You know that we Groksters will call out malice on either side of the aisle when appropriate, and this time it’s a Republican who has earned the spotlight. A representative from one of the most republican districts in New Hampshire has put in two very, very, anti-liberty bills. One of those bills will create a $540 million fee increase.
For clarity, the NH Republican platform outlines a few principles (excerpts):
- We, the people of the New Hampshire Republican Party, do stand united in our dedication to preserving freedom, limited government and unlimited opportunity for all.
- We believe that individual liberty is guaranteed under the Constitutions of the United States and New Hampshire, that the liberty of the people must be protected above the power of the government, and that it is only through an adherence to our founding documents that we will continue to grow as a free, Constitutional Republic.
Preserving freedom, limiting government, and individual liberty. These are principles that Republicans are supposed to uphold. So, what the hell, Jordan Ulery? (Jordan Ulery is a Republican representative from Hudson, Hillsborough 37.)
Representative Ulery has introduced two bills this year that do not preserve freedom, limit government, or protect individual liberty. The first reduces the amount of “excess” one is allowed before qualifying for “excess speeding” (a misdemeanor crime instead of a violation.) Now, by definition all “speeding” is excess speeding. Duh. Speeding means driving in “excess” of the posted speed limit.
Currently the law states that if you are caught driving 15 miles per hour (or more) above the posted speed limit you are guilty of “excessive speeding.” This bill, proposed by Jordan Ulery (an alleged small government liberty republican) will lower that to 10 miles per hour. The same bill also makes driving above 75 miles per hour on any road, at any time, a misdemeanor offense.
When asked, Rep. Ulery stated that the bill was proposed because the police don’t pull enough people over. Seriously. The “unwritten rule,” he claimed, is that state police won’t stop folks for speeding on the highway unless they’re driving above 80-85mph. But, alas, only *I* define liberty as “liberalism.”
Bear in mind, that you can not violate someone else’s rights solely by driving over the speed limit posted on a sign on the side of the road. Period, end of discussion. If, because of your reckless driving you crash into someone else damaging their property, health, or life – THEN, and only then, have you violated their rights to be free of your infringement. Therefore, then and only then should you be prosecuted by a government or held responsible in a civil court. THAT is limited government, THAT is protecting individual liberty.
It’s also important to bear in mind that the law states that driving above the posted speed limit is not prima facie evidence that you’re at fault in the event of a motor vehicle accident.
When Government grows to protect you from what *MIGHT* happen, it has grown too big. And that’s what we see with Democrats and their proposals to limit 2A rights, 1A rights, etc. It’s also what we see when both sides in Washington DC pass extensions to the Patriot Act, FISA Act, etc. (Government is WAY too big, for those not following along.) Apparently, that sentiment is alive and well here in the NH Republican circles, too. Even if it’s only one rep, that’s one too many.
The $540 million fee increase comes from a second bill, HB1590. That bill will establish a speed monitoring system for the purpose of assessing administrative fees. According to the sponsor, Rep. Ulery, the technology is already in place.
When you pass through a toll booth with an EZ-Pass, your speed can be tracked, apparently. And, Rep. Ulery wants the Department of Safety and DOT to administer administrative fees against you for speeding through toll booths. According to the fiscal note on the bill it would generate a nearly $540 million fee increase.
No republican who upholds the principles laid out in the platform could ever put forth a bill that grows government by a half-billion dollars a year. Not one.
The NH DOT reached out the Jordan Ulery earlier, according to him, and told him they don’t want to enforce his new bill. That’s good, because NH Citizens probably don’t want it enforced on them either.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to Rep. Ulery and tell him how you feel about these bills.