Courtesy of Dan Richard (the man about the Remonstrance – which is STILL working its way through the court system). He did some digging and research and from 1933, the time of the Great Depression and FDR’s attempt to “prime the US Economy pump” (in which people actually DID have to prime their hand-driven mechanical parts, especially in rural areas) and came up with this (emphasis mine):
124:1 Authority for Seeking Aid. – The governor, with the approval of the council, is authorized to apply for financial or any other aid which the United States government has authorized or may authorize to be given to the several states for emergency industrial or unemployment relief, for public works and highway construction, for the creation of employment agencies, or for any other purpose intended to relieve distress.
Sounds like today where the Federal Government is throwing money like there’s no tomorrow and hoping something is gonna stick, right? Almost anything that the Progressive Socialists can do to appear to be our “saviors” in passing legislation that’s gonna bankrupt us but touting themselves as “what a good boy am I!” in bringing home the bacon.
That’s a lot of metaphors in one line but here’s the infringement part:
Any officer of the state who may be designated in any act passed by the congress of the United States, or in any regulation or requirement of any agency of the United States, is authorized in the name of the state to make all applications and sign all documents which may be necessary to obtain such aid, provided that such applications have the approval of the governor and council. The state treasurer is directed to receive all money so granted by the United States, or by any agency thereof, to the state and to hold all such funds separate from all other funds of the state. Such funds shall be disbursed by the treasurer upon warrants drawn by the governor for the purposes for which such relief or aid is granted.
Source. 1933, 162:2. RL 6:2.
So whether an officer of the State is allowed by OUR NH Constitution to do anything is irrelevant. So much for State Sovereignty, once again, right? Congress made all of the States vassal states with that money sent to them. Usually, vassal states not only have to plead fealty to the conquering entity but also pay tribute. Would taking our money as “taxes” count?
Just like the arguments over signing the current $27 Million contract with extreme strings attached, the above were the strings attached then and our Elected Representatives have agreed to the strings attached now:
With that, they made the NH Constitution irrelevant.
We think we are a Sovereign State in a set of United States (e.g., what used to be called “these United States”) which has passed into the mist of time as “THE United States” has made the Collective one instead of a set of States that happens to have a Federal Government (Socialist heads just exploded at that line).
We think we have “local control” here in NH but the reality is that we don’t – towns, cities, School Boards, and the like only have the “Freedom” to act within very specific limitations and regulations of the NH Legislature and NH Executive Branch.
It’s all an illusion. At least here in NH, we did the “local” bit to ourselves. The greed of NH politicians just gave it to us good and hard. Most, you see, just look at us, with a paternalistic smile, with thoughts of “what rubes they be” as they look down upon us (and I’ll let you take that any way you want).
It’s COVID right now – but it was the “COVID” of its day almost 100 years ago. Whether or not the Feds had the Power to do ANYTHING was irrelevant. The Republican Governor at the time, John Gilbert Winant, fell for the same schtick – “Money, money, mon-ey, MONEY!” And now Sununu is doing the same thing – “What a good boy am I” in grabbing that all that Fed money. What does he care about “Federal handcuffs” on NH later on? He’ll be out of the Governor’s seat soon enough.
He’s taking a calculated risk that most NH voters don’t realize what’s really going on. Sure, just a few short sentences but those mean a lot.
But ask him, since he’s lying that the Federal language in those Federal contracts are mere boilerplate (and his lackey AG Formella swears to it) if WE could have just said the same thing about his Executive Orders – just boilerplate and we can ignore them? Betcha you’ll get an eye roll and an earful of his protestations that we’re anti-Government or sumptin’.
So not only was NH on the hook for action back then, we ALSO were on the hook financially – the State had to ante up money to make sure that ANY of the strings attached got done – pleading “WE DON’T HAVE THE MONEY” was not an excuse.
ACQUISITION OF LANDS BY UNITED STATES; FEDERAL AID
CHAPTER 124 FEDERAL AID Highways and Other Public Works
Section 124:2
124:2 Faith and Credit Pledged. – The faith and credit of the state are pledged to make adequate provision, from time to time, by appropriation or otherwise, to meet all obligations of the state incident to the acceptance of federal aid under the provisions of any act referred to in RSA 124:1 and the governor and council are authorized to issue all necessary documentary evidence of such faith and credit.
Source. 1933, 162:3. RL 6:3.
And if you’re asking, we’re still on the hook for it. We’re liable for the money. Just like in my town, if the band gazebo is taken down, if the outdoor skating rink falls down, the town is on the hook financially even those items are now decades old. Take the money, sell your (community’s) soul.
In the home of the brave and the land of the free – we’ve made ourselves slaves.
