Michael Graham
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Articles by Michael Graham
More help than ever for veterans - and more need than ever, leaders say | Guest Commentary
Ask Vincent Morales, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, if America supports its veterans, and he’ll tell you, “Everybody loves a warrior when the enemy is at the gate.” But what about when that warrior comes home and needs healthcare, or housing, or help navigating the VA system? The good news for America’s 18 million veterans is that there have never been more organizations providing more services to the men and women who’ve worn the uniform.
Sorry Big Bird, but the dumbest waste of tax dollars is (finally!) about to die | Guest Commentary
The U.S. Senate passed its version of the $9 billion rescission bill last week, bringing the country one step closer to ending the most egregious and indefensible federal spending in the modern era. Public broadcasting. The $500 million a year that taxpayers are forced to fork over for government radio and TV is such a small slice of the $7 trillion spending total, it’s more like a spending “scrape” than a cut. But what these federal funds lack in volume, they make up in stupidity.
N.H. lawmakers reach temporary ambulance billing deal
By Michael Graham New Hampshire Journal CONCORD, N.H.— Granite State lawmakers have reached a compromise on how to set rates for ambulance services, bringing an end to “balance billing,” resolving — at least temporarily — one of the most contentious issues in the State House this session.
After Trump executive order, NHIAA drops rule letting biological males play girls sports
For months, the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association has defended its policy of allowing student-athletes to decide their gender for the purposes of competing in sports, separate from the athlete's biological sex. Its policy has been to "defer to the determination of the student and his or her local school regarding gender identification," even after the state passed a law banning biological males from girls sports.
McCormick hits Casey on filibuster, abortion flip-flop in final debate
McCormick hits Casey on filibuster, abortion flip-flop in final debate Abortion is supposed to be a tough issue for Republican Dave McCormick, but he had the best of it in Tuesday night’s debate with U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D). Casey was asked by a moderator about the years he spent describing himself as a pro-life Democrat and why he changed. Casey said the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which returned the right to regulate abortion to the states, was too much for him.
Trump gets the debate he wanted - good and hard | Guest Commentary
What do Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have in common? They both love talking about Donald Trump. Which is why he lost Tuesday night’s debate. Trump had one mission for the ABC News debate: Tell voters about Harris’ long record of supporting far-left policies like defunding the police and (no joke!) taxpayer-funded sex change operations for illegal immigrants.
Trump gets the debate he wanted - good and hard | Guest Commentary
What do Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have in common? They both love talking about Donald Trump. Which is why he lost Tuesday night’s debate. Trump had one mission for the ABC News debate: Tell voters about Harris’ long record of supporting far-left policies like defunding the police and (no joke!) taxpayer-funded sex change operations for illegal immigrants.
DACA Health Benefits Plan Faces Legal Challenge from State AGs
Should people in the United States illegally be eligible for taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits? A group of 15 Republican attorneys general say no, and they’ve filed a multi-state lawsuit to prevent the Biden-Harris administration efforts to do just that. The lawsuit is led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. “Illegal aliens shouldn’t get a free pass into our country.
Americans should pay attention to UK election on July 4 | Guest opinion
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND: It will soon be July 4, when Americans in Akron and elsewhere celebrate independence from Britain and, in this election year 2024, some of them may be wondering about the state of our democracy. Here in the United Kingdom, July 4 will also be a democratic landmark, in that it will be election day.
Will Direct File hold tax prep companies accountable?
For the typical American, paying federal income taxes is the most boring — and terrifying — thing we do every year. It’s boring because auto mechanics and nurses and sales people have to dig around in file drawers and shoe boxes trying to find numbers to fill out government forms. It’s terrifying because one mistake, no matter how innocent, can lead to more paperwork, financial penalties or … the dreaded IRS audit. Taxpayer dread has increased America’s $13.9 billion tax preparation industry.
In GOP debate, third time isn’t the charm
GOP primary voters looking for a star performance from a presidential candidate were disappointed yet again, as the third debate left the state of the race essentially unchanged. The entire event had a “been-there, done-that” feel about it, as a familiar cast of candidates faced off to deal with (mostly) familiar issues: Ukraine, China, fentanyl, and the economy. Gov.
