Well to paraphrase Garrison Keillor regarding Lake Wobegon – “it has been slow this week down to the State Capital.”
After a thug fest of pushing through an irresponsible reckless budget followed by name calling to the RC Bishop and threats to the church’s nonprofit status – the Speakah issued an email edict to all republican reps and told them to be silent and there was silence! E-mails by reps immediately ceased and inflammatory ranting by tea baggers has been tepid. All appears quiet in Concord.
Perhaps it was planned to lessen the intensity and slow things down, but after a two week hiatus – the lower house of the NH General Court was called back to Concord. This past Wednesday, Representatives were serenaded by bag pipers (Tartan Day) and except for resignations by a couple of non-apologetic republican members, the only political act to speak of was a clever game of word smithing where we learned a fee is not a fee – it is now a tuition!
A FEE BY ANY OTHER NAME…
SB 66 which had been on the consent calendar having passed easily in committee was pulled and amended on the floor. Reason – it called for a fee (Tea Bag talk: fee = tax). The present gang of radical extremists in control apparently refuses to vote for anything that has a fee or tax attached – so the amendment changed the word fee to tuition and then all was right and the bill passed by a voice vote. But don’t be tricked – a fee by any other name is still a fee!
This is just one clearer example of this crowd’s understanding – or perhaps lack of understanding on how New Hampshire has been operating for over a hundred years. NH’s entire revenue system is for the most part based on the Property Tax, a couple of Business Taxes and a ton of fees to pay for designated programs. The System has been in place for a long time and was crafted by past republican controlled frugal Yankee Legislatures.
Among the best examples of this is the Highway Betterment Fund which has now been cut $45 million ($90m for the biennium) by the GOP Radical Extremists. Last session the House increased the fee for vehicle registrations to specifically fund bridge repairs and pave highways (including city & town roads. However – now thanks to the GOP Radical Extremists we will be on a 28 year road paving cycle! Yeah – once a road is paved – it won’t be paved again for 28 years – a giant step backwards! These funds used to go to cities & towns – so now when your local taxes go up because there will be no state assistance to fill potholes – thank a republican rep. Note: no democrat voted for this budget!
DON’T LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY
I am now convinced that the more things change – the more they stay the same, and that this crowd will continue to follow their less than factual play book.
Last election – the republicans did an effective job of linking NH Government with their counterparts on the federal level in Washington DC. Consequently, people believed that NH spending was out of control and like “Heney Penny” was told that the financial sky was falling! Regardless of the fact that there was a global recession going on, and that all the national experts said how NH was being better managed than most other states and countries.
So now – following the same game plan of why let truth get in the way of a good story – they have linked spending & the deficit in Washington with spending in NH. Yes today’s mantra is “we have a spending problem!” So what if the elderly, mentally ill, children, poor, public employees and cities & towns get caught in the crossfire. Meanwhile they’ll just cut revenue streams – oops sorry – too bad! Social Darwinism rears its ugly head and Ayn Rand is now the tea baggers political patron saint!
The chant is “it’s not a revenue problem, it’s a spending problem!” This of course is just sophistry. Even one of my local papers (Eagle Times 4/16/11) stated in an editorial that “while catchy” such language is “hogwash.” The editorial went on to say that no one has the intestinal fortitude (their term was guts) to seriously look at both spending and revenue. NO – we’d rather play word games with tuition vs. fees and walk away from anything resembling being responsible!
STATES RIGHTS & THE CIVIL WAR!
I would like to end on a positive note – at least partially positive.
At the end of Wednesday’s session – Representative Campbell, (d) Nashua rose and addressed the House under Personal Consent. He pointed out how the Civil War started 150 years ago this week (April 12) and how New Hampshire has a long tradition of standing tall for justice.
He further brought our attention to the portrait of U.S. Senator John Parker Hale that is displayed in Reps Hall. Apparently Hale, a Republican, was the 1st senator elected as an abolitionist and was a key person in freeing the nation from slavery. Rep Campbell continued by providing an overview of how Hale’s family has served NH up to the present era and how former Republican Representative Jack Chandler was a direct descendant.
