NH-Gov Straw Poll #3

by: Mike Hoefer

Thu Sep 29, 2011 at 08:58:20 AM EDT

Offering An Assessment Of Possible Gubernatorial Candidates

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Sat Apr 23, 2011 at 11:21:21 AM EDT

Since November, 2012 is just 563 days from now, or just over 80 weeks, it's not too early to consider their strengths or lack thereof.  Here are some of my initial thoughts, in no specific order:

1.  John Lynch. John Lynch should run for a 5th term.  While I didn't support his first race for the nomination -- I supported a lifelong friend, two-time Democratic Gubernatorial nominee Paul McEachern in 2004, Lynch has impressed me greatly.  McEachern didn't win in 2004, but I think he made John Lynch a better candidate, who went on to smash then-Governor Craig .... I forget his name.

Last November was John Lynch's toughest election, but he won, and he won well, and he won with class.  And thank goodness.  Can you imagine today, with this right-wing Legislature, if it was "Governor Stephen" or "Governor Kimball?"  John Lynch saved us from all that.  And his vetoes of horrible bills during the next few months, and next year too, will protect the lives of real people who would otherwise be hurt by some horrible legislation.  By those vetoes, Lynch will feel a renewed spirit of purpose and need.  He can win big in November, 2012.  Let's draft him.

Jackie Cilley's Legislative Action Alert, Week of 4/18/11

by: Dean Barker

Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 05:33:02 AM EDT

For more years than I can recall, early in our marriage Bruce and I began playing games
at the outset of our day. Initially we played cribbage faithfully over breakfast every
morning and taught our children to count by playing card games with them. Lately, we
tend to play triple Yahtzee over breakfast - probably because it taxes our aging brains
less and doesn't require as much strategizing as the sun comes up. We still play plenty
of cards, especially cribbage, as we did last evening over pizza with our youngest son
and his wife.

We're a competitive family. Whether it's darts (yes, I play a bit), horseshoes, basketball,
card or board games, or simply trying to recall somebody's name (something that we
seem to be playing more of these days), we'll turn it into a competition. We've taught
our children to compete, to lose graciously and to win more graciously.

Our family isn't unique in this. I dare say that competitiveness is a core characteristic
of our culture and our society. We like winners in our sports teams, but we love a
lively competition (didn't we all breath a collective sigh of relief when our beloved Red
Sox finally broke their 86 year losing streak??). We compete in our jobs for better
positions. We compete in ways big and small and some so petty that none of us want
to acknowledge it - who brings the most tasty or prettiest dish to a social gathering, who
has the cleanest house (I'm most decidedly NOT competing on this one), who is the
wittiest and on and on.

The one area in which competition seems to be changing is in the political arena. We --
both parties -- used to compete on ideas -- who could put forward the most rational plan
for solving society's thorny problems. The goals, even between the parties, were not so
different such a short time ago. There was general agreement on such things as don't
leave the elderly on a street corner with a tin cup in their hand, don't leave individuals
with mental illness, physical or developmental disabilities behind (yes, we did have our
dark period of warehousing these folks, but I thought we learned something from our
sorry mistakes), and educate our children well because they are our future.

This spirit of competitiveness in ideas and solutions seems to be changing in profound
ways, not for the better, these days. Winning appears increasingly to be the sole
objective, regardless of positions on issues. Increasingly, we don't even want to hear
one another's ideas.

Of all of the disturbing things coming out of Concord these days one central theme
that is most disconcerting is the unwillingness of those who represent us to listen to
experts and citizens who come to testify on important legislation. Increasingly and on
a daily basis, I am receiving reports of e-mails sent by legislators or discussions held with legislators in which they actually say such things as "Save your breath. I already
know how I'm voting." Or, they write back to constituents and say that while they
may want to vote differently, they have been told by leadership how to vote. Those in
the best position to know, say their facts and figures fall on the deaf ears of those so
ideologically driven that they refuse to allow in any conflicting information.

What we are seeing is not the marketplace of ideas or competition for sound solutions.
Rather, we are witnessing, as other regions of the world have before us, the iron-fisted
will of a supermajority to impose a dogmatic ideology in which divergent views are not
welcome.

Jackie Cilley's Legislative Alert, Week of April 4, 2011

by: Dean Barker

Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 05:53:27 AM EDT

Before getting to the business of our legislature, there have been several questions raised lately.  I've been asked by folks if it is permissible to pass these Alerts along to others and/or to post them to Facebook sites, blogs or websites.  The answer is yes, absolutely.  In fact, I would encourage you to send these far and wide to family, friends and neighbors without regard to political affiliation.  The comments that I have been receiving suggest that folks across the political spectrum are concerned about what they are seeing coming out of our state capital.  Even when people may disagree with something that they find within the Alerts, it leads to a discussion of larger issues and the direction of our state - and that is a healthy thing.  I would ask that you leave my contact information on the Alert (JCilley AT aol DOT com) simply to allow others to reach me with questions, suggestions and/or feedback which has been occurring on a regular basis.

