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(Imagine the positive impact of having both Paul Hodes and Jeanne Shaheen in the Senate... now go make some phone calls or knock on some doors. - promoted by Mike Hoefer)
Yesterday, I stood with environmental leaders in New Hampshire to talk about my dedication to a national renewable energy standard. I challenged my global-warming denying opponent, Kelly Ayotte, to take a position on the issue. She responded that she would look at the proposal.
It's puzzling. Why would someone who doesn't think global warming exists think that we need to enact a proposal aimed at reducing carbon emissions? Why would someone who supports things like drilling off the coast of New Hampshire all of a sudden try to convince us she'd be supportive of renewable energy efforts in the US Senate?
In her competitive primary, we watched Ms. Ayotte move to the far-right wing of her party. Now, with the general election less than a month away, she's trying to have it both ways. She's hoping New Hampshire won't notice that big oil and coal companies continue to fill her campaign coffers as she talks about drilling off the coast of New Hampshire.
The bottom line is that Kelly Ayotte has as many doubts about global warming as I have about her ability to stand up to her special interest donors in the oil and coal industry.
After the Cheney Administration ended, and was left uncontinued thanks to the massive rejection of McCain/Palin by the American people, the Republican party has been left largely leaderless, especially among the DC elites who normally call the shots and direct the talking points.
That left GOP "strategy," such as it is, up to FAUX News and Hate Radio and the billionaires and corporatists who sowed the astroturf of the Tea People.
As a result, the collective tactic (because it really is not a strategy) that has emerged has been to put on a two-year long shrillfest, featuring Birthers, Tenthers, Fourteenthers, race baiting, religion baiting, gun baiting, gay baiting, immigrant baiting, phony conspiracies, and most of all, an ubiquitously repeated lying campaign that somehow Barry Hussein is responsible for the economic catastrophe that Bush's eight years (and in a more general sense, the dominant fiscal paradigm since Ronald Reagan) caused.
Although the races are not over yet, there is a distinct possibility that the Republican ticket could be the most extreme right wing ticket in NH history.
That doesn't mean the general will be a walk in the park, but it establishes real choices for the voters.
On the one hand, candidates who want to turn social security into a welfare program, discriminate against fellow and sister citizens, and turn the clock in NH back to 1954.
On the other, a ticket with a vision for the future, who want to move NH forward, and who are focused on education, the environment, jobs, health care, working and middle class tax relief.
Side notes: Loser of the night is Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas. He endorsed both Mahoney and Ayotte, both of whom got their butts kicked in Manchester.
Say goodbye award - Sean Mahoney, who poured a lot of money into what looks to be another 3rd place finish.
I know nothing award - Patrick Hynes and David Carney, who ran an ad heavy, general election campaign for Sean Mahoney.
We still matter award - the Union Leader.
There's really interesting exchange going on now in The Forum that I thought this community might find of interest. I am going to let it speak for itself, except to note below the fold one quote that I, as a former selectman, found telling.
Mr. Sununu's petulant comments are partisan politics at its worst. Instead of engaging in a thoughtful conversation or offering any ideas for putting New Hampshire back to work, Mr. Sununu resorted to petty political attacks and childish name-calling. He showed disrespect to the Office of the Presidency.
We have all heard over and over how the government doesn't create jobs from our NH Republicans. Well, the NH Business Review has an article about the current crop of candidates and what sort of jobs they have had before their current endeavors to be employed by we the people.
As I travel across the Granite State on this campaign, there seems to be one thing the people of New Hampshire can agree on - Washington is broken. It doesn't matter if you're a Republican, Democrat or Independent. You've seen exactly what I see down there: a system that is simply not serving the needs of our middle-class families and small businesses any more. A system that has become rigged against the people it's supposed to support.
That's why yesterday I announced my proposals to change the Senate rules to increase accountability and break the partisan gridlock in Washington. Right now, Washington Republicans in the Senate are blocking a vote on a critical bill that will provide tax cuts and increased credit to New Hampshire's small businesses. My plan calls for an end to anonymous holds and gradually lowering the threshold needed to end debate and hold an up or down vote on Senate bills.
(cross-posted from http://www.tullyspage.blogspot...
Of the 33 Senate races taking place across the country this year, there are few whose outcome is as unpredictable right now as New Hampshire's. There are currently 4 major Republicans and 1 Democrat (Congressman Paul Hodes) running for an open Senate seat in this, a state that has voted both 'red' and 'blue' in recent elections. The danger is that in freedom-loving New Hampshire, this combination of candidates - and the support of the national GOP establishment in Washington, DC - could propel former NH Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, perhaps the most dangerous, pro-police-state politician the state has seen in decades, to front-runner status.
