt Romney to the punch by filming his own announcement video in New Hampshire back in September.

Who has the best announcement video? You can weigh in on the debate by visiting Karger's Facebook page or by posting a comment below.

Fred Karger's announcement video:




Mitt Romney's announcement video:




I vote for Fred Karger's video. Here's why:

Fred's video shows a candidate out in the field, shaking hands, and meeting New Hampshire voters face to face. Romney's video shows a candidate standing alone in front of an empty football field. 

Mitt Romney Launches Presidential Exploratory Committee at UNH

Mitt Romney came one step closer to officially declaring his candidacy for president today. In a following video filmed at the University of New Hampshire, Romney announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee:



He also unveiled a new website, MittRomney.com.

2012 Hopeful Gary Johnson to Ski Tuckerman Ravine (Video)

Last week, I posted a piece about former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson's plan to ski Mount Washington's Tuckerman Ravine in April:

2012 Hopeful Gary Johnson to Ski Tuckerman Ravine

Johnson has shared a link to the story on Facebook, along with the following comment:

At the end of this month I'll be skiing Tuckerman Ravine in New Hampshire for the first time. As many of you know I am an avid skier and I'm really looking forward to the challenge!

He may be an avid skier, but Johnson does not see eye to eye with a number of local ski mountains on the issue of climate change, as noted in my article for Gather.com. In 2008, Cranmore Mountain, Gunstock Mountain, Loon Mountain, and Waterville Valley signed onto a letter urging Congress to pass bipartisan cap and trade legislation.

"I don't believe in cap and trade," Johnson states in this video:

Tea Party Losing Steam in New Hampshire?

2012 Republican presidential candidates fighting to win support from local Tea Party activists in New Hampshire may want to take a closer look at the latest Public Policy Poll numbers. The latest poll of likely 2012 Republican New Hampshire Primary voters seems to indicate that the Tea Party is losing steam here in the Granite State:

Do you consider yourself to be a member of the Tea Party?

Yes.................................................................. 30%

No ................................................................... 51%

Not sure .......................................................... 19%

A February poll by the University of New Hampshire found dramatically different results, albeit using slightly different terminology: 

"Nearly half of those surveyed said they support the Tea Party movement," the Boston Globe reported at the time. 

In April, a number of GOP presidential hopefuls - including Mitt Romney - will attend a New Hampshire summit hosted by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, the Tea Party group founded by billionaire Koch Industries CEO David Koch. Once moderate Republicans are working over time to win over Tea Party voters.  Tim Pawlenty has been busy refuting his own past support for cap and trade in interview after interview with right wing talk show hosts.

It could be that voters' experience with the realities of Tea Party rule in New Hampshire is creating a local backlash against the movement. An estimated 2,500 voters turned out at the State House in Concord last week to protest the budget plan approved by NH House Republicans. The budget includes a Wisconsin style amendment designed to eliminate collective bargaining for public employees. 

Republicans who hope to win in New Hampshire may want to keep in mind that voters of all stripes will have the opportunity to participate in the nation's first in the nation presidential primary. Democrats and Independents just need to make sure to register as "undeclared" beforehand. Undeclared voters can show up at the polls on primary day and register as a Republican. They can even switch back on their way out the door. 

All the more reason for the current crop of Republican presidential candidates to follow John McCain's example and campaign as a moderate, independent voice of reason in New Hampshire. 

Photo by David Shankbone

Fred Karger Celebrates NH Straw Poll Victory (Press Release)

