I had this post concerning the removal of the office of Register of Probate in NH as a Constitutional Office (and loyal reader Dan McGuire had an opposing view here). Now I have a couple of direct questions to Alan Glassman, currently the holder of that office in Belknap County… Under the 2011 court reorganization, … Read more
Last Wednesday, I was asked if GraniteGrok would observe the voting within the Belknap County Republican Committee (BCRC). Because, according to the two separate folks who didn’t know the other had done so, they thought the voting would be “interesting.”
“What Difference Does It Make?” – one of the other things that I didn’t mention was that one of the “defenses” that MacDonald tried to use was “well, it was an uncontested race?”. Seth Cohn easily refuted that “yes, but you destroyed the chance of anyone who had gone to lunch, believing that the recess for lunch had been officially called, to nominate someone from the floor – a valid part of the process. Well, that finally was the clincher and the decision was to bring it back to the floor to a decision – re-vote now, re-vote at the end? And then Chair MacDonald voted “Present” and left it to the winner of the first vote, Alan Glassman (current Barnstead-Alton Chair, Belknap County Chair, and incumbent / re-voted Vice-Chair – a “triple Chair”) to make the decision: “Do you want to do this again”? To his credit, he said yes and the decision was made to do it right then and that the rest of the Committee would formally cast the one vote for each of the uncontested races.
Jacob Avery, as the official NH GOP staffer, oversaw the election (with good humor but efficiency, I might add). He asked for nominations from the floor after announcing that Alan was the sole nominee – and Seth nominated me out of Principle: “People should have been accorded a choice the first time around – and it was not”. I certainly did not campaign for the position – heck, I wasn’t even wearing a suit (setting up the Grok livestreaming gear often means crawling around on the floor – jeans are a much more suitable attire for that). Three minutes were allotted for speaking; Alan spoke first and then I used my full three.
Jacob then asked for questions or comments – I asked to be recognized and said in trying to be bridge the gap (as I am seen as being one of those right-wing crazy TEA Party type guys that actually believes that being a “good Republican” means following the Republican Standard of Quality – the Platform (secondary only to both US & NH Constitutions). Not only that, but I have no problem in pointing out “Alan deserves credit for being a stand up guy for agreeing to do this a second time.”
Alan then also asked to make a comment – and then launched into a tirade singling out a new person who had asked him a simple question – yeah, such bridge building to make what should have been kept between two people was now made a public row.
Image from CartoonStock http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/b/basements.asp
You know, James, I do have to say “Thank you” for saying what you did from the stage on Saturday. Really! There you were, all suited up, looking magnificently upon that lighted stage, with 450 or so Members of the State Committee, Press, and visitors watching your stately oratory. Your report on the Finance Committee was perfection in audible form. The number and event retelling was spellbinding – you had everyone’s attention to see how well you had led an important part of the NH GOP…
Oh, woopsies! I guess my current surroundings have me a bit distracted – I haven’t been able to blog from Mom’s basement – she passed away at the end of last year.
But yes, I was correct about the pin drop quiet in the auditorium and about the amazement in the crowd, but not for the serious purpose for which you were called upon. Instead of doing what adults do, which is to concentrate on the task at hand regardless of distractions, to put the greater purpose on the front burner and push others aside, you became yet another symbol the Leadership of the NH GOP that seemingly disrespects the grassroots, only listening when they have to, and despising them in private for what they have to say. Thank you for fulfilling the stereotype that we out in the hinterland have of how valued we are. After all, with your own words, James, we all out here don’t count, none of the other groups that could be aligned with the NH GOP in complementary missions don’t count – all that is left is the insularity, the anger, and the dismissive wave of the hand.
A perfect metaphor of the NH GOP displayed by one of the Inner Circle. I am GLAD that you, now former NH GOP Chair MacDonald, and NH GOP Area 5 Vice-Chair Alan Glassman have shown that “private face” (as the Japanese speak of) to we peons. It shows that valid criticisms of the Party are not to be tolerated – after all “WE ARE REPUBLICANS – we don’t air our dirty laundry”. Nonsense. The problem is, as I have pointed out, that dirty laundry has piled up and is now becoming the obstacle itself – a self-serving habit that does the Party no good at all. After all, one can only throw that dirty laundry into the dark corner for just so long until it spills out into the lighted part of the room.
And James, you certainly brought it out into the lighted room on Saturday.
At the end of the evening, there was one more person speaking in their own defense for their candidacy in a NH House race, and that was Harry Accornero in District 9. He spoke alone as his opponent, Glen Dewhirst, was a no show for the evening. Then, Dr. Chuck Fink was introduced as a write in candidated. Finally, a number of folks were allowed to speak to introduce themselves to the room’s activists even though they are not worrying about the primary – they go right to the general election. At the end, Alan just opened up the rest of the evening as an Open Mic session.
The last of the contested primaries here in NH’s Belknap County is that in NH House District 8: Jane Cormier and Peter Bolster.
Jane is a Conservative firebrand and is working hard to learn what is needed and working hard on her campaign. Our interview series with Jane ended here (see the Previous videos on the post for the earlier questions). She would be a breath of fresh air compared to her opponent.
