NOT AGAIN???

Just recently speaker Bully O’Brien was on TV talking about what HE wants to get done in the next legislative year. Some of it is to once again push Right to Work legislation, repeal gay marriage and I thought his position on gambling was confusing; he was also less than clear when he was asked if this was his agenda or the voter’s agenda. Another interesting comment was when the interviewer told him he had a reputation for “it is your way or the highway”, he really didn’t want to answer that one and said something in a low voice, “I don’t know about that”. That’s interesting the rest of us know the answer to that one.

As far as RTW is concerned that fight was the nastiest, most heated and debated issue I have seen in years. Bully, you lost because you did not understand the house and the diversity in the house. How can you intimidate people who don’t want anything more than just doing the right thing in serving their constituents? How do you bully people who don’t want a chairmanship or a bogus title in leadership? Only in government can you push an agenda, lose and come back and push the same agenda and expect to win; that gives bureaucrats a bad name and makes them look dumb before the voters.

What is happening in the State House is what happens when those in charge lose touch with those who put them in office; I don’t believe it is anymore complicated than that. A good example of that is the redistricting plan, as well as some of the examples mentioned above. We had a republican caucus to get briefed on the plan, actually got paid mileage for going to the briefing and a few days later the republican leadership throws out the plan we were just briefed on, switches it with another plan we didn’t know anything about and pushes the second plan with a lot of state reps complaining about it claiming they will not vote for this plan. I believe it will take a lot of threats and promises to bring enough votes to the table to pass this.

We are also going to be facing a bill that allows guns on college campuses. Some argue that would prevent some of these mass shootings others claim it should be left up to the individual colleges and institutions to make their own policies and rules and government should stay out of that process; so much for keeping government out of our lives.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES???

I have received numerous calls to support/endorse a presidential candidate and have refused them all. I do not think there are any out there that peaks my interest.

With Mitt Romney I have three choices: I could vote for Mitt the conservative, Mitt the moderate or Mitt the liberal; wow that gives me three choices for a single candidate.

With New Gingrich, whom I personally know and like, I could get a free stator supported conservative. Unfortunately, his campaign manager, a free stator spent some of last year attacking republicans who disagreed with his agenda of the Free State movement.

John Huntsman came to NH with an identity problem, first a true conservative who supports Right to Work, then a self confessed moderate. OK John when you figure out who you are please tell the voters.

Ron Paul has some good ideas; but, seems to have these ideas out living him. I think he sounds a little strange while promoting some good ideas, unfortunately we have to elect a person with ideas, and they go together.

Rick Perry gets unfairly slammed for one or two memory lapses, Rick; I only wish I only had one or two. He made a splash when he came to NH only to get booed from the balcony when he addressed the house.

Michelle Bachman, she belongs in a Petri dish for further study, she is one strange person. Newt, at the debates, either refers to her as a liar or dumb; since she has two points to ponder she gets confused. Keep it up Michelle, your making your constituents proud.

I know I won’t vote for Obama so I either leave that part of the ballot blank or write in Matt, only because it is an easy name to remember.



GOVERNOR’S RACE!!!



Much easier to choose only because there are fewer candidates. If you look at it from a republican union members stand point, there are no candidates currently running whose is appealing. All the republicans are trying to swing far right for the primary while the democrats are trying to come back to the middle; what the dems don’t seem to grasp is the liberal wing of the party has a tendency to pick the primary nominee.

Many people are waiting to see what Mark Connolly; former Securities Director is going to do. I don’t know of anyone that has his reputation for integrity in the current state government environment.

What I can tell you is, no matter how flattering it might be, Lee Quandt is not in the race; I might have been dropped on my head as a baby but recovered.

WHEN IS IT OK TO LIE???

I guess that depends on what you’re trying to hide and how your parents raised you. For example there was a self promoting article in the Manchester Union Leader about how the current house leadership team has brought jobs in to NH by the wonderful job we are doing. Well, I thought it was only a few short weeks ago Bully and his cult followers were touting Right To Work was going to bring all kinds of jobs, etc, etc and more etc.

It was argued, truthfully, that the NH economy, not as good as we would like it was improving and doing better than most of the country. In other words our economy was improving as we were fighting over RTW. Now that RTW was finally defeated, the economy is still moving forward and upward so it is obvious that the Koch brothers, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and bully O’Brien lied to us.

I guess, in their mind, it is ok to lie when you need to win the arguments and mislead people with the fabricated facts. When confronted with the real facts the cult simply denies reality; that is bad because when you start denying reality the next step is to lose touch with reality and some of the cult is showing signs of just that.

People who did not support the speaker on RTW have been removed from their committee assignments and positions and being redistricted to districts where they may not be able to get elected in. All the while the cult is threatening to get everyone who disagrees with them. The good news is, I suspect they will be fighting for their very own political survival. There is an army of educated voters that will be joining together with those of us that will identify the areas that need replacing.

GARY HOPPER A MAN TO BE PROUD OF!!!

I know most of you do not know Gary, and some maybe lucky; but Gary has long been a good and trusted friend, both in the legislature and out. He is one of those rare representatives that will give his word and keep his word.

Gary is from Weare, NH and has been a state rep for about 10 yrs off and on. He takes great pride in representing his constituents and is a conservative republican. He was, until recently, chairman of the Fish & Game Committee, which he spent countless hours researching issues studying bills that have gone before the committee.

He is no longer the chairman of F&G, although a supporter of Bully O’Brien, Bully fired him from his chairmanship because Gary voted against Right to Work in support of working middle class NH.

Along with Gary three members of the majority leadership of DJ Bettencourt were asked for their resignations from that leadership group; then, after asking for the resignations DJ said he wouldn’t accept them. All of this is like being on a merry go round doing 60 mph; it is enough to make a sane man crazy and a healthy man sick.

On top of this the out of control free stators are pledging to throw all of those who voted against RTW out of office. I was told one of the crazies who admits to being a non republican free stator, went to the Republican State Committee demanding that the state party throw all those who didn’t support RTW out of the party or not support them in the next election; I also heard his request was rejected by the party HQ’s.

To add insult to hypocrisy, a miniature free stator who signed up to get elected as a republican and is a little dingy (in my opinion), was claiming that Gary had lied to his constituents when he ran by voting against RTW. I do not ever remember in any of my conversations with Gary did he ever support RTW and told everybody who asked him what his position was. Gary’s loyalty to his constituents and his integrity while being part of a leadership group that has no integrity cost him a job that he really liked.

I’ve invited Gary to become part of the Quandt party that puts people first, keeps their word and serves with pride; the party is getting larger and we think that the so called House leadership (or lack of it) should tend their resignations and lets get the state back on track to serve all the people of NH and not just those who are trying a power play to take over government from the people.

QUANDT'S SECURITY IDEA FOR THE STATEHOUSE!!!

We all know that our statehouse security has limited resources and the recent strain in the Free Stator/Birther outburst at the Ballot Law Commission showed their limited staffing I’ve come up with a new idea. Since we have an abundance of squirrels and their favorite food at the state house we can train the squirrels to work for security to protect those who have differing views.


I believe it will take minimal training and equipping, since they work for food.

The good news is maybe some of those state reps who could be mistaken for squirrel food might stay home and we could get some work done.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IN BEING CRAZY-JUST DON’T ACT CRAZY!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP_3UiXPBKY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM1Z1t9zXXU


These are the youtube videos of the free stator/birther attack on the ballot law commission at the hearing trying to keep Obama off the ballot because he wasn’t born in the US. These are all supporters of the current house leadership who is now trying to distance themselves from their supporters.

What it shows is what happens when you disagree with these people and it is good for the general public to see what the rest of us have to put up with. You now know why the legislature is as screwed up as it is.

Somebody needs to save us from ourselves.

NOVEMBER 30TH HOUSE SESSION!!!

When we are elected state reps we understand that we really don’t get paid, about $87 a year after taxes plus mileage. The mileage helps to off set the travel expenses and, if you have a little left over, a $6.99 buffet at Tandy’s, a little restaurant across the street from the state house.

Most state reps are not rich people and many are retired and live on a fixed income, many are both dedicated and caring for the people they represent and serve. They need their mileage checks to off set their expenses for travel etc.

We all know that we may get called back for a session day for “important business”, about every year we could be called back for one day; after the first of July we don’t get paid for that day so past speakers have been careful to keep these down to an absolute minimum. This year we have been called back twice, the third will be Nov 30th and the fourth will be Dec 14; all because of the maniacal obsession on the part of Bully O’Brien to defeat the governors veto of the right to work (for less) bill. What he is doing is cost shifting the expenses of the legislature on the backs of the state reps.

I was told it costs about $14,000 a day to be in session. Some reps drive from the western part of the state, the northern part of the state and the eastern part of the state to fulfill their responsibility as a state rep, that could cost them a $100’s or more a day. The speaker is purposely trying to keep people who don’t support RTW from showing up.

The senate has said they will not return to session until Jan. So the speaker is just playing the power game of “I’m in charge and do whatever I want”.

Nov 30th, is also the day for two national legislator conferences that are usually pretty well attended so for those who scrimped and saved to buy air line tickets will have to pay extra to change them to be in this session which we don’t need to have. Let’s make it clear; there is nothing that we have done or are going to do that can’t wait until Jan.

