Exeter News Service

WHAT HAPPENED TO NEWT IN NH???

2012-02-19T15:51:00.001-05:00

When New Gingrich first campaigned in NH he showed promise then his campaign started to go down hill. First he went before the legislature and, in his speech, supported right to work. What he did was walked into the middle of a nasty battle started by the speaker of the house. It wasn’t just Newt all of the republican presidential candidates did the same with Bachman looking the dumbest of them all. So, Newt then got the endorsement of Bully O’Brien and his numbers went into a free fall voting against Newt was the only way the union republicans had to send a message to the speaker.

Nobody wants to acknowledge what happened but, were warned the republican numbers are going independent. There are thousands of union republicans that have been driven away from the party. The current make up of the Republican Party has no use for senior citizens, veterans, gays, or the working middle class. They have proven this by, not only the right to work issue; but, the myriad of other anti working class bills that they have put in. The bottom line is the pool of republicans is getting smaller and it is being done on purpose. Let’s kill the republican party and push for free state movement philosophy of wiping out government and the programs that we need to protect us from predatory business practices (consumer protection), programs to help those most in need with no resources to help themselves and unprecedented and unwarranted attacks on our middle class work force and public sector employees.

The house was warned that this insanity of numerous attacks on the above groups would cause republicans and those groups being attacked would vote against them. Well, sorry Newt, your had huge numbers of republican union members and seniors, go somewhere else when you snuggled up to Bully; plain and simple and we all thought you were smarter than that.

The bad house leadership has brought down the Republican Party in NH. The arrogance and self serving decisions that are coming out of our leadership team is being hard to believe according to many active republicans that are watching what is going on. They don’t listen and have put themselves in an un-winnable situation.

I cannot believe that we cannot get better candidates running for governor. The republicans at least have started out supporting right to work, when they already know this is not on the radar screens for the republican voters, at least those who haven’t gone independent because of the current house leadership and agenda. So we wish those candidates the best of luck and they can always put on their resume they ran for governor. While the thousands of public middle class republicans can ask, “why did you stab us in the back, what did we do to deserve this”?

The next election will be about individuals and issues and not about parties the voters will have to continue to stay on top of this and I believe they are. An interesting side issue is I don’t see a ground swell of support for the democrats; they seem to have taken a vacation after the last election and it is not going unnoticed.

THERE IS A SICKNESS IN THE LEGISLATURE!!!

2012-02-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

It was very interesting to follow the Susan Emerson bullying bill as it went through the committee process. The testimony was conclusive that the incident against Susan happened. The former Sergeant at Arms for the senate testified he witnessed the incident and saw Susan with her back pushed up against the wall and O’Brien and Bettencourt about 2 inches from Susan’s nose yelling at her. I guess that shoots down the argument that it never happened and supports Tim Copeland’s version of events, which I already knew was true.

I also had the chance to talk to the Alvirne choir director who re-affirmed the attack on Susan did take place.

There are also reports that the majority office has threatened news paper reporters who write stories they don’t like, threatening to cut them off from any information from leadership office, is this another example of out of control leadership.

So the reputation of our house leadership is they are bullies, untrustworthy and lie. WOW isn’t that a lot to be proud of.

At the hearings that I attended on Susan’s bill it was obvious to me that many of the committee members believed Susan was attacked or bullied and some made recommendations to improve the bill and make it more workable. Then they did a double take, all in about 2 days, and voted against the bill in committee. So the question is did leadership bully the committee that heard the bullying bill?

This must make other members of O’Brien’s leadership team real proud and should make the voters proud of them in the next election.

There are conversations that we have a corrupt element in the house. First there was the infamous tobacco tax reduction of 10% that was one of the bully’s lines in the sand, shortly after he supposedly had a meeting with some big shots in D.C., only to have the tobacco companies raise the tobacco cost by 9%. Unfortunately, many republicans bought into the argument that it would raise revenue to plug some of the drastic cuts we made to the budget; well, that never happened and we were lied to. Now the speaker wants to suspend the rules to allow Cancer Centers of America to come to NH without following the rules or going through the Certificate of Need process to determine if we even need them in a state that has a number of quality cancer treatment centers. In my opinion this smacks of money.

I wonder how much money ALEC and the out of state right to work groups have paid to continue their attacks on the public sector workers? They have created artificial issues to attack those workers whose only fault is they provide us with badly needed services, such as protecting us, teach our kids, and make our state and towns run and belong to a union. In years gone by people joined the unions as cheap insurance against unfair treatment, sexual harassment and to bargain for safer working conditions, better pay and benefits; now, they do it to protect themselves from corrupt politicians.

DOES SHAWN JASPER HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION???

2012-01-28T13:28:00.001-05:00

Shawn Jasper has been placed on the Labor Committee, since it would appear that he cannot get along with anyone and is making the rounds for committee assignments and is now on Labor. There has been some talk that he was placed there because Gary Daniels (Chairman) is perceived by leadership as not being able to control his committee.

I know Gary and he is a decent capable guy who is a non-union supporter; but, will always listen and talk to you. I don’t think Gary cannot control his committee as much as it is the stupid anti worker bills that have been coming before the committee and the committee not supporting them. The only advice I can give Gary is, watch your back.

In my opinion our so called leadership had a serious question, where do we put him next?

I’m not sure labor will be a good fit since Shawn appears to have serious credibility problems based on past testimony on the floor of the house. At the hearing I testified on I thought he had a medical condition when he sat there making faces and rolling his eyes. I suspected he was either hitting on me or had a gas problem.

WHEN IS IT OK TO LIE???

It is ok to lie when it is to protect the speaker. As many of you know the famous Rep. Susan Emerson Anti Bullying Bill, for the legislature, is in the hearing process. According to the newspapers the speaker denies everything, including talking to Tim Copeland and throwing a hizzy fit at Susan over a couple of budget amendments, is it surprising that Majority Leader Bettencourt is trying to back up the speakers story. Both Tim and Susan had wood shed sessions that were not very nice, with alleged screaming at Susan and threats against Tim. The speaker denies any misbehavior towards Susan and ever meeting with Tim.

I can’t say I heard or saw the misbehavior; but, there were a number of witnesses that did. I can’t find anyone with an ounce of common sense that believes either the speaker or DJ, except for the inner cult circle who continues to admire the emperor’s new clothes.

The big question is if any of these witnesses are willing to come forward what will the house do to a speaker and majority leader that got caught lying to the house, the press and the people of NH?

If the house does nothing than the house walks away with a total lack of credibility; it would appear that disciplinary action would be discussed for both individuals.

I personally saw Tim standing outside the senate chambers door the day of this incident, he looked out of place. When I asked what Tim was doing I was told he was waiting to get his a— chewed for putting in an amendment that he co-sponsored with a democrat. I guess if Tim forgot that he and the rest of us were elected to represent our constituents and not our so called leadership, then he deserved every threat that could be thrown at him. On the other hand, not just for Tim, but the 50 + or – republicans that represent their constituents even against leadership, then they all should be praised and not attacked.

Our so called leadership does not understand that at the end of the day we all have to come home and face our families, our constituents and ourselves in the mirror.

For those 50 I can only say thank you for showing the courage to do the right thing and serve your constituents.

WHEN IS IT OK TO VOMIT???

2012-01-14T09:19:00.001-05:00

I was reading the Concord Monitor this morning and there was an article about the NH Republican Liberty Caucus and how wonderful they are. If you know them and have been attacked by them it was quite sickening. Did you know they closed the 800 million dollar deficit that the democrats left? The last I knew it hasn’t been closed yet and the cost shifting to the towns and cities is to take place in 2013 after the next election.

Carol McKinney, who wrote the article, was talking about republicans, how they are all members of the Republican Party and by the way they are the only true republicans because they adhere to the party platform. If I remember right it was this special education section of the Free State Project, along with the Free Stators, that infiltrated the Republican Party, and wrote the agenda that is tailored to their ideas and not main stream republicans.

They claim not to be free stators; but, appear to be cross bread as an organization, the groups seem to be made of the same people. So now that they are being brought out into the open are running for cover.

Aren’t these, along with the free stators, the same group that is reducing health insurance coverage for you and your families? Aren’t these the same people who are wiping out your consumer protection coverage that protects you from unscrupulous predatory business practices, like pre-buy oil contracts? I think they are.

These are the same people who attack republicans who do not agree with them or their out of control agenda. They openly brag about attacking republicans who disagree with them to force their will on those who disagree. These people are the true RINO’S Republicans in name only; they are not republicans and are in NH to take the state over politically and institute their psycho anarchistic philosophy.

They are so republican, if you listen to them and believe them, they are trying to institute a third party just for them. I’m in favor of that I just wish it isn’t in NH.

They are hoping to double their numbers in the house and senate in the next election; but, they will be identified in the next election and it will be up to you the voters to join the fight and vote them out of office and keep those who are running out.

The NH way of life is at stake.

IT IS A NEW YEAR AND NOTHING SEEMS TO BE CHANGING!!!

2012-01-01T12:38:00.002-05:00

So much for the saying, “hope and change”. In Concord things never seem to change no matter how much we hope for it. As a young infantry combat sergeant I was told, “never factor hope or luck into a battle plan”, and since the combat NCO school I was attending was taught by much more experienced combat NCO’s I thought it best to listen and learn; it worked I’m still here.

Concord is different, I don’t remember who said it; but, someone much smarter than I said something to the affect that the definition of lunacy is to keep trying failed experiments in the hopes one will succeed. I’m not sure but I think it might have been Einstein, but I will stand corrected when someone sends me the actual quote.

I don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know how bad Concord is being run. We have just gone through another leadership shakeup. I don’t think I have had a frappe that was shaken up as much as our leadership team. Most dictators will get rid of their generals when the war doesn’t go the way they want; this usually shows psychologically rooted problems inherent with dictators.

We have a right to work bill coming back, only this time just for state employees the bill smacks of sour grapes and vindictiveness, the only thing we can hope for is more members of the house want to get on with fixing the state problems and not carrying out some crazy vindictive agenda being promoted by the speaker.

We also have repealing gay marriage on the docket. I have not supported gay marriage; but, this bill goes too far. There are a couple of lines in it that tells you how to get pregnant and it cannot be by artificial means like infertility fertilization or other such means. That is really none of my business and government needs to stay out of those issues.

We will be dealing with guns on public property and colleges. I have a problem with the way this bill is written since college campuses are notorious for drinking, drugs and partying. Guns do not belong in that kind of atmosphere and I am a firm supporter of the 2d Amendment. Are the Free State Anarchists trying to turn NH into the Wild West?

The free stator’s attempts at dismantling our state government are becoming more apparent in the consumer protection field. They are voting against the pre-buy oil contract protection bill claiming that if you get cheated on a pre-buy oil contract than that is your fault and let the buyer beware. I think one of less intelligent reps from Hampton claimed you were dumb to get involved in pre-buys. We will gauge the voter’s intelligence on election day. I will point these people out to you.

I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year; we are in tough political and economic times but we will live through it.

NOT AGAIN???

2011-12-25T12:53:00.000-05:00

Just recently speaker Bully O’Brien was on TV talking about what HE wants to get done in the next legislative year. Some of it is to once again push Right to Work legislation, repeal gay marriage and I thought his position on gambling was confusing; he was also less than clear when he was asked if this was his agenda or the voter’s agenda. Another interesting comment was when the interviewer told him he had a reputation for “it is your way or the highway”, he really didn’t want to answer that one and said something in a low voice, “I don’t know about that”. That’s interesting the rest of us know the answer to that one.

As far as RTW is concerned that fight was the nastiest, most heated and debated issue I have seen in years. Bully, you lost because you did not understand the house and the diversity in the house. How can you intimidate people who don’t want anything more than just doing the right thing in serving their constituents? How do you bully people who don’t want a chairmanship or a bogus title in leadership? Only in government can you push an agenda, lose and come back and push the same agenda and expect to win; that gives bureaucrats a bad name and makes them look dumb before the voters.

What is happening in the State House is what happens when those in charge lose touch with those who put them in office; I don’t believe it is anymore complicated than that. A good example of that is the redistricting plan, as well as some of the examples mentioned above. We had a republican caucus to get briefed on the plan, actually got paid mileage for going to the briefing and a few days later the republican leadership throws out the plan we were just briefed on, switches it with another plan we didn’t know anything about and pushes the second plan with a lot of state reps complaining about it claiming they will not vote for this plan. I believe it will take a lot of threats and promises to bring enough votes to the table to pass this.

We are also going to be facing a bill that allows guns on college campuses. Some argue that would prevent some of these mass shootings others claim it should be left up to the individual colleges and institutions to make their own policies and rules and government should stay out of that process; so much for keeping government out of our lives.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES???

2011-12-19T14:12:00.000-05:00

I have received numerous calls to support/endorse a presidential candidate and have refused them all. I do not think there are any out there that peaks my interest.

With Mitt Romney I have three choices: I could vote for Mitt the conservative, Mitt the moderate or Mitt the liberal; wow that gives me three choices for a single candidate.

With New Gingrich, whom I personally know and like, I could get a free stator supported conservative. Unfortunately, his campaign manager, a free stator spent some of last year attacking republicans who disagreed with his agenda of the Free State movement.

John Huntsman came to NH with an identity problem, first a true conservative who supports Right to Work, then a self confessed moderate. OK John when you figure out who you are please tell the voters.

Ron Paul has some good ideas; but, seems to have these ideas out living him. I think he sounds a little strange while promoting some good ideas, unfortunately we have to elect a person with ideas, and they go together.

Rick Perry gets unfairly slammed for one or two memory lapses, Rick; I only wish I only had one or two. He made a splash when he came to NH only to get booed from the balcony when he addressed the house.

Michelle Bachman, she belongs in a Petri dish for further study, she is one strange person. Newt, at the debates, either refers to her as a liar or dumb; since she has two points to ponder she gets confused. Keep it up Michelle, your making your constituents proud.

I know I won’t vote for Obama so I either leave that part of the ballot blank or write in Matt, only because it is an easy name to remember.

GOVERNOR’S RACE!!!

Much easier to choose only because there are fewer candidates. If you look at it from a republican union members stand point, there are no candidates currently running whose is appealing. All the republicans are trying to swing far right for the primary while the democrats are trying to come back to the middle; what the dems don’t seem to grasp is the liberal wing of the party has a tendency to pick the primary nominee.

Many people are waiting to see what Mark Connolly; former Securities Director is going to do. I don’t know of anyone that has his reputation for integrity in the current state government environment.

What I can tell you is, no matter how flattering it might be, Lee Quandt is not in the race; I might have been dropped on my head as a baby but recovered.

WHEN IS IT OK TO LIE???

2011-12-18T08:51:00.002-05:00

I guess that depends on what you’re trying to hide and how your parents raised you. For example there was a self promoting article in the Manchester Union Leader about how the current house leadership team has brought jobs in to NH by the wonderful job we are doing. Well, I thought it was only a few short weeks ago Bully and his cult followers were touting Right To Work was going to bring all kinds of jobs, etc, etc and more etc.

It was argued, truthfully, that the NH economy, not as good as we would like it was improving and doing better than most of the country. In other words our economy was improving as we were fighting over RTW. Now that RTW was finally defeated, the economy is still moving forward and upward so it is obvious that the Koch brothers, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and bully O’Brien lied to us.

I guess, in their mind, it is ok to lie when you need to win the arguments and mislead people with the fabricated facts. When confronted with the real facts the cult simply denies reality; that is bad because when you start denying reality the next step is to lose touch with reality and some of the cult is showing signs of just that.

People who did not support the speaker on RTW have been removed from their committee assignments and positions and being redistricted to districts where they may not be able to get elected in. All the while the cult is threatening to get everyone who disagrees with them. The good news is, I suspect they will be fighting for their very own political survival. There is an army of educated voters that will be joining together with those of us that will identify the areas that need replacing.

GARY HOPPER A MAN TO BE PROUD OF!!!

2011-12-04T09:04:00.000-05:00

I know most of you do not know Gary, and some maybe lucky; but Gary has long been a good and trusted friend, both in the legislature and out. He is one of those rare representatives that will give his word and keep his word.

Gary is from Weare, NH and has been a state rep for about 10 yrs off and on. He takes great pride in representing his constituents and is a conservative republican. He was, until recently, chairman of the Fish & Game Committee, which he spent countless hours researching issues studying bills that have gone before the committee.

He is no longer the chairman of F&G, although a supporter of Bully O’Brien, Bully fired him from his chairmanship because Gary voted against Right to Work in support of working middle class NH.

Along with Gary three members of the majority leadership of DJ Bettencourt were asked for their resignations from that leadership group; then, after asking for the resignations DJ said he wouldn’t accept them. All of this is like being on a merry go round doing 60 mph; it is enough to make a sane man crazy and a healthy man sick.

On top of this the out of control free stators are pledging to throw all of those who voted against RTW out of office. I was told one of the crazies who admits to being a non republican free stator, went to the Republican State Committee demanding that the state party throw all those who didn’t support RTW out of the party or not support them in the next election; I also heard his request was rejected by the party HQ’s.

To add insult to hypocrisy, a miniature free stator who signed up to get elected as a republican and is a little dingy (in my opinion), was claiming that Gary had lied to his constituents when he ran by voting against RTW. I do not ever remember in any of my conversations with Gary did he ever support RTW and told everybody who asked him what his position was. Gary’s loyalty to his constituents and his integrity while being part of a leadership group that has no integrity cost him a job that he really liked.

I’ve invited Gary to become part of the Quandt party that puts people first, keeps their word and serves with pride; the party is getting larger and we think that the so called House leadership (or lack of it) should tend their resignations and lets get the state back on track to serve all the people of NH and not just those who are trying a power play to take over government from the people.

QUANDT'S SECURITY IDEA FOR THE STATEHOUSE!!!

2011-11-28T14:02:00.002-05:00

We all know that our statehouse security has limited resources and the recent strain in the Free Stator/Birther outburst at the Ballot Law Commission showed their limited staffing I’ve come up with a new idea. Since we have an abundance of squirrels and their favorite food at the state house we can train the squirrels to work for security to protect those who have differing views.

I believe it will take minimal training and equipping, since they work for food.

The good news is maybe some of those state reps who could be mistaken for squirrel food might stay home and we could get some work done.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IN BEING CRAZY-JUST DON’T ACT CRAZY!!!

2011-11-26T15:14:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP_3UiXPBKY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM1Z1t9zXXU

These are the youtube videos of the free stator/birther attack on the ballot law commission at the hearing trying to keep Obama off the ballot because he wasn’t born in the US. These are all supporters of the current house leadership who is now trying to distance themselves from their supporters.

What it shows is what happens when you disagree with these people and it is good for the general public to see what the rest of us have to put up with. You now know why the legislature is as screwed up as it is.

Somebody needs to save us from ourselves.

NOVEMBER 30TH HOUSE SESSION!!!

2011-11-22T08:36:00.001-05:00

When we are elected state reps we understand that we really don’t get paid, about $87 a year after taxes plus mileage. The mileage helps to off set the travel expenses and, if you have a little left over, a $6.99 buffet at Tandy’s, a little restaurant across the street from the state house.

Most state reps are not rich people and many are retired and live on a fixed income, many are both dedicated and caring for the people they represent and serve. They need their mileage checks to off set their expenses for travel etc.

We all know that we may get called back for a session day for “important business”, about every year we could be called back for one day; after the first of July we don’t get paid for that day so past speakers have been careful to keep these down to an absolute minimum. This year we have been called back twice, the third will be Nov 30th and the fourth will be Dec 14; all because of the maniacal obsession on the part of Bully O’Brien to defeat the governors veto of the right to work (for less) bill. What he is doing is cost shifting the expenses of the legislature on the backs of the state reps.

I was told it costs about $14,000 a day to be in session. Some reps drive from the western part of the state, the northern part of the state and the eastern part of the state to fulfill their responsibility as a state rep, that could cost them a $100’s or more a day. The speaker is purposely trying to keep people who don’t support RTW from showing up.

The senate has said they will not return to session until Jan. So the speaker is just playing the power game of “I’m in charge and do whatever I want”.

Nov 30th, is also the day for two national legislator conferences that are usually pretty well attended so for those who scrimped and saved to buy air line tickets will have to pay extra to change them to be in this session which we don’t need to have. Let’s make it clear; there is nothing that we have done or are going to do that can’t wait until Jan.

So to put it another way, because of this game playing we have to pay the state to go to work; how many of you would like having to pay your employer to work for them. I don’t think this is a very good example of capitalism; but is a good example of bullyism, bad leadership, and a lack of respect on the part of the speaker.

Unfortunately, the Bully does have a cult following claiming to be republicans that will follow the speaker. The good news is it appears to be getting smaller with more people questioning what the speaker is doing and saying, “It is wrong”. The freshmen who are in the house right now never served under a well organized and respected leadership team so they seem to be having a hard time understanding the difference between right and wrong which is why they are following “wrong”, that will be between them and you the voters on Election Day.

I have the greatest respect for those reps who are leaders not followers; I have to believe that even if you disagree with some of the issues we support or vote against, that you respect them for their independence and willingness to work across the isle to get the job done and do what we think is right.

The political fights in Concord are not just between republicans and democrats; but, between republicans and rino (non republican free stators) which seem to comprise the radical wing of the Republican Party while professing to be republicans and attacking anyone who disagrees with them.

Thanksgiving is just a day away and I can tell you that the two loneliest holidays of the year for those in uniform is Thanksgiving and Christmas; it is lonelier for those in combat. So on Thanksgiving Day, if you’re so inclined to thank the lord for what you have and also by being together with family and friends don’t forget the Vets, it can be very cold and lonely on top of a mountain on a combat mission.

REMEMBERING RICK EILERT

2011-11-14T10:26:00.002-05:00

By Tom Pauken

As we honor our military servicemen and women this Veterans Day, my personal thoughts go to a former Marine named Rick Eilert who was one of the more than two and a half million young Americans who served our country as soldiers in Vietnam.

Rick was a young Marine lance corporal who triggered a land mine while on patrol in Vietnam. The grenade exploded, and Rick was severely wounded. Ultimately, he made his way to Ward Three South at Great Lake Naval Hospital to recover from his serious injuries under the care of a remarkable doctor named Dr. Boone Brackett. In his book "For Self and Country", Eilert vividly recounts what it was like to see what was left of his legs after his injuries in Vietnam. He quotes Dr. Boone on the subject: "It's a real mess, isn't it? Charlie didn't leave much for us to work with. But as long as it hurts it's yours and anything that's yours is better than a piece of lumber hanging from a stump."

A year later, after more than 30 operations, Rick Eilert finally was able to go home. He was all of 20 years old.

It would have been easy for Rick to despair of his military service after all he had been through – think of the soldier played by Tom Cruise in Oliver Stone's "Born on the 4th of July". Instead, Rick married his high school sweetheart Cheryl, found work with great difficulty (hiring Vietnam Veterans was not in fashion back in the 1970s), and raised a family.

Later, Rick wrote "For Self and Country", a truly inspirational book. Dr. Boone wrote the forward to the book which describes Rick's story so well: "As a medical officer in Vietnam, I knew well the faces of the wounded and the depression that inevitably followed as the wounded fighting man gradually became aware of the awful finality of a crippling injury. The courage displayed in these circumstances was often of the highest kind, combined in this case with the rarest and most precious gift of all, the ability to laugh at oneself."

Even after all that Rick Eilert had been through, he still loved his country. I had the good fortune to get to know Rick when we worked together in our Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program during the Reagan administration. Simply put, Rick Eilert became the heart and soul of that program of "veteran helping veteran". We all looked up to him for his courage, love of country, and willingness to make a difference in the lives of his fellow Vietnam Veterans who were struggling with problems after their Vietnam experience.

Rick Eilert was buried at Arlington National Cemetery a few months ago. His family and friends gathered to honor this fine man one last time. Many of us who worked with Rick in the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program joined with his family in celebrating his life and praying for the repose of his soul. He will be missed.

Semper Fidelis.

Tom Pauken is Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission and author of Bringing America Home.

NEVER SAY IT CAN’T GET ANY WORSE!!!

2011-11-14T09:15:00.002-05:00

The speaker has been touting how he has saved thousands of dollars in the legislature. Well if you don’t pay your employees you’ll almost always save money. If you count the state reps as employees of the state and you don’t pay them, you’ll save money; the full time admin employees get paid for showing up for work it is the legislators who he won’t pay.

As one less than intelligent state rep from Fremont sent a letter to the editors claiming that I needed to read the constitution because these were not special sessions they were just an extension of the prior session, blah, blah and more blah. By the way I understand that letter was written by another state rep (free stator) from the Sunapee area. You talk about people who just don’t get it.

We have another session day planned for November 30 to take up the governor’s education plan; that can wait until Jan. This call of session seems to coincide with some democrats being out of town for a national meeting. It is obvious that the speaker is going to try to get the right to work vote through, hoping for less opposition.

I know I’m getting old and somewhat old fashion in my beliefs; but, I was raised in republican politics to think honor and integrity meant something. If you have an issue with opposing sides you raise your supporters we raise ours, have a good floor fight and whoever wins shakes the hand of the ones who lose and tell them what a great job they did. Now it is just the opposite, a leadership team that can’t be trusted, a speaker who says one thing and does the opposite and a group of freshman that doesn’t have a clue how the house should run.

The free stators think they are going to double their numbers in the next election because of the wonderful job they are doing. They talk about supporting efforts to cut state government, which is not always a bad thing, but the secret is not to wipe it out which is what their agenda is. We can see it in the recent pre buy oil issue where they don’t think consumer protection should be involved in protecting your interests. They fought against the idea of studying whether NH should support a “state bank” that would help lend money to small businesses to get back on their feet (they are having a terrible time getting loans right now). They want to cut the State Dept of Transportation in half while privatizing the NH State Prison system. We probably should mention the extreme cuts to those in the most need of critical services while down shifting the costs and responsible services to the counties and towns, which goes directly on OUR TAXBILLS.

This overall effort to destroy state government and the public sector has made some headway; but, now more and more people are seeing these people for what they are, anarchists who came to NH to take over and form an anarchists utopia. Lets do away with public education and public services; every man for himself while continuing to remove the safe guards that we worked so hard to put in place to protect our consumers, I don’t think so.

The next election will be a nasty battle; but, with the voters being better educated on who these people are I suspect there will be a whole new legislature after the next election. I know it will years to clean up this mess; but, by working together, voters and their elected officials we can do it.

THE SEACOAST NEWSPAPERS NEED CONGRATULATIONS!!!

2011-11-01T15:15:00.001-04:00

RE: The pre-buy oil contract article...

I don’t do this very often but when someone or group does a good job they need to be recognized. The Seacoast Newspapers did a very good job (Aaron Sanborn and the editorial writers) wrote the article and followed up it up with a very factual editorial.

The article and editorial was in the Sunday October 30th edition of the Sunday Portsmouth Herald and it was about the Pre Buy Oil Contract Bill. Unfortunately, Rep. Rice from Hampton was quoted and in my opinion came off looking dumb; but, that is between Fred and the voters. The other Hampton Rep that voted against it on the Commerce Committee was Chris Nevins. So we had two Hampton reps voting on the opposite side of two Exeter Reps, Donna Schlacman and Matt Quandt from Exeter, understanding their responsibility towards their constituents, voted for it. The Free State argument that government shouldn’t be telling businesses what to do caused a couple of free stators and committee members to vote against it also.

The Seacoast Newspapers have followed this issue since Flynn’s Oil went out of business and their pre buy customers lost about $500,000 but more importantly lost their heating oil and by doing so kept their readers advised on what happened, how to contact the Attorney Generals Office Consumer Protection division and informed them on how to file claims against the oil company.

One of the Hampton Reps has been, supposedly running around in a state of psychological undress, attacking us for the article. Well, as usual, wrong way Fred is wrong again, this was all the good job of the Seacoast Papers.

If all goes well the following URL should take you to the editorial in question and further searching on this date will bring up the article.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20111030-OPINION-110300326

WHEN THE LUNATICS RUN THE ASYLUM!!!

2011-10-23T09:18:00.001-04:00

The free stators and a number of psychologically challenged freshman who want to belong to the cult that is currently running Concord have taken the time to write a rather nasty letter about me and, I was told, have it under legal review. I have been asked two or three times to stop writing or commenting on what they are doing in Concord but; just couldn’t do it. People need to be informed and transparency is the new catch word in politics.

I won’t comment on the content of the “free state document” yet, since many of them have signed it I want to make sure we can cross check their names with our data base to make sure they can be exposed for the next election.

I do know they want to function in an atmosphere of secrecy and intimidation and then when they get caught they deny it was one of “them” and point to another group with a slightly different name. It is like a shell game of different groups with different names; but, all the same people.

Make no mistake these can be very nasty people who are hell bent on taking over NH politically and stomping on anyone who show them up for what they are and that is anti government anarchists.

Matt, Tim and I have already got a taste of one of their liberty groups almost all of their groups have the word liberty in their names; when they did robo calls about us not falling in line with their crazy anarchist actions and stuffing Stratham mail boxes with anti Tim material. I guess it will be up to you the voters and us as elected officials that you put your trust and faith in to clean this mess up and stand up for you not the lunatics.

They are actually claiming they will be doubling their numbers in the house and senate after the next election while the democrats will be looking to pick up 50-75 seats and if we get enough good republicans to run there will be a current loss of about 125 seats.

After the next election when we clean house and throw these people out of office the “closed” sign will go up in NH and this social experiment gone awry will end and the Free State project can go to a good old boy southern state and try to impress them with their ideas for a new order.

THEY JUST DON’T GET IT!!!

