Message from NH GOP 5-01-2007
Message from Fergus Cullen
Chairman, New Hampshire Republican Party
TOO FAR, TOO FAST: Gov. Lynch’s announcement that he will sign the civil unions bill is a clear sign that he is unwilling to reign in his Democratic majority in Concord. Bigger government, higher taxes, left-wing social policy, and a slew of nanny state legislation – this is not what the election was about last fall or what independents thought they were voting for. If Gov. Lynch were a stronger leader he would have redirected his caucus away from its more extreme policy impulses. Silence is consent. Nor are these the actions of a moderate governor, either.
To read about how Democratic excesses are helping activate our party, read this story from Sunday’s Concord Monitor: Democrat Excesses
EDUCATION AMENDMENT: The ed funding amendment is pending in the house, where most observers believe it lacks enough Democrat votes to pass as currently written. This may give Republicans an opportunity to improve the governor’s version. My advice to Republicans continues to be to keep our powder dry, raising skeptical questions about the governor’s proposal without ruling out the possibility of supporting an improved version of the amendment.
See also: Education Amendment
PRESIDENTIAL GALA: Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 6, for the state party’s Presidential Gala fundraiser at the Center of New Hampshire. This is the night after the first NH debate, organized by the Union Leader/WMUR/CNN. Watch them debate one night, see them in person the next! All the presidential candidates have been invited to the dinner and several have indicated plans to attend. We anticipate significant media coverage as well and may have CSPAN broadcasting live. Formal invites will go out in the next week or so. Tickets start at $125 person. More details to follow.
DEBATE WATCHING PARTIES? Speaking of the debate, I encourage our local committees to consider hosting debate watching parties on June 5. It’s a great entrée to get new local Republicans involved in a mostly social setting – and you might be able to attract some media coverage as well.
CAROL SHEA PORTER’S SILLY QUOTE (this week’s edition): “So far I have voted I think 100 percent of the time with (Democratic leaders) because frankly I think they’re 100 percent right.” That’s CSP explaining why she has voted literally 100% of the time with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. And Rep. Paul Hodes is every bit as liberal as CSP: They have identical – identical! – voting records after more than three months in Congress.
Read more at: Hodes and Porter
PROUD TO BE LYNCH’S RUBBER STAMP: State Sen. Iris Estabrook was the deciding vote passing Gov. Lynch’s ed funding amendment out of the Senate. But talk about a mea culpa, here she is saying she doesn’t want an amendment but only voted for it “out of loyalty and courtesy” to Gov. Lynch. Wow, what principled leadership.
Read about it at: Lynch’s Rubber Stamp
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor make a real difference – just look what they did for Carol Shea-Porter. If you think the Dems are going too far, too fast in changing New Hampshire, write a letter to the editor and say so!
CONGRATS: To Mike McGrath, who won the primary in the Manchester Ward 2 special election last week. Mike’s general election is May 29. This is a competitive ward where one seat is currently held by both parties. Thanks also to Steve Abbott, who was willing to represent our party. Note that we also have a special election coming up in Hooksett. Two former state reps, Dick Marple and Dave Boutin, are the Republican candidates in a primary there.
MORE CONGRATS: To the Rockingham and Sullivan-Merrimack County Committees, who both put on excellent Lincoln Day dinners in recent days. Cheshire and Belknap Counties hold events this week.
STILL MORE CONGRATS: To the intrepid six Republicans who gathered last week to start a Republican Town Committee in Newfields (pop: 1,551) where previously there was none. This is the sort of basic organizing that will help us return to majority status next year. If you are interested in starting a town committee in your community, let me know at fergus@nhgop.org.
SPEAKING GIGS: I am happy to come to town committees to speak. Last week I was in Bow, Hampton, and Hollis for that purpose and this week I’ll be in Conway and Keene for Republican gatherings. Invitations accepted at Fergus@nhgop.org
IS THERE A MONSTER IN THE BASEMENT?: We never could say for certain that there wasn’t a monster living in the basement at the old headquarters at 134 North Main, where junk dating back to 1977 was found while a group of volunteers cleared the place out last weekend. We found neither monsters nor Whitey Bulger, either of which was possible. Thanks to the Young Republicans, several honorary YRs including Wayne MacDonald, and all those who helped take care of this dirty project. We are now officially open for business at 10 Water Street.
POLITICAL CHOWDER: I was a guest, along with my Dem counterpart and the always entertaining Chuck Douglass, on Arnie Arnesen’s TV show this weekend.
You can view the episode at: Political Chowder
HUMOR: Why are all the Republican wags from Wolfeboro? Send your family-friendly political jokes to fergus@nhgop.com :
HOW TO START EACH DAY WITH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK
1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it ‘Hillary Rodham Clinton’
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your PC will ask you, ‘Do you really want to get rid of ‘Hillary Rodham Clinton?’
6. Firmly Click ‘Yes.’
7. Feel better.
8. Repeat with Nancy Pelosi as needed.
Fergus Cullen, Chairman, New Hampshire Republican Party
134 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301
603-225-9341
fergus@nhgop.org