That Was The Week That Was: February 6 - 12, 2011

Rep. Frank Guinta has an opportunity to correct a constituent who repeats birther conspiracy theories that reject the legitimacy of President Obama’s U.S. citizenship and his eligibility to be President of the United States. He passes.

In a textbook case of Orwellian blackwhite, House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt (R-Salem) reads a survey indicating 65% favor a mix of spending cuts and taxes to close the budget shortfall and responds, “What is most encouraging was the majority of those polled see that spending cuts are the best way to balance the budget, rather than new taxes.”

With New Hampshire facing revenue shortfalls estimated between $600 million and $900 million, House Speaker Bill O’Brien testifies in favor of a constitutional amendment prohibiting an income tax. “I want to make sure we do not have available to us a new and large revenue source,” he explained.

NH House votes to order Attorney General Michael Delaney to join the lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act individual mandate. State Rep. Lynne Blankenbeker (R-Concord) dismisses the AG’s complaints that this violates the constitution’s separation of powers doctrine, “Given the attorney general’s rationale, I’d expect this body to soon see a demand … we repeal all laws that require him to do his job and represent the state.”

Three separate polls confirm NH voters oppose repeal of marriage equality legislation by overwhelming majorities. More blackwhite: Cornerstone Action Executive Director Kevin Smith reacts saying, “There is strong support for doing away with it.”

In a rebuke to thos seeking to destroy public education, the House Education Committee kills HB 631, a a bill to eliminate the statewide kindergarten requirement. Conway budget committee member Ray Shakir explains the GOP position on education: “Preparing kids for an adequate education is acceptable. … Preparing kids for an outstanding world class education is unacceptable.”

After 18 days of pro-democracy protests, the people of Egypt force a thuggish dictator to resign. The world cheers — except Rush Limbaud: “[F]olks, they’re all leftists. They’re feminists. They’re avowed socialist, leftist, communists, environmentalists. I don’t believe that this is just spontaneity. I think this is classic. This is rent-a-mob.”

House Speaker Bill O’Brien describes his rationale for the GOP dismantling the state’s government: “Society as a whole, communities as a whole, will rise and take care of their friends and their family and their neighbors. We don’t have to have a strong centralized government in Concord that has to answer all those needs.”