The RFK Jr. wild card | Guest Commentary
For all the talk that has sometimes surrounded his presidential candidacy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was never able to break through in the Democratic primary race against President Joe Biden. Reports would say his support was "growing," or that he was "surging," but he was never able to surpass the 20% support in national polls he enjoyed when he announced his candidacy as a Democrat in late April. In the months since, his support among Democratic voters has slowly slipped.
Bill Moving PA Presidential Primary Date Passes Senate Committee
Aug. 31—Move over, Ohio. Pennsylvania voters may be inviting themselves to the presidential primary party. The Senate State Government Committee passed Senate Bill 224 with bipartisan support on Wednesday. It would move the Keystone State's primary from April 23 to March 19. Delaware Valley Democratic Sens. Amande Cappelletti, Katie Muth, and Anthony Williams all backed the bill.
NH: Craig Backs $800M Rail Plan, Says Young Granite Staters 'Don't Even Want' Cars
Aug. 30—Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig's long-standing support for a commuter rail line connecting her city to Boston remains unshaken even as the price tag approaches $1 billion. She told WMUR's Adam Sexton on Wednesday that, if elected governor, she will "absolutely" push through the project in Concord. At an event with fellow Mayor Jim Donchess of Nashua, Craig reiterated her previous arguments for the rail project, such as economic development and concerns about climate. And she added a new one.
The Great Dechurching: What is at Stake? - Key Life
by James Davis & Michael Graham In the United States, we are currently experiencing the largest and fastest religious shift in the history of our country, as tens of millions of formerly regular Christian worshipers nation- wide have decided they no longer desire to attend church at all. These are what we now call the dechurched. About 40 million adults in America today used to go to church but no longer do, which accounts for around 16 percent1 of our adult population.
Biden Border Policy Robbed Haiti of Chance at Democracy – DC Journal - InsideSources
The ever-bedeviled Caribbean island nation of Haiti is suffering its worst anarchy in decades, which says much about how lawless and pre-modern life there has become. Circumstances are so atrocious that nominal “leader,” Dr. Henry Ariel, who questionably inherited the top job after the 2021 assassination of Haiti’s last president, is begging for foreign military intervention.
Where were the adults amid the cryptocurrency scandal?
By Michael Graham He was a 30-year-old video gamer with a kid’s unkempt haircut and a degree in physics, not economics. A man-child so undisciplined he was caught playing “League of Legends” during a pitch meeting with one of the world’s largest venture capital (VC) companies.
FCC Misses Opportunity to Diversify Media – DC Journal - InsideSources
In the era of social media and blogs, broadcast journalism in Arizona, and around the country, stands at a crossroads. In order to stay relevant in today’s news environment, it must support a more diverse and innovative industry.
Michael Graham: Black, Jewish leaders call for national ‘15 days of light’ to fight antisemitism, racism
It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness, the saying goes. And a group of Black and Jewish leaders is taking that spirit to the fight against racism and antisemitism — times 15. In a full-page ad in The New York Times last Saturday, a group of Black and Jewish leaders called for Americans to join them in a coast-to-coast display of unity “to dispel the darkness of racism and antisemitism in America” for the 15 nights of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
COMMENTARY: Black, Jewish Leaders Call for National ‘15 Days of Light’ to Fight Anti-Semitism, Racism
It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness, the saying goes. And a group of Black and Jewish leaders is taking that spirit to the fight against racism and anti-semitism — times 15. In a full-page ad in The New York Times Dec. 10 a group of Black and Jewish leaders called for Americans to join them in a coast-to-coast display of unity “to dispel the darkness of racism and antisemitism in America” for the 15 nights of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
Black, Jewish Leaders Call for National '15 Days of Light' to Fight Anti-Semitism, Racism – DC Journal - InsideSources
It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness, the saying goes. And a group of Black and Jewish leaders is taking that spirit to the fight against racism and antisemitism — times 15. In a full-page ad in The New York Times last Saturday, a group of Black and Jewish leaders called for Americans to join them in a coast-to-coast display of unity “to dispel the darkness of racism and antisemitism in America” for the 15 nights of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
Kraushaar on 'The Sununu Model' in POTUS Politics, and Sen. Bradley on the State House on Apple Podcasts
Axios' political reporter Josh Kraushaar says Gov. Chris Sununu is "a great quote, and a great interview." But is he viewed by DC politicos as a serious 2024 POTUS candidate? Krashaar talks to NHJournal Managing Editor Michael Graham about it, along with how the NHDems vs. Biden/DNC fight over the FITN is playing on the national stage. And could 2024 see a return of 'The Sununu Model' to win the FITN?