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. April 5, 2011                                                                    Contact: Rina Shah                                                                                        304-237-6489                                                                                        rina@fredkarger.com Victory in New Hampshire Straw Poll There has been a tremendous amount of coverage of our upset win over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the St. Anselm College Republican Straw Poll last Thursday night.  Prospective candidates Santorum, Pawlenty and Cain had representatives and tables set up, and they and others showed videos.  But after a week of campaigning at St. Anselm's by the Karger campaign, we prevailed and beat Mitt Romney 25% to 23%.  Donald Trump had a mere 8% of the votes cast. Final Results: Fred Karger, 25%  Mitt Romney, 23%   Donald Trump, 8%  Tim Pawlenty, 7%  Ron Paul, 7%  Rudy Giuliani, 7%  Rick Santorum, 6%  Sarah Palin, 3%  Herman Cain, 2%  Gary Johnson, 2%  Mike Huckabee, 2%  Newt Gingrich, 2%  Haley Barbour, 1%  Mitch Daniels, 1%  John Bolton, 1%  Rand Paul, 1%   Other, 2% Fred speaking at the Straw Poll Our table Thursday night manned by Tyler Ford - Dartmouth Coordinator, Lee Hunter - UNH and Southern New Hampshire Coordinator, Kevin Miniter - Research Director and Matt Hammond - Campaign Intern  Below is some more of the extensive worldwide coverage we received including this story in the political blog, Gather, which talks about the significance of Thursday’s victory. For link to story, Click Here Fred Karger Beats Mitt Romney In 2012 NH Straw Poll By David Green Member since: October 17, 2006 April 01, 2011 11:00 AM EDT 1 person recommends this | comments: 2 Mitt Romney came in second place to openly gay presidential candidate Fred Karger at yesterday's Saint Anselm College Republicans Straw Poll in Manchester, NH. While straw poll results are not necessarily the best way to measure public opinion, this one is worth a closer look because it was the first time Karger's name has appeared on a 2012 election poll in New Hampshire. A similar NH GOP 2012 Straw Poll conducted in January garnered nationwide media coverage. Mitt Romney won that contest handily, but only 273 people cast votes. By contrast, a total of 322 voters participated in yesterday's straw poll, according to WMUR Political Scoop. Fred Karger's margin of victory was slim, he only beat Mitt Romney by 5 votes. Still, it was well earned victory that Karger has been working towards for months. He's visited New Hampshire 13 times over the past year, spending much much of that time campaigning on college campuses. In recent months, he's stood alongside youth fighting to defeat a GOP sponsored NH House bill that would have deprived college students of the right to vote in the communities they live in while attending school. There is a grassroots revolution underway on college campuses in New Hampshire and it is not being led by Ron Paul, who placed a distant 5th place in the Saint Anselm straw poll. RNC Brass Meet With Long Shot Karger by Steve Peoples Roll Call Staff March 22, 2011, 5:35pm For link to story, Click Here He may not be taken seriously by many voters in 2012, but long-shot GOP presidential hopeful Fred Karger caught the attention of the Republican National Committee’s top brass Tuesday. The California-based gay-rights activist, a former top political operative for three Republican presidents, visited Washington this week to become the first to file for the GOP presidential nomination. He plans to turn in his paperwork in person to the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday morning. And although the announcement will be a blip, if anything, on the national political radar, Karger said he received a warm reception during a meeting with RNC Chief of Staff Jeff Larson. “He welcomed me and said they would provide any of their facilities — obviously they have to be neutral,” Karger said, adding that his Washington-based communications director was invited to attend presidential-related RNC meetings in the future as well. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and his vice chairman joined the meeting soon after it began. “In comes Reince to shake my hand,” Karger said. “We had a great meeting. I gave him one of my T-shirts. “They rolled out the red carpet,” he continued. “I’ve been getting a lot of resistance from the establishment, particularly in Iowa. ... So to have the chairman, vice chairman and chief of staff welcome me with open arms was very gratifying.” Karger, 61, who publicly acknowledged being gay just two years ago, served as a senior campaign consultant with Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford. Please help us continue to get our message out.  It is making a difference.  Send in a contribution today by clicking on the red button below.  Thank you for your support! Fred Files for President at the FEC - March 23, 2011   First In: Fred Karger Files for President For link to story, Click Here By Eric M. Appleman March 23, 2011 -- Although several potential candidates have launched exploratory efforts, longshot Fred Karger became the first nationally known figure to file to run for President in 2012.  Karger appeared in person at the Federal Election Commission offices in downtown Washington.  He has over three decades of experience as a Republican consultant and operative, and is the first openly gay person to seek a major party's presidential nomination.  Karger launched his exploratory effort in July 2010, and has already made 12 visits to New Hampshire and six visits to Iowa. [statement]  (Below) Karger and communications director Rina Shah fill in the paperwork as filmmaker John Keitel documents the occasion. In an interview, Karger said he was very gratified by the reception he received at the Republican National Committee yesterday.  He had not been notified of an earlier meeting of candidate representatives held on March 7, but chief of staff Jeff Larson, chairman Reince Priebus and vice chairman Sharon Day were most hospitable.  Karger also said he is working on developing issue positions, starting with education reform, which he aims to present possibly within a month.  He also noted the 82-page complaint and 48-page supplemental complaint he filed against Steve Scheffler for excluding him from the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition forum on March 7; Karger said Scheffler had clearly used subjective criteria, in violation of FEC rules.  (The FEC is reviewing the matter).  Karger said he will be working to get into the upcoming debates and forums. Karger, accompanied by communications director Rina Shah and intern Matt Hammond, and trailed by filmmaker John Keitel, heads off to Kinko's and then to an interview at CBS News. Fred in the News Good Feed Blog  First to File Fenuxe Atlanta  First to File Gawker  First to File Alan Colmes Liberaland  First to File Sunshine State News  2012 Field The Tampa Gaily News  First to File Washington Post  First to File Laguna Beach Independent  First to File Variety   First to File Comedy Central  First to File LGBTQ Nation  First to File HRC Back Story   Marriage Equality WMUR TV  The Deal With Fred Karger The Daily Targum  2012 Field New Hampshire Union Leader  NHGOP Dinner Caffeinated Thoughts  First and Second Tier Queerty  Reagan Library Debate Pride Source  RNC Meeting Bilerico  NH Straw Poll Uncovered Politics   NH Straw Poll Boston Globe  NH Straw Poll Mother Jones  NH Straw Poll Daily Caller  NH Straw Poll Forbes   NH Straw Poll Old Line Elephant   NH Straw Poll New Hampshire Primary 2012  NH Straw Poll Gather   NH Straw Poll USA Today  NH Straw Poll Instinct Magazine  NH Straw Poll NPR  NH Straw Poll Conservatives for America  NH Straw Poll White House 2012 Blog  NH Straw Poll NH Insider  NH Straw Poll Race 2012 NH Straw Poll Please help us continue to get our message out.  It is making a difference.  Send in a contribution today by clicking on the red button below.  Thank you for your support!