Anyone who has watched television in New Hampshire over the last few weeks has seen the barrage of Ayotte ads, each with the same theme: Ayotte put criminals behind bars. All but one of her ads features a uniformed police officer, and her latest shamelessly lauds her prosecution of the man guilty of killing Manchester Police Officer Michael Briggs.
But it is her other activities as the Granite State's Attorney General that should bring one to pause, if not shudder, for what she would bring to the legislative table. On a consistent basis, AG Ayotte testified before the state legislature to curtail civil liberties and protect the power of the police state. Four important examples:
1) The most egregious must be her abject lies about Medical Marijuana, delivered at last year's legislative debate.
She wrote,
"In fact, marijuana is an addictive drug that poses significant health consequences to its users, including those who may be using it for medical purposes...The use of smoked marijuana is opposed by all credible medical groups nationwide."
In fact, several major national medical groups have taken positive views of medical cannabis, including the American Academy of Physicians, the American Nurses Association and the American Public Health Association. In a 2001 report, even the American Medical Association noted that marijuana helped those suffering from certain ailments including HIV wasting syndrome and chemotherapy-induced nausea.
It is too bad she didn't consider the testimony of Fremont, NH resident Dennis Acton:
"...I am a cancer survivor and successfully used marijuana to treat severe nausea when my $1600 prescription didn't work. I testified along with many others at the Senate HHS Subcommittee hearing back in April. After the senate passed it, we were able to set up a meeting with the Governor. He was "unavailable" so he sent two policy advisors. About 20 of use showed up for this meeting and told our stories. ... I really wish the Gov. could have been there to hear these moving stories. I wish other people like AG Kelly Ayotte... and others who dismiss the medicinal properties of marijuana (based on ignorance rather than science) could have heard this as well.
The bottom line is that terminally or severely ill people want to use marijuana to ease symptoms and to avoid becoming addicted to expensive and harmful opiate based drugs. It is just inconceivable that drugs like Oxycontin are readily available and are being abused terribly while marijuana is outlawed..."
Both the House and Senate adopted a medical marijuana bill, but the Senate lacked the votes to override the Governor's veto...a veto that relied, in part, on Ayotte's disgraceful testimony.
2) A second area is her continued opposition to permitting videotaping of police actions.
In 2009, House Bill 312 was submitted, simply permitting the recording (on a cell phone or other device) police activity. For years, police indiscretions have been brought to light through citizen vigilence (Even parking garages have video cameras these days!) The Bill was bipartisan, sponsored by 3 Democrats (Joel Winters, Susi Nord, and Maureen Mann) and 2 Republicans (Neal Kurk and Jenn Coffey), and passed the Democratically-controlled House.
Ayotte opposed the bill, likening the procedure to illegal wiretapping, and it died in the Senate.
3) In New Hampshire, "...Jury nullification is the undisputed power of the jury to acquit, even if its verdict is contrary to the law as given by the judge and contrary to the evidence." (State v. Hokanson, 140 N.H. at 721B906, cited in State of NH v Sanchez). This undisputed power is a check on a rule-oriented legal system that could result in terrible miscarriages of justice. And yet, when HB 906 was filed in 2007, simply requiring that jurors be informed of their existing, "undisputed" rights, Ayotte testified against the bill.
4)On two seperate occasions, Ayotte urged Governor Lynch to veto bills (2006 SB318 and 2009 HB160) that would establish the "Castle Doctrine" in New Hampshire. The Castle Doctrine gives a crime victim the right to use force when attacked when that victim is legally in a place where they have a right to be. Instead, Ayotte has supported the notion that a potential victim has a duty to retreat, rather than defend themselves...cold comfort to a woman walking home late at night and confronted in a dark street, or someone in a wheelchair, or a nightclub patron being surrounded by a group of thugs out to bash someone for fun.
Of course, this is also the Attorney General who advocated for the requirement that picture IDs be produced simply to purchase cough medicine...
Kelly Ayotte has spent her life enhancing and enlarging the power of the State and its Police and enforcement mechanisms as against its citizens. Having garnered the support of the GOP establishment, it is now no surprise that as the GOP primary nears, she is tripping over herself to embrace anti-immigration extremism, 14th-Amendment repeal nonsense, Sarah Palin, and the far-right elements that she needs to capture the nod.
