Recently in Republican Ideals Category
From RedState:
The GOP is the Party of Freedom of Choice
The Party that Believes in Your Right to Direct Your Life
Charles Manson stole this song from the Beatles – now, we’re stealing it back.
The GOP is the Party of Freedom of Choice
The Party that Believes in Your Right to Direct Your Life
Charles Manson stole this song from the Beatles – now, we’re stealing it back.
The Republican Party has always embraced a wide range of ideological beliefs – and this diversity of thought has sometimes inspired conflict, as it has also led to great achievement. Yet through all debates, despite all regional or political concerns, the foundation of Republicanism has been the same since its inception: the freedom of the individual, and the value of every human life.
These principles have guided the party from its origin as a political force to destroy slavery, to the long fight against communism, to the ongoing battle for the sanctity of the unborn, to the present war against the forces of Islamism. Those principles will guide the Republican Party through the twenty-first century, and beyond. And we believe the GOP must rededicate itself to the idea of individual freedom – of being the party that believes not in government mandated parity, which wields the power of the bureaucracy to force a false equality of outcome, but in a level playing field for all Americans regardless of race, class, or creed – ensuring an equal opportunity to compete, succeed, and thrive.
The Republican Party must reclaim its rightful mantle as the leading champion of Freedom of Choice.
People must be free to decide how to direct their lives for themselves, and then be responsible for their choices.
On education, Republicans believe you must be free to choose how you want to educate your children. Government should not stand in the way of your choice, whether in the form of home schooling, government schooling, charter schools, vouchers to leave a failing school for a thriving school, or other opportunities.
On healthcare, Republicans should embrace an end to regulatory regimes that prevent citizens from buying healthcare across state lines. Republicans should embrace reforms that allow the free market to play a greater role in health care, not a lesser role. Republicans should embrace total portability of health insurance so workers can be free to choose a new job without fear of losing their insurance.
On taxes, Republicans should embrace the Republican Study Committee plan for an alternate flat tax. If you want to go through the regular 1040 process with itemized deductions, etc., do it. If you want to bypass that route, file a postcard return based on a flat tax — the taxpayer’s choice.
On energy, Republicans, including our Presidential nominee, should embrace every option. You want nuclear power? Republicans should favor that choice. You want to use the resources we have instead of buying it from our enemies? Republicans support legislation to allow us to drill here and now. You want methanol and other biofuels? Republicans should break down trade barriers that prevent the importation of ethanol and Republicans should break down subsidies that raise the price of food stuffs in the name of producing corn based ethanol and other biofuels. Republicans should be in favor of letting consumers decide which light bulbs consumers want for their own homes.
On Social Security, Republicans should favor greater investment options for individuals’ retirements. If an individual wants to keep the current social security regime, we should let them. If an individual wants greater control investing their social security, we should let them have it. And above all else, because the government has already made certain choices regarding social security and medicare withholdings, Republicans should not use FICA/FUTA revenues for anything but social security and medicare/Medicaid payments respectively, in the current year.
When individuals are allowed to choose for themselves, they take an ownership interest in their choices. One of the greatest failures of the present administration has been not aggressively communicating and supporting the President’s idea of an ownership society, which contains at its core the revolutionary undercurrent that motivated America’s founding: that each individual holds within themselves the capacity and right to self-government.
This is an enormous contrast with the Democrats. In almost every area of their agenda, they are opposed to self-government. They advocate less freedom for the individual to direct their lives – they remove the Freedom of Choice from the American citizen, and give it instead to bureacracies and agencies and the many eddies and tidepools of the federal government, all managed with the efficiency and responsibility of your local Department of Motor Vehicles.
Continue reading Musings on a Republican Message.
Laconia Daily Sun (P. 9)
Barnstead legislator raising funds to install a MikeWhalley memorial bench in Representatives Hall
ALTON — It was Rep. Mike Whalley’s encouragement that brought Janet Allen to the state’s House of Representatives six years ago. In honor of Whalley’s leadership, Allen thought it would be most appropriate for a memorial to the former Republican leader to be present in the House’s Chambers.
Whalley, who was the House Republican leader, was under treatment for brain cancer and died in March from complications from a fall, and Allen is beginning a campaign to raise funds for a bench to be placed in his memory in the House Chambers.
“Mike spent a great deal of time in Rep’s Hall, speaking at the [Speaker’s] Well, or sitting on the bench waiting for his turn to speak,” said Allen. She thought the best way for her to memorialize her friend and colleague would be to replace the aging bench where he spent so much time sitting and thinking about what he would say when his turn came.
Allen has been working with the House Historical Committee, which has given the concept its backing. That committee will also review the fi nal plan to ensure that the bench will be an aesthetic complement to the room.
Allen fi rst came to know Whalley when they were both members of Bishop Brady High School’s Class of 1971. They both attended UNH after graduation, but differing interests and their respective family lives cause them to drift apart, until Whalley, who had been a representative from Bow, moved to Alton.
His new address put him in House district number 5, which includes Barnstead, where Allen lives. When Allen learned of Whalley’s intention to run for one of the seats six years ago, she offered to be his campaign manager. Whalley had a better idea, and the two of them both ran, and acting as each other’s campaign manager, they both won. The same strategy produced the same results for the next two election cycles.
Allen and Whalley worked together on bills, and from 2004 to 2006, Allen was the Clerk of the Election Law Committee, which Whalley chaired.
“He was our leader, he was a natural born leader,” she said. “Mike was a great compromiser. He always felt that if two parties left the table and they were both a little unhappy, that was a good compromise.”
Barnstead legislator raising funds to install a MikeWhalley memorial bench in Representatives Hall
ALTON — It was Rep. Mike Whalley’s encouragement that brought Janet Allen to the state’s House of Representatives six years ago. In honor of Whalley’s leadership, Allen thought it would be most appropriate for a memorial to the former Republican leader to be present in the House’s Chambers.
Whalley, who was the House Republican leader, was under treatment for brain cancer and died in March from complications from a fall, and Allen is beginning a campaign to raise funds for a bench to be placed in his memory in the House Chambers.
“Mike spent a great deal of time in Rep’s Hall, speaking at the [Speaker’s] Well, or sitting on the bench waiting for his turn to speak,” said Allen. She thought the best way for her to memorialize her friend and colleague would be to replace the aging bench where he spent so much time sitting and thinking about what he would say when his turn came.
Allen has been working with the House Historical Committee, which has given the concept its backing. That committee will also review the fi nal plan to ensure that the bench will be an aesthetic complement to the room.
Allen fi rst came to know Whalley when they were both members of Bishop Brady High School’s Class of 1971. They both attended UNH after graduation, but differing interests and their respective family lives cause them to drift apart, until Whalley, who had been a representative from Bow, moved to Alton.
His new address put him in House district number 5, which includes Barnstead, where Allen lives. When Allen learned of Whalley’s intention to run for one of the seats six years ago, she offered to be his campaign manager. Whalley had a better idea, and the two of them both ran, and acting as each other’s campaign manager, they both won. The same strategy produced the same results for the next two election cycles.
Allen and Whalley worked together on bills, and from 2004 to 2006, Allen was the Clerk of the Election Law Committee, which Whalley chaired.
“He was our leader, he was a natural born leader,” she said. “Mike was a great compromiser. He always felt that if two parties left the table and they were both a little unhappy, that was a good compromise.”
Show gratitude to our fallen by aiding today's veterans
ON MEMORIAL DAY, observed this coming Monday, Americans pause and pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to make our nation the great country that it is today. Without that sacrifice by generations upon generations of Americans since the Revolutionary War, none of us would enjoy the freedoms that we too often take for granted.
Whether attending a Memorial Day event on the federal holiday or the traditional Memorial Day of May 30, marching in a parade, laying wreaths, building monuments or displaying our flag, we all have the opportunity to participate in events honoring those who have sacrificed so much. As Americans, it is vitally important that we recognize, honor and thank those who have fought and died to defend our Constitution and the principles upon which our nation was founded.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars eloquently state about Memorial Day: "It's a sacred day to all war veterans. None need to be reminded of the reason that Memorial Day must be commemorated. . . . Sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance. America's collective consciousness demands that all citizens recall and be aware of the deaths of their fellow countrymen during wartime."
Or, as the American Legion also eloquently reminds us, "We are also proud of their families, who have sacrificed so much. Long after the battlefield guns have been silenced and the bombs stop exploding, the children of our foreign warriors will still be missing a parent. Spouses will be without their life partners. Parents will continue to grieve for their heroic sons and daughters that died way too early. We need to be there for them -- not just as members of The American Legion Family -- but as American citizens. Nobody can replace these fallen heroes -- especially in the eyes of their families -- but we can offer shoulders to cry on, assistance with educational expenses and assurance that their loved one's sacrifice will not be forgotten."
As a nation, we honor the commitment of men and women who serve in harm's way by ensuring that they have every resource they need to defend themselves and prevail in battle. When these courageous soldiers return home with wounds or future health care needs, we must work to ensure that they have access to the best possible health care for physical and mental ailments. Our nation needs to modernize the educational benefits that are earned through military service. We also need to ensure that earned retirement benefits, disability compensation, and surviving spousal benefits match the commitment made by those who have served our nation.
On an issue that involves the faith and trust of every soldier and their families, our nation must return to the Prisoners of War/Missing in Action designation, or POW/MIA. That designation has long been used by the American military for soldiers who are being held as prisoners or who are missing in action while serving our nation. Unfortunately, the POW/MIA designation has been changed to: Missing-Captured Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown. POW/MIA is the only designation recognized by the Geneva Convention. Memorial Day would be a fitting time to restore the proper POW/MIA designation.
On Memorial Day, we must remember that were it not for the sacrifice of fallen heroes and burden their loved ones carry, we would not have the freedoms we enjoy. Their sacrifice is a vivid reminder that freedom is never free. Further, our nation must show its gratitude by forever recognizing their honor and commitment and by ensuring our soldiers and veterans have the support they deserve.
ON MEMORIAL DAY, observed this coming Monday, Americans pause and pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to make our nation the great country that it is today. Without that sacrifice by generations upon generations of Americans since the Revolutionary War, none of us would enjoy the freedoms that we too often take for granted.
Whether attending a Memorial Day event on the federal holiday or the traditional Memorial Day of May 30, marching in a parade, laying wreaths, building monuments or displaying our flag, we all have the opportunity to participate in events honoring those who have sacrificed so much. As Americans, it is vitally important that we recognize, honor and thank those who have fought and died to defend our Constitution and the principles upon which our nation was founded.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars eloquently state about Memorial Day: "It's a sacred day to all war veterans. None need to be reminded of the reason that Memorial Day must be commemorated. . . . Sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance. America's collective consciousness demands that all citizens recall and be aware of the deaths of their fellow countrymen during wartime."
Or, as the American Legion also eloquently reminds us, "We are also proud of their families, who have sacrificed so much. Long after the battlefield guns have been silenced and the bombs stop exploding, the children of our foreign warriors will still be missing a parent. Spouses will be without their life partners. Parents will continue to grieve for their heroic sons and daughters that died way too early. We need to be there for them -- not just as members of The American Legion Family -- but as American citizens. Nobody can replace these fallen heroes -- especially in the eyes of their families -- but we can offer shoulders to cry on, assistance with educational expenses and assurance that their loved one's sacrifice will not be forgotten."
As a nation, we honor the commitment of men and women who serve in harm's way by ensuring that they have every resource they need to defend themselves and prevail in battle. When these courageous soldiers return home with wounds or future health care needs, we must work to ensure that they have access to the best possible health care for physical and mental ailments. Our nation needs to modernize the educational benefits that are earned through military service. We also need to ensure that earned retirement benefits, disability compensation, and surviving spousal benefits match the commitment made by those who have served our nation.
On an issue that involves the faith and trust of every soldier and their families, our nation must return to the Prisoners of War/Missing in Action designation, or POW/MIA. That designation has long been used by the American military for soldiers who are being held as prisoners or who are missing in action while serving our nation. Unfortunately, the POW/MIA designation has been changed to: Missing-Captured Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown. POW/MIA is the only designation recognized by the Geneva Convention. Memorial Day would be a fitting time to restore the proper POW/MIA designation.
On Memorial Day, we must remember that were it not for the sacrifice of fallen heroes and burden their loved ones carry, we would not have the freedoms we enjoy. Their sacrifice is a vivid reminder that freedom is never free. Further, our nation must show its gratitude by forever recognizing their honor and commitment and by ensuring our soldiers and veterans have the support they deserve.
New 'pledge' would cap state spending
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Staff Writer
klandrigan@nashuatelegraph.com
CONCORD – The two possible Republican candidates for governor signed a pledge that would cap state spending at the rate of inflation plus population growth.
Sen. Joseph Kenney, R-Wakefield, charged that Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. John Lynch are bent on spending the state into needing a broad-based sales or income tax.
"We are being backed into an income or sales tax by this spending," Kenney told reporters.
"They want an income tax; there is no doubt about that."
Leaders of the New Hampshire Advantage Coalition insisted the pledge is meant to dovetail with – not dilute – the vaunted pledge to veto a broad-based sales or income tax.The group is staging a drive to get a local spending-cap petition before the voters in several communities across the state, including Merrimack.
Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta said lawmakers "fleeced" taxpayers by increasing state spending by 17 percent in the two-year state budget that concludes June 30, 2009.
Asked to give an example of the excess, however, Guinta offered a proposed reform of the state retirement system that GOP gubernatorial candidate Kenney voted for earlier this month.
"That's an example of fleecing the taxpayers," Guinta said.
The Senate passed its retirement reform proposal (HB 1645), 24-0. Kenney said he voted yes only to get it to a negotiated settlement that he hopes will generate a better, final product for taxpayers.
Continue reading New Hampshire Advantage Coalition - Kenney and Guinta sign on.
