State representative Dan Eaton (D- Stoddard) has proposed a bill in the NH Legislature which would use $4 million in state funds (ie money derived from taxes and fees) to purchase 28 parcels of flooded land in Alstead, the site of terrible floods in October, 2005.

For more details, see this article, originally in the Keene Sentinel, and republished in the NH Union Leader

In this, the first of two parts, Gardner Goldsmith, of "Against the Grain" interviews Representative Ea

Democrat John Cloutier, of Claremont, has proposed a bill that would require any student who threatens to harm another student, teacher, administrator of staff member to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. If the student, or his or her parents, refuse to comply with the state dictate, the school or police could petition the court to either enact sanctions, or force the test.

Many questions arise when looking at this issue. Representative Cloutier is justifiably worried about the dangers posed to children and government school employees by children who may wish to do them harm. Critics of his proposal wonder about its ambiguities, its efficacy, and the dangers it would pose for abuse and the tarnishing of a child's reputation.

Great idea, especially when energy costs are on eveyone's minds.

The rationale is that NH can lead the way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Manchester Union Leader, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is being touted by the Lynch Administration as a market alternative to government regulations that tell energy producers how to run their businesses.

Such rhetoric is deceptive. Some might just use the term "bogus". Regulation is regulation, it can be made a bit more acceptable to the general public by trying to provide tradeable pollution credits, but this is not a true market alternative. A market alternative is precisely that, run and regulated by the MARKET, not politicians. The science behind such policies is highly questionable as well. Hear Lawrence Kogan, CEO of the Institute for Trade, Standards and Sustainable Development.

Hard Green: Saving the Environment from the Environmentalists A Conservative Manifesto

The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World

Global Warming and Other Eco Myths: How the Environmental Movement Uses False Science to Scare Us to

The Satanic Gases: Clearing the Air about Global Warming

For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health asin: 0684827360 binding: Hardcover list price: $25.00 USD amazon price: $25.00

Jacob Sullum, a writer known for his excellent work in "Reason" Magazine, has produced a thorough look at the science and politics of the anti-smoking crusade. His analysis of various studies is invaluable, and his writing is fluid and perceptive. Grab this now, and hold onto it.

“Smoke Gets in Their Eyes”
December 6, 2005
P. Gardner Goldsmith

For many years, New Hampshire distinguished itself from Massachusetts by being a place where people could live and conduct their lives more freely, where the heavy hand of paternalistic government was less present, and people were trusted to make decisions for themselves. Unfortunately, the “granite state” has recently been mimicking its southern neighbor far too often. Case in point: A proposal sponsored by Hampton Representative Sheila Francoeur to ban smoking in “public” establishments accommodating less than fifty people.

For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health

The NHLA is a non-partisan coalition working to increase individual freedom in New Hampshire. They do this by encouraging private charity, a civil society, and citizen involvement. They also support pro-liberty candidates and causes with money and volunteers. They publish a really great report card tracking NH legislators and bills. And they throw great parties!

After checking with two city offices about the proper procedure to perform on city sidewalks, Lara Rines, of Dover, got no information. In fact, she was told by one office to call the fire department, which she had already called. Why was she looking into the procedure? She is a "fire dancer", and delights onlookers by performing special movements with flaming sticks.

Having gotten no satisfying information one way or the other, Ms. Rines set out to perform, and was promptly accosted by two drunk men. The men moved on, and, according to Rines, must have complained to police. Yelling at her, and throwing her still burning sticks onto the sidewalk, the police arrested her, and she is now being charged with reckless conduct, and failure to produce a permit.

Just announced is the resignation of California Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham, after admitting to accepting 2.4 million Dollars in bribes for defense contracts.

(see the link, here: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/28/D8E5M32OA.html)

It is interesting to note that Americans rely on the federal government to provide so many "services" that aren't sanctioned by the Constitution, yet when it comes to one of the few things that the central government is actually supposed to do, it can't even do that properly.

Don't expect a refund check for the politically-shifted contracts to appear on your bank account.

The "Herald News Daily", which publishes in North and South Dakota, is reporting that the $286.4 billion highway transportation bill signed into law by the supposedly conservative George Bush will not be enough to keep the Federal Highway Trust Fund from going broke in 2008. (to see the full story, click this link: http://www.heraldnewsdaily.com/stories/news-00104489.html)

In a report commissioned by the US Chamber of Commerce, the panel "concluded revenues from all levels of government will fall $500 billion short of what is needed just to maintain pavement and bridge conditions and traffic levels through 2015, and $1.1 trillion short of what is needed to improve the nation‘s infrastructure."

State Senate Clerk and former Libertarian Gubernatorial candidate, Steve Winter resigned at 10 AM today, Monday, November 21.

Steve, who had to sit and watch as proposals such as SB125 were passed and allowed to become regulatory burdens to health insurance companies, said that had differences with Senate President Ted Gatsas.

This is not surprising.

Steve Winter is a man of conservative/liberty-oriented principles. Writing in his resignation letter, Steve said:

"Unfortunately, my assistance and support... Have been rebuffed." He also said his departure was "inevitable" since the departure of former Senate President, Tom Eaton.

