March 2012
52 posts
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"This Is a Health Issue, a Secular Issue & a...
In a powerful op-ed, Democratic state Rep. Cynthia Chase recalls “a truly awful time” before a woman had a right to control her sexuality and her reproductive life.
I am old enough to remember what it was like for women when contraception was illegal….
I remember when back alley abortions were performed in secret on kitchen tables with no anesthetic….
I remember the...
February 2012
45 posts
3 tags
Guinta: Getting Seriously Deceptive About Gas...
In this latest Frankly Speaking op-ed column, New Hampshire Congressman Frank Guinta claims the solution to reducing high gas prices is “legislation that would significantly increase our energy supplies.”
Like many of you, I’m tired of events in the Middle East determining how much we pay for gas in Manchester. I’ve had enough of hostile foreign nations’ oil exports influencing how...
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O'Brien Misstates Sen. Ted Kennedy on...
In his extraordinary rant attacking Democrat gubernatorial candidate Jackie Cilley and defending the exclusion of birth control from prescription drug coverage, state House Speaker Bill O’Brien invoked the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
New Hampshire has a long and proud history of support for religious tolerance and there was a time not too long ago when this principle was not a partisan issue....
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Sen. White's "Vehement Opposition" to Marriage...
In a guest post on Granite Grok, state Sen. Raymond White expressed his “vehement opposition” to same-sex marriage, demonstrating ignorance of marriage’s historical evolution and describing it as integral to the “crumbling of society.” Not surprisingly, White reiterated his support for repealing marriage equality — despite acknowledging that his mail is running...
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N.Y. Times: Bates' Absurd Argument Against...
Andrew Rosenthal, New York Times editorial page editor, weighs in on Rep. David Bates’ assertion that same-sex marriage is not a civil rights issue because homosexuality is a lifestyle choice.
It’s astonishing that anyone in the 21st century would hew to the notion that humans choose their sexual orientation. I wonder when Mr. Bates made the affirmative decision to become a heterosexual.
...
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Quote of the Day: Peacock Overdosed on...
Like a peacock overdosed on amphetamines, Republican House Deputy Majority Leader Shawn Jasper, R-Hudson, actually went out of his way to boast about his bullying abilities during the debate on Susan Emerson’s bullying bill last Wednesday.
[N]o wonder the public more and more refers to the O’Brien/Bettencourt/Jasper House as a circus; no wonder Republicans are going to lose upwards...
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Rep. Bates: OK to Discriminate Against Gays &...
Rep. David Bates, prime sponsor of the bill to repeal New Hampshire’s same-sex marriage statute, is quite upfront about his homophobia. There is no justification, he says, for treating gays and lesbians as equal citizens with the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals.
“Civil rights have to do with intrinsic qualities that a person just can’t change,” such as race or gender,...
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"These Are the New Taliban"
In today’s Portsmouth Herald, House Speaker Bill O’Brien and Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt defend their efforts to exclude birth control from prescription drug coverage as a fight for “religious liberty.” In those same pages, columnist Robert Azzi provides a powerful and eloquent rejoinder. I urge you to read it in its entirety.
These are the new Taliban, mullahs,...
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House Speaker O'Brien's Over the Top Diatribe
When Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jackie Cilley blasted House Speaker Bill O’Brien over his attempts to allow the exclusion of birth control from prescription drug coverage, O’Brien responded with an extraordinary diatribe.
Cilley’s misguided, Ahab-like quest to implement ObamaCare in New Hampshire has reached an all-time, shocking low.
Commentators have described...
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House Committee Advances Marijuana Reform Bills
UPDATE: The initial report on the committee vote for HB 1705 was incorrect. The committee voted 10-7 to recommend the House kill the bill. Both bills now receive a vote in the full House.
Two House bills that would reduce or eliminate criminal penalties for marijuana possession were approved by the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee this week.
House Bill 1526 would reduce the penalty...
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Vaillancourt: Bye, Bye, O’Brien. Bye, Bye, Clown...
GOP state Rep. Steve Vaillancourt analyzes the latest New Hampshire polling and predicts a 78-seat gain in the House for Democrats. Republicans only chance, he says, is to get rid of the House leadership team.