2011-10-14T11:10:00.000-04:00

We had another non paid session day this past Wednesday in the legislature; we had around 370 state reps in attendance. Supposedly the big draw was a few of the presidential candidates were going to speak to those in attendance. Actually I thought it was enhance interrogation tactics for the democrats who had to sit through the speeches. Even if all of us were collecting mileage to off set the cost of going to Concord, many of us were scratching our heads as to what was this show all about.

The day seemed to be dragged out intentionally to get people to leave (go to work) etc. In the hopes of giving the speaker the needed votes to override the governor’s RTW veto; people stayed and it appeared that it was the RTW votes that were leaving.

The session day appeared to be about promoting right to work and overriding the governor’s veto of HB474 the right to work for less bill. Nobody was going to budge on their position, one way or another so this was an anti climactic situation. What was really entertaining was listening to the candidates. They weren’t even interesting at this point, having seen them on TV and in debates; but, it did reinforce my beliefs as who is the dumbest and who were tied for second place. Michele Bachman took first prize; I wanted to present her with a musket ball telling her that was the first shot heard “round the world” since she thought Concord, NH and not MA, was where the British confronted the colonists.

What was interesting was when I heard that after her speech she said something to the speaker about, is there anyone you want me to strong arm before I go. Evidently, she was too close to the microphones and it was picked up; in NH that will be the shot heard “round the world”. The rest of the speeches were trailers to each one of their campaigns; but they were truly Right to Work stage props to pressure the republicans who believe in NH, the great people who give NH the strength and the love of the freedoms NH has to offer, that will not fall in line and support RTW for less.

The other big fight coming is the current free state attitude of the best way to reduce government to save the voters and taxpayers is to wipe out consumer protection, wipe out state agencies, wipe out important services to those that need them and let all the state employees and public sector employees that provide those services to move out of state and find real jobs. It almost seems like that mentality comes from people who flunked the IQ test to live in in the deep south RTW states and some of the former slave owning far southern states.

This is NH, one of the best educated and high tech populations in the country. There is a reason we make shoes and cloth down south and computer boards in NH; by the way, we actually have high tech electric tooth brushes in NH and excellent dental care. We just don’t have right to work.

FOUR FOR FOUR!!!

2011-09-21T09:32:00.002-04:00

The last of the special elections, I think, have ended. The democrats claim 3 while the republicans claim 1. The union republicans claim 4 which tells the story. Peter Leishman from Peterborough won 60-40% against the republican who was backed by a personal endorsement from the speaker and Free State organization.

The speaker’s very arrogant and strange leadership team has said the reason the republicans are not winning these special elections is because all the republicans are out working while the democrats are not, people that dumb should not be in public office. So I guess in our progressive age (tongue and cheek) when you lose your job it is done by political affiliation. This is typical of the current house leadership trend of arrogance by ignorance.

The most disdainful of all the speakers’ actions is the game playing with the house over calling special sessions and posting that “you will not get paid for this day”. It would be different if we had something to do; but, just to call a session to see if you have enough votes to override the governors veto for right to work is a good example of the lack of respect for the house political process, respect for the house members and the voters of NH. More and more house members, at least those with common sense and respect for the voters and each other, are quietly walking away from the speaker.

The speaker is bringing down the Republican Party and effort in NH, plain and simple. Many think by sticking by the speaker they will all go to heaven when they die and I don’t have the heart to tell them heaven is not where any of them are heading.

What the speaker is doing is trying to manipulate the house republicans by not paying mileage for his call of the special sessions hoping that those republicans that live up north or on the other side of the state can’t afford to keep making these 100 or so mile trips at their own expense. This is one of the speaker’s most despicable acts towards the house members. This is causing more and more private conversations of a removal vote.

The reason we keep mentioning a removal vote is more and more people are talking about it. We are almost at the point where if you’re a republican and want to get re-elected you better stand up and be counted because you the voters are sending them a message and that message is, “you better change direction or the new group of elected officials will have to make the changes we failed to pursue”.

The democrats do not have clean hands in this fight either. I was told that they attacked the AFL-CIO for not backing a democrat in the Seabrook district 14 race and supported a union, republican, firefighter who is a member of the AFL-CIO. Well the only people who own the unions is the members and since being viciously attacked by the republican leadership is organized like never before and fighting back. The democrats might have forgotten they treated the unions badly when they were in power, they may have forgotten but the members haven’t; the dems are no longer in power and might have a hard time making a strong comeback if they don’t recognize this. The rule of thumb is do not attack the unions talk to them, negotiate with them that is how it works.

It appears that more and more political groups, labor included, understand that the next election will be about candidates and issues and not about parties. Matt and I started the discussion during the last election when we defined what an independent republican is. That is candidates that care more about what is right for our constituents and not the party.

IS SOMEBODY NOT SMART???

2011-09-08T11:57:00.001-04:00

We have just finished our third special election in NH with two going to the dems and one to the republicans. The interesting point is public sector employees (republicans) worked in all three. People might ask how this happened since we are all suppose to be republicans and the answer is simple, the public sector employee republicans have had enough with the RINO out of stators who declared war on those employees who protect us; in other words enough is enough and people are fighting back.

What was interesting in these elections Bully O’Brian endorsed two candidates and they both lost 58-42 %. The third candidate, firefighter from Seabrook, he didn’t endorse and he won. In the Seabrook race the republicans (local republicans) used some of the same base of support that was used to win the other two elections; but, not working together on this one.

In the Seabrook race the democrats were very well organized, had a good candidate and finally showed that they had honed their message; but, didn’t have quite enough horse power to push it over the top to win. So it is safe to say that Seabrook proved that the public sector employees who have been under attack can win an election on their own.

The free stators and libertarians came in a low third, which was surprising because of all the recourses they put into this. In fact the stalwart republican, who just lost her election in Strafford County to Bob Perry the democrat, was seen holding a sign in Hampton Falls for the libertarian. I think I can remember when Honey (whatever) was running for state rep. all of her Free State friends were telling everyone how all the republicans needed to vote for her because she was a good republican. Well not many believed them and she proved those that didn’t believe them right; talk about credibility loss.

The legislature, collectively, does not understand why they got elected, so let’s take a little walk down our political memory lane. The democrats villainized George Bush and the republicans so bad there was a democratic sweep; now, all the liberals got elected and what some call the democrat tax attack took place because they thought they got elected because the voters wanted the democratic agenda (no it was about GWB). After 4 years of terrorizing the state with taxes the democrats were swept out because the voters wanted “change”. Now the voters elected a very strange group who has gone bonkers in the opposite direction and they will get thrown out with the democrats hoping to get sworn in again. I need a neck brace to protect my neck from these radical political swings.

Maybe the next election we will all get thrown out and the state can start over. In fact I’m starting to detect that the next election will be about individuals and issues and not about parties. Your public sector employees will be a huge force as long as the politicians continue to attack them and their families.

I don’t think the current political strategy is very smart.

THIS IS NH STUPID!!!!

2011-08-28T07:22:00.001-04:00

As the saga of the State GOP unfolds and Jack Kimball is the whipping boy I watch in amazement at the allegations that Jack lost two special elections. I don’t think that is quite true for the following reasons.

I’ve been working on and running campaigns since 1972, starting out with Mel Thompson. I was mentored by Bob Monier, former State Senate President and college professor at St. A’s. I learned politics from the ground up, made a lot of mistakes and learned from them. I like people and like working with them, I learn something from every election and adversary, very rarely hold a personal grudge; but, as I grow older and realize my time on earth is not infinite, have adopted a straight forward approach to my life and discussions.

We have competing interests in the Republican Party, the tea party, the free stators, whatever the 9/12’s are and the old guard NH Republicans (which I consider myself one). The new kids on the scene are all vying for “power” and control of the party. Quite frankly I think some of them are nuts and find it difficult to deal with them so at this point I don’t really try. Because of these groups, my loyalty is to the people in my district.

So I can say that what caused the most problems in the Republican Party is the unprecedented attacks on our public sector employees: our teachers, our fire fighters, our police officers and state workers. This agenda is being manically pursued by Speaker Bully O’Brian and his little band of merry followers.

This has caused thousands of republican public sector employees to pull back from the party, and forced into working with the unions and democrats to defeat these people who are attacking us and our families; hence, the Republican Party is losing special elections. Kimball shares in this anti republican union agenda by pushing it with the federal candidates like pandering Mitt Romney and prayer meeting Perry. In short these people, mostly lead by O’Brian have done a good job at splintering the party and placing the lion share of the blame on Kimball. There is no question Jack needs to go; but, so doesn’t O’Brian and his out of control leadership group.

The NH State Employees have the best political campaign group in NH. They have brought and continue to bring experienced republican campaign members into the fight against the splinter groups that are attacking them while the republican members are no longer contributing to the party; but, to the republican union effort. SEANH republicans alone can bring about 15,000 republican votes to the table. Statewide the public sector of all parties can bring about 350,000 votes to the table. Most of these votes, the majority, will not go republican. How does a party or candidate win with this much of deficit? I don’t know but will watch with curiosity as to how this will all unfold. In the next election when you have thousands of public sector republican and tag along democrats going door to door in their neighborhoods against republicans the outcome should not be in doubt.

The next election will be determined by the individual candidates and the issues, not about party.

When we have political organizations that become collectively stupid, won’t listen, divide and attack their own support base it is time for a class on politics 101. That class is called elections.

WHAT REPUBLICAN PARTY, WE DON’T NEED NO STINKEN PARTY!!!

2011-08-18T09:26:00.000-04:00

From reading the papers I have to give the fringe elements that want to take over NH credit, their chance might have come. It was the fringe element that got Jack Kimball elected chairman of the party and they are fighting to keep him in power against old guard republicans that want him removed. As you have all read Jack was photographed signing a petition to put the Libertarian Party on the NH ballot. That might not seem all that bad; but, he is chairman of the Republican Party.

We have presidential candidates coming into to NH to campaign that were made to look like idiots on the right to work issue and with the political anarchy that is taking place I’ve been told wish there was an honorable way to get out of the state.

Not to worry though the Bully O’Brian’s leadership team is ready to jump in and save the day. Shawn Jasper was quoted in the Concord Monitor saying the state party needs to be cleaned out. Shawn knows what he is talking about and knows a lot about politics and how to win elections. Just look at the AG’s investigation of 1994 in Hudson for altering ballots.

DJ is “no comment” while Bully doesn’t seem to know what is going on and will look into it. In my opinion Bully knows what is going on and probably has been part of it. The free stators and part of the radical wing of the Tea Party movement want control of the party and could do it this time. It is well known Bully helped put Kimball in as chairman, ooopsy can we have a do over.

People have been telling me that Obama is so disliked whomever wins the republican primary will beat him (nationally) and that will keep republicans in power. I’ve got an alternative theory and that is we will have a two tiered election. There will be those voting on the federal issues and those voting on state issues like state senators and reps. and will make needed changes so we will be looking at a whole new group of fish in the political tank after the next election and will be able to vote on new house leadership unless we throw the bums out before the next election.

I have a question for Ray Buckley; did this happen on its own or did you plan and organize it? Come on you little scamp come clean we couldn’t have wiped out our own party on its own so effectively without your help.

This is a real soap opera and I cannot shut of my TV until the last act is played out.

GOVERNOR PERRY-REPUBLICAN HOPEFUL OR HOPI???

2011-08-16T15:07:00.001-04:00

I always get nervous around people who like to have public prayer meetings to show how religious they are. I have nothing against prayers and do so myself; but, that is my business and I don’t have do at the Exeter Bandstand on Friday afternoon to show people where I stand. I was interested that he had a Texas statewide prayer session praying for rain. I don’t think there is anything wrong in praying for rain; but, let’s not get the press involved.

I actually had a better idea to get the press involved and that is to do a Hopi rain dance, oh most of those were done naked, and the press would really come. The only problem is should it start to rain and then hail, you better get your clothes on quick because that could be painful, ooo, ooo and ouch.

Then he comes to NH and connects to the republican religious elitists, which is up to him; but, more and more people are talking about that, and it will come back to bite him down the road.

If you look at what is happening with the republican primary field, Pawlenty withdrew. I hear, only as a rumor, that Huntsman’s campaign is imploding and the dumb move to embrace right to work is just starting to sink in; but he can’t retract it now. Romney, although is at around 30 % the question is will he go any higher or drift down to the 20’s. We have Sarah Palin and Michele Bachman running and mother nature tells us you can’t have two queen bees in any hive so that will be fun to watch. We are running out of appealing candidates.

It was also interesting to see the pictures of our Republican Chairman, Jack Kimball, signing a petition to put the libertarian party on the ballot in NH. The way our party is going they better focus on keeping the Republican Party on the ballot in NH. Now are people still WONDERING why money is not flowing into our Republican Party coffers???

THE ECONOMY!!!

2011-08-12T10:51:00.000-04:00

The average person is overwhelmed when we hear all the experts talk about the national economy. They don’t want to simplify it because we won’t think they are such experts.

This is what we know, a given: if people don’t have money in their pockets they won’t spend it. If we raise taxes people won’t have money in their pockets. If the price of fuel goes up, gas and heating, we won’t have money in our pockets. If the price of goods goes up we won’t have money in our pockets. I think this concept is easy to grasp.

If people don’t have spending money in their pockets, they don’t buy goods. It is said that small business does most of the hiring and takes people off the unemployment rolls. If they don’t buy goods people get laid off because there is no money being spent and they are not required to produce things. If they are laid off they go on unemployment and everyone pays which is less money in our pockets to buy goods; talk about a catch 22.

He is a plan for the president. Bam, Bam is holding about 400 billion $ left over from his failed stimulus package. He bailed out banks in the hopes they would loan the money to the people who needed it; wrong the banks invested it drove up the stock market and then bailed out with a hefty profit and repaid the government. The people who needed the money didn’t get it.

So we need to reduce the price of oil, open all off shore drilling but require the oil companies to show they have workable plans for emergencies and not allow them to drill in any deeper water than they can immediately plug the well in case of emergency. This will drive down the cost of oil. Use the 400+ billion in left over stimulus money for small business loans with no interest for 5 years, let’s give them a chance to make the business work and hire a few people. Ethanol can be made out of almost any decomposing fermenting vegetable matter; we don’t always need to use food or good alcohol for gasoline.

Last but not least is reduce our overall federal tax burden; who cares if your rich or not (depending on your definition of rich), rich people buy a lot of stuff, that keeps people working. If we do give tax breaks to businesses that move overseas we need to stop that, they make enough money in lower wages and materials.

The bottom lines is put as much money in peoples pockets as we can, re-introduce material production to hire more workers and we just might move our economy ahead.

MITT ROMNEY—DAPP!!!

2011-08-10T14:27:00.002-04:00

The presidential Republican primary candidates are pouring into NH and talking about how they support right to work. Keeping in mind this was not even on anyone’s radar screen in the last election.

So it appears the state party is telling them how important this is in a state where it means nothing; talk about an out of state out of touch political issue and agenda. The party refuses to believe that there are any union republicans when in reality there are thousands in NH and are willing to cross the isle to clean up this political mess in NH and work to better our state and move the state forward to make it a better place; this is one of the reasons why the republican party is losing special elections.

In the special election in Strafford District 3 Bob Perry (D) soundly defeated the Free State Choice by about 58%-42%. I understand there was a large group of disenfranchised republicans that helped out in that race. So a victory was pulled off in Bully O’Brian’s backyard, another in State Republican Chairman Jack Kimball’s back yard, I think the people behind these victories are running out of backyards. I think this is directly related to the fracture in the Republican Party and the huge split on the manufactured RTW issue.

John Huntsman is a promising candidate for president; but, came out in support of RTW which took him off my list. One of the truisms of politics is the activists come out in the primary so if you’re a republican you have to go conservative, if you’re a liberal you have to come out liberal to beat your opponents; who is more conservative or liberal wins the primary. Then you have to swing back towards the middle to win the general; only, in this case there is no middle. I do not believe, but they may, republicans would vote for Obama. Usually they just won’t vote in the election and not check the box; but in this case they have been screwed with just a little too much.

I think you might want to know what DAPP stands for. Keeping in mind my working class background and simple way of speaking, it stand for DUMB ASS PANDERING POLITICIAN.

Hey Mitt, don’t take it personally you're part of a growing group that fall into this category.

WHAT IS UP WITH THE POLITICAL SCENE IN NH???

2011-08-08T16:06:00.000-04:00

Some think that there is a fight between NH Republicans and Libertarians. In reality conservative republicans and libertarians have been, pretty much, allies for years and on most issues are not that far apart. There dose seem to be friction between Free Stators and old guard Republicans because the Free Stators appear to have an agenda to take over and remake NH.

I am watching the special election in Strafford 3 between a democrat and an acknowledged Free Stator, who is running as a republican. You never want to call an election until an hour or so after the polls close and the free stator has put a lot of money into this campaign; but, reading the letters to the editor in Foster’s it looks like the free state project is getting hit and hit hard. I think Bob Perry the democrat will take this. I’ve been wrong before; but, that’s my two cents.

We have a republican party that is disarray with at least one republican town chairman attacking republican senators and two free stators sending out letters doing the same.

Part of the problem is the free stators tried to hard and fast to take over and they have been heavy handed in some regards. Now we have union republicans working with democrats to fight back and they don’t seem to understand why. They relish in the fact they have a Free State leaning speaker and claim they got the chairman of the Republican Party elected chairman.

The voters are starting to rebel and you can see it in the special elections; this rejection is a trend, not just a fad. I have said in the past I expect to see about 125 Republicans lose their seats in the next election, some insiders told me it was wishful thinking that we would lose about 40, now their saying up to a hundred. This is starting to sound like an auction, I have a 100 who will make 125, and I think the voters will.

Thank you true old guard Libertarians for holding the republicans’ feet to the fire and I’m glad to be working with you.

WHAT DOES THE RIGHT TO WORK BILL REALLY DO???

2011-08-01T09:27:00.001-04:00

The following is the bill in it entirety, you read it and decide, does this bill clandestinely wipe out NH’s regulatory boards; I’m not sure but it looks like it could. If you read it, not as a union bill; but, from a regulatory stand point does it look like the anarchists who are against government and pushing this bill will be able to wipe out the very boards that were formed to protect the public? Just wondering if I’m reading this right.

HB 474-FN – VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
15 Feb 2011… 0218h
15 Feb 2011… 0313h
04/20/11 1403s
2011 SESSION
11-0609
06/01
HOUSE BILL 474-FN
AN ACT relative to freedom of choice on whether to join a labor union.
SPONSORS: Rep. W. Smith, Rock 18; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock 3; Rep. Seidel, Hills 20; Rep. Lauer-Rago, Merr 2; Rep. Holden, Hills 4; Rep. Brosseau, Graf 6; Rep. Summers, Hills 26; Sen. Forsythe, Dist 4
COMMITTEE: Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join a labor union.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
15 Feb 2011… 0218h
15 Feb 2011… 0313h
04/20/11 1403s
11-0609
06/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven
AN ACT relative to freedom of choice on whether to join a labor union.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Name of Act. It is the intent of the general court that this act be known as “The Franklin A. Partin Jr. Right to Work Act.”
2 New Chapter; Right to Work Act. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 273-C the following new chapter:
CHAPTER 273-D
RIGHT TO WORK ACT
273-D:1 Short Title. This act may be cited as the “Right to Work Act.”
273-D:2 Declaration of Public Policy. It is hereby declared to be the public policy of this state in order to maximize individual freedom of choice in the pursuit of employment and to encourage an employment climate conducive to economic growth, that all persons shall have, and shall be protected in the exercise of, the right freely, and without fear of penalty or reprise, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from any such activity.
273-D:3 Definitions. In this chapter:
I. “Employer” means any individual, corporation, association, organization, or entity that employs one or more persons. The term includes, but is not limited to, the state of New Hampshire and its agencies, every district, board, commission, instrumentality, or other unit whose governing body exercises similar governmental powers. The term “employer” includes, but is not limited to, employers of agricultural labor.
II. “Labor organization” means any organization of any kind, or agency or employee representation committee or plan, which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of work, or other conditions of employment.
273-D:4 Freedom of Choice Guaranteed, Discrimination Prohibited. No person shall be required, as a condition of employment or continuation of employment:
I. To resign or refrain from voluntary membership in, voluntary affiliation with, or voluntary financial support of a labor organization;
II. To become or remain a member of a labor organization;
III. To pay any dues, fees, assessments, or other charges of any kind or amount to a labor organization;
IV. To pay any charity or other third party, in lieu of such payments, any amount equivalent to or a pro-rata portion of dues, fees, assessments, or other charges of a labor organization; or
V. To be recommended, approved, referred, or cleared by or through a labor organization.
273-D:5 Voluntary Deductions Protected. It shall be unlawful for any employer to deduct from the wages, earnings, or compensation of any employee any dues, fees, assessments, or other charges, to be held for, transferred to, or paid over to a labor organization, unless the employee has first presented, and the employer has received, a signed written authorization of such deductions, which authorization may be revoked by the employee at any time by giving written notice of such revocation 30 days in advance of its effective date. Every employer who receives such an authorization from an employee shall have a duty to promptly notify that employee in writing that the employee may revoke an authorization at any time by giving the employer 30 days written notice.
273-D:6 Agreements in Violation, and Actions to Induce Such Agreements, Declared Illegal. Any agreement, understanding or practice, written or oral, implied or expressed, between any labor organization and employer which violates the rights of employees as guaranteed by the provisions of this chapter is hereby declared to be unlawful, null and void, and of no legal effect. Any strike, picketing, boycott, or other action, by a labor organization for the sole purpose of inducing or attempting to induce an employer to enter into any agreement prohibited under this chapter is hereby declared to be for an illegal purpose and is a violation of the provisions of this chapter.
273-D:7 Notice to be Posted. It shall be the duty of every employer to post and keep continuously displayed the following notice at such a place or places in the business, establishment, or premises where it may be readily seen by all employees, and it shall be the further duty of every employer to furnish a copy of such notice to each employee at the time the employee is hired:
EMPLOYEES FREEDOM OF CHOICE
Under the law of the state of New Hampshire, employees are protected in the exercise of their free choice to join or refrain from joining labor unions, and it is unlawful for an employer and a labor union to enter into a contract or agreement requiring them to pay dues, fees, or charges of any kind to a labor union as a condition of obtaining or keeping a job. Under this law, an employer may not discharge or otherwise discriminate against an employee because of joining or refusing to join a labor union, or to pay dues, or other charges to a labor union.
273-D:8 Coercion and Intimidation Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person, labor organization, or officer, agent or member thereof, or employer, or officer thereof, by any threatened or actual intimidation of an employee or prospective employee, or the employee’s parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, or any other persons residing in the employee’s or prospective employee’s home, or by any damage or threatened damage to property, to compel or attempt to compel such employee to join, affiliate with, or financially support a labor organization or to refrain from doing so, or otherwise forfeit any rights as guaranteed by provisions of this chapter. It shall also be unlawful to cause or attempt to cause an employee to be denied employment or discharged from employment because of support or nonsupport of a labor organization by inducing or attempting to induce any other person to refuse to work with such employees.
273-D:9 Penalties. Any person, employer, labor organization, agent, or representative of an employer or labor organization, who directly or indirectly imposes upon any person any requirement prohibited by this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, notwithstanding RSA 651:2, shall be subject for each offense to a fine not exceeding $1,000, or to imprisonment not exceeding 90 days, or both.
273-D:10 Civil Remedies. Any person harmed as a result of any violation or threatened violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be entitled to injunctive relief against any and all violators or persons threatening violation, and may also recover any or all damages of any character, including costs and reasonable attorney fees, resulting from such violation or threatened violation, cognizable at common law. Such remedies shall be independent of, and in addition to, the penalties and remedies prescribed in other provisions of this chapter.
273-D:11 Duty to Investigate. It shall be the duty of the attorney general and of each county attorney, to investigate any complaints of violation of this chapter, and to prosecute all persons violating any of its provisions, and to use all means at their command to insure effective enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
273-D:12 Existing Contracts. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all contracts entered into on or after the effective date of this chapter and shall not apply to existing contracts, but shall apply to any renewal or extensions of such existing contracts.
273-D:13 Exceptions. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply:
I. To employers and employees covered by the federal Railway Labor Act.
II. To federal employers and employees.
III. To employers and employees on exclusive federal enclaves.
IV. Where they would otherwise conflict with, or be preempted by, federal law.
273-D:14 Severability. If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2012.
LBAO
11-0609
01/20/11
HB 474-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to freedom of choice on whether to join a labor union.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Due to time constraints, the Office of Legislative Budget Assistant is unable to provide a fiscal note for this bill at this time. When completed, the fiscal note will be forwarded to the House Clerk's Office.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF SOMEONE IS SMART OR STUPID???

2011-07-13T11:06:00.000-04:00

It never ceases to amaze me when I see people who I think are smart doing something stupid or wrong. I think it is more visible and apparent in politics. For example when I see people whom I think are intelligent saying, voting or doing what I think is dumb; this is only in my opinion and Lee Quandts perspective.

In district 13, Exeter, Stratham and North Hampton we have 3 state reps that blindly follow Bully O’Brian’s leadership. We still have 5 state reps 2 democrats and three fiscally conservative republicans that think for themselves and do what they promised to do when they were elected. For example 3 are attacking our police, firefighters and public employees dancing to the tune of the Bully and his VA Right to work Friends. There are that are asking what the h—l are you people doing. This isn’t a fight between republicans and democrats it is a fight between right and wrong, what is right for NH and wrong for NH.

Matt, Lee, Tim, Donna and Patti, although worlds apart philosophy (republican vs. democrat) have put that aside and focused on issues that we can agree on. The other three are touting the speaker’s budget, RTW and how wonderful his leadership (or lack of leadership) is.

It really does boil down to mind over matter, they don’t mind and we don’t matter. Much of the budgetary pain won’t come in the next year (the first year of the budget) that is when programs that were under funded will use the money that is for the two year budget to cover the short comings in the first year. The shoe will drop after the first year and after the next election. So no one can accurately say how bad people will be hurt until the departments run out of money and after the next election. It is somewhat similar to combat when the best laid plan turns to crap when the first shot is fired and then it can be every man for themselves.

The redistricting planning is being done in secret, or so I’m told, and not open to public hearings at this point. Some promises have been made for better districts for political favors. I think this is illegal under federal law and may leave the door open for court hearings.

We are hearing that Exeter could be a stand alone district or have one small town like Kensington or Newfields in with it. The rule of thumb is about 1 state rep for each 3,000 voters. Stratham and North Hampton might share 3; but, might go with a floater depending on the deviation. At this point it is conjecture and will be voted on by the full house and senate.

This would leave North Hampton and Stratham with only one leader (Tim) and 3 republican leadership followers. This will certainly be discussed in the next election no matter what the districts look like

OOPS!!!

2011-07-03T15:30:00.001-04:00

The summer is usually a slow time for politics, on all levels, local and state; but, this summer will be a little busier. Concord is Concord with retained bills hearings and people talking about what a wonderful time they all had in the past year. What is more interesting is the special elections that are taking place.

On Tuesday July 5, we have the Seabrook district special election. I have a good group of supporters in Seabrook going back years when I was a Probation/Parole Officer covering Seabrook and also running in Seabrook for two senate races. So when I was down there on Saturday, what I was hearing was amazing for Seabrook.

One of the candidates, Kevin Janvrin is very well liked and has been in Seabrook most of his life and is a fire fighter. As I was told, another candidate has been sending out some nasty mailers against him. In Short Janvrin has some solid support from republicans and democrats; but, the republicans are very upset that the republican establishment has jumped into a primary turning the campaign negative. Now those Janvrin supporters are talking about not supporting the candidate who sent out those mailers should he win; this could turn the seat democratic.

There is another issue that was discussed and that was the higher tier candidates that endorsed the opponent before the negative campaigning started and they are also being held responsible.

I think there is a fear that the public sector employees are fighting back from what the politicians have done to them and that is a growing fear that more and more of them are going to get involved in the political process. This will change the dynamics of the political structure in NH just as when the libertarians and free staters usurped the Republican Party.

Life is a laugh a minute.

SHAWN JASPER-STUPID STATEMENTS!!!

2011-06-28T07:32:00.000-04:00

In his desire to be a bully O’Brian poster child the latest intellectual statement from bully JR. is that with all the budget cuts those in need can simply go to churches and non profit social programs to get the needed money to help, doesn’t he understand we are talking about mentally handicapped and severely disabled.

Well if you’re so out of touch as JR. is you might have missed that even the food banks are broke with the churches rising up and saying they don’t have the money for this. You have to remember this is NOT down shifting because the speaker and JR. say so. How can anyone with an ounce of brains think that the private social service programs and churches can pick up what the state is dumping in the abdication of the states responsibility????

This is one of the best examples of how out of control the current legislative leadership group is.

When the voters of Hudson realize what a prize the legislature won when they sent him to Concord, I think they will make some changes.

BULLY O’BRIANS NEW PHRASE!!!

Bully has learned a new phrase “hyper drive”; I think he learned it from his last D.C. meeting with the right to work thugs. Although bully’s tinsel teethed mouth piece claims he never met with the RTW thugs, no one in Concord is buying it. We can’t believe anything that comes out of the mouths of this leadership team anyway so why start now.

I call them thugs because of reports that they are calling female legislators that do not support RTW, in the late hours of the night and calling them, “union whores”. That is the new approach to convincing people to support their cause, how utterly disgusting, remember the lunatics are running the asylum.

Bully keeps claiming that if we pass RTW it will put our economy into “hyper drive”; at face value this is ridiculous for the state of NH. Some economist claim NH is doing better than most other states and we are on the right economic path with the right balance of government and private sector involvement to move steadily ahead out of this recession. The best thing Mr. Hyper Drive can do, based on his Free State approach, is to stay out of it, don’t screw anything up, and take credit for what is happening. Oh, and stop watching science fiction space movies, hyper drive is a little much.

