Gene Chandler – Granite Grok

“Eversource balks at state law ordering it to buy wood power”

“The battle over biomass is far from over. Eversource now says it will not purchase power from the state’s wood-burning power plants despite a state law requiring such purchases, unless it is ordered to do so by the Public Utilities Commission. The decision by the state’s largest utility, revealed in a Dec. 4 filing with the PUC, … Read more

NH House Will No Longer pay ‘Dues’ to the National Council of State Legislatures

by Steve MacDonald

Speaker Gene Chandler announced yesterday that the New Hampshire House would no longer support the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL). What was the last straw? The NCSL’s support for the internet sales tax.

New Hampshire is very proud to have no sales tax. Our retail business community thrives as a result of our no sales tax environment. To ask our retailers to collect taxes for dozens of other states is a huge burden on them, and will likely jeopardize their ability to do business online with out-of-state customers. We are certainly disappointed in the Court’s decision, but we are more frustrated that NCSL has championed legislation in Congress to force a remote sales tax, and cheered the recent court decision.

How Much Mileage Can We Get Out Of This? (Updated & Bumped)

by Steve MacDonald

Update! – The Democrats claim they needed the Monday Caucus so that both sides could give their views on the Casino Bill, and that this was a legitimate purpose for which they could exact a mileage reimbursement on a Monday, but Wednesday morning of the same week, before the session and vote on the Casino Bill, the Democrats held a caucus at which they discussed…. the Casino bill. Democrat Governor Maggie Hassan even came to that Caucus to make her final pitch for the legislation.

Original post Follows…

From the Concord Fish Wrapper…

“Please remember that mileage reimbursement will only be paid for travel on Mondays and Fridays for statutory committees which meet on those days,” Norelli wrote in the April 26 edition of the House Calendar.

But this Monday, House Democrats held a closed-door caucus that didn’t appear in last week’s calendar. Norelli’s spokesman, Mario Piscatella, said the caucus was held to discuss the casino bill, with members on both sides of the issue presenting their views followed by a discussion.

That doesn’t sound like a statutory committee. And yet 78 Democrats–the attendees of the “Caw!-cus” –all requested mileage reimbursement.

Facebook Doodlings…How To Treat Your “Republicans”

by Steve MacDonald

If you are a Republican in New Hampshire the official party response to Stella Tremblay’s “opinion” (regardless of your opinion about her opinion) is a stark reminder of how you will be treated by them, regardless of your value to the parties so-called political goals (the platform).

I mention it only because of a relatively recent Facebook status update posted in the Republican sphere, that said…

Tremblay criticized for comments on bombing victim. NH GOPers like this are giving NH Dems even better odds at retaining the legislative majority…

There were a few comments both ways to varying degrees but I felt compelled to add my thoughts…

NH GOP RINO’s, State Representative Stella Tremblay, and the Destructive Democrats….

by Tim Condon

Stella Tremblay: In error, but better than any Democrat — Stella Tremblay: Maybe in error, but still better than any Democrat….

High-level NH RINO’s (“Republicans In Name Only”) are at it again: Jennifer Horn, Gene Chandler, Steve Duprey, and Fergus Cullen are all in a tizzy over state Rep. Stella Tremblay’s recent thoughts on whether the Boston bombing might have elements of an “inside job.” In the Union Leader today, Cullen called Rep. Tremblay “delusional.” Well, whatever error in judgment she may be making, it is less egregious than “Republican leaders” who go out of their way to publicly attack a sitting Republican member of the State House. Here’s what I said today in response to a Union Leader article about it:

Well, NH Constitution Article 10 does provide for a Revolution, doesn’t it? Was HB617 the flashpoint? Part 1

by Skip

[Art.] 10. [Right of Revolution.] Government being instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security, of the whole community, and not for the private interest or emolument of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.

June 2, 1784

Well, Article 10 is meant to be used by the Citizens when Government is judged to be oppresive and tyrannical – but it seems like it is fitting what is going on in the NH House. We’ve written extensively about HB617 which will raise the gas tax on NH Citizens big time. Our beef is not that Democrats initiated this but that Republicans, from the Party of Low Taxes / Limited Government, voted to support Higher Taxes that will support Bigger Government. And TWO of the Republican Leadership team in the NH House voted for it: David Hess and Shawn Jasper.

Rightfully so, both have been taking heat – especially Shawn Jasper. The grassroots House members are LIVID – and Jasper just keeps pouring gas on himself in fanning the flames. How do I know? Man, have I gotten emails. Let’s review a few of them, shall we (warning – this may get longish):

Steve? Here’s the Republican names that voted for the HB617 Gas Tax:

by Skip

Yeah Steve, the figure I’ve seen is up to $1 Billion in new taxes embedded in HB617 over the next few years – and YOU get to help pay for them each and every time you put the gas nozzle into tank for a fill-up (that is, if you can afford the 83% rise in the State tax). IMHO, simply because the Politicians can’t keep their cotton picking hands outta the proverbial cookie jar called the Highway Fund. They complain that there are roads and bridges that NEED REPAIR NOW – yet most of them were red listed when the Democrats held the supermajorities in the NH House and Senate, and holding the Governorship.