Bush's trip to Asia:

President George Bush's trip to Japan, China and South Korea ends today with a whimper, rather than a policy bang. He went to Japan to try to convince the Japanese government to lift blocks against US beef (can you say, misplaced Japanese government fears of Mad Cow Disease?). He did not get the concession. He went to South Korea to highlight our alliance... And the South Korean government anounced that it was going to pull out its troops from Iraq. He went to China to promote freedom and to argue for the increased higher valuation of the Yuan relative to the Dollar, but two days before his arrival, innocent civilians were apprehended for the unspeakable crimes of "printing Bibles". In addition, the Chinese seem reluctant to let their Yuan rise in comparison to the Dollar at any faster rate than is already being allowed as a concession to the US. For more information, see the piece in the Washington Post

Commentary on the topic from "Against the Grain"

On November 16 the NH House Commerce Committee unanimously voted to recommend passage of an insurance regulation that would force insurance companies covering full-time students to cover those college students for up to a year if they leave school on medical leaves of absence. (See article)

The impetus of the bill was the sickness and plight of a woman named Michelle Morse, who was a full-time student at Plymouth State University, and covered under her family's health insurance package, receiving discount for being a full-time student. Upon discovering she has cancer, Michelle had to make a choice: leave school while she underwent the harsh therapy and surgery required to battle the cancer, or stay in school, and keep her lower rates for health insurance. Michelle's mother contacted state representative Will Infantine (Manchester), who proposed a new regulation forcing such insurance companies to have to continue covering students for up to a year after they might have to drop classes due to a sickness.

An issue first highlighted by the NH Associated Press and NH "Union Leader" has received national attention. Not that that is necessarily a good thing...

As some are aware, a man named Brad Wilder, of Plainfield, was shocked to discover that the valuation of his property, upon which his property tax will be based, of course, had shot up dramatically after he was cited as having a very "expensive" view!

See the Washington Post article discussing the topic...

Despite the frustration this type of government activity can inspire, it does serve a purpose... This issue is a very good point from which one can launch into a discussion about valuation of property (any type of property, including money property, ie., earnings), and how the valutaion of property is purely subjective. The reporting on the "view tax" indicates one of the few times that the mass media are recognizing the impossibility of objectively quantifying the value of something which is, by its nature, subjectively enterpreted. The "view tax" can be a terrific issue to help focus on how all taxes are of this nature, and to show how only through the free market, where prices are determined by the players involved, can price information be transmitted.

As reported by the NH "Union Leader", Second District Congressman Charles "Three Terms" Bass announced in more than one medium that he is interested in seeing a change in House Leadership. According to Bass, the Republicans have lost their way, and they need to return to their principles. Pork spending is worrisome to Bass -- this coming from the man who announced with Jeb Bradley a few days prior that he was proud to bring NH another $250,000 from the Federal government to be spent on NH Juvenile Justice programs.

After breaking promises such as a vow to leave office after three terms, to cut federal spending, and to promote tax cuts, Bass now tells the Republicans that THEY need to return to their principles. What are those principles? Bass wants to be able to work with Democrats more often, he feels that the party is too conservative.

As reported in the NH "Union Leader" and the "Boston Globe", the government of Maine is planning on drawing tourists away from New Hampshire, to the benefit of the Maine economy.

According to the reports, both culled from Associated Press stories, the stragetist behind this plan, a man named Rudi Nardelli, expressed the idea in this fashion:

"'If the overall market isn't expanding, the only way to increase business is to steal it from our competitors."

One has to ask a few questions about this strategy.

First, why can't the businesses reliant on tourist Dollars find ways themselves to expand the market or cut their costs? Second, why is the government involved in helping these businesses promote themselves? Third, what happens when the government does offer this help?

New Hampshire:

-- Among the many paternalistic things politicians in Concord have proposed since returning to the State House this fall (lest we forget Doug Scamman and Ted Gatsas fomenting for state heating aid for poor and “needy” citizens – money taken from others), there is a new contender for Statist/Anti-Constitutional Idea of the Year. On Monday, November 7, Governor John Lynch (as clearly written by his Press Secretary, Pamela Walsh) announced to reporters that he would push for mandating that all NH children be forced to stay in school until their eighteenth year. According to Meg Heckman, of the “Concord Monitor” (AKA “Pravda West”), Lynch announced that this proposal go into effect in the 2008-2009 school year. The plan would, of course, need legislative approval before becoming law.

Continuing where we left off in our conversation with Dave Ridley and Sam Cohen, of GONH. Plus Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, discusses their case against Howard Dean, over his unwillingness to open his files from his governorship of the Green Mountain State...

Go yell it from the mountains, Howard!

Monday brings a new work week, and a new week of watching the politicos work at attenuating our liberties, through the regulation of our lives, the seizure of our cash, or the restriction of our speech.

Case in Point:

The NH Union Leader reports that State Legislators are being reimbursed for trips that they loosely define as part of their governmental functions. (Article: here) One representative is not enamored with this practice. His name is John Gibson, of Merrimack, and he is interested in limiting how much each legislator can spend on travel.

Opening the week, the Conspiracy offers this example of hypocrasy: Ted Kennedy lecturing the Bush Administration on ethics. Meanwhile, a new UNH Poll shows that John Lynch is adored by everyone except one crazy man living in a hut somehwere in Wilton. What a guy that Lynch is... But his popularity presents many questions:

Should a governor be doing PR for businesses in New Hampshire?
Should a governor be trying to gather tax revenue to help people in Allstead?
Is there a Republican Party in NH any more?