Loony Democrat Say’s She’ll Vote for SEIU Endorsed Republican

SEIU endorsed House candidate Kathy Stroud, running in a contested Republican Primary in Hillsborough District 21 (Merrimack), is a bit miffed that AFP went after her with mailers the weekend before the primary.  She has said as much on Merrimack patch. The comments that follow her declaration are assorted, with a few folks pointing out, … Read more

Endorsement: Dan Dwyer, State Senate

As State Senate President, Peter Bragdon lays claim to a number of accomplishments, he also owns a number of disappointments, one of the most egregious of which is our continued membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas initiative (RGGI).   I hold him solely responsible for our continued participation in this unconstitutional scheme which the Democrat majority that proceeded him, tied us to, which the House and Senate tried to repeal, and which only the Senate failed to override when vetoed by Governor Lynch.

RGGI should be deemed unconstitutional.  The compromise legislation is laughable.  Bragdon has been in Concord too long.  It is time for a change.  And Dan Dwyer offers us that opportunity.

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Early Turnout in Merrimack…

NH Votes - I votedI hit the polls early this morning, arriving at 7:15, and the traffic in and out was steady, even brisk.  No long lines, and the presentation of ID posed no problems.

I also ran into Lenette Peterson, Jeanine Notter, Chris Buda (Local GOP Chair), George Markwell (Merrimack School Board), saw a few other folks as well, and then while getting gas overheard two people talking about how they had already voted while I was paying way too much to put gas into my car.  I think turnout will be exceptional for a primary.

I guess the the next question is…who do I think is going to win?

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A Loud, Proud, ”NAY” On Stroud (Candidate, Hillsborough 21, Merrimack)

In June of 2011, I contacted current House candidate Representative Kathleen Stroud and asked her about her reasoning for not supporting Right to Work (HB474).  She replied with the usual vacuous boilerplate one expects from a politician, but what surprised me was her reasoning’s incoherence and lack of depth.  What I found most off-putting was her pat-me-on-the-head-you-silly-constituent condescension encrusted in the email exchange.  She must have thought that I was an idiot and would simply, unquestioningly bobble-head support her arguments without understanding them.  Well, I’ll share some of her reasoning, and you can decide whether she intended to be condescending by putting forth such discombobulated arguments in order to intentionally confuse, or if she is actually confused.

One of her reasons for not supporting Right To Work is that, “It is being driven by an out-of-state lobby from Virginia; and I do not believe Virginia knows (or cares) what is best for New Hampshire.”

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Endorsements – Hillsborough 21 (Merrimack)

Steve picks his preferences for the NH House in Merrimack, (Hill Dist 21)The town of Merrimack (Hillsborough District 21) has been my home for 17 years.   And this year Merrimack (still) has eight house seats but ten Republican candidates running to fill them.   As a Conservative I feel compelled to select the eight who I feel will best represent the New Hampshire Republican Platform and the interest of my town and State as I view them.

So I’m no different than the rest of you, except that I may be paying a little bit more attention (maybe), I vote principle before party–though I will not bite off my own nose to spite my face, and my soap-box…well, it is just a little bit big bigger than that of the average voter.

So these are my personal endorsements for Hills-21, though I can assure you that my A-Team picks are all GranitGrok Worthy.

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Small Victory In Merrimack – re: NHSBA

In a recent legal decision provided to the Merrimack School Superintendent and Board, it has been determined that what the New Hampshire School Board Association (NHSBA) does..

a) Is lobbying.

“Dean Michener is employed by NHSBA and is a registered lobbyist.  Thus, it would seem to be a foregone conclusion that NHSBA is engaged in lobbying.  …it is also safe to conclude that the membership dues paid to NHSBA would be considered a contribution of funds within the meaning of RSA 15:5 (I)

RSA 15:5 prohibits use of state funds for lobbying, so the town

b) cannot use commingled monies that include state education funding to pay dues to NHSBA and up to this point, that is how they have been paying them.

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Senators Ayotte, McCain, and Graham in Merrimack NH This Tuesday

From NECN MERRIMACK, N.H. (AP) — Former Republican presidential nominee John McCain is returning to New Hampshire to discuss looming defense spending cuts. The Arizona senator, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham will discuss defense spending cuts approved by Congress at a town hall meeting in Merrimack on Tuesday. The … Read more

Federal Mandate Drives Up School Lunch Prices in Merrimack NH

Public school-cafeteria; Fed mandate forces parents to pay more for lunches than they costWho says there is no such thing as a free lunch?  Well it wont be just Merrimack, New Hampshire.  The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 Federal mandate essentially implemented price controls everywhere School lunch is served to fund free lunch, based on federal guidelines, decided on for everyone, by a few hundred Democrats, in Washington DC, in the historically significant later part of 2010.

The Democrat Congress put the USDA on point for this program, and empowered them to manage the new federal programs under the premise that it can eliminate hunger and improve nutrition.  But at the end of the day this is little more than Federal meddling, income redistribution (again), and  using the promise of federal grants and support  to turn your public school lunch program into  a taxpayer powered soup kitchen.