Bye, bye Bill O’Brien. Bye, bye, Clown Prince (the one who will eternally be remembered for dubbing the Catholic bishop at “pedophile pimp”). Yes, it’s tough to win the...
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Rep. Andrew Manuse: The Devil Wears Vestments
In his 2008 speech at Ave Maria University, Rich Santorum said we are in a “spiritual war” in which Satan has his sights on the United States. Santorum is particularly under fire for his assertion that mainline Protestant churches have been overtaken by Satan and are no longer Christian.
He said the devil had exerted control over academia and then began attacking Christianity. “And...
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News You Can Use: Fish Pedicure Bill Voted Down
Granite Staters hoping to have the calluses and dead skin on their feet nibbled away by a school of small fish will likely be disappointed.
Yesterday, a House committee voted 11-1 to recommend killing House Bill 1538, which would have legalized “innovative cosmetic or esthetic treatments” in which an animal provides a service — “provided there is no measurable harm to such...
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Guinta's "Wide Stance" on Federal Funds for N.H.
When Rep. Frank Guinta first ran for Congress, he took what he called a “tough stance” and opposed the use of federal funds for Portsmouth’s deteriorating Memorial Bridge.
Asked about whether he would support earmarks for replacement of the Memorial Bridge, he said he’s taken “a no-earmark pledge.” As such, he said, if a project is not a “federal...
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In One Chart: NH Opposes Repeal of Marriage...
Standing Up for New Hampshire Families charted the results from four separate public opinion surveys — all indicating New Hampshire adults oppose repeal of the state’s marriage equality law by a 2-to-1 majority. ”These numbers don’t lie,” they tweet. “Across the board, NH voters oppose attempts to repeal marriage equality!”
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RLCNH: Voter ID Laws Prevent Disenfranchisement
An obvious concern with voter ID laws is that the procedures intended to prevent fraudulent voting will disenfranchise some legitimate voters.
Voter ID supporters could argue that the procedures will not, in fact, deprive any citizens of their right to vote. The Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire takes a different tack with this gem, using the propaganda technique of inverting customary...
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N.H. House to Vote on Nullification Resolution
How fitting, that on this Presidents’ Day, the New Hampshire House is preparing to vote on a resolution George Washington described “as measures systematically and pertinaciously pursued, which must eventually dissolve the union or produce coercion.”
Much of House Resolution 25 is lifted, verbatim, from a series of resolutions secretly written by Thomas Jefferson in 1798 and...
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Our Say-One-Thing-Do-Another Legislature
State House Democratic Leader Terie Norelli points out the obvious. These’s no lack of talk from the GOP House leadership on the topic of jobs — just a lack of action.
For the third time in the last month, House Republicans called a press conference to announce “jobs” as their top priority for the upcoming legislative session. If this prioritization sounds like news to...
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Rep. Lee Quandt: "Why Did You Stab Us in the...
GOP state Rep. Lee Quandt says thousands of New Hampshire Republicans have been driven from the party by the “arrogance and self serving decisions” from Speaker Bill O’Brien and the House leadership team.
There are thousands of union Republicans that have been driven away from the party. The current make up of the Republican Party has no use for senior citizens, veterans, gays,...
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Ayotte's 'Oops' Moment on Deficit Reduction
When Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner testified before the Senate Budget Committee, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte was vocal in her criticism of the administration for not embracing the Bowles-Simpson deficit reduction recommendations — until she was asked about the report’s proposals for raising revenue.
Geithner was responding to questions by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), and at one...
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Quote of the Day: Barefoot and Pregnant
I think they just want us barefoot and pregnant, and I’m disgusted. The atmosphere of the whole Republican Party has been going backwards, and the moderates are lost. The religious argument is bogus, because I think they’re just using that as a political tool.
— GOP state Rep. Priscilla Lockwood, on Republican efforts to allow employers and insurers to place limits on insurance coverage...
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Frank Guinta's Lucrative Turkish Connection
One of Pindell’s Questions for the Weekend caught my eye:
Where is that “Turkey,” Frank Guinta, these days? Is he in New Hampshire?
A little poking around confirmed that, yes, Guinta has been in Turkey — as a guest of the Turkish Coalition of America.
The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) on Feb. 14th wrapped up its twelfth Congressional Delegation to Turkey. … The...