Newt Gingrich Talks Energy in New Hampshire (Video)

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was back in New Hampshire on Monday, where he shared views on cellulosic biofuels and oil drilling in North Dakota with local talk show host Al Kulas. Watch a video of their conversation below (the energy part starts at the 4:00 mark):

Al: “You mentioned in your talk that in Iowa unemployment was 2% because everybody was drilling oil…”

Newt: “No, no, no… in North Korea… North Dakota…”

Al: “Did some of the farmers realize that rather than wasting the value of their land growing corn for ethanol, they should take the corn out of it and drill for oil?”

Newt: “Actually, I think the part of North Dakota that produces oil is winter wheat country, but the farmers out there seem pretty darn happy with the amount of royalties that they’re getting out of the wells that are being drilled now…”

Al: “If I said, ‘Corn is food. Soy beans should be used for ethanol,’ what would you say?”

Newt: “Well, I think there are new technologies that allow you to use corn stalks and corn husks and other things. I am in favor of developing some biofuels and I think it can be done in a way that doesn’t affect the cost of food at all.”

For the record, North Dakota does have the lowest unemployment rate in the nation – 3.7% as of February 2011. However, chalking the state’s economic success up to oil alone is kind of like saying soy beans aren't food. 

Not surprisingly, the American Petroleum Institute (API) claims that oil and natural gas support 27,914 jobs in the Peace Garden State. API admits this figure includes the number of food service jobs supported by the industries' employees. So if an oil field worker in North Dakota buys a Big Mac, API takes credit for the burger flipper's job. Unless Big Oil  hired a small army of statisticians to follow employees to lunch, this sounds like fuzzy math. There is also little evidence to suggest that oil field workers would stop buying Big Macs if they changed jobs and started putting up wind turbines.

