-- by Ed Naile
Here is a reverse time-line for the new Bedford school construction “Plan” voted in last year. Where have all the supporters gone? And whatever happened to “Build It And They Will Come.”?
Home Sales for ZIP Code 03110 Bedford NH
Month-Year #Sales Average Sale Price
02-2006 2 $306,000.00
01-2006 40 $424,000.00 taxpayers find out school will cost $60 million
12-2005 19 $438,000.00
11-2005 51 $466,000.00
10-2005 48 $428,000.00
09-2005 34 $501,000.00
08-2005 46 $560,000.00
07-2005 48 $486,000.00
06-2005 31 $463,000.00
05-2005 23 $451,000.00
04-2005 22 $477,000.00 $46 million school passes during snowstorm
03-2005 24 $410,000.00
02-2005 18 $563,000.00
01-2005 23 $428,000.00
12-2004 18 $429,000.00
11-2004 37 $406,000.00
10-2004 30 $457,000.00
09-2004 33 $402,000.00
08-2004 57 $450,000.00
07-2004 65 $475,000.00
06-2004 49 $387,000.00
05-2004 29 $479,000.00
04-2004 16 $401,000.00
03-2004 21 $387,000.00
02-2004 22 $366,000.00
01-2004 42 $375,000.00
March 2005 — Annual school board election SB2
$49.5 BOND PASSES WITH 67% OF THE ONLY 31% OF VOTERS
WHO COULD MAKE IT TO THE POLLS during a snowstorm
that canceled many other annual meetings.
February 2005 — Session 1 of school board's deliberative
session for the upcoming March SB 2 ballot election to
deliberate another citizen petitioned warrant article to
sign the tuition contract with Manchester. School board's
warrant article appears to approve bonding in the amount of
$49.5 million dollars for a combo school of grades 7,8
and a high school. (Notice the “deal” to bring in more voters
by catering to another set of grades. This is very common in
unnecessary construction projects.)
January 2005 — Supreme Court issues zip opinion ruling
in favor of Bedford School Board and preventing petitioners/
plaintiffs from having a 'hearing on the merits'.
June 2004 — Special election petitioners file suit against
Bedford School Board.
June 2004 — Bedford School Board refuses to comply with
election results and refuses to sign tuition agreement.
June 2004 — Special Election petitioned by 1500 citizens
demanding that school board sign the 20 year tuition
agreement with Manchester PASSES WITH A HUGE
MAJORITY OF 92% OF THE VOTES.
March 2004 — Annual School Board's Election (SB2)
proposed Warrant Article for a $45 million dollar
bond to build a high school FAILS AT THE POLLS
Tuition contract passes. Bedford Academy passes.
February 2004 — Session I or school board's deliberate
session prior to the Annual Secret Ballot Election SB2
to be held in March, 2004, the citizen petitioned warrant
article (originally proposed by Attorney Stan Tefft and
including 800 signatures) requiring the 'Bedford School
Board to sign the 20 year tuition agreement with Manchester'
was unlawfully amended by then Town Council Chairman,
Bill Greiner, by the insertion of the words "if, and only
if, the high school bond passes".
November 2003 — Bedford School Board 'special of the
day' Warrant Article again for a $45 million dollar bond
to build a high school FAILS AT THE POLLS* (boycott)
July 2003 — School Board's special election (SB2)
Warrant Article for $9 million dollar bond to
buy land on Route 101 to build a high school
FAILS AT THE POLLS.
March 2003 — Annual Secret Ballot Election SB2
School Board's Warrant Article for $45 million dollar bond
to build a high school FAILS AT THE POLLS.
Tuition contract with Manchester passes.
Currently there are few articles in the local papers from the supporters of the new school now that it is becoming apparent that the per student cost will rise from $7-$8,000 for tuition in Manchester to about $15,000 for an education in Bedford – whatever that will be like.
The projected student “increases” are actually dropping, as are the jaws of taxpayers as they discover a new soccer field is “sinking,” a new access road is needed, water lines need improvement, teachers need to be hired, and supplies and furniture bought.
The School Superintendent Ann “Reamed'us” who promoted the construction is leaving, as is the school board chair Dan Sullivan..
The head of the local 'taxpayer' organization, Roy Stewart, who supported the new construction because the student population was supposedly growing, has not given an explanation of the newly found costs for the project to the press. The press dutifully reported every emanation from him during the campaign to build this fiasco. Now there is silence.
2.22.2006
A Wider 93 in NH May Not Fix Much
---by Micheal
I commute every day from Exit 4 (Londonderry) to Boston. For better and worse, 93 is a big chunk of my life. The commute one way usually takes an hour and a half. It can take three hours on bad days. Talk of widening 93 to three lanes promises to reduce my commute time, though not without controversy (see Dave Buhlman's recent article) You'd think, given the promises, that I'd be yelling, "loose the bulldozers!" but I'm not.
I'm starting to think that it may be a huge waste of money. Many millions will be spent. Years of construction-related snarls endured. In the end, it may not have mattered one whit. The commute to Boston will still take one to three hours. Why spend huge bucks and be no better off? Who'd buy that?