Opinion: ‘We the People,’ but Who Exactly? – DC Journal - InsideSources
For an alternate viewpoint, see “Opinion: Trump May Not Be on the Ballot, but His MAGA Extremism Will Be.” The idea of rule by “the people” is at the core of America’s founding, but from the beginning, there was a relatively narrow understanding of who “the people” were. Although the days of landowning White males monopolizing political power ended generations ago, the limitation of the franchise has not.
GA Debate Shines Light on Warnock's Church Eviction Controversy – DC Journal - InsideSources
During the lone debate of one of the most closely contested Senate races in the country, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) first dodged, then denied, evictions of low-income tenants at an apartment complex affiliated with the church he pastors. The eviction story, involving litigation and a complaint to the Internal Revenue Service, is a growing controversy for the incumbent Democrat in a close race with his GOP challenger, former SEC football star Herschel Walker.
Trusting Iran Compromises Our National Security – InsideSources Original
Last month, the Department of Justice unsealed a case against an Iranian agent charged with plotting the assassination of former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton. In the alleged murder-for-hire scheme, the defendant attempted to pay operatives $300,000 to carry out the assassination on American soil. This was not the first Iranian terror plot in the United States exposed this year.
Graham
A day after reports that more than 2 million migrants had illegally crossed the U.S. southern border already this fiscal year — a record — former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the flood of fentanyl across the border “an act of war” and another sign of the “waffling, weak” Biden administration. And, he acknowledged, the flow of opioids from China through Mexico was viewed as so dangerous that the Trump administration considered military action across the Mexico border.
Is Our Climate in Crisis? A Q&A with Bjorn Lomborg – InsideSources
Dr. Bjorn Lomborg runs the think tank, the Copenhagen Consensus, where he offers a non-traditional analysis of global challenges from disease and hunger to climate and education. For his work, Lomborg was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. He joined InsideSources for this Q & A. Your book “False Alarm” is a plea for a cool-headed, data-driven climate debate. Why shouldn’t we worry about climate change and its impacts?
Price Controls Hurt Cancer Patients, Risk Future Innovation – InsideSources
The U.S. Senate just announced legislation within Medicare Part D with the headline “lower prescription drug costs for beneficiaries living with cancer.” Behind this headline, with a further examination of this proposal, there are caution lights and red flags raised by cancer survivors like myself and patient-focused healthcare organizations.
Despite Dobbs Ruling, Polls Show Dems Still Face Election Debacle – InsideSources
A stack of new polls dropped after Independence Day, and they hit Democrats’ hopes for the midterms like a bombshell. By nearly every metric—including polling on abortion—President Joe Biden, his party, and its policies are under the political gun. The data are from the Harvard/Harris poll, the Monmouth poll, and YouGov, all of which are considered mainstream—if not left-leaning—sources.
Will Anger Over Supreme Court Ruling Save Dems From Biden's Plunging Poll Numbers? – InsideSources
The outcome of the midterm elections will be determined by two numbers: Do voters care more about a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on abortion or paying $5 a gallon for gas? Just hours before the court’s decision in the Dobbs case was released last Friday, political pundits thought the shocking news of the day was President Joe Biden’s record-low poll numbers.
Bloomberg-Funded AGs Push Climate Cases Targeting Domestic Energy Producers – InsideSources
When lawyers for both sides in an environmental dispute appeared before the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia on Tuesday, an unseen third party was present as well. Billionaire Michael Bloomberg. For years, the former New York mayor and one-time presidential candidate has been quietly funding private attorneys to work in public attorneys general offices in states from Minnesota to Delaware.