Granny D: A New Hampshire Treasure Made Of Gold

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 21:03:37 PM EDT

Back then, I was fascinated by this somewhat short and unassuming woman who seemed to have a lot of get-up-and-go.  I enjoyed campaigning for and voting for this visionary, very positive human being.

But only in the past two years or so have I seen her quite up close (REALLY close when she gives you the patented "Granny D Hug"), and come to know, better understand, and even get to love this 98 year old New Hampshire treasure who is made of gold.

I could write so much about her, but watching her for a couple of hours this past Thursday as she experienced one of her greatest victories -- the New Hampshire State Senate approving a bill that she and her cause has inspired -- kind of sums up all about her.  

That legislation, House Bill 794, called "The Granny D Bill," creates a seven-member Commission to craft and recommend a public financing program for New Hampshire.  Whether that can be done is not the question -- some dozen other states have similar programs for at least some of their candidates, and Maine, Arizona, and Connecticut have rather complete systems.  And whether it WILL be done here is not the question -- it will be someday, because it is at least a partial answer to improving democracy and making it more accessible by more of our citizens.  It will happen.  It has to.

And all that is Granny D's cause.  She says the same thing -- that this will happen -- that we must do this not for ourselves, but for our future, and our children.  To hear her say that makes you believe that it will be done.  Because it has to.  

But what was remarkable this past Thursday was to see this energetic woman walk the halls of the New Hampshire State House, a building only a little more than twice her own age, with just a cane while leading her troop of supporters at a fast pace.  More on that walk in a moment.  

After being introduced to the Senate by Keene Senator Molly Kelly and Senate President Sylvia Larsen, she sat for close to an hour in the historic chamber for her bill to come up and be voted on.  It passed unanimously after two speakers, one a Democrat (Senator Jackie Cilley of Barrington) and one a Republican  (Senator Peter Bragdon of Milford) recommended passage.  Then Granny D stood to the applause and thanks of a gallery full of her longtime supporters who came from throughout the state to cheer her on.  

Then she stepped -- "ran" might be a better description -- out of the Senate into her crowd of backers while she answered questions from reporters.  In the midst of all this commotion Governor John Lynch walked up the stairs going toward his office.  He stopped for a moment to say hello to Granny D.  It gave her a chance to corner him on her cause...(more below fold)

The "Granny D. Bill" Passes The New Hampshire House And Senate

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 18:31:01 PM EDT

House Bill 794 creates a seven-member group which will consider public funding options of certain campaigns in New Hampshire -- possibly Governor, State Senate, and Governor's Council.  So, this legislation could eventually dramatically affect for the good the way that democracy is exercised in our state.

After a public hearing early last year the bill was sent to a House Election Law Subcommittee which I chaired.  There I saw first-hand the enthusiasm for the concept of this bill that Granny D and others brought to her cause as we held a dozen work sessions on the bill.

The Subcommittee even met with Maine State Representatives to learn more about how public funding of certain campaigns works in that state.  Altogether, we had over 35 hours of discussion on this bill in the Legislature. HB 794 passed the House on January 16th on a roll call of 199 to 121.

I have dubbed House Bill 794 as "THE GRANNY D BILL," because this is her cause.  She walked across America in support of "clean elections."  In light of the ever-increasing costs of running for public office and the reliance on personal wealth or extensive fundraising in order to run for public office, this bill seeks to allow for a different approach to funding campaigns for potential candidates without such financial sources.

Legislation similar to the original version of HB 794 was almost passed by the 2000 Legislature.  A bill creating public financing of campaigns passed the State Senate that year, and came within 28 votes of passage in the then-Republican controlled House after a lengthy discussion.   GOVERNOR JEANNE SHAHEEN was prepared to sign the bill.

The people on the bipartisan Commission created by HB 794 will dedicate dedicate themselves in the next few months to the task of identifying alternative ways to fund state campaigns.  The  Commission will examine potential revenue sources for funding and develop recommendations to the legislative session of 2009.

This Commission, under the directives of the bill, may consider voluntary contributions, in-kind donations of services, and other means to generate revenue.  The Commission will include not more than three members of a political party.   No Commission members can currently hold elective office.   Two appointments are to be made by the House Speaker, two by the Senate President, two by the Governor, and one by the Secretary of State.  The Commission will report back by December 1, 2008, in time for legislative action in 2009.  

Some twelve states already have "clean election" laws at one level or another, with Maine, Arizona, and Connecticut having statewide versions affecting most elected offices.  This concept has been publicly endorsed by leaders and people who have run for "higher office" from both parties:  former GOVERNOR WALTER PETERSON, former Gubernatorial candidate JIM RUBINS, former Democratic U.S. Senate nominee JOHN RAUH, former Gubernatorial nominee PAUL McEACHERN and former State Senators CLIF BELOW and RICK TROMBLY, among others.  

In addition, SECRETARY OF STATE BILL GARDNER has been a strong advocate of the legislation and the public funding concept.  A number of other long-time supporters of the Granny D cause who have worked with her for the past decade also contributed to the success of the legislation to this point. Representatives of the League of Women Voters, NH Citizens Alliance, Americans for Campaign Reform, Public Action for Clean Elections, and Veterans for Peace NH have also supported the legislation.

I think the Commission will do its job well, and that it will come up with inventive, innovative ways to implement the concept here "The New Hampshire Way."  

House Bill 794 was cosponsored by Representatives PETER ALLEN, BETTY HALL, DANA HILLIARD, BARBARA RICHARDSON, SENATOR JACKIE CILLEY, and myself.   Several members of the House Election Law Committee worked especially hard on making the bill succeed, including DAVID PIERCE, who prepared the amendment creating the Commission, CLAUDIA CHASE and CHUCK WEED, who were on the Subcommittee which I chaired, along with David Pierce and Betty Hall and went to a number of meetings on the bill, and COMMITTEE CHAIR JANE CLEMONS, who helped in passage on the House Floor.

But this one really is a great victory for Granny D -- who repeatedly would tell us this isn't "about her," it's not even "about us," it's about our children, and our future.  

She's right.
 

The "Granny D Bill" Passes The House, Commission To Study Public Funding Of NH Campaigns

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Thu Jan 17, 2008 at 00:05:49 AM EST

The legislation, House Bill 794, has gone through a thorough review during the past year.  After a public hearing last March it was sent to a House Election Law Subcommittee which I chaired.  We held a dozen worksessions on the bill.  The Subcommittee even met with Maine State Representatives to learn more about how public funding of certain campaigns works in that state.  

House Bill 794 is dubbed "THE GRANNY D BILL," because this is her cause.  She walked across America in support of "clean elections."  In light of the ever-increasing costs of running for public office and the reliance on personal wealth or extensive fundraising in order to run for public office, this bill seeks to allow for a different approach to funding campaigns for potential candidates without such financial sources.

Legislation similar to the original version of HB 794 was almost passed by the 2000 Legislature.  A bill creating public financing of campaigns passed the State Senate that year, and came within 28 votes of passage in the House after a lengthy discussion.   GOVERNOR JEANNE SHAHEEN was prepared to sign the bill.

Under this legislation, a bipartisan Commission of seven public members will be created to dedicate themselves to the task of identifying alternative ways to fund state campaigns.  The commission will examine potential revenue sources for funding and develop recommendations to the legislative session of 2009.

This Commission, under the directives of the bill, may consider voluntary contributions, in-kind donations of services, and other means to generate revenue.  The Commission would include not more than three members of a political party.   No Commission members would currently hold elective office.   Two appointments would be made by the House Speaker, two by the Senate President, two by the Governor, and one by the Secretary of State.  The Commission would report back by December 1, 2008, in time for legislative action in 2009.  

Some twelve states already have "clean election" laws.  This concept has been publicly endorsed by leaders and people who have run for "higher office" from both parties:  former GOVERNOR WALTER PETERSON, former Gubernatorial candidate JIM RUBINS, former Democratic U.S. Senate nominee JOHN RAUH, former Gubernatorial nominee PAUL McEACHERN and former State Senators CLIF BELOW and RICK TROMBLY, among others.  I think the Commission will do its job well, and that it will come up with inventive, innovative ways to implement the concept there "The New Hampshire Way."  

The original version of House Bill 794 was cosponsored by Representatives PETER ALLEN, BETTY HALL, DANA HILLIARD, BARBARA RICHARDSON, SENATOR JACKIE CILLEY, and myself.   Several members of the House Election Law Committee worked especially hard on making the bill succeed, including DAVID PIERCE, who prepared the amendment creating the Commission, CLAUDIA CHASE and CHUCK WEED,who were on the Subcommittee along with David Pierce and Betty Hall and went to a number of meetings on the bill, and COMMITTEE CHAIR JANE CLEMONS, who helped in passage on the House Floor.

But this one was really a great victory for Granny D -- who repeatedly would tell us this isn't "about her," it's not even "about us," it's about our children, and our future.  

She's right.  Now it's onto the State Senate.