You asked, I provide – the list of Republicans that helped the Democrats in the House making life more expensive for Joe and Jane SixPack:

Frank Tilton Mark McConkey John Graham Shawn Jasper Dave Danielson Charlene Takesian Dave Kidder

David Hess Priscilla Lockwood Bill Friel About Khan Dave Milz Kevin Waterhouse John Sytek

Jim Grenier

Yeah. Two of Gene Chandler’s Leadership team (bolded) – way to go Team! Consistency of action. Discipline of message. What do you say about a Leadership Team that can’t vote straight? Good news coming from this session for taxpayers, I’ll say.

A correction on the Republican vote on HB617 (the gas tax hike)

by Skip

I was just sent this by a loyal reader (emphasis mine): Skip, you had a fact wrong in your blog about Jennifer and the stupid committee vote. You included the minority leader. Chandler did not vote; he had to be elsewhere. Two days earlier he had signed in opposition to the bill. Your larger point … Read more

Update: Email Doodlings – “Who for NH House Minority Leader”

by Skip

As the saga continues – two updates on who will be the face of the NH GOP in the NH House:

At a gathering this weekend, the consensus was that the Party would be ill served; given how Obama and Dems have characterized the GOP, methinks he’d be called by the Dems and the Media “the old white guy”. And would be hammered for that plus other stuff. Not a great perception (which is worst, that or what they kept calling Bill O’Brien?).
Pam Tucker has announced that she has 70 House reps that are supporting her run (updated at this gathering to 80).

“Old white guy” doesn’t apply here for Pam – but would the Dems pick on one of their special interest group members (women)? Oh, silly me -of course they would! It is only Democrat women are special – they can call Republican women anything that comes into their silly little heads. It only matters when it is Sandra Fluke talk-alikes. That said, it would be like waving a red flag at bulls; we’d have a lot of fun here if they do so.

But there is another member of the Special Interest Minority Group group whose name popped up,

Sidenote: if women are 51% of the population, how can they be a minority? And since they are the majority gender, and according to Democrat philosophy only minorities can be oppressed, why are they still a special interest minority group? Lack of consistency for mere vote getting?

Laurie Sanborn.

Email Doodlings – “Who for NH House Minority Leader”

by Skip

“I have a question for RLCNH legislators. Gene Chandler, or Pam Tucker? What are your thoughts? They seem to be the only two running…” That was the question posed in an email list I’m in. It was kinda interesting, as I had a phone conversation earlier this afternoon on this very subject and I spoke … Read more

Elephant Innards

by Steve MacDonald

Any migration of Republicans away from a vote for “Speaker O’Brien” might say more about Gene Chandler than it does Bill. It might mean that Gene was either insincere in his request for unity–and I am on the record both commending him and taking him at his word for that stance–or it demonstrates his inability to control even those who would have chosen him as their House Speaker.

The Three Amigo’s

by Steve MacDonald

In an email posted to the entire Republican caucus, team player Gene Chandler invited everyone to a luncheon to meet the Republican candidates for speaker of the House. Gene announced that he would be there, along with John Reagan, Susan Emerson….and…..that’s it.

So three of the four candidates have arranged a lunch (those three seem to do everything together now) at 11:30 the day of the vote for speaker–which happens at 1pm–to do a meet and greet, and have purposefully excluded William O’Brien.

I wonder if the progressives are catering the event and filled out the invites? The democrats would not have invited Bill O’Brien either.

I mean, wasn’t it Dean Barker at Boo Hoo Hampshire who said, if he had to have any of them, he’d prefer Gene?

Ringing endorsement from an ultra liberal democrat.

I say eat Gene’s free lunch and then vote for the guy who was not even invited to the event. The one the democrats do not want to be speaker. William O’Brien.

What Was He Thinking?

by Steve MacDonald

Gene Chandler has been taking a good deal of heat lately. He deserves it in my opinion. He knows full well the Democrats will make the same hay over the trumped up corn roast scandal, just like they did back then. That means if he wins he’s on the defensive every single day instead of focusing on business. It also means that the entire caucus has to defend their electing him to the post as well, even if they didn’t vote for him to be Speaker.

And if they try to claim they did not vote for him, now we have to defend against attacks of party division over the so-called "ethically challenged" Gene Chandler.

If you, for one moment think that won’t happen you are deluded.

Can Gene Chandler Salvage The Liberal Agenda?

by Steve MacDonald

Provocative title, yes? Well before you complain about it ask yourself a question. Why does Dean "Bob" Barker, and the leftistas prefer Chandler over O’Brien? "That the Dems, if unified, can play a role in preventing him [O’Brien]from being House Speaker, is good news. Dean is part and parcel to the entire Buckley/Sullivan progressive fringe … Read more

HB 1693 – Time To Roast Some Weenies

by Steve MacDonald

The best course of policy for a any liberal is to use the law to disadvantage law abiders at the expense of law breakers. Speech, choice, rights, and even self defense should be filtered, tempered, or simply prohibited to people inclined to follow the rules. This makes you beholden to the state for everything, including … Read more