Speaking of which, Peter Bolster, IMHO, is a Democrat registered as a Republican (and has publicly said as much in the past). We have written extensively on his dismal record as a republican in the NH House votes
it is sad (and maddening) that there are Democrats that are more in line with the Republican Platform than he is. In fact, I had a question to ask at the meeting and I followed the protocol of the meeting and wrote down my question and submitted it (after the jump).
“Independent” voter in the House? really? I will admit, he’s got chutzpah – he can’t possibly run using “Independent” in persuading most Republicans in the know concerning his actual record (which he did not go into). Read that again, look at some of the links, and it is easily seen that he has earned his title: RINO. What else do you call a Republican that consistently votes against the Republican Platform…..oh wait -> Democrat!
In Belknap County, there is a second NH State Senate race – that in District 7. Here, Josh Youseff and Bill Grimm are vying to be the Republican nominee to take on the Democrat contender. In my estimation, there is a certain divide between the two – Josh is more the Liberty & Freedom guy (and the last of our interview series with him is here; follow it backwards) while Grimm is more the Establishment guy. Also, as you listen to the video, it is plain that Grimm is not exactly “heads on and out front” on his answers; too much equivocation for me. And his unwillingness to commit to The Pledge is similar to one of the Democrats, Jackie Cilley (while less than that of Bill Kennedy who is opening arguing for a broadbased income tax here in NH).
No, that is not Josh in the video; instead, a surrogate stood in for him.
Next on the list of Contested Primaries night at the monthly Belknap County Republicans was that of the NH State Senate. Two races touch Belknap County – District 6 and District 7. The former, centered in Farmington, is being contested by Sam Cataldo (long term NH House Rep) and Dick Green (former State Senator & Mayor of Rochester).
Did I mention that Dick Green, as told to me, was a member of the infamous “Republicans for Lynch” (er, that would be current DEMOCRAT NH Gov. John Lynch)? A kindred spirit with Ray Burton (that ossified dinosaur). Yes, that is a”Conservative” outlook – really?
Going from the top race and proceeding “down ticket” at the event is that of the NH Executive Council and two candidates showed up for that: long time (in the tooth) politician and holder of the seat, Ray Burton) and Jerry Thibodeau who believes that he can overcome this ossified dinosaur and Master of the Patronage handshake (in my opinion) and change the name of the District 1 Executive Council seat back “to the people” (yeah, I’m biased – and have no problem in admitting it – I say what most other won’t DARE to about Burton). Especially with this:
These were not asked as a member of the New Media. Rather, they were submitted because I am a Member of the NH GOP State Committee:
To Ray Burton and Jerry Thibodeau (Executive Council, District 1):
Does it hurt the Republican “brand”, in your opinion, when an elected Republican official publicly endorses a Democrat in a race where there are Republicans running?
As in Ray Burton endorsing a Democrat up North? Like Dick Green (in running for NH State Senate now, who was a member of “Republicans for Lynch)”?
Why does Ray Burton get a pass from other Republicans – and why does Leadership do nothing as the Public looks on (often, with the mantra on their lips “There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between the two parties”) instead of cleaning up and cleaning house? Sheesh….
This past Wednesday nite was the monthly Belknap County Republican Committee (“BCRC”) meeting. I’ve missed the last few but only because there has been so many different meetings in so many places on Wednesday nites lately, I’ve gone to some of those “one time only’s” vs something that is there like a clock. This month, however, was different than most. Instead of the standard monthly mantra of one or two “special” speakers, it was devoted to giving those candidates that are in contested primary races (i.e., a higher number of Republicans running for a lesser number of available seats) here in Belknap County. Each race had all of the Candidates come up and talk, and answer questions from the audience if there were some. Here is Rick Parent, running to be the US Congressman from NH First Congressional District (his competitors were no shows):
Sidenote: Unfortunately, in what I felt was an overblown adherence to the so-called 11th Commandment (which generally is invoked to protect the guilty by those that can’t stand waves), MY questions were crumpled up and thrown away for being ‘too divisive in a public forum” by the BCRC Chair, Alan Glassman; I will be post them on the appropriate videos so that you may judge…oh heck, here they are:
Travel 500 miles and what do you get? NH folks who are willing to talk with you. Earlier, it was Bill O’Brien, Speaker of the NH House that attended a couple of the workshops that the Americans for Prosperity Foundation had at its Defending the American Dream Summit 2012. This time, it was two activists, Diane Bitter and Alan Glassman who were on the hot seat and helping me out was fellow Grokster Don Ewing.
Funny thing; both Don and I are Members of the NH GOP State Committee yet ended up grilling Diane (Rye Republican Chair, an NH GOP area Vice-Chair, and Assistant Secretary, and is a much beloved and respected activist in the TEA Party / 9-12 Project / Liberty & Freedom movement) and Alan (Barnstead-Alton Republican Committee, Belknap County Republican Committee, and also an NH GOP Area Vice-Chair) on a number of topics including one that was prescient for what came up at this week’s Belknap County Republican meeting – NH GOP Leadership unwilling to maintain Party discipline when elected Republicans “stain the brand”.
