Women and Granite State Government

What makes this a big deal is that people don't think it's a big deal (0.00 / 0)

It does a disservice to the President-Elect and the people who elected him that the media, since the election, keep talking about him as if he were elected First Black President, and that's what was important about this election.  It isn't.  The fact that a black person can be elected is great, but what's even better is that it's not the point; we were able to get past race and chose Obama because of who he is, because of what's going on, and because we thought he was the best person to lead going forward. Continuing to pad the news with "the first black man to occupy the Oval Office", "the first black First Family", etc is at best lazy journalism and at worst belittling.

By the way, Jeanne Shaheen is the first woman in American history to be elected both to serve as Governor of a state and as a US Senator, and one of few women who have defeated male incumbents in US Senate races, but you don't hear about those accomplishments.  Maybe it's because New Hampshire, as demonstrated several times in recent years (first Presidential Primary won by a woman, first female-majority legislative body, first state to have civil unions without a court order, etc.), is on the cutting edge of Live Free or Die progressive culture, maybe it's because New Hampshire is assumed to be too issue-oriented to get caught up on the demographics of our leaders, maybe it's because the Presidency consumes all the air in the room when it comes to historic political firsts, but the point is there: it wasn't a battle of the sexes, it was John Sununu vs. Jeanne Shaheen.

--
@DougLindner

---

by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 11:41:46 AM CST

Okay, "top 7 offices in NH" (0.00 / 0)

Governor, Senator 1, Senator 2, Cong 1, Cong 2.

Then Speaker and Senate President?

I don't actually buy that. Given the staggered terms that kept John Stephen in office under Lynch, I would argue that the AG, the head of Health and Human Services, and maybe the Commissioner of Public Safety are more powerful than the legislative leaders.

And the power of each Executive Councilor is difficult to measure.

---

by: elwood @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 12:56:03 PM CST

Agree on AG (0.00 / 0)

I was surprised Kelly Ayotte wasn't in there, given the article's premise.

---

by: JimC @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 13:35:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Nobody elected her. (0.00 / 0)

--
@DougLindner

---

by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 16:44:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

The AG slot is influential, Doug (0.00 / 0)

I agree with Jim.

After all, look at the former HHS head. Department heads should be seen similar to cabinet positions at the federal level.

Ray's right, it's not comparable with the speaker or senate president slots, but the department heads are still nothing to sneeze at.  

---

by: Andrew Sylvia @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 17:27:13 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Who's sneezing? (0.00 / 0)

You're reading a subtext that isn't there.

--
@DougLindner

---

by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 17:49:20 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Sneezing? (0.00 / 0)

You'll have to fill me in on what subtext you're talking about, Doug. We just happen to disagree here.

Elected or not, Kelly Ayotte is a woman close to the top of the New Hampshire political world.  

---

by: Andrew Sylvia @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 18:50:16 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Recap: (0.00 / 0)

Jim said:

Agree on AG  (0.00 / 0)
I was surprised Kelly Ayotte wasn't in there, given the article's premise.

then I said (and this is the whole post):

Nobody elected her.  (0.00 / 0)

then you said:

...the department heads are still nothing to sneeze at.

then I said:

Who's sneezing?  (0.00 / 0)
You're reading a subtext that isn't there.

Make sense?

--
@DougLindner

---

by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 19:54:36 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Ahh, ahh, AH-CHOOO! (4.00 / 2)

2012 starts today.

---

by: Ray Buckley @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 21:01:49 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I would say "God bless you" (0.00 / 0)

But I'm told the RNC has trademarked that.

--
@DougLindner

---

by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 23:41:07 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Gotcha (0.00 / 0)

In that case, figured you were sneezing.

No worries.  

---

by: Andrew Sylvia @ Thu Nov 13, 2008 at 02:44:22 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Well not really, (4.00 / 1)

The line of succession for governor in NH is Senate President, Speaker of the House, then Secretary of State.

By virtue that they are number 1 and 2 in line, plus as a former legislator I would never admit that a bureaucrat is more powerful than a legislative leader, I put them ahead of the commissioners. Department heads go to the State House for a meeting, legislative leaders don't go to the departments (unless they are on a tour, but never for a meeting)

2012 starts today.

---

by: Ray Buckley @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 13:54:47 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I've gotta admit (4.00 / 2)

Line of Succession is a good argument, especially without a Lieutenant Governor. "Most Powerful Leaders in DC" will usually include the Veep.

---

by: elwood @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 15:11:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Don'tcha forget the Mayor of Lebanon (4.00 / 1)

Mayor Karen Liot Hill.
Never take your eyes off those sassy, small city mayors.

Whack-a-mole, anyone?

---

by: Jack Mitchell @ Thu Nov 13, 2008 at 20:12:04 PM CST

Kathy's quote: (0.00 / 0)

"It's great," said Kathy Sullivan, the state's Democratic national committeewoman. "But nobody's like, 'Oh my God, this is so revolutionary.' It's sort of matter of fact."

We could have said the same about civil unions.

We're getting better over time, in important ways, aren't we?

And it's sort of matter of fact.

---

by: elwood @ Sat Nov 15, 2008 at 19:26:46 PM CST