NH GOP Chair John H. Sununu Takes His "I Hate NH Tour" to NHPR's Exchange

by: HarrellKirstein

Mon Feb 08, 2010 at 15:42:02 PM EST

Concord - Today, Chairman of the Republican Party John H. Sununu took his "I Hate NH Tour" to New Hampshire Public Radio's program The Exchange.  Within the first 30 seconds of being on the air Sununu lied three times in quick succession.

He began by lying once again about the responsible and balanced budget passed by Democrats this biennium.  Sununu claimed that spending was up more than 10% when in fact, Democrats reduced general fund spending.  And during Sununu's tenure as governor, he raised spending by an average of 22.25% per biennium, increased taxes, and left the 1983 and 1984 budgets in deficit.

He went on to claim that Democrats implemented 38 to 45 new taxes and fees.   But in reality virtually every tax and fee in New Hampshire was implemented and raised by Republicans.

And once again Sununu claimed that New Hampshire is ruined.  He has repeated this outrageous attack on the Granite State for months, even though New Hampshire leads the country on virtually every key metric:

* Best Place to Raise a Family: According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation New Hampshire is the single best place to raise a family in the United States.

* Lower Unemployment: The unemployment rate is 30% lower in New Hampshire than it is nationally.

* Low Taxes: New Hampshire has one of the best business tax climates according to the conservative think tank the Tax Foundation.

* Low State Spending: New Hampshire has the 4th lowest per-capita spending of any state in the country.

* Safe: According to the FBI, New Hampshire is the 2nd safest state in the country.

* Well Educated: According to the U.S. census, New Hampshire graduates a greater percentage of its high school students than any state in the north east.  And the Department of Education ranks New Hampshire among the top 5 states in key measures of reading and math.

Finally, when the host of The Exchange pointed out to Chairman Sununu that Democrats, including President Obama, have been trying to work in a bipartisan way with Republicans to move our state and country forward Sununu resorted to childish taunts.  He accused President Obama of being "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire."

"Seriously?" asked Derek Richer, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.  "This is a low point in New Hampshire politics - even for Sununu."

(Posted by Harrell Kirstein, Deputy Press Secretary of the New Hampshire Democratic Party)    

House Republican Plan Would Kick Over 1500 New Hampshire Kids Off of Their Health Insurance

by: DRicher

Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 11:17:15 AM EST

New Hampshire House Republicans have introduced legislation (HB 1283) to dramatically curtail access to the state's Healthy Kids Silver program.  The proposal would cut more than 1500 children from a health care plan that provides low income families with access to affordable health insurance.  

"The radical House Republican proposal would be devastating for New Hampshire families," said Derek Richer, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.  "People are struggling and reducing access to affordable health care for children from low income families is completely irresponsible."

"Kicking 1500 children off of their health insurance would be a disaster," continued Richer. "House Republicans should stop trying to rewrite the budget with reckless cuts that target the state's most vulnerable citizens."

"Governor Lynch and legislative Democrats worked hard to balance the budget while protecting essential services like these.  Republicans should come to the table and work with Democrats on real solutions that both address the economic challenges we face and protect working families," Richer added.

House Republicans have introduced a series of measures that slash access to medical care in New Hampshire.  In addition to HB 1283 that rolls back the Healthy Kids Silver program, House Republicans have also introduced legislation to slash Medicaid.  This proposal (HB 1587) would eliminate access to a wide range of essential services for poor seniors, the mentally disabled, and handicapped individuals including funding for prescription drug coverage, wheelchair vans and mental health care, among other services.

The legislation (HB1587) would also eliminate the state's home-and-community-based care program, forcing seniors out of their homes into more expensive nursing homes. And it would eliminate funding for home-based programs for people with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries, forcing them into more expensive care.

"The drastic health care cuts proposed by House Republicans just goes to show how truly out of touch they are with the people of New Hampshire," continued Richer.  "While legislative Democrats are working hard to improve the lives of everyone in the New Hampshire, Republicans want to return the state to the Dark Ages."