THE STATE PARTY IS BROKE!!!

So why are they calling on Bill Binnie to help them out? It seems the party is being controlled by free staters, or a radicalized wing of the Tea Party movement; let them raise the money. They are only going to use it to attack republicans that disagree with their crazy agenda of wiping out government and promoting anarchy.

It is interesting that at least some free staters are not using their real names; WOW I wonder why that is?? I hope we hear more about this in the future and let’s all thank Craig Benson for this mess, real good move Craig.

LOOK TO THE NEXT ELECTION!!!

2011-06-25T12:12:00.000-04:00

The budget has passed the house and senate with the governor weighing his options and letting it become law without his signature. I was curious why he didn’t veto it and fight against the over ride and was told that it was a tactical decision not to allow the budget to be re-opened for further damage to the state than what has already been done; it made sense and I believe he made the right move.

A number of controversial bills passed also and it will take a year to see how they work and what needs to be done to fix or repeal them.

Once again the speaker did not have enough votes to call the RTW bill, 474, to a vote. He thought he did when some of our votes, late in the afternoon, had to leave to go to work. That was the bad news; the good news is so didn’t his votes and once again he came up short so the vote was not called. We had 5 votes absent from the start so we couldn’t afford to lose many more and we didn’t.

Each session day, for the last few weeks, one of the unions has been hosting a barbecue on the front area of the state house for those legislators who are fighting RTW. It has been well attended even by the RTW people looking for a free meal. They call the public workers thugs, union bosses, etc; but, when it comes to a free meal they have no honor and let’s all be friends. I guess it tells you something about people.

It should be quiet for a few days, other than the speaker pressuring state reps to stay in line for RTW; I think there will be some calls made from the anti RTW groups to try to convince people that this is not an issue with NH and not a good issue for NH.

As issues develop I’ll do my best to keep you informed. I’d suggest that you go to the NH Secretary of States web and look at the new LSRs put in for legislation for the next session, enough said.

The damage to the State of NH this session will be corrected after the next election, I just hope people can make it until then.

THE ZOMBIES ARE ATTACKING, DON’T FORGET YOU HAVE TO SHOOT THEM IN THE HEAD!!!!

2011-06-18T21:28:00.001-04:00

The longer the speaker holds off on the Right to Work Vote, the more the loonies are attacking those who are not supporting them. To say these people are nasty is an understatement. I explained to some of the better reps that a number of years ago the state hospital had almost 3,000 people in the institution and now they is about ten percent of that. With what is going on in the legislature and the RTW issue I think I found those who have been missing.

An interesting issue that people are only now starting to think about is abortion. For ten years now the litmus test to be a “real republican” was if you support abortion or pro life. Now the issue is do you support RTW or not. The passion, anger and animosity is unbelievable. The people who are doing are not republicans; but, are the radical fringe groups that have a little power and no positive leadership.

I have been hearing that many of the republican financial backers are not kicking out much money because they know republicans are not running the show. Any republican with an ounce of brains sees the party being dragged down to the lowest political and moral level we have seen.

It is only my opinion and I have been running and working on political campaigns since 1972, that the rino’s that are in office right now are going to get bounced out of office like a basketball during the next election. In fact who ever runs against them is not going to have to mount a big campaign based on issues they will only have to show they supported the current speaker and what he has done and is doing. Forget all the issues like RGGI, educational funding, Northern Pass, clean air, water etc. It will only take “you supported bully O’Brian”; I have said in the past that session will be career ending for about 125 or more rinos.

When you get your local tax bills look and see how much money these people have saved you? I believe this budget will cost shift not only onto the communities but to those individuals who are working in the public sector.

The election is a long way off and there can still be severe damage done to the State, fortunately we have a small group of real republicans that are digging in there heels and still trying to do the right thing.

This is like a Zombie movie only I’m in it.

WHEN IS THE LEGISLATURE GOING TO START TO KEEP ITS PROMISES TO THE VOTERS??

2011-06-13T17:52:00.002-04:00

During this maniacal leaderships fight to promote the "right to work for less" bill, the lines of legality and propriety have been crossed; the ruthless attacks against Matt and the over the top "Massachusetts Political Tactics" have just about run their gamut.

I have heard that many believe this leadership is actually more of a cult and rumors are that the Bully O’Brian leadership cult is frustrated their last attacks against Matt have failed, the failure is due to the lack of credibility of the accuser, and the fact Matt is well known by the old time true republicans. They see things at face value; they know the truth, and the motivation behind these attacks. We were very pleased by the number of house members that came forward in support of us on this issue. A large number of republicans stated their disdain for this attack and the leadership team that made it. Not what they voted for when they elected a Speaker and for the first time a Majority Leader.

We have all heard the saying when in a hole stop digging, that message never made it to the third floor of the statehouse. Word is the third floor bully squad feels the need to try again to get at Matt,seems people are standing their ground even more solidly now, not what the intended effect was. The theory is if it looked like they would destroy their own the others would fall in line. Guess they weren't around when Senate President Eaton attempted the same trick. Someone should send them a note on what happened to Eaton. It was certainly a first but not the kind anyone would ever want on their record. I can say this, if they attempt to defame Matt again, they will elevate this to a new level. This leadership has a record of attacking those who dare to think and they attack again if the person continues to thing for themselves again. This is why so many voters think they have issues, just look at the last special election in the Speakers home town. Even warranted a mention of the facts on Sundays Meet the Press show.

I have talked to a number of state reps already about the promises that were made to them aboutif they would change their votes or take a walk when the vote came up. Money for their campaigns, better districts in the upcoming redistricting plan and putting them back on committees they were removed from for previously voting their conscience or better committee assignments. They tell me all they have to do is one of the above so the vote outcome will change to the Speakers position on the bill known as Right to Work. Its not working because these people believe they need to represent their constituents, all their constituents. Some outside the statehouse have questioned the legality of such offers when they hear such offers have been made.

Do any of these promises fall into the below statue for violations? Our attorney seems to think so.

TITLE LXII
CRIMINAL CODE
CHAPTER 640
CORRUPT PRACTICES
Section 640:2
640:2 Bribery in Official and Political Matters. –
I. A person is guilty of a class B felony if:
(a) He promises, offers, or gives any pecuniary benefit to another with the purpose of influencing the other's action, decision, opinion, recommendation, vote, nomination, or other exercise of discretion as a public servant, party official, or voter; or
(b) Being a public servant, party official, candidate for electoral office, or voter, he solicits, accepts or agrees to accept any pecuniary benefit from another knowing or believing the other's purpose to be as described in subparagraph I(a), or fails to report to a law enforcement officer that he has been offered or promised a pecuniary benefit in violation of subparagraph I(a).
II. As used in this section and other sections of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Public servant'' means any officer or employee of the state or any political subdivision thereof, including judges, legislators, consultants, jurors, and persons otherwise performing a governmental function. A person is considered a public servant upon his election, appointment or other designation as such, although he may not yet officially occupy that position. A person is a candidate for electoral office upon his public announcement of his candidacy.
(b) "Party official'' means any person holding any post in a political party whether by election, appointment or otherwise.
(c) "Pecuniary benefit'' means any advantage in the form of money, property, commercial interest or anything else, the primary significance of which is economic gain; it does not include economic advantage applicable to the public generally, such as tax reduction or increased prosperity generally.
Source. 1971, 518:1, eff. Nov. 1, 1973.

I want to, from the bottom of my heart, thank Donna Schlacman and Tim Copeland. They not only have great courage but integrity. While others, even in our district, were running for cover or blindly following the current leader ship team, Tim and Donna stood up against the lies.

This will not be forgotten and thank you.

SHAWN JASPER!!!

2011-06-03T15:38:00.001-04:00

Recently Shawn Jasper made some of the craziest allegations that, his leadership member nemesis, Matt Quandt would go to lunch and come back intoxicated and was removed from leadership. This is about as true as if someone were to tell untrue, off-color jokes about Shawn Jasper. Well I wouldn’t believe either one.

About 4 weeks ago Matt went to DJ Bettencourt, majority leader, and resigned his position; this decision was festering with Matt for longer than it should. DJ came to me and asked me “what is wrong with Matt”? I told DJ that Matt was very insulted by something that happened in leadership and to give Matt a couple of days to calm down. DJ told me he did not want to lose Matt and I said he is one of the few you can trust and DJ agreed. Later Matt told me that DJ had sent Matt a text that “resignation not accepted”. At a later point, if my memory serves me correctly, Matt and DJ had a conversation and agreed to talk again after the right to work issue was resolved. About 2-3 weeks later Pam Tucker the Deputy Speaker from Greenland left a voice mail on Matt’s cell phone that since he resigned he had a new seat.

Matt had been struggling with this decision to leave leadership and many friends, colleagues and his father (me) were encouraging him to leave. Matt had a strong and long friendship with DJ and knew that he was one of the few people that DJ could trust and Matt felt a loyalty to protect his friend. Matt saw that Bully O’Brien was taking over the majority office and appeared to running the operation; so he quit and the following was the press release that got leadership so upset:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Lee and/or Matt Quandt, (603) 772-3417

TWO STATE REPRESENTATIVES RESIGN LEADERSHIP POSTS OVER NH SPEAKER’S EXTREME ANTI-WORKER AGENDA

Extreme House Leadership’s Overreach Costs Them Legislative Support

CONCORD, NH – Six-term State Representative and House Deputy Majority Leader Matt Quandt (R-Exeter), along with House Whip Tim Copeland (R-Stratham), have resigned their leadership posts in a sign of opposition to Speaker of the House Bill O‟Brien‟s extreme anti-worker agenda.

“I submitted my resignation more than two weeks ago,” said Rep. Matt Quandt. “It was a difficult choice to make, but it was the right one. When I was approached about joining House leadership, I was very clear that I would continue to support the rights of New Hampshire‟s workers even as a member of leadership. At the time it was accepted, but it is evident now that pro-worker Republican views like mine are not respected under this leadership team.”

Rep. Quandt‟s resignation was at first rejected; he received formal notice of acceptance of it yesterday evening. Quandt‟s father – Rep. Marshall “Lee” Quandt, also of Exeter – had previously been removed from a key position on the Finance committee after he defied House Speaker Bill O‟Brien and publicly called for the removal of a midnight amendment abolishing the rights of workers to collectively organize.

“Our family is made of staunch Republicans,” Matt Quandt said. “We are not here to blindly follow a leader who is rejecting those values to please a group of transplants who have no understanding of New Hampshire tradition.”

“My wife and I are proud of the decision Matt made,” Rep. Lee Quandt said. “We didn‟t raise him to be a bully. The speaker was obviously raised differently.”

Rep. Tim Copeland, a freshman legislator, also rendered his leadership resignation this week.

“I‟m a retired state worker and know first-hand what these attacks on workers will mean to middle class families in New Hampshire,” Rep. Tim Copeland said. “I cannot sit by and participate in a leadership team that is bent on destroying the strong labor force and good benefits that we have in our state. I cannot condone the incredible disrespect that Bill O‟Brien has shown to other members of our caucus who are trying to represent their constituents.”

In an interview with the Portsmouth Herald earlier this year1, Rep. Copeland questioned the harsh approach taken by House leadership and spoke about overhearing the Speaker berate another legislator who was attempting to advocate for health and human services funding.

“It was embarrassing,” he said. “There was a group of school children a few feet away waiting to sing the national anthem and you could hear him shouting at her (Emerson). The children could hear it and the teacher with them could hear it. The teacher asked me, „Is this the way you do things?‟ and I said „It shouldn't be this way.‟”

Both Lee Quandt and Tim Copeland are members of the State Employees Association retirees‟ chapter.

Now this maniacal and toxic leadership group is attacking him with false and misleading information. At face value reps have about 45 minutes for lunch, how drunk can you get in 45 minutes even for a former 82d Airborne Paratrooper? Going out for lunch with your friends is a social event at the state house, they all have a drink with their lunch. If Matt kept coming back intoxicated why did not leadership counsel him, not a word? I am diabetic and very rarely drink; but, go out with Matt and our friends for lunch, diet coke for me, and cannot remember inappropriate drinking or behavior on the part of anyone. As a father and retired State Probation/Parole Officer if I saw any of this behavior as alleged I would have stepped in; no matter how old your kids get they are still your kids.

At face value these allegations are ridiculous and malicious. Matt and Jasper never got along as did I, we felt we could never trust him. We do not hang out with people we don’t trust or respect and have been kidded by lobbyists that if a lobbyist could sit with the Quandts it was a sign of honor and acceptance, they all kidded us about this.

This maniacal leadership approach is why Republicans are walking away from the party and the toxic leadership attitude is why we are getting more and more numbers to replace this group. This leadership group has dragged the Republicans and the party into a pig wallow that we are going to have a hard time getting out of.

Hey Shawn, WOOF, WOOF.

WHO IS THE REAL FOOL!!!

2011-06-01T20:33:00.000-04:00

We all like to remember our mothers or fathers favorite sayings and I can always, as a early teen, being lectured by my mother not to be a follower and get into trouble but be a leader and stand up for what I believe. What she was getting at is no booze, drugs, etc; the standard advice from a mother back then. What really stuck in my mind was another pearl of wisdom of who is the real fool, the fool or the one who follows the fool. There is a lot of wisdom in those simple words and most of us probably heard them growing up.

How appropriate they seem in today’s legislature. I think Matt, I and people like Tim Copeland are not fools because we are not followers in the game of thrones where threats, promises and what has been reported as bribes have been going on. Unfortunately, the people whom I’ve been talking to do not want to go forward with what has happened to or said to them. That is unfortunate because the only way to end this type of behavior is to expose it.

The right to work battle has gone off the charts of propriety. Our leadership team seems to be willing to say or do anything to win this fight. We were supposed to have the veto override on May 25th, at 10 AM., the speaker did not have the votes so he tried the following Wednesday at 9 AM and didn’t have the votes so now it appears to be on for next Wednesday at 1 PM. If he doesn’t have the votes by then the next vote will probably be called for a Sunday morning before people go to church. One person commented today that this is the most maniacal leadership team in the history of the NH Legislature. I don’t know how maniacal they are; but, I do know they are certainly different.

In the right to work fight the republican leadership enlisted, from what I have been told, Ovide Lamontagne, Jeb Bradley and John Stephen to call state reps that they know to switch their votes and become followers. I hate to say it because I like and have supported these people in the past that this is soooo going to come back and bite them.

Many of us old time republicans are wondering if there is an ounce of common sense left in the political process. I am sure the above mentioned future candidates think that the thousands of public sector and state employee republicans are going to come back to the party and support them. I have been talking to the various groups and it will not happen so I am going to find it interesting to see how you win a state or district wide election when you start out with a 350,000 vote deficit. There might be a trick to this math; but, I don’t think so. Matt and I have worked for years to bring these republicans behind republican candidates and have lost about 8 years of hard work.

Now it will be up to the voters to clean up what happened in the last election because more and more are saying, “this is not what I voted for”, and they will be right.

SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T PAY TO GET UP IN THE MORNING!!!!

2011-05-28T14:14:00.001-04:00

While the House Leadership is trying to find the votes to break up the unions and lower the standard of living in NH they might be losing sight of the fact the state budget will be pushed out of the senate this coming weds. That might be good for the senate; but, bad for house leadership.

This past Weds it was shown that there is a razor thin line for a veto proof house. The speaker, after touting how he was going to make NH a right to work state and have the vote this past Weds, did not bring the bill forward because he didn’t have the votes. I think this was very embarrassing for him because politically he never left himself an escape route. I think he is losing some of his MOJO.

Now if the house passes the budget and the governor vetoes it the speaker will be fighting on both fronts to get the votes to sustain the budget veto and another hand wrenching fingernail biting fight on two fronts. There is more to dislike in the budget then there is in sticking it the NH workforce and calling the thousands of upon thousands of republican public sector employees, “thugs”, “goons” and a various assortment of names. These collective bargaining oriented republicans voted for the very republicans who we now find, many with psychological problems and not republicans, but will never again, what I’m seeing now I have never seen before, thousands of republicans walking away from the party.

There is a group of republicans who I am very proud to serve with, there’s about 40 of us who care more about you than the Concord political establishment and the moneyed out of state lobbying groups who are trying to run our state. We’re sticking together against RTW and may stand against the budget if we don’t like it. I am only speaking for myself; but, this happens when you lose respect for your leadership team and believe we are being lead into a huge political ambush in the next election. Republican voters are bailing on the politicians they elected in the last election. The free staters and the Looney tunes right wing groups will not be able to stem the republican back lash; we might make electoral mistakes as republicans, but we will fix them in the next election.

We know some of our votes in the house will be peeled off, I’ve heard Jeb Bradley is calling around trying to get state reps to cave and go with leadership, he might get a couple; but, overall I like Jeb; but, think he is done too much political damage to himself to win another district or statewide election. I think the same holds true to the house leadership and to some extent the senate too.

This isn’t Republican bashing; many of these people are not republicans and have crazy ideas on how to organize and direct government. You are the ones that are going to get hurt in this process and it will take 10 yrs or more to fix it. I do not believe many of those elected in the last election are doing what you elected them to do and going way over board on what they think you wanted. They cannot not tolerate different thoughts or ideals and attack anyone who differs.

Some collectively bargaining units are calling for our leaderships removal and I think that cry will get louder and may well happen, the time is not quite right, but may happen. The ideal situation would be for the leadership to sit down and rethink their actions/plans and chart a new course before we all get wiped out in the next election.

THERE IS NO JOY IN MUDVILLE!!!!

2011-05-22T09:02:00.000-04:00

The fortunes of our legislative leadership team are faltering in their desire to be the second coming of Christ. The free staters and other strange but; vocal groups failed to produce a victory in Bully O’Brian’s home district in Mt. Vernon in the recent special election, 58% to 42% against. In a pre-election broadcast the NH Free State leader sent out information to motivate the troops by saying how they had to win because that election was a referendum on the republican leadership and on the republican agenda (their words not mine). They also called for a quick $1600’s to push the campaign forward.

Well it was a referendum; but the spin masters on both sides are trying to spin it to suit their arguments. In reality, it was no more than putting out the crazy agenda we are being forced to adhere to and letting the voters decide if this is what they want and voted for; obviously it wasn’t and is merely a for warning of things to come and an echo of what I said in my previous floor speech against the right to work effort in NH; “this is not a war we should be in and a battle we cannot win”, another warning gone unheeded by a leadership group that not only has lost touch with the voters; but, their own republicans.

What is happening now is state reps are being, as close as I can figure bribed and threatened all in the same day. I have been told that the speaker is promising money for your campaign if you stick with him and vote for RTW by voting against the Governors Veto. Then I hear that the majority leader is calling state reps and threatening them to vote with leadership to override the governor’s veto. Couple this with some far right wingers that are crazier than an out house mouse directing calls to those republicans that are sticking by their constituents trying to get them to change their votes and you have a remake of the movie “One flew over the Cuckoos Nest”.

First they were asking and leaning on republicans to take a walk on the vote if they couldn’t support leadership. Then they reverted to the dirty, MA style of politics by threats and borderline bribes. The growing discomfort with our so called leadership team, is only going to split the house more and make it more difficult, if not impossible to hold a veto proof majority and may put the governor in a better position to negotiate a budget he is more comfortable with, due to the hard feelings and loss of respect for the current house leadership. In fact our leadership group is making their own case for why they should be removed.

It is worthy of note that the so called “big guns” have been called on to call state reps to support the house leadership on RTW. Well if CK Ayotte wants to get involved in a 350,000 vote political buzz saw that will come back and bite her, welcome aboard. Gov Sununu is active and people are talking he is upset with the unions for not supporting Chris when he ran for governor’s council, I don’t know if that is true; but, it wouldn’t surprise me.

NH is a non union state which is why RTW has not passed. NH’s economy, although not where we would like it to be is better than most with unemployment about half of the national average so we are doing something right and lets not mess it up. Pushing RTW is a political agenda, not an economic one and is bad for NH. Why these out of state odd ball groups with their odd ball agenda’s don’t just leave us alone and let us chug along in our blissful ignorance with our low unemployment and growing economy? I have so much confidence in NH that I don’t need any out of state low wage, low benefits and reduced quality of health care groups, coming to NH to tell us how and why we should lower our standard of living to match Alabama or any of the former slave states. I hope I haven’t missed something.

From the bottom of my heart I want to thank those state reps that are sticking by their beliefs and by you the voters and taxpayers of NH. I am so proud of each and every one of them, even though in the minority on this issue show the individual NH ruggedness that makes NH such a wonderful place to live. Their voters should be as proud of them as I am to serve with them By no means are we alone, in the minority in THIS HOUSE, yes; but there are thousands of republicans that are collective bargaining supporters who cherish NH’s way of life (they should they help make it happen) and they vote.

Gov. Lynch’s Veto Message Regarding HB 474!!!

2011-05-11T13:42:00.000-04:00

By the authority vested in me, pursuant to part II, Article 44 of the New Hampshire Constitution, on May 11, 2011, I vetoed HB 474.

States should not interfere with the rights of businesses and their employees to freely negotiate contracts. That is unless there is a compelling public interest, and there is no compelling public interest in passing this legislation.

There is no evidence that this legislation will offer any benefits to New Hampshire’s economy or workers.

As I have said repeatedly, New Hampshire has an economic strategy that is working. New Hampshire has one of the strongest and fastest-growing economies in the nation. We have one of the lowest unemployment rates and one of the highest median incomes in the nation. We are considered one of the safest states and one of the healthiest states, and a high percentage of our citizens have private health insurance.

New Hampshire has a lower unemployment rate and a stronger economy than most states with so-called right-to-work laws. In states with a right-to-work law, workers on average have a lower standard of living, bringing home less in their paychecks and going without health insurance more frequently.

In my time as a CEO, in my years spent in the private sector turning around companies, and in my seven years as Governor, I have never seen the so-called right-to-work law serve as a valuable economic development tool.

In the last seven years of recruiting businesses to move to New Hampshire, not one business leader has ever even asked me if New Hampshire had a right-to-work law, let alone suggested it was a factor in the company’s location decision. No New Hampshire business leaders have ever told me that the lack of a so-called right-to-work law prevented them from expanding or hiring new workers here in New Hampshire. And no New Hampshire workers have ever told me they couldn’t get a job because New Hampshire doesn’t have a so-called right-to-work law.

The debate over the so-called right-to-work bill in New Hampshire appears to be largely driven by national outside interest groups, and is not a result of problems facing New Hampshire businesses or workers.

There is no justification in this case for state government to interfere with the right of private businesses to freely negotiate and enter into contracts with their employees. Therefore, I am vetoing HB 474.

# # #

Colin Manning

Press Secretary

Office of Gov. John Lynch

(603) 271-2121

colin.manning@nh.gov

RIGHT TO WORK!!! (FOR LESS)!!!

2011-05-08T12:13:00.001-04:00

HB 474, the right to work bill is a union busting/employee negotiating busting bill that originated out of one of the right wing groups from VA. Basically, what it does is makes it illegal to be forced to join a union or pay to offset the costs of contract negotiations (fair share). Currently state employees pay 59% of what dues is, if they don’t want to join a collective bargaining group. Some complain it isn’t fair to be forced to pay anything; they want the benefits at no cost to them and free load on the dues paying members. Others argue that if you don’t want to help pay for pay raises, insurance and other benefits, then you shouldn’t get them; interesting arguments.

I have been told, and as a former state union member, that the state employees, in a 20 year period gave up pay raises for 8 of those years to keep our medical (which is a very good program). As a state probation/parole officer I was willing to work for less money than the private sector to insure Dorrie and the kids had good insurance.

That is all well and good when the economy is doing good and NH has traditionally done better than the majority; but, when the economy goes bad, like this recession, then the private sector jobs and benefits are reduced and the right wing groups start complaining about the pay and benefits of the public sector; this us only one part of the complex arguments that are being thrown around.

They like to throw around the words private sector, private sector this and that. I’m trying to find private sector jobs that require them to put their life on the line fighting fires, arresting murderers, etc, etc. The public sector employees, police, fire, teachers and state employees in NH are not our enemies; they are our friends, allies and neighbors.

Why are we attacking them? The speaker of the house was on Fox News telling how he was going to make NH a right to work state. I hate to tell him this; but, NH is not a union state. Sure we have unions and bargaining units; but, not a union state; no one can be forced to join a union.

The RTW out of state advocates claim that if this legislation gets passed then it will increase jobs and we will all be on easy street; just like Alabama, SC, GA and the southern states. Lets pass RTW and lower our standard of living, our health insurance, health care and those benefits that make NH one of the most vibrant and desirable states to live and work in, mostly because of our public services.

If you ask 10 people what the NH advantage is, you’ll get 10 different answers; some will say our tax structure (wrong because NH is not a cheap state to live), we can’t say it is cheap electricity because we are amongst the highest in the country. We can’t say it is our low business taxes, because they are high. The reason is our educated and dedicated work force that is what is bringing business into NH. The largest business group in NH (NHBIA) did a multi faceted survey about NH business and RTW came in #14 (I was told) as an issue, so it was a non issue with businesses.

I think what bothers me the most is the misinformation that is knowingly and willfully being put out by our legislative leadership about how RTW is going to increase jobs, benefits and make NH a better place to live. They know better so why are they pushing a deceptive agenda of misleading information? It is obvious that the speaker is looking for higher office and wants to say how he broke the backs of the public sector workers and their families, how he balanced the state budget by denying services to the most needy, handicapped, homeless, and people in need of services. We all knew when we were running for office the state budget had to be cut; but, to try and build a political platform on the backs of those in need is not the NH Republican way and not what the voters expected. Maybe the people running the political show in NH are not republicans and brought the RIHNO virus into NH when they moved in a few years ago, they are wiping out the republican party with this crazy agenda.

Now the RTW legislation has passed the house and senate and the governor has vowed to veto it. That means we have to get enough votes to sustain his veto and send some of the right wing loonies back to VA. No matter what happens, sustain or over ride the veto (I’ll be working to sustain) this is not the last vote that will be taken on this, the last vote will be in November, 2012, when the pendulum swings back and cleans out the house one more time.

As a side note RTW has never passed the legislature and it has come forward each session for the past 10 years, the only difference is the people we elected in the last election.

WHY NO COMMENTS!!!

2011-05-08T11:20:00.000-04:00

I have gotten many hundreds of emails and comments about the articles that I comment on and questions as to why I have no comments. When I set up my blog I decided not to allow comments; but, I have, on occasion allowed guest articles. The reason for no comments is I didn’t want to clog the blog with arguments and rants.

I feel, because of the nature of the blog articles, that if I allow one then I will have to allow them all. Quite frankly, not everyone out here is playing with a full deck and why put up with the aggravation.

Thank you for your understanding.

A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS!!!!

2011-04-30T11:07:00.001-04:00

At a recent republican party event, a luncheon for Donald Trump, a number of tea party advocates mingled with free stators were sitting around talking about how they were going to “get” republicans (RHINO’S-republican in name only) by getting rid of anyone who didn’t support the republican platform or the right to work effort. First of all the state party platform committee was chaired by “Bully O’Brian”, so there is a document that might not be part of the main stream NH Republican philosophy. The real RHINO’S, are those who moved into NH to take over the state.

This is really sad, we maybe watching the disintegration of the Republican Party in NH. It is now up to the voters of NH to clean up this mess. The big question is did we do what we promised? If the budget balancing we are doing in Concord does not reduce your tax bill then we didn’t do what we said we were going to do. If the cut backs that we did in Concord causes your property taxes to go up, then we did not do what we said we would do. If we didn’t help create jobs and only caused layoffs like in our public sector, then we didn’t do what we promised.

I was talking to a supervisor of the check list and was advised that the R’s are going back to I’s by the truckload; that was only for one town, I haven’t called around to see if this is a trend or not; but, I have a feeling that it is happening.

Out of the clear blue our legislature attacked our public sector employees; whether it is state, county or municipal. I’ve been in a state union and know that you don’t attack them you sit down figure out the problem and negotiate a solution. Now we (republicans) are facing around 350,000 votes coming against us in the next election. At what point do we sit down and realize we are being led downhill not uphill?

Due to the house fetish for the right to work bill and other crazy retirement proposals the state retirement system is absolutely flooded with retirement requests. In many communities the top echelon, the very best and experienced employees are looking to get out and retire. This will put a huge financial drain on the state and the communities.

NH was known and respected for its common sense approach to dealing with these issues; right to work legislation was killed when the republicans were in charge and when the democrats were in charge; now it might go through because neither is in charge.

Senate Approves HB 474

2011-04-20T20:25:00.000-04:00

16 Senators vote against constituents, history, NH economy

This morning, the New Hampshire Senate voted 16 to 8 to approve HB 474, The “Right to Work” (for less) bill. You can read the roll call here.

What happens next? The House is expected to vote next week on whether to accept the Senate’s changes to the bill, or whether to send it to a Committee of Conference.

(a) If the House votes to accept the Senate bill, it will go to the Governor’s desk. Governor Lynch has said he would veto the legislation. The bill would then go back to the House and Senate for a vote on whether to override the veto.

Overturning a veto requires a two-thirds vote by both chambers of the Legislature. The Senate would approve overturning the veto, if all members of the Senate vote again the way they did this morning. The House’s vote next week – on whether to accept the Senate’s version – will be a strong indicator of whether the House would vote to overturn the Governor’s veto.

(b) If the House votes to send the bill to a Committee of Conference, then House and Senate leadership will appoint members of the Committee of Conference who will work to find a compromise between the two versions.

We will keep you up to date as this bill moves forward.

What happened this morning? This morning, 16 members of our state Senate forgot who they are supposed to represent. They voted to approve legislation written and promoted by a Virginia-based lobbying group, even after it was clear that the bill would harm New Hampshire families.

