The NH House and Senate have delivered three ‘energy bills’ to Governor Sununu that favor so-called green generation that drives up electric rates. One (SB446) expands net metering which means more pricey power from a wider range of sources. The second (SB365) prop up wood-burning plants. The third (SB577) subsidizes the Berlin Bio-Mass plant. All three divert money via higher rates to other people’s pockets.
At least one of them claims to save jobs, but as armchair economists know this doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The state through legislative force is taking money from the marketplace (job creators, consumers, and even municipalities) to prop up their mandates. Money that would otherwise find more productive uses.
I don’t get out a lot these days, but Thursday night (at the invitation of another) I ventured over to the Atkinson Country Club for the Rockingham County Republican Committee Washington – Lincoln – Reagan (Founders) dinner. It was good to see and be seen. The food was delicious and the keynote speaker, Carly Fiorina, … Read more
Status report: the gender identity bill (HB 1319) and therapy ban bill (HB 587) will be on the Governor’s desk soon, but first they have to go through a process called “enrollment.” This is a bureaucratic process that could take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. You have more time to reach … Read more
George Washington was a reluctant, selfless first President. He put his personal life on hold to serve as our nation’s first leader. He could have served as America’s President for life but didn’t. Having fought for the Rights and virtues that were written in the Declaration of Independence, and subsequently, in our Constitution, George Washington genuinely understood their meaning and their values. When his service as President of our country was over, he returned home to resume his civilian life. He was a true public servant – and not a career politician. George Washington put what was best for our country ahead of his personal interests.
Our founding fathers were acutely aware that this selfless form of service to our Government would be the greatest means to serve the American people.
Regrettably, George Washington’s virtues (and those of our Founding Fathers) are now only found in a few elected representatives… and NH’s Governor Chris Sununu is not one of them. Instead, Mr. Sununu is more interested in being re-elected to the Governor’s office for life, rather than respecting the GOP Platform and the promises he made during his campaign (view 29:13 of this debate).
In 2016 Mr. Sununu barely survived a primary win against Frank Edelblut. Gov. Sununu offered a job as the state commissioner of Education to Frank, and he may be the best one we’ve had in decades. So we can give Chris credit for listening when someone tells him what might be a smart move for him politically.
That’s important because Frank doesn’t strike me as the sort of guy who would undercut his “boss” in that circumstance so I don’t see him accepting any offer or encouragement to primary Governor Sununu in 2018. But if Chris Sununu signs HB1319, Frank would win easily.
There’s a message in that reality. Here’s another one.
I think it’s kind of cute that the NH Democrats continue to pretend this had anything to do with offering Family Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) to New Hampshire Families. Or that Governor Sununu would accept “FMLI” in any form the legislature coughed up.
Here governor, sign this thing that happens to have family medical leave insurance in the name or else we’ll call you names and blame the Koch Brothers.
Susan Olsen, the MC of the 4th annual WDL 2A Rally, reads a letter from an important 2A supporter in New Hampshire, then shares a history lesson that, to me at least, was the best part of the entire rally. Check out the original blog post for more ways to listen.
Susan Olsen provides in-depth details and reporting about Waterville Valley that could affect Chris Sununu’s showing in next week’s Republican primary.
Kimberly Morin and I explore how Gubernatorial candidate Chris Sununu took money for his resort purchase from a Virginia Non-Profit linked to money laundering for Terrorists. (10m 56s) Related links. Sununu’s Islamic Ties Sununu Akbar
Kimberly Morin and Susan Olsen join me as we explore the wondrous mystery that is Chris Sununu’s stewardship of Waterville Valley. And we take you beyond the news you’ve seen with details no one else has reported.
We open our 150th episode on the topic of taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood (PP). We talk about how much they spend on lobbying to get it your money. And the tens of millions spent on political action that could go to women’s healthcare if it actually had anything to do with that.
Kathleen LaBonte and Steve Forster drop by to talk property rights vs. local boards and developers. Kimberly Morin has some thoughts about Sen. Kelly Ayotte and the Casa Bill. And NH Executive Councilor and Gubernatorial candidate Chis Sununu talks Common Core, testing, and local control.
If a big pharmaceutical company was given $40,000.00 by the New Hampshire’s Executive Council to advertise the benefits of a drug therapy that had not only not yet been approved but was not even known to be viable, would people be up in arms about that? I think they probably would. So how about some outrage over this?
The New Hampshire Executive Council, by a vote of 4 – 1, has just spent $40,000.00 so that the NH-DOT and the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority can hire…
“… a consultant for the sole purpose of public outreach and public relations to increase the public awareness of the mission of the NHRTA … and to educate the public on the benefits of rail as part of a comprehensive multi-modal transportation system, both statewide and specifically within the N.H. Capital Corridor.”
The NHRTA’s sole reason for existing is to develop commuter rail in the Granite State without regard for long term costs, efficiency, or even need, all questions which have been answered time and again, but not to the satisfaction of proponents because the answers were not favorable to their cause.
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.
Continuing on with our coverage of the Sunday afternoon event that the Rye Republican Town Committee (holding their “Gala Reception for 2012 GOP Candidates” at the Abenaqui Country Club in Rye, NH) let’s go to the next set of videos: As I wrote in the last post (“Intro Ceremonies“) “Given such a name for an event, a number of NH GOP candidates vying for seats in 2012 did attend the sold-out crowd”; here are the first three that spoke to the crowd (appearing in order of speaking during the event):
Dennis Lamare – Candidate, looking to unseat Charlie Bass in NH’s Second Congressional District
Executive Councilor Chris Sununu – running for re-election for the Council in District 3 (video after the jump)
NH State Senator Nancy Stiles – running for re-election for the Council (video after the jump)
There’s GOT to be a conservative TEA Party leaning person showing up for RRTC (Diane Bitter, Chair (and new NH GOP Assistant Secretary) at this event, so GraniteGrok is here. We were asked if we could provide live stream and record the event by ‘Grok friend Diane, so we are attempting to oblige. Unfortunately, the … Read more
The NH House and Senate have delivered three ‘energy bills’ to Governor Sununu that favor so-called green generation that drives up electric rates. One (SB446) expands net metering which means more pricey power from a wider range of sources. The second (SB365) prop up wood-burning plants. The third (SB577) subsidizes the Berlin Bio-Mass plant. All three divert money via higher rates to other people’s pockets.
