A modest proposal

Genius! (4.00 / 4)

How long do you think it will take to adopt this?  Fits right in with defunding education, because those damn nasty math teachers might create an insurgency: BRING BACK REAL MATH!  I can see the signs now.

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by: Lucy Edwards @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 12:29:07 PM UTC

Anthropologists have discovered an Amazonian tribe which (4.00 / 1)

uses no numbers and has no concept of history.  Their only reality is what someone they know has witnessed.
What I suspect is that the only thing unusual about these people is that there's an identifiable cluster of them and that, in fact, these mental proclivities are dispersed throughout the human population.  We just don't see them because we don't look for them and, to the extent they present as a deficit, we compensate for them with various social structures.  
For, example, it's not necessary to count the hours, if there's a church bell that wakes you and tells you when to eat, or an Imam that calls you to pray six times a day.  A sense of time is not a prerequisite to human existence.  Neither is a sense of direction.

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by: hannah @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 13:07:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Is it time? (0.00 / 0)

Is it time to begin recall elections here in NH as they are doing in WI?  How does that work in NH?

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by: mevansnh @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 13:31:21 PM UTC

I might be mis-remembering, but (0.00 / 0)

I don't think we have a provision for recall. I'm sure Kathy knows....

"A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in."  H.L Mencken.

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by: susaninrindge @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 14:24:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Next Recall: 607 Days (4.00 / 5)

There is no recall provision.  The problem with a recall provision is that it can sometimes reduce our elected political leaders to mush.  They'll be careful not to show courage and leadership on controversial matters because if they "upset" a few people they'll face the cost and diversion of a recount election.  

When I introduced Civil Unions in 2007 and gay marriage in 2009, several Portsmouth far right-wingers said I should be recalled.  I'm sure if they circulated a petition at that time they would have found enough signatures.  I still would have introduced the bills, but what if that recall election had been held and I lost?  What would that tell others?  

There are provisions of censure and impeachment for due reason.  The next "recall" election is already scheduled:  Tuesday, November 6, 2012.  That's just 607 days to go.

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 16:06:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

GREAT PROPOSAL, MIKE! (4.00 / 1)

They should consider it.  

I'd bet that Archimedes, a Greek mathematician and philosopher often called the "Father of Mathematics" would love to have a discussion with the current NH House Republican "leadership" and their finance committee members. It would be great entertainment for him.

But, he lived about 2,200 years ago so probably isn't up to it right now.  Besides, he probably doesn't have either a long or short form birth certificate, so they'd discount him outright.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 16:17:59 PM UTC

Not that this is news (0.00 / 0)

I was having an interesting discussion with someone who is quite far to the right.  They were railing off the usual talking points and the discussion finally turned to the NH budget and I asked, "How does the Republican's budget plan stand up to the governor's?"

Their response was, "The governor's plan doesn't go far enough."  And I said, "Well, okay but what is the Republican's plan?"  After about 30 seconds of silence they said, "All I know is, the governor's plan doesn't go far enough."

Proof positive these people have NO clue as to what they're doing and have no plan, if their own constituents don't even know what is going on.

Now to the post, the sad part is, I think this has probably crossed more than one warped legislator's mind.  Their mantra is quite simple, if you can't make something work in the current constraints, you change the constraints.  "Ipso fatso" (thank you Archie Bunker) you have solved your problem.

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

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by: cblodg @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 18:54:59 PM UTC

Ideologies Don't Care about the Truth (4.00 / 3)

While it is an interesting idea for the Republicans to develop an entirely new system of government to balance their budget, I don't see them doing that because they don't need to.

Mike's idea assumes that the Republicans care about creating a "real" budget.  I don't think that they do.  They will simply cut whatever programs necessary to balance the budget and blame the results on Governor Lynch and the Democratic Party.  When the revenues come in higher than projected, the Republicans will bring back popular programs and paint themselves as heroes.  These people are ideologies and don't care about truth.

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by: ProfessorMike @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 19:00:15 PM UTC

In the real world (0.00 / 0)

In the real world the two sides would have both provided some form of scored budget to compare.

In NH Republicanland we have the governor's budget plan and a bunch of squawking from those in Repbulicanland saying it didn't go far enough.

I ask, "HOW DO YOU KNOW!?  You don't even have a plan outside of, 'we need to cut taxes, etc. etc.'"  And people used to call Democrats "sheeple."

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

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by: cblodg @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 19:05:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think when (not if) revenues come in higher than projected... (0.00 / 0)

they will use the 'surplus' to pay for tax cuts that mostly go to businesses. The House has already passed  three bills tax cuts, the Ways and means committee has asked the House to approve another 6 cuts, and they have an additional 4 or 5 that have been retained for more work, including a couple that will repeal every fee or tax increase in the past 4 years.

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by: Mike Emm @ Thu Mar 10, 2011 at 19:22:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Stop giving them ideas (0.00 / 0)

They could direct whatever entity actually reviews the budget for the legislature to assume that tax cuts generate revenue while reviewing the assumptions. It's much easier than actually finding revenue or dealing with the consequences of their actions. I'm honestly surprised this hasn't been tried already.

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by: nhdemocrat @ Sat Mar 12, 2011 at 16:39:51 PM UTC

That's Paul Ryan's trick, (0.00 / 0)

making assumptions that have no relationship to reality. The famed Roadmap for America's Future, which is actually the roadmap to a third world nation right here.

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by: Lucy Edwards @ Sat Mar 12, 2011 at 20:40:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]