Greetings,
Welcome to the Belknap County Republican Website. This has been established to provide an additional source of information and a tool to assist all of us in communicating our important message, that we have work to do to restore the Republican legacy of The New Hampshire Advantage.
You've all seen the dreadful results of
the 2006 election on the national level with the Reid/Pelosi Congress.
Less publicized has been that occurring in New Hampshire with the
Democrat control of both houses of the legislature and the Governor's
Office. Among their first "accomplishments" was a 17.5% budget increase
($475,000,000) in conjunction with totally unrealistic revenue
projections (so that it appears to be a "balanced" budget on paper).
Their game plan was to defer various deadlines and hope that the impact
of this will not be seen until after the 2008 election. Whether or not
they can hide the magnitude of this deficit that long, the
ramifications on the New Hampshire way of life is alarming.
Please visit this site often and take heed from what you find here. Please participate in adding to the critical information that needs to be communicated, not just to Belknap County Repubicans, but to all in the County. And I invite you to participate in the work necessary to restore The New Hampshire Advantage!
Warm regards,
Frank Tilton, Chairman Belknap County GOP Committee
(603) 528 8466
franktilton@gmail.com
Published in the Citizen was this letter attempting to pat Governor Lynch for a "fine job done": Lynch's Hard Work
Each time a Letter that espouses a Democratic slant is made public is an opportunity for we Republicans to shout out the truth. We have the opportunity to really show what we believe in. We need to take those opportunities and DO something with it and not just shake our collective heads and let someone else do the work.....
We have the real philosophy, the only one, that has shown itself to work over time. We cannot persuade the untaught, however, unless we do the teaching. As opposed to ceding that opportunity to the Democrats.
Editor, The Citizen: What a welcome State of the State speech given by Governor Lynch this past week. I was especially impressed to hear how Governor Lynch is dealing with revenue shortfalls and the State's budget.
It is now very clear to all of us that the failed national economy is having a direct impact on states and unfortunately, New Hampshire is not immune. It's important to realize however that the Granite State is in a much stronger position than many others states to emerge from the current economic downturn in good fiscal shape. Since Governor Lynch took office three years ago, we have built up our Rainy Day Fund from $17 million to $89 million and we have a surplus from last year of $33 million. In addition, taking into consideration the changes in the national and state economies, John Lynch is working hard to re-evaluate the budget and make sure we end the biennium with a balanced budget.
Great leaders are defined by how they handle the hard challenges thrust upon them, and in his dealings with the current economic situation and budget, Governor Lynch has shown real leadership. Thank you, Governor Lynch, for your hard work, steady focus and dedication to the people of New Hampshire.
Joyce Davis, ChairEnough of this pap and nonsense - it passes as truth only if not challenged: No Time For Kudos
Wolfeboro Democratic Committee
Editor, The Citizen:
I read with mild amusement as Joyce Davis, Wolfeboro Democratic Chairman (Citizen, 1/31) tried to promote Governor Lynch's lame financial handling of the impending fiscal blowup of the State's budgetary finances as being "impressed". What she failed to mention is that while the slowing economy is playing a role in this mess, the greater responsibility is owned by the majority Democratic legislators, led by Gov. Lynch, that deliberately created this fiasco. By instituting overreaching revenue projections (ignoring the objections of the more experienced Republican legislators in this regard) coupled with a 17.5% legislated rise in expenditures equal to $475 million, we are now looking at a looming $50 million deficit (which may well end up at $150 - $200 million). Lynch's efforts are to be rated as "hard work"? This rates "kudos" for fixing what he caused in the first place by signing off on a misguided budget? Nay, that is failing to do proper homework. In the end, all NH taxpayers will pay for this "F" in financial restraint by the Democrats.
This is not the case where bravos are called for - instead, try apologies to the NH taxpayers that will pay for the Democratic (the majority in the House and Senate) ability to spend the State into debt. Mark my words, this Democratic Chair is spinning the issue just as fast as the bikes during Motorcycle Week and they will use their own failing as the basis for bringing in a broad based (think income) tax. After all, think about it - Democrats cutting spending to where it should have been in the first place? Governor Lynch taking a hard stance on a tough issue? Oh please, he can't even take a non-waffling stance on speed limits on the Lake - another issue where individual freedom is being lost one slice at a time under the guise of "for the common good". Or is that 'the collective"...
Skip Murphy
Gilford Republican Town Chair
Each time a Letter that espouses a Democratic slant is made public is an opportunity for we Republicans to shout out the truth. We have the opportunity to really show what we believe in. We need to take those opportunities and DO something with it and not just shake our collective heads and let someone else do the work.....
We have the real philosophy, the only one, that has shown itself to work over time. We cannot persuade the untaught, however, unless we do the teaching. As opposed to ceding that opportunity to the Democrats.
