News – Politics – Opinion – Podcasts
Apparently, Mike Whalley told the House Finance Committee yesterday that his “amendment, by including the word ‘reasonable,’ would lower the standard [of judicial review]. Court review of legislative decisions would be based on whether they have a ‘rational basis.’” There is a standard of legal review known as rational basis review. As a practical matter, … Read more
I totally agree with this sentiment. It is the antidote to apathy… "The manna of liberty must be gathered each day, or it is rotten. Only by unintermitted agitation can a people be kept sufficiently awake to principle not to let liberty be smothered in material prosperity. Republics exist only on the tenure of being agitated." … Read more
. Last week I posted a piece about Hillary Clinton visiting Laconia and having a private meeting with the leaders of the local health-care monopoly. I wrote: As they lament rising costs that hurt "little people", do you suppose anyone will ask why the LRGHealthcare CEO’s salary rose nearly $134,000 in the span of … Read more
If you got it, they’ll tax it… . The following press release was issued yesterday afternoon by the NH House Republican Office. Can you imagine if this was the GOP that had decided to tax milk? I’ll bet the Dems and their comrades in the statewide newsmedia would have had a cow… NH Democrats Continue to … Read more
Our friend Liz Mair of GOPProgress.com fills us in on an interesting election coming up in "Kennedy County" south of the Granite State (er, we’re lookin’ like Kennedy Country here in NH, now that I think about it). In this week’s column for the New York Sun, Liz reports on the upcoming October election to … Read more
As stories file in about the murder of Corporal Bruce McKay, I am sad to report that I have become a “crime voter.” The murder of Corp. McKay began officially to push me in that direction, but then an evening visitor at my front door sent me over the edge. Seems one of my neighbors … Read more
. The Democrat controlled NH House Judiciary Committee caused a stir when it rejected on Tuesday a Senate bill requiring the POW-MIA flag flown at all courthouses in the state. The NHInsider reprinted a Union Leader editorial on the matter giving the details: "Barnes’ bill, Senate Bill 27, would have mandated flying the … Read more
Ron Tunning was our guest this weekend on Meet the New Press (you can listen to the discussion here). Ron is the chairman of the local Democrat committee. He is also a fierce advocate of gay marriage. I—as you can clearly tell in the Podcast—am not. I am just as adamant in my defense of … Read more
. After many years of watching the Sunday morning talking heads shows, this weekend, I’ll be staring back FROM the set. Arnie Arnesen, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and long-time liberal NH political pundit hosts a program about NH politics called “Political Chowder.” I was invited to be a member of the panel discussion hosted by … Read more
Today’s Pravda-on-the-Merrimack’s political column has this gem from Fergus Cullen on Fran Wendelboe’s plan to start a group to recruit candidates who believe in Ronald Reagan’s principles: "We already have a Reagan organization in New Hampshire. It’s called the Republican Party." Nice try, Fergus, but no cigar. Reagan Republicanism is anathema to the majority of … Read more
Fellow Granite Staters Mark Steyn and Jay Tea have weighed in with some perspective on the murder of Corporal Bruce McKay, to which I can add very little if anything. My only contribution is that events like this one tend to catalyze political debates and I suspect it will not be long before our Democrat-controlled … Read more
Our friend Pat is often lecturing me and Skip about the need for Republican unity. "Now is not the time for purges," he tells us, whenever we start to discuss those Republicans that represent a big part of the problem the GOP has had in sticking together on core issues. I believe that just being willing to … Read more
. AT the very last minute, we find out that Mrs. Bill Clinton, NY Senator and Democratic presidential wannabee will be in our neck of the woods tomorrow (Laconia, NH) for a private meeting with the head of the local nonprofit medical industrial complex hospital and our local Democrat State Senator Kathy Sgambati. … Read more
The golden "Independent Man" atop the RI (Doug’s birthstate) statehouse dome . Bob Jones weighs in with some thoughts on the war and the so-called "pull-out" of troops from Iraq. Bob is one of the most "independent" fiercely non-partisan people I know. We respect his thoughts and views, and are happy to post them here … Read more
In today’s Union Leader, we learn that a group of "retired generals, Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and peace activists are taking aim at Sen. John Sununu" It is part of an ad campaign criticizing Sununu and other Senators and House members for supporting President Bush’s Iraq policies. Oh really? Sununu? Now, don”t get me wrong, I … Read more
Boston Tea Party. Is it time for NH to dump the Democrats overboard? . Some arguments are just made to go beyond face value into the realm of high philosophical debate. Such is the union-building legislation passed by the New Hampshire state Senate, SB-88. Consider the details, as reported by Bob Cook of the … Read more
Today on our radio show, Meet the New Press, we interviewed David Burton of the Americans for Fair Taxation group. When properly explained with enough detail, The "Fair Tax" seems to make a great deal of sense. In a few words– it replaces all federal taxes with a national sales tax at the end sale … Read more
Is anybody out there considering the result of increasing the size of NH’s traditionally frugal state government by a whopping 16%? Where does it end? What happens in an economic downturn? I can’t believe I’m pining for the days of an 11% Shaheen budget. Once we giveth, it is impossible to taketh away. Unfortunately, by … Read more
Several days back, I cross-posted a story on our local blogsite about a grant for items requested by our local fire department under the guise of "homeland security." . Writes Michael Kitch in today’s [the April 26th] Laconia Daily Sun: [Gilford, NH] Deputy Fire Chief John Beland asked the board [selectmen] to authorize the department … Read more
Yesterday Pravda-on-the-Merrimack (Concord Monitor) ran an op-ed by Professor Marcus Hurn of Franklin Pierce on civil unions. He makes two points. One is "Civil unions are not like mandatory seatbelts, smoking prohibitions, insurance mandates or the minimum wage. A civil union restrains no one’s liberty. It affects no private contracts." The other is "Unlike some … Read more