This morning, those 16 Senators ignored decades of legislative history in New Hampshire. Our Legislature has repeatedly rejected “Right to Work” (for less) bills under both Republican and Democratic leadership. For decades, our Legislature respected the autonomy of private businesses, and allowed companies to decide for themselves what provisions to include in their employment contracts. This morning, those 16 Senators decided they know better than the employers do.

“The New Hampshire Senate should be ashamed for choosing politics over the working people of New Hampshire,” said SEA President Diana Lacey, in a press release sent this afternoon.

“The Senators themselves publicly discredited the arguments for the bill. Labor Commissioner George Copadis testified that no business owner had ever asked him about it. Each of the Senators heard from hundreds upon hundreds of their constituents, opposing HB 474. Yet a majority of Senators voted to approve the bill,” Lacey said. “This is nothing more or less than the triumph of back-room politics, where lobbyists and their corporate cohorts have more influence than the middle class families in New Hampshire.”

Click here to read the full press release, including quotes from Randy Hunneyman and Joan Hamblet.

Stay posted for a follow-up "Alert" about emergency meetings taking place over the next week. Plans and actions will be announced in the next 24 hours.

Thank you all for your continued hard work to protect our families and other middle class families in New Hampshire.

STATE EMPLOYEES' ASSOCIATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, SEIU LOCAL 1984

DID BULLY O’BRIAN STRIKE AGAIN????

2011-04-20T12:01:00.000-04:00

I just got a call telling me that Susan Emerson, a state rep from Rindge, NH was just thrown off her committee of Health and Human Services by, none other than, Bully O’Brian. The story I was told was that Susan sent a letter to the senate asking them to restore some of the budget cuts. Susan has strong feeling, rightly so, for the needy and helpless that the state budget was going to touch.

Susan was married to a retired Air Force General who died about a year or two ago and all that she wanted was to be able to help people and be on HHS as a committee assignment.

It has become very difficult to work in the legislature under these conditions. State reps cannot think for themselves or disagree to better represent their constituents. It is the speaker’s way or the highway which, in a democracy, is an unworkable philosophy.
It is because of this Bully leadership style that some state reps are talking about the procedure to remove a sitting speaker. I don’t think the votes are there to do it; but, how would you like to be the only speaker or one of a couple that there was an attempt to remove. That is quite an anchor to carry into an election for higher office.

Well, I have to give the speaker credit; he has as many notches on his gun as, none other, than “Bully” the Kid.

I don’t think I can support the expansion of the anti bullying bill unless it includes state reps; this is getting out of control. Each and every state rep owns a part of this leadership, whether they voted for Bully or not, they are standing by and letting it happen. So is the problem the bully in the legislative school yard or is it our fault for not speaking up. The irony of this situation is all the new state reps that consider themselves patriots and freedom lovers who are turning a blind eye on what the house leadership is doing. I think it is most difficult to claim you stand on principles when some are wonder are there any left in the legislature.

STATE WORKER'S NEWSLETTER!!!

2011-04-14T20:44:00.001-04:00

Senate kills HB 231

Attempt to harm retirees called “over the line,” “arbitrary,” and “idiotic”
By a unanimous vote, the State Senate yesterday killed HB 231, a House bill that would have seriously harmed public employee retirees who rely on promised health care benefits.

The Senate Finance Committee also stripped HB 231’s financial reductions from the budget trailer bill HB2.

The vote followed last week’s unanimous recommendation by the Senate Executive Departments and Administrative Committee to make the bill inexpedient to legislate (ITL).

Sen. Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, said that the bill as proposed by the House would effectively put retirees into harm’s way. “We should not place on the shoulders of loyal state employees this unfair and unequal task,” Carson said.

Sen. Ray White, R-Bedford, also spoke against the bill, saying he understood the need for fiscal restraint on health care costs, but that HB 231 was “over the line”, based on testimony during the hearing that this legislation would impose potentially draconian cuts.

Sen. White added that legislators need to bend the cost curve of the health care and “should involve the retirees themselves in determining the changes we make.”

Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester, was more pointed, calling the bill “idiotic.”

Testimony from retirees and current employees against the bill had been relentless since it was first introduced in the House by Rep. Neal Kurk, R-Weare, in February. Hundreds of SEA members appeared at hearings to oppose this reckless legislation; at the first hearing held, dozens of them awaited an opportunity to testify in the House but were turned away.

The number of members who engaged in this battle by testifying in hearings, calling and writing letters to legislators and to newspapers, and speaking out against the proposed cuts with powerful personal stories was too large to count, observed Diana Lacey, SEA President.

"The members' role in defeating this cruel and immoral bill cannot be overstated,” Lacey said. “Bringing their collective voice to the forefront, and having it stand in contrast to the impact of dangerous budget cuts, was key to reminding legislators that New Hampshire can and should do better.”

Retiree Dan Webster, president of SEA Chapter 1, said in a phone interview, “I’m certainly glad they killed that bill; it was murder for retirees.” He agreed that retiree protests made a difference. “I think they (legislators) pay attention – after all, we vote, too,” Webster said. “I’m sure they looked out the window and saw 5,000 people on the day of the rally – and all those people vote, too.”

Overall, Webster observed that while “the Senate is conservative, too -- just like the House -- they are taking a more reasonable approach” to the budget. Webster urged retirees to continue contacting Senators about retirement issues. “It makes a difference.”

As passed by the House, HB 231 would have set an arbitrary limit of $27.5 million on the amount of General Funds that could be used to pay health care costs for retired state employees -- a 30% reduction at a time when more people are entering retirement monthly.

Sen. Chuck Morse, R-Salem, the chair of Senate Finance, said that he wanted to create a Senate position on this issue in the budget. He has asked Administrative Services to present alternative plans to the budget need this item creates. During last week’s hearing, Commissioner of Administrative Services Linda Hodgdon testified against the bill, and offered to sit down with legislators and retirees to come up with "sensible solutions."

Senate kills ‘At-will employee’ provision in budget bill
Finance Committee removes parts of HB2 as policy meddling
The Senate Finance Committee yesterday stripped dozens of non-budgetary policies tacked onto the budget by the House – and specifically killed Rep. Neal Kurk’s “at-will employee” provisions from HB2.

In making the recommendation, the Senate signaled that the House had gone too far in their version of the budget by attaching significant policy provisions onto the spending bills.

In media reports, Senate President Peter Bragdon, R-Milford, said that “the House had loaded onto this budget bill (HB 2) many changes in policy that had nothing to do with state spending.”

“The trailer bill is designed to supply the technical statutory changes necessary to implement the policy decisions that are part of the budget. It is not supposed to include non-budgetary policy decisions such as collective bargaining. We believe an issue like that requires a public hearing as well as an up or down vote by legislators,” Bragdon said.

Kurk, R-Weare, slipped the “at-will’ provision into a late-night amendment to the budget bill as the House finalized the budget, effectively making all public workers at-will employees once an existing labor contract expired. A similar version of the “at-will” provision lurks in another Kurk bill, HB580, on public employee pensions.

Kurk has claimed in media reports that he hoped to strengthen Gov. John Lynch’s hand in trying to get $50 million in health care benefit concessions from the State Employees Association in the next labor contract for state workers.

But yesterday, Sen. Chuck Morse, R-Salem, said that this “was not the way to do it.”

“He did what he thought was appropriate,” Morse said of Kurk in one media report. “If a policy committee wants to debate this issue, that’s fine, but it doesn’t belong in the budget.”

Gov. Lynch told reporters yesterday that contract negotiations with state employees are underway. “I’m optimistic we are going to eventually come to an agreement,” Lynch said in media reports.

As for Kurk’s collective bargaining amendment, Lynch said he opposed it and said it was counter-productive rather than helpful.

‘’I think it was unnecessary, inappropriate in where it was put in the budget and raises some unnecessary angst,” Lynch said.

SEA members and other public employee unions vehemently opposed the Kurk “at will” amendment because of the implications it had for hundreds of contracts large and small across the state.

“Mr. Kurk’s amendment was nothing short of a deliberate, ongoing attack on collective bargaining, public employees, unions, and the middle class,” said SEA President Diana Lacey. “He inserted this into the budget without any public notice, without public debate, without a public hearing, and with complete disregard for decades of collective bargaining law in this state. The Senate has shown great wisdom in stripping this from the budget and, we hope, will also kill HB580 as a bad piece of legislation.”

ARE THE LUNATICS RUNNING THE ASYLUM????

2011-04-12T16:50:00.000-04:00

I just got back from the state house after testifying on a bill and the conversations up there were quite interesting. I talked to not only democrats but real old fashion republicans. Some used the words “this place is getting ready to implode”. The stress level is quite high and the speaker has a new nickname, “bully O’Brian” instead of Billy O’Brian. That appears to be the perception and it is sticking.

Bill has the potential to be a good leader and I cannot put my finger on why he cannot reach that potential. I know he has some bad staff around him; but, he can overcome that. Is he a control freak? That usually is a sign of serious insecurities.

Maybe there is reason for insecurities when, it is alleged, the Newmarket republican town chair called Sen. Sharon Carson and after a heated conversation told her, I know where you live and I’m coming to get you”. He is also is a self proclaimed free stator and purported to be a former paid staffer on the NH Republican Chairman’s campaign staff for governor. From the rumors, he is the one that was saying that.

The speaker of the house and the state party chair need to repudiate the Free State movement in NH and if they can’t they should step aside. The rhetoric and animosity is getting out of control and I’m concerned someone is going to get hurt. I guess I know why we need to carry guns in the state house.

I’ve talked to many old guard republicans who are getting nervous over the direction the Republican Party has taken. They acknowledge the potential for major losses in the next election with about 350,000 votes coming against us; that’s not counting the barbers and beauticians (12,000) licenses in the state for the legislature trying to make it so you don’t need a license to do these same functions. HUGE HEALTH CARE CONCERN!!! How many people do they talk to on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis for the next 18 months?

What will probably happen is the republican financial backers will stop contributing because they know the party and the house has been infiltrated by free stators and libertarians. The money doesn’t want to bank roll non republicans, we will all suffer.

About five weeks ago I was sitting in the legislative break room at the back of reps hall eating a sandwich when two, I believe, free stators came up to the end of the table and were talking about how they were going to get the republicans that disagreed with them. I didn’t recognize them and still can’t recognize them; because I didn’t pay attention to what they looked like only what they were saying.

The speaker and party chair need to step up to the plate and deal with this and stop trying to be the captain and first mate of the Titanic.

THE PROSESS IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL!!!

2011-04-11T21:59:00.002-04:00

A supposed Free Stater from Newmarket called Sharon and threatend Sharon the following is a press release Sharon sent out:

Subject: Statement by Senator Sharon Carson re: an incident on April 10th

NH State Senate

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:

April 11, 2011

Contact:

Carole Alfano, 271-7585

carole.alfano@leg.state.nh.us

Statement by Senator Sharon Carson regarding an incident on April 10th

(Concord) State Senator Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry) issued the following statement today:

“On Sunday, April 10th, I received a telephone call from a person who made statements that rose to what I believe to be of a criminal threatening nature and I felt was necessary to report to my local law enforcement. State and local law enforcement have undertaken an investigation, issued a no trespassing order and will resolve this matter as they now see fit. I am thankful for the unanimous support of my fellow Senators and for the personal promise from NHGOP Chairman Jack Kimball that the NHGOP has a zero tolerance policy for this kind of behavior. Today, I am turning my focus back to what the voters of my district want me to concentrate on such as balancing the state budget, showing fiscal restraint and improving New Hampshire’s economy. As far as this matter; I consider it closed.”

###

THE RIGHT TO WORK IS NOT RIGHT!!!

2011-04-08T20:27:00.003-04:00

New Hampshire is not a union state , but it is a state in the union!!! Yes, it has a right to exist as a free state, free to congregate with those of like mind and free to move about or out when we do not like what is happening around us. No person in this state is forced to work for those they do not want to work for.

We do have employee unions in the state, or negotiating/bargaining units as some are called. Reasonable groups such as police, fire, teachers, and our state employees, the ones who need to work no matter the conditions because we rely on them to be there. None that I know of is forced to join a union. I have been told that at times overzealous members from out of state can be heavy handed in their encouragement of people to join; but, teachers or other public sector cannot be forced to join a bargaining unit.

We do have, at least with the State Employees what is called a fair share, it was negotiated in the contract and agreed to by both state and the bargaining unit. Those not wishing to be a member are required to pay 59% of the union dues to cover the expense of negotiations for benefits and pay increases. In exchange the employer must treat them with the same respect, pay them the same pay and offer them the same benefits at the same cost as members of the negotiating unit. Not such a bad deal, but that's the way NH is.

Unfortunately, we have a Virginia based group coming into NH once again trying to push legislation that is solely intended to create hate and discontent and break up our bargaining units. It also helps the other states who dislike the fact the latest study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston shows NH's success is not based on just one practice but instead on the diversification of the laws governing business and taxation. This is but one area under attack by outside interests who would settle for NH being only as good as they are but will never cease to end NH being better than they are.

I am reminded of the extremism of the out of control, religious group that protests at funerals of our fallen soldiers claiming the death is gods punishment for crimes committed by others. They bring their own judgements upon the world to places they were never asked to visit and they do so to fill the world with the same hate they fill themselves with. I for one have no use for their hate or their hate tactics.

The antics of this hate group which claims the "Right to Work" organization they work for supersedes NH's right to govern itself in a way which is most beneficial to the most people, is currently trying to beat Senator Sharon Carson from Londonderry into submission by papering her district with untrue, distorted and out landish claims about her voting record in the hopes of intimidating her into changing her mind. So outlandish are they in their representation that they know Senator Carson is the fact they call her a "him". That is after all how the outsiders do their "thing". One size paper to fit all people. It isn't the truth they care about only thing they care about is making you live like they do.

I’ve known Sharon for years; she is a pretty remarkable, smart and caring person. She was in the house with Matt and me. We use to have some strong disagreements; but, they were civil, respectful and issue oriented. No hard feelings and only respect on both sides. After a number of years we all got to know each other and realized that Sharon was fiercely loyal, not only to her family; but, to her constituents as well. Like us she helps anybody with a problem, she deals with problems not politics and if you are a democrat, republican or libertarian, she jumps in to resolve your issue. When the seat became vacant, Sharon ran for senate and won; she is and has always been well respected in her district.

Now she is being portrayed as a villain by out of stators. A villain not willing to sacrifice the NH advantage so the mistakes of other states become the mistakes of the many. They can always correct their mistakes, Senator Carson obviously believes they should go home and spend the money there they are spending here to influence their own legislature and perhaps move toward being more like NH, not that I want the competition.

I am disappointed in some of our senators for not standing up (even though they support the RTW issue) and telling this out of state hate group to go home!! Tell them that because of their bizarre behavior and vicious attacks against some of the senators (Sharon is not the only one being threatened) that they have forfeited their right to be heard as guests with an idea. The Senate should then dispose of the bill with the same fate as has previous senates and for the same reason. Hate, bullying, intimidation is not something we accept and we certainly do not want to emulate any state or group who does.

Let the word get out quickly that NH has had enough of this type extreme right wing thugery. Oh, while they're at it let them send the message we dont need any left wing thugs brought in either.

We see this on a daily basis in the house and some of us (now that we have time) are speaking out against it.

So for those of you who are environmentalist and of us who want to do the right thing for NH, when we save the kittens, puppies, sea otters, dolphins and all the other beauties of nature let’s not forget Sharon. Call your local senators, you can find their numbers at http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/senatemembers.asp. Let them know NH has the ability to solve our own issues; we don’t need groups like this for complicating them and if you’re from Sharon’s district, call and thank her for her hard work and for just being Sharon. Sometimes this can be a lonely and seemingly thankless job, a thank you can be a real pick me up.

HELLO IS THE POPE HOME????

2011-04-06T23:09:00.001-04:00

With all that you have been reading and hearing about members of the legislature attacking the NH Archbishop and calling him names, another wanting to revoke the tax free status of the Catholic Church I found it necessary to call the Vatican and ask for the Pope.

I wanted to know if the Vatican takes credit cards. The reason for this is, to show that I am a real republican, would see how much it would cost to have the house leadership (collectively} exorcised to drive the demons out of the state house. I got the idea when I watched the movie the Exorcist, why didn't someone think of this sooner?

He hasn’t called me back yet; but, I hope it is soon.

INTERESTING TIMES!!!

2011-04-02T11:01:00.001-04:00

The budget has gone through the house with the funding (HB2) as well. This was a painful experience for those involved in recommending the cuts; the cuts were many and deep in most circumstances. But we promised when we were campaigning that this would have to take place to take the pressure off of the huge deficit.

Did the house budget go too far or not far enough? That will be decided by the senate and the committee’s of conference if there is no agreement. The senate now has to look at the house budget and make changes if they deem necessary and send it back to the house. If the house disagrees then they will go to a committee of conference to see if they can work out the differences. If that is done then it will be up to the governor to veto, sign, or allow it to become law without his signature.

I do not believe we have ever seen so many people show to our hearings. Some of the hearings were so well attended that they were held in reps hall because of the 3-4 hundred people that showed up in protest.

When the finance committee voted on HB2 there was an estimated 4-6 hundred public sector employees in attendance. The room, hallways, stairwells and the LOB lobby was so packed you couldn’t move. Our security staff was totally overwhelmed; but, with few exceptions, the observers were behaved. It was requested that the hearing be moved to reps hall but that was denied. I had a problem with seeing pregnant women having to sit on a hard floor. Our chairman did the best he could; but, we just so overwhelmed any plans we had for security flew out the window.

Then on Thursday, the day we voted on the budget there was about 4,000 people showed up to protest not only the budget cuts; but, how the legislature went after our state employees. We had an increased presence of state police to help our security handle the crowd and, with a few exceptions, the crowd was behaved.

What caused all of this? We have had to make serious cuts in the past; it was the unprovoked attack on our public sector employees. The complaint is they make too much money and too many benefits; but, instead of negotiating with them on this issue, the legislature attacked them and kept it up with almost 3 months of legislative attacks by putting in anti public worker bills and amendments, attacking active duty employees, widows, retired and injured state employees. The legislature then kept referring to the employees as “thugs” and “goons”, etc, so they were villainizing anyone who disagreed with them. When you attack someone using your power who is the real thugs? Certainly not the ones attacked; but, the ones doing the attacking.

When you are dealing or want to deal with unions or public sector employees it is always smart to sit down and talk to them or negotiate with them, don’t come out of the clear blue and attack them.

There is about 70,000 votes in the public sector, and that can be multiplied by 2-5, depending on how many friends, family and relatives they have.

Somebody made a threatening phone call to the speaker and he now has state police protection. Threatening anyone is not always the smartest thing a person can do; but it only shows that this situation is getting out of control.

The voters, I thought,told us they wanted the budget (spending) cut and taxes reduced and job creation. In this process everyone knew that there would be layoffs and program reductions. What I don’t think they directed was the horrific attacks on our public employees, police, fire, and state workforce that started a war you didn’t want and cannot win. Anyone who goes out looking for a fight no one wanted and they can’t win, has misread the tea leaves.

This process has been mentally and physically draining and painful to everyone concerned.

We will see what the next election will bring; but, I don’t think all of this craziness will promote any kind of political agenda, except change.

WE’RE NOT DOING NO STINKEN COST SHIFTING!!!!!

2011-03-20T13:04:00.004-04:00

Get ready the way the house budget is being proposed it looks like massive cost shifting to the local communities. The most apparent will be the social service cuts and probable retirement contribution cuts.

Some people are claiming that the legislature is out of control. I am more of an observer than an active participant because I am a republican not a libertarian or a Benson Free Stater (if you remember when Governor Benson was in office he promoted the Free State Project).

There appears to be a concerted effort by the legislature to dismantle state government. Whether it is through the budget process or individual legislation, it seems to be getting out of control.

Some of the more memorable comments from one of our chairman are, when asked about how do towns avoid these huge down shifted social costs, was to do away with the local social service programs and there would nothing to down shift too. Another one was how a chairman hoped all the state employees would smoke so they would die early and take the pressure off of the retirement system.

Let’s just talk about one bill HB 231 that would down shift 11 million dollars onto widows of dead troopers (who are on the state insurance system) and those state employees who were seriously injured in the line of duty and forced to take a retirement or get fired. When I discussed this with some fellow reps the response was, “we all have to feel the pain”. My response was (I’ll clean this language up from the conversation), you don’t think they’ve felt the pain? The people in our district that voted against this was Matt, me, Donna,Tim and Patty.

Now we get to the proposal to lay off almost 800 Department of Transportation employees so they can privatize their jobs. This was tried in the past and it failed. Now there is another proposal to eliminate the seniority rights for our state employees so if they are within a few months of retirement, they can be laid off with no retirement package to help save money.

Public employees know there has to be changes to the system and are willing to sit down and work on there changes; but, they have to be asked.

There were bills brought in to a committee to continue to cost shift health insurance costs on to the retirees. One such proposal was if your retirement payments are $20,000 a year then you would have to pay a 100% of your health insurance which would have been upwards to $18,000 per year. In short with all of these proposals, the state has broken its word to the state workers and, not only are we short on money; but, credibility.

You can hear the democrats smiling on some of the crazier votes such as HB231. This bill will be the bathroom bill that the democrats proposed.

My prediction based on what has happened so far is the republicans will lose a minimum of 125 seats in the next election. I believe we have broken our word to the voters by the craziness of what is going on and the voters will not forget. I think it is important that you contact your local reps and remind them of what you wanted us to do when you voted for us.

I THOUGHT I HEARD IT ALL!!!

2011-03-05T06:18:00.001-05:00

The new rant from the lunatic fringe is Matt is a democrat, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA. There seems to be a panic over some well known and established democrats for putting up Matt signs for selectman; which is causing quite a stir. Some people are asking why this is happening. We don’t know if we have the answers; but Matt is grateful for the support in this race.

Matt is very independent minded and during the last election we ran our own state rep campaigns independent of the Tri Town establishment and just asked to be left alone to run our own campaigns. That didn’t happen and we were attacked during the campaign more by the local republicans. In fact one of the losers in the last state rep race is running for selectman now and is attacking Matt every chance he gets; I don’t know if this just sour grapes and a bruised ego or wanting to work hard for the community as a selectman. I think I have the answer; but, I hope the voters come to the same realization on March 8th.

Another person who is a former selectman that seems to be having some issues is attacking Matt (and me, so I’ve heard) as being democrats or RINO’S. People are laughing at this and watching some of these actors on the stage of stupidity and negativity perform.

First of all we treat people the way they treat us. During the last campaign for state office, we committed to work with anyone who was willing to work with us; in fact we liked some of the democrats that were running for state rep and treated them with respect knowing that it was obvious that our political philosophies were different. We have always tried to work across party lines to get the job done and we both like people in general.

I believe when the democrats saw what the lunatic fringe was doing to Matt with their outlandish vicious attacks not only against Matt; but, the rest of the board of selectman and their blatant attempt at taking over the town, they stepped in and many asked Matt if they could help. More than anything else this shows that Matt can work with anyone and can cross lines to get the job done and by doing so makes a better town and state for all of us, our gratitude and respect go out to them because some must be getting questioned as to why they are supporting a republican and have a sign in their yard.

In a recent ENL article on the number of right to know requests in the last few years there has been about 500 hours spent on these. If we figure that people with salaries between $10-$20 an hour or more have been digging up information then the town has spent $5,000-$10,000 in taxpayer dollars to obtain this information. Some of this is probably legitimate some is for harassment purposes against the town; so much for false claims that they want to save the town money.

Matt and I have talked to many people about the misinformation that these people are putting out. I still haven’t figured out why they are so angry. Are they angry at the people of Exeter for not following them? Are they angry at the board of selectman? Are they angry at the town manager? Maybe they are just angry with themselves and how their lives are going and taking it out on everyone around them. This is why we need to rebuke these people, tell some of them to put the cork back in the bottle and seek professional help. Exeter will move ahead without them, but as the great town that we are, we will move ahead.

EXETER AND ANTHEM UP IN A TREE!!!!

2011-02-19T11:15:00.001-05:00

Well I think you know the rest of the little ditty. The two 900 pound greedy gorillas had their fight and it looks like Exeter Hospital came out on the losing side. They are going to have to trim their rates down from being the most expensive hospital in the state (and probably northern MA) to the most expensive but with a little less profit; ok, boo hoo, hoo, my grieving is done, over it and I’m all better now.

Let’s look at the reality that the newspapers don’t know how to get to. First of all on one of my earlier blogs I predicted this was how it was going to turn out, an agreement in place at the last minute. I don’t have a crystal ball; but, only experience in dealing with insurance companies, hospitals and their lobbyists in Concord. It is all about greed and both sides had huge cooperate egos and neither could afford to lose out on this contract.

I had met early on with the insurance commissioner and described my thoughts on how this was going to turn out, and he pretty much agreed. Since that was a private conversation I felt it should stay that way among other things we discussed. If you remember the insurance commissioner was the one (he oversees and regulates the insurance industry in NH) who, at my and Matt’s request jumped in and helped Exeter after the huge hail storm. I knew Roger, a retired VN Army Colonel, holds his cards close to his vest; but, does care.

Although Governor’s Councilman Chris Sununu got good publicity for offering to be a mediator in this problem, I felt it was not governments place to get involved in private or corporate contract negotiations. Basically, Anthem’s response was, “go away kid you bother me”, or was that W.C. Fields, after awhile they all look alike. In Anthem’s passion to prove how tough they were, they lost sight of the fact that they have about a 20 million dollar contract to administer the State of NH health insurance plan, which I think Chris Sununu might be voting on as a councilor. Now you can start to see why politics is like soap opera, you never know how it is going to turn out until the last act is played out and the last act is not played out yet. Chris, please be gentle.

Plague on both their houses for the way they caused fear and stress in the hospital patients; but, also the Anthem subscribers. I have never seen such a total disregard for the people who thought they could trust each of them to do the right thing; never forget that human greed is one of the most powerful emotions we have and unless your willing to do or say anything to win, please don’t get involved in the fight the other side will almost always win.

WHEN THE FRINGE ATTACKS!!!!!

2011-02-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

At a recent selectman’s meeting there was quite an outburst from one of the regulars at the public comment part of the meeting. In part, my professional relationship with selectman Bob Aldrich was brought into question and I think it needs to be responded to.

I think Bob has done a very good job as not only a selectman; but, as vice chairman of the board. Bob is EXCELLENT on budget numbers; in fact Bob is a numbers cruncher, a very valuable position on any public board, Bob is the administrative type. Matt finds Bob an easy person to work with and a great source of knowledge. Both Matt and I have respect for Bob, not only as a person; but, a dedicated public official who works very hard for the people of Exeter. As a public elected official you cannot please everybody all the time; but, when you make decisions that are based on the best interests of the town, at least the sane members of the community will respect you. Bob has earned our respect by his hard work, dedication, and respect for the town of Exeter and its taxpayers. When or if, Bob runs for reelection I would be happy not only to support him; but, work on his campaign if asked. I don’t think there is any wiggle room on my relationship or respect for Bob.

Unfortunately, we have a fringe group that has nothing good to say about anybody or anything. I would like to cut a deal with them, if they stop lying about us, we’ll stop telling the truth about them.

At the last deliberative session this fringe group was stomped on when everything they proposed was killed by overwhelming numbers. This same group has been bad mouthing everyone that disagrees with them, Matt included and has two candidates running for selectman in the hopes of beating Matt and gives them more control of the town. This group has nothing good to say about Exeter or some of the people in the town that disagree with them have proven to be a dangerous element to deal with. They are coming across as a small out of control group; I’ve seen this in some groups in Concord where they attack anyone who disagrees with them, it is too bad to have one in Exeter. Whether this group gains traction in Exeter is up to the voters; but, right now John Childs and Matt might be the only line to hold not allowing these people to take control of Exeter.

AROUND TOWN!!!

2011-02-09T19:26:00.001-05:00

The deliberative session is behind us one more time. The use of the new high school was just perfect, the seats were comfortable, it was warm, the rest rooms were very easy to get to and the refreshments were right on the spot. In other words it went the way people wanted it to go.

Some of the observations I saw were quite interesting. I saw about 200 people there and they knew what they wanted and didn’t want. The elected boards were all shot down handily, even after plenty of discussion and debate. The voters weren’t buying what a small group was pushing in their attempt to take over some functions of the town. We have a couple of issues; one being taking authority away from the board of selectmen and the other issue is changing the process that is used to appoint boards. Many people seem to feel that they didn’t want to change the process of how boards are appointed and some didn’t support the people wanting to make the changes. Another interesting observation is that no one ever quits a board in Exeter they leave because they put in enough time, several different reasons, the budget committee members didn’t quit, they resigned. The water sewer didn’t quit they resigned to protect their families from potential law suits; but, many of them wanted to get elected to the same boards they quit/resigned from. I think I’m getting old; they didn’t make a lot of sense to me.

Another issue was whether the voters could change the warrant articles at the deliberative session; they used the passage the day before of HB 77 that said you couldn’t change the substance or subject matter of the warrant article. The governor signed the bill on Friday and we were all trying to figure it out on Saturday.

I checked on this bill and talked to the bill writer who told me the intent of the bill was to prohibit amending a warrant article to say, “To see”, and that would be the warrant article. By not defining subject matter or substance, it was apparent the Exeter voters acted properly in how they amended the warrant articles.

Sam Bruno did an exceptional job of explaining the Comcast contract and the rates of 3% on just your television bill, so if your cable TV costs you $100 (just on your TV-not phone or internet) the cost would be $3 extra. Sam went on to explain the benefits and expanded coverage that the town seems to want. When Sam was done explaining the program there was no question that the opposition was putting out misleading and in some cases false information. I would just like to say thanks to Sam and quality shows, Sam your quality.

