Dems win NH House budget battle, losing political messaging war

We Have To Show Faces, Tell Stories (4.00 / 2)

Just like on the fight for marriage equality and discrimination issues, we have to show faces and tell stories.  The stories about corporations getting even richer in times of recession by cutting wages and benefits, and the faces of our neighbors who are really being hurt by the recession -- and that our job as a government is to be the safety-net.  

Higher property taxes that result from not having a capital gains tax on the wealthy will force renters and marginal homeowners beyond their limits.  Cutting health care for our lower income just means more costs later, and cuts to nursing homes will mean people are more misable and property taxes rise.  That's not good for any of us.

Cutting public safety law enforcement and police officers means more crime, that's bad for all of us.  Government needs to raise a level of revenue to make sure we respond to basic needs.  There's nothing fancy in the budget we passed.    

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 09:16:16 AM CDT

Do as I say, not as I did (4.00 / 1)

We also need to remind folks that during the last recession, the GOP controlled the State House and raised taxes! Chair Smith did a great job pointing out their hypocrasy while questioning former chairmen Kurk and Scamman. Both of these men chaired the Apropriations/Finance committee and crafted state budgets that raised taxes. As Margie said yesterday to them, "Do as I say, not as I did"!

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by: mrollo @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 14:20:23 PM CDT

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anyway... (0.00 / 0)

Let's say all those rich people do go to Florida... a state which as we all know lacks a capital gains tax :-)

Is that an entirely bad thing?  The moving vans will need laborers to fill them and drivers to drive them.  That creates jobs.  The state's Realtors will have to try to sell the rich people's homes, which will create jobs even before the houses sell, for gardeners, decorators, carpenters, etc. during the "staging" process.  If and when the homes sell, the realtors get their commissions and the towns get real estate transfer taxes.  The houses will also now be valued accurately at current market prices, which is also helpful for property tax revenues.  The new  buyers will be younger in most cases, which will be beneficial, especially if they are businesspeople or professionals.  Some of the homes, if not enough families can afford them, could be renovated into rental apartments, office space, nursing homes, etc.

I hate to say this, but a sudden mass exodus of rich people might be good for the NH economy, in the short run at least.

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 15:29:54 PM CDT

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I'm working on it. (n/t) (0.00 / 0)

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by: Jennifer Daler @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 09:19:03 AM CDT

clicking their ruby slippers (4.00 / 1)

They also proposed to balance the budget by magically reducing total expenses by 13% without saying where and how, or worrying if it is even possible.

The Republicans seem to believe that they can collectively click their heels and return to 1952 - when budgets were low, women stayed in the kitchen, gays stayed in the closet, and people of color stayed out of sight.

They refuse to acknowledge certain realities. Energy costs are higher now than they were in 1952 - or than they were 4 years ago. Everything costs more - do the math! The people know this, because they're experiencing it, too. The only difference is that when families cut their budgets to the bone and can't cut any more, someone has to get a second job. NH needs a second job.

It's unsurprising that the GOP would fail to have a plan for cutting that 13%.  I think we should call them on it. Put up or shut up.  

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by: susanthe @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 09:35:06 AM CDT

Here's an idea: (4.00 / 1)

Pay attention, and understand the Manchester Union Leader will not frame Democratic positions fairly. It hasn't for at least fifty years.

We're "losing the political war" because the UL attacks us? That's like saying we're losing the gravity war because apples fall.

"House OKs New Taxes for Wealthy" is a wonderful headline to run on. You posted here advocating these taxes months ago, for crying out loud.

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by: elwood @ Fri Apr 10, 2009 at 18:34:40 PM CDT

If it was just the UL, I wouldn't care (4.00 / 2)

of course they are going to say whatever a Democratic legislature does is a disaster. But I read the other reports- in the Herald, the Monitor, and Normal Love for the AP.

- While most coverage said that the budget is larger than years past, no one mentioned that taxes are cut in this budget by over $400 million. They all say we raised taxes by $200 million

- no one mentioned that the wealthy in NH pay a far smaller share of  their income in state and local taxes than do working folks.

- the Telegraph said "The bill creates three new taxes and raises three existing ones to pay for the two-year spending plan". No one mentioned that the cap gains tax also lowers the interest and dividends tax for the vast majority of people making under $100K per year, saving them $ millions.

- they all quote Neil Kurk, ranking Republican on the Finance committee saying, "This flies in face of national economy, raising taxes at the time of a recession". Two quote David Hess' preposterous "we are now 2/3 of the way to an income tax" bluster, without asking "how so"?

I watched last budget, when the legislature made very modest tax changes that got spun as 17% increases by the GOP. Since no one corrected them, this became an accepted fact, even though anyone with a calculator could see for themselves it wasn't true. I hope our party's leadership doesn't let this happen again.

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by: Michael Marsh @ Sat Apr 11, 2009 at 06:22:59 AM CDT

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That's because Dems are too timid. (0.00 / 0)

They quote Kurk because Kurk speaks.

Where is the Dem saying, unapologetically, "The state needs to pay for basic services, and it's time for the wealthiest to contribute a bit more." That is not an unpopular message.

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by: elwood @ Sat Apr 11, 2009 at 07:09:24 AM CDT

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It's not just that Kurk (4.00 / 2)

speaks. I've noticed (and just mentioned to a friend at dinner last night) that more often than not, the reporters at NHPR, for example, will put a soundbite from a ranking Republican into a report before quoting the ranking Democrat, who is usually the chair of the committee or subcommittee in question. One could argue they're trying to be "balanced" and give the minority point of view, but it was the same when the Republicans held the majority. That is, the Republicans were quoted more and first.

Republicans also get more statewide political coverage in newspapers. That's been documented here before.

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by: Jennifer Daler @ Sat Apr 11, 2009 at 07:20:42 AM CDT

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