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Kuster Endorsed by Dean's Democracy for America
2nd District congressional candidate Ann Kuster is one of Democracy for America’s “Grassroots Allstars.” The progressive grassroots organization, founded by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, endorsed the ten in an annual competition for congressional candidates challenging incumbents or seeking open seats.
More than 70,000 votes were cast for the 200 congressional candidates who...
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Poll Finds Support Plummeting for NH GOP & Tea...
In the past year, support for the New Hampshire GOP legislative agenda has plummeted, House Speaker Bill O’Brien’s favorability rating has declined, and there has been a significant drop in support for the Tea Party.
A new survey from Democratic pollster Benenson Strategy Group found likely voters oppose the agenda of Republicans in the legislature by a 51 percent to 38 percent...
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HB 1402 "Will Result in More Foodborne Illness"
House Bill 1402 would eliminate licensing requirements for small-scale food producers that sell food products from homes, roadside stands and farmers’ markets. While licensing would still be required for producers of potentially hazardous foods, producer-distributors of raw milk and raw milk products are specifically excluded from any licensing requirements.
The editors at Food Poison...
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Witnesses Contradict O'Brien's Bullying Denial
Last spring, GOP Rep. Susan Emerson accused House Speaker Bill O’Brien of yelling and swearing at her when he objected to her House budget bill amendments.
He was three inches from my face and started screaming at me that he had forbidden a Republican to put any amendments in. … The Sergeant at Arms from the Senate, who is a retired state trooper, came and stood next to me because he...
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Foster's: No Evidence Same-Sex Marriage Harms...
Foster’s, the state’s most conservative newspaper this side of the Union Leader, opposes repeal of same-sex marriage. Those favoring repeal, says today’s editorial, have failed to make the case that harm is being done to society.
There may yet be a case for overturning gay marriage. But as yet Foster’s has not heard it. Gay marriage, where it has been allowed to stand, shows no...
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GOP Favors Local Control Except When They Don't
Writing in the Concord Monitor, Matthew Spolar points out state GOP lawmakers’ support for local control by government falls away when they disagree with actions taken by the local governments.
Examples of the proposed dictates and mandates on local governments are varied and far-reaching. They range from prohibiting towns from hiring a lobbyist, to specifying the amount of time students...
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Manuse Flip Flops on Catholic Church "Persecution"
Rep. Andrew Manuse took to Facebook this week to brag about how he is working to protect the Catholic Church from “persecution.”
I’m trying to work out legislative language in New Hampshire to further protect the Catholic Church’s religious liberties from the persecution created by Obamacare.
Less than a year ago, Manuse was the persecutor when he threatened to...
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Under the Radar: Executive Council Redistricting...
With little fanfare, the House Special Committee on Redistricting approved a redistricting plan for the five Executive Council districts this week.
The most dramatic change in the new map is in District Two, currently held by Councilor Dan St. Hilaire. Here’s Rep. Lucy Weber’s description:
District Two now resembles a dragon that has swallowed a medium sized mammal. This most...
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N.H. Voters Oppose State Funds for Private Schools
House Bill 1607 and Senate Bill 372 would create a school voucher program granting tax credits to businesses funding scholarships for students to attend private schools, religious schools or home schools.
The Carsey Institute reports that, based on the latest WMUR Granite State Poll, New Hampshire voters are virtually universal in their opposition to this attack on the state’s public...
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Here We Go Again: Right-to-Work Hearing Today
It was just two months ago that House failed to override Gov. Lynch’s veto of right-to-work legislation and the union busting law went down to defeat.
Today, the House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee meets to hear testimony on House Bill 1677, a similar bill that would prohibit collective bargaining agreements from requiring non-union employees to pay union fees and...
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Quote of the Day: A Giant Hairball
“He’s a little bit like a giant hairball that the Republican Party cat is trying to cough up. They can’t swallow it and they can’t get rid of it.”
— Howard Fineman, editorial director of the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, on Mitt Romney.
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WMUR Survey: Voters Oppose Two GOP Initiatives
The latest WMUR Granite State Poll surveyed Granite State adults on several high profile issues being debated in the legislature. The results show an electorate at odds with two of the key initiatives being promoted by the House Republican leadership.