It was interesting to see each time Frank Fararo got up and spoke more votes seemed to go towards Matt and John Childs in the upcoming selectman’s race. I was taken back at the number of people that came to me asking what they could do to help Matt in the election, they were most encouraging. I really got the feeling that the fringe group has burned up its credibility and people were tiring of their constant negative tirades and a conspiracy behind every decision attacks on the town, the citizens will only tolerate this haranguing for so long and reject those who are doing it.

Elliot Hospital Has a Clinic in Raymond!!!

2011-02-05T18:19:00.000-05:00

To those who are worried about losing their health care provider in the Anthem/Exeter Hospital Fiasco the Elliot Hospital has a well stocked clinic in Raymond to deal with any ones health care needs.

Although I still believe the two warring entities will still reach a contract agreement there is an alternative just up the road; the following information is for anyone who is interested in a stabilized health care program:

Elliot Pediatrics and Primary Care at Raymond
Located in the Raymond Shopping Ctr., 15 Freetown Road, Raymond, NH
Phone number 895-8000

Elliot’s Raymond office is currently accepting new patients of all ages.

Elliot’s providers include the following three physicians who are all board certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics and one nurse practitioner:
Jason Emmick, MD
Nancy Husarik, MD
John Klunk, MD
Karen Fradette, APRN

If patients are interested in learning more about Elliot’s providers and their practice they can either ask for the Practice Manager, Julie Brayall or Practice Coordinator, Melissa Long at the above practice number.
If patients would like assistance selecting a physician, they can contact the physician referral line at Elliot OnCall at 663-4567.

WHEN A BUDGET CUT IS NOT A BUDGET CUT!!!

2011-01-19T20:01:00.001-05:00

At a public selectman’s meeting several weeks ago Matt asked the other selectman to come up with proposals for a 2, 5 and 7 % budget cut proposals to see how that would impact the town services and departments; keeping in mind that public safety, Fire and Police, major emphasis on Fire to keep as much services as they can in tack. The other selectman said that it was too early to do that and they needed to wait until the budget reached the selectman.

When the budget reached the board, the selectmen were talking about at least level funding. Matt voted responsibly against most spending increases and proposed spending proposals only to find that they couldn’t even level fund the budget and appeared to make cuts to the spending proposals and not to the budget. As a point of reference and discussion he made a motion for a 7% budget cut. Some of the selectmen acted like rats fighting over cheese accusing him of not saying anything before this, etc, etc and etc.

Well he did and waited to see if the board was serious about making any cuts to the BUDGET and not just providing lip service to the process. As they came to realize Matt is quiet but committed to do what he says.

It was also good to see members of the audience support him in his quest to reduce our taxes with positive suggestions for cuts. I was truly pleased to see that and not just complaining. I hope those who like to go to the selectman’s meetings will continue to provide positive input, it will benefit the town and hopefully save us money.

WE’RE WATCHING IT!!!

2011-01-02T17:28:00.001-05:00

According to the Seacoast News Papers that was the comment from some of our local politicians on the Exeter/Anthem situation. I guess if you don’t know what to do you probably will do less damage if you stand on the side lines and watch. Quite frankly I have never been one to sit on the side lines when there was work to do.

Last Weds. I met with Roger Sevigney, the NH Insurance Commissioner, Roger, Matt and I have an excellent working relationship, and we had a frank and honest private conversation. Roger is on top of this and is walking a regulatory tight rope with limited but some authority to get involved.

The prior insurance commissioner was involved in the Tufts insurance debacle. If some of you remember Tufts was a big HMO, on the financial ropes, couldn’t come to grips with the Exeter Hospital pricing, lost Exeter (I was told about 16,000 subscribers throughout the area) then lost Bath Iron Works in Maine and folded up and left NH. So we are now going through a second Exeter Hospital/Insurance carrier situation with the insured being used in the PR war. Actually I believe the fight has gone too far and both entities have severely hurt their reputations.

In the last campaign I don’t know if I got the message out as well as I would like; when (at candidates forums or going door to door) people would ask what I thought the biggest cost drivers were in health care/health insurance I would say, “greed”; GREED, on the part of the hospitals and greed on the part of the insurance companies. Unfortunately greed is a built in factor in a capitalistic society. The only time government gets or should get involved is when it becomes a consumer protection issue or consumers are getting screwed in any other way. We don’t want to regulate; but, we need to have the authority to get involved when a situation gets out of hand.

Like I said, I met with Roger and I believe he is on top of the situation and I made my and Matt’s feelings known.

THE DIRECTION OF THE LEGISLATURE!!!

The speaker of the house, speaker William O’Brian (some refer to him as “Billy O”, has given his marching orders, the house will prioritize the budget and financial part of our business as the prime objective. Of course there other bills out there repeal gay marriage, parental notification and others; but, it is more of a routine maintenance in the legislature than a social reform swing in any direction. I have a couple of bills one to study insurance contracting with medical providers and a couple of other study committees, one dealing with pre-buys for oil contracts and a few others; but, being on finance the main gist with Chairman Ken Weyler and marching orders from Billy O is budget, budget and budget. We’ll get the other stuff done and will fix our finances as well. Remember the old saying, “If you put liberals in office they spend, if you put conservatives in office they save”. The republicans are in office and we tend to be fiscally conservative.

AN IDEA TO HELP SAVE TAX PAYERS $’s IN EXETER!!!

I did a little checking around and it looks like it would be legal to elect our tax assessor. That would make him directly responsible to the voters and tax payers and not the Selectman or Town Manager. That way maybe we would avoid the Vision Appraisal fiasco of them increasing our tax bill and refusing to come to check the taxpayer’s property.

What it appears it would take would be 25 petitioners to sign a warrant article/petition to put it on the town warrant. Anyone that wants to can go to it.

WHERE DOES ONE START??

2010-12-23T09:32:00.000-05:00

Let’s start with the Exeter/Anthem contract impasse. What we have is two 900 pound greedy gorillas and a situation where there is a lot of money at stake. Some of the numbers that are being thrown around is about 20,000 insurance subscribers and total costs have not been released yet.

What we are looking at is the most expensive hospital in NH by about 50% and a greedy insurance company with a lot of purchasing power. I remember being told, by reliable sources that an Anthem CEO was paid about $600,000 salary and a million $ bonus on top of that. Where do we think this money is coming from? I think it is coming out of health insurance premiums and I firmly believe that greed is what is driving up our health insurance costs as well as our health care $’s.

It seems every contract negotiation period we go through these negotiation gyrations and people like you and me get dragged into the PR war of who is right and who is wrong and how we are all going to lose our favorite doctors. Fortunately, Dorie and I moved our health care to the Portsmouth Hospital and our PCP too so we are not directly affected by all of this; but, what I do know is there is too much money at stake for both parties to continue playing one upsmanship and I would not want to be the Anthem CEO that loses 20,000 subscribers who are paying about 1,000 a month for their health insurance premiums. I don’t believe Exeter Hospital can afford a mass exodus to Portsmouth. There are times that when Dorie and I have gone to Portsmouth Hospital, or any of our other doctors offices, it seems like we are always bumping into friends or other Exeter residents; more people seem to be going to Portsmouth, than Portsmouth patients coming to Exeter and this cannot be good for Exeter Hospital so another hemorrhaging of Exeter patients will not be good.

That is why I think an agreement we will be reached as soon as one of the protagonists blinks.

I have a meeting with the NH Insurance Commissioner next week and we can chat about this.

WHEN IS A FINANCIAL MESS A REAL FINANCIAL MESS??

When the legislative auditors tell you the NH State budget deficit just went up another $100 million dollars to $900 million; when you elect liberals don’t be surprised when they spend us into a huge deficit and the republicans have to come in clean up the mess. The old political saying is put the liberals in control of the social programs and the fiscal conservatives in charge of the purse strings; that way everyone is happy.

My committee assignment is on the finance committee, division one, with Ken Weyler from Kingston as my chairman. Ken and are have been friends and supporters for years and I have the greatest respect for his MIT education and intellect. If anyone can help lead us out of this mess it will be the excellent financial team that Speaker O’Brian has brought together on Ways and Means (they figure out how much money we have to spend) and finance (who figures out where to spend it). I believe the state cuts will be deep and painful; but there might be some hope and ways to mitigate the cuts without passing anything along to the towns.

We need to all remember that what the state does has only minimal impact on you local tax bill. The majority of times it is YOU that determines what your tax bill is by voting in all the local spending increases for the town and especially the schools. If you don’t show up at the deliberative session and vote no on some of these increased spending proposals, then you own your tax bill, not the state. When we complain about our tax bill we are actually complaining about our own action or inaction.

A REMINDER IN HISTORY.

2010-12-17T10:14:00.001-05:00

General VoNguyen Giap.

General Giap was a brilliant, highly respected leader
of the North Vietnam military. The following quote
is from his memoirs currently found in the
Vietnam war memorial in Hanoi :

'What we still don't understand is why you Americans
stopped the bombing of Hanoi . You had us on the
ropes. If you had pressed us a little harder,
just for another day or two, we were ready
to surrender! It was the same at the
battle of TET. You defeated us!
We knew it, and we thought
you knew it.
But we were elated to notice your media was
helping us. They were causing more disruption in
America than we could in the battlefields. We
were ready to surrender. You had won!'

General Giap has published his memoirs and confirmed
what most Americans knew. The Vietnam war was not
lost in Vietnam -- it was lost at home. The
same slippery slope, sponsored by the US media,
is currently underway. It exposes the
enormous power of a Biased Media to
cut out the heart and will of
the American public.

A truism worthy of note: ... Do not fear the enemy, for
they can take only your life. Fear the media, for
they will destroy your honor.

REMEMBER, IF YOU DON’T ACT CRAZY, NOBODY WILL KNOW!!!

2010-11-26T11:35:00.003-05:00

I don’t know if it is just me or when I watch the Exeter Selectman’s meeting there is a lunatic fringe that keeps coming in and attacking the selectman or the Town Manager. Maybe I’m the one that is nuts and they are normal, never rule out all the variables when you are trying to make a decision. If they want the town manager gone draw up a petition and present it to the board. But stop this haranguing that distracts from town business, is so wasteful of time, and let the board listen to constructive ideas to move our town forward. Don't misunderstand, there is a need for the voters and taxpayers, such as Mr. Bailey, to keep an eye on the process; but, some others need to take a break. This last meeting was a little too much.

Just for the record, I’m not all that happy with how Exeter is being run, we are spending much more than we need to keep our services and reduce our taxes. We need to cut spending, pay down our bond debt obligations and get ready for a new sewer treatment plant. Our need for infrastructure upgrades border on catastrophic in nature to the taxpayers; please keep this in mind.

Some were complaining about the cable contract; but, where were they on the transportation fees being placed on registering our vehicles? The voters seem to vote in every spending issue that goes before them on the warrant articles and then complain that their property taxes are too high. We are also in the mindset that we don’t have to cut back our local spending, we just need to complain to the state that we need more money in the revenue sharing area to make our local ends meet; remember the state has to balance their budget buy cutting spending.

A good test for Frank Guinta and Kelly Ayotte will be to find about 30-40 million in grants to fund our water and sewer upgrades that need to be done because the feds keep changing the guide lines requiring expensive upgrades.

We do need to bring back the water sewer commission. My request to the town is NOT to reappoint the prior members that quit when the town needed them. I do believe we have people in town with the expertise to devote full time to our water and sewer needs with out the political game playing that caused the demise of the water sewer commission.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!

2010-11-26T10:39:00.001-05:00

Now the elections are over and everyone is in place, pending committee assignments, the jockeying began. There were two main contenders for speaker with two other well qualified and very fine people who were lesser known running. The vote was pretty much neck and neck and the first ballot for speaker was inconclusive without the needed majority to win, by 1 vote. The second ballot gave the speaker ship to Bill O’Brian by under 10 votes. Either by 10 or a thousand, Bill was the winner.

Bill had Gene out classed in his ability to communicate to the newly elected freshman; but, reached out to the libertarians. Bill also had some very good people supporting him and one of his secret weapons is Pam Tucker out of Greenland. Anybody that knows Pam knows you don’t let a pretty face hide a cold organizational logic and great communications skills by a warm caring heart that can squeeze you for a vote while asking how your family is doing. She was the secret weapon to victory. Other people saw Pam the way I did and she is now the deputy speaker; good choice Bill.

The interesting part of this election was that the democrats were trying to get Gene Chandler elected speaker because they new he would be less partisan than Bill. Gene rejected their support, which would have put him over the top and speaker, to his credit.

One of the issues we have to keep in mind is the democrats left standing after the last election are mostly comprised of the left wing loonies from safe voting districts. These are the least easy of any democrats to deal with. There is probably no reason to reach out to them because of the huge republican majority; but, it would be the right thing to do. I suspect the reaching out will not be without limits.

The usual number of bills filed during the first filing session is about 1200, there is a projection and only a guess, there will be about 1800 which are crazy. We have some freshman putting in about 20 bills dealing with a variety of social issues; get out the Advil.

The very process that we have to work with will be working against us. With all the social bills in we will have to take those first because the budget bills always come in last because of the lengthy hearings, department presentations and general discussions takes the majority of time for the first session. It is not easy to find where to cut almost a billion dollars out of a 12 billion dollar budget (very time consuming).

So that is pretty much what we are facing and the tasks will be daunting. We can do it with your help, input and guidance.

COURAGE COMES IN SMALL PACKAGES!!!

2010-10-29T20:20:00.003-04:00

The following is a press release from ISAF Headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. I don’t really know what they do; but do know that is where my daughter Alexa is stationed. She is on her 8th tour to Afghanistan, her first 7 were flying and she drew a ground tour on this one.

Alexa was instrumental in promoting and organizing a soccer match between the ISAF women and the Afghan women’s soccer team. In the middle of a war that our troops are fighting and the politicians are fighting over, Alexa asks the Afghan women’s team, “hey you guys want to play soccer”?

As I have seen in the news and told by veterans that there are parts of Afghanistan that if you’re a female and try to go to school you will be killed. If you wear anything other than the traditional dress, you will be killed, in other words if you’re a woman in Afghanistan, it seems it is awful easy to get killed.

What I’ve heard is that the captain of the women’s team is about five feet tall and a college student studying a finance/economics program at a college in Kabul and most of the soccer players are either college or high school students. One of them told ISAF that they wanted to show the world that they aren’t afraid anymore and they want the world to know they are sick of war; many of them were born during some kind of war and know nothing else,many of them have lost friends and family.

They seem to be like “kids” or women that know what they want and not afraid to push for it, the end of war and peace to their country.

The ISAF team is a composite team of people from different countries most of which grew up playing soccer and thought this was a great idea. All the generals bought into this idea and the game was on.

With only about 3 weeks to turn the NATO team into a team the training began, about 3hours a day after work, which can run 12 shifts, if they can’t sneak away for the team.

Finally the big day arrived today. The game was covered by about 25 international news organizations and many ranking officers from NATO. The Afghan team had beaten the Pakistani team and was up for the match. The teams went back and forth, up and down the field and stayed scoreless for a long time. Both teams started out not playing as good as they wanted and improved as the day went on.

Both teams did an excellent job with the Afghan women able to get one goal while holding the ISAF team scoreless.

What appeared amazing is that the vendors that were selling at the bizarre were (all men) rooting and cheering for the Afghan women. This is generally unheard of in that culture.

I tried to get Alexa to admit that they let the Afghan women win to rule out any honor killings, should they lose, and Alexa assured me it was a fair, hard fought game and they all had a wonderful time.

Just think of the ramifications; why would we send special ops troops into the mountains to kill the enemy, spend billions on sophisticated weaponry and drones, etc. When soccer balls are so cheap? Hey let’s stop shooting at each other for awhile and play soccer.

I say this tongue and cheek and only kidding; this is what the world would be like if it was run by women, no more wars, lower grocery prices and they will probably find an end to world hunger. It is getting to sound better and better all the time.

I can also tell you that we are very proud of our young Captain, that was born, raised and educated right here in Exeter, she truley one of Exeters own and also brings pride, not only to our family, but also to our community.

The press release follows.

"MEDIA ADVISORY
Headquarters
International Security Assistance Force – Afghanistan

Committed to the security, reconstruction and extension of governance in Afghanistan

2010-10-CA-010

Afghan National Women’s Football Team, ISAF Women
Set to Face Off

KABUL, Afghanistan (October 25) – Kabul-based media are invited to attend a football match here at ISAF headquarters between the Afghan national women’s football team and a pick-up team of women from ISAF on Friday, October 29, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.

Leadership from the Afghan women’s team, who requested the match, envisioned the exhibition game as an opportunity to practice against friendly international competition in preparation for future tournaments.

When approached, ISAF members were eager to support the Afghan team.

“We admire the courage, tenacity and fearlessness of these Afghan women,” said US Air Force Capt. Alexa Quandt, an ISAF women’s team member and event coordinator. “They are truly an inspiration with their perseverance and dedication.”

The Afghan women’s team, founded in 2004, played their first international match against Pakistan in August, 2007. The team is the first all-women Afghan soccer team ranked by FIFA, the world soccer's governing body.

Since then, the team has continued to seek new challenges to hone their skills and demonstrate their resolve to continue playing the game they love.

“Afghans should be proud of their women’s football team,” said Brigadier General Chris Whitecross, ISAF Communications. “This match is a great way for them to showcase their skills against friendly competition.”

Media interested in attending must arrive at the ISAF main gate no later than 12:15 p.m.

WHAT: Football match
WHO: Afghan national women’s football team vs. ISAF women’s team
WHEN: 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 29, 2010
WHERE: ISAF Headquarters"

LET BYGONES BE BYGONES!!!

2010-10-29T14:20:00.000-04:00

Pat Abrami and I had a long talk and have cleared the air and put aside any disagreements or misunderstandings. As we grow older we understand that grudges and ill feelings do not extend our lives. I have always respected Pat and understand his steadfastness in doing the right thing for our constituents and with his health care knowledge will be an asset to our constituents.

Remember I said at the last candidate’s forum, if people have their hearts in the right place to do the right thing, the only part of the equation to answer is how we get there.

There is a lot to respect with our republican candidates; they all bring something to the table and have strong leadership abilities to lead and guide us through the next few years of what is shaping up to be very tough economic decisions. People like Pat, Frank, Ron, Joanne, Tim and Michele do have the abilities to do this. If elected they will all need political guidance to get to that other 50% of the problem, which is the solution.

I saw them struggle through this campaign, now if they win, they will need to be molded as a team to become affective representatives and Matt and I will be working with them to move our constituents agenda forward (of course this is if we all win); but that will be up to the voters.

I do have an area of concern, no longer about our candidates; but, if the republicans show up on Tuesday, Nov 2d. The independents, god bless them, can only carry the fight for so long. We will need main stream republicans to step up and stand with us.

Lee

RON DUPUIS!!!

2010-10-28T11:50:00.000-04:00

One of the under rated candidates running for State Rep is Ron Dupuis. Ron is an honorable person who once served in the house from the Derry area. Ron moved from Derry to North Hampton a number of years ago and did the honorable thing and resigned his house seat because he left his district. Many state reps wouldn’t do that and hang on until the next election and not run; Ron isn’t like that.
While in the house, Ron did a good job and was very conscientious and fiscally conservative.

I am hoping Ron gets elected because we need his experience and fiscal conservatism to get NH back on the right fiscal footing.

He’s a good choice.

Lee

THE ELECTION IS GETTING CLOSER!!!

2010-10-20T10:04:00.001-04:00

November 2d, is getting closer and the political picture is becoming clearer. First of all the democratic state rep candidates for our district (district 13) are some of the friendliest and best candidates that have run for these seats in a long time, that is to their credit. The republicans are divided and appear to be lacking a clear message or vision for the future or they are just not articulating it.

GOVERNORS’S RACE: John Lynch is the embedded politician with the backing of a bunch of special interest groups from gay marriage to the various police groups with the power of the incumbency. He is going for an unprecedented 4th term. On the other hand we have a feisty John Stephen who I don’t think is impressed the Lynch’s support, record, or polling numbers. As best as I can figure the polling numbers are closer than we think, in the 6 or so point range, which is quite good at this point in the election. It only takes 3 days to win or lose an election. Stephen can win.

GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL RACE: Bev Hollingworh is well thought of, respected and is in a job where she doesn’t have to vote on gay rights, budgets, abortion, gun rights, etc. She just keeps the governor on the straight and narrow and is another conduit for her constituents to state government. She does not play politics and represents her constituents irregardless of their political party; she is caring and respected. Chris Sununu is a smart young man with a recognized name and has a hard time attacking Bev’s record of constituent support and just being liked. I think Bev will hold onto her seat.

STATE SENATE: Although Russ Prescott has been doing an admirable job campaigning and holding his own in candidate forums, Maggie has matured as a speaker and politician and is going to be tough to beat. I’ve been told that insider polls show Maggie is vulnerable; but, the question is too who. I think Maggie will hold on to her seat.

STATE REPS RACE: Where do we start? The democrats have the best field of candidates they have had in years. The republicans are struggling for control of the party, process and candidates. In other words divided and looking like rookies, Oh, I think they are. Although both Matt and I are running for state rep, we are not part of the tri’town debacle and have a totally different philosophy of our constituents first. It is always hard to take on the entrenched establishment and realize if we can’t get bought off, scared off, what is left, try calling us names. If that doesn’t work, tear down our signs and call us more names. Matt and I are running our own campaign independent of the establishment; the voters are our campaign staff and call the shots and the direction that we will go.

There are some good people running for state rep that are republicans; but, they are too new to the process to know how to think independently. BEST GUESS: 4 and 4, 4 republicans and 4 democrats in this race. The democrats are predicting 8 & 2; but, I think it will be 4&4 or 5-3 with 5 republicans.

As the races tighten my predictions might change based on proposed voter turnout and I will try to stay on top of the projections.

IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE AND ISSUES STUPID!!!

2010-10-10T08:15:00.000-04:00

Politicians seem to be afraid of those people who identify as “Tea Party Followers” or supporters. If I’m paying attention they are disenfranchised republicans and moderate to conservative democrats who have had it with the political machines. They do not like where both parties have taken our country and state.

By their very purpose in life political machines are like government bureaucrats, trying to expand their power and influence to feed their feelings of self-importance. As people are coming to realize they don’t care about us; but, simply want to use us to feed their egos and feelings of self importance.

I was talking to some democrats and they couldn’t believe why the republicans have so much infighting and attacking each other. Obviously, they have been hearing the same things that Matt, I and our supporters have. I guess when you tell the establishment to bug off, they have to try to hurt you so anyone else who sees the problems within the political structure power brokers and king makers try to make sure the rebellion comes to an end.

If you noticed the democrats haven’t been wasting a lot of time attacking republicans, on a local level, because they know they don’t have to because we have a toxic venomous group attacking other republicans. So it is no longer important to promote republican principles and ideas, it has to be choreographed by the political power brokers. What you are seeing is the last gasps of antique thinking and emergence of people who are no longer listening to them.

Maybe it is just the people I talk to; but, most say they care more about the candidate and their message than they do who what party they belong to. Once the republicans adapt to this political change they will be able to come out strong. The democrats, in my opinion, have not been able to stand alone on the issues. Their candidates are being fed the standard line cool aid and everyone knows their arguments cannot defend their political positions. For whatever reasons they cannot admit that they screwed up the state and federal government and are just being fed info to justify what they did. The voters can see through this and it will cost the democrats major votes. If they are unwilling to realize and admit what caused the problem it is going to be hard to work with them to fix it.

The republicans will probably win by default, no matter how dumb we act or who attacks who. Where the problem lies is will they work together should they get elected. The answer will probably be no, the newbie’s will follow the republican platform and leadership right over the cliff. In other words, as one of my supporters put it, every nut that signed up will win. She actually made me chuckle for quite awhile over that one.

Exeter-Stratham and North Hampton have a tendency to buck the political trend and vote for the candidate and the message instead of the party so I would be quite cautious in having victory parties before the votes are counted.

I think the break for the district 13 states rep races will be somewhere around 4-4 or 5-3, breaking even or in favor of republicans. I’m still watching the state senate race and the governor’s council race.

I believe the voters will stay with the candidates that have the best message and who and what candidate and message the voters relate too.

MATT'S EMAIL!!

2010-10-01T13:24:00.002-04:00

For anyone who has sent Matt an email and didn't get a response here is why. Matt's lap top has been down since July and now that it is up and running he had over 3,000 emails going back to July. Most of which got deleted so if you wonder why you didn't a response you know why; please resend your emails to mjquandt@comcast.net and he will get to them. Matt was trying to answer his emails off of his blackberry; but, that didn't work out very well. He is up and running and waiting for your discussions.

Thanks,

Lee

THE QUANDT PARTY!!!

2010-09-19T09:32:00.000-04:00

When Matt and I decided not to run with the tri town, supposedly, one of their co-chairs referred to us as the “Quandt Party”; everybody that heard that including us thought that was hilarious. We just wanted to be left alone and run our own campaign; but, that was not to be.

As the word went around the state that we formed a new party, all two of us, the laughs became louder, and everyone who heard of this knew where it was coming from.

Matt and I have held an election of officers and Bill Binnie was unanimously elected chairman and Bob Clegg is vice chairman (by two votes).

During the campaign the establishment attacked Bill for not backing off of his senate run against the hand picked choice to run. I like Bill, supported him and though overall he did a good job, had a good message and was the one to help get us out of the financial mess our country is in. But once again the message was over shadowed by the best smear campaign I’ve seen in years.

I’m a firm believer if you run a campaign that is based on lies, distortions and misinformation and should you win you forfeit the right to ask for unity from the people you smeared. This will be a very interesting general election. When Bob Smith was attacked and smeared by the republican establishment about 12 years ago a number of Smith supporters would not vote for the person who beat him, that person needed those votes in the last election and they were not there and now we have a democrat in that seat. That may not be reflective in this general election; but, in a close election down the road it will be.

Bob Clegg is a very kind rough and tumble construction company owner. He started digging ditches with a shovel and worked his way up. He can be generous to a fault but, always called in by the state house republican leadership to clean up the messes; I know I was there. Unfortunately, he is being attacked because of his support for Bill Binnie and his outspoken forth right style. Bob, who was the senate majority leader and cleaned up the state senates image of selling your vote for special interest money, is now a lobbyist and doing quite well. An honest lobbyist we can deal with a crooked one, no thanks.

Bob is under attack by establishment republicans who are mad he went against the establishment’s candidate, well get over it and let the voters pick their candidates and stop trying to control us all the time. Now we have to go through the punishment phase to show everyone what happens when you don’t bow to the elitists who are giving the orders and making our decisions for us.

But to Bob and Bill, not to worry you are now part of a different party, a party that puts people before politics and cares about doing the right thing, there may only be 4 of us right now but the message will catch on.

IT IS TIME FOR A SHORT WREST!!!

2010-09-19T08:54:00.000-04:00

At least the negative campaigning and name calling should subside in the republican ranks while the democrats can crank up the rhetoric. It was interesting that I was targeted by republicans; it appears originating out of Stratham, making false accusations of some of my positions. Since it had to deal with abortion, I knew where it came from; couple that with a prominent member of a local political group supposedly made the statement, before the primary, that their mission was to see that the Quandts did not make it through the primary.

I knew when Matt and I decided to run independent of the establishment stuff like this would happen; I guess the local establishment doesn’t take rejection well.

The important thing is that the bond between the voters and the Quandts is still strong and our respect, affection and gratitude to the voters of Exeter-Stratham and North Hampton is still our commitment of putting you before the establishment.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your wonderful support in the primary.

Lee and Matt

ABSOLUTELY TASTELESS!!!

2010-09-06T13:41:00.001-04:00

I enjoy creative political ads and the more humor they put in them the better I like them, even if it is bad humor. Bill Binnie stayed positive until his numbers started to eclipse CK’s then the Cornerstone group started attacking him, then he came back after CK Aoyette, then CK came after him.

Binnie stopped the negative ads while CK is still doing them attacking Binnie. Then Lamontagne starts in on his ads against Binnie alluding to Binnie having money and trying to buy the campaign (Ovide doesn’t seem to have any money so he is attacking the one who does). OK, we all know money is evil and we all wish we had more of it so what’s the problem? I don’t care who has money or not, I want to know what they are going to do to fix the mess our country is in; it’s about issues stupid.

But what sticks in my craw, and I might just be sensitive to the situation, is CK doing campaign ads on the tragic death of a police officer in Manchester. There are some things that go far beyond common decency and political campaign protocol and campaigning off of a dead police officer or military person is one of them. This speaks volumes about the candidate’s character.

MY FRIEND MIKE DOWNING!!!

2010-09-05T18:20:00.000-04:00

Mike is running for Sheriff of Rockingham County in a crowded field. Mike is from Salem, NH and I knew him when he was trooper out of Troop A and also as a Salem Police Officer, when I was working as a State Probation/Parole Officer out of Derry.

Mike was always a good guy to work with, quiet, organized, capable and efficient. You couldn’t ask for a better person to work with, if you needed support on the street or police reports he made sure you had them.

Then when I and then Matt got elected to the house we found Mike in there as a legislator. We worked well together and Mike had an abundance of, not only brains; but, common sense. Mike was in the legislature for about three terms and then ran for the senate when Chuck Morse vacated the position to run for another office. Mike then did about 3 terms as a Senator. He was the assistant republican leader in the senate for the last couple of years. I could not tell you how many times Mike carried the republican message on legislation that made it to the senate. In other words he carried the republican water and party message.

Now he is coming back home to run for Sheriff. After all the hard work and message carrying he did for the republicans he is deserving of all of our support. After what has happened in the state politically it would have been a lot worse without Mike fighting for us. Now it is up to us to thank Mike for all of his hard work and his support for the people of Rockingham County.

