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(This is just breathtakingly tone deaf. Mocking the preservation of a civil engineering feat as "a bridge to nowhere" is a curious strategy for winning hearts and minds in a state where tourism is the #2 business. - promoted by susanthe)
Mitt Romney is in the town of Hillsboro NH today, where he plans to mock Sawyer's Bridge, one of only three civil engineering landmarks in the state. He will speak of wasteful government spending through ARRA, from which the bridge received $150,000 in order to preserve the sight, and he will call it NH's bridge to nowhere.
Yes it's a bridge, however the funding was used to preserve an historical site rather than update a bridge for traffic.
Romney's mocking is a complete falsehood, and he knows it. His staff is busy removing the public from the site so he may mock in private, rather than listen to the locals who fully supported the project.
WMUR is reporting there are 28 Romney backers who voted for the project:
http://politicalscoop.wmur.com/28-nh-romney-backers-voted-for-bridge-project-romney-plans-to-mock
The version passed by the Senate yesterday does not change the intent of the House's bill, just its wording. Sen. Jeb Bradley, a Wolfeboro Republican, said it clarifies that no "natural" person's income can be taxed to distinguish real people from corporations, which fall under the legal definition of person.
Bradley and the amendment's supporters said the constitutional amendment preserves one of the state's greatest advantages: its lack of an income tax.
From the ever uncritical NHPR
Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley told his colleagues supporting this plan is noble and worthy.
"Our tax structure is critical to the New Hampshire that we know and love. And to the fact that as difficult as this Recession has been, has survived a very difficult economy."
Bradley says if the amendment succeeds it will enshrine the so-called New Hampshire advantage.
(What a year! Thank you for this summary of the events of the last year, Rep. Daler. - promoted by susanthe)
One year ago today, the voters of Hillsborough District 4 (Lyndeborough, Mont Vernon, New Boston, Temple and Wilton) went to the polls and elected me to represent them in the NH House. Just six months earlier, they elected an all Republican delegation, headed by now Speaker Bill O'Brien. It only took a half a year of O'Brien's Republican majority to show voters the reckless nature of this group. This, combined with O'Brien's leadership style that uses fear and coercion rather than diplomacy and compromise, has made for an interesting year in the House.
(It strikes me that these clowns know they'll never get re-elected, so they're just going all out.
We at BH applaud your service, and your willingness to write about what you see happening. Thank you, Marjorie. - promoted by susanthe)
Here are a few things I have learned in the last few days, as they come to mind:
• Everything international is unconstitutional. The UN and any of its sub-groups are attempting to take over the freedom and liberty and God given rights of Americans, especially those of us living in NH. There is a vast international conspiracy from which the NH House must protect the cities and towns of NH.
• Never ever suggest, in writing or at the Well, that bills introduced in the House have come from an outside organization. That absolutely NEVER happens, and it is an outrage to suggest that it does.
• Grannie D does not deserve a day proclaimed in her honor. Her accomplishments are no more worthy than what many other NH people have done and continue to do. Ronald Reagan, on the other hand...
• Microphones are turned down when Democrats speak, and turned up when Republicans speak. (This I learned from my partner who watched the live stream from home this week. )
• Any private or religious school is better than all public schools in NH. Public schools do a terrible job of teaching our kids. Excellence is only found in private or religious schools.
• A $2500 scholarship will allow homeless kids to get a private school education, and it will be better for them too.
• NH is not a home rule state. We believe in local control, but the legislature can, should, and will tell local communities what they can and cannot do. Residents of a town or city can not make those choices for themselves. This is in the constitution.
• I live in a parallel universe.
Please feel free to add to this list.
I know I've forgotten a lot.
Young James O'Keefe, disciple of the late, unlamented Andrew Brietbart is still trying to fake up some voter fraud. His latest attempt is in North Carolina, where he highlighted furriner Zbigniew Gorzkowski. Trouble is, Gorzkowski is a US citizen. From Think Progress:
ThinkProgress spoke with Gorzkowski this morning. He verified that this information was indeed correct and he had been an American citizen since the late 1980s. Therefore, his votes in the 2008 and 2010 elections were not only perfectly legal, but encouraged as a civic duty.
In other words, the one instance in the video where O'Keefe purports to show that a non-citizen had actually voted, in fact shows that a citizen voted.
I can't embed the twitter slide show, but Tuck has it at his blog:
http://www.miscellanyblue.com/...
Absolutely amazing. These guys want everyone to be carrying several guns at a time, but words and gestures get them all upset?
The GOP sure does hate that pesky FIRST Amendment.
Bob Mead, a state employee in the House Majority Office, was reimbursed by taxpayers for traveling to Republican events where he sought to recruit House candidates for this year's elections.
So, while state reps from the north country were denied mileage by the O'Brien junta, partisan state employee Bob Mead was reimbursed by taxpayers while he was out trolling for new Freebaglican candidates.
There really aren't a lot of good mother songs. I discussed that after church this morning with musician Seth Austin. So, everyone, what are your favorite mother songs or videos? For me, no mother song list would be complete without this Merle Haggard song:
(Yes We Can! Thanks Carol! - promoted by Mike Hoefer)
When I was growing up in the 1950's and 1960's, I would listen to my parents' conversations with their friends. While I cannot remember every conversation, I remember the general theme of their conversations-indeed, the theme of their lives. Optimism. A sense of confidence that we were Americans, and Americans were problem solvers. Whether they were talking politics, education, health, or other current issues of the time, they sounded more optimistic as a generation then we do today. They looked towards the future with hope and a certainty that they could face the danger and the challenges, and triumph over adversity. Today, we still have the danger and challenges, but many Americans are losing optimism. After being knocked around by a bad economy and some bad actors and events, many are short on faith in both government and private institutions. Can we as a nation find that optimism again, and if so, how?
