October 2011
37 posts
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Quote of the Day: Prove Your Identity
“He felt we had too many ways you could prove your identity.”
New Hampshire state Rep. Kathleen Hoelzel on why Election Law Committee Chairman David Bates opposed a proposed voter ID bill
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Thanks Obamacare!
“Obamacare,” used as an epithet by opponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is now being embraced by supporters. Progressive advocacy groups Colorado Health Access and Progress Now Colorado have launched a campaign to call attention to the benefits of — Obamacare.
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GOP Zeal to Disenfranchise Students Could Cost...
Is the GOP zeal to disenfranchise New Hampshire students about to cost the state millions of dollars in out-of-state tuition — and result in a large tuition increase for in-state students? Norma Love has the details.
Legislation that would require residency for people who register to vote in New Hampshire could affect millions of dollars in nonresident tuition that students pay to the...
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Rick Perry & Frank Guinta on Obama's Citizenship
Is Gov. Rick Perry trying to win Rep. Frank Guinta’s endorsement by raising the birther issue?
New comments by Rick Perry in Parade magazine have revived the issue of whether the Texas governor believes that President Obama was born in the United States.
In the interview, Mr. Perry was asked if Mr. Obama was born in the United States, and he replied, “I have no reason to think otherwise.”...
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The Parade of Embarrassing GOP House Legislators
Katy Burns reminds us of the parade of embarrassing Republican legislators in the New Hampshire House this session. “It’s not surprising that there are eccentrics in our huge Legislature. What is disheartening is that there are so many and that — all too often — they are embraced by the current legislative leadership,” she concludes.
Speaker Bill O’Brien:
[He...
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Lee Quandt Takes on the Free State Project (Again)
Republican state Rep. Lee Quandt gets wind of a “nasty letter” about him being signed by House representatives from the Free State Project. “Bring it on,” he says.
I have been asked two or three times to stop writing or commenting on what they are doing in Concord but; just couldn’t do it. People need to be informed and transparency is the new catch word in politics.
...
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Quote of the Day: Outrageous
It was an outrageous usurpation of executive authority and a mockery of the values on which this nation was founded. It sought to eliminate the only effective tool this country has to punish terrorists, the federal courts, and create a system of unchecked military detention with no judicial or even Congressional review.
—New York Times, on Sen. Kelly Ayotte’s attempt to prohibit...
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Gun Bill Okays Concealed Firearms Without Permit
New Hampshire residents should not be required to obtain a permit to carry a loaded, concealed firearm. So says the New Hampshire House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, which voted to recommend passage of a bill making a “license to carry” voluntary.
HB 536 would allow anyone, except convicted felons and the mentally ill, to carry a concealed weapon without a license. It...
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Ayotte Proposal: "An Unmitigated National Security...
Early this morning, the Senate killed an amendment offered by Sen. Kelly Ayotte that would have prohibited the United States from prosecuting foreign terrorist suspects in civilian courts. Sen. Patrick Leahy spoke against the amendment, saying it would “tie the hands of our national security and law enforcement officers in their efforts to secure our national security.”
I find it...
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"You Can't Lead a Nation by Misleading the People"
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Reps. Guinta and Bass: Unloved and Unwanted
New Hampshire Reps. Frank Guinta and Charlie Bass continue to be unpopular in their congressional districts.
According to the latest WMUR Granite State Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, only 30% of 1st District adults have a favorable opinion of Guinta, the same percentage who have an unfavorable opinion. Bass fares even worse. 29% of 2nd District adults hold a...
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"Phase One" of Occupy NH Ends As Police Clear Park
Last night, Manchester police enforced the curfew in Veterans Park and “Phase One” of Occupy New Hampshire ended peacefully.
At 11 p.m., Manchester Police Captain Robert Cunha ordered the movement’s participants to leave the park, where they had camped since Monday afternoon. The 20 or so protesters who refused to leave were issued citations, a minor offense equivalent to a...
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DOD: Same-Sex Spouses May Attend Family Events
Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan, the New Hampshire National Guard soldier who recently returned from deployment in Kuwait, will be bringing her same-sex partner of 11 years to a yellow ribbon family reintegration event in North Conway this weekend.
Federal military regulations had previously banned same-sex spouses of National Guard Members from participating in official National Guard...
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WMUR Poll: GOP in Legislature "Important Problem"
6% of New Hampshire adults say the most important problem facing the state of New Hampshire today is “Republicans in the state legislature.” This was the third most frequently cited problem, following jobs and the economy (48%) and the state budget (7%). Republicans in the legislature are seen as a bigger problem than taxes (5%), health care (4%) and education funding (4%).