Mike is an administrator, his quiet but effective style of management will be just what we need on the country level. His understanding of the duties of the Sheriff’s Office, emergency preparedness, process service, superior court security and inmate and criminal transportation for the courts (to name just a few), will go along way to improve the mission of the Sheriffs’ Office.

Please give Mike your vote on Sept. 14th.

Thank you,

Lee

THE ARROGANCE OF ELITISM!!!

2010-09-02T20:23:00.002-04:00

There was a recent letter to the editors from the treasurer of the Tri Town Republican group attacking Bill Binnie for having too much money and calling republicans who disagree with the tri-town malcontents. That’s a lot of name calling for one letter; I don’t think I can match that.

The letter writer, when he was chairman of tri-town, if I remember right was a big backer of Craig Benson. I don’t have anything against Craig; but, I think he was rich and spent about 13 million dollars to win the governor’s seat only to find out that politically it was one of the weakest positions in the state.

Then he talks about lobbyists. I don’t think Binnie is taking a lot of money off of lobbyists while his opponent Kelly Ayotte’s campaign is pretty much funded by special interest, political machine and out of state money. So it makes me chuckle when someone from Westchester County, NY (I think that is where a lot of rich hoity toitys live) complains about people who have money, spend it the way they want and do not run around like beggars to lobbyists and big corporations.

This very attitude is why Matt and I decided after the last election not to run with the tri-town. We are not and have never been supportive of this kind of attitude. If you read my blog I have worked hard at explaining what I think is wrong with our political structure/parties in NH. I love it when someone steps and gives a good example of what I’ve been talking about.

The following link sums it up: http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/214899/charged-business-gave-to-ayotte

BILL BINNIE A LIBERAL???

2010-08-29T13:10:00.003-04:00

The republican political machine is continuing making the same old mistakes. We all have to pass a DNA or litmus test to prove we are conservative enough to be a republican. The further to the right you go, the more republican you are. So now we have the test questions to our final exam on how to be a good republican. I always thought that a strong fiscal conservative and keeping government as small and efficient as possible was a conservative.

We are not the only party having identity problems. Just look at the fight going on in the second congressional district between Katrina Swett and Annie Kuster. Kuster is running as the screaming liberal progressive trying to paint Katrina as a moderate democrat. I guess poor Katrina is just not good enough to be a democrat.

We have so many special interest groups that are off the radar for common sense. Pro life, pro abortion, pro capital punishment, anti capital punishment, tree huggers, tree choppers, speed limits on the lakes, water shed advocates, protect our lakes, right to work, pro worker; the list can be enormous. Unfortunately, most are out of state groups that about as crazy as an out house mouse. If you disagree with any of them they’ll come after you politically with outrageous attack ads. Unfortunately these attacks can be affective because the readers do not know the full facts and buy into the message.

Kelly Ayotte did get Governor Lynch to kill the castle doctrine bill. The message was that it would cause kids to get killed in shopping centers because of shoot outs and drug dealers killing each other. It was off the wall; but, now she is denying it and has a couple of State Senators attacking the messenger, Senate majority leader Bob Clegg by trying to paint Clegg as a liberal. I like talking about this because Clegg is one of the strongest common sense conservatives in the state. This is what is going on in both parties, why would anyone with good old Yankee common sense want to be part of this?

I’m a conservative republican, I like to think that I am mostly a main stream conservative republican who supports my constituents more than I do the political king makers. I like working with and helping people. I think that is what we should be doing and stop wasting our time name calling and infighting. In short both parties have lost their message and direction and that is why we have the infighting and name calling. When C.K. Ayotte went negative when Binnie started to pass her by in the polls, created a situation nobody wanted. Now, Bill Binnie has taken the lead on getting back on track while C.K. is still running the negative ads and wallowing in the mud.

Bill Binnie is main stream republican that will work with anyone. Has he donated to democrats, YES. Just because you’re a democrat it doesn’t mean you can’t have republican friends. I have some good democratic friends that I personally like and respect that allow Matt and me to put signs up on their lawns and I have done very well by working with both sides of the isle in the legislature to get the job done. Who I talk to or buy a cup of coffee for or sit and talk to, is not as important as to getting the job done and, the job that the voters elect us to do; Bill Binnie is just such a man, he is focused on getting the job done. I believe he is a person that I can trust and I know he cares about people and that means a lot to me.

I think that C.K.’s campaign is out of control and it is her campaign managers and the republican political machine that owns this. I never knew C.K. as being a mean, nasty individual when I was working with her in the legislature this campaign is totally out of character for her.

IF YOU ARE CRAZY, DON’T ACT CRAZY AND NOBODY WILL KNOW!!!

2010-08-24T21:20:00.003-04:00

As a young police officer back from Vietnam a much older cop told me, never be the first one into a fight, never issue a ticket in the rain or snow, and always know where the best luncheon specials are. In a strange sort of way it all made sense to me.

Now we have C. K. Ayotte’s campaign attacking the state workers for being liberal. Well I have some news that many people do not understand. There are roughly 10,000 state workers. They are pretty much broken down along the same lines and numbers as the general population of NH; about 3,000, 3000 and 3000. That is Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Totally, they have connections or input to between 35,000-50,000 voters. So, in my opinion you have to be crazy to go out of your way to pick a fight with them. C.K., you started this and was the first one into the fight.

Now Kelly who I always liked seems to have slipped a gear and in my opinion is nuts to do this. So her campaign is calling everyone names that disagrees with her and calls them liars. The strain of the campaign could be getting through to her or the other theory is that she is not running her campaign and the state party and D.C. insiders are because this is not the NH way.

A good example is calling Senator Bob Clegg a liberal. If they wanted to call Clegg a southern end of a north bound horse, I could find some agreement; but, a liberal come on CK and party establishment, that is not even close to being believable.

Because of the attack against our hardworking state workers the State Employees have issued a press release which follows:

“Contact: Jay Ward, Political Organizer

(603) 271-3411 x110

SEA Responds to Ayotte Campaign
Statement by State Employees' Association Political Organizer Jay Ward

Kelly Ayotte's campaign is attempting to marginalize the 10,000
hardworking New Hampshire residents who are members of the State
Employees' Association. But her campaign got the facts wrong. The SEA
is not "left-leaning" - our members include Republicans, Democrats and
Independents in almost equal portions. One-third of our membership is
registered Republican - and we have endorsed both Republican and
Democratic candidates in elections.

We find it offensive when any candidate's campaign takes shots at our
members and their politics. SEA members work for the residents of New
Hampshire - plowing roads, digging trenches, taking care of our elderly
veterans, helping at-risk children. Our members respond to the floods
and the ice storms when everyone else heads home and seeks shelter. Yet
Kelly Ayotte's campaign is now taking aim at the SEA.

If Kelly Ayotte believes that the Republican and independent members of
the State Employees' Association aren't good enough to vote for her in
the primary, then we have heard her message loud and clear. We will be
certain to pass that message on to anyone who might have thought she was
open to representing all citizens of New Hampshire - including those of
us who belong to organizations like the SEA”

Anybody that goes out looking for fight they don’t need, I think might slipping away from reality or reading too many of her own press releases, in other words and in my opinion, crazy.

When I was a Probation/Parole Officer I use to tell people on my caseload, “if you don’t act crazy I won’t treat you like you were. If you act crazy, I will treat you like your crazy and you are going to a shrink, the choice is yours”. You would be surprised to see how many people self adjusted.

So C.K. stop with the crazy name calling routine, you are just wasting a lot of money and making people mad. Please talk issues so everyone can have a clean issue oriented debate and respect the candidates.

WHO CARES????

2010-08-22T12:21:00.001-04:00

Bill Binnie is closer to winning this senate race than I realized. At one point, I was told; his polling numbers surpassed his opponents. Then the surrogate right wing groups started attacking him. They do this at the request of the political establishment in conjunction with the candidate’s knowledge; but, the candidate who ok’s this feigns ignorance so to look like their hands are clean. Then the candidate who gets smeared fights back and the candidate who started it claims they are resorting to mud slinging or negative campaigning. This happened to me once and it was done and directed by the Republican State Party.

If we all remember Bill Binnie ran a squeaky clean campaign before his numbers closed on Kelly Ayotte. In panic the “political mean machine” establishment started attacking Bill for being a liberal. So it is obvious that my fellow republicans are ambidextrous, they not only can call democrats names; but, are good at calling each other names. Bill fought back and threw a few in their direction. Now the people who started this and keeping it up behind the scenes are (at least in public) calling for an end to this while they are still promoting it. Trying to paint Bill Binnie as a liberal is like painting the statute of liberty pink, the color just doesn’t work.

This is the politics of personal destruction, name calling and causing the voters to continue to go independent to get away from the political establishments (both democrat and republican) who are doing this.

Who really cares about the name calling? I want more discussion on the issues that are going to put people back to work, I want more discussion on reducing the costs of health insurance and health care delivery. I want to hear more about protecting our borders, finishing up the mess in Afghanistan, and taking care of those veterans who are coming home with wounds and stress issues. I want to know, and hear, more about their plans to motivate the economy so my retirement accounts stop hemorrhaging.

I was talking to a well placed democrat who supports Matt and me, and he said how this fight is unbelievable and the talk of the town amongst the democratic activists. They agreed with my last blog about not being able to come together and also invigorating the democrats for reducing their political losses in the next election.

Even the big shots at the Manchester Union Leader jumped in attacking Binnie with some very fuzzy facts; alleging Bill moved some of his plastics production to Mexico while keeping some in LA. Okay, we are no longer a producing country (unless you want to count the dummies that are doing all the name calling and the phony candidates behind them). Go to Wal-Mart, Target, and Arjays, find something made in the US, and don’t count the cashiers. Why is this happening? It’s the government forcing our production overseas. Our car parts are made in Mexico, our vans are made in Canada and we have to push 1 for English. I want to hear how they are going to turn this trend around and our country can again become friendly to small business to hire more people and get our country back to work.

I am not trying to tear down the Republican Party. I want them to LISTEN and hear what people want and are saying. I want the party to regain their political footing as the party of the people. Not just bar room brawlers who like to call people names and diminish the cherished respect we once had.

BILL BINNIE STANDS FOR WHAT IS RIGHT!!

2010-08-18T10:03:00.002-04:00

To my supporters:

Today Governor Sununu, Chairman of the Republican Party, sent a letter to all candidates for US Senate and other offices, urging the campaigns to stick to the issues and not to engage in comparative or negative campaigning. It is a great idea, but sadly too late.

During the last year we have run a positive campaign only on the issues. Every commercial we’ve done, every speech I’ve given through August 16th has been positive to the issues or properly comparative on issues: jobs, spending, the economy – great challenges that need to be fixed.

In return, five of the last six state chairmen have written viciously negative attacks on me that were untrue. An outside group was brought in by my opponents to engage in negative advertising, which were found by the nationally-recognized and respected organization Factcheck.org to be distortions and lies.

The state party itself even reprinted and sent out the negative press release from the attack group that came into our state to hurt us.

To ask for candidates to be positive and not to recognize that some campaigns have been viciously negative for weeks is to blatantly close one’s eyes to reality.

I am proud of my campaign, I am proud of what I believe in and I believe the people of New Hampshire want someone who will fight for his ideals and fight for the state.

I will not back away from my engagement in this campaign on the issues and I will not walk away from defending myself.

The people of New Hampshire want and deserve someone who is not part of the insider machine and who will be their voice in Washington.

I will, with your support, continue to fight for everything we believe in and most importantly good government and common sense solutions to our problems.

In the coming days I will need your help and support.

There are rough days ahead and I am ready. With your help we will bring the sweeping reform to Washington and New Hampshire we deserve.

Sincerely,

Bill Binnie

CAUTION: POLITICS CAN BE HAZEDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH!!!

2010-08-16T16:47:00.002-04:00

Politics has taken a noticeable turn for the worst in NH with the new attacks by the surrogate Republican Party affiliates. People knew from this year’s political beginning that the Republican Party picked candidates in the primary. I hear them say this isn’t true; but, the fingerprints are on the murder weapon. Kelly Ayotte was actively recruited by the establishment and supported by the, not only the state but the national republican party. Then along comes Bill Binnie and decides to run also. Binnie runs a clean issue oriented campaign; I met him, talked to him, listened to him and endorsed him.

His message and knowledge of business and doing business internationally is respected. As his message resonated and polling numbers drew closer between Binnie and Ayotte the vicious attacks began; there went the clean issue oriented campaign that drew my attention. One of the far right republican attack groups went after Binnie with TV and radio adds only to get body slammed by factcheck.org as being mostly distortions or lies. Now he’s being attacked for supposedly closing a factory and moving it to Mexico when the reality is he moved the factory to a newer facility 7 miles from the old one, and he opened a factory in Mexico. How this became a bad thing in the minds of the party leaders; I’m still trying to figure this one out.

Many of us older republicans can remember when the national republican party went after Bob Smith and left a huge credibility deficit within the party. Bob lost his primary against his opponent. Then more recently they went after Bob Clegg, a state senator and respected republican leader from Hudson when he ran against the party chosen candidate from the second congressional district. Now I hear they are doing the same thing to Bob Guida from Warren (remember these are all republicans) who is running against their chosen candidate in the second CD.

Although the republican establishment denies this; please don’t call me stupid unless you were one of my teachers at the Exeter Public Schools. It is obvious what is going on and the talk of the political town behind the scenes.

My suspicion is the party will not come together after the primary, end of argument, won’t happen. The philosophical split between the old style political machine and the people first philosophy may cause the organization of a new party. A party of fiscal conservatism, inclusiveness and concern for what is good for the voters not what is good for the king makers that are calling the political shots in NH.

I don’t like being controlled; I am a firm believer in freedom of speech, expression and thought. Our State and country are in very deep trouble, I think we all can see and feel it on a daily basis. We see jobs lost, government expanding as well as government spending, debt climbing through the roof and our political leadership reading from a 30 year old political handbook. We need every bit of common sense we can find to solve these problems let's pick the best most qualified candidates.

Lee

A GREAT MAN PASSED THIS WAY!!!

2010-08-07T21:56:00.003-04:00

GEN Stanley McChrystal’s remarks on the occasion of his retirement ceremony, 23 July 2010, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.

GEN. MCCHRYSTAL: This is frustrating. I spent a career waiting to give a retirement speech and lie about what a great soldier I was. Then people show up who were actually there. It proves what Doug Brown taught me long ago; nothing ruins a good war story like an eyewitness.

To show you how bad it is, I can't even tell you I was the best player in my little league because the kid who was the best player is here tonight. In case you're looking around, he's not a kid anymore.

But to those here tonight who feel the need to contradict my memories with the truth, remember I was there too. I have stories on all of you, photos on many, and I know a Rolling Stone reporter. (Laughter.) (Applause.)

Look, this has the potential to be an awkward or even a sad occasion. With my resignation, I left a mission I feel strongly about. I ended a career I loved that began over 38 years ago. And I left unfulfilled commitments I made to many comrades in the fight, commitments I hold sacred.

My service did not end as I would have wished, and there are misperceptions about the loyalty and service of some dedicated professionals that will likely take some time but I believe will be corrected.

Still, Annie and I aren't approaching the future with sadness but with hope and iPhones. And my feelings for more than 34 years I spent as an Army officer are a combination of surprise that any experience could have been as rich and fulfilling as mine was and gratitude for the comrades and friends we were blessed with.
That's what I feel. And if I fail to communicate that effectively tonight, I'll simply remind you that Secretary Gates once told me I was a modern Patton of strategic communications. (Laughter.) Fair point.

So if we laugh tonight, it doesn't mean all these years have not been important to me. It means the opposite; that every day and every friend were gifts I treasure and I need to celebrate.

But first, I need to address two questions that we've been asked often lately. The first is: What are you going to do? Actually, Annie is the one who's asking me that. I'm thinking I'd be a good fashion consultant and spokesman for Gucci -- (laughter) -- but they haven't called.

The other question is always asked a bit tentatively. How are you and Annie doing? We did spend some years apart, but we're doing well. And I am carrying some of what I learned into retirement.

First, Annie and I are reconnecting. And now, we're up on Skype with each other. Of course, we never did that all the years I was 10,000 miles away, but now we can connect by video link when we're 15 feet apart. And I think she really likes that. (Laughter.)

I was so enthused I tried using Skype for a daily family VTC -- (laughter) -- where I could get updates and pass out guidance, but there's some resistance to flatter and faster in the McChrystal household.

The same is true for the tactical directive I issued soon after my return. It's reasonable guidance: One meal a day, early-morning PT, the basics of a good family life. (Laughter.)

But I've gotten a few night letters, and Annie's stocking up on ammonium nitrate fertilizer -- (laughter) -- which is strange since our new yard is smaller than this podium.

Although the insurgency is relatively small -- one woman -- she's uninterested in reintegration. (Laughter.) I assess the situation as serious and, in many ways, deteriorating. (Laughter.)
Mr. Secretary, look at her. I'm thinking at least 40,000 troops. (Laughter.) (Applause.)

Let me thank everyone for being here. This turnout is truly humbling. Here tonight are my wife and son, my four brothers, two nephews, mentors, comrades from countless phases of my career, and some special guests whose service and sacrifice are impossible to describe with words.

But because this crowd is pretty big, for good order and discipline, I've divided you all into four groups. Please remember your group number. (Laughter.)
Group 1 are all the people who accepted responsibility for making this ceremony work from the planners to the soldiers on the field. My apologies for all the time you spend in the heat. You're special people. And in my mind, you also represent soldiers all over the world. You have my sincere appreciation.

The second group -- (applause). The second group is distinguished servants of all
nations who have taken time from your often-crushing schedules to be here. And thanks for your years of support and friendship. I got you out of the office early on Friday.

Group 3 are warriors of all ranks, and that includes many who don't wear a uniform but defend our nation with whom I have shared aircraft, VTCs, remote outposts, frustrations, triumphs, laughs and a common cause for many years. You are not all here. Some of you are deployed and in the fight. Others rest across river in Arlington. Most of the credit I've received actually belongs to you. It has been your comradeship that I have considered the greatest honor of my career.

Finally, Group 4 is all those who've heard we're having two kegs of beer in the backyard after my ceremony. This group includes a number of my classmates from West Point, old friends, most of the warriors from Group 3, and some others who defy accurate description. Anyone already carrying a plastic cup might be considered the vanguard of Group 4. (Laughter.) Everyone here today is invited to join.
To Secretary Gates, I want to express my personal thanks, certainly, for your generous remarks but more for your wisdom and leadership which I experienced firsthand in each of my last three jobs. Your contribution to the nation and to the force is nothing short of historic.

Similarly, I want to thank the many leaders, civilian and military, of our nation beginning with President Obama for whom and with whom I was honored to serve. Whether elected, appointed or commissioned, the common denominator of selfless service has been inspiring.

As COM ISAF, I was provided a unique opportunity to serve alongside the professionals of 46 nations under the leadership of NATO. We were stronger for the diversity of our force, and I'm better for the experience.

My thanks, also, to the leadership and people of Afghanistan for their partnership, hospitality and friendship. For those who are tempted to simplify their view of Afghanistan and focus on the challenges ahead, I counter with my belief that Afghans have courage, strength and resiliency that will prove equal to the task.

My career included some amazing moments and memories, but it is the people I'll remember. It was always about the people. It was about the soldiers who are well-trained but, at the end of the day, act out of faith in their leaders and each other; about the young sergeants who emerge from the ranks with strength, discipline, commitment and courage.

As I grew older, the soldiers and sergeants of my youth grew older as well. They became the old sergeants, long-service professionals whose wisdom and incredible sense of responsibility for the mission and for our soldiers is extraordinary.

And the sergeants major -- they were a national treasure. They mold and maintain the force and leaders like me. They have been my comrade, confidante, constructive critic, mentor and best friend.

A little more than a year ago on a single e-mail, Command Sergeant Major Mike Hall came out of retirement, leaving a job, his son and his amazing wife Brenda to join me in Afghanistan. To Mike, I could never express my thanks. To Brenda, I know after all these years, I owe you. I also love you.

To true professionals like Sergeants Major Rudy Valentine, Jody Nacy, Steve Cuffie, CW Thompson, Chris Craven, Jeff Mellinger and Chris Farris, your presence here today is proof that, when something is truly important, like this ceremony, you're on hand to make sure I don't screw it up.

I've been blessed with the presence of old friends throughout my career, friendships that began long ago at West Point, Forts Benning, Bragg, Lewis or countless other locations and shared years of Army life, moving vans, kids, laughs, disappointments, and each other's successes which grew into bonds that became critical on the battlefield.

I treasure a note I received during a particularly tough time in Afghanistan in 2007 from fellow commander, Dave Rodriguez, that quoted Sherman's confidence that, if he ever needed support, he knew his friend Grant would come to his aid if alive. Serving with people who say and mean such words is extraordinary.

I served with many. Many of you are here tonight. And not all the heroes are comrades are in uniform. In the back of a darkened helicopter over Kunar, Afghanistan, in 2004, a comrade in blue jeans whose friendship I cherish to this day passed me a note. Scribbled on a page torn from a pocket notebook, the note said, "I don't know the Ranger Creed, but you can count on me to always be there." He lived up to his promise many times over.

To have shared so much with and been so dependent on people of such courage, physical and moral, integrity and selflessness taught me to believe.
Annie's here tonight. No doubt she walked the 50 feet from our front door in cute little Italian shoes of which we have an extensive collection. (Laughter.) In Afghanistan, I once considered using Annie's shoe purchases as an argument to get Italy to send additional forces. (Laughter.) But truth be known, I have no control over that part of the McChrystal economy. (Laughter.)

But she's here like she's always been there when it mattered. Always gorgeous. For three and a half years, she was my girlfriend then fiancée and, for over 33 years, she's been my wife.

For many years, I've joked, sometimes publicly, about her lousy cooking, terrifying closets, demolition derby driving and addiction to M&M candy, which is all true. But as we conclude a career together, it's important for you to know she was there.
She was there when my father commissioned me a second lieutenant of infantry and was waiting some months later when I emerged from Ranger School. Together, we moved all we owned in my used Chevrolet Vega to our first apartment at Fort Bragg. The move, with our first days in our $180-a-month apartment, was the only honeymoon I was able to give her, a fact she has mentioned a few times since.

Annie always knew what to do. She was gracious when she answered the door at midnight in her nightgown to fight Sergeant Emo Holtz, a huge mortarman, carrying a grocery bag of cheap liquor for a platoon party I'd hastily coordinated that evening and not told Annie about following a Friday night jump. I got home not long after to find Annie making food for assembling paratroopers. Intuitively, Annie knew what was right and quietly did it.

With 9/11, she saw us off to war and patiently supported the families of our fallen with stoic grace. As the years passed and the fight grew ever more difficult and deadly, Annie's quiet courage gave me strength I would never otherwise have found.
It's an axiom in the Army that soldiers write the checks but families pay the bills. And war increases both the accuracy of that statement and the cost families pay.

In a novel based on history, Steven Pressfield captured poignantly just how important families were and, I believe, are today. Facing an invading Persian army under King Xerxes, a coalition of Greek states sent a small force to buy time by defending the pass at Thermopylae and were led by 300 special, selected Spartans.

The mission was desperate and death for the 300 certain.
Before he left to lead them, the Spartan king, Leonidas, explained to one of the Spartan wives how he had selected the 300 from an entire army famed for its professionalism, courage and dedication to duty.

"I chose them not for their valor, lady, but for that of their women. Greece stands now upon her most perilous hour. If she saves herself, it will not be at the gates. Death alone awaits us and our allies there but later in battles yet to come by land and sea.

"Then Greece, if the gods will it, will preserve herself. Do you understand this, lady? Well, now, listen, when the battle is over, when the 300 have gone to death, then all Greece will look to the Spartans to see how they bear it. But who, lady, will the Spartans look to? To you. To you and the other wives and mothers, sisters and daughters of the fallen.

"If they behold your hearts riven and broken with grief, they too will break and Greece will break with them. But if you bear up, dry eyed, not alone enduring your loss but seizing it with contempt for its agony and embracing it as the honor that it is in truth, then Sparta will stand and all Greece will stand behind her.
"Why have I nominated you, lady, to bear up beneath this most terrible of trials, you and your sisters of the 300? Because you can."

To all who wear no uniform but give so much, sacrifice so willingly and serve as such an example to our nation and each other, my thanks.

As I leave the Army, to those with responsibility to carry on, I'd say, service in this business is tough and often dangerous. It extracts a price for participation, and that price can be high.

It is tempting to protect yourself from the personal or professional costs of loss by limiting how much you commit, how much of belief and trust in people, and how deeply you care. Caution and cynicism are safe, but soldiers don't want to follow cautious cynics. They follow leaders who believe enough to risk failure or disappointment for a worthy cause.

If I had it to do over again, I'd do some things in my career differently but not many. I believed in people, and I still believe in them. I trusted and I still trust. I cared and I still care. I wouldn't have had it any other way.
Winston Churchill said we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. To the young leaders of today and tomorrow, it's a great life. Thank you. (Applause.)

NO POLITICS TODAY!!!

2010-08-02T20:33:00.001-04:00

I need to tell you why I have not been around as much as I use to. During the last legislative session the democrats stuck it to the state retirees so bad it raised concerns with many of us retirees if we would even have a retirement. The state’s word is like most politicians, it is meaningless so we just don’t know what to expect in the future. So what I did is went to real old fashioned scissors, comb and razor barbering school. It is located in Concord and the only old style barbering school in Maine, NH, and VT.

I could have sat back and waited for the Obama entitlement programs to catch up to me; but, I’ve always worked for what I wanted and needed and didn’t take much to hand outs, oops, entitlement programs.

The school was 10 hours or more a day and two hours of traveling each day and about 4 hours a day studying didn’t really leave me much time for blogging or reporting on what is going on politically.

Matt and I have been busy putting signs together and trying to make our political office presentable; I don’t know if we can ever make it presentable; but it is cleaner and there is beer, wine, soda and water in the refrigerator.

Bill Binnie came down to the office and gave a presentation to about 15 of our friends and supporters. I never had a chance to talk to Bill before that day; but, I liked him. He spoke for about 20 minutes and never once referred to the canned republican talking points about the evil democrats, etc, etc, etc. He spoke of things I wanted to hear about, the economy, veterans, and social security putting people back to work and just did a great job. I liked him and will be supporting him.

The next person I really like is Mike Downing who is a state senator and prior to that a state rep. Mike, Matt and I worked together in the legislature and he is a great person with an extensive law enforcement background and has administrative abilities. He is a former state trooper and Salem, NH detective and quite capable. I did deal with Mike before I retired as a probation/parole officer and he was a good person to deal with. He’ll make an excellent Sheriff.

I don’t know much about the candidates for state rep in district 13, Exeter, Stratham and N.Hampton, except they all seem nice enough and are out there working.

Matt and I went to the Stratham Fair and met huge numbers of people from this area that new us and gave us great words of encouragement. Matt ran into three guys who told him that they heard we were not running with the political establishment or machine and Matt told them that they heard right. One of them told Matt that he heard that the “Quandts started their own party”. Matt laughed and said he had heard that too. The gentlemen then said that the republican party is all over the place and they didn’t know what they’re thinking, the democratic party are all nuts and the only party that is consistent is the “Quandt Party”, now this drew some deep laughs from Matt and a couple of others who heard it. I guess what started as sarcasm and someone from the tri town throwing digs into us has turned into campaign material.

We will recruit disenfranchised democrats, independents and republicans who are looking for stable, consistent leadership that puts you and your families before party and special interests, with a history to prove that; WITH YOU WE CAN GET THE JOB DONE. Let’s show the political machines on both sides what can be done when the voters and their elected officials work together to resolve the issues. WE CAN DO IT, PEOPLE FIRST!!!

ROCK A BYE BUDGET: A LULLABY!!

2010-07-14T05:07:00.002-04:00

By Jeb Bradley

The Democratic authors of New Hampshire’s budget and its current $300 million deficit have accelerated into full spin campaign mode. They are chanting across New Hampshire that tough decisions were made, the budget is balanced, taxes are low, and the economy will recover.

Democrats are hoping to lull voters to sleep until November so nobody realizes the budget cradle is about to fall.

What did the budget package do and what are its authors not telling you?
First and foremost, overall state spending increased dramatically from $10.4 to $11.5billion, or 10.5% on top of a similar 11.2% increase in the previous budget.
Second, 38 taxes or fees were raised in this budget on top of 29 in the previous budget. Some of the most notable hikes were the LLC Income Tax on small business owners, the Camping Tax, higher Rooms and Meals Taxes, more cigarette taxes, a tax on gambling winnings, higher boat and car registration fees, and higher highway tolls. Many Democrats also tried to implement a capital gains tax, an estate tax, remove a key business tax credit, and raise the gasoline tax. They also shortchanged cities and towns by nearly $100 million which has the perverse impact of raising homeowner’s property taxes. The LLC and Camping Tax proved so toxic to the NH economy even those who proposed them without a public hearing, capitulated and joined Republicans in repealing them.

Third, this budget relies on unprecedented one-time money which according to the non-partisan Legislative Budget Assistant approaches $800 million. These one-time dollars include unspecified sale of state assets, unsustainable amounts of abnormal borrowing, and federal stimulus funds exceedingly unlikely to ever be replicated. In fact, $48 million federal dollars that New Hampshire budget authors relied upon to fill the current $300 million hole has been tabled by Congress.

Fourth, due to one-time money the next budget confronts a much more daunting deficit. Having already voted for and implemented 67 separate tax and fee hikes in the current and previous budgets and having tried to pass several more notable tax hikes, it’s no wonder why Democrats are trying to lull voters to sleep.