(Posted by Derek Richer, Press Secretary of the New Hampshire Democratic Party)    

Former state party chair is too late; GOP has already been overrun by the fringe

by: DRicher

Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 08:55:09 AM EST

Former state party chair is too late; GOP has already been overrun by the fringe

Fergus Cullen, the former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, published an Op-Ed last week denouncing the hateful remarks made by right wing political activist and radio show host Doug Lambert.   Enough has been said about Mr. Lambert's shocking comments that I won't recount them here.

But in the piece, Cullen also warned the state Republican Party of the political perils of pandering to its most fringe members.  While I applaud his efforts, they are too little, too late.  

Recently we have seen all the Republican candidates for higher office clamoring to get endorsements from the far right wing of the party.  For example, they have been actively courting the radical conservative group, Club for Growth, and seeking endorsements from the extremist Republican Senator Jim DeMint.

In fact, the New Hampshire Republican Party has effectively purged its ranks of middle-of-the-road Republicans.   Over the last decades, they have "purified" their party, driving out moderates like Hillary Cleveland, Lou D'Allesandro, Ralph Hough, Dave Nixon, Frank Davis, Jim Mackay, the late Susan and Malcolm McLane and hundreds of other former top NH Republicans.

And recently, the state party has taken the final step - ousting Cullen as chairman and replacing him with failed former Governor John H. Sununu.  Now, Chairman Sununu is doing everything he can to spread anger and hate to rile up the base.

Sununu recently outlined exactly this strategy in an interview with Foster's Daily Democrat.  His goal: to make the Republican Party as angry possible.

Over the summer, we saw this strategy in action.  The New Hampshire Tea Party Coalition, a group of local Republicans and radical activists, used scare tactics to try to stop progress on providing affordable, quality health insurance to all Americans.  This was not a peaceful protest - they regularly used threats and intimidation tactics that were reprehensible.

And there is no line between the leadership of the New Hampshire Republican Party and the "Tea Party" crowd.  Jack Kimball, currently the Republican candidate for governor, is one of the movement's lead organizers.

Kimball is so out of touch with New Hampshire values he declared that there had been a "communist and socialist" takeover of America.  In order to protect himself from the "serious things coming," he then purchased large amounts of ammunition for his assault weapons.  He even started a new group aimed at "keeping an eye on the president."  And in response to the government's efforts to help struggling homeowners, Kimball actually urged individuals to stop paying their mortgages.

Chairman Sununu and the state Republican Party should be ashamed.  Their strategy of inciting anger and spreading hate - instead of offering ideas - is bad for our state, and the people of New Hampshire deserve better.  

Cullen is right when he says that campaigning to the fringe of the Republican Party is no way to win elections. Unfortunately, his colleagues beg to differ.  This type of mentality runs counter to New Hampshire values, and ultimately is the reason why the GOP will remain the minority party in 2010.

Mike Brunelle is a former state representative and the current executive director of the New Hampshire Democratic Party

(Posted by Derek Richer, Press Secretary of the New Hampshire Democratic Party)  

How Quickly Bass Forgets

by: DRicher

Fri Nov 13, 2009 at 13:25:57 PM EST

Concord, NH - Former Congressman Charlie Bass has apparently forgotten his own record when it comes to government spending - a record that was defined by his support for reckless spending, record deficits, and tax breaks for the wealthy.  

Appearing on MSNBC yesterday to discuss the 2010 political climate, Bass shockingly declared, "I wouldn't want to be an incumbent congressman who had raised spending," ignoring the fact that his role as a rubberstamp for George Bush's reckless spending turned a record surplus into a record deficit.  Bass not only repeatedly voted for Bush budgets that ballooned the deficit, but he also supported making permanent the Bush special interest tax breaks that benefited the wealthiest Americans. Those tax policies would cost the Treasury approximately $4 trillion.

"Charlie Bass has no one to blame but himself when it comes to the federal deficit," said Derek Richer, Press Secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.  "In Congress, Bass was nothing more than a rubberstamp for George Bush's reckless spending that turned a record surplus into a record deficit, and that Bush-Bass agenda helped create the mess our economy is in right now. Instead of trying to shift the blame, Bass should take a look in the mirror."

