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Legislation

The Little Governor Who Couldn’t

Those were some funny tating browniesGovernor Lynch, in a fit of impotence and self contradiction, has confused his role as the states chief executive, as reported in a Union Leader column today by Tom Fahey. 

In regard to the passage into law of New Hampshire HB 601 and SB 148, Governor Lynch remarked on one hand that…

He allowed the bill (HB 601) to become law, he said, “because I did not want New Hampshire to default into federal oversight.”

and then claimed that…

…SB 148 has no practical effect on New Hampshire residents because there is no way to enforce it.

“ The assessments for not obtaining health insurance will not be administered through the state but through the Internal Revenue Service. Legislators and the public should understand that this legislation would have no impact on the capacity of the state of New Hampshire to block the individual health insurance mandate or the federal assessments for not obtaining insurance,” he said.

 

HB 601 (in short-hand) prohibits accepting pump-priming federal dollars for Obama Care–which must be returned to lower the federal deficit) and gives the NH legislature oversight of all state agencies on the matter before any part of it can be implemented.   SB 148 simply states that we will not enforce any purchase mandate fine or imprisonment related to the Health Care law.

As a matter of semantics Lynch is not wrong to suggest that if the IRS barges in and arrests us for failing to comply that no state agency is interposed to prevent that.  But that is exactly the point of SB 148.  It deems to interpose the law enforcing branch of the New Hampshire government–the executive and his Attorney General–between (in this case) the IRS and the people on the matter of  the Patient affordable care act.  SB 148 draws a line over which our chief executive is meant to stand in defense of his state and it’s people.  The same line, by the way, that he draws (at least rhetorically) with regard to HB601.

So according to Lynch, while he does not want to default to federal oversight, the IRS can just reach over the Governors office and snatch whomever they please. 

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How Much Is Enough? (And Other Problems With Left Wing Policy)

How much Is EnoughWhy can’t democrats trust their own constituents to do the right thing?  Their first response to every problem is to institutionalize it with more government, typically as far up the legislative food chain as possible.  That means as far away from you as they can manage, even to the point of giving control to unelected bureaucrats you can’t punish, just to keep you from messing with it.  They entrench it in a bureaucracy, make it impossibly inefficient and expensive and then refuse to let anyone touch it ever again, while charging you more and more to maintain it.

The only reason I can think of for that kind of knee jerk behavior is that Democrats use themselves as the template for the rest of us. The left by their very nature must be selfish, insecure, inconsiderate and un-trusting. Only people so un-giving of themselves or simply incapable of volunteering their time and energy would have to mandate volunteerism and "giving" by legalizing the taking of other peoples time or property through mandates.

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Assault Weapons: A Serious Problem in America?

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“The Nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.” – Thucydides

 HR 6257 Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2008 was introduced by Republican Mark Kirk of Illinois, and co-sponsored by Republicans, (defeated)Mike Castle of Delaware, Mike Ferguson of New Jersey, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida and Chris Shays of Connecticut. The Bill was introduced on June 12, 2008 and never became law, having been stalled in subcommittee.  In January, Republican Senator Dick Lugar said he supports a ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines.

These Republicans suck. Mark Kirk is a liberal, not to mention a demagogue and panderer. But coming from Illinois not much else is to be expected. Mike Castle of Delaware, also a liberal, was defeated by Christine O’Donnell in the primary. The bearded Marxist Chris Coons went on to beat O’Donnell which is not surprising, given Delaware “Kool-Aid-drinking” constituency. Mike Ferguson was a typical New Jersey anti-gunner who chose not to run for office again in 2008. Thank goodness. The dependable, but squishy Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, notorious for her associations with the “arts and croissants” crowd. and finally, RINO Chris Shays of Connecticut who got crushed in 2008. Two out of five left standing…

 According to Kool-Aid drinking Senator Diane Feinstein’s brochure, an Assault Weapon is, All semi-automatic assault pistols and rifles with detachable magazines and 2 or more “assault” characteristics, (my emphasis added) as well as semiautomatic shotguns with 2 or more such ‘characteristics‘…” “Characteristics…”

char·ac·ter·is·tic  /?kær?kt??r?st?k/ [kar-ik-tuh-ris-tik]

–adjective

 1. Also, char·ac·ter·is·ti·cal. pertaining to, constituting, or indicating the character  or peculiar quality of a person or thing; typical; distinctive: Red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn.

–noun

2. a distinguishing feature or quality: Generosity is his chief characteristic.