So to put it another way, because of this game playing we have to pay the state to go to work; how many of you would like having to pay your employer to work for them. I don’t think this is a very good example of capitalism; but is a good example of bullyism, bad leadership, and a lack of respect on the part of the speaker.

Unfortunately, the Bully does have a cult following claiming to be republicans that will follow the speaker. The good news is it appears to be getting smaller with more people questioning what the speaker is doing and saying, “It is wrong”. The freshmen who are in the house right now never served under a well organized and respected leadership team so they seem to be having a hard time understanding the difference between right and wrong which is why they are following “wrong”, that will be between them and you the voters on Election Day.

I have the greatest respect for those reps who are leaders not followers; I have to believe that even if you disagree with some of the issues we support or vote against, that you respect them for their independence and willingness to work across the isle to get the job done and do what we think is right.

The political fights in Concord are not just between republicans and democrats; but, between republicans and rino (non republican free stators) which seem to comprise the radical wing of the Republican Party while professing to be republicans and attacking anyone who disagrees with them.

Thanksgiving is just a day away and I can tell you that the two loneliest holidays of the year for those in uniform is Thanksgiving and Christmas; it is lonelier for those in combat. So on Thanksgiving Day, if you’re so inclined to thank the lord for what you have and also by being together with family and friends don’t forget the Vets, it can be very cold and lonely on top of a mountain on a combat mission.

REMEMBERING RICK EILERT

By Tom Pauken



As we honor our military servicemen and women this Veterans Day, my personal thoughts go to a former Marine named Rick Eilert who was one of the more than two and a half million young Americans who served our country as soldiers in Vietnam.

Rick was a young Marine lance corporal who triggered a land mine while on patrol in Vietnam. The grenade exploded, and Rick was severely wounded. Ultimately, he made his way to Ward Three South at Great Lake Naval Hospital to recover from his serious injuries under the care of a remarkable doctor named Dr. Boone Brackett. In his book "For Self and Country", Eilert vividly recounts what it was like to see what was left of his legs after his injuries in Vietnam. He quotes Dr. Boone on the subject: "It's a real mess, isn't it? Charlie didn't leave much for us to work with. But as long as it hurts it's yours and anything that's yours is better than a piece of lumber hanging from a stump."

A year later, after more than 30 operations, Rick Eilert finally was able to go home. He was all of 20 years old.

It would have been easy for Rick to despair of his military service after all he had been through – think of the soldier played by Tom Cruise in Oliver Stone's "Born on the 4th of July". Instead, Rick married his high school sweetheart Cheryl, found work with great difficulty (hiring Vietnam Veterans was not in fashion back in the 1970s), and raised a family.

Later, Rick wrote "For Self and Country", a truly inspirational book. Dr. Boone wrote the forward to the book which describes Rick's story so well: "As a medical officer in Vietnam, I knew well the faces of the wounded and the depression that inevitably followed as the wounded fighting man gradually became aware of the awful finality of a crippling injury. The courage displayed in these circumstances was often of the highest kind, combined in this case with the rarest and most precious gift of all, the ability to laugh at oneself."

Even after all that Rick Eilert had been through, he still loved his country. I had the good fortune to get to know Rick when we worked together in our Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program during the Reagan administration. Simply put, Rick Eilert became the heart and soul of that program of "veteran helping veteran". We all looked up to him for his courage, love of country, and willingness to make a difference in the lives of his fellow Vietnam Veterans who were struggling with problems after their Vietnam experience.

Rick Eilert was buried at Arlington National Cemetery a few months ago. His family and friends gathered to honor this fine man one last time. Many of us who worked with Rick in the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program joined with his family in celebrating his life and praying for the repose of his soul. He will be missed.

Semper Fidelis.





Tom Pauken is Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission and author of Bringing America Home.

NEVER SAY IT CAN’T GET ANY WORSE!!!

The speaker has been touting how he has saved thousands of dollars in the legislature. Well if you don’t pay your employees you’ll almost always save money. If you count the state reps as employees of the state and you don’t pay them, you’ll save money; the full time admin employees get paid for showing up for work it is the legislators who he won’t pay.

As one less than intelligent state rep from Fremont sent a letter to the editors claiming that I needed to read the constitution because these were not special sessions they were just an extension of the prior session, blah, blah and more blah. By the way I understand that letter was written by another state rep (free stator) from the Sunapee area. You talk about people who just don’t get it.

We have another session day planned for November 30 to take up the governor’s education plan; that can wait until Jan. This call of session seems to coincide with some democrats being out of town for a national meeting. It is obvious that the speaker is going to try to get the right to work vote through, hoping for less opposition.


I know I’m getting old and somewhat old fashion in my beliefs; but, I was raised in republican politics to think honor and integrity meant something. If you have an issue with opposing sides you raise your supporters we raise ours, have a good floor fight and whoever wins shakes the hand of the ones who lose and tell them what a great job they did. Now it is just the opposite, a leadership team that can’t be trusted, a speaker who says one thing and does the opposite and a group of freshman that doesn’t have a clue how the house should run.

The free stators think they are going to double their numbers in the next election because of the wonderful job they are doing. They talk about supporting efforts to cut state government, which is not always a bad thing, but the secret is not to wipe it out which is what their agenda is. We can see it in the recent pre buy oil issue where they don’t think consumer protection should be involved in protecting your interests. They fought against the idea of studying whether NH should support a “state bank” that would help lend money to small businesses to get back on their feet (they are having a terrible time getting loans right now). They want to cut the State Dept of Transportation in half while privatizing the NH State Prison system. We probably should mention the extreme cuts to those in the most need of critical services while down shifting the costs and responsible services to the counties and towns, which goes directly on OUR TAXBILLS.

This overall effort to destroy state government and the public sector has made some headway; but, now more and more people are seeing these people for what they are, anarchists who came to NH to take over and form an anarchists utopia. Lets do away with public education and public services; every man for himself while continuing to remove the safe guards that we worked so hard to put in place to protect our consumers, I don’t think so.

The next election will be a nasty battle; but, with the voters being better educated on who these people are I suspect there will be a whole new legislature after the next election. I know it will years to clean up this mess; but, by working together, voters and their elected officials we can do it.

THE SEACOAST NEWSPAPERS NEED CONGRATULATIONS!!!

RE: The pre-buy oil contract article...

I don’t do this very often but when someone or group does a good job they need to be recognized. The Seacoast Newspapers did a very good job (Aaron Sanborn and the editorial writers) wrote the article and followed up it up with a very factual editorial.

The article and editorial was in the Sunday October 30th edition of the Sunday Portsmouth Herald and it was about the Pre Buy Oil Contract Bill. Unfortunately, Rep. Rice from Hampton was quoted and in my opinion came off looking dumb; but, that is between Fred and the voters. The other Hampton Rep that voted against it on the Commerce Committee was Chris Nevins. So we had two Hampton reps voting on the opposite side of two Exeter Reps, Donna Schlacman and Matt Quandt from Exeter, understanding their responsibility towards their constituents, voted for it. The Free State argument that government shouldn’t be telling businesses what to do caused a couple of free stators and committee members to vote against it also.

The Seacoast Newspapers have followed this issue since Flynn’s Oil went out of business and their pre buy customers lost about $500,000 but more importantly lost their heating oil and by doing so kept their readers advised on what happened, how to contact the Attorney Generals Office Consumer Protection division and informed them on how to file claims against the oil company.

One of the Hampton Reps has been, supposedly running around in a state of psychological undress, attacking us for the article. Well, as usual, wrong way Fred is wrong again, this was all the good job of the Seacoast Papers.

If all goes well the following URL should take you to the editorial in question and further searching on this date will bring up the article.


http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20111030-OPINION-110300326

WHEN THE LUNATICS RUN THE ASYLUM!!!

The free stators and a number of psychologically challenged freshman who want to belong to the cult that is currently running Concord have taken the time to write a rather nasty letter about me and, I was told, have it under legal review. 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.

I won’t comment on the content of the “free state document” yet, since many of them have signed it I want to make sure we can cross check their names with our data base to make sure they can be exposed for the next election.

I do know they want to function in an atmosphere of secrecy and intimidation and then when they get caught they deny it was one of “them” and point to another group with a slightly different name. It is like a shell game of different groups with different names; but, all the same people.

Make no mistake these can be very nasty people who are hell bent on taking over NH politically and stomping on anyone who show them up for what they are and that is anti government anarchists.

Matt, Tim and I have already got a taste of one of their liberty groups almost all of their groups have the word liberty in their names; when they did robo calls about us not falling in line with their crazy anarchist actions and stuffing Stratham mail boxes with anti Tim material. I guess it will be up to you the voters and us as elected officials that you put your trust and faith in to clean this mess up and stand up for you not the lunatics.

They are actually claiming they will be doubling their numbers in the house and senate after the next election while the democrats will be looking to pick up 50-75 seats and if we get enough good republicans to run there will be a current loss of about 125 seats.

After the next election when we clean house and throw these people out of office the “closed” sign will go up in NH and this social experiment gone awry will end and the Free State project can go to a good old boy southern state and try to impress them with their ideas for a new order.

THEY JUST DON’T GET IT!!!

We had another non paid session day this past Wednesday in the legislature; we had around 370 state reps in attendance. Supposedly the big draw was a few of the presidential candidates were going to speak to those in attendance. Actually I thought it was enhance interrogation tactics for the democrats who had to sit through the speeches. Even if all of us were collecting mileage to off set the cost of going to Concord, many of us were scratching our heads as to what was this show all about.

