It's an Election Year

by: susanthe

Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 12:46:07 PM EST

Economists are quick to tell us that our economy is showing signs of recovery. This seems to mean that Wall St. is doing well. Main St. doesn't seem to be ready to tap dance just yet. The unemployment rate for New Hampshire was seven percent in January. Those statistics are skewed to be lower than the real numbers of unemployed. They don't count folks who haven't been able to find a job long after their unemployment benefits ended, or those who weren't eligible in the first place. The real number is perhaps as high as 14%. More NH families are using food stamps than ever before.  Our homes aren't worth what they used to be, though foreclosures seem to be slowing down.  In other words, for the most part, the news isn't good. NH folks are having a tough time, and tough times always seem even tougher in the north country.  

Tyranny of the Majority: David Bates v. James Madison

by: Dean Barker

Mon Jan 18, 2010 at 16:14:29 PM EST

[Rep. David] Bates, the legislator behind the drive, insisted the petitions should be characterized not as "an anti-gay movement" but as a mechanism to enhance democracy by making sure legislators are representing their constituents.

...He challenged any legislator who would not support approving the amendment so it could be voted in "as much as possible, a statewide referendum."

"Rather than representing the people, they're attempting to thwart the will of the people," Bates said. "They are in fact choosing tyranny rather than democracy."

In other news, founders like James Madison, awash in Classical learning, consciously emulated the representative democracy of the Roman Republic over the radical democracy of Athens in their great experiment.

State GOP Looking to Increase Divorce Rate

by: Dean Barker

Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 18:35:05 PM EST

Socially conservative lawmakers and activists Tuesday kicked off an ambitious effort they hope results in a constitutional amendment that outlaws marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

Organizers announced petitions were in the field to place nonbinding warrant articles about marriage before town meeting voters in at least 60 percent of communities.

...State Rep. David Bates, R-Windham, a leader of "Let NH Vote" campaign, urged the Legislature to support a proposed constitutional amendment on marriage and follow the will of voters on these petitions.

Over the past decade or so, divorce has gradually become more uncommon in the United States. Since 2003, however, the decline in divorce rates has been largely confined to states which have not passed a state constitutional ban on gay marriage. These states saw their divorce rates decrease by an average of 8 percent between 2003 and 2008. States which had passed a same-sex marriage ban as of January 1, 2008, however, saw their divorce rates rise by about 1 percent over the same period.