NH HB617 – Granite Grok

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

[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.

Branding: “Nobody…seemed to consider the possibility that taxes should not go up!”

by Skip

That was from Grokster Mike’s post that was riffing off of mine on my “ire” on how NH Republicans in the NH House voted to raise the gas tax via HB617 (emphasis mine):

Riffing off Skip’s piece on the gas tax, I happened to walk into a thinly attended local GOP meeting last night – not naming names, because it’s the principle that matters:

The topic under discussion was the recent vote on the gas tax increase, and whether it would have been better to raise gas taxes and take a bite out of passing tourists, or for residents to suck it up in registration fees to keep the state friendly for visitors.

Nobody, NOBODY, in a GOP group (until I walked in) seemed to consider the possibility that taxes should not go up! Once prodded, they wondered aloud whether our roads and bridges were so bad as to warrant this, whether prioritization might be a good idea, or gosh, are all the gas and vehicle taxes actually going toward road maintenance?

And we wonder why we have a problem cutting spending? Do we HAVE to give Maggie’s Marauders a free pass?

Once prodded. Really? Once prodded? Attendees at an NH GOP meeting have to be “prodded” to think of the ramifications of what is a heightened broad based sales tax (most people in NH drive, and driving requires gas or diesel)? Look, even those that are active in the NH GOP can’t keep track of every bill and every issue that is going on in the State and under the State House Dome. But my gosh, one would think that they have a grasp of the basics of Republicanism (if not Conservatism). So, when a good chunk of number of Rs help to enlarge the local Leviathan, it kinda puts a kibosh on putting a Phoenix story on the Republican brand – instead of rising from ashes, this is putting nails into the coffin. Thus far, it seems like new NH GOP Chair Jennifer Horn is doing the right things – but with respect to providing separation from the Dems, is this a one step forward / 3 steps back? How does this prevent a “taxes? Republicans voted for them too – so don’t blame us!” attack?