The day seemed to be dragged out intentionally to get people to leave (go to work) etc. In the hopes of giving the speaker the needed votes to override the governor’s RTW veto; people stayed and it appeared that it was the RTW votes that were leaving.

The session day appeared to be about promoting right to work and overriding the governor’s veto of HB474 the right to work for less bill. Nobody was going to budge on their position, one way or another so this was an anti climactic situation. What was really entertaining was listening to the candidates. They weren’t even interesting at this point, having seen them on TV and in debates; but, it did reinforce my beliefs as who is the dumbest and who were tied for second place. Michele Bachman took first prize; I wanted to present her with a musket ball telling her that was the first shot heard “round the world” since she thought Concord, NH and not MA, was where the British confronted the colonists.

What was interesting was when I heard that after her speech she said something to the speaker about, is there anyone you want me to strong arm before I go. Evidently, she was too close to the microphones and it was picked up; in NH that will be the shot heard “round the world”. The rest of the speeches were trailers to each one of their campaigns; but they were truly Right to Work stage props to pressure the republicans who believe in NH, the great people who give NH the strength and the love of the freedoms NH has to offer, that will not fall in line and support RTW for less.

The other big fight coming is the current free state attitude of the best way to reduce government to save the voters and taxpayers is to wipe out consumer protection, wipe out state agencies, wipe out important services to those that need them and let all the state employees and public sector employees that provide those services to move out of state and find real jobs. It almost seems like that mentality comes from people who flunked the IQ test to live in in the deep south RTW states and some of the former slave owning far southern states.

This is NH, one of the best educated and high tech populations in the country. There is a reason we make shoes and cloth down south and computer boards in NH; by the way, we actually have high tech electric tooth brushes in NH and excellent dental care. We just don’t have right to work.

FOUR FOR FOUR!!!

The last of the special elections, I think, have ended. The democrats claim 3 while the republicans claim 1. The union republicans claim 4 which tells the story. Peter Leishman from Peterborough won 60-40% against the republican who was backed by a personal endorsement from the speaker and Free State organization.

The speaker’s very arrogant and strange leadership team has said the reason the republicans are not winning these special elections is because all the republicans are out working while the democrats are not, people that dumb should not be in public office. So I guess in our progressive age (tongue and cheek) when you lose your job it is done by political affiliation. This is typical of the current house leadership trend of arrogance by ignorance.

The most disdainful of all the speakers’ actions is the game playing with the house over calling special sessions and posting that “you will not get paid for this day”. It would be different if we had something to do; but, just to call a session to see if you have enough votes to override the governors veto for right to work is a good example of the lack of respect for the house political process, respect for the house members and the voters of NH. More and more house members, at least those with common sense and respect for the voters and each other, are quietly walking away from the speaker.

The speaker is bringing down the Republican Party and effort in NH, plain and simple. Many think by sticking by the speaker they will all go to heaven when they die and I don’t have the heart to tell them heaven is not where any of them are heading.

What the speaker is doing is trying to manipulate the house republicans by not paying mileage for his call of the special sessions hoping that those republicans that live up north or on the other side of the state can’t afford to keep making these 100 or so mile trips at their own expense. This is one of the speaker’s most despicable acts towards the house members. This is causing more and more private conversations of a removal vote.

The reason we keep mentioning a removal vote is more and more people are talking about it. We are almost at the point where if you’re a republican and want to get re-elected you better stand up and be counted because you the voters are sending them a message and that message is, “you better change direction or the new group of elected officials will have to make the changes we failed to pursue”.

The democrats do not have clean hands in this fight either. I was told that they attacked the AFL-CIO for not backing a democrat in the Seabrook district 14 race and supported a union, republican, firefighter who is a member of the AFL-CIO. Well the only people who own the unions is the members and since being viciously attacked by the republican leadership is organized like never before and fighting back. The democrats might have forgotten they treated the unions badly when they were in power, they may have forgotten but the members haven’t; the dems are no longer in power and might have a hard time making a strong comeback if they don’t recognize this. The rule of thumb is do not attack the unions talk to them, negotiate with them that is how it works.

It appears that more and more political groups, labor included, understand that the next election will be about candidates and issues and not about parties. Matt and I started the discussion during the last election when we defined what an independent republican is. That is candidates that care more about what is right for our constituents and not the party.

IS SOMEBODY NOT SMART???

We have just finished our third special election in NH with two going to the dems and one to the republicans. The interesting point is public sector employees (republicans) worked in all three. People might ask how this happened since we are all suppose to be republicans and the answer is simple, the public sector employee republicans have had enough with the RINO out of stators who declared war on those employees who protect us; in other words enough is enough and people are fighting back.

What was interesting in these elections Bully O’Brian endorsed two candidates and they both lost 58-42 %. The third candidate, firefighter from Seabrook, he didn’t endorse and he won. In the Seabrook race the republicans (local republicans) used some of the same base of support that was used to win the other two elections; but, not working together on this one.

In the Seabrook race the democrats were very well organized, had a good candidate and finally showed that they had honed their message; but, didn’t have quite enough horse power to push it over the top to win. So it is safe to say that Seabrook proved that the public sector employees who have been under attack can win an election on their own.

The free stators and libertarians came in a low third, which was surprising because of all the recourses they put into this. In fact the stalwart republican, who just lost her election in Strafford County to Bob Perry the democrat, was seen holding a sign in Hampton Falls for the libertarian. I think I can remember when Honey (whatever) was running for state rep. all of her Free State friends were telling everyone how all the republicans needed to vote for her because she was a good republican. Well not many believed them and she proved those that didn’t believe them right; talk about credibility loss.

The legislature, collectively, does not understand why they got elected, so let’s take a little walk down our political memory lane. The democrats villainized George Bush and the republicans so bad there was a democratic sweep; now, all the liberals got elected and what some call the democrat tax attack took place because they thought they got elected because the voters wanted the democratic agenda (no it was about GWB). After 4 years of terrorizing the state with taxes the democrats were swept out because the voters wanted “change”. Now the voters elected a very strange group who has gone bonkers in the opposite direction and they will get thrown out with the democrats hoping to get sworn in again. I need a neck brace to protect my neck from these radical political swings.

Maybe the next election we will all get thrown out and the state can start over. In fact I’m starting to detect that the next election will be about individuals and issues and not about parties. Your public sector employees will be a huge force as long as the politicians continue to attack them and their families.

I don’t think the current political strategy is very smart.

THIS IS NH STUPID!!!!

As the saga of the State GOP unfolds and Jack Kimball is the whipping boy I watch in amazement at the allegations that Jack lost two special elections. I don’t think that is quite true for the following reasons.

I’ve been working on and running campaigns since 1972, starting out with Mel Thompson. I was mentored by Bob Monier, former State Senate President and college professor at St. A’s. I learned politics from the ground up, made a lot of mistakes and learned from them. I like people and like working with them, I learn something from every election and adversary, very rarely hold a personal grudge; but, as I grow older and realize my time on earth is not infinite, have adopted a straight forward approach to my life and discussions.

We have competing interests in the Republican Party, the tea party, the free stators, whatever the 9/12’s are and the old guard NH Republicans (which I consider myself one). The new kids on the scene are all vying for “power” and control of the party. Quite frankly I think some of them are nuts and find it difficult to deal with them so at this point I don’t really try. Because of these groups, my loyalty is to the people in my district.

So I can say that what caused the most problems in the Republican Party is the unprecedented attacks on our public sector employees: our teachers, our fire fighters, our police officers and state workers. This agenda is being manically pursued by Speaker Bully O’Brian and his little band of merry followers.

This has caused thousands of republican public sector employees to pull back from the party, and forced into working with the unions and democrats to defeat these people who are attacking us and our families; hence, the Republican Party is losing special elections. Kimball shares in this anti republican union agenda by pushing it with the federal candidates like pandering Mitt Romney and prayer meeting Perry. In short these people, mostly lead by O’Brian have done a good job at splintering the party and placing the lion share of the blame on Kimball. There is no question Jack needs to go; but, so doesn’t O’Brian and his out of control leadership group.

The NH State Employees have the best political campaign group in NH. They have brought and continue to bring experienced republican campaign members into the fight against the splinter groups that are attacking them while the republican members are no longer contributing to the party; but, to the republican union effort. SEANH republicans alone can bring about 15,000 republican votes to the table. Statewide the public sector of all parties can bring about 350,000 votes to the table. Most of these votes, the majority, will not go republican. How does a party or candidate win with this much of deficit? I don’t know but will watch with curiosity as to how this will all unfold. In the next election when you have thousands of public sector republican and tag along democrats going door to door in their neighborhoods against republicans the outcome should not be in doubt.

The next election will be determined by the individual candidates and the issues, not about party.

When we have political organizations that become collectively stupid, won’t listen, divide and attack their own support base it is time for a class on politics 101. That class is called elections.

WHAT REPUBLICAN PARTY, WE DON’T NEED NO STINKEN PARTY!!!

From reading the papers I have to give the fringe elements that want to take over NH credit, their chance might have come. It was the fringe element that got Jack Kimball elected chairman of the party and they are fighting to keep him in power against old guard republicans that want him removed. As you have all read Jack was photographed signing a petition to put the Libertarian Party on the NH ballot. That might not seem all that bad; but, he is chairman of the Republican Party.

We have presidential candidates coming into to NH to campaign that were made to look like idiots on the right to work issue and with the political anarchy that is taking place I’ve been told wish there was an honorable way to get out of the state.

Not to worry though the Bully O’Brian’s leadership team is ready to jump in and save the day. Shawn Jasper was quoted in the Concord Monitor saying the state party needs to be cleaned out. Shawn knows what he is talking about and knows a lot about politics and how to win elections. Just look at the AG’s investigation of 1994 in Hudson for altering ballots.

DJ is “no comment” while Bully doesn’t seem to know what is going on and will look into it. In my opinion Bully knows what is going on and probably has been part of it. The free stators and part of the radical wing of the Tea Party movement want control of the party and could do it this time. It is well known Bully helped put Kimball in as chairman, ooopsy can we have a do over.

People have been telling me that Obama is so disliked whomever wins the republican primary will beat him (nationally) and that will keep republicans in power. I’ve got an alternative theory and that is we will have a two tiered election. There will be those voting on the federal issues and those voting on state issues like state senators and reps. and will make needed changes so we will be looking at a whole new group of fish in the political tank after the next election and will be able to vote on new house leadership unless we throw the bums out before the next election.

I have a question for Ray Buckley; did this happen on its own or did you plan and organize it? Come on you little scamp come clean we couldn’t have wiped out our own party on its own so effectively without your help.

This is a real soap opera and I cannot shut of my TV until the last act is played out.

GOVERNOR PERRY-REPUBLICAN HOPEFUL OR HOPI???

I always get nervous around people who like to have public prayer meetings to show how religious they are. I have nothing against prayers and do so myself; but, that is my business and I don’t have do at the Exeter Bandstand on Friday afternoon to show people where I stand. I was interested that he had a Texas statewide prayer session praying for rain. I don’t think there is anything wrong in praying for rain; but, let’s not get the press involved.

I actually had a better idea to get the press involved and that is to do a Hopi rain dance, oh most of those were done naked, and the press would really come. The only problem is should it start to rain and then hail, you better get your clothes on quick because that could be painful, ooo, ooo and ouch.

Then he comes to NH and connects to the republican religious elitists, which is up to him; but, more and more people are talking about that, and it will come back to bite him down the road.

If you look at what is happening with the republican primary field, Pawlenty withdrew. I hear, only as a rumor, that Huntsman’s campaign is imploding and the dumb move to embrace right to work is just starting to sink in; but he can’t retract it now. Romney, although is at around 30 % the question is will he go any higher or drift down to the 20’s. We have Sarah Palin and Michele Bachman running and mother nature tells us you can’t have two queen bees in any hive so that will be fun to watch. We are running out of appealing candidates.

It was also interesting to see the pictures of our Republican Chairman, Jack Kimball, signing a petition to put the libertarian party on the ballot in NH. The way our party is going they better focus on keeping the Republican Party on the ballot in NH. Now are people still WONDERING why money is not flowing into our Republican Party coffers???

THE ECONOMY!!!

The average person is overwhelmed when we hear all the experts talk about the national economy. They don’t want to simplify it because we won’t think they are such experts.

This is what we know, a given: if people don’t have money in their pockets they won’t spend it. If we raise taxes people won’t have money in their pockets. If the price of fuel goes up, gas and heating, we won’t have money in our pockets. If the price of goods goes up we won’t have money in our pockets. I think this concept is easy to grasp.

If people don’t have spending money in their pockets, they don’t buy goods. It is said that small business does most of the hiring and takes people off the unemployment rolls. If they don’t buy goods people get laid off because there is no money being spent and they are not required to produce things. If they are laid off they go on unemployment and everyone pays which is less money in our pockets to buy goods; talk about a catch 22.

He is a plan for the president. Bam, Bam is holding about 400 billion $ left over from his failed stimulus package. He bailed out banks in the hopes they would loan the money to the people who needed it; wrong the banks invested it drove up the stock market and then bailed out with a hefty profit and repaid the government. The people who needed the money didn’t get it.

So we need to reduce the price of oil, open all off shore drilling but require the oil companies to show they have workable plans for emergencies and not allow them to drill in any deeper water than they can immediately plug the well in case of emergency. This will drive down the cost of oil. Use the 400+ billion in left over stimulus money for small business loans with no interest for 5 years, let’s give them a chance to make the business work and hire a few people. Ethanol can be made out of almost any decomposing fermenting vegetable matter; we don’t always need to use food or good alcohol for gasoline.

Last but not least is reduce our overall federal tax burden; who cares if your rich or not (depending on your definition of rich), rich people buy a lot of stuff, that keeps people working. If we do give tax breaks to businesses that move overseas we need to stop that, they make enough money in lower wages and materials.

The bottom lines is put as much money in peoples pockets as we can, re-introduce material production to hire more workers and we just might move our economy ahead.

MITT ROMNEY—DAPP!!!

The presidential Republican primary candidates are pouring into NH and talking about how they support right to work. Keeping in mind this was not even on anyone’s radar screen in the last election.

So it appears the state party is telling them how important this is in a state where it means nothing; talk about an out of state out of touch political issue and agenda. The party refuses to believe that there are any union republicans when in reality there are thousands in NH and are willing to cross the isle to clean up this political mess in NH and work to better our state and move the state forward to make it a better place; this is one of the reasons why the republican party is losing special elections.

In the special election in Strafford District 3 Bob Perry (D) soundly defeated the Free State Choice by about 58%-42%. I understand there was a large group of disenfranchised republicans that helped out in that race. So a victory was pulled off in Bully O’Brian’s backyard, another in State Republican Chairman Jack Kimball’s back yard, I think the people behind these victories are running out of backyards. I think this is directly related to the fracture in the Republican Party and the huge split on the manufactured RTW issue.

John Huntsman is a promising candidate for president; but, came out in support of RTW which took him off my list. One of the truisms of politics is the activists come out in the primary so if you’re a republican you have to go conservative, if you’re a liberal you have to come out liberal to beat your opponents; who is more conservative or liberal wins the primary. Then you have to swing back towards the middle to win the general; only, in this case there is no middle. I do not believe, but they may, republicans would vote for Obama. Usually they just won’t vote in the election and not check the box; but in this case they have been screwed with just a little too much.

I think you might want to know what DAPP stands for. Keeping in mind my working class background and simple way of speaking, it stand for DUMB ASS PANDERING POLITICIAN.

Hey Mitt, don’t take it personally you're part of a growing group that fall into this category.

WHAT IS UP WITH THE POLITICAL SCENE IN NH???

Some think that there is a fight between NH Republicans and Libertarians. In reality conservative republicans and libertarians have been, pretty much, allies for years and on most issues are not that far apart. There dose seem to be friction between Free Stators and old guard Republicans because the Free Stators appear to have an agenda to take over and remake NH.

I am watching the special election in Strafford 3 between a democrat and an acknowledged Free Stator, who is running as a republican. You never want to call an election until an hour or so after the polls close and the free stator has put a lot of money into this campaign; but, reading the letters to the editor in Foster’s it looks like the free state project is getting hit and hit hard. I think Bob Perry the democrat will take this. I’ve been wrong before; but, that’s my two cents.

We have a republican party that is disarray with at least one republican town chairman attacking republican senators and two free stators sending out letters doing the same.

Part of the problem is the free stators tried to hard and fast to take over and they have been heavy handed in some regards. Now we have union republicans working with democrats to fight back and they don’t seem to understand why. They relish in the fact they have a Free State leaning speaker and claim they got the chairman of the Republican Party elected chairman.

The voters are starting to rebel and you can see it in the special elections; this rejection is a trend, not just a fad. I have said in the past I expect to see about 125 Republicans lose their seats in the next election, some insiders told me it was wishful thinking that we would lose about 40, now their saying up to a hundred. This is starting to sound like an auction, I have a 100 who will make 125, and I think the voters will.

Thank you true old guard Libertarians for holding the republicans’ feet to the fire and I’m glad to be working with you.

WHAT DOES THE RIGHT TO WORK BILL REALLY DO???

The following is the bill in it entirety, you read it and decide, does this bill clandestinely wipe out NH’s regulatory boards; I’m not sure but it looks like it could. If you read it, not as a union bill; but, from a regulatory stand point does it look like the anarchists who are against government and pushing this bill will be able to wipe out the very boards that were formed to protect the public? Just wondering if I’m reading this right.

HB 474-FN – VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
15 Feb 2011… 0218h
15 Feb 2011… 0313h
04/20/11 1403s
2011 SESSION
11-0609
06/01
HOUSE BILL 474-FN
AN ACT relative to freedom of choice on whether to join a labor union.
SPONSORS: Rep. W. Smith, Rock 18; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock 3; Rep. Seidel, Hills 20; Rep. Lauer-Rago, Merr 2; Rep. Holden, Hills 4; Rep. Brosseau, Graf 6; Rep. Summers, Hills 26; Sen. Forsythe, Dist 4
COMMITTEE: Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join a labor union.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
15 Feb 2011… 0218h
15 Feb 2011… 0313h
04/20/11 1403s
11-0609
06/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven
AN ACT relative to freedom of choice on whether to join a labor union.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Name of Act. It is the intent of the general court that this act be known as “The Franklin A. Partin Jr. Right to Work Act.”
2 New Chapter; Right to Work Act. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 273-C the following new chapter:
CHAPTER 273-D
RIGHT TO WORK ACT
273-D:1 Short Title. This act may be cited as the “Right to Work Act.”
273-D:2 Declaration of Public Policy. It is hereby declared to be the public policy of this state in order to maximize individual freedom of choice in the pursuit of employment and to encourage an employment climate conducive to economic growth, that all persons shall have, and shall be protected in the exercise of, the right freely, and without fear of penalty or reprise, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from any such activity.
273-D:3 Definitions. In this chapter:
I. “Employer” means any individual, corporation, association, organization, or entity that employs one or more persons. The term includes, but is not limited to, the state of New Hampshire and its agencies, every district, board, commission, instrumentality, or other unit whose governing body exercises similar governmental powers. The term “employer” includes, but is not limited to, employers of agricultural labor.
II. “Labor organization” means any organization of any kind, or agency or employee representation committee or plan, which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of work, or other conditions of employment.
273-D:4 Freedom of Choice Guaranteed, Discrimination Prohibited. No person shall be required, as a condition of employment or continuation of employment:
I. To resign or refrain from voluntary membership in, voluntary affiliation with, or voluntary financial support of a labor organization;
II. To become or remain a member of a labor organization;
III. To pay any dues, fees, assessments, or other charges of any kind or amount to a labor organization;
IV. To pay any charity or other third party, in lieu of such payments, any amount equivalent to or a pro-rata portion of dues, fees, assessments, or other charges of a labor organization; or
V. To be recommended, approved, referred, or cleared by or through a labor organization.
273-D:5 Voluntary Deductions Protected. It shall be unlawful for any employer to deduct from the wages, earnings, or compensation of any employee any dues, fees, assessments, or other charges, to be held for, transferred to, or paid over to a labor organization, unless the employee has first presented, and the employer has received, a signed written authorization of such deductions, which authorization may be revoked by the employee at any time by giving written notice of such revocation 30 days in advance of its effective date. Every employer who receives such an authorization from an employee shall have a duty to promptly notify that employee in writing that the employee may revoke an authorization at any time by giving the employer 30 days written notice.
273-D:6 Agreements in Violation, and Actions to Induce Such Agreements, Declared Illegal. Any agreement, understanding or practice, written or oral, implied or expressed, between any labor organization and employer which violates the rights of employees as guaranteed by the provisions of this chapter is hereby declared to be unlawful, null and void, and of no legal effect. Any strike, picketing, boycott, or other action, by a labor organization for the sole purpose of inducing or attempting to induce an employer to enter into any agreement prohibited under this chapter is hereby declared to be for an illegal purpose and is a violation of the provisions of this chapter.
273-D:7 Notice to be Posted. It shall be the duty of every employer to post and keep continuously displayed the following notice at such a place or places in the business, establishment, or premises where it may be readily seen by all employees, and it shall be the further duty of every employer to furnish a copy of such notice to each employee at the time the employee is hired:
EMPLOYEES FREEDOM OF CHOICE
Under the law of the state of New Hampshire, employees are protected in the exercise of their free choice to join or refrain from joining labor unions, and it is unlawful for an employer and a labor union to enter into a contract or agreement requiring them to pay dues, fees, or charges of any kind to a labor union as a condition of obtaining or keeping a job. Under this law, an employer may not discharge or otherwise discriminate against an employee because of joining or refusing to join a labor union, or to pay dues, or other charges to a labor union.
273-D:8 Coercion and Intimidation Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person, labor organization, or officer, agent or member thereof, or employer, or officer thereof, by any threatened or actual intimidation of an employee or prospective employee, or the employee’s parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, or any other persons residing in the employee’s or prospective employee’s home, or by any damage or threatened damage to property, to compel or attempt to compel such employee to join, affiliate with, or financially support a labor organization or to refrain from doing so, or otherwise forfeit any rights as guaranteed by provisions of this chapter. It shall also be unlawful to cause or attempt to cause an employee to be denied employment or discharged from employment because of support or nonsupport of a labor organization by inducing or attempting to induce any other person to refuse to work with such employees.
273-D:9 Penalties. Any person, employer, labor organization, agent, or representative of an employer or labor organization, who directly or indirectly imposes upon any person any requirement prohibited by this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, notwithstanding RSA 651:2, shall be subject for each offense to a fine not exceeding $1,000, or to imprisonment not exceeding 90 days, or both.
273-D:10 Civil Remedies. Any person harmed as a result of any violation or threatened violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be entitled to injunctive relief against any and all violators or persons threatening violation, and may also recover any or all damages of any character, including costs and reasonable attorney fees, resulting from such violation or threatened violation, cognizable at common law. Such remedies shall be independent of, and in addition to, the penalties and remedies prescribed in other provisions of this chapter.
273-D:11 Duty to Investigate. It shall be the duty of the attorney general and of each county attorney, to investigate any complaints of violation of this chapter, and to prosecute all persons violating any of its provisions, and to use all means at their command to insure effective enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
273-D:12 Existing Contracts. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all contracts entered into on or after the effective date of this chapter and shall not apply to existing contracts, but shall apply to any renewal or extensions of such existing contracts.
273-D:13 Exceptions. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply:
I. To employers and employees covered by the federal Railway Labor Act.
II. To federal employers and employees.
III. To employers and employees on exclusive federal enclaves.
IV. Where they would otherwise conflict with, or be preempted by, federal law.
273-D:14 Severability. If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2012.
LBAO
11-0609
01/20/11
HB 474-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to freedom of choice on whether to join a labor union.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Due to time constraints, the Office of Legislative Budget Assistant is unable to provide a fiscal note for this bill at this time. When completed, the fiscal note will be forwarded to the House Clerk's Office.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF SOMEONE IS SMART OR STUPID???

It never ceases to amaze me when I see people who I think are smart doing something stupid or wrong. I think it is more visible and apparent in politics. For example when I see people whom I think are intelligent saying, voting or doing what I think is dumb; this is only in my opinion and Lee Quandts perspective.

In district 13, Exeter, Stratham and North Hampton we have 3 state reps that blindly follow Bully O’Brian’s leadership. We still have 5 state reps 2 democrats and three fiscally conservative republicans that think for themselves and do what they promised to do when they were elected. For example 3 are attacking our police, firefighters and public employees dancing to the tune of the Bully and his VA Right to work Friends. There are that are asking what the h—l are you people doing. This isn’t a fight between republicans and democrats it is a fight between right and wrong, what is right for NH and wrong for NH.

Matt, Lee, Tim, Donna and Patti, although worlds apart philosophy (republican vs. democrat) have put that aside and focused on issues that we can agree on. The other three are touting the speaker’s budget, RTW and how wonderful his leadership (or lack of leadership) is.

It really does boil down to mind over matter, they don’t mind and we don’t matter. Much of the budgetary pain won’t come in the next year (the first year of the budget) that is when programs that were under funded will use the money that is for the two year budget to cover the short comings in the first year. The shoe will drop after the first year and after the next election. So no one can accurately say how bad people will be hurt until the departments run out of money and after the next election. It is somewhat similar to combat when the best laid plan turns to crap when the first shot is fired and then it can be every man for themselves.

The redistricting planning is being done in secret, or so I’m told, and not open to public hearings at this point. Some promises have been made for better districts for political favors. I think this is illegal under federal law and may leave the door open for court hearings.

We are hearing that Exeter could be a stand alone district or have one small town like Kensington or Newfields in with it. The rule of thumb is about 1 state rep for each 3,000 voters. Stratham and North Hampton might share 3; but, might go with a floater depending on the deviation. At this point it is conjecture and will be voted on by the full house and senate.

This would leave North Hampton and Stratham with only one leader (Tim) and 3 republican leadership followers. This will certainly be discussed in the next election no matter what the districts look like

OOPS!!!

The summer is usually a slow time for politics, on all levels, local and state; but, this summer will be a little busier. Concord is Concord with retained bills hearings and people talking about what a wonderful time they all had in the past year. What is more interesting is the special elections that are taking place.

On Tuesday July 5, we have the Seabrook district special election. I have a good group of supporters in Seabrook going back years when I was a Probation/Parole Officer covering Seabrook and also running in Seabrook for two senate races. So when I was down there on Saturday, what I was hearing was amazing for Seabrook.

One of the candidates, Kevin Janvrin is very well liked and has been in Seabrook most of his life and is a fire fighter. As I was told, another candidate has been sending out some nasty mailers against him. In Short Janvrin has some solid support from republicans and democrats; but, the republicans are very upset that the republican establishment has jumped into a primary turning the campaign negative. Now those Janvrin supporters are talking about not supporting the candidate who sent out those mailers should he win; this could turn the seat democratic.

There is another issue that was discussed and that was the higher tier candidates that endorsed the opponent before the negative campaigning started and they are also being held responsible.

I think there is a fear that the public sector employees are fighting back from what the politicians have done to them and that is a growing fear that more and more of them are going to get involved in the political process. This will change the dynamics of the political structure in NH just as when the libertarians and free staters usurped the Republican Party.

Life is a laugh a minute.

SHAWN JASPER-STUPID STATEMENTS!!!

In his desire to be a bully O’Brian poster child the latest intellectual statement from bully JR. is that with all the budget cuts those in need can simply go to churches and non profit social programs to get the needed money to help, doesn’t he understand we are talking about mentally handicapped and severely disabled.

Well if you’re so out of touch as JR. is you might have missed that even the food banks are broke with the churches rising up and saying they don’t have the money for this. You have to remember this is NOT down shifting because the speaker and JR. say so. How can anyone with an ounce of brains think that the private social service programs and churches can pick up what the state is dumping in the abdication of the states responsibility????

This is one of the best examples of how out of control the current legislative leadership group is.

When the voters of Hudson realize what a prize the legislature won when they sent him to Concord, I think they will make some changes.

BULLY O’BRIANS NEW PHRASE!!!

Bully has learned a new phrase “hyper drive”; I think he learned it from his last D.C. meeting with the right to work thugs. Although bully’s tinsel teethed mouth piece claims he never met with the RTW thugs, no one in Concord is buying it. We can’t believe anything that comes out of the mouths of this leadership team anyway so why start now.

I call them thugs because of reports that they are calling female legislators that do not support RTW, in the late hours of the night and calling them, “union whores”. That is the new approach to convincing people to support their cause, how utterly disgusting, remember the lunatics are running the asylum.

Bully keeps claiming that if we pass RTW it will put our economy into “hyper drive”; at face value this is ridiculous for the state of NH. Some economist claim NH is doing better than most other states and we are on the right economic path with the right balance of government and private sector involvement to move steadily ahead out of this recession. The best thing Mr. Hyper Drive can do, based on his Free State approach, is to stay out of it, don’t screw anything up, and take credit for what is happening. Oh, and stop watching science fiction space movies, hyper drive is a little much.

THE STATE PARTY IS BROKE!!!

So why are they calling on Bill Binnie to help them out? It seems the party is being controlled by free staters, or a radicalized wing of the Tea Party movement; let them raise the money. They are only going to use it to attack republicans that disagree with their crazy agenda of wiping out government and promoting anarchy.

It is interesting that at least some free staters are not using their real names; WOW I wonder why that is?? I hope we hear more about this in the future and let’s all thank Craig Benson for this mess, real good move Craig.

LOOK TO THE NEXT ELECTION!!!

The budget has passed the house and senate with the governor weighing his options and letting it become law without his signature. I was curious why he didn’t veto it and fight against the over ride and was told that it was a tactical decision not to allow the budget to be re-opened for further damage to the state than what has already been done; it made sense and I believe he made the right move.

A number of controversial bills passed also and it will take a year to see how they work and what needs to be done to fix or repeal them.

Once again the speaker did not have enough votes to call the RTW bill, 474, to a vote. He thought he did when some of our votes, late in the afternoon, had to leave to go to work. That was the bad news; the good news is so didn’t his votes and once again he came up short so the vote was not called. We had 5 votes absent from the start so we couldn’t afford to lose many more and we didn’t.

Each session day, for the last few weeks, one of the unions has been hosting a barbecue on the front area of the state house for those legislators who are fighting RTW. It has been well attended even by the RTW people looking for a free meal. They call the public workers thugs, union bosses, etc; but, when it comes to a free meal they have no honor and let’s all be friends. I guess it tells you something about people.

It should be quiet for a few days, other than the speaker pressuring state reps to stay in line for RTW; I think there will be some calls made from the anti RTW groups to try to convince people that this is not an issue with NH and not a good issue for NH.

As issues develop I’ll do my best to keep you informed. I’d suggest that you go to the NH Secretary of States web and look at the new LSRs put in for legislation for the next session, enough said.

The damage to the State of NH this session will be corrected after the next election, I just hope people can make it until then.

THE ZOMBIES ARE ATTACKING, DON’T FORGET YOU HAVE TO SHOOT THEM IN THE HEAD!!!!

The longer the speaker holds off on the Right to Work Vote, the more the loonies are attacking those who are not supporting them. To say these people are nasty is an understatement. I explained to some of the better reps that a number of years ago the state hospital had almost 3,000 people in the institution and now they is about ten percent of that. With what is going on in the legislature and the RTW issue I think I found those who have been missing.

An interesting issue that people are only now starting to think about is abortion. For ten years now the litmus test to be a “real republican” was if you support abortion or pro life. Now the issue is do you support RTW or not. The passion, anger and animosity is unbelievable. The people who are doing are not republicans; but, are the radical fringe groups that have a little power and no positive leadership.

I have been hearing that many of the republican financial backers are not kicking out much money because they know republicans are not running the show. Any republican with an ounce of brains sees the party being dragged down to the lowest political and moral level we have seen.

It is only my opinion and I have been running and working on political campaigns since 1972, that the rino’s that are in office right now are going to get bounced out of office like a basketball during the next election. In fact who ever runs against them is not going to have to mount a big campaign based on issues they will only have to show they supported the current speaker and what he has done and is doing. Forget all the issues like RGGI, educational funding, Northern Pass, clean air, water etc. It will only take “you supported bully O’Brian”; I have said in the past that session will be career ending for about 125 or more rinos.

When you get your local tax bills look and see how much money these people have saved you? I believe this budget will cost shift not only onto the communities but to those individuals who are working in the public sector.

The election is a long way off and there can still be severe damage done to the State, fortunately we have a small group of real republicans that are digging in there heels and still trying to do the right thing.

This is like a Zombie movie only I’m in it.

WHEN IS THE LEGISLATURE GOING TO START TO KEEP ITS PROMISES TO THE VOTERS??

During this maniacal leaderships fight to promote the "right to work for less" bill, the lines of legality and propriety have been crossed; the ruthless attacks against Matt and the over the top "Massachusetts Political Tactics" have just about run their gamut.

I have heard that many believe this leadership is actually more of a cult and rumors are that the Bully O’Brian leadership cult is frustrated their last attacks against Matt have failed, the failure is due to the lack of credibility of the accuser, and the fact Matt is well known by the old time true republicans. They see things at face value; they know the truth, and the motivation behind these attacks. We were very pleased by the number of house members that came forward in support of us on this issue. A large number of republicans stated their disdain for this attack and the leadership team that made it. Not what they voted for when they elected a Speaker and for the first time a Majority Leader.

We have all heard the saying when in a hole stop digging, that message never made it to the third floor of the statehouse. Word is the third floor bully squad feels the need to try again to get at Matt,seems people are standing their ground even more solidly now, not what the intended effect was. The theory is if it looked like they would destroy their own the others would fall in line. Guess they weren't around when Senate President Eaton attempted the same trick. Someone should send them a note on what happened to Eaton. It was certainly a first but not the kind anyone would ever want on their record. I can say this, if they attempt to defame Matt again, they will elevate this to a new level. This leadership has a record of attacking those who dare to think and they attack again if the person continues to thing for themselves again. This is why so many voters think they have issues, just look at the last special election in the Speakers home town. Even warranted a mention of the facts on Sundays Meet the Press show.

I have talked to a number of state reps already about the promises that were made to them aboutif they would change their votes or take a walk when the vote came up. Money for their campaigns, better districts in the upcoming redistricting plan and putting them back on committees they were removed from for previously voting their conscience or better committee assignments. They tell me all they have to do is one of the above so the vote outcome will change to the Speakers position on the bill known as Right to Work. Its not working because these people believe they need to represent their constituents, all their constituents. Some outside the statehouse have questioned the legality of such offers when they hear such offers have been made.

Do any of these promises fall into the below statue for violations? Our attorney seems to think so.



TITLE LXII
CRIMINAL CODE
CHAPTER 640
CORRUPT PRACTICES
Section 640:2
640:2 Bribery in Official and Political Matters. –
I. A person is guilty of a class B felony if:
(a) He promises, offers, or gives any pecuniary benefit to another with the purpose of influencing the other's action, decision, opinion, recommendation, vote, nomination, or other exercise of discretion as a public servant, party official, or voter; or
(b) Being a public servant, party official, candidate for electoral office, or voter, he solicits, accepts or agrees to accept any pecuniary benefit from another knowing or believing the other's purpose to be as described in subparagraph I(a), or fails to report to a law enforcement officer that he has been offered or promised a pecuniary benefit in violation of subparagraph I(a).
II. As used in this section and other sections of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Public servant'' means any officer or employee of the state or any political subdivision thereof, including judges, legislators, consultants, jurors, and persons otherwise performing a governmental function. A person is considered a public servant upon his election, appointment or other designation as such, although he may not yet officially occupy that position. A person is a candidate for electoral office upon his public announcement of his candidacy.
(b) "Party official'' means any person holding any post in a political party whether by election, appointment or otherwise.
(c) "Pecuniary benefit'' means any advantage in the form of money, property, commercial interest or anything else, the primary significance of which is economic gain; it does not include economic advantage applicable to the public generally, such as tax reduction or increased prosperity generally.
Source. 1971, 518:1, eff. Nov. 1, 1973.

I want to, from the bottom of my heart, thank Donna Schlacman and Tim Copeland. They not only have great courage but integrity. While others, even in our district, were running for cover or blindly following the current leader ship team, Tim and Donna stood up against the lies.

This will not be forgotten and thank you.

SHAWN JASPER!!!

Recently Shawn Jasper made some of the craziest allegations that, his leadership member nemesis, Matt Quandt would go to lunch and come back intoxicated and was removed from leadership. This is about as true as if someone were to tell untrue, off-color jokes about Shawn Jasper. Well I wouldn’t believe either one.

About 4 weeks ago Matt went to DJ Bettencourt, majority leader, and resigned his position; this decision was festering with Matt for longer than it should. DJ came to me and asked me “what is wrong with Matt”? I told DJ that Matt was very insulted by something that happened in leadership and to give Matt a couple of days to calm down. DJ told me he did not want to lose Matt and I said he is one of the few you can trust and DJ agreed. Later Matt told me that DJ had sent Matt a text that “resignation not accepted”. At a later point, if my memory serves me correctly, Matt and DJ had a conversation and agreed to talk again after the right to work issue was resolved. About 2-3 weeks later Pam Tucker the Deputy Speaker from Greenland left a voice mail on Matt’s cell phone that since he resigned he had a new seat.

Matt had been struggling with this decision to leave leadership and many friends, colleagues and his father (me) were encouraging him to leave. Matt had a strong and long friendship with DJ and knew that he was one of the few people that DJ could trust and Matt felt a loyalty to protect his friend. Matt saw that Bully O’Brien was taking over the majority office and appeared to running the operation; so he quit and the following was the press release that got leadership so upset:



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Lee and/or Matt Quandt, (603) 772-3417

TWO STATE REPRESENTATIVES RESIGN LEADERSHIP POSTS OVER NH SPEAKER’S EXTREME ANTI-WORKER AGENDA

Extreme House Leadership’s Overreach Costs Them Legislative Support

CONCORD, NH – Six-term State Representative and House Deputy Majority Leader Matt Quandt (R-Exeter), along with House Whip Tim Copeland (R-Stratham), have resigned their leadership posts in a sign of opposition to Speaker of the House Bill O‟Brien‟s extreme anti-worker agenda.

“I submitted my resignation more than two weeks ago,” said Rep. Matt Quandt. “It was a difficult choice to make, but it was the right one. When I was approached about joining House leadership, I was very clear that I would continue to support the rights of New Hampshire‟s workers even as a member of leadership. At the time it was accepted, but it is evident now that pro-worker Republican views like mine are not respected under this leadership team.”

Rep. Quandt‟s resignation was at first rejected; he received formal notice of acceptance of it yesterday evening. Quandt‟s father – Rep. Marshall “Lee” Quandt, also of Exeter – had previously been removed from a key position on the Finance committee after he defied House Speaker Bill O‟Brien and publicly called for the removal of a midnight amendment abolishing the rights of workers to collectively organize.

“Our family is made of staunch Republicans,” Matt Quandt said. “We are not here to blindly follow a leader who is rejecting those values to please a group of transplants who have no understanding of New Hampshire tradition.”

“My wife and I are proud of the decision Matt made,” Rep. Lee Quandt said. “We didn‟t raise him to be a bully. The speaker was obviously raised differently.”

Rep. Tim Copeland, a freshman legislator, also rendered his leadership resignation this week.

“I‟m a retired state worker and know first-hand what these attacks on workers will mean to middle class families in New Hampshire,” Rep. Tim Copeland said. “I cannot sit by and participate in a leadership team that is bent on destroying the strong labor force and good benefits that we have in our state. I cannot condone the incredible disrespect that Bill O‟Brien has shown to other members of our caucus who are trying to represent their constituents.”

In an interview with the Portsmouth Herald earlier this year1, Rep. Copeland questioned the harsh approach taken by House leadership and spoke about overhearing the Speaker berate another legislator who was attempting to advocate for health and human services funding.

“It was embarrassing,” he said. “There was a group of school children a few feet away waiting to sing the national anthem and you could hear him shouting at her (Emerson). The children could hear it and the teacher with them could hear it. The teacher asked me, „Is this the way you do things?‟ and I said „It shouldn't be this way.‟”



Both Lee Quandt and Tim Copeland are members of the State Employees Association retirees‟ chapter.

Now this maniacal and toxic leadership group is attacking him with false and misleading information. At face value reps have about 45 minutes for lunch, how drunk can you get in 45 minutes even for a former 82d Airborne Paratrooper? Going out for lunch with your friends is a social event at the state house, they all have a drink with their lunch. If Matt kept coming back intoxicated why did not leadership counsel him, not a word? I am diabetic and very rarely drink; but, go out with Matt and our friends for lunch, diet coke for me, and cannot remember inappropriate drinking or behavior on the part of anyone. As a father and retired State Probation/Parole Officer if I saw any of this behavior as alleged I would have stepped in; no matter how old your kids get they are still your kids.

At face value these allegations are ridiculous and malicious. Matt and Jasper never got along as did I, we felt we could never trust him. We do not hang out with people we don’t trust or respect and have been kidded by lobbyists that if a lobbyist could sit with the Quandts it was a sign of honor and acceptance, they all kidded us about this.

This maniacal leadership approach is why Republicans are walking away from the party and the toxic leadership attitude is why we are getting more and more numbers to replace this group. This leadership group has dragged the Republicans and the party into a pig wallow that we are going to have a hard time getting out of.





Hey Shawn, WOOF, WOOF.

WHO IS THE REAL FOOL!!!

We all like to remember our mothers or fathers favorite sayings and I can always, as a early teen, being lectured by my mother not to be a follower and get into trouble but be a leader and stand up for what I believe. What she was getting at is no booze, drugs, etc; the standard advice from a mother back then. What really stuck in my mind was another pearl of wisdom of who is the real fool, the fool or the one who follows the fool. There is a lot of wisdom in those simple words and most of us probably heard them growing up.

How appropriate they seem in today’s legislature. I think Matt, I and people like Tim Copeland are not fools because we are not followers in the game of thrones where threats, promises and what has been reported as bribes have been going on. Unfortunately, the people whom I’ve been talking to do not want to go forward with what has happened to or said to them. That is unfortunate because the only way to end this type of behavior is to expose it.

The right to work battle has gone off the charts of propriety. Our leadership team seems to be willing to say or do anything to win this fight. We were supposed to have the veto override on May 25th, at 10 AM., the speaker did not have the votes so he tried the following Wednesday at 9 AM and didn’t have the votes so now it appears to be on for next Wednesday at 1 PM. If he doesn’t have the votes by then the next vote will probably be called for a Sunday morning before people go to church. One person commented today that this is the most maniacal leadership team in the history of the NH Legislature. I don’t know how maniacal they are; but, I do know they are certainly different.

In the right to work fight the republican leadership enlisted, from what I have been told, Ovide Lamontagne, Jeb Bradley and John Stephen to call state reps that they know to switch their votes and become followers. I hate to say it because I like and have supported these people in the past that this is soooo going to come back and bite them.

Many of us old time republicans are wondering if there is an ounce of common sense left in the political process. I am sure the above mentioned future candidates think that the thousands of public sector and state employee republicans are going to come back to the party and support them. I have been talking to the various groups and it will not happen so I am going to find it interesting to see how you win a state or district wide election when you start out with a 350,000 vote deficit. There might be a trick to this math; but, I don’t think so. Matt and I have worked for years to bring these republicans behind republican candidates and have lost about 8 years of hard work.

Now it will be up to the voters to clean up what happened in the last election because more and more are saying, “this is not what I voted for”, and they will be right.

SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T PAY TO GET UP IN THE MORNING!!!!

While the House Leadership is trying to find the votes to break up the unions and lower the standard of living in NH they might be losing sight of the fact the state budget will be pushed out of the senate this coming weds. That might be good for the senate; but, bad for house leadership.

This past Weds it was shown that there is a razor thin line for a veto proof house. The speaker, after touting how he was going to make NH a right to work state and have the vote this past Weds, did not bring the bill forward because he didn’t have the votes. I think this was very embarrassing for him because politically he never left himself an escape route. I think he is losing some of his MOJO.

Now if the house passes the budget and the governor vetoes it the speaker will be fighting on both fronts to get the votes to sustain the budget veto and another hand wrenching fingernail biting fight on two fronts. There is more to dislike in the budget then there is in sticking it the NH workforce and calling the thousands of upon thousands of republican public sector employees, “thugs”, “goons” and a various assortment of names. These collective bargaining oriented republicans voted for the very republicans who we now find, many with psychological problems and not republicans, but will never again, what I’m seeing now I have never seen before, thousands of republicans walking away from the party.

There is a group of republicans who I am very proud to serve with, there’s about 40 of us who care more about you than the Concord political establishment and the moneyed out of state lobbying groups who are trying to run our state. We’re sticking together against RTW and may stand against the budget if we don’t like it. I am only speaking for myself; but, this happens when you lose respect for your leadership team and believe we are being lead into a huge political ambush in the next election. Republican voters are bailing on the politicians they elected in the last election. The free staters and the Looney tunes right wing groups will not be able to stem the republican back lash; we might make electoral mistakes as republicans, but we will fix them in the next election.

We know some of our votes in the house will be peeled off, I’ve heard Jeb Bradley is calling around trying to get state reps to cave and go with leadership, he might get a couple; but, overall I like Jeb; but, think he is done too much political damage to himself to win another district or statewide election. I think the same holds true to the house leadership and to some extent the senate too.

This isn’t Republican bashing; many of these people are not republicans and have crazy ideas on how to organize and direct government. You are the ones that are going to get hurt in this process and it will take 10 yrs or more to fix it. I do not believe many of those elected in the last election are doing what you elected them to do and going way over board on what they think you wanted. They cannot not tolerate different thoughts or ideals and attack anyone who differs.

Some collectively bargaining units are calling for our leaderships removal and I think that cry will get louder and may well happen, the time is not quite right, but may happen. The ideal situation would be for the leadership to sit down and rethink their actions/plans and chart a new course before we all get wiped out in the next election.

THERE IS NO JOY IN MUDVILLE!!!!

The fortunes of our legislative leadership team are faltering in their desire to be the second coming of Christ. The free staters and other strange but; vocal groups failed to produce a victory in Bully O’Brian’s home district in Mt. Vernon in the recent special election, 58% to 42% against. In a pre-election broadcast the NH Free State leader sent out information to motivate the troops by saying how they had to win because that election was a referendum on the republican leadership and on the republican agenda (their words not mine). They also called for a quick $1600’s to push the campaign forward.

Well it was a referendum; but the spin masters on both sides are trying to spin it to suit their arguments. In reality, it was no more than putting out the crazy agenda we are being forced to adhere to and letting the voters decide if this is what they want and voted for; obviously it wasn’t and is merely a for warning of things to come and an echo of what I said in my previous floor speech against the right to work effort in NH; “this is not a war we should be in and a battle we cannot win”, another warning gone unheeded by a leadership group that not only has lost touch with the voters; but, their own republicans.

What is happening now is state reps are being, as close as I can figure bribed and threatened all in the same day. I have been told that the speaker is promising money for your campaign if you stick with him and vote for RTW by voting against the Governors Veto. Then I hear that the majority leader is calling state reps and threatening them to vote with leadership to override the governor’s veto. Couple this with some far right wingers that are crazier than an out house mouse directing calls to those republicans that are sticking by their constituents trying to get them to change their votes and you have a remake of the movie “One flew over the Cuckoos Nest”.

First they were asking and leaning on republicans to take a walk on the vote if they couldn’t support leadership. Then they reverted to the dirty, MA style of politics by threats and borderline bribes. The growing discomfort with our so called leadership team, is only going to split the house more and make it more difficult, if not impossible to hold a veto proof majority and may put the governor in a better position to negotiate a budget he is more comfortable with, due to the hard feelings and loss of respect for the current house leadership. In fact our leadership group is making their own case for why they should be removed.

It is worthy of note that the so called “big guns” have been called on to call state reps to support the house leadership on RTW. Well if CK Ayotte wants to get involved in a 350,000 vote political buzz saw that will come back and bite her, welcome aboard. Gov Sununu is active and people are talking he is upset with the unions for not supporting Chris when he ran for governor’s council, I don’t know if that is true; but, it wouldn’t surprise me.

NH is a non union state which is why RTW has not passed. NH’s economy, although not where we would like it to be is better than most with unemployment about half of the national average so we are doing something right and lets not mess it up. Pushing RTW is a political agenda, not an economic one and is bad for NH. Why these out of state odd ball groups with their odd ball agenda’s don’t just leave us alone and let us chug along in our blissful ignorance with our low unemployment and growing economy? I have so much confidence in NH that I don’t need any out of state low wage, low benefits and reduced quality of health care groups, coming to NH to tell us how and why we should lower our standard of living to match Alabama or any of the former slave states. I hope I haven’t missed something.

From the bottom of my heart I want to thank those state reps that are sticking by their beliefs and by you the voters and taxpayers of NH. I am so proud of each and every one of them, even though in the minority on this issue show the individual NH ruggedness that makes NH such a wonderful place to live. Their voters should be as proud of them as I am to serve with them By no means are we alone, in the minority in THIS HOUSE, yes; but there are thousands of republicans that are collective bargaining supporters who cherish NH’s way of life (they should they help make it happen) and they vote.

Gov. Lynch’s Veto Message Regarding HB 474!!!

By the authority vested in me, pursuant to part II, Article 44 of the New Hampshire Constitution, on May 11, 2011, I vetoed HB 474.



States should not interfere with the rights of businesses and their employees to freely negotiate contracts. That is unless there is a compelling public interest, and there is no compelling public interest in passing this legislation.



There is no evidence that this legislation will offer any benefits to New Hampshire’s economy or workers.



As I have said repeatedly, New Hampshire has an economic strategy that is working. New Hampshire has one of the strongest and fastest-growing economies in the nation. We have one of the lowest unemployment rates and one of the highest median incomes in the nation. We are considered one of the safest states and one of the healthiest states, and a high percentage of our citizens have private health insurance.



New Hampshire has a lower unemployment rate and a stronger economy than most states with so-called right-to-work laws. In states with a right-to-work law, workers on average have a lower standard of living, bringing home less in their paychecks and going without health insurance more frequently.



In my time as a CEO, in my years spent in the private sector turning around companies, and in my seven years as Governor, I have never seen the so-called right-to-work law serve as a valuable economic development tool.



In the last seven years of recruiting businesses to move to New Hampshire, not one business leader has ever even asked me if New Hampshire had a right-to-work law, let alone suggested it was a factor in the company’s location decision. No New Hampshire business leaders have ever told me that the lack of a so-called right-to-work law prevented them from expanding or hiring new workers here in New Hampshire. And no New Hampshire workers have ever told me they couldn’t get a job because New Hampshire doesn’t have a so-called right-to-work law.



The debate over the so-called right-to-work bill in New Hampshire appears to be largely driven by national outside interest groups, and is not a result of problems facing New Hampshire businesses or workers.



There is no justification in this case for state government to interfere with the right of private businesses to freely negotiate and enter into contracts with their employees. Therefore, I am vetoing HB 474.



# # #





Colin Manning

Press Secretary

Office of Gov. John Lynch

(603) 271-2121

colin.manning@nh.gov

RIGHT TO WORK!!! (FOR LESS)!!!

HB 474, the right to work bill is a union busting/employee negotiating busting bill that originated out of one of the right wing groups from VA. Basically, what it does is makes it illegal to be forced to join a union or pay to offset the costs of contract negotiations (fair share). Currently state employees pay 59% of what dues is, if they don’t want to join a collective bargaining group. Some complain it isn’t fair to be forced to pay anything; they want the benefits at no cost to them and free load on the dues paying members. Others argue that if you don’t want to help pay for pay raises, insurance and other benefits, then you shouldn’t get them; interesting arguments.

I have been told, and as a former state union member, that the state employees, in a 20 year period gave up pay raises for 8 of those years to keep our medical (which is a very good program). As a state probation/parole officer I was willing to work for less money than the private sector to insure Dorrie and the kids had good insurance.

That is all well and good when the economy is doing good and NH has traditionally done better than the majority; but, when the economy goes bad, like this recession, then the private sector jobs and benefits are reduced and the right wing groups start complaining about the pay and benefits of the public sector; this us only one part of the complex arguments that are being thrown around.

They like to throw around the words private sector, private sector this and that. I’m trying to find private sector jobs that require them to put their life on the line fighting fires, arresting murderers, etc, etc. The public sector employees, police, fire, teachers and state employees in NH are not our enemies; they are our friends, allies and neighbors.

Why are we attacking them? The speaker of the house was on Fox News telling how he was going to make NH a right to work state. I hate to tell him this; but, NH is not a union state. Sure we have unions and bargaining units; but, not a union state; no one can be forced to join a union.

The RTW out of state advocates claim that if this legislation gets passed then it will increase jobs and we will all be on easy street; just like Alabama, SC, GA and the southern states. Lets pass RTW and lower our standard of living, our health insurance, health care and those benefits that make NH one of the most vibrant and desirable states to live and work in, mostly because of our public services.

If you ask 10 people what the NH advantage is, you’ll get 10 different answers; some will say our tax structure (wrong because NH is not a cheap state to live), we can’t say it is cheap electricity because we are amongst the highest in the country. We can’t say it is our low business taxes, because they are high. The reason is our educated and dedicated work force that is what is bringing business into NH. The largest business group in NH (NHBIA) did a multi faceted survey about NH business and RTW came in #14 (I was told) as an issue, so it was a non issue with businesses.

I think what bothers me the most is the misinformation that is knowingly and willfully being put out by our legislative leadership about how RTW is going to increase jobs, benefits and make NH a better place to live. They know better so why are they pushing a deceptive agenda of misleading information? It is obvious that the speaker is looking for higher office and wants to say how he broke the backs of the public sector workers and their families, how he balanced the state budget by denying services to the most needy, handicapped, homeless, and people in need of services. We all knew when we were running for office the state budget had to be cut; but, to try and build a political platform on the backs of those in need is not the NH Republican way and not what the voters expected. Maybe the people running the political show in NH are not republicans and brought the RIHNO virus into NH when they moved in a few years ago, they are wiping out the republican party with this crazy agenda.

Now the RTW legislation has passed the house and senate and the governor has vowed to veto it. That means we have to get enough votes to sustain his veto and send some of the right wing loonies back to VA. No matter what happens, sustain or over ride the veto (I’ll be working to sustain) this is not the last vote that will be taken on this, the last vote will be in November, 2012, when the pendulum swings back and cleans out the house one more time.

As a side note RTW has never passed the legislature and it has come forward each session for the past 10 years, the only difference is the people we elected in the last election.