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Straw Radicals

by: Dean Barker

Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 05:59:44 AM EST
In general it was pleasing to see the Monitor Mike Pride put some pins into John H.'s bubble.

But this part had me laughing:

Democratic Gov. John Lynch is immensely popular. Lynch's veto power, along with his control of his majority in the Senate, tamps down any radical inclinations among Democratic legislators. The reality of life with Democrats in power has thus been far less perilous than Republican cries of wolf portended.
If only Lynch weren't governor, then we radical dirty hippies could enact our true socialist agenda. Or something.

Or else, I've got it wrong and the implication is that not bending knee to The Almighty Pledge is "radical".  Because watching my property tax bill go up three times the rate of inflation during a recession and knowing how it will bring out the inevitable merry-go-round of civil war in our communities on town meeting day is a revenue system I should be happy with. Also kind of funny.
Dean Barker :: Straw Radicals
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Straw Radicals | 4 comments
But that is no longer 'the Monitor' (4.00 / 1)
Mike Pride retired this year after a long run as editor on the Monitor. He is now a columnist, speaking for Mike Pride but no longer for the paper.

I think it's a very good column. As you say, the drive-by about holding Dems in check really calls for more discussion - maybe in a later column?

Similarly, there's a drive-by about the state Republicans no longer having a "line of succession." I think that's true, but there are interesting questions about where that line used to com from, and how one can be re-established. (For a long time the state Attorney General's office seemed to keep producing Republican statewide candidates.)

Anyway, welcome to Mr. Pride as a columnist. Having to speak for the paper can tend to tamp down any radical inclinations.

We're (almost) all radicals now. (0.00 / 0)
If having a sales or income tax makes you a radical, the war is over and the radicals won. 48 of the 50 states have an income tax or a sales tax or both. Only NH and that model of sober and prudent governance, Alaska, have not been "radicalized".

The irony is that we have had an income tax for many years in NH, and somehow the NH advantage survives. It's just that our income tax is on dividends and interest and not wages. Think how "radical" that makes us- we tax the unearned income of the rich but not wages of the working man.

John H. (4.00 / 1)
Going to be on the Exchange this morning, should be interesting to listen to.
darn (0.00 / 0)
They didn't take my question this morning on the Exchange....
[ Parent ]
Straw Radicals | 4 comments

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