Teacher Appreciation Week ends today. All week my kids have been bringing in Fruit or Flowers into school for their teachers. Despite these "grassroots" efforts, teachers (and education) are not very appreciated in our state. The O'Brien Era has tried to insert phony science in to the state curriculum and attempted to siphon money from the public education.
Bill Duncan at has been fighting the good fight and documenting the assault at http://www.dnhpe.org/. How bad is it in Concord? Looks like he had to add "F-" to the Legislator scorecard to grade them all. Thank you for your efforts Bill.
Every night, first hand, I see how hard teachers who are dedicated to making a difference in children's lives work.
If I could be so bold I'd like to offer you an "Appreciation Challenge". Send a teacher that made a difference in your life a quick note today letting them know that they did.
How has a teacher made a difference in your life? Let us know in the thread.
Our state flower, harbinger of summer, the Purple Lilac.
New Hampshire historian Leon Anderson writes in To This Day that the purple lilac was first imported from England and planted at the Portsmouth home of Governor Benning Wentworth in 1750. It was adopted as our state's flower in 1919. That year bills and amendments were introduced promoting the apple blossom, purple aster, wood lily, Mayflower, goldenrod, wild pasture rose, evening primrose and buttercup as the state flower. A long and lively debate followed regarding the relative merits of each flower. The purple lilac was ultimately chosen, according to Anderson in New Hampshire's Flower -- Tree -- Bird because it "is symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State."
What "Hardy Characters" have you been witnessing these days? I'm pretty impressed by the Democratic candidates that are stepping up the the plate. It will take some hardy work but I think November is going to be good for Dems.
Obama has finally said the words, "I support same sex marriage.'" It's an historic, exciting, wonderful, poignant day for all of us, gay and straight.
The network I was watching during this announcement showed a clip of Romney during the Primary this year answering the question as to whether or not he supports gay marriage. His answer was "I don't support gay marriage or civil unions."
When Romney was Governor of Massachusetts and running against Ted Kennedy for U.S. Senate, he said he did support gay marriage.
So, I now envision this scenario... let's say, with the news correspondent of your choice (e.g. David Gregory?):
David Gregory:Governor Romney, do you support gay marriage?
Gov. Romney: No, David, I do not support 2 people of the same gender being able to get married. I think marriage is a sacred vow between a man and a woman.
David Gregory:Well, Governor Romney, when you ran against Ted Kennedy for the Senate seat in 19-whatever, you said you were in favor of gay marriage. Why are you against it now?
(Do you know a young person that would be interested in this opportunity? Pass this along. - promoted by Mike Hoefer)
Application
The Nat Bresler Summer Intern Scholarship will be awarded to (1) or (2) young Democrats for 8 weeks of work in the summer of 2012, based on submission of the following application. The work will be paid at 300./wk, duties to be determined by the NHDP. A Committee made up of Officers of the NHDP and one designee of the Bresler family will review the applications and choose the recipient. Announcement made at the State party Convention. Nat believed strongly that unless and until we address issues of social inequality in America, we will never successfully address the income inequalities in our society. He worked specifically on fair housing, worker's rights, gender equality, racial equality, and equality in environmental outcomes.
What thing in your life leads you to understand the connection between income inequality and social justice?
How will working on a political campaign bring about the change you would like to see in the world?
What connections do you see between social inequality and economic justice, and how have personal experience and observations shaped your understanding of the connection? What do you see as the main connection ?
List 3-4 issues you would like to see addressed in a social justice agenda. Pick one and describe in 50 words or less why it is important.
What do you hope to gain working on a political campaign?
If selected, how will you hope to use this experience in your future life's work?
email your application to sdoyle@nhdp.org
All applications should be received no later than 5/15/2012.
Winner will be notified in advance.
I guess we need to add another entry for the definition of "The NH Advantage".
- A. No Sales or Income Tax
- B. A beautiful state that combines the excitement and diversity of the city with bucolic rural areas and a geography that ranges from tidal pools at sea level to alpine tundra 6,288 feet higher
- C. Members of the GOP attempting to be the top lawmakers in the state attend a function with entertainment from a fugitive of the law without media attention or repercussion.
* No mention I can see on WMUR online
* No mention I can see on Union Leader online
* No mention I can see on NHPR
* Concord Monitor has a piece on the outlaw, but does not seem to mind that the folks that would hope to be Governor of this fine state did nothing to object to this entertainment.
One does not have to think to hard how the UL would be treating this if Maggie Hassan, Jackie Cilley, and Jeanne Shaheen were attending such an event...
(This deserves serious discussion, part moved below the fold - promoted by William Tucker)
The public displayed many emotions following the tragic shooting of Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney and four fellow officers- grief, respect, love, empathy, concern and compassion. Signs up and down Route 1, as well as those further inland, bore messages honoring Maloney. Thousands turned out for Maloney's memorial service at Winnacunnet High School to pay their respects. Thousands more ran a 5.6 mile race which raised $45,000 for Maloney's family. All these feelings and actions were appropriate and well deserved. Chief Maloney and his comrades are heroes to us all.
However, one emotion commonly expressed seemed out of place - surprise. We were surprised that such a violent event could occur here in tranquil New Hampshire. Upon reflection, we shouldn't have been surprised. The storm clouds preceding the deluge of violence have been gathering here for quite some time. And when the clouds broke, it rained violence for days.