Newt's comments got me thinking about green jobs in North Dokata. It turns out the state is already home to 137 clean energy businesses and 2,112 clean energy jobs, according to a groundbreaking Pew Charitable Trust report. Pew researches didn’t just camp out at McDonald’s. They actually went out and counted the number of jobs created by companies doing the work of building America's clean energy future.

It is nice to see Newt Gingrich taking a break from the "Drill baby Drill" mentality of the Republican Party establishment. Seems like just yesterday that Newt was busy co-starring in “We can solve it” TV ads with Democrat Nancy Pelosi:



“We do agree our country must take action to solve climate change,” he said in this 2008 video, Nancy Pelosi at his side.

What happened? 

One explanation is that the former Speaker of the House underwent a sudden change of heart as soon as a Democrat landed in the White House. Another explanation is that Newt is simply reacting to the propaganda being pumped out of Big Oil funded think tanks in Washington. 

In 2009, researchers at the University of Massachusetts found that federal cap and trade legislation could create up to 4,000 new jobs in North Dakota. The idea was so terrifying to Big Oil companies like Exxon Mobile and Koch Industries that they quickly whipped up some statistics of their own. “Beware cap-and-trade” read the headline of a piece published in the Bismark Tribune in 2010. The article warned that enactment of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) could kill 5,000 to 7,000 jobs in North Dakota alone, while also jacking up the price of gasoline 24%, electricity 64%, and natural gas 77%. 

Where do these terrifying numbers come from?

They come from a report compiled by the America Council for Capital Formation, a Washington, D.C. based 501(c)(3) funded in part by Big Oil companies like Exxon Mobile and Koch Industries. Exxon alone has donated $1,674,523 to the group since 1998. Koch kicked in another $215,000 from 2005 to 2008.

Big Oil's misinformation campaign could not have been better timed. ACES had just become the first piece of federal climate legislation to make it out of the House of Representatives and was awaiting a vote in the U.S. Senate - a vote that would never come.  

With these kinds of numbers flying around, you can't blame ol' Newt for backing down on his support for clean energy solutions to climate change. In 2012, it will be up to the voters to let politicians know that "We the People" still support bipartisan solutions to the climate crisis that create green jobs and reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.

Mitt Romney Joins Americans for Prosperity NH Event

Mitt Romney will headline the Americans for Prosperity Foundation sponsored Summit on Spending and Job Creation in Manchester, New Hampshire on April 29th. AFPF is the Tea Party front group founded and funded in part by Koch Industries CEO David Koch. Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum will also be in attendance.

The presidential hopeful laden event appears to be little more than a publicity stunt designed to turn out donors for a $50 a plate/$500 a table fundraiser in honor of local Tea Party activist and former U.S. Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne, who is looking to play a big role in the 2012 New Hampshire primary through his Granite Oath PAC.

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Mitt Romney Joins Americans for Prosperity NH Event

A Koch Party for Ovide Lamontagne

On April 15th, the Koch Industries front group Americans for Prosperity will be hosting a $50 a plate/$500 a table fundraiser for local Tea Party activist Ovide Lamontagne. It's all part of the billionaire Koch brothers' plan to spend $88 million influencing the 2012 election, a plan that apparently includes buying New Hampshire's first in the nation presidential primary.

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A Koch Party for Ovide Lamontagne

Presidential Candidate Visits For April 2011

An early look at the presidential (and vice presidential) hopefuls who will be hitting the campaign trail in New Hampshire this month.

April 4


Vice President Joe Biden will be at the University of New Hampshire to discuss sexual assault and violence against women on college campuses across the nation. This ticketed event is not open to the general public.

Time: 11:30 AM

Location: Memorial Union Building, Granite State Room
University of New Hampshire
83 Main St.
Durham, NH 03824


Note: Newt Gingrich was also in New Hampshire on April 4.




