July 2009 Archives

Washington, DC – While the Democrats continue their infighting on health care reform, they’ve been fumbling around for someone to blame for their troubles. At last, it seems, they’ve settled on a target.

On Thursday, reporters pelted Pelosi with questions about an insurrection by liberal Democrats against a deal cut with Blue Dog Democrats that would significantly weaken the health care public option — and she responded with a withering attack on the insurance industry.

“They are the villains in this. They have been part of the problem in a major way.” (Politico, 7/31/09)

Uh oh. Hide your health insurance card. The Speaker’s on a rampage.

“It’s almost immoral what they are doing,” she said. “Of course, they’ve been immoral all along,”

Hmm, does this sound like a person who wants to make sure you can keep your personal, private health insurance? Of course not. Because, as Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) made abundantly clear recently, the Democrat health care plan is designed to destroy personal coverage, and create a government-run or single-payer system, in which your only option for health care is Washington.

“I think if we get a good public option, it could lead to single payer. And that’s the best way to get to single payer.”

Americans rightly seek changes to the current structure that will make insurance providers responsive to patients, but the Democrats’ plan won’t empower individuals to make their own medical decisions. It will merely insert the government as the permanent arbiter of health care decisions.  As Democrats spread out across the country to demonize personal coverage, patients are left to ask, “Who then will provide my coverage under the Democrat vision of reform?” We’ll give you one guess.

Concord, NH –Sen. Bob Letourneau signed onto an official letter from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to Congressional leaders, which was delivered on July 29, expressing the will of more than 1,800 state legislators opposing federal reform efforts—particularly, the Medicare-modeled “public plan” and a national health insurance exchange—which will trample states’ rights and lead Americans down the road to single-payer health care.

“While there is room for real improvement, this plan will change forever the way Americans receive their heath care, and not in a positive fashion. I am concerned with how this will affect our seniors,” said Letourneau.

The members of ALEC—the nation’s largest nonpartisan, individual membership association of state legislators—recently approved the Resolution on Preserving States’ Rights Regarding Federal Health Insurance Exchanges and a Public Plan, which deems the federal public plan anti-competitive and calls the proposed national health insurance exchange a “federal takeover” of the states’ role in regulating health insurance.

“The government will never compete unless it can change the rules to win,” says Iowa Representative Linda Upmeyer, minority whip, family nurse practitioner, and chair of ALEC’s Health and Human Services Task Force. “It’s an unlevel playing field when a public plan can shift costs to our state’s private insurers because of low doctor and hospital reimbursement rates, and then raid the federal Treasury for unlimited subsidies,” she added.

In the ALEC letter to Congress, ALEC’s lawmakers criticized the federal push to shift health care decision-making to Washington.  “We all share the goal that patients deserve to choose their own quality, affordable, private health coverage,” the letter states.  “But health reform shouldn’t just be the job of the federal government.”
 

For Immediate Release                                                  Contact: Jeff Grappone
Friday, July 31, 2009                                                      603-856-5230
 

 CONCORD, NH – STEWARD of Prosperity welcomes Congressman Paul Hodes back from Washington as the House prepares today to embark on a five-week summer vacation. Taking a break from the roiling health care debate on Capitol Hill, Congressman Hodes’ constituents should have ample opportunity this month to find out if he stands with the state’s small business community or with Democrat power-brokers fixated on a government takeover of the health care system.

Speaking on behalf of STEWARD of Prosperity’s thousands of New Hampshire members, Fred Tausch, the anti-spending group’s founder, issued the following statement:

“ObamaCare won’t just diminish the quality of health care and contribute to massive cost increases – the Democrats’ plans also will kill jobs and cripple wages. Small businesses trying to survive the economic downturn will be forced to lay off workers or reduce salaries to comply with costly new government mandates. With small firms accounting for nearly 97% of the state’s employers, New Hampshire residents have every reason to be alarmed by the pending proposals on Capitol Hill.

“STEWARD members call on Congressman Hodes to be straight with his constituents about the true costs of the Democrats’ plans. As unemployment approaches 7% in the state, New Hampshire residents know they can’t afford what amounts to a health care double-whammy.”