My own knowledge of Senator Hale is that he was raised and influenced by an uncle – John Parker – who had the distinction of being appointed by President Washington as the first United States Marshal for New Hampshire. Furthermore, how as a patriot, John Parker was the first person to read the Declaration of Independence aloud to the citizens of NH in 1776.
Some might find it odd that a Democrat Campbell would inform the 3:1 republican House about this early Republican – however, let us not forget that these radical extremists are not your father’s brand of republican either. In light of all this talk about nullification and States Rights – some wonder, especially in light of their vehemence against the federal government, if they would have voted to support the Union in ‘61!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
House Budget Cuts Will Affect All of NH
The following Op-Ed piece is by Representative David Campbell. A resident of Nashua - he is originally from neighboring Newport NH.
House Budget Cuts Will Affect All of NH
By Rep. David B. Campbell (D-Nashua)
I was born and raised in Newport, New Hampshire a half-century ago and since college have lived in Nashua. Throughout my lifetime, New Hampshire has been, for the most part, a Republican state and our state budgets (except for the last two) have been adopted by Republican legislatures. New Hampshire Republicans created the structure that is currently our state government, which has historically been conservative and frugal.
In the four years that the Democrats were in the majority, we did not add any new social programs, or change the structure that was largely dismantled by the recent House budget, but we, like the Republican legislatures before us, did fund these programs at respectable levels. Over the decades, it was these successive Republican legislatures that put a social safety-net in place, maybe not as tight a safety-net as some Democrats wanted; but over the years, Republicans have tried to take care of New Hampshire’s neediest citizens.
The recently adopted House budget drastically reduces funding and totally eliminates gigantic portions of that safety-net. I submit that this budget breaks the long-standing social contract between our state government and its people. It breaks faith, not only with the people directly affected by these cuts, but with the rest of the citizens of our state as well. Remember, the social safety net not only holds the needy up, but it also keeps them from dropping through that net and crashing in our society, landing in our towns and on our streets.
This budget didn’t just reduce funding levels; it eliminated or drastically cuts-back programs for thousands of children in need, thousands of domestic violence victims, and thousands with mental illness or who are developmentally disabled. It devastates programs for child care, Head Start, nursing home and Alzheimer care, vocational and post-secondary education and job training for the unemployed.
This is the ultimate DOWNSHIFT to local communities and property taxpayers. What is going to be the societal impact in our cities and towns with these programs eliminated or financially crippled? Add to this the volatile and dangerous combination of newly passed legislation that lowers the high school dropout age, allows individuals from age 18 to conceal handguns without permits, while simultaneously cutting the number of State Police officers.
This budget will put tremendous new and costly pressure on our local police forces, welfare departments, school systems, charities, churches and our communities and citizenry as a whole. Make no mistake: we will all see the impact of this budget very close to home. This budget reshapes our New Hampshire’s government, into a state that shows little or no compassion for its neediest citizens, while failing to protect the rest of those in our state from the resulting social ills. And finally, this House approved budget has vilified our public employees, including teachers, police and firefighters; and pits public workers against the very government that employs them. This is not the New Hampshire that I was born and raised in.
We the people of New Hampshire must ask ourselves: is this the kind of state government we want? Is this the kind of society that we want to live in? At the recent State House rally, the voices of thousands of people, who were directly affected by this budget, went unheeded. It will take a louder voice from the New Hampshire’s residents who are indirectly, but still dramatically and personally affected by this budget, to make a real difference.
House Budget Cuts Will Affect All of NH
By Rep. David B. Campbell (D-Nashua)
I was born and raised in Newport, New Hampshire a half-century ago and since college have lived in Nashua. Throughout my lifetime, New Hampshire has been, for the most part, a Republican state and our state budgets (except for the last two) have been adopted by Republican legislatures. New Hampshire Republicans created the structure that is currently our state government, which has historically been conservative and frugal.
