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This week I've been writing about the Agenda of Destruction underway in Concord: bills and rhetoric meant to destroy the cornerstones of life in New Hampshire. Our schools, our woods and parks, our health care - all of this and more is under constant barrage. How can an agenda like this possibly get any traction in the state we love?
New Hampshire is one of the richest states in the nation: for example, first in median household income. And we spend less than all but a couple of states on public services. So how can it be that we are talking about ending poison control centers? And rewriting the Constitution so the state can wash its hands of grade school and high school education? How can it be that we close the "Welcome" centers?
It can only happen when we block our vision, when we deny our own strength.
We block our vision and deny our strength when we swear off state revenue sources and whimper, "we're too poor." This session of the legislature cut the cigarette tax and shrank the coffers by about $17 million. A new bill this week cuts the Communications Services Tax for another several million. The same people promoting these cuts in state revenues cry "No money!" as they cut funding for the most basic services.
This is Norquist Nihilism: shrink the funding for services until you can "drown the baby in the bathtub." The single most powerful tool in the hands of the New Hampshire Nihilists is The Pledge. Take the Pledge to veto any sales or income tax and you put blinders on the state. Should we bump our investment in growth drivers like education and infrastructure just a bit, maybe from 47th cheapest to 44th cheapest? We can't even talk about it, once the Pledge is taken.
The next Governor will owe us an accounting. Can we fund poison control centers? Can we put the "Welcome" mat back on the front steps of this tourist state? Can we fund our schools?
I want a Governor who can look at the whole picture - all our needs and all our resources - in preparing that answer. I want a Governor who rejects the Pledge and its straitjacket on services.
I want a Governor like Jackie Cilley.
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No primary endorsement is complete this year without adding a reminder that the chasm between the parties and their values is greater than ever. From equal rights to women's health to the environment, there is no difficulty in choosing come November. I will eagerly support the Democratic nominee, whoever wins.
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