BACKGROUND

“The Pelosi Jobs Tax,” Wall Street Journal, 7/30/09

NH SMALL BUSINESS STATISTICS – “New Hampshire had 32,103 small employers in 2006, representing 96.6% of the state’s employers and 54.9% of its private-sector employment. “(SBA Profile, New Hampshire)

NH UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES – “New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June 2009 was 6.8 percent, an increase of 0.3 percentage points from the May rate, which was unchanged with revision. The June 2008 seasonally adjusted rate was 3.7 percent.” (NH Employment Security)

By Lloyd Jones
Editor, Conway Daily Sun

Lloyd@conwaydailysun.com

[emphasis by Skip]

CONWAY — Former governor John H. Sununu, the head of the of New Hampshire Republican Committee, calls John Lynch the nicest governor in the history of the state — and the worst.

"He is the worst governor we've ever had because he cannot make a decision," Sununu said at a recent house party hosted by Maryann and Ray Shakir on Birch Hill in North Conway. "He's a great follower. He lets the radical left leadership of his House and Senate move things forward, but he will not give guidance, he will not tell them what he accepts or doesn't accept. He will not draw the line, he will not go back and cut spending, he will not be honest with what he is saying yet he still goes around smiling and yet is continually well-received around the state. We have to replace the governor."

Sununu served as New Hampshire's governor from 1983-89 and was White House Chief of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. When he first took over as head of the New Hampshire Republican Party in January, he said he refrained from labeling Lynch the worst governor in the state's history because "he had such good political capital." However, "By St. Patrick's Day I was doing (former executive councilor) Bernie Streeter's roast where they raise money for charities in Nashua, and the governor and I were both speakers. He came in and made a couple of jokes about me calling him the worst governor in the history of the state. I got up and said, 'Governor, I've got to admit, you're the nicest governor we've ever had, but the fact is nicest and worst are not mutually incompatible.'"

Victoria A. Bonney, communications director for the New Hampshire Democratic Party, offered a response Wednesday, saying, "Mr. Sununu may yearn for his glory days as governor but the reality is our state is better today than it was yesterday. Under Governor Lynch’s leadership we’ve seen significant gains for education, the environment, clean energy, small business and an overall improved quality of life. That’s why Governor Lynch is not only the most popular governor New Hampshire has seen in decades, but the most popular governor in the nation.”

At the house party Friday, July 17, attended by approximately 55 staunch Republicans, Sununu talked about what brought him back into the world of politics as chairman of the N.H. Republican Committee.

"It really is important to understand that this state in particular and certainly the country as well is at a very critical crossroads," he continued. "We've had Democratic governors for 10 of the last 12 years. By the way, I am not running for anything, let's get that clear from the start. I am not going to run for anything. We have had Democratic governors for 10 of the last 12 years. With Lynch, the Democrats will now have it 12 out of the last 14 years. Over that period of time, what has happened to New Hampshire is horrible. It wasn't quite a tsunami but it was a tide so you may not have noticed the individual change, the incremental change. Over a period of time it piles up to make a healthy sandwich of problems for the state of New Hampshire."

Sununu said the rate of growth in New Hampshire has "virtually disappeared" over the last 12 years.

"We're down to about a half of a percent per year over the past few years," he said. "Last year, for the first time in almost 50 years, more people moved out of the state than moved in. Investment has stopped coming to New Hampshire. Jobs have stopped coming to New Hampshire. Our economic structure is deteriorating because we have adopted principles that are anti-job, anti-family, anti-business and anti-growth. We used to be rated in terms of a business environment in the top five, six, seven states. We are now rated in the 40s."

Sununu continued blasting away at Lynch.

"We have had in this last session 38 increases in taxes and fees and new taxes imposed on us," Sununu said. "We have a governor that has no sense that this is not the way to go.  We have a governor who has no capacity to lead or to stand up or to communicate to the legislature what he will or won't accept. Instead he sits there and waits for them to send him whatever they want to send him and 99 percent out of a 100 he signs the garbage they present to him. The Democrats are ruining the state of New Hampshire."

Sununu is attending a number of house parties across the state this summer looking to rally Republicans. He told the enthusiastic audience two weeks ago the political ball is essentially in their court.

"It's up to us to talk to our friends and our neighbors; the people who work for us; the people that we work with; the people that we meet at our post-retirement parties," Sununu said. "It is only by us communicating what has really happened that people will get angry enough to fix what has to fixed in 2010."

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ryan Williams
July 30, 2009   
(603) 225-9341


Embattled Governor Without A Backup Plan As Court Decision To Block JUA Theft Plunges State Into Another Budget Crisis

CONCORD – One day after a Superior Court ruling blocked his attempt to steal $110 million from the New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association (JUA), Governor John Lynch is frantically scrambling to address the state’s latest budget crisis. Despite repeated warnings that the court would rule against the state’s claim, Governor Lynch has failed to develop a contingency plan since the court initially froze the funds in June.

“Its time for Governor Lynch to finally stand up and take responsibility for his failure to produce a balanced and fiscally responsible budget. The Governor was fully aware that his attempted theft of the JUA funds would likely be blocked by the courts - even before he approved this disastrous budget,” said NHGOP Communications Director Ryan Williams. “His irresponsible actions further prove that during these challenging times, John Lynch is incapable of providing responsible and effective leadership for the State of New Hampshire.”

Republican leaders in the House and Senate repeatedly warned Governor Lynch that his attempt to steal private money to balance the state budget was unconstitutional and would likely be overturned by the courts. After the Superior Court initially froze the JUA money on June 29, 2009, Republican senate minority leader Peter Bragdon immediately called on the Governor to veto the budget and work on a new plan that excluded the disputed funds. Lynch ignored his warning and signed his irresponsible budget on June 30 – knowing full well that it would be out of balance on day one.

Lynch has “deflected repeated questions from reporters about contingency plans,” (AP, 6/30) in the event that the court would halt his irresponsible revenue scheme. Despite obvious indications that the state wouldn’t be able to claim the surplus funds, Lynch has “repeatedly declined to detail alternatives and instead emphasized his belief in the rightfulness of the state's claim to the money.” (Concord Monitor, 7/30)

Lynch’s silence has drawn criticism from non-partisan budget watchers including New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies executive director Steve Norton, who said that as a result of the court ruling, “Plan B needs to be developed, and to date, we haven't heard any Plan B," from the Governor. (Concord Monitor, 7/30) Since the decision was announced, Lynch has continued to dodge questions about how he plans to address the staggering deficit and has merely pledged to appeal the decision to the State Supreme Court.

“John Lynch’s only solution to this budget crisis is to cross his fingers and hope that it will somehow fix itself. That’s not leadership – that’s a dereliction of his duties as New Hampshire’s chief executive,” said Williams. “During these tough economic times its becoming increasingly obvious that now more than ever New Hampshire needs a new governor.”

Governor Lynch’s crumbling state budget faces additional challenges as even more lawsuits threaten to unravel his irresponsible revenue schemes. Local government leaders are moving forward with a separate lawsuit to stop the Governor from reducing the state’s share of the retirement contribution rate for municipal employees and downshifting costs to local taxpayers. A court has also issued an injunction requested by the New Hampshire Health Care Association that halts Lynch’s attempt to rescind an $8.8 million dollar payment to Granite State nursing homes.

As a result of his failed leadership and fiscal mismanagement, Governor Lynch’s favorability ratings have plummeted in recent months and his disapproval ratings have reached all time highs. Governor Lynch’s problems only look to get worse in the future as he begins to make plans for the FY 2012-2013 budget. This budget will start off with an immediate $500 million deficit due to his irresponsible use of one-time money in the current budget, and will present the Governor with an even worse fiscal crisis than the one he currently faces.

Concord, NH – Today, Senate Minority Leader Peter Bragdon released the following statement regarding the Belknap Superior Court ruling that Governor Lynch's plan to seize $110 million dollars from the private Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) to balance the budget was unconstitutional.

"Senate Republicans applaud the Court's ruling to prevent the unconstitutional raid on private funds.

"Responsible leadership would have held the line on spending, just as New Hampshire families are doing with their own budgets.  Instead Governor Lynch and the Democrat-controlled legislature raised total spending by $1 billion.  If tough but necessary spending cuts were made, there would have been no need to try to steal money from a private organization.

"I once again call on Governor Lynch and the Democratic Leadership to immediately bring the legislature back into session to deal with this $110 million hole in the state budget. Delaying this process through appeals will only exacerbate disastrous fiscal problems facing the State of New Hampshire.”

Washington- The National Republican Congressional Committee announced today that Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta has joined the first round of ‘On the Radar’ candidates for its Young Guns program. Founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and Paul Ryan (R-WI), the Young guns program is a member-driven organization dedicated to electing open-seat and challenger candidates nationwide. By achieving ‘On the Radar’ status, Guinta has already proven his ability to build a successful campaign structure and achieve important fundraising goals. Guinta, who is running against incumbent Democrat Carol Shea-Porter in New Hampshire’s first congressional district, is among the strongest Republican candidates nationwide.