Opposition to repeal of same-sex marriage is overwhelming
New Hampshire adults oppose repeal of same-sex marriage by a 59 percent to 32 percent...
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Quote of the Day: GOP Could Lose More Than 100...
While Republicans led by David Bates in New Hampshire continue to be doubling down their opposition to gay marriage, most — if not all — polls (including those conducted by Republican pollsters) show that more than 60 percent of New Hampshire residents believe the issue is settled, and the Legislature should move on to other business. If Bates and Company get their way, we may see the impossible...
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Our Problematic Legislature: Number Two, With a...
When asked to name the most important problem facing the state, 39 percent of New Hampshire adults expressed concerns about jobs and the economy. And the second most identified problem? The Republican state legislature!
That’s right, in the latest WMUR Granite State Poll, ten percent of New Hampshire adults identified GOP lawmakers as their biggest concern, more than those who named the...
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Foster's: GOP "Will Be Thrown Out on Their Ears"
Foster’s, the state’s most conservative newspaper this side of the Union Leader, predicts House Republicans will pay a price for their “attempt to drive government into the chasm of the absurd.”
Instead of concentrating on the economy as promised time and again, they have shifted their focus to social issues which were barely — if at all — on the radar screen for voters...
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CACR 28: "Like a College Student Naming a...
House Speaker Bill O’Brien’s attack on the judiciary continues unabated. Last week, O’Brien testified in favor of CACR 28, a proposed constitutional amendment that would grant the legislature final authority to determine the constitutionality of legislative acts.
Rep. Lucy Weber (D-Walpole) succinctly describes the amendment’s impact:
This CACR would do away with the...
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D.J. Bettencourt's False Equivalency: ALEC & NCSL
State House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt took to Twitter this afternoon to belittle his opponents (with an ironic #changethetone hashtag). His scorn was directed at organizations like Granite State Progress who have shed light on the number of House bills taken verbatim from model legislation written by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
Bettencourt dismissed the complaints...
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National Org. for Marriage's Deceptive Ad Campaign
The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is running radio ads promoting House Bill 437, legislation that would repeal same-sex marriage in New Hampshire, as a “common sense compromise.”
And that’s why there’s compromise legislation. HB 437 restores traditional marriage in the law but provides for civil unions for gay couples, giving them full legal rights.
NOM has been labeled...
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Quote of the Day: To Ensure the Protection of...
[A]s noted in Article 3 of New Hampshire’s Bill of Rights, “When men enter into a state of society, they surrender up some of their natural rights to that society, in order to ensure the protection of others; and, without such an equivalent, the surrender is void.”
How many members of our House read that far, I wonder? A majority seems to have stopped reading at Article 2a:...
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Great Moments in Journalism: Limiting Modifiers
James Pindell put Executive Councilor Ray Burton’s fundraiser in perspective by comparing it to the just-announced quarterly fundraising totals for the 1st District Democratic congressional race with the headline, “Burton Raises More In 1 Night Than Congressional Candidates Raise In 3 Months.”
There was just one problem: Carol Shea-Porter raised $87,552 for the three month...
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House Bill 1264: "La Cage aux Jim Crow"
House Bill 1264 would allow anyone to deny accommodations, goods, or services for a marriage if doing so would violate his or her conscience or religious faith. While the bill does not specifically mention same-sex marriages, the intent is clear.
This bill is stark evidence, writes Cord Jefferson, that we can no longer deny the parallels between the gay rights movement and the American civil...
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"What if the Washington Monument Fell Down?"
Last week, the mayor of Washington D.C and members of the D.C. Council traveled to Concord to testify in favor of H.R. 56, a resolution endorsing statehood for the District of Columbia.
The delegation hoped to find common ground with the state’s lawmakers over the issue of self-determination, comparing their “Taxation Without Representation” motto to our own ”Live Free or...
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4th Quarter Congressional Fundraising Summary
Once again, Democrat Ann Kuster was the big winner in the congressional fundraising sweepstakes for the fourth quarter of 2011. The 2nd District congressional candidate raised over $330,000, nearly doubling the total from her likely Republican opponent, Rep. Charlie Bass, and bringing in more than New Hampshire’s two sitting congressmen combined.
Bass raised $167,500 with half of that...