So yesterday, the Republican Leadership trick of stripping out most of a bill (HB 357) and make it a DOT funding bill / Gas Tax increase was severely shamed – the NH House Republicans trounced the attempt of foisting twice the level of the gas tax passed last year (yes, by Republicans, first started in the NH Senate). For all the talk of helping the Middle Class, raising a regressive tax is totally screwing over that talking point. And it seems that the Republican Leadership in the House may be ready to take another run at it, if we are to read a little into the words of a rueful (but unbowed?) Gene Chandler (with an R after his name, denoting in his own words, that he is a good Republican (even if he failed in raising taxes)); today’s Laconia Daily Sun 3/26:
“It was a non-starter today,” said Deputy House Speaker Gene Chandler. “This early in the process, at least, it was clear that Republicans weren’t ready to vote for a gas tax increase”.
What, you expect them to be ready – later? More throwing folks off committees, a la “the beatings will continue until morale improves” (or we get what we want when we want it)? Or is it you and the Democrat appointed NH Speaker of the House Shawn Jasper haven’t conditioned them sufficiently to be more Democrat-Lite and think nothing of raising that tax (“hey, it’s just a cuppa coffee a day, right – and go to Starbucks and get race lectured; a win-win!)? Or are you merely peeved because they decided to follow the NH GOP Platform (less taxes)?
Or that perhaps they are tired of Leadership that bends Left (new taxes) and Lazy (can’t bring themselves to do the hard work of fixing that dang leaky bucket called the Highway Trust Fund!!!!) ?
No, that is a sad but provocative announcement from Gene Chandler – it looks like they would like to try another run at raising taxes, not “early” but later in the process. It shows, going contra Republican philosophy, that the Leadership has decided to be more Democrat leaning than Republican. Bought, paid for, in the pocket. Yessiree, that’s exactly why the voters in NH went Right and gave them a big majority in the House – just to give them results like Democrats.
And they wonder why people keep dismissing them as not having a dime’s worth of difference between them?