BACKGROUND:

The Real Charlie Bass: A Rubberstamp for George Bush's Reckless Spending
Deficit Exploded Under Bush. Although President Bush had hoped to preside over a deficit reduction in his last year in office, the New York Times reported that the FY2009 budget he sent to Congress in February of 2008 would raise the federal deficit by nearly $250 billion- bringing it to $410 billion in 2008, up from $162 billion the year before. [New York Times, 2/05/08]

In 2007, the Washington Post reported that Bush "inherited a budget surplus when he took office, but it disappeared amid a recession, the 2001 terrorist attacks and his massive tax-cutting program. By 2004, the deficit had soared to $413 billion...but it fell to $248 billion [in 2006]." [Washington Post, 10/16/07]

Voted to Make Bush's Tax Breaks Permanent. In 2002, Bass voted to make the fiscally irresponsible Bush tax breaks permanent. In the first decade after 2012, the tax breaks would cost the Treasury approximately $4 trillion. When it is fully phased in, the cost of the tax breaks over the next 75 years will be more than twice as great as the entire 75-year shortfall projected in the Social Security Trust Fund. Additionally, when all of the enacted tax breaks are fully in effect, the benefits will flow disproportionately to those with the highest incomes. The 1.3 million tax filers who make up the most affluent one percent of filers will receive more than one-third of the tax breaks. At the same time, the 1.3 million tax filers in this elite group will receive about twice as much in tax breaks as the 78 million low- and moderate-income filers who comprise the bottom 60 percent of filers. The proposal passed, 229-198. [Associated Press, 4/19/02; Center on Budget & Policy Priorities, "The Administration's Proposal to Make the Tax Cut Permanent," 4/16/02; HR 586, Vote #103, 4/18/02]

Supported $70 Billion in Bush Tax Breaks That Benefited the Wealthiest Americans. In 2006, Bass voted in favor of $70 billion tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. The bill extended the Bush tax breaks on capital gains and dividends for two years, but only included a one year patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax, a tax that was particularly painful for millions of middle class families. The Washington Post called the bill a "windfall for the rich, and a hole in the federal budget." According to a study by the Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center, Middle-income households would receive an average tax cut of $20, while the 0.2 percent of households with incomes over $1 million would get average tax breaks of $42,000. The bill passed 244-185. [Washington Post, 5/11/06; HR4297, Vote #135, 5/10/06]

Voted For Budget that Would Spend the Social Security Surplus, Increase the Debt. In 2004, Bass voted in favor of the FY 2005 Budget Resolution that spent $174 billion of the social security trust fund would pay in part for $55.2 billion in additional tax breaks. The agreement also increased the public debt limit by $690 billion. The plan includes much weaker rules against red ink than the Senate approved budget. The $ 2.4 trillion, one-year agreement would require any new tax breaks to be offset by spending cuts or tax increases elsewhere in the budget. But that "pay-as-you-go" rule expires in a year under the final version, instead of five years as in the original House bill. The measure passed 216-213. [CQ House Action Reports, "The Budget Agreement," 5/19/04; USA Today, 5/20/04; SCR 95, Vote #198, 5/19/04]

Bass Voted for FY 07 Budget that Hurt America's Working Families. In 2006, Bass voted in favor of a $2.8 trillion budget that is fiscally reckless and harmful for America's working families. The budget adds hundred of billions to the already record budget deficit and includes a provision to increase the debt limit by $653 billion to $9.6 trillion. It cuts key programs like education, health and veterans programs. It does nothing to help lower gas prices and does not provide a permanent fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax, which hurts millions of middle class families every year. The budget includes a projected deficit for 2006 of $372 billion, and a deficit for 2007 of $348 billion. By 2011, the deficit could total $1.1 trillion. The budget resolution contains no plans to balance the budget, and, in fact, the Republican policies make the deficit worse by $410 billion over five years relative to current budget policies. The bill passed 218-210. [House Budget Committee, Minority Staff Analysis of the FY 07 Budget; HCR 376, Vote #158, 5/18/06]