And not just any soup kitchen.  A soup kitchen that has to jump through hoops if it wants to please the Federal Bureaucrats empowered to decide who is worthy of what handouts and if local taxpayers must pony up to meet the federal requirements.

One of those requirements is that schools start charging students (parents) more for each lunch purchased (during a recession),  to satisfy the mandated price defined by the legislation, regardless of how much the lunch actually costs.  Yes, the Feds are telling local school districts across the Fruited Plain what they must charge for a school lunch; whatever cost reimbursement amount the feds are willing to provide for a free lunch, regardless of what it costs us to sell a lunch to a paying student.

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What If You Held an Election and No One Showed Up?

Merrimack held it’s local town elections yesterday.  A town of roughly 25,000, with (I’m guessing) close to 18,000 people of voting age, that typically sees 4000-6000 ballots in the average Town election, produced only 2500 ballots yesterday. A bit of advice? When you let one third of the voters decide tax and spending policy for … Read more

NH Unions Using Religious Bigotry to Affect Merrimack School Board Elections?

(Derp- Fixed the title.)

I was recently informed (my source has asked to remain anonymous for good reason) that a teacher from a nearby town was repulsed at the sight of a Joe Kearns for School Board sign on a Merrimack residents lawn.   When asked “why that reaction” she proceeded to explain that her union had told her that Merrimack School Board candidate Joe Kearns was a member of the Christian Coalition.   If the union told her, it must be true, right?  Smart lady like that would have looked that up.

But if she had looked it up she would know that Joe is not a member of the Christian Coalition, and so would her union.  Neither of them did, or neither of them cares to know the truth.  But they did want someone to know the lie.

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Are Campaign Signs Like Gray Hairs?

The joke says that when one gray hair gets yanked out a bunch come to the funeral. A few days ago someone stole the Krupp for School Board sign from my yard.  I only had one.   Today, there are five of them.  I have room for a dozen more if I should happen to … Read more

A Poke In the Democrat’s Soft Tissue?

I’m happy to report that I may be getting under someone’s skin (again).  Not long after making a passing observation about political signs cropping up on the lawns of committed Democrat tax and spenders, a campaign sign vanished from in front of my house. Yes, dear readers, someone stole a campaign sign from my yard.  … Read more

Pay As You Throw Had To Go – Revisited

In April of 2011 I wrote about trying to institute Pay As You Throw in Merrimack.  Seeing as this comes up every year, I figured it was time to re-post it.  One point I would add; If any division of the town government intends to continue making a case for costs/burden related to actual use they should be prepared for an all out assault on school taxes (you are still taxing the elderly, childless, and parents with kids out of school), Hydrant fees (we all pay them but who ever uses them), and much, much, more.

by Steve MacDonald – Originally posted on April 22,2011

trash bagThe Merrimack Town Council bent to the will of the voters and scrapped plans to institute a pay as you throw program.  That would have required residents to buy special bags for trash at $1.00 or $1.50 per bag, and you could only use those bags at the town dump.

But we’ve been warned.  This is an issue that will be revisited. Or so we have been told.

Well, screw that, let’s look at it now.

A Merrimack State Of Mind – Partisan Non-Partisan Elections

The best indicator of a candidates partisan tendencies–in a non partisan election–is to watch where the yard signs pop up.  The Democrats in town will tell you who the tax and spenders are by supporting candidates who are most likley to give them the big, top heavy, budget busting, taxpayer funded institution they adore. They … Read more

Part 2 – Candidate Gary Krupp for Merrimack Town School Board

Here is part two of my interview with Gary Krupp, candidate for the Merrimack School Board.  We continued to talk about his qualifications, experience,  with an emphasis on finding efficiencies, working with unions and bargaining units, and some other facets of his candidacy. Note: Thanks to my video editor this is now in three parts … Read more

Candidate Gary Krupp for Merrimack Town School Board

Gary Krupp is a candidate for the School Board in the town of Merrimack, New Hampshire.  As a Major in the US Air Force, Gary has had extensive experience with contracts, budgets, and negotiations with contractors and unions.  He has also served on the Merrimack School board Budget Committee. I sat down with Gary to … Read more

AFP New Hampshire Legislative Score Card is Out!

Americans For Prosperity has released its 2011 Score card for New Hampshire Legislators in the House, and the NH State Senate. The tally is based on eleven bills AFP focused on in 2011 and whether the New Hampshire Representative or Senator took AFP’s position.

Pay As You Throw Had To Go

The Merrimack Town Council bent to the will of the voters and scrapped plans to institute a pay as you throw program. That would have required residents to buy special bags for trash at $1.00 or $1.50 per bag, and you could only use those bags at the town dump.

What If You Held An Election And Nobody Came?

I’d like to report to you the complete results from Merrimack’s Town Election yesterday, but I’m having one of those “If a tree falls in the forest…” moments. Neither the Union Leader nor the Nashua Telegraph had any mention of the event. It is as if it never happened.

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