April 14

Rick Santorum will participate a Town Hall meeting on the economy in Henniker, where  he'll be taking questions from voters.

Time: 3:30 to 4:30 PM 

Location: Center for Civic Engagement at New England College

98 Bridge St.

Henniker, NH 03242

The Greater Federated Republican Woman of Manchester, Hooksett Republican Town Committee and Manchester Republican Committee will host a "Meet and Greet" with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

Time: 5:00 to 7:00 PM

Location: KRL Bantry Components
160 Bouchard St.
Manchester, NH 03106


Tim Pawlenty will be the keynote speaker at the Nashua City Republican Committee's monthly meeting.

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: Crowne Plaza, Trafalgar Room
2 Somerset Parkaway
Nashua, NH 03063



April 15


Coffee and conversation with Herman Cain in Concord. 


Cain will be signing copies of his 2005 book "They Think You're Stupid" in exchange for a $50 donation.

Time: 8:30 AM

State House Cafeteria

107 N Main St

Concord, NH 03301

Rick Santorum will be the guest speaker at the Seacoast Republican Women Spring Luncheon. $40 per person. RSVP to RSVP@nhsrw.org or call Fran LeFavour at (603) 659-6133.


Time: 11:00 AM

Location: Ashworth by the Sea Hotel
Ocean Boulevard
Hampton, NH 03842


Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty, and Herman Cain will all be featured speakers at Americans for Prosperity - New Hampshire's Tax Day Tea Party in Concord.

Time: 11:30 AM

Location: State House
Main Street
Concord, NH 03301


Ron Paul will discuss the "Mounting Fiscal Crisis" in Manchester. Free and open to the public.

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: New Hampshire Institute of Politics
Saint Anselm College
100 Saint Anselm Drive
Manchester, NH 03102


April 16


Rick Santorum will play in a Miniature Golf Tournament in Somersworth. Single $10, Foursome $25.

Time: 7:00-10:00 AM

Location: Hilltop Fun Center
Route 108
Somersworth, NH




April 20


Newt Gingrich will be the guest speaker at the NH GOP Chairman's "Live Free or Die" Speaker Series in Manchester. $250 for VIP reception and speech. RSVP required: Contact Ellen Christo - ellen@nhgop.org or (603) 225-9341


Time: 5:45 to 7:15 


Location: Piccolo Italia Restaurante (upstairs)
815 Elm St.
Manchester, NH



April 21


Gary Johnson is expected to formally announce his candidacy for President of United States during his latest trip to the Granite State. No details yet, but his plans include skiing Mount Washington's infamous Tuckerman's Ravine!


April 28


Rand Paul will be the special guest at the Merrimack County Republican Committee Breakfast in Concord. $25 a plate. Contact: Dan McGuire at danmcguire@gmail.com

Time: 7:30 AM

Location: Holiday Inn
172 N Main St
Concord, NH 03301



Rand Paul will also be the featured guest at the Cheshire County Lincoln Day Dinner in Keene. For more information contact Julie Bergeron at cheshirerepublicans@gmail.com or (603) 352-7553.

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Keene Country Club
West Hill Rd.
Keene, NH 03431



April 29


Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, and Herman Cain are all scheduled to attend  the Americans for Prosperity Foundation sponsored Summit on Spending and Job Creation in Manchester, preceded directly by $50 a plate/$500 a table fundraising honoring local Tea Party activist and former U.S. Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne. 


Time:  7:00 PM Fundraiser; 8:00 PM Summit


Location: Executive Court
1199 South Mammoth Rd. 
Manchester, NH 03109




Gary Johnson will appear at a Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire event in Concord, according to the Union Leader.


Time: TBA


Location: New Hampshire State Library
20 Park Street
Concord, NH 03301






April 30


Senator Jim Demint is coming to Nashua for the We the People Freedom Forum. He'll join Congressman Steve King for a "A roundtable conversation about the conservative movement and the 2012 Presidential elections." The first part of this half day event is free, but it will cost you $50 to $100 to see the main show. Pre-register online.


Time: 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM


Location: Somewhere in Manchester (TBA)