Supported Final $40 Billion Budget Cut Bill that Cut Billions from Medicaid and Student Loans. In 2006, Bass voted for the conference agreement to cut mandatory spending programs by $39.7 billion over the next five years. The measure cut a record $12.7 billion from federal student loan programs, $7 billion from Medicaid that included increased cost-sharing and premiums for the poor, $1.5 billion from child support enforcement and $2.7 billion from initiatives that help the nation's farmers. The bill also repealed a program - known as the Byrd amendment - that helped local employers injured by unfair trade. The measure did not touch a $5 billion HMO slush fund established by the 2003 Medicare bill, and after intense lobbying from the health insurance industry, the budget saved HMOs $22 billion dollars by maintaining Medicare reimbursement formulas that favored the industry. The bill passed 216-214. [House Budget Committee Minority Staff, "Key Provisions in the Conference Report on the Republican Spending Reconciliation Bill." 12/19/05; CQ Today, 2/1/06; Washington Post, 2/1/06; HRS 653, Vote #4, 2/1/06]

(Posted by Derek Richer, Press Secretary of the New Hampshire Democratic Party)    

Ayotte & Benson: For the Love of Money

by: DRicher

Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 10:18:15 AM EDT

(Posted by Derek Richer, Press Secretary of the New Hampshire Democratic Party)  

Statement from NHDP Chair on So Called Republican Spending Summit

by: DRicher

Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 18:21:03 PM EDT

"The Republican Party needs to stop playing politics with the state budget.

"Where were the Republicans when we were passing the budget?  Unlike Democrats, who passed a budget that made significant cuts to spending, Republicans sat on the sidelines throughout the process.

"Their only involvement came at the 11th hour, when they offered a reckless proposal that would have lead to the highest property tax increase in the history of New Hampshire.

"The time for being a part of the budget process was last spring. This so-called spending summit is just a laughable attempt to score cheap political points.

"Someone should remind Republicans that under their leadership spending increased by double digits every biennium.  And the biggest spender of all has been John H Sununu.  During his tenure, spending increased an astounding 22% per biennium.

"When it comes to passing responsible, balanced budgets, Republicans do not have any credibility.

NHDP Joins President Obama's Call to Republicans to Help Clean Up the Mess They Created

by: DRicher

Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 15:01:06 PM EDT

Picking up on President Obama's call, the New Hampshire Democratic Party delivered a mop and a message to the New Hampshire Republican Party, asking them to help clean up the mess created by years of failed Republican leadership.

See the video here

Recognizing that we're all in this together, President Obama and the Democratic Party have been working hard to create jobs, ensure accessible and affordable insurance, and better secure the country. But these efforts have been met with Republican knee-jerk opposition and partisan obstruction to every new idea.

Last week, the President suggested that rather than simply saying "NO" to efforts to help put the country back on the right track, the GOP should "grab a mop" and help clean up the mess we're in to move the country forward.

"Not unlike Republicans at the national level, the only thing Judd Gregg, John H. Sununu,  and the state Republican Party has offered are the failed policies of the past," said Mike Brunelle, executive director of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.

"Today, we delivered a mop to the New Hampshire Republican Party with the message that they should stop being the party of no and start helping clean up the mess they created," Brunelle continued.  "As President Obama said, the Republicans need to grab a mop and let's all get to work."

(Posted by Derek Richer, Press Secretary of the New Hampshire Democratic Party)

Elizabeth Edwards on the Campaign Trail in NH!

by: NCDem Amy

Tue Nov 20, 2007 at 20:40:53 PM EST

Recently, Elizabeth was in New Hampshire where she spoke at the New Hampshire Democratic Party Fall Conference.

Elizabeth in Manchester, NH

Elizabeth unveiled Young Granite Staters For Edwards, this week while visiting the state.

Tuesday morning, MSNBC aired an interview with Elizabeth where she discussed the Presidential Campaign.

Watch it here: