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After that explanation, I want to express my appreciation to our fellow Democrats in the House especially, but also to the Senate and the other branches of state government.
Much of what we have accomplished for the people of New Hampshire, especially these past four years with House and Senate Democratic leadership -- headed by Terie Norelli and Sylvia Larsen -- working with Governor John Lynch, has moved our state forward.
We have fantastic public servants -- many House and Senate members, Governor's Councilors, and department and agency heads and employees across the stream of our government. Sometimes we don't appreciate them, and sometimes we let personalities get in the way of process, and we're overly-critical of one another. But when looking at the big picture of our state government, we're doing very well and we have excellent people leading the way.
It is a bit frightening in recent months to see that some people are expousing very anti-government positions. Much of it is political postering, I think -- but much of it is knee-jerk reaction to perceptions.
Some people -- perhaps too many -- have come to view taxes as penalties rather than as ways that we together share in funding the cost of serving people.
The anti-government folks have stripped our departments and agencies of state government of personnel and resources, making it so difficult for them to do their jobs effectively. Some of the anti-government crowd border on anarchists who want to just close up the doors of government. That's where today's and tomorrow's fight needs to continue to be waged.
That IS where today's and tomorrow's fight needs to continue to be waged. Filing period is opening on June 2nd through 11th for the State Legislature and State Senate, and other offices. Dedicated people who can spend the time to volunteer (that's essentially what being in the Legislature is) to help make our state better need to get in there.
In my mind, what matters most is the desire to do good things, to care about people, and to build up instead of tear down. We need people to be in our government who have positive vision and who will imagine what can be. We need people who can dream. And it would be good for everyone to bring a little more civility to the process.
If you're thinking about it: RUN! It's easy to file as a candidate, a bit tougher to campaign, sometimes very tough to win, and the hard work is actually after you get sworn in -- but step up, get in, do the job for all of us. Bad government, just like wrong, happens only if good people don't take part and speak up.
I hope to continue to engage in the discussion from time to time about our causes on www.BlueHampshire.com and elsewhere. Usually, most of us spend more time "not in" government than in it -- and I'm right at the edge of that timeframe because of my 62 years, I've spent 31 years in either the Senate or the House. Maybe a bit too much -- at least I'd like to keep it at that point for a while and maybe add more time to "out" rather than to "in." Being outside rather than inside might give me a fresher, more objective viewpoint on some issues.
In making change, I failed more often than succeeded, and for that I'm sorry. We all have shortcomings, and I wish I could have done more. The good thing is that there are others who will keep carrying the ball. I haven't succeeded on doing many of the things I would liked to have accomplished, and that saddens me and I apologize to those who I let down from time to time.
But overall I sure had fun trying!
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