If Democrats control the Legislature in 2011, voters can expect they will have the Tax-Man on speed dial. Facing unprecedented budget deficits, they are likely to call for income and sales taxes – perhaps both.

With 50,000 of our neighbors recently unemployed in New Hampshire the stakes for economic recovery in November could not be higher. The key question for voters: does New Hampshire succumb to Democrat’s yearning for income and sales taxes? Or do we restructure and shrink state government to make it less costly?
Voters deserve choices.

So what might less costly government involve.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, New Hampshire has the 10th most costly Medicaid system in the nation, 38% above the national average. Implementing managed care as many other states have – Blue and Red – and reducing costs to the national average, could save nearly $300 million. Our current fee for service Medicaid structure encourages over-utilization. States that have implemented managed care have saved money and maintained quality. It can be done here too.

Legislatively mandated changes to education funding will cost state taxpayers $140 million in the next budget. But 123 communities will lose funds and the statewide property tax will return with vengeance for 42 communities. Maintaining the existing formula saves $140 million until a Constitutional Amendment that allows targeted state aid to communities most in need can finally be presented to voters.
Budget reform is long overdue. Currently department heads must submit budget proposals which maintain existing services – a built-in prescription for ever-more costly government. The law should be changed to require department heads to also propose a 5% budget reduction so that the Legislature can set priorities and achieve savings.

With a $7 billion unfunded liability in our public employee retirement system, reform is also overdue. Taxpayers can no longer shoulder the overwhelming burden of paying for retirement benefits most taxpayers can only dream about for themselves. Further we should look to states like Indiana to achieve significant savings in health care costs for public employees.
Other ideas for savings include consolidating human resource functions across departments, consolidating contracting for human service providers, and increased home confinement for non-violent offenders.

Structural reforms are necessary to protect taxpayers including a line-item veto for governors and protection from frivolous legal challenges for voter approved local tax caps.

So let’s have this debate about the looming budget train wreck. It’s healthy to debate big ideas – higher taxes vs. shrinking government. Please remember, those humming the Rock A Bye Budget Lullaby also know the bough is breaking and when the cradle falls --- it will be right into taxpayer’s pockets.

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JEB BRADLEY FOR STATE SENATE, EUGENE LEONE TREASURER

Jeb Bradley for State Senate 645 SOUTH MAIN STREET WOLFEBORO, NH 03894

TO THOSE REPUBLICANS!!

2010-07-11T09:33:00.001-04:00

Well, we continue doing it to ourselves. The Nashua Telegraph, Kevin Landrikan’s column had an article about how Judd Gregg was able to use his office to stop a Bill Binnie fund raiser and got it turned to a Kelly Ayotte fund raiser. We all know Kelly is an establishment candidate, recruited and supported by the NH. Republican Party establishment; but, this is outrageous and show why so many republicans are going independent.

I’m not worried about the exodus because those who go independent are still followers of the republican philosophy of less government, less spending, educational competition and believers in you as individuals not cattle or sheep to be herded around by those who think they are smarter, richer and better than the rest of us. It is going to take a little more time before the establishment realizes they are about 30 yrs behind the times in trying to control the political process and candidates.

After being attacked and threatened by some members of the political establishment, mostly coming out of Stratham, more and more people are realizing that the political establishments in both parties are losing support. They are also losing respect and this can cause control freaks to panic and continue to dig a deeper hole. I don’t now who said it; but, the old saying of “if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging” comes to mind. The bottom line is, you get it, I get it, and the establishment doesn’t get it.

I sincerely thank those people who understand the problems with the establishment and thank you all for your continued support of our efforts to bring about change from within.

Matt and I are gearing up for a tough primary and are looking forward to the challenge of once again, running as republicans with out the support of the king makers. Our philosophy of “people first” is going to be in the for front of our campaign.

A WISH AND A PRAYER!!

2010-06-30T17:12:00.003-04:00

"A Wish and a Prayer"

By Jeb Bradley

So said the Concord Monitor in their June 13th Editorial titled “Not a State Budget to be Proud Of.” How did the Democratic controlled New Hampshire Legislature get into such a predicament?

Spending has jumped by 10.5% while revenues fell through the floor --- $102 million behind the estimate for the first eleven months of this fiscal year. Leading the revenue plunge are business taxes – off $43 million, rooms and meals taxes ---off $20million, and interest and dividends taxes --- off a whopping $27 million. With the economic recovery anemic at best, revenues are not likely to improve any time soon.

On top of that, the effort to simply expropriate $110 million from a doctor’s medical liability fund (JUA) was deemed to be an unconstitutional taking of private property. All of which created a budget deficit estimated at $300 million by June 2011 when books close – up from a $220 million projection just in April.

Governor Lynch recently called a ‘Special Session’ of the Legislature to confront this alarming deficit – about 10% of the state’s General Fund. The package that emerged from the Special Session includes unprecedented borrowing and one-time revenue sources, uncertain receipt of federal funds, and unspecified sale of State property: The Credit Card.

The non-partisan Legislative Budget Assistant projects one-time revenue sources in the original budget and in the recent deficit package exceed $1 billion. Even excluding the $110 JUA raid and a $50 million reduction of funds that traditionally has gone to cities and towns to lower property taxes – this combined budget package relies upon a whopping 27% of one-time revenue for the General Fund. Nearly $200 million of that amount is unprecedented borrowing for operating expenses rather than capital investments such as buildings or bridges. Much of the balance of one-time revenue was federal stimulus funds.

Even stimulus funds may have reached their limit. Americans, fearful of a Greece-like debt crisis have sent Congress a message. Several incumbents have lost or barely survived recent primaries so Congress has yet to authorize more state aid. Thus $48 million of even more one-time federal money Legislators counted on is in limbo. Whoops – the check is not in the mail even though desperate Legislators are declaring it will be.

The deficit package also relies on unspecified sale of State property. While this idea may make sense, in a very soft real-estate market how likely is the State to receive reasonable value? When this idea was first proposed several weeks ago the estimated revenue proceeds were $50 million. Like magic, the revenue projections just jumped to $60 million. Presto: revenue grows when Legislators simply deem the real estate market has improved.

What about cuts? There were some cuts totaling $52 million but only 1.6% of the General Fund. This so-called $300 million deficit fix in reality is limited cuts, huge borrowing, and one-time revenue --- some of which may not even be real.

Where do all these maneuvers leave the budget? The authors claim the budget is now balanced, precisely what they predicted a year ago before it became a $300 million deficit. For the budget to balance now, they are counting on the unlikely prospect of revenue recovery.

The Prayer: what all the borrowing and one-time revenue does is allow the budget’s authors to cynically claim it is balanced for political purposes in November and pray they avoid the voter’s wrath for their spendthrift ways. But next year---facing nearly a billion dollar one-time revenue shortfall, New Hampshire will confront a fiscal train wreck.

While spending soared and the deficit grew, the numerous tax hikes over the last four years have hurt struggling families, besieged small businesses, while leaving New Hampshire less competitive for job growth or able to confront this looming deficit. In the previous budget, 29 taxes or fees were hiked. In this budget, 38 taxes or fees were raised including the job killing LLC Tax -- nothing more than an income tax on small businesses. The LLC Tax turned out to be so toxic to both small businesses and the Democrats who voted for it, that it was repealed. Even with the repeal, New Hampshire still has the worst corporate tax laws in the nation according to the non-partisan Tax Foundation.

Other warning signs from the Tax Foundation for our State include one of the highest levels of state debt per capita, being only slightly below the national average for state and local tax burden, and having among the higher levels of property taxes in the nation.

All these new taxes and warning signs in terms of national rankings are against the recent backdrop of 50,080 New Hampshire people being unemployed and the national pace of job growth anemic at best.

Four short years ago when change came to both Concord and Washington, the unemployment rate in New Hampshire was 3.6% and 26,865 people were unemployed. In April, the unemployment rate had soared to 6.7% and 50,080 were out of work. Having the worst corporate taxes and a Legislature willing to levy an income tax on small business owners is no way to get people back to work.

There are those legislators -- and now candidates -- who want to ignore the taxes, spending hikes, and deficits of the last four years and claim their stewardship of New Hampshire has been responsible. They point to other states in worse shape than New Hampshire, but ignore the fact that these other states have even higher levels of spending and taxation. Comparing New Hampshire to even more profligate states is no way to govern or help struggling families and small businesses.

The Wish: many of these same folks have always wished for income and sales taxes. Next year they will likely propose an income tax and a sales tax to close the budget hole they created. There could not be a clearer choice in November or a more important election for our State’s future.

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JEB BRADLEY FOR STATE SENATE, EUGENE LEONE TREASURER

WHEN REASON FAILS, TRY THREATENING!!!!

2010-06-13T06:16:00.001-04:00

After a few years and campaigns of strained relationships Matt and I decided to run independent of the republican political machine. WOW are they upset that they cannot control the process and the candidates. They have to try to stomp on us because if they don’t they will lose control of process and people might see that they do not represent them.

We told the Tri Town Committee that we would run our own campaign and did not want to run with them; we just wanted to run our own campaign and be independent of the establishment. There are people in the tri-town that we like and respect very much and those who we think are a little off psychological center. Then we signed up, like we did on so many other campaigns as republicans, had a very nice interview with Josh Clark from the News Letter and I thought our position was well articulated and reported (although a lot was discussed in the interview it couldn’t all be put in). The very next day a republican from Stratham was at the Lilac Luncheon in Nashua bashing us to anyone who would listen; claiming we called them all pigs and elitists, etc, etc and etc. Some humored her and others called us claiming they thought she was crazy and losing it. This is the same loyal republican that after the last election told people that she voted for Maggie Hassan. That is why we have the freedom to vote and support whomever we choose; but, stop being a hypocrite. I feel so sorry for her husband; he’s not a bad guy.

Then we get bashed by the good old boy Stratham clique telling friends of ours that they should stay away from us because we are going to lose the election because the republicans going to vote against us. I think this was the same little republican group that was working against us behind the scenes during the last election. I have a question; are we suppose to lose the primary or the general election?

We could very well lose the election; but, that choice is up to you the voters and not the animal farm clique of elitists that are trying to control the process and you the voters.

Just to define what I think an elitist is, it is not someone who has a lot of money, that is called being a capitalist and capitalism is good. It is an individual who thinks they should be part of the ruling class and are better than anyone else and since they are better than anyone else or (in their minds) better than anyone else, we should do what they tell us to do. These are the kinds of people you can’t work with but can only work for and are political control freaks.

If they want a real fight bring it on, we can talk about a republican house speaker who killed an effort, at the request of the special interests, to study combining, Securities, Banking and Insurance so the 80 million $’s in invested life savings probably wouldn’t happen like with the FRM scandal. We can talk about the effort to redefine what an unfair business practice was so we could close loopholes in the consumer protection law that was killed by our own republicans, and a candidate running for state senate, at the request of the lobbyists representing the special interests that Matt I fought on a daily basis. Bring it on and let’s make this a campaign of issues and not threats or attempted intimidations.

The democratic establishment is just as bad, it is all about money, power and influence so please don’t think the republican establishment has a lock on this type of bad political behavior.

To those people all I can say is your thinking is about 25-35 years behind the times and you have lost touch with the people of NH.

When Matt first ran I bought and made him read George Orwell’s Animal Farm book. I thought it would give him a better perspective of what he has to be careful of in politics specifically, don’t become what your replacing. In Matt’s case it worked, for those important people who are attacking us, my suggestion is read the book and stop acting stupid, throw some cold water on your face, take a couple of deep breaths and listen to yourselves.

STRONG PROVEN REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP SIGN UPS FOR THE LEGISLATURE!!!

2010-06-11T19:50:00.003-04:00

SEA Members Looking to Lead in the Legislature

This week, SEA members continued to file to be candidates for the New Hampshire Legislature.

Last Friday, retired Probation and Parole officer Lee Quandt filed seeking a return to the State House from Exeter. Lee had served in the Legislature for eight years from 1998-2002 and 2002-2008. When Lee served in the House, he never forgot his roots, supporting SEA and union members while also holding true to his roots as a fiscal conservative. Matt Quandt also filed for re-election, seeking his sixth term in the House.

Lee and Matt also accompanied Chapter 1 member Tim Copeland over to Stratham Town Hall, where Tim filed for his first run for the State Legislature. "I'm excited," said Tim. "I think that state employees and retirees were treated unfairly these past two years and I look forward to standing up for them in the Legislature if I get elected."

Also filing for a re-election to the State House was Chapter 1 member John Tholl, Jr., retired from the Department of Safety, who recently won a special election in Coos 2 with strong support from SEA members in the North Country. John had previously served five terms in the State House.

Rep. Deb Wheeler, a Chapter 1 member who previously worked at the Department of Revenue, filed for re-election as well. Deb has served two terms in the Legislature and has been a steadfast supporter of New Hampshire public employees and retirees. Deb went to SEIU candidate school this year and is ready to run her strongest campaign to date.

The filing deadline is tomorrow, Friday, June 11th. Contact SEA Government Relations Coordinator Brian Hawkins at 271-3411 x120 for more information about how SEA can help candidates run for office.

MATT, LEE AND TIM COPELAND SIGN UP FOR STATE REP!!!

2010-06-07T19:37:00.002-04:00

On Friday morning Tim Copeland, Stratham Selectman, Brian Hawkins, SEANH governmental affairs person, Lee and Matt Quandt met at the town offices for Matt and Lee to sign up for state rep. Tim and Brian, as well as Josh Clark from the Exeter News Letter, were there for the signing of the forms. After we signed up and was interviewed we went to Stratham with Tim to be with him when he signed up, that’s what friends do.

It was a cordial interview with Josh and he was quite probing on issues. Matt as usual came out with his Matt wisdom and likened the political establishments as pigs in George Orville’s book, Animal Farm. Some people are complaining that they were referred to as “pigs”, anybody with and ounce of brains that read the article could clearly see what the reference was. If they have never read the book then they should and maybe we wouldn’t have this discussion now. I bought Matt that book when he first ran. I wanted him to understand the downside of politics and power politics I think he has learned well and has done a good job in Concord representing his constituents. I know some of the book has stuck with him.

There appears to be a number of tweaked noses on our decision to run as republicans independent of the party machine. This has been a long time coming and the decision was not made lightly. Just to clarify our position, we are republicans, have always been republicans and I will die a republican. Both of us believe in the basic republican philosophy of the lesses: less spending, less government interference in your lives and less burdensome laws.

We are not supposed to know who; but, we were stabbed in the back by some so called loyal republicans in the last campaign. It is a small area and some who did told some of their friends who told us. OK, no problem both Matt and I are veterans, we defended their right to vote for whom they wish. On the other hand we fought for the right for us to make our own decisions and support whatever philosophy we want.

I have respect for both political parties and their leadership, as I do any candidate that runs for political office. I might think some of them are nuts; but, they’re willing to step up to the plate and do a thankless job for their constituents.

Matt and I signed up as republicans because that is who we are; we are just not establishment career politicians. We are not career politicians who want to use being a state rep as a stepping stone to higher office or as proof of our importance. You are the important ones because by voting for us we are obligated to represent you as the very best we can.

If the republican or democratic establishment is offended by our political assessment and wants to fight us politically, then that is their right. If they are smart they will look introspectively and see why there is some much disillusionment of both parties maybe this independent feeling from the political establishment of both parties will subside.

Although both parties want to control the voters and influence their votes, the choice of how you vote, what issues you support and what candidates you support is still a choice of a free electorate, a freedom that Matt and I have literally fought for.

I also have a daughter in Kabul carrying on the Quandt tradition of fighting for freedom and what we believe in.

FRM JEB BRADLEY!!

2010-05-21T09:44:00.002-04:00

Our core beliefs of limited government, fiscal restraint, low taxes, personal responsibility and individual freedoms are being pummeled by the Democrats. Our fight must start right now to save our state values!

The news from Concord could not be more alarming. Our state long known for prudent fiscal management currently confronts a $220 million deficit in this budget. The deficit picture in the next budget gets even worse – an almost unimaginable $600 million and counting as federal revenue disappears.

Given that backdrop – one might think that the Democrats who control the state Legislature would do what hard working families and small business owners across our state are doing: cutting expenditures.

Unfortunately that is not the case. In the last two budgets spending has increased by 23% followed by over 70 tax and fee increases including the job killing income tax on business owners, the LLC Tax, and numerous other taxes that have made New Hampshire less competitive.

Now it is time to pay the piper, but as I write this Concord Democrats are looking for clever ways to dig deeper into everyone’s wallet rather than trimming runaway spending. Under consideration are a Capital Gains Tax, an Estate Tax, the fifth increase in six years on tobacco and additional tax hikes on other tobacco products, increases in pet shop licensure fees, a new tax on electricity, hikes in the insurance premium taxes, and the old-standby, down shifting costs to cities and towns causing property tax hikes.

The Democrats who control the Legislature do not comprehend two simple facts: as a state we cannot continue this spending binge and hard working taxpayers are already maxed out.

The unemployment rate is out of sight and working families are struggling to find jobs and keep their jobs while small businesses across the state are fighting to stay in business.

What the folks who control the Legislature also don’t comprehend is the devastating impact these job killing taxes – especially business owner income taxes – are having on our economy. 52,508 of our friends and neighbors in New Hampshire are out of work. While national unemployment has begun to inch downward, ours has stubbornly stayed near its high. All these new taxes have already hurt our chances of recovery. Adding a Capital Gains and Estate Tax makes it ever more likely an income and sales tax are just over the horizon and these taxes will ensure that our economy continues to deteriorate while New Hampshire citizens remain out of work.

If you have been receiving these email updates over the year that I have served in the New Hampshire Senate you know what my top priorities are: economic recovery, cutting spending, repealing job killing taxes and curtailing the reach and control of big government into every corner of our lives.

It's time to say loudly and clearly that enough is enough!
If you believe as I do that we need to change priorities in Concord --- then I need your help. Please click here to visit my website and visit the Contributions page to make a contribution today.

Please consider donating $25, $50, $100, or even $250, $500, $1000 to my campaign for re-election to the New Hampshire Senate from District 3 in the Lakes Region and Mount Washington Valley.

Never has an upcoming election been so critical for our State’s future. Critical to assure we make tough spending decisions and reduce the growth in government.

Critical to assure we maintain our family values. Critical to assure New Hampshire does not enact a sales and income tax or new business taxes that will drive even more jobs away.

Thank you very much for your consideration and financial support. Together we can turn our state around in 2010.

House Democrats Ignore Revenue Warnings….Again

2010-05-21T08:34:00.001-04:00

Republicans Predict $360M Shortfall

Concord—Ignoring their mistake of three years ago when over-exuberant revenue estimates led to a huge state budget deficit, House Democrats are once again basing their budget on revenues that are totally unrealistic, given the current state of the economy.

Rep. Norm Major, a seven term veteran of the New Hampshire House and a former chairman of the House Ways & Means committee, first warned the majority party in April, 2007 that their revenue projects were much higher than economic forecasts could possibly support. This week the majority party chose once again to ignore history and turned their backs on Major’s revenue predictions a second time by refusing to allow him to present his updated estimates on the floor of the House.

“If we are going to be dealing with the budget over the next week in a committee of conference, shouldn’t the House be made aware of an additional $57M problem? Shouldn’t we know about a potential $360M deficit? But we were prevented from bringing these figures to the House floor. When I asked Speaker Norelli she told me that we were, ‘Running out of time and that there was a race getting ready to start.’ What is more important, the start of a road race or a budget deficit that is pushing New Hampshire toward financial disaster?” asked Major.

According to Rep. Major, the Democrats over inflated estimates on three major taxes will result in an additional $57M shortfall, increasing the budget deficit to $360M, a jump of 19%.

Democrats are estimating $503M in business taxes for 2011, $40M higher than Major’s estimates and a 13% increase overall. This comes despite the fact that all businesses filing with money in April this year are down 10.5%. When it comes to Meals & Rooms taxes, the Democrats have actually increased the tax rate by 12.5% while revenues have only seen an 8.3% increase. Reasonable growth in this economy is no more than 3%, but Democrats are anticipating a growth of $10M in meals and rooms, or a 7.3% increase. Said Major, “This state has never realized a 7% increase in growth in this tax and we certainly cannot anticipate that happening in this economy.” Finally, Democrats are projecting a $9.7M increase in lottery revenue in 2011, or 14.3%, when normal increases fall in the 3% to 5% range.

The end result will be another $57.7M tacked on to the budget deficit because House Democrats once again want to increase spending to match their inflated estimates, just as they have done for four years. When their spending has fallen short of the revenue, they have resorted to raising more than 60 taxes and fees.

“It is clear that the Democrats are looking to leave us in such a hole that only a broad based tax will dig us out of it,” said House Republican leader Sherm Packard of Londonderry

GUEST SHOT FROM JIM KNIGHT-A DEFENDER OF OUR VANISHING FREEDOMS!!

2010-05-20T07:50:00.002-04:00

Last week The New Hampshire Senate and House of Representatives passed HB53. This Bill was sponsored by Kim Casey Democratic Representative of East Kingston. HB 53 amends the RSA 91A “the right to know” statute. The amendment all but eliminates the public’s right to access information from government agencies. The revision exempts Mayors, Town Managers, department heads, executive officers, superintendants and associated government political agencies as public bodies from complying with a “right to know” request.

This draconian annihilation of the “Right to Know” law will allow these extensions of government to operate under a Vail of secrecy. The only information that we the people would be entitled to scrutinize is that which these agents would elect to disseminate.

How many crimes would have escaped legal consequence if the public’s “right to Know or the freedom of information” was fettered by government agents who operate outside of the law? It is exactly why those who contemplate such acts fear the possibility of exposure through this mechanism of accountability.

In 2000 my attorneys and I sued SAU16 for a parent’s right to know what websites our children were accessing on school computers. Dr. Skip Hanson SAU16 superintendant of schools denied our request, sighting a child’s right of privacy.

Superior Court Justice Julian Abramson ruled in our favor. Unfortunately, the computer records were destroyed after the Judge ruled that the information must be released, a harm that found SAU16 in contempt of court. SAU16 actions required an amendment to RSA91A criminalizing those who would knowingly and willfully destroy public documents for the purpose of avoiding prosecution. None of this would have been possible without a formidable RSA 91A and the public’s “right to know”.

It should come as no surprise that Kim Casey would sponsor HB53, as she was an ardent opponent to the release of the computer records even at the elementary schools, when she was a Cooperative School board member.
Governor Lynch has on many occasions professed to be a fervent supporter of open and transparent government.

We should therefore, call upon the Governor to honor this commitment and compel him to veto this amendment.

Jim Knight

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!

2010-05-14T07:17:00.004-04:00

Dear Friends,

Our core beliefs of limited government, fiscal restraint, low taxes, personal responsibility and individual freedoms are being pummeled by the Democrats. Our fight must start right now to save our state values!

The news from Concord could not be more alarming. Our state long known for prudent fiscal management currently confronts a $220 million deficit in this budget. The deficit picture in the next budget gets even worse – an almost unimaginable $600 million and counting as federal revenue disappears.
Given that backdrop – one might think that the Democrats who control the state Legislature would do what hard working families and small business owners across our state are doing: cutting expenditures.

Unfortunately that is not the case. In the last two budgets spending has increased by 23% followed by over 70 tax and fee increases including the job killing income tax on business owners, the LLC Tax, and numerous other taxes that have made New Hampshire less competitive.

Now it is time to pay the piper, but as I write this Concord Democrats are looking for clever ways to dig deeper into everyone’s wallet rather than trimming runaway spending. Under consideration are a Capital Gains Tax, an Estate Tax, the fifth increase in six years on tobacco and additional tax hikes on other tobacco products, increases in pet shop licensure fees, a new tax on electricity, hikes in the insurance premium taxes, and the old-standby, down shifting costs to cities and towns causing property tax hikes.

The Democrats who control the Legislature do not comprehend two simple facts: as a state we cannot continue this spending binge and hard working taxpayers are already maxed out.

The unemployment rate is out of sight and working families are struggling to find jobs and keep their jobs while small businesses across the state are fighting to stay in business.

What the folks who control the Legislature also don’t comprehend is the devastating impact these job killing taxes – especially business owner income taxes – are having on our economy. 52,508 of our friends and neighbors in New Hampshire are out of work. While national unemployment has begun to inch downward, ours has stubbornly stayed near its high.

All these new taxes have already hurt our chances of recovery. Adding a Capital Gains and Estate Tax makes it ever more likely an income and sales tax are just over the horizon and these taxes will ensure that our economy continues to deteriorate while New Hampshire citizens remain out of work.

If you have been receiving these email updates over the year that I have served in the New Hampshire Senate you know what my top priorities are: economic recovery, cutting spending, repealing job killing taxes and curtailing the reach and control of big government into every corner of our lives.

It's time to say loudly and clearly that enough is enough!
If you believe as I do that we need to change priorities in Concord --- then I need your help. Please click here and make a contribution today.
Please consider donating $25, $50, $100, or even $250, $500, $1000 to my campaign for re-election to the New Hampshire Senate from District 3 in the Lakes Region and Mount Washington Valley.

Never has an upcoming election been so critical for our State’s future. Critical to assure we make tough spending decisions and reduce the growth in government. Critical to assure we maintain our family values. Critical to assure New Hampshire does not enact a sales and income tax or new business taxes that will drive even more jobs away.

Thank you very much for your consideration and financial support. Together we can turn our state around in 2010.
Sincerely,

Jeb Bradley

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???

2010-04-27T17:45:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, Yes We Can!

By Jeb Bradley

Joe Castiglione, the inestimable radio play-by-play announcer of the Boston Red Sox, has called two World Series victories. When the last out was recorded, Joe finished his play-by-play with words that rang through all of New England: “Can You Believe It?”

The “unbelievabilty” of the Red Sox winning two World Series has passed, but the unbelievability of what is happening in Concord and Washington continues to grow – the polar opposite of Red Sox Nation’s joy.

In Washington, spending escalates unchecked, the deficit hemorrhages red ink, and the overall debt frighteningly approaches unsustainablity. The 2009 deficit was $1.42trillion. It is likely to grow in 2010 and is estimated to average nearly a Trillion Dollars for the next ten years. The total debt hit $12 Trillion, an eye popping $39,000 for every American man, woman, and child.

Taxes are also set to go through the roof. Unless Congress acts before year’s end, each tax bracket for individual Americans will climb, the marriage penalty reappears, and small business expensing provisions disappear. Taxes on investment income – particularly tough on seniors, will jump precipitously and the death tax will come roaring back. In 2013 a new .9% increase in the Medicare payroll tax goes into effect as well as a 3.8% tax on investment income. In 2014 a federal tax on health insurance will be added to the tax-soup. Meanwhile, Washington is abuzz with talk of a staggering new Value Added Tax. All of this is against the backdrop of the Unemployment Rate hovering near 10%.

The view from Concord is similar. Spending increased by 23% over the last two budgets and the State now faces a $220 million deficit despite nearly draining the so-called Rainy Day Fund. The next budget gets even worse as one-time federal money disappears and the deficit explodes past $600 million. These deficits are despite the 38 new or increased fees and taxes including the job-killing income tax on small business owners known as the LLC Tax. Now Governor Lynch is proposing new taxes on tobacco products and higher property taxes as the State shifts ever more costs to cities and towns.

While Congress and Concord flounder with deficit spending and taxes, 52,508 of our New Hampshire friends and neighbors are out of work and scant progress has been made to reverse the hardship of job loss.

Just when one would think conditions could not get much worse --- they have. Despite the overwhelming need to create jobs for Americans, Washington has spent the last year concentrating on health care reform. Unquestionably, insurance reforms dealing with pre-existing conditions, insurance cut-offs during illness, and life-time limits were overdue. However, what Congress produced is “reform” that will cost at least $1 trillion over ten years, drive up costs for states, reduce choices for consumers, increase taxes, cut Medicare for seniors, increase insurance costs, further increase the deficit and debt, and lead to more government take-over of health care in America.

Given health care reform problems, the flawed political process used to pass it, and the significant majorities of Americans fundamentally opposed to the federal legislation, why would New Hampshire Democrats eagerly follow their Congressional brethren and attempt to pass New Hampshire’s version of health care reform?

Unbelievable perhaps, but that’s precisely what Concord Democrats are proposing.

In a little noticed move late last week a non-germane amendment was scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday April 27th to ostensibly be added to legislation that had previously passed the Senate: SB-455. This amendment will give the New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) virtually carte-blanche authority to adopt any and all rules to implement health care reform in New Hampshire per the federal legislation.

This type of unfettered authority for the NHID would leave the Legislature almost totally devoid of any say over health care policy in New Hampshire – an almost unprecedented transfer of power from elected officials to an unelected government agency.

Federal health care reform is now the law of the land. But, before Concord Democrats kowtow to an all knowing federal government and cede control of health care policy to the Insurance Department, consider the following:
The most significant federal mandate --- that states show progress creating so-called health exchanges --occurs in January 2013. Exchanges must be implemented by January of 2014. This amendment does not need to be jammed through now without proper scrutiny, and --- if even necessary --- can and should be fully vetted in the next Legislature.

Furthermore, the NHID would have authority to commit taxpayers to more generous Medicaid benefits than required under the federal law. This decision must be left to elected officials more accountable to taxpayers.

Twenty one states have joined the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of key provisions of health care reform. Shouldn’t New Hampshire wait for the outcome of this challenge before simply blessing the new federal law?

Lastly, national elections will be held in just six months. There could well be a political shift in Washington that may dramatically impact the status of the federal law. Yet, another reason to wait!

Regardless of whether the new federal law is good or bad or some combination– it is simply unfathomable that Concord Democrats would transfer all implementation of the law to an unelected bureaucracy.