The WMUR...
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Ayotte Missing from Bipartisan Heating Aid Request
A bipartisan group of 33 senators, including every New England senator EXCEPT Sen. Kelly Ayotte, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius calling on HHS to release Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds as quickly as possible. The senators requested the funds be released now to allow state agencies to begin preparing their LIHEAP...
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3rd Quarter Fundraising Recap
2nd District Congressional candidate Ann Kuster was the state’s big winner in third quarter fundraising. Kuster out-raised likely opponent Congressman Charlie Bass by a 2-to-1 margin and even raised more for the quarter than Bass and Congressman Frank Guinta combined, earning her national attention from National Journal and Politico.
In the 1st District, Carol Shea-Porter led the pack of...
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Shea-Porter on Push to Privatize the Postal...
The U.S. Postal Service, warns former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, is in desperate financial trouble. The reason, she says, is a law passed by Congress in 2006 that forces the Postal Service to fund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance. Congressman Frank Guinta, she points out, has pointedly refused to support a bill to address it.
If the U.S. Postal Service were not required to do...
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Bass Targeted by House Majority PAC with Ad Buy
New Hampshire Congressman Charlie Bass is one of four Republican congressmen targeted by a $150,000 ad campaign funded by the House Majority PAC. The radio ad targets Bass for seeking preferential treatment for his nephew’s business, New England Wood Pellet, and supporting Wall Street over Main Street. House Majority PAC is a ”Super PAC” that can solicit unlimited donations in support...
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Q3 Fundraising: Kuster's Big Quarter
In a quarter when every other New Hampshire Congressional candidate experienced a big fall-off in campaign contributions, 2nd District Democrat Ann Kuster raised $359,439, matching her take from last quarter.
Kuster not only bested likely Republican opponent Rep. Charlie Bass by a two-to-one margin, but her total topped the combined contributions raised by both of the state’s sitting...
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Q3 Fundraising: Bass Out-Raised by Kuster
2nd District Congressman Charlie Bass raised $147,451 in campaign contributions for the third quarter, less than half the $359,438 raised by Ann Kuster, his likely Democratic opponent. Over half of the money Bass raised, $80,000, came from political action committees. 59% of his $62,220 in itemized individual contributions came from New Hampshire residents. Bass reported having $488,539 on hand at...
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Q3 Fundraising: Guinta Raises $138,904, Down from...
Congressman Frank Guinta raised $138,904 in campaign contributions for the third quarter, less than half the $301,013 he raised last quarter. The three Democrats running to oust him from his 1st District Congressional seat together raised $161,367, led by former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter with $89,761.
Guinta raised $49,000 from political action committees, down from $192,057 last quarter....
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Q3 Fundraising: Shea-Porter Out-Raises Opponents
Former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter raised more money in the third quarter than her two primary opponents combined, bringing in $89,761 for the 1st District Congressional seat. 76% of Shea-Porter’s itemized individual contributions came from New Hampshire residents. Shea-Porter received $15,500 from political committees including $5,000 contributions from the United Steel Workers and the...
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Q3 Fundraising: Slow Start for Hosmer
Businessman Andrew Hosmer’s fundraising for the 1st District Congressional seat got off to a slow start, bringing in less than half of that raised by primary opponent Carol Shea-Porter. Hosmer raised $39,182 in the third quarter with 65% of the itemized individual contributions coming from New Hampshire residents. The total includes $3,795 in contributions from the candidate. Hosmer had...
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Q3 Fundraising: Dowdell Spends More Than She...
In the third quarter, Democrat Joanne Dowdell raised $32,425 but spent $40,431 in her campaign for the 1st District Congressional seat. Just $1,850 of her itemized individual contributions came from New Hampshire residents.
Itemized Contributions (NH) . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,850 Itemized Contributions (Outside NH) . . . . . . . $ 21,775 Non-Itemized Contributions. . . . . . . . . . . . $ ...
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Kevin Smith Casts a Blind Eye on Marriage Equality
62% of New Hampshire adults oppose repealing the state law legalizing same-sex marriage. Kevin Smith, Cornerstone Action executive director, casts a blind eye.
“There are a lot dynamics to this issue and it’s not always captured in a poll.”
Smith, a likely GOP gubernatorial candidate who has made opposition to marriage equality the focus of his organization, desperately needs...