Who makes this stuff up? Rarely is there ever a name attached to such a falsehood. But, if I have to lay odds it came out of Bloomberg’s camp or from the Brady Bunch. In that vein, the contemporary liars, shrills and demagogues are more dependable than a quarterly IRS Tax bill.

 What is an Assault Weapon? The rational and logical answer is nothing. There is no such thing. The term is a concoction of charlatans, the brainless colloquy bantered about by liberals and gun-banners as a pejorative mischaracterization on those firearms of a compact, utilitarian nature, originally derived from Military use. These so-called “assault weapons” available for sale in gun shops around the nation, generally do not differ in functionality from traditional hunting rifles. What sets these rifles apart are their mere appearance…or their characteristics.

 The definition for Assault Rifle, however, is a, “Light and compact selective-fire automatic rifle firing a cartridge of such power that it can deliver effective fire to a range of about 500 metres, but at the same time will permit the weapon to be fired in the automatic mode from the shoulder,” according to the Greenhill Military Small Arms Databook.  

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Vulnerable Teenage Girls

The Nashua Telegraph, in reprinting (as a guest editorial) the left wing blathering of the Concord Monitor, has just reassured sexual predators who want to abuse young girls in the state of New Hampshire, that their secret is probably safe.

Another Whack at RGGI

..what I find particularity perverse is that “Republican” Senators in New Hampshire could be tying themselves to the Massachusetts compromise as the tipping point at which staying in RGGI would then no longer make sense.

How long will it take me to punch holes into your legislation?

People are going to do- well, what people are going to do.  And that is a huge problem for those in Government – they think that they have every thing sewn up into a neat package with pages and pages and pages of legislation.  Then some regular Joe out in the Heartland or some egghead … Read more

Is The Teenage Mother’s Life Really at Risk?

In the 20th century, deaths from complications of pregnancy have dropped from 850 per 100,000 pregnancies in 1900 all the way down to 7.5. That’s quite impressive. What has to annoy liberals is that most of that improvement occurred by 1982 and without unlimited access to “life saving abortions,” and without the state or federal pro-abortion democrats hindering parental consent before they were performed on minors.

LIBERALS AND FISCAL DENIABILITY

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Since the beginning of the year, countless editorials and opposite editorial pages across the Granite State have been one large veritable whine-fest…A seemingly never-ending weeping and gnashing of teeth over cuts in various line items of the state budget. Hand-in-hand with all the pissing and moaning, is the rank demagoguing of New Hampshire House Republicans for the choices they are making. If Liberals are good at nothing else, they are certainly adept at blaming everything bad on Republicans, even after it was they who made the mess.

 Noticeably absent from all of this cacophony, noise, caterwauling and fit-pitching is any reasonable alternative or meaningful way to fund all these sacred cash cows that each their loyal patrons willingly advocate for keeping and maintaining. It is as if there is no budget shortfall or structural deficits realized. Call it fiscal deniability.

 “Those evil Republicans! They are cutting (“insert esteemed cash cow here”).

And, in predictable fashion, the noisy screeching of the liberal magpies checker the ambience with demagoguery and finger-wagging, replete with the requisite vitriol of class warfare.  Like sculptured nails on a chalk board, the tax-and spend liberals still offer no reasonable suggestions even when they run out of steam.  We would be remiss to overlook the much-heard faux straw man charges like, “Republicans hate children,” or, “Republicans are stealing from the working class.”

 A week ago Friday the esteemed fishwrapper, The Concord Monitor weighed in with an editorial admonishing its’ readers that, Killing ‘car tax’ will make things worse. When House Republicans sought to repeal the motor vehicle registration surcharge, The editorial

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Save HB 540 – Biannual Auto Inspections [updated]

It’s not unsafe.  It will not turn into a short film titled ‘Death on The Highway II,’ but it will save everyone a few hours and a few bucks.  It’s HB 540, the bill to move New Hampshire from annual auto inspections to every other year.

Opponents have come up with all kinds of reasons why we shouldn’t do this but my favorite was this; that an inspector might have to let something go that was not yet in violation but that could become a violation before the next inspection.  So we’re all unsafe, irresponsible dopes?  No sense of self preservation apparently either.  We just drive along until the next inspection….I don’t think so but nice try.  The other classes of opponents are bureaucrats and rent seeking mechanics who enjoy state mandated visits to their repair shops.  I’ve no time for them either. 

Then there is this.  It is testimony from Rep Steve Vaillancourt, a fellow Blogger at NH Insider, and a guy who can post more content than me on a good day.  He’s also someone with whom I disagree on most social issues, but we see eye to eye on taxes and spending (as far as I can tell), and on HB 540.