In the four years that the Democrats were in the majority, we did not add any new social programs, or change the structure that was largely dismantled by the recent House budget, but we, like the Republican legislatures before us, did fund these programs at respectable levels. Over the decades, it was these successive Republican legislatures that put a social safety-net in place, maybe not as tight a safety-net as some Democrats wanted; but over the years, Republicans have tried to take care of New Hampshire’s neediest citizens.
The recently adopted House budget drastically reduces funding and totally eliminates gigantic portions of that safety-net. I submit that this budget breaks the long-standing social contract between our state government and its people. It breaks faith, not only with the people directly affected by these cuts, but with the rest of the citizens of our state as well. Remember, the social safety net not only holds the needy up, but it also keeps them from dropping through that net and crashing in our society, landing in our towns and on our streets.
This budget didn’t just reduce funding levels; it eliminated or drastically cuts-back programs for thousands of children in need, thousands of domestic violence victims, and thousands with mental illness or who are developmentally disabled. It devastates programs for child care, Head Start, nursing home and Alzheimer care, vocational and post-secondary education and job training for the unemployed.
This is the ultimate DOWNSHIFT to local communities and property taxpayers. What is going to be the societal impact in our cities and towns with these programs eliminated or financially crippled? Add to this the volatile and dangerous combination of newly passed legislation that lowers the high school dropout age, allows individuals from age 18 to conceal handguns without permits, while simultaneously cutting the number of State Police officers.
This budget will put tremendous new and costly pressure on our local police forces, welfare departments, school systems, charities, churches and our communities and citizenry as a whole. Make no mistake: we will all see the impact of this budget very close to home. This budget reshapes our New Hampshire’s government, into a state that shows little or no compassion for its neediest citizens, while failing to protect the rest of those in our state from the resulting social ills. And finally, this House approved budget has vilified our public employees, including teachers, police and firefighters; and pits public workers against the very government that employs them. This is not the New Hampshire that I was born and raised in.
We the people of New Hampshire must ask ourselves: is this the kind of state government we want? Is this the kind of society that we want to live in? At the recent State House rally, the voices of thousands of people, who were directly affected by this budget, went unheeded. It will take a louder voice from the New Hampshire’s residents who are indirectly, but still dramatically and personally affected by this budget, to make a real difference.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
STAND UP & BE ABUSED
Sunday morning –
April 3, 2011
At the end of Mass this morning – the priest at my church - rose and addressed the congregation to voice his outrage and shock about the recent verbal attack on the Roman Catholic Bishop of Manchester by a member of the NH General Court. The priest’s basic points were how could someone who claims to be a catholic be so rude and show such disrespect for the Office. He ended by asking us to pray for the General Court and this representative.
While I certainly agree that such behavior & comments are disrespectful – why should we expect anything else from a group of individuals who see nothing wrong in calling Firemen thugs (Yeah? The people who rush into burning homes & save lives) – Republicans who disagree with them are shunned & called RINO’s – and the term democrat is interchangeable with socialist & communist. However, among the most shocking is – the 80+ year old couple who care for their 60+ year old developmentally delayed child being treated as if they are somehow trying to scam the system! Their only crimes being fear and worry over who will care for their child after they are gone and asking for some help now to supplement the care they give 24/7. Now, I could go on and cite more examples of insults – but that isn’t necessary. The message seems to be – not only are we going to deny you help – but we see nothing wrong with insult and abuse should you disagree!
A week or so back I wrote about “Who are these People” and how the NH House of Representatives is controlled by a group intent on dismantling government and how they seem to consist of Home Grown Libertarians; Social Conservatives; and Free Staters. I went on to write that what I find especially troublesome is their – intolerance! Many appear to be affluent and seem to not have any knowledge about the needs of average NH families. Consequently, since they see the best defense as a good offense – it is only logical that they revert to branding people who are affected or disagree. They are convinced they know what’s best!
That attitude was reinforced this weekend in reading the State Legislator email thread where numerous republican representatives came to the defense of their majority leader. One a vice chair of a committee actually stated “I am a Catholic and I stand with DJ. McCormack has always been a corrupt scumbag in my book!” He goes on to write “This is one of those instances where no apology is necessary in my opinion. Why should we kowtow to a corrupt hack of a Bishop??” One concurred with: “You speak from my heart the things I cannot say not being of that faith.” Another expressed shock that the Roman Catholic Church was against the Death Penalty – “I was personally insulted a while back when the Bishop issued a statement against the death penalty, making it sound like such punishment was against Catholic doctrine.”