But for anyone - Republican, Independent, or Democrat - who values New Hampshire's libertarian way of life, this candidate MUST be defeated. She does not, and must not, represent the people of New Hampshire.
Basil Marceaux for Governor of Tennessee. Hell, yeah!
When I first saw this video, I thought it had to be a hoax. This couldn't possibly be real, I said to myself. But after the video checked out as legitimate, I began to wonder how this happens. And the only logical explanation I can come up with is that the dog whistles are so loud on the right, that all manner of strays are coming home.
I visited his websiteand had a great time, and thought that Gov. Lynch might get a few good ideas from Basil. I especially enjoyed this campaign promise: VOTE FOR ME AND IF I WIN I WILL IMMUNE YOU FROM ALL STATE CRIMES FOR THE REST OF YOU LIFE!
You can almost see the willpower being exerted by the news anchors as they introduce Basil. Good stuff.
WASHINGTON, DC, April 10, 1865 (FNS)-The Civil War ended yesterday with the surrender of General Lee's Confederate Forces to Ulysses S. Grant, the Union Commander, at Appomattox.
Although most observers are generally happy with the surrender, many of President Obama's most loyal supporters are livid with the Commander-in-Chief because of the concessions he made in order to obtain the future support of the Southern Senators who will rejoin the body when the next Session begins.
At a media event this morning, Press Secretary Dick Timoneous expressed the President's hope that the formerly Confederate Members of Congress are looking forward to changing the political culture and steering the Nation in a better direction:
"It's time for the opposition to realize that what really matters is putting America first. The President is certain that by offering some concessions now, Southern Senators will look beyond their own parochial interests and do their part to move this process forward."
(Being "Right" means never having to say you're sorry, I guess. And I suppose I was too narrow in my earlier theory; apparently it was a full team effort hit-job. - promoted by Dean Barker)
Do you want to act like the NH Republican Party and make something up? Or make an affirmative statement of fact about something when we have no idea whether what we are saying is based in reality!
Example # 1: The press secretary working for John H. Sununu at the NH Republican Party. Last week, he twitterd the question of whether Carol Shea-Porter had "illegally" obtained "personal" student info from the Manchester School "Department" (it is a school district, a legal entity separate and apart from the city, and not a department of the city, but this fellow doesn't get much right), claiming that the superintendent "thinks so", with a link to a Union Leader story. Actually, as printed in today's Union Leader, the superintendent thought there was a violation by his office,that he had received no complaints from any parents, and our congresswoman's office had not violated any law. And, as printed in today's UL, the original UL story did not contain any accusation by the superintendent that the congresswoman's office had broken any law - despite the NHGOP twittered accusation.
But did the Republican Party apoplogize for its false and misleading charges? NOOOOOOOOOO!
Brighton, Colorado (FNS)-Attorneys from the Republican Study Group (RSG) descended upon the 17th Judicial District courtroom of Judge John T Bryan today to present an amicus brief and associated oral arguments in order to prevent a settlement in a lawsuit related to an automobile accident in this Colorado city.
The intervening attorneys claim the settlement reached between the two parties to the accident is a "shakedown" because the plaintiff had not yet exhausted all possible legal remedies when the agreement was finalized, and because the agreement was executed in the presence of the plaintiff's brother, a well-known local attorney.
They hope Judge Bryan will decline to approve the settlement in today's hearing, and that he will order the parties to move forward to trial.
"What we have is government transferring property from one party, an admittedly unattractive one, to others, not based on preexisting laws but on decisions by one man, a car czar", said Crush Mimbaugh, attorney for the RSG, "and we are here today to protect all Americans from this legally sanctioned rape of an innocent driver."
Over the past six months, my opponents have constantly reminded me of how crucial this race is. Whether it's a woman's right to choose or a family's right to affordable health care - they've shown us time and time again what we all stand to lose if Kelly Ayotte, Bill Binnie, or Ovide Lamontagne wins.
Sometimes I wonder if these people are actually aliens sent to destroy all life on the planet so they can use it for their own purposes.
A group of Republican lawmakers says policies aimed at protecting the grizzly bear and other cross-boundary species along the U.S.-Canada border are putting wildlife conservation ahead of national security on America's northern frontier.