Here is Steve’s testimony before the Senate Committee, courtesy of BikerBill (on the jump).  It’s only three plus minutes so check it out.   Then check out Steve’s Blog at NHI and Bill’s Youtube Channel, both worthy excursions across the New Hampshire Political Landscape.

And don’t forget to contact the committee to tell them you support HB 540.  And remember to be polite.

Email

james.rausch@leg.state.nh.us

dboutin1465@comcast.net

james.forsythe@leg.state.nh.us

molly.kelly@leg.state.nh.us

nancy.stiles@leg.state.nh.us

Phone

Senator Jim Rausch (R-Derry) (Senate District 19) 271-8630.

Senator David Boutin (R-Hooksett) (Senate District 16) 271-2709

Senator James Forsythe (R-Strafford) (Senate District 4) 271-3096

Senator Molly Kelly (D-Keene) (Senate District 10) 271-2166

Senator Nancy Stiles (R-Hampton) (Senate District 24) 271-6933

 

 

 

Update: Removed Senator Jim Luthur who is not on this committee; added the correct email for Senator Jim Rausch who is. Thanks to our commenters below for the correction.

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Republican Change In New Hampshire

NH State SealH/T to Patricia Wulfson for sending me this first.

“The New Hampshire House of Representatives received a mandate from the voters of this state to cut state spending; reduce taxes and fees; return fiscal sanity to the state; promote economic development and create jobs; mend a state retirement system that was nearing insolvency; provide our children with an education based on excellence; protect the personal rights and freedoms of its citizens; and maintain transparency in state government. Listed here is a compilation of legislation passed by the 2011 New Hampshire House of Representatives in response to that message that they received in November from the voters.

 

Trans-formative Change:

• Passed a constitutional amendment to require a super-majority in the House and Senate to raise taxes or borrowing. (CACR 6)

• For the first time in NH history, that included more that 50 attempts in the legislature, the House passed a constitutional amendment to expand local control of education funding by returning authority to elected officials, not unelected judges. (CACR 12) Setting an example for our citizens by “living within our means:”

• Passed a fiscally responsible budget that, (1) was balanced by using realistic revenue figures; (2) did not increase taxes or fees; (3) does not downshift onto local property taxpayers; and (4) does not increase borrowing, setting New Hampshire on a financially sustainable path will allow our economy to grow and create more jobs. (HB 1 & 2)

• Passed an education funding formula that maintains existing levels of aid to communities and allows additional targeted aid to needy cities and towns. (HB 337)

• Passed a bill to allow local communities to enact tax and spending caps. (HB 341) Moving our economy forward, creating more jobs and putting out the “Open for Business sign” in New Hampshire once again.

• Passed a small business tax cut to protect reasonable compensation from the business profits tax. (HB 557)

(more on the jump…)

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Who Missed The Vote? [updated]

Someone asked…who didn’t vote on HB1 and HB2.  Who are these reps anyway?  OK, we’re here to deliver.  HB 1 here, HB 2 on the jump!

[update] So everyone knows, I am not passing judgment here, just posting the list.  Plenty of these folks will have been excused, or approved absences, even important or necessary business that kept them away or took them away from the State House.  Your job is verify the absences of your reps if they concern you, and if you are unable to find good cause, discuss it with them as time permits.

Only four democrats skipped the vote on HB 1 while  twenty six Republicans did not cast a vote.

House Rep Party County District Vote
Beattie, Thomas  Republican Hillsborough 17 Not Voting
Belanger, Ronald  Republican Rockingham 4 Not Voting
Brosseau, Charles  Republican Grafton 6 Not Voting
Coughlin, Sean  Republican Hillsborough 6 Not Voting
DeJong, Cameron  Republican Hillsborough 9 Not Voting
Dowling, Patricia  Republican Rockingham 5 Not Voting
Dwinell, Richard  Republican Cheshire 5 Not Voting
Eaton, Stephanie  Republican Grafton 1 Not Voting
Emerton, Larry  Republican Hillsborough 7 Not Voting
Flanders, Donald  Republican Belknap 4 Not Voting
Hawkes, Samuel  Democrat Cheshire 3 Not Voting
Hogan, Timothy  Republican Hillsborough 23 Not Voting
Hutchinson, Karen  Republican Rockingham 3 Not Voting
Huxley, Robert  Republican Hillsborough 3 Not Voting
Keane, Thomas  Republican Merrimack 13 Not Voting
Kingsbury, Robert  Republican Belknap 4 Not Voting
Larsen, Kirst
en 		 Republican Strafford 2 Not Voting
Moody, Marcia  Democrat Rockingham 12 Not Voting
Parison, James  Republican Hillsborough 3 Not Voting
Peckham, Michele  Republican Rockingham 13 Not Voting
Pelletier, Marsha  Democrat Strafford 5 Not Voting
Pepino, Leo  Republican Hillsborough 11 Not Voting
Quandt, Matt  Republican Rockingham 13 Not Voting
Roberts, Kris  Democrat Cheshire 3 Not Voting
Sapienza, Marie  Republican Rockingham 8 Not Voting
Simpson, Tyler  Republican Belknap 1 Not Voting
Souza, Kathleen  Republican Hillsborough 11 Not Voting
Stroud, Kathleen  Republican Hillsborough 19 Not Voting
Summers, James  Republican Hillsborough 26 Not Voting
Terrio, Ross  Republican Hillsborough 14 Not Voting

