We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Granite Staters are created equal, with certain unalienable rights—to include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And when government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter it.
Yes, we’re paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson’s wonderful words from the Declaration of Independence. And it’s now time for us to declare our independence from an increasingly radical and tyrannical Democratic legislative majority in New Hampshire.
Why?
We’ll explain, as Jefferson explained in 1776 when he wrote that “a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
Jefferson went on to list numerous complaints against the King of England to justify our Declaration of Independence, e. g. “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.”
Space doesn’t allow us to list as many grievances as did Jefferson in 1776, but we’ll give you a fair sampling.
Democrats sought to impose an unwanted income tax (SB1 – 2019 session) involving Family Leave Insurance.
Democrats sought to impose an unwanted tax on ski tickets (HB1652-FN)
Democrats sought to impose unwanted new sales taxes, such as on electronics (HB1492-FN-A-L)
Democrats sought an unwanted tax increase, from 8% to 40% (HB1699-FN-A) on electronic cigarettes just 63 days after voting for an initial vape tax.
Democrats sought to ban wood stoves (HB290 2019 session)
Democrats sought to raise our utility bills (HB365, SB205 2019 session, SB159, and HB1218-FN 2020 session)
Democrats sought to tell our federal government and defense department what our nuclear weapons policy should be. (HCR7 – 2019 session)
Democrats sought to allow boys to play on girls’ sports teams by defeating HB1251.
Democrats sought to allow girls to play on boys sports teams by defeating SB480.
Democrats sought to allow schools to administer more intrusive non-academic and privacy-threatening surveys (SB 196).
Democrats sought to give illegal aliens drivers’ licenses and thus the means to vote for Democrats (HB 397).
Democrats sought to curtail 1st Amendment rights with legislation aimed at silencing critics and curtailing political dissent (HB 1159).
Democrats sought to curtail and abridge precious 2nd Amendment rights (HB1101, HB1115, HB1143, HB1285, HB1349, HB1350, HB1374, HB1379, SB719, HB1608). while taking the wrong position on Red Flag laws (HB1660).
Democrats opposed the wishes of most Granite Staters concerning a helmet law (HB1621) and a seat belt law (HB1622).
Democrats want to prohibit 20-year-olds from buying cigarettes and 17-year-olds from getting married but they want to let 16-year-olds vote.
Democrats said “F*** charter and religious schools.” (Rep. Tamara Le, Hampton).
Democrats then turned down $46 million in federal money for charter schools.
Democrats passed an assisted suicide bill but killed a “Born Alive” bill, a “Selective Birth” bill, and a “Parental Notification” bill.
Democrats humiliated and publicly reprimanded an 80-year-old female legislator and a disabled senior citizen for missing dubiously mandated sexual harassment “training.”
Having wasted so much time reprimanding such legislators, the House unnecessarily had to run a subsequent session until 4 a.m. to try to complete the people’s business.
There are literally dozens more examples of radical Democrat conduct that could be cited.
Thank the heavens above for Governor Sununu’s fifty-plus vetoes—with at least as many to come in 2020.
When confronting tyranny in 1776, our founders mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Most of them suffered greatly for their principles, but their efforts resulted in a wondrous and unprecedented system of government where change occurs using ballots, not bullets.
So in 2020, we in New Hampshire have the power to correct the perilous course that our ship of state took after the last election. We just need to show up and vote later this year.
If only overcoming tyranny had been so easy for Jefferson and our brave founders in 1776!
By Tim Lang, Mike Moffett, Reed Panasiti, and Howard Pearl
(The authors are the founders of the Legislative Beer Caucus—two dozen current and former legislator-activists who believe that socializing can lead to communication and understanding among all parties. Their motto is “We have fun and we get things done.”)
