The Nation has honored state Rep. Marcia Moody as the country’s Most Valuable State Legislator. The Newmarket Democrat was named to the 2012 Most Valuable Progressives Honor Roll as “an uncompromising advocate of healthcare reform, environmental protection and renewable energy:”
A 2004 backer of Howard Dean who heeded the Democracy for America call to get into politics at the grassroots, New Hampshire State Representative Marcia Moody was elected eight years ago as a last-minute write-in candidate. She’s been re-elected ever since as an uncompromising advocate of healthcare reform, environmental protection and renewable energy.
She takes global warming seriously, supporting tax subsidies for homeowners who seek alternatives to fossil fuels. She takes marriage equality seriously, championing the right of lesbian and gay couples to marry. She takes worker rights seriously, fighting to raise the minimum wage and defeat anti-labor “right to work” legislation.
But what’s really striking about Moody is her determination to put all the pieces together. When the machinations of the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council were revealed … she began a tireless campaign to reveal the influence of ALEC’s corporate-sponsored “model legislation” in New Hampshire, and to challenge fellow legislators allied with the group.
“Howard Dean said that politics isn’t a spectator sport. If you just vote, you get a D,” Moody says. “What you should do is devote three hours of your week to your favorite candidate. If you run for office, you get an A.” Moody gets an A+.
The Nation covers the tug-of-war between Gov. John Lynch and the legislature over voter ID. The author warns that the voter ID legislation threatens the Granite State’s pround record of high voter turnout — also that lawsuits are sure to follow.
New Hampshire is notable for its high voter turn out, second only to Minnesota and Wisconsin in the 2008 elections, according to the U.S. Elections Project at George Mason University. For a year, Gov. John Lynch has tried to protect that legacy against the legislature’s attempt to pass a voter ID bill. He now appears ready to concede the point—if only the legislature would let him.
This week, Lynch was ready to compromise and sign off on a bill. But the version the state’s legislature presented was so excessively restrictive he vetoed the legislation Wednesday. Lawmakers are now preparing to vote on whether to override the governor’s veto on June 27.
The bill is meant to restrict state government employees who use their governmental IDs. Aside from negatively impacting student voters, the bill would also have taken its toll on African Americans, who are over represented in municipal, county and state jobs.
The Washington Post documents the dramatic fall in support for the tea party movement among New Hampshire voters.
An NBC News/Marist poll released late Friday showed that for the first time, 53 percent of likely Republican primary voters said they are not supporters of the tea party, while 40 percent said they are supporters and seven percent were unsure.
The latest Suffolk University/7 News tracking poll shows an even more drastic shift. … Now, in the latest tracking poll, support for the movement has plummeted 11 points – from 48 percent to 37 percent of likely GOP primary voters. Opposition has risen four points, from 40 percent to 44 percent. Nineteen percent are undecided.
In the wake of this collapse, Occupy New Hampshire coalesced around an effort to counter the Republican narrative and has taken center stage during the final days of the primary campaign.
Directly across the street from the Radisson is a park, which has been turned into an encampment, with a circle of tents and an information shack, and a rotating cast of protesters on the sidewalk in front. This is the heart of Occupy New Hampshire…
At any given moment the vast majority of Occupy activists are not in the park but out at campaign events, peacefully but forcefully making their voices heard. According to organizers, there are roughly 600 people taking part in Occupy activities in New Hampshire right now.
Leaving the Romney rally there was a sizable crowd of Occupy protesters playing music, handing out literature and bearing signs. … [T]hey are providing a counter-message to the relentless conservatism voters and reporters are repeatedly exposed to on the campaign trail.
Projected Democratic seats: 190