“The NRCC is committed to working with Mayor Guinta as he meets the rigorous goals of the Young Guns program and attains the resources he needs for victory,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions. “With all that Frank Guinta has accomplished in just a few short months, I am confident that he will be successful in his effort to replace Carol Shea-Porter, who has acted as nothing more than a rubber-stamp for Nancy Pelosi’s reckless anti-jobs agenda.”

After serving Manchester for the better part of a decade – first as a member of the state legislature and then as mayor – Guinta is well qualified to tap into the First District’s political base. Guinta’s reputation for delivering on his promises provides instant credibility on issues that matter most to New Hampshire families.

Having achieved certain benchmarks to place him on the road to victory, Guinta now faces a new set of rigorous benchmarks that will continue to help him build an effective and winning campaign."

Statement from Rep. Sherman Packard, House Republican Leader:

“I am obviously not surprised by the ruling for the JUA today.  Questions about the raiding of this fund came the moment Governor Lynch suggested it in February and has been echoed by Republicans ever since.  It once again shows that Democrats could not make the tough decisions to cut spending and instead relied on more than $400M in one-time money to balance their outrageous budget.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ryan Williams
June 29, 2009   
(603) 225-9341


CONCORD – Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu released the following statement on the Superior Court’s decision to block Governor Lynch’s attempted raid on the New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) Fund:

“It’s not surprising that the court did the right thing and blocked Governor Lynch’s attempted theft of the JUA surplus funds. The court’s decision confirms that the Democrats’ budget is a real disaster for the State of New Hampshire.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COURT’S DECISION TO BLOCK LYNCH’S THEFT OF THE JUA FUNDS

Washington, DC – By now, it should come as no surprise that a senior House Democrat scoffs at the idea of actually reading legislation before voting on it. But just because a thing is expected doesn’t make it right. Via CNS News, here’s Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) in his own words:

“I love these members, they get up and say, ‘Read the bill,’” said Conyers. “What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?” (CNS News, 7/27/09)

A better question might be, why not take the time to read and understand the bill so the American people can know what’s in it before their health care gets taken over by the government? If it takes a senior member of Congress two lawyers to figure out the Democrat health care bill, how are middle class families expected to fare in their search for quality care?

Americans have a lot of questions about the Democrats’ plans for health care, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll be getting any answers from Chairman Conyers.

Video can be seen here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ryan Williams
July 24, 2009   
(603) 225-9341


CONCORD – Today, former New Hampshire Governor and Republican State Committee Chairman John H. Sununu thanked the New Hampshire Democratic Party for embarrassing themselves with their latest desperate attack on a Republican candidate:

“Today the New Hampshire Democratic Party put out another disparaging and dishonest news release attacking one of our outstanding Republican candidates. They seem intent on focusing on personal attacks, but in fact are giving our potential candidates great visibility before any of them have actually announced their intent to run for office.

“Thank you for confirming how concerned you are about Paul Hodes’ clumsy senatorial campaign and how nervous Democrats are about our strong field of Republican candidates. Thank you for verifying that the Democratic Party is truly the party of ‘the politics of personal destruction.’

“And thank you for exposing your own hypocrisy and dishonesty, and for giving us the perfect context to reveal the following about your sheltered senatorial nominee:

• Paul Hodes Is A Washington Insider Who Has Accepted Over $1,384,140 In Special Interest Money From Political Action Committees (PACs.)  (opensecrets.com)

• Paul Hodes Has Accepted $406,444 In Individual Contributions From His Fat-Cat Lobbyist Buddies During His Time In Washington. (opensecrets.com)

• Paul Hodes Recently Jetted Off To Martha’s Vineyard To Munch On Shrimp Cocktail, Sip White Wine and Solicit Campaign Contributions From Washington’s Biggest Lobbyists. (The Hill, 7/19)

• After Successfully Shoving Carol Shea-Porter Out Of The Democratic Senate Primary, Paul Hodes Has Wasted His Time In Washington Cozying Up To Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV),  Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) And Other Democratic Party Insiders, Instead Of Focusing On Fixing The Economy And Creating New Jobs. (New York Times, 5/19)

“Our thanks to the New Hampshire Democratic Party. Your defensive and transparently desperate news releases continue to strengthen our 2010 Republican campaign. Keep up the good work.”

Much is in the media concerning Obama's socialist takeover 16% of America's GDP - he wants to effectively nationalize the healthcare of you, me, our families, and our friends.  Instead of driving costs down as he has promised, the Congressional Budget Office has said it will cost over $100 Billion / year and rise faster (and not "bend the curve" as Obama is preaching).

The Democrat National Committee is mobilizing the OFA (Organizing for America) troops to go out to the neighborhoods of the Lakes Region to get emails and signatures to turn in to show support for Obama.  A monkey wrench needs to be thrown into their work.  If you have the time and the passion to keep freedom of choice alive (instead of ceding it to the Federal government and the Democrats), we need your help - show up with signs and be willing to ask for the same signatures and emails for our side of the issue.

Here is their schedule:

July 20     Health Care Canvass- Laconia

Join us by going door to door to help get support for President Obama's health care principles to reduce cost, guarantee choice, and ensure quality affordable care to all.

Time:         Monday, July 20 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Host:         Christine Brewster
Location:    Home of Mary Ellen Boudman (Laconia, NH)
                 18 Lyford St.
                 Laconia, NH 03246

July 23    Health Care Canvass- Tilton

Join us by going door to door to help gain support for President Obama's 3 Principles on health care from to reduce cost, guarantee choice, and ensure quality care for all Americans. We do not have much time left to make sure Congress hears our cries for change!

Time:         Thursday, July 23 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Host:         Christine Brewster
Location:    Home of Rhu McBee (Tilton, NH)
                 119 School St
                 Tilton, NH 03276

July 25     Health Care Canvass- Laconia Farmers Market

Come help get signature of those who support President Obama's 3 Principles on health care reform to reduce cost, guarantee choice and ensure quality care for all Americans.

Time:         Saturday, July 25 9:00 PM - July 26 12:00 AM
Host:         Christine Brewster
Location:    Belknap Mill (Laconia, NH)
                 Laconia, NH 03246
Directions:  Meet at Mary Ellen Boudman's house at 18 Lyford St. in Laconia

Every year, the NH Liberty Alliance acts as a "watchdog" over the legislators that represent you in Concord.  A set of bills are chosen and each of the 24 Senators and all 400 House of Representative voting records are judged against certain criteria (the entire report, including those criteria, can be found here).  In their own words:

Pro-liberty votes protect individual freedom of choice and personal responsibility, recognize the superiority of freedom over coercion, respect the citizen's right of self-ownership, promote good government, and recognize the value of voluntary economic decisions.

Anti-liberty votes replace self-governance with interventionist ownership, assume agencies backed by force are superior to voluntary choices backed by personal accountability, and assume a better economy can be designed by a central authority that compels communities to pay for policies people do not willingly support.

Lakes Region
Representatives	Town	Rating	Party
Laurie Boyce	Alton	A	R
Fran Wendelboe	New Hampton	A-	R
Dave Russell	Gilmanton	A-	R
Steve Nedeau	Meredith	B+	R
Dennis Fields	Sanbornton	B+	R
Don Flanders	Laconia	B+	R
Jeff St. Cyr	Alton	B	R
Peter Bolster	Alton	B-	R
Ailda Milham	Gilford	C+	R
Doc Pilliod	Belmont	C-	R
Bill Johnson	Gilford	D+	D
Dick Stuart	Laconia	D+	D
Beth Arsenault	Laconia	D	D
Kate Miller	Meredity	D	D
Liz Merry	Sanbornton	D-	D
Judy Reever	Laconia	F	D
John Veazey	Laconia	Incomplete	R
Lakes Region
Senators	Town	Rating	Party
Kathleen Sgambati	Tilton	D-	D
Deb Reynolds	Plymouth	D-	D
Jeb Bradley	Wolfeboro	Incomplete	R

Note: Jeb Bradley, receiving an Incomplete, was seated in a special election (defeating Bud Martin (D-Sandwich) in April and thus was unable to meet the required number of votes.

If you are not clear on the idea of anti-liberty voting, Paul from Pun Salad reminds us via this gem:

Indeed. Let's not forget John Kerry's honesty back in February when he explained why he opposed stimulative tax cuts: "If you put a tax cut into the hands of a business or family, there's no guarantee that they're going to invest that or invest it in America. They're free to go invest anywhere that they want if they choose to invest." Much better to leave those "investment" choices safely in the hands of Democratic politicians.

One more attempt at a translation of anti-liberty:

• Votes for More money and more decision making ability to Government- check
• Taxpayers keeping less of their money and being told what to do by more laws and regulations - check
• Being left alone - can't have that!

See the pattern?

(H/T: NH Watchdog)

Hi All,

The next Barnstead-Alton Republican Committee (BARC) meeting will be held on THURSDAY, JULY 16 rather than on the 2nd Tuesday of the month to avoid a conflict with the next Winnipesaukee Republican's bi-weekly meeting at the Wolfetrap Restaurant in Wolfeboro.  Please mark your calendars with this change of date.

So, in a nutshell, here are the particulars about the date, time, location, etc of our next BARC meeting: 

Date:         Thursday, July 16, 2009
Time:        Dinner (at your option) 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm; Meeting begins at 6:30 pm
Location:  J.J. Goodwin's Restaurant (upstairs dining room), 769 Suncook Valley Rd (Route 28)
                 Center Barnstead, NH 03225 - (603) 269-8300 
 

GUEST SPEAKER

Our guest speaker will be Robert Bestani of Newmarket, candidate for U.S. Congress in the 1st Congressional District. 

Bob is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Collaboratory for Research on Global Projects at Stanford University.  As a resident of Newmarket, Bob is the Chairman of both the Municipal Audit and Energy Committees and serves as a member of the Municipal Budget Committee.  He is also a member of the Republican State Committee and Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Rockingham County Republican Committee.  And, until May of 2008, Bob served as the Director General of Private Sector Finance at the Asian Development Bank, a multilateral bank dedicated to alleviating poverty in Asia.  For more information about Bob, please see his website: www.bobbestani.com.  At our meeting, Bob will talk about the current financial crisis, and his opinions about the current approach to get the economy back on track.

In addition to Bob as our guest speaker,  our agenda also includes:

• Information about the recent budget process
• A recap of "special" elections held, and "special" elections in the future
• An update about Rt 28 upgrade plans

 As most of you know by now, BARC meetings tend to be somewhat informal, offering the townspeople of Alton, Barnstead, and surrounding towns an opportunity to make new friends, to see "old" friends, and to socialize.  J.J. Goodwin's restaurant is reasonably priced and offers a casual environment to hear about the Republican Party, to discuss issues and concerns such as the economy, pending legislation, etc., and to hear from your elected officials.

 Don't forget to MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW AND JOIN US ON THURSDAY (not Tuesday the 14th), JULY 16TH !!

For more information, please send an email to Barnstead.Alton.RepubComm@gmail.com

Regards,

Alan Glassman, Co-Chairman, Barnstead-Alton Republican Committee

As Frank has been fielding calls, he wanted to make sure that:

There will be no meeting this month.

That said, there IS a meeting on Thursday at the 1875 Inn.  Joann Oliver (formerly owner of Oliver's) is starting a local TEA ("Taxed Enough Already") Party organization for the Lakes Region (coincidental with a number of other unaffiliated organizations around the State.

Time:      6PM

Date:     Thursday, 7/9/09

Place:   1875 Inn
             255 Main Street
             Tilton, NH  03276
             603-286-7774
             1875Inn@Metrocast.net

If you are planning on attending, they are requesting that you let them know as they are preparing some light refreshments.

“Representing New Hampshire in the United States Senate is a great honor, but effective public service is much more than just a desire to hold office.  It’s essential that the timing fit both personally and professionally.

This year I’ve made commitments to serve several technology firms, begun working with a number of non-profit policy groups, and continue to serve on the Congressional Oversight Panel for the TARP.

Equally important, campaigns require great sacrifice from family.  After running in seven primary and general elections over twelve years, my family still means more to me than anything else.  I very much intend to keep it that way.”

Sununu currently serves on the boards of Time Warner Cable, Boston Scientific, and ConvergEx Group.  He is a member of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program.  Earlier this month, Sununu led an international delegation monitoring the Lebanese Parliamentary elections.  He also serves on the Middle East Working Group for the U.S. Institute of Peace.

CONTACT:  Paul Collins  (603) 225-9341

Update for the July 4th Winni Republican Breakfast:

Winni GOP gives Tausch Ayotte's old slot at July 4th breakfast  
Wednesday, July 1 2009 08:35 AM

At first rumored U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte was the scheduled keynote speaker at Saturday's Winnipesaukee Republican July 4th breakfast. Then days after news of her attendance broke she canceled.

Now Winnipesaukee Republicans have replaced her with potential Ayotte rival Fred Tausch, the Nashua businessman who founded S.T.E.W.A.R.D. for Prosperity. Joining him is First District Congressional candidate Bob Bestani, of Newmarket.

(H/T: NHPoliticalReport.com)

Since Fred Tausch will be speaking at the Winni Republican Breakfast and it is being rumored that he may run for office, I am posting this up.

For Immediate Release                                              Contact: Jeff Grappone
Wednesday, July 1, 2009                                           603-856-5230

ICYMI: “We must push to bring fiscal responsibility to Washington”

By Fred Tausch, New Hampshire Union Leader

“President Obama ran on a message of change, but his policies represent the oldest Washington conceit of all – trusting the wisdom and competence of the government more than the common sense and initiative of the American people.” 

“We must push to bring fiscal responsibility to Washington”

By Fred Tausch, New Hampshire Union Leader
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
 
LIKE MOST Americans, I’ve always believed hard work, self-reliance and integrity are all you need to succeed in America. We don’t believe government owes us a living, just the opportunity to succeed or fail by our own initiative, hard work and talent.
 
We want a government that shares our convictions; that does its work, not ours, and does it competently; that manages its budget as responsibly as we manage our own budgets; a government that doesn’t play favorites or use our money to reward the failures of others; a government that earns our trust by trusting us and leveling with us about the cost and performance of its programs.

All we ever seem to get, though, is a government that increases its own prerogatives and power rather than the liberties and opportunities of the people it serves; a government with little accountability and less transparency; a government that tries to do things it was not intended to do and has no idea how to do. And many of the things it must do, it does not do well.

The Republican Party is the party of fiscal discipline, the party that trusted Americans to make their own decisions about how to use their money to build their dreams.  But, when Republican leaders lost their way, they lost me. I voted for George Bush in 2000 because I believed he would be a careful steward of our prosperity. Instead, he and Republicans in Congress turned a budget surplus into a huge deficit. They cut taxes but didn’t make the spending cuts necessary for the government to live within its means. They spent record sums on a bailout of the financial industry that I knew from the outset would be an expensive failure, without giving us any clear idea what the money could be used for and how it would be paid back.

Barack Obama promised to change that, and I hoped he would. He promised to put government on a budget that didn’t exceed its revenues, to be as careful with our money as we are and to take the best ideas from both parties and offer new solutions to the challenges of our time. But as soon as the applause at his inauguration subsided, he began to break his promises.

In only a few months, he proposed more spending as a percentage of GDP than any President in modern history. He spent $800 billion to stimulate the economy, much of it on pork-barrel projects, and some of which won’t be spent until after the economy recovers. He sent Congress a $3.5 trillion dollar budget, a third of it borrowed from Chinese bankers and other financiers of our skyrocketing debt. He signed a $400 billion appropriations bill that’s a perfect example of the irresponsible Washington spending that has angered Americans for years. He put government bureaucrats in the banking business, the insurance business and now the automobile business.

He decided the federal government should protect business executives from the consequences of their own mistakes and greed, no matter how high the cost to the rest of us. He promises to spend $1 trillion or more on a risky scheme to change the way health care is provided. He searches constantly for new ways to tax us and still falls far short of paying for the immense growth in government he envisions. 

And how does he intend to keep his promise to be a fiscal conservative? He instructed his Cabinet to cut less than one-tenth of one percent from a $3.5 trillion budget and told members of Congress they’ll have to figure out some way to pay for all his massive new spending.

President Obama ran on a message of change, but his policies represent the oldest Washington conceit of all – trusting the wisdom and competence of the government more than the common sense and initiative of the American people. 

I’m more than disappointed. I intend to fight it. I registered as a Republican and committed myself to helping return the party to its ideals of low taxes and fiscal discipline.  I started Steward of Prosperity to identify, motivate and mobilize other fiscal conservatives, Republicans, responsible Democrats and independents disappointed by the Obama administration’s spending excesses. Our goal is to make government heed the common sense of the American people, serve our interests, share our values and keep this country the same land of opportunity for our children that it was for us. I hope other disappointed Obama voters and concerned taxpayers across New Hampshire will join us. 

Click here to see Fred Tausch’s original op-ed in the New Hampshire Union Leader.