 

Click through for HB 2

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Spoiled Brat Unions Don’t Want Parity – Again.

The measure states–if I understand it correctly–that if the union contract expires and has not been renewed, and no new contract is yet negotiated, those employees become at-will workers who can be treated (wait for it) like everyone else.

Teachers Get Help From Republicans

A bill (HB 375) is being debated in New Hampshire that, if passed, would protect teachers from civil or criminal penalties when they use physical force in the classroom. The bill is designed to protect teachers who feel helpless against aggressive students because they are afraid of being sued by parents.

How About Some Cheese With Your Hamm?

Tax TrapIf the democrats in New Hampshire want anyone to take them seriously on why we should not lower the cigarette tax, they had best find a better spokesperson than House rep. Christine Hamm from the Peoples Republic of Hopkinton.(PRH)

From this mornings union leader..

Rep. Christine Hamm, D-Hopkinton, argued against the change. She said no state has seen tobacco tax revenue increase after a tax cut.

“This is yet another expensive exercise in futility,” she said. When it comes to tobacco, she said, “Every tax hike produces new revenue, and every tax cut reduces it.”

Oregon tried a 10-cent cut, and saw revenues fall by 10 percent, she said.

“To do the same thing would be fiscally stupid,” Hamm said

You know what else is stupid?  Listening to Christine Hamm.  Oh, and comparing Oregon to New Hampshire?  There are almost no demographic similarities, the most important of which is the sheer size of Oregon and the proximity of neighboring states which are also huge.

No one is driving across Washington State, or up from California, or Idaho, or anywhere else to buy cigarettes in Oregon.  Only Washington State taxes them more (the last I checked.) No incentive, no gain.

But here in New England, where people can buy almost everything cheaper in New Hampshire, the classic New England maxim does not apply–"you can get there from her," or here from there, and they do.  People shop here from other states to save money.  So reducing taxes on cigarettes (or anything else) gives them one more incentive to make the trip or to buy more while they are here.

Need proof?

Raising the tax already cost us revenue.  Last August Maine announced that it’s sales had increased 20%.  That is most likely money that used to get spent here but which the tax hike diverted back to Maine. (I wrote about it here)

And more Proof?

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Northern Pass: Redux Of 1970’s Pope County Michigan

Northern Pass wants to build a build a 180-mile power line corridor through 44 Granite State Communities from as far North as Pittsburg down to Deerfield.

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House Bill 648, “An act relative to eminent domain petitions by public utilities” brought 250 supporters, roughly 170 of which are property owners located on the proposed or alternative route of the project. According to the Bill’s analysis section, the bill seeks to, “Prohibit public utilities from petitioning for permission to take private land or property rights for the construction or operation of a private large scale transmission line.” The bill drew overwhelming support by those who fear their land might be taken from them or rendered worthless.

Such fears are not without precedent. This fight is not a new fight. This very situation played out in Minnesota in the early 1970’s where farmers waged a fight against big power companies taking farmland by eminent domain. The farmers ultimately lost this fight. This account is detailed in the book Powerline: the first battle of America’s energy war, written by the late Senator Paul D. Wellstone and Barry M. Casper (Forward in 2003 by lefty Senator Tom Harkin). Aside from the book being written by a couple of liberal progressives, the book is otherwise instructive in the plight of these farmers against Big Power.

Arguments against the project range from blighting the landscape and disparately affecting the tourism industry to devaluation of land have been leveled. those are all reasonable. But there is one component given very little attention in the discussion here.

Big Power will nearly always make an attractive financial offer to you for a utility easement over your land. But what few really comprehend what happens after such an easement is given by a landowner. Read the account of a Fond-du-Lac Wisconsin Farmer that granted a power company a lease to install a wind turbine on his farm land.

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