Yep, after what seems to be a “forever hiatus”, Jan Schmidt is back. However, it’s only one role as she lost her race to continue being a Nashua Alderman. However, she continues to say inane stuff that keeps attracting attention. At an NH Journal post that announced that NH State Rep (and “Progressive Leader”) Manny Espitia was not going to seek re-election, the entire “the Left eats the Left because of skin color/ethnicity” shows up – and rightfully so. If the Democrats want to “live” by the Democrat Identity Group Politics Totem Pole, you get to die with it as well.
I have to admit, I snickered more than a few times. It is what the Collective does as it can only think in terms of groups instead of what we on the Right see – Individuals. We look at what they say, what they believe, and what they do. NOT what group they belong to and if they match up to their “Group’s” Narrative. It’s great fun as they throw shade at each other that normally they throw at Conservatives like me. Hahahahahaha!
But back to Jan Schmidt (emphasis mine):
State Rep. Jan Schmidt (D-Nashua) blamed the $100 a year salary paid to New Hampshire lawmakers.
“If we could actually pay legislators a decent wage we could keep amazing people like you, Manny,” Schmidt wrote on Facebook.
Now, this has NOTHING about the Democrat Totem Pole. However, it highlights the difference between Conservatives and Progressives on this matter.
We love the idea of the Citizen-Legislator, the Citizen-Politician. Volunteering is a public good that we cherish – and they do not. I’ve blogged about this issue before in one of my Tales from the BudComm series when the Supervisor the Checklist, a volunteer position, came to the BudComm demanding that she and her crew get paid for their time spent serving the Town. And all of us spent WAY more time than they did for free. She got hammered by us all.
People who run for election at the NH House know it well – it’s $100/yr + per diem/mileage. You KNOW that going in – and you have to either have to:
- Reorient your job and personal life to be able to serve
- Own a business that can support you (and have good people that can manage it without you)
- Be retired
The idea of a professional politician was anathema to our Founding Fathers. The idea was that the typical citizen (a farmer) would be elected, go to the Legislature, serves his time, and then goes back to the fields, pick up his tools, and continues on. I look around at other States and see a lot of these folks mooching off the taxpayers yet putting in laws that go counter to a lot of their constituents. Yes, I know – popular vote and all, but I look at how hyper-partisan so many States have become such that they become effectively One Party Rule. See California, for example.
Being a volunteer ensures, that for the most part, there is turnover among those that serve. Fresh faces and hopefully fresh ideas should be valued as long as they further roll back the idea that Government should be in charge and that they are there to protect our liberties.
With that said, I’m glad that Legislators-dependent-on-Government-largesse isn’t a “thing” here in NH. Once it does, however, it becomes yet another nail in the ethos of “Live Free or Die” due to complacency.
No, Jan, you SHOULDN’T be allowed a Legislator paycheck > $100/year. EVAH!
