“Remember that a government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have.” —Barry Goldwater
The 2012 Legislative Session brings new opportunities for analysis of the Granite State Legislature. The RINO Report began in July of 2010 and featured those Republicans who were “clear cut” Republicans in Name Only. For them the label aptly fit the first slew of Choices were found to vote with the Republican Agenda only 30-45% of the time. As we moved up the list, the choices became less clearer, however we often turned to the New Hampshire House Republican Alliance Scorecards and looked at the vote content carefully. Albeit, some who probably made the list could have made it after some who were originally featured. There were some who did not make the RINO Report that really should have. I will promise to make it up to them.
In 2012, the RINO Report will not only feature House Republicans, but will also feature State Senators as well. One of the challenges of creating such a RINO Report is separating what Rick Olson thinks are bad votes from what bad votes are truly bad votes and run counter to the Republican Platform. In short, I want to strive to make the RINO report, truly about what a RINO is…not merely what I think a RINO is…And to be clear about it, there are some in the house I truly think are RINO’s. For example, my own State Representative Norma Greer Champagne, District 12, Ward 5, is a RINO. In fact, I personally do not think she has the brains to be a state rep. But my personal opinion aside, she never really gave rise for her to be the subject of the RINO Report.
Like many of the other sheep up there who warm the seats and put the license plates on their cars, that simply is not sufficient to be called a RINO. There are a considerable number of stupid people in both parties holding seats in our house. Were it not for some of the more talented, intuitive and big-picture thinkers in Concord, we would all be in trouble. There are those who are stupid and fancy themselves as smart. Those people might earn a place in the RINO Report.
There are those who are truly smart, but arrogant…Arrogance is the path to RINOdom. And then there is a whole other cadre I intend to focus on like a laser in 2012: Those are the “Republicans” that are self-serving. Those who propose legislation in pursuit of making legal, that which they were pinched for. Those with corrupt ideas to serve themselves and their pals only. That will be some seriously tough work because that aspect of the RINO report will require a lot of leg work.
At the risk of oversimplifying the task, the Legislative body is charged with doing the work for the citizens of the state, simplifying government and ensuring each and every citizen, the least among us, have access to the government to have a voice and not needlessly interfere in our lives, jobs and families.
Look for the first installment of the 2012 RINO of the Week Report here on Granite Grok, Friday, January 13, 2012