Of course – then there is the republican rep who wants the Bishop to “apologize to his church and to those practicing catholics that he seems to denounce.”
Now in fairness – there was one republican rep who wrote and stated the comments were wrong and that “if you want respect give respect.”
However – a telling example of this group’s belief that government does not have any responsibility for the general welfare of its citizens was provided by a rep who wrote:”Government is force, not charity. Government should be limited to protecting the rights of all people to be treated equally under the law. All people, by the way, includes the rich, the middle class, those who are struggling and anyone else. Charity comes from the hearts of individual people acting on their own free will…” Forget that charitable organiztions in NH presently provide 500 million in charity statewide and would have to double that amount to fill the gap created by this budget.
So Government is force and has no business in providing a social service net: is this what we want for NH & is this what you really voted for last November?
April 3, 2011
At the end of Mass this morning – the priest at my church - rose and addressed the congregation to voice his outrage and shock about the recent verbal attack on the Roman Catholic Bishop of Manchester by a member of the NH General Court. The priest’s basic points were how could someone who claims to be a catholic be so rude and show such disrespect for the Office. He ended by asking us to pray for the General Court and this representative.
While I certainly agree that such behavior & comments are disrespectful – why should we expect anything else from a group of individuals who see nothing wrong in calling Firemen thugs (Yeah? The people who rush into burning homes & save lives) – Republicans who disagree with them are shunned & called RINO’s – and the term democrat is interchangeable with socialist & communist. However, among the most shocking is – the 80+ year old couple who care for their 60+ year old developmentally delayed child being treated as if they are somehow trying to scam the system! Their only crimes being fear and worry over who will care for their child after they are gone and asking for some help now to supplement the care they give 24/7. Now, I could go on and cite more examples of insults – but that isn’t necessary. The message seems to be – not only are we going to deny you help – but we see nothing wrong with insult and abuse should you disagree!
A week or so back I wrote about “Who are these People” and how the NH House of Representatives is controlled by a group intent on dismantling government and how they seem to consist of Home Grown Libertarians; Social Conservatives; and Free Staters. I went on to write that what I find especially troublesome is their – intolerance! Many appear to be affluent and seem to not have any knowledge about the needs of average NH families. Consequently, since they see the best defense as a good offense – it is only logical that they revert to branding people who are affected or disagree. They are convinced they know what’s best!
That attitude was reinforced this weekend in reading the State Legislator email thread where numerous republican representatives came to the defense of their majority leader. One a vice chair of a committee actually stated “I am a Catholic and I stand with DJ. McCormack has always been a corrupt scumbag in my book!” He goes on to write “This is one of those instances where no apology is necessary in my opinion. Why should we kowtow to a corrupt hack of a Bishop??” One concurred with: “You speak from my heart the things I cannot say not being of that faith.” Another expressed shock that the Roman Catholic Church was against the Death Penalty – “I was personally insulted a while back when the Bishop issued a statement against the death penalty, making it sound like such punishment was against Catholic doctrine.”
Of course – then there is the republican rep who wants the Bishop to “apologize to his church and to those practicing catholics that he seems to denounce.”
Now in fairness – there was one republican rep who wrote and stated the comments were wrong and that “if you want respect give respect.”
However – a telling example of this group’s belief that government does not have any responsibility for the general welfare of its citizens was provided by a rep who wrote:”Government is force, not charity. Government should be limited to protecting the rights of all people to be treated equally under the law. All people, by the way, includes the rich, the middle class, those who are struggling and anyone else. Charity comes from the hearts of individual people acting on their own free will…” Forget that charitable organiztions in NH presently provide 500 million in charity statewide and would have to double that amount to fill the gap created by this budget.
So Government is force and has no business in providing a social service net: is this what we want for NH & is this what you really voted for last November?
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