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WMUR Poll: 62% Oppose Repeal of Same Sex Marriage
A new WMUR Granite State Poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, indicates little support among New Hampshire adults for repealing the state’s law legalizing same sex marriage.
62% of the respondents say they oppose repeal (50% strongly oppose, 12% somewhat oppose) compared to just 27% supporting repeal (22% strongly support, 5% somewhat support).
The survey also...
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HR 13: "The Story of a Spoiled, Overreaching...
In yesterday’s chaotic session, the GOP-dominated New Hampshire House passed HR 13 by an overwhelming 258-112 margin. The resolution “repudiates” the advisory opinion issued by the state Supreme Court that declared the legislature cannot compel the state’s attorney general to join a lawsuit against health care legislation.
Andrew Cohen, chief legal analyst and legal editor...
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Speaker O'Brien's "Dictatorial and Illegal"...
The New Hampshire House session yesterday was one for the record books — don’t miss Dean Barker’s contemporaneous, tweet-by-tweet account of the chaos.
The House ostensibly met to address several fast-tracked bills that were introduced last month. One of those, SB 198, provides a technical fix to the formula used to calculate assistance payments. It corrects an oversight that...
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Voter Photo ID: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?...
In September, the state Senate voted to sustain Gov. Lynch’s veto of SB 129, a bill that would have required voters to present photo identification before casting a ballot. Lynch had offered a very simple, very clear explanation for his veto:
“An eligible voter who goes to the polls to vote on Election Day should be able to have his or her vote count on Election Day. SB 129 creates a...
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O'Brien's Latest Right-to-Work Gambit
James Pindell suggests having GOP presidential candidates address the New Hampshire House next week could be an elaborate ploy by Speaker O’Brien.
When session is gaveled in at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the 400 member House of Republicans and Democrats will take up regular business as well as hear from Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Georgia businessman Herman Cain, former House...
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Ballard: Replace Baldasaro as Veterans Affairs...
State Senate candidate Jeff Ballard, an Afghanistan War veteran, today called on state House Speaker Bill O’Brien to remove Rep. Al Baldasaro as Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
“Rep. Baldasaro should have immediately apologized for his shameful comments after the Republican Presidential Debate. … Rep. Baldasaro may have freedom of speech, but it exists because...
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Rep. Baldasaro Responds: It's That Shower Thing
New Hampshire Rep. Al Baldasaro defends his comments applauding the booing of a gay soldier during the last Republican presidential debate. It’s that shower thing.
I served my country for 22 years on active duty Honorable as a Marine, Desert Storm Veteran and I had no issues with the don’t ask, don’t tell policy because as a US Marine, we sleep, eat, drink and shower side by...
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Rep. Baldasaro Applauds Booing of Gay Soldier
During the last Republican presidential debate, the audience booed a gay soldier serving in Iraq who asked a question about gays serving in the military. None of the candidates on stage defended him at the time, but after a firestorm of criticism, several candidates subsequently expressed their regret at not speaking up in his defense.
Not so for New Hampshire state Rep. Al Baldasaro...
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Health Care Reform: "The Sky Did Not Fall In"
Former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter looks back at the contentious battle to pass health care reform — and where it stands today.
The sky did not fall in. People kept their doctors. Seniors get free preventive care and get a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs if they have hit the so-called “donut hole.” Small businesses are now eligible for tax credits. Being female is no longer...
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Speaker O'Brien's $2 Million Fit of Pique
Earlier this month, the state Senate recessed after passing SB 198. The bill would fix a technical error in the state budget that has already cost the state $2 million since July 1.
House Speaker Bill O’Brien is insisting the bill be amended to block extension of the marital master system, which handles most divorce cases. His amendment would require the bill to go back to the Senate for a...
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NH02: Council for a Livable World Endorses Kuster
2nd District Congressional candidate Ann Kuster has been endorsed by the Council for a Livable World (CLW), a non-partisan advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the danger of nuclear weapons and increasing national security.
Kuster is a community activist who has spent years tirelessly advocating for public access to healthcare and higher education. She has also worked hard to promote...
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Councilors Challenge Planned Parenthood Contract
Three Executive Councilors have taken legal action to stop access to preventive care at Planned Parenthood centers in New Hampshire. Councilors David Wheeler, Dan St. Hilaire and Ray Wieczorek joined forces with the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) in an attempt to void a federal grant awarded to Planned Parenthood for family planning services.
The federal government had stepped in and...