Governor Lynch had previously – and correctly -- spoken out against unfunded mandates in the federal law that will substantially increase costs to New Hampshire taxpayers. Now however, executive agencies indicated these new costs are apparently acceptable.

Just as apparent, Concord Democrats are simply falling into line and embracing whatever decree and judgment Washington orders.

Thus Concord Democrats are hoping to slip this unprecedented amendment through quickly with at best cursory review. Given their record on taxes, spending, deficits, and a faltering economy it’s no wonder they would want to push this through before anyone notices.

Can you believe it? Unfortunately---Yes We Can!

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JEB BRADLEY FOR STATE SENATE, EUGENE LEONE TREASURER

Jeb Bradley for State Senate 645 SOUTH MAIN STREET WOLFEBORO, NH 03894

A VICTORY FOR THE LITTLE GUY!!!

2010-04-24T17:55:00.001-04:00

I GUESS NOT ALL SOCIALISTS HATE HOTDOGS!!!

At the last selectman’s meeting Bill Campbell (a member of the socialist colony of high street) made the motion to give Pete his hot dog vending permit. It was an interesting discussion; Don Clement recused himself that was one vote against, that left. Bobby was talking as if he was going to support the permit until the Chief of Police stood up and voiced his displeasure then Bobby voted against the permit. Matt seconded Bill’s motion and the vote was two to one. Julie was lucky she didn’t vote so she was able to hide on the issue. So Pete will be selling hot dogs again real soon.

I want to thank Bill for his understanding of the issue and that there was no right or wrong; but, a situation that got out of hand because of the lack of leadership in the town. Bill should be congratulated for his common sense vote on this; thank you Bill.

GAMBLING GOES DOWN THE TUBES!!!

The recent NH Legislative session put another nail in the coffin of gambling in NH and special interest money going to some of the state senators. It is interesting to note that all the districts state reps voted against gambling while our senator stood fast in support of it. OK, Maggie, put you hand back in to your own pocket and call it a day.

In the legislature some of these bills are like vampires, you just don’t know when they are going to pop up again and bite you, so keep your eyes and ears open to see how this will rise again.

ACADEMY IS NO LONGER USER FRIENDLY!!!

For some unknown reason the academy has locked their campus gates on River Street and Brown’s court so if you want to walk the fields you have to go around by the tennis courts. That makes it problematic because with us, when Sieka goes with us for a walk, she always takes her two cats. That’s right a 110 pound Labrador/Dalmatian with two little tri colored female cats going for a walk together. Sieka protects them from other dogs and it is the funniest things to see the Quandt family walking the fields.

Those gates that the academy closed have allowed access for as long as I’ve lived in Exeter, which is about 60 years. To do this now and cause hard feelings and a pr disaster does not make any sense to me. Maybe someone from the academy can explain why they are no longer user friendly.

I wondered if they didn’t want the townies seeing them heavily fertilizing their fields and then having the fertilizer end up in the river when it rains. We’ll do some checking around and see what is going on.

SOCIALIST BOARD OF EXETER HATES HOT DOGS!!!

2010-04-17T15:57:00.003-04:00

At last Monday’s Exeter Board of Selectmen’s meeting Pete the hot dog vendor had his annual request for his seller’s license to sell hot dogs at the Swazey Parkway on the agenda. It was pretty obvious he was involved in an uphill fight to get a new permit.

Last year was certainly a difficult one for Pete, he had some issues with the farmer’s market, then various town officials told him one thing, he did it, then they changed the rules and what they told him. I believe the bottom line is Pete is a good guy but, doesn’t like getting screwed with, push him and he will push back. What does our town government specialize in, screwing with people? Pete if pushed will push back; the town doesn’t like that, WOW I figured this out all on my own. Remember the Exeter Town Officials do not work for us; but, for themselves. It appears to be a simple case of mind over matter, they don’t mind and we the taxpayers don’t matter. I believe the majority of the board of selectman will argue Pete shouldn’t get a permit because of past complaints. I’ve heard all about the past complaints and they are Pelosi (short for BS).

There are fundamentally wrong issues on how this town is being run. This hot dog vending case is a prime example. Pete is an honest and outgoing business man who buys all of his goods locally. He has made a good sized investment into his enterprise and sells a good product at a fair price. His business is booming because there is a need for a quick hot dog, soda, chips or water for the hundreds of people who take the beautiful walk down along the parkway water front.

Now our new socialist board of selectmen appears, to be on the verge of denying his permit. What they were saying is they want to review the permit process before they make up their mind. If they do that, and Matt made a good point, NO PERMITS for using town property, including the parkway until this issue is resolved.

As a young man I was quick to jump into a fight, no matter what the odds, I just liked a good fight. Then as I grew older and wiser I came to realize you have to be a real dummy to either run into a fight or get into a fight you didn’t have to be in. This is a fight the town doesn’t want or need; but, our socialist hot dog hating BOS are dragging us into.

An alternative to what is going on is that if Peter is denied a permit he could easily, for the next town meeting, get 500-1,000 signatures on a petition to give him the space he needs and the location he needs to sell us his hot dogs. It could only be revoked by another town meeting vote. Then the same 500 to 1,000 signatures could be organized to throw out the socialists on the board of selectman and maybe then we can move ahead with a common sense productive agenda for the taxpayers of Exeter. That would put an end to our hot dog hating socialists on the EBOS.

For the record at the last selectman’s meeting Matt was the only member to support giving Pete his vending permit.

BUDGET BLUES BY JEB BRADLEY

2010-04-12T18:34:00.000-04:00

Budget Blues
by Jeb Bradley

Governor Lynch has finally weighed in on the budget crisis with his proposal for balancing a $220 million deficit. Let's re-visit how we got here, and place it in the context of the overall economy.

While there have been glimmers of economic hope, New Hampshire citizens continue to struggle. The national unemployment rate crested at 10.1% in October. Since then the national rate has inched downward to 9.7% while unemployment in NH has continued to climb. Our October rate was 6.8% and 50,483 people were unemployed. February, the last month for available numbers in NH, the unemployment rate had climbed to 7.1% and 52,875 people are unemployed. Ominously, a recent study indicated that NH lost more jobs per capita to China, especially in technology than any other state.

In the past, NH led national economic recoveries, so why now are job losses in New Hampshire growing? Can it be the 38 new or increased taxes and fees implemented by the Legislature in June 2009? It's likely that tax levies on business owners have undermined the incentive for small businesses to locate or expand in New Hampshire. Aggressive and constant Department of Revenue audits on small business owners have resulted in imposition of the business profits tax on a significant portion of a business owner’s salary. This 8.5% tax combined with the 5% LLC Tax on the same stream of business owner salary has created a deadly job-killing 13.5% tax on business owners and the jobs they create.

The non-partisan Tax Foundation recently ranked NH’s corporate tax system the worst in the nation. While hard to believe, the business climate in Massachusetts is better than New Hampshire’s – a dangerous condition which illustrates why our unemployment rate has continued to climb while the national rate has declined.

The good news in Governor Lynch’s budget proposal is the assumed repeal of the LLC tax. Finally -- reluctantly, Democrats in Concord who voted for the LLC Tax, despite not being vetted in a public hearing, and defending it as merely closing a loophole, have seen the light. It’s a small miracle that Democrats finally realized that increasing so many job killing taxes in the face of rising unemployment is not a prescription for helping working families and creating jobs. Perhaps they realized that the November elections are right around the corner and voters are angry!

The LLC tax is not the only tax harming our economy. The so-called camping tax --- also enacted without a public hearing --- may take the foolishness cake. Supporters claimed this tax would raise $7 million over the two year budget. But so far it has raised only $500,000 in the first year which includes most of the camping season.

On a bill I sponsored to repeal this tax, campground owners testified at a public hearing that they are losing business as campers avoid New Hampshire. Unfortunately, the Democratic leadership laid the repeal bill on the table in the Senate – never to be seen again. Thankfully, Representative Herb Richardson’s bill which also repeals the campground tax, survived the water torture of the House Democratic leadership’s effort to kill it. Rep. Richardson's effort succeeded and the legislation is on its way to the Governor’s desk. Governor Lynch probably realized that the paltry $500,000 raised is more than offset by campers avoiding NH and thus not contributing to state revenue raised from sale of gasoline, meals, tobacco, wine, beer, and liquor. So his budget proposal eliminates the camping tax thus enhancing the tourist economy – one of our biggest sources of jobs and state revenues.

Governor Lynch also proposed a number of across the board cuts – precisely what Republicans had recommended when the budget’s 10.5% spending increase was adopted. Had those cuts not been summarily rejected 10 months ago, today’s problems would not be as dire. Nevertheless the Governor has begun the process of reeling in the excessive spending with cuts to the courts, attorney general’s office, health and human services, education, corrections, environmental services, and information technology. An additional 30 to 35 people will lose jobs on top of nearly 300 jobs that have already been cut.

Some troubling aspects of the Governor's proposal are the $25 million of operating expenses at UNH that will be bonded – on top of the recent bonding of school building aid. Continued bonding in this manner isn’t sustainable. The cigarette tax will increase for the 5th time in 6 years. Much of the competitive advantage NH enjoys over neighboring states will evaporate, so revenue growth may not match expectations. Lastly, the budget proposal’s assault on property taxpayers continues as retirement costs, revenue sharing and some education programs will be downshifted to cities and towns.

Here is an idea the Governor should consider rather than socking property taxpayers with more costs. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) fund may have approximately $15 million in it by the end of the budget. Currently these funds are disbursed to different entities such as UNH, Dartmouth, and Stonyfield Farms to reduce carbon emissions. Consider this however: UNH has been paying golden parachute bonuses for years to top administrators, Dartmouth College has an endowment, while Stonyfield is one of NH’s most successful corporations. Surely property tax relief, at a time when 52,875 people are unemployed and countless more NH citizens are struggling, is a higher priority for scarce resources.

Governor Lynch’s proposal may resolve this current budget crisis through a patchwork of spending cuts, one time fixes and accounting maneuvers, but the state will continue to lurch from crisis to crisis because we are avoiding long overdue restructuring of state spending for Medicaid, education funding, retirement and healthcare costs. These big ticket items unless reformed –quickly – will produce a more profound future crisis -- a likely income or sales tax and erosion of well-paid jobs. We have an opportunity – indeed an obligation to confront and resolve these growing fiscal problems before it is too late. If not, perhaps this blog should be re-titled from Budget Blues to Budget in the Red.

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JEB BRADLEY FOR STATE SENATE, EUGENE LEONE TREASURER

Jeb Bradley for State Senate 645 SOUTH MAIN STREET WOLFEBORO, NH 03894

YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID, BUT YOU CAN VOTE IT OUT!!!

2010-03-28T03:00:00.002-04:00

It certainly has been an interesting past couple of weeks. We not only reformed health care, or was it, health insurance. It is hard to understand just what we did and the congress doesn’t have any idea what they did either and they are the ones who actually did it.

It is so bad congress has been given extra protection because some are being shot at and others have had rocks thrown through their windows. Now the democrat party has decried this violence and encourages their supporters to fight back by sending the party money.

I have to hand it to them, I never would have thought of using violence as a fund raising tool. What will they think of next? Those little rascals are always thinking of ways to get a head. The question arises that how do we know they are not promoting it for financial gain?

I don’t think the tea party supporters are violent; they have been praised by the police that go to their rallies as decent law abiding and non-violent people who are just protesting what the government does.

God bless them; but, how do you protest what congress and government is doing when congress and government does not know what they are doing? I’m still trying to process this so I can give you a better understanding of what is going on.

It is even more comical on a state level where we have legislators who want to cut spending, then a group that wants to institute a sales and income tax, and then we have the pro gambling. Actually, it is the pro gambling legislators that have been paid well for their position and support of the gambling industry. They are now saying how slots are the panacea out of our budget debt. I don’t really care one way or another; but, I don’t support slots or expanded gambling.

First of all the money touted as coming to the state coffers is way over blown. We may get a big chunk of change initially; but, sustainable revenue is way over blown. The word is that the governor is concerned about the amount of money being thrown around the state in the promotion of expanded gambling and because of that has gained political influence.

Unfortunately the democrats, which is the majority party for the time being, have drank the so called political cool aid and follow their leadership blindly and made some stupid votes. The LLC tax which they did with little or no real input from the tax payers and businesses, passed and signed into law by the governor. The governor now wants to repeal it and it has only been in effect for about a year. The campground tax repeal they are still fighting over.

The so called budget cuts and state employee layoffs is a good one; what they did in many cases is simply laid off state workers and contracted out the services for the same cost, or close to it, to the private sector. There are no savings only smoke and mirrors. Then our local senator put in a bill to have a commission to oversee and regulate what hospitals charge. She took so much heat she backed off and is now trying to figure how she is going to save face for looking like a green horn rookie after getting beat back for trying to socialize health care delivery with price controls. My, my, stupid is as stupid does; run Forest, run.

There are some poling numbers that shows congress and certain members in the single digits and low teens; and all this time some of their parents probably told them (as youngsters that they probably wouldn’t amount to much), well they sure showed their parents.

If we the voters do not take back our government and our country, right now in the next election, we will have a new generation of young people who will grow up thinking this is how life should be: high taxes, government running our lives not us running our government, not questioning what is going on in our government and why.

The easiest way to allow this to happen is simply to do nothing. Stay home, do not vote, do not par take in the voting process and then complain about your taxes or the changeover to socialism, the open promotion of the deterioration of the family structure (why listen to your parents government is the answer). There is no questions that if you want to take back our government and country we have our work cut out for us.

DON’T EVER FORGET, “YOU CAN’T FIX STUPID BUT YOU CAN VOTE IT OUT OF OFFICE”.

2010-03-27T15:47:00.003-04:00

If it Sounds Too Good To Be True – It Probably Is

By: Jeb Bradley
Listening to the supporters tout the benefits of federal health care reform during the day long debate, I was struck by the saying ‘if it sounds too good to be true – it probably is. For 219 Democrats who voted for passage, it sounds wonderful: access to health care improves, the patient-doctor relationship is strengthened, insurance premiums drop, and deficits decline.

219 Democrats may be true believers or "incentivized" into voting yes, but the American people clearly do not believe this happy talk. Just as noteworthy, Americans witnessed a totally partisan vote for passage, and significant bi-partisan opposition.

Let’s examine the Democratic spin.
Access to health care -- does it deteriorate or improve? Physicians are already reluctant to accept Medicare and Medicaid patients because of low reimbursement rates. Over $500 billion of Medicare cuts only exacerbates this trend. 32 million people will be newly insured – nearly half covered by Medicaid. How the current medical establishment can absorb 32 million new people without creating long waits is an unanswered question. Ominously, the New England Journal of Medicine recently wrote that one third of physicians “will want to leave medical practice after health reform is implemented.”

For anyone imbued with the hope that access to healthcare will improve consider this: the Mayo Clinic announced in January it will no longer treat Medicare patients at one of its facilities in Arizona as the Clinic considers whether to drop coverage for 500,000 more Medicare patients it currently serves. This should not be a surprise as government-run health care in Canada and England has excruciatingly long waits. Where exactly will Americans go when they can’t get life saving treatments at home?

Will medical decisions be made by doctors and patients? Consider the following: a health czar will determine the parameters of health insurance policies, approve insurance rates, and the extent of reimbursement for medical service. Government mandates and bureaucracy will only lead to fewer patient choices as government controls increase.

Insurance premiums will increase despite the President’s promise that American families would save $2500. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that insurance premiums will be 10% to 13% higher as a result of the bill. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services – the people who actually run these programs and the CBO have both estimated that overall health care spending will increase as a result of the reform.

The real world however, is more instructive than any prediction. Massachusetts mirrors provisions of the federal legislation, in particular the requirement to buy insurance. They have the highest health insurance costs in the nation, major budget problems, and Governor Patrick has proposed price controls. The rest of the country will learn soon enough. Massachusetts already has – it's no accident that an overwhelmingly Democratic state elected Republican Scott Brown primarily because of his opposition to the national healthcare legislation.

Supporters claim the deficit will drop, accomplished through nearly $600 billion of new taxes and over $500 billion of Medicare cuts and accounting shenanigans. Tax hikes will be immediate while the majority of the new spending does not occur for four years. That’s how Democrats miraculously reduce the deficit.
Congress also deferred over $200 billion for physician reimbursement under Medicare so this legislation appears – for now – to be budget neutral.

The real world is again instructive. When Medicare was first implemented in 1965 the annual projected costs were $9 billion by 1990. Instead its costs were nearly $70 billion and the unfunded future liability for Medicare is now a staggering $37 trillion. With deficits as far as the eye can see—what is really at risk is the health of our nation’s financial system and our children’s future.
Health care reform is necessary. That's why we should develop better high risk pools to resolve coverage denial for pre- existing conditions. We need to allow across state border health insurance purchasing to create competitive markets that will lower costs for business and individuals. We need to change the tax code to give individuals the same preferential treatment as businesses. Most importantly, we need to let individuals be in charge of their own care so they can make their own choices when utilizing services. Lastly, tort reform could curtail $80 to $150 billion of defensive medicine costs making health insurance much more affordable.

All these measures will significantly improve access to affordable health care --- without a government takeover.
If health care reform was everything its supporters claim -- why in the world did they need a second piece of legislation fixing the first legislation an hour after they passed it? If the legislation is so good – why will the IRS need to hire nearly 17,000 agents to enforce it? And if the legislation was so good then why do its supporters seek to exempt unions from the new tax on so-called "cadillac" health plans the rest of us will pay?
Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes may drop by New Hampshire in April to campaign for their election in November. They should start thinking now about how to explain to constituents that their vote is unfortunately no April Fool's joke.

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JEB BRADLEY FOR STATE SENATE, EUGENE LEONE TREASURER

Jeb Bradley for State Senate 645 SOUTH MAIN STREET WOLFEBORO, NH 03894

Discovery Announcement ~ The densest element in the known Universe has been found!

2010-03-27T15:42:00.000-04:00

Pelosium:

A major research institution has just announced the discovery of the densest element yet known to science. The new element has been named Pelosium. Pelosium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 311.

These particles are held together by dark forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

The symbol of Pelosium is PU.

Pelosium's mass actually increases over time, as morons randomly interact with various elements in the atmosphere and become assistant deputy neutrons within the Pelosium molecule, leading to the formation of isodopes.

This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientist to believe that Pelosium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as Critical Morass.

When catalyzed with money, Pelosium activates CNNadnausium, an element that radiates orders of magnitude more energy, albeit as incoherent noise, since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons as Pelosium.

IT NEVER SEEMS TO END!!

2010-03-12T17:13:00.000-05:00

There is an interesting situation developing in Exeter and the local elections have proven that. The liberals/socialists won the elections and to that I say they deserved to win because they worked hard, ran a solid grass roots campaign and won. Guess what, that is how you win campaigns. Congratulations to those who won and now the job begins. The biggest effort should be to straighten out town hall, clean up the hostile work situation, end the inmate rat system (tattle tale) that is permeating the town building and clean up the finance office.

The biggest mistake the board can make is to hire more people when the voters told them “no”. That will leave them wide open for all kinds of attacks; but, I don’t expect the educated, inteligencia, elitists who definitely are better and smarter than the majority of us will find twisted ways to justify their arguments for going against the democratic process. You will and have heard accusations that “we don’t understand, we mistake socialism for intelligence”, I have news for those people, they are mistaken and stupid for making such comments because it proves our points about their mind set.

We elected them in D.C. and look at the mess. We elected them in Concord and look at the mess. Now we elected some of them in Exeter and will wait and see. The wild card will be Don Clement. I’ve known Don for a number of years, and disagree with him on some philosophies, I don’t think he is a lock step democrat; but, it is up to Don to do what is right for Exeter and should be given a chance to prove his metal.

THE STATE HAS GONE NUTS!!!

Well someone taught the liberals how to count; I was told (by them) that they were smarter than we are so this came as a surprise. After pushing through the LLC tax, they took so much heat they are now trying to repeal it. LLC’s will still have to pay for last year’s tax; but, the proposal is to repeal it before the November elections. Now they are fighting over the campground tax. Some are whining that this will only increase the budget deficit and cut into their wild and crazy spending programs.

Good job Maggie; you’re our senator, why don’t you put yourself in for more awards and recognition. Maybe the gambling interests will give a miniature gold plated slot machine for working so hard for their interests. The money that you took from them in campaign contributions should be enough; but, we need to play that down so a little token of their appreciation with a press release would be nice.

On a state and national level we have a lot to think about. Obama is blaming insurances for the high cost of health care and demonizing them. Our local senator was blaming the hospitals and wanted to put together a commission to oversee hospital rates; both socialistic in nature and done to achieve the cheer leader effect of “hey look at me, vote for me, look what I am doing for you”. All the time screwing up everything they are touching. Too much heat and now our senator puts in an amendment to make the commission voluntary, too much heat from the hospitals. This could make a sane man crazy or a crazy one worse.

I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER.

2010-03-08T09:52:00.002-05:00

Dr. David Barton is more of a historian than a Biblical speaker, but very famous for his knowledge of historical facts, as well as Biblical truths.

Dr. David Barton - on Obama

Respect the office? Yes.

Respect the man in the office? No, I am sorry to say.

I have noted that many elected officials, both Democrats and Republicans, called upon America to unite behind Obama.
Well, I want to make it clear to all who will listen that I AM NOT uniting behind Obama !

I will respect the office which he holds, and I will acknowledge his abilities as an orator and wordsmith and pray for him, BUT that is it.

I have begun today to see what I can do to make sure that he is a one-term President !

Why am I doing this ? It is because:
- I do not share Obama's vision or value system for America ;
- I do not share his Abortion beliefs;
- I do not share his radical Marxist's concept of re-distributing wealth;
- I do not share his stated views on raising taxes on those who make $150,000+ (the ceiling has been changed three times since August);
- I do not share his view that America is Arrogant;
- I do not share his view that America is not a Christian Nation;
- I do not share his view that the military should be reduced by 25%;
- I do not share his view of amnesty and giving more to illegals than our American Citizens who need help;
- I do not share his views on homosexuality and his definition of marriage;
- I do not share his views that Radical Islam is our friend and Israel is our enemy who should give up any land;

- I do not share his spiritual beliefs (at least the ones he has made public);

- I do not share his beliefs on how to re-work the healthcare system in America ;

- I do not share his strategic views of the Middle East ; and
- I certainly do not share his plan to sit down with terrorist regimes such as Iran .

Bottom line: my America is vastly different from Obama's, and I have a higher obligation to my Country and my GOD to do what is right !

For eight (8) years, the Liberals in our Society, led by numerous entertainers who would have no platform and no real credibility but for their celebrity status, have attacked President Bush, his family, and his spiritual beliefs !

They have not moved toward the center in their beliefs and philosophies and they never came together nor compromised their personal beliefs for the betterment of our Country !

They have portrayed my America as a land where everything is tolerated except being intolerant!

They have been a vocal and irreverent minority for years!

They have mocked and attacked the very core values so important to the founding and growth of our Country!

They have made every effort to remove the name of GOD or Jesus Christ from our Society!

They have challenged capital punishment, the right to bear arms and the most basic principles of our criminal code!

They have attacked one of the most fundamental of all Freedoms, the right of free speech !

Unite behind Obama? Never ! ! !

I am sure many of you who read this think that I am going overboard, but I refuse to retreat one more inch in favor of those whom I believe are the embodiment of Evil!

PRESIDENT BUSH made many mistakes during his Presidency and I am not sure how history will judge him. However, I believe that he weighed his decisions in light of the long established Judeo-Christian principles of our Founding Fathers!!!

Majority rules in America, and I will honor the concept; however, I will fight with all of my power to be a voice in opposition to Obama and his "goals for America ."

I am going to be a thorn in the side of those who, if left unchecked, will destroy our Country ! ! Any more compromise is more defeat!

I pray that the results of this election will wake up many who have sat on the sidelines and allowed the Socialist-Marxist anti-GOD crowd to slowly change so much of what has been good in America !

"Error of Opinion may be tolerated where Reason is left free to combat it." - Thomas Jefferson

GOD bless you and GOD bless our Country ! ! !

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under GOD, then we will be a nation gone under." - Ronald Reagan

I WANT THE AMERICA BACK THAT I GREW UP IN....

In GOD We Trust........

Dr. David Barton

Sandy Winter for Exeter Board of Selectman!!

2010-03-07T14:58:00.000-05:00

Many people do not realize that in Exeter, there is an organized and planned movement of a group of progressive socialists to, not only keep their political power on the Board of Selectman and away from the voters because they know better than the voters, but to also spread their philosophy around on the various boards that they recruit so they can control the town. It is time to make the changes now before too much damage can be done to the town. We can't let Exeter slip into the mess (any further), than what is going on in D.C. or Concord.

This elitist attitude is becoming more and more visible and pronounced. A prime example of this is if the selectmen candidates are willing to listen to the voters and follow what the voters want done, or in typical elitist progressive fashion once elected, to tell the voters what "they" want to do. It is the old mind over matter principle, "I don't mind and you don't matter." It has come out into the open when Julie Gilman and Don Clement both said they would hire more people for the Finance Department, when the voters in Exeter made it clear at the deliberative session they didn't want this to happen. So let's scratch those two off the list for candidates. That leaves us with Brian, Anne and Sandy. All three are no nonsense straight forward individuals, I know, like and respect all three; each has the ability to do a good job, listen to the people who elected them and will work hard to clean up the management of Exeter.

My personal choice is Sandy Winter for a number of reasons. Sandy is a small business man who has worked hard to get to where he is in life. I also committed to him before the other candidates got into the race because of my personal knowledge and experience with him. He is not pretentious, elitist or prone to play follow the leader with the town manager as is the leader.

Sandy is a leader. If you had not noticed Sandy is not a fashion plate, spit and polish, or a great orator; his answers at the candidate forums were short, from the heart and to the point. I want a straight-forward answer, factual and telling me the way it is. If there is a problem, I want to know how we are going to fix it by someone who is not afraid to jump into the hole and help dig. Sandy will bring his life and small business experience to the leadership of Exeter.

I think Sandy would do a great job as a selectman that is why I am supporting him.

Lee Quandt

TIM COPELAND FOR STRATHAM SELECTMAN!!!

2010-03-07T14:52:00.002-05:00

I have known Tim for several years and have gone to high school with his opponent. Knowing both I recommend Tim for re-election to the Stratham Board of Selectman.

Tim is a strong fiscal conservative and has the ability to get the job done with the least amount of money, your money I might add. He moved to Stratham with his family a number of years ago and is dedicated to the efficiency of not only making Stratham one of the better communities in the state; but, one of the safest with the addition of the new police chief. Tim is representative of the future of Stratham with his forward-thinking philosophy and strong community involvement.

Stratham is a community at the cross roads of development; it can move forward in a well disciplined manner following the wishes of the taxpayers or thrown to the wolves and end up looking like Salem on Route 28. Many of my friends in Stratham do not want this style of development nor do they want leadership by a small group of behind the scenes people who seem to be pushing self interest.

Tim is the breath of fresh air, experience and dedication that Stratham needs to continue to move forward.

Please come out to vote on March 9 for Tim Copeland for selectman.

Lee Quandt

THERE'S A BATTLE BREWING!!!

2010-02-28T07:16:00.000-05:00

With the added candidate forums and candidate exposure the voters of Exeter had a good opportunity to meet the candidates, see the candidates and ask questions of them. The other interesting issue is the questions that were asked. These questions tell you what is on peoples minds and what concerns them.

During the town employee event the questions were very revealing. They centered on hostile work environments, bad communications and asking if the selectman candidates would take the time to talk to them. For clarification the questions asked, except for the public portion, were submitted in writing and read by the three interviewers. That way no employees could be singled out for retribution at a later date which was a main concern for those who wanted to ask questions.

I do not think the selectman know of the problems festering just under the surface. We didn’t have time to get to about 100 more questions; but, they were informative; many centered around simple things like pay checks being routinely wrong. If you want to cause low moral, continually get a person’s pay check wrong. Bad communications between the town managers office and the employees was a major area; this just seems to be the result of bad management coming from the town office building.

Hostile work environment issues became evident through private conversations and the deliberative session when the director of finance publicly attacked the two people who the town manager’s budget tried to get rid of. Then at the town office building candidates forum the town manager’s secretary attacked the local union chapter who held the first candidates forum; these are all town employees with the attacks coming from the headquarters staff against anyone who doesn’t keep their mouths shut and talk about the problems within the town. Instead of attacking the staff, fix the problems and move on to other issues facing us, like the capital improvement projects and reducing taxes. This is not rocket science it is common sense. For this little group of merry liberals trying to control the board and the town, focus on fixing the problems for the betterment of everyone, not just you.

There is no question that a “bunker mentality” has set in at the town office building. Only two members seem to care about these problems, Matt and Bob Eastman and Bob is leaving in a couple of weeks. Due to the make up of the board the political clique was the three liberals against the two conservatives so nothing could get done. The only way to fix this is to make the changes we need on the board and put on two new faces. Julie Gilman needs to go, she is part of the problem and not part of the solution; fortunately, more and more people are seeing that.

Between Ann, Brian and Sandy anyone of them would be a good choice; my personal choice is Sandy for his business experience and his no nonsense style of dealing with problems. That only comes from starting a business, making it grow and making payroll.

As taxpayers the mess in the finance office needs to be cleaned up; finances are the most important part of any government or business. They may need more staff; but, because of the general incompetence it is impossible to tell.

The voters, taxpayers and the Town of Exeter in general deserves better than what they have been getting and this election will determine the direction the town will go.

On March 9 the liberals will do the best they can to turn out the vote to keep their power base on the board; but, the winds of discontent are blowing and hopefully we will have a good voter turnout to make the changes we need.