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.

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?

Representatives Charlie Bass and Jeb Bradley voted this week to strike down a proposed protection for online political writers against the byzantine campaign finance laws forcing disclosure of all their finances and political ties. (see: here)

The loss of this protection not only stands in direct opposition to the First Amendment of the US Constitution, it could have the practical effect of shutting small bloggers down. The United States Constitution is supposed to protect this kind of speech, not give the government the power to regulate it out of existence. Thank people like Sen. John McCain, Sen. Russ Feingold, Rep. Marty Meehan, Rep. Chris Shays, and the NH Congressmen for the original "McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Law", and for this vicious blow against individual liberty.

New Hampshire resident and Libertarian of the Year for 2004-2005, Jim Perry, spent over a month working with the Red Cross to help hurricane Katrina victims. Here is his assessment of the performance of FEMA, and the situation for the victims.

In addition to the Governor's mad scramble to defend himself against valid criticism that will soon come his way on the health insurance front (remember this when you look at your insurance premium this quarter), there are other matters of importance.

-- George Bush meets with leaders of Central and South American nations today, to push for free markets, ie, low tariffs and fewer subsidies for certain industries. Unfortunately, people like Hugo "Jimmy Carter okayed my corrupt election" Chavez, and Argentinian Labor leader Juan Gonzalez don't like freedom. According to Gonzalez, free trade (which would allow MORE of his nation's products to be purchased by Americans -- Ye Gods, freedom!) would simply harm his people, and allow America to take advantage of them even MORE! There is no rationale for government to interfere in trade. Tariffs retard economic growth. Study after study has shown that tariffs designed to help protect specific politically tied companies from foreign competition actually harm consumers to the tune of approximately eight times as much. This is capital that would otherwise be available to start up new, more productive companies in the home nation, allowing for dynamic economic growth. We see the specific company that may be helped by the tariff against a foriegn competitor's goods, but we do not see the multitudinous individuals who could be allowed to spend their free capital in new ways, and the businesses that would start up because of them. The bottom line, if we are not allowed to run our own lives when we purchase products, how can we possibly think that politicians elected by a slim majority or plurality of those voting can not only make decisions for ourselves, but for our neighbors? The arrogance of it is breathtaking.

Against the Grain took on the issue of federal spending on, and control of, vaccines to combat influenza, when Congressman Charlie Bass appeared to discuss the subject. Download this segment of the larger program, and make up your own mind about the wisdom of this approach.

On November 1, 2005, First District NH Congressman Jeb Bradley joined Against The Grain to discuss his recent trip to the ravaged Gulf Coast area, to see the devastation of Hurricane Wilma. Listen to hear the Congressman try to justify his trip and the federal expenditure of tax money for disaster aid.