After Early Successes, Dems ‘Meddling’ in GOP Primaries – InsideSources
A new and potentially influential force is emerging in Republican primaries across the country. Democrats. Days before Pennsylvania Republicans went to the polls to pick their nominee for governor, Democratic nominee Josh Shapiro — who was running unopposed — ran TV ads focused on far-right, underfunded GOP candidate state Sen. Doug Mastriano.
Pennsylvania Dems Want to 'Doctor' Oz's Name – InsideSources
“Is there a doctor in the House?” is an old cliche. But U.S. Rep. Susan Wild wants to keep one out of the Senate—and she thinks the press is hurting her cause. The Pennsylvania Democrat is complaining about the coverage of Dr. Mehmet Oz, the GOP nominee for Senate who is best known for his award-winning TV show “Dr. Oz.” She wants the media to drop the “Doctor.” “Please stop using ‘Dr.’ before Oz’s name,” Wild tweeted. “Use his name like we do for all other candidates.
Opioid Crisis Raises Concerns About Bernie Sanders' Drug Importation Plan – InsideSources
New Hampshire’s Sen. Maggie Hassan has made fighting the flow of counterfeit pharmaceuticals into the U.S. a priority. “In my state and all across the country, we are seeing a rise in counterfeit pills that are laced with illicit drugs, and they are almost indistinguishable from legitimate medication,” Hassan said during a Senate hearing earlier this year. But public health advocates and polls show her stance on borders and drug importation may be undermining her efforts.
Americans Aren't Divided on Abortion. Their Politicians Are. – InsideSources
Why is abortion the most divisive issue in American politics? Because Americans are fundamentally compassionate and fair-minded people. They don’t want to bully pregnant women, and they don’t want to hurt babies. What decent person wants to impose (as pro-choice advocates put it) a “forced birth” on a woman? And what caring human being wants to (as pro-lifers say) “stop a beating heart”? No wonder Americans are so divided on abortion. Except … they’re not.
Mastriano Stops Interview Over QAnon Question
“GOP gubernatorial candidate state Sen. Doug Mastriano abruptly ended a podcast interview with Delaware Valley Journal, angry over questions about his participation in a rally linked to QAnon conspiracy advocates. The Franklin, Pa. Republican also objected to questions about his participation in the infamous January 6 protest that preceded the riot at the U.S. Capitol. More than 750 people have been arrested for their role in the assault on the Capitol building.
Confirmation hearings were a disaster; Democrats just don’t know it
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will soon be the newest member of the Supreme Court, and she is almost certain to get a handful of votes from Republican senators. So, if last week’s hearings are scored on the “did the nominee get confirmed” standard, they were a big win. But if you are keeping score on the politics of President Biden’s pick and her performance, then by nearly every measure Jackson’s nomination has been a disaster for the Democrats. Worse? They don’t seem to know it.
Michael Graham: Confirmation hearings were a disaster; Democrats just don’t know it
By Michael Graham - InsideSources.com Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will soon be the newest member of the Supreme Court, and she is almost certain to get a handful of votes from Republican senators. So, if the recent hearings are scored on the “did the nominee get confirmed” standard, they were a big win. But if you are keeping score on the politics of President Biden’s pick and her performance, then by nearly every measure Jackson’s nomination has been a disaster for the Democrats. Worse?
From Candidates to Supreme Court, NHDems Can't Catch a Break in 2022 on Apple Podcasts
On this edition of the NHJournal podcast, Managing Editor Michael Graham lays out all the challenges -- many self-inflicted -- facing New Hampshire Democrats in 2022. From the issues at the top of voters' minds to the candidates at the top of the ticket, Democrats are facing nothing but bad news at the moment. Also, a Derry, N.H. gas station owner shares real-life stories of the impact of soaring prices on his customers.