(Thanks for stopping by Congressman. Only 160 days until we get to vote for you to be the next Senator from the great state of New Hampshire. - promoted by Mike Hoefer)
For 43 days, thousands of barrels of oil have been spilling into the Gulf Coast. 43 days of environmental disaster because big oil companies were given a blank check on offshore drilling with little regulation and poor oversight.
Now, with the recent failure of the "top kill" strategy, there is no end in sight to the amount of oil that is spilling into the Gulf. This spill is poisoning our waters, suffocating our plants and wildlife, and jeopardizing the health of our citizens - threatening jobs, businesses and communities along the Gulf Coast.
My thoughts and prayers are with the people and communities down on the Gulf, who are dealing day and night with the devastating aftermath of the spill.
This disaster was a warning sign. When government puts the profits of Big Oil first, when politicians listen to special interests instead of the people they are supposed to represent - then we put the safety of our workers, communities and economy at risk.
Dean had a link to the TPM story on this, but The Monitor's Shira Schoenberg gives some more details:
On the House floor, a group of Republican lawmakers led by Rep. William O'Brien of Mont Vernon tried to nullify federal health care reform on the basis that it exceeds the power the granted to the federal government by the Constitution. The amendment declared the law unconstitutional and invalid in New Hampshire. It would make enforcing health care reform a crime.
Once the nullification amendment failed, and the bill passed, Republicans lined up to file official protests. The protest slips read: "As most of NH Citizens find forced National Health Care repugnant and this bill facilitates the implementation of Universal Health Care on NH citizens, I file my protest against this vote according to Part Second, Article 24 of the NH Constitution."
I'd like to remind these representatives, again, there's a statue of Daniel Webster outside the State House. Daniel Webster fought hard against nullification back in the early 19th century.
In 1830, in one of the greatest exchanges in Senate history, Webster opposed nullification and argued for the supremacy of the federal government (Webster Hayne Debate). Webster and Andrew Jackson were united in their opposition to nullification, but disagreed on most other matters.
In the midst of budget debates and other issues affecting the people of New Hampshire, my state rep and his party colleagues have nothing better to do than create ideological theater.
It's scary to think what would happen if this group were to get the majority in the next election.
Talking Points Memo has an eye opening piece up regarding the strategy Republicans have been planning to use to fight President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, no matter who it ended up being.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo...
In an April 22 conference call with RNC members, a Republican strategist urged the members to have a hard fight against the nominee for political reasons having everything to do with the November elections and nothing to do with what is int he best interest of the country.
"Even if it's a nominee that we can't seriously stop, we can accomplish several things, and so a hard fight is worthwhile," Levey implored. "Certainly it can be to the political advantage of Republicans.... There's everything to be gained from making the Supreme Court vacancy a campaign issue in 2010."
"There's broader goals such as just distracting Obama from other items on his agenda," Levey added. "The tougher the fight the less capital and time and resources and floor time in the Senate there is to spend on immigration and climate change, etc."
It's likely, though, that some Republicans, particularly moderates, will ultimately want to support Obama's choice. Levey urged those senators to go along with the delay.
As the debate cranks up over Elena Kagan, keep that in mind.
Fletcher Features
The Impact of Shale Gas Technology on Geopolitics
Dr. Daniel Fine of MIT discusses how new technology in extracting gas will impact geopolitics and the environment
Dr. Daniel Fine of the Mining and Minerals Resources Institute at MIT addressed Fletcher students at a talk sponsored by the International Security Studies Program and offered his insights into how the development of new technology will allow the United States to tap vast, previously inaccessible, resources of natural gas that will impact everything from the price of gasoline to the ability of Chinese companies to buy equity in Russian natural gas fields.
The United States has a monopoly on "hydro-fracing" technology. The technology, short for hydraulic fracturing, releases natural gas trapped in shale deposits by injecting the deposits with high-pressure water mixed with sand and small amounts of chemical additives.
According to Dr. Fine, the "cloud over gas" used to be "do we have enough gas?" In 2003, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan declared that the United States did not have enough natural gas, and that it would be necessary to import liquid natural gas (LNG). This, said Dr. Fine, was clearly a mistake in the light of the new hydro-facing technology, not only because importing LNG poses a security risk to the United States, but because tapping natural gas from shale represents an economic "bonanza" in "the most [economically] repressed parts of the country:" western New York, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, areas which suffer from high rates of unemployment, and are estimated to host 490 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The thousands of jobs that could be created in these areas could stand in the way of President Obama's pursuit of subsidies for renewable energy.