GRAHAM: KBJ's Confirmation Hearings Were a Disaster for Democrats. They Just Don't Know It Yet. – DV Journal
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, honoree at the Judge James B. Parsons Legacy Dinner, February 24, 2020. (Credit: Lloyd DeGrane, CC BY-SA 4.0) Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will soon be the newest member of the U.S. Supreme Court, and she is almost certain to get a handful of votes from Republican senators. So, if last week’s hearings are scored on the “did the nominee get confirmed” standard, they were a big win.
PGA Tour Facing Blowback, Possible Legal Action Over ‘Web of Player Restrictions’ – InsideSources
Golf may not be a contact sport, but the ongoing dispute between the PGA and some of its most high-profile players is starting to sound like the MMA. That is the takeaway from an ongoing battle over the PGA Tour’s controversial proposal to ban players who compete in a new upstart league. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan last year declared that any players who sign with the Saudi-backed Super Golf League could face a lifetime ban from the PGA.
Biden did not turn the tide
Despite polls showing Americans believe the state of the union is dismal, a defiant President Joe Biden insisted his first year has been a success, while reaffirming his support for trillions in new federal spending and aggressive green energy policies. It was a State of the Union speech that's unlikely to bring comfort to Democrats facing a tough midterm election in November, or turn around Biden's plunging polls.
Biden’s SOTU: No Relief on Inflation, or for Democrats Facing Tough Midterms – Inside Sources | Prescott eNews
Despite polls showing Americans believe the state of the union is dismal, a defiant President Biden insisted his first year has been a success, while reaffirming his support for trillions in new federal spending and aggressive green energy policies. It was a State of the Union speech that’s unlikely to bring comfort to Democrats facing a tough midterm election in November, or turn around Biden’s plunging polls.
Biden's SOTU: No Relief on Inflation, or for Democrats Facing Tough Midterms – InsideSources
Despite polls showing Americans believe the state of the union is dismal, a defiant President Biden insisted his first year has been a success, while reaffirming his support for trillions in new federal spending and aggressive green energy policies. It was a State of the Union speech that’s unlikely to bring comfort to Democrats facing a tough midterm election in November, or turn around Biden’s plunging polls.
The PGA Tour’s Sportswashing Problem in China – InsideSources
On the heels of NBC’s Beijing Winter Olympics coverage, in which the network faced criticism for publicizing a sporting event staged by an authoritarian regime, numerous sports and entertainment organizations are facing renewed scrutiny over their relationships with China.
Ukranian Member of Parliament Natalya Pipa Is On the Run -- And on the NHJournal Podcast on Apple Podcasts
40 min In a NHJournal podcast first, we're joined by Ukrainian member of parliament Natalya Pipa (Наталія Піпа) on Friday, February 24, as she is literally fleeing to escape the Russian invasion of her country. The audio -- recorded in her car as her family drove west -- isn't the best. But the content is amazing. “It will be a funny question if it was not so sad," Pipa says at one point.
Michael Graham: Jordan on wrong side of Big Tech battle, polls show
By Michael Graham - InsideSources.com U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, is known for being an outspoken, pro-Trump Republican who has the strong backing of his GOP base. Except for his stance on regulating Big Tech. They hate it. A new poll of Ohio’s 4th Congressional District finds 81 percent of voters fear executives of large technology companies like Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon have too much power, and 87 percent want the federal government to do more to curb abuses by Big Tech firms.
‘More speech, not enforced silence’
My name is Michael, and I am a recovering talk show host. And I rise in defense of Joe Rogan. I make this confession reluctantly, knowing it could mean cancellation, condemnation or — horrors! — becoming the topic of a CNN news panel. (Please not Jim Acosta — anybody but Jim Acosta!) But I cannot stand by silently any longer. Too much is at stake. No, not Spotify’s stock price or comedian Joe Rogan’s jaw-dropping $100 million licensing deal. What’s at stake is the idea of free speech as a social good.
Some Republicans on Wrong Side of Big Tech Battle, Polls Show – InsideSources
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan is known for being an outspoken, pro-Trump Republican who has the strong backing of his GOP base. Except for his stance on regulating Big Tech. They hate it. A new poll of Ohio’s 4th Congressional District finds 81 percent of voters fear executives of large technology companies like Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon have too much power, and 87 percent want the federal government to do more to curb abuses by Big Tech firms.
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