Imagine if a house-cleaning service said they'd clean your house for $500. Sounds like a lot, but if it got the house really clean, it might be worth the pain. You pay the cleaners. When you come back home, the house is just as dirty as when you left, would you think "Oh well, maybe there's a bit less dust on the shelves"? Bet not. Bet you'd want your money back. The trouble with government highway projects, however, is that you can never get your money back. The only option is to not spend it in the first place.
The reason for my growing doubt that more lanes from Exit 1 north will help ease traffic came to me this week. This week, the commutes to Boston have been under an hour! That's very rare. Weather is a variable ("Is that a raindrop? Slow down to 30mph!!"), but it's been clear and dry rather often during slow weeks and this week. Weather's not the reason. Crashes (most often the stupid getting caught being stupid) are a variable too, but we've seen the usual blue lights and tow trucks this week. No big change there.
What changed? Mass is on school vacation week. There are fewer Mass commuters because they're out having fun with their kids instead. 93 is the same width. The weather is the same. The crash rate is the same. The only variable that...well...varied, is that there are fewer Mass folk on 93.
Widening 93 to three lanes -- or even 33 lanes -- won't solve the underlying problem: There are too many Mass folk on 93. A rail line from Concord won't fix that. Mass already has a rail line. It isn't fixing things. I'm beginning to think that the trouble with 93 lies in Massachusetts, not New Hampshire. Why waste millions, perhaps over a billion NH dollars to "fix" the part of 93 that isn't broken? We'll never get our money back when it's all done and the commute still takes two hours.
Just say no.
I commute every day from Exit 4 (Londonderry) to Boston. For better and worse, 93 is a big chunk of my life. The commute one way usually takes an hour and a half. It can take three hours on bad days. Talk of widening 93 to three lanes promises to reduce my commute time, though not without controversy (see Dave Buhlman's recent article) You'd think, given the promises, that I'd be yelling, "loose the bulldozers!" but I'm not.
I'm starting to think that it may be a huge waste of money. Many millions will be spent. Years of construction-related snarls endured. In the end, it may not have mattered one whit. The commute to Boston will still take one to three hours. Why spend huge bucks and be no better off? Who'd buy that?
Imagine if a house-cleaning service said they'd clean your house for $500. Sounds like a lot, but if it got the house really clean, it might be worth the pain. You pay the cleaners. When you come back home, the house is just as dirty as when you left, would you think "Oh well, maybe there's a bit less dust on the shelves"? Bet not. Bet you'd want your money back. The trouble with government highway projects, however, is that you can never get your money back. The only option is to not spend it in the first place.
The reason for my growing doubt that more lanes from Exit 1 north will help ease traffic came to me this week. This week, the commutes to Boston have been under an hour! That's very rare. Weather is a variable ("Is that a raindrop? Slow down to 30mph!!"), but it's been clear and dry rather often during slow weeks and this week. Weather's not the reason. Crashes (most often the stupid getting caught being stupid) are a variable too, but we've seen the usual blue lights and tow trucks this week. No big change there.
What changed? Mass is on school vacation week. There are fewer Mass commuters because they're out having fun with their kids instead. 93 is the same width. The weather is the same. The crash rate is the same. The only variable that...well...varied, is that there are fewer Mass folk on 93.
Widening 93 to three lanes -- or even 33 lanes -- won't solve the underlying problem: There are too many Mass folk on 93. A rail line from Concord won't fix that. Mass already has a rail line. It isn't fixing things. I'm beginning to think that the trouble with 93 lies in Massachusetts, not New Hampshire. Why waste millions, perhaps over a billion NH dollars to "fix" the part of 93 that isn't broken? We'll never get our money back when it's all done and the commute still takes two hours.
Just say no.
2.20.2006
Ruminations
By Ron Dupuis
Now that the Nashua Board of Alderman are discussing the use of School funds from the State that were allocated for Special Education to be used instead for the Pennachuck takeover, I thought I would revive an old column I had written some time ago.
Years ago, reputed South Boston mobster Whitey Bulger and his gang went to legitimate businessman Stephen Rakes and with a gun held to his head, forced Rakes to sell his business, one South Boston Liquor Mart, at a financial loss. The reason, Rakes was under pricing other liquor stores in the area, who also happen to be friends of Bulger. (Authors note; when referring to strong arm gangsters, my lawyer said it is always wise to use the word “reputed”.)
From Utah to Florida to New London Connecticut the process of Eminent Domain has been controversial, to say the lest. Even right here in the “Live free, or die” state.
Sometime during the year 2002, a group of "reputed" politicians and community activists got together and decided that the city of Nashua would be better served if one newly formed government agency controlled the drinking water supply of not only its own community, but also that of several others throughout the entire state. Thus was born the Merrimack Valley Regional Water District.
The purpose of the newly formed water district was clear and concise from the very beginning. To take by eminent domain all the assets and property of a successful New Hampshire company that has been servicing customers throughout the state for over 150 years. The impact of such a takeover would mean that politicians in the city of Nashua would have total control over the operation, rate setting, and future system modernization plans of communities from Hollis to Bow, from Milford to Gilford, and from Raymond to Amherst. The reason for the take over was that company in question was in danger of being sold to a foreign corporation. A second reason given was that not having to worry about a bottom line profit; the Water Authority would be well suited to handle the operation.
Let’s assume for the moment that the reasons given are valid. The next logical step for the politicians of Nashua would be to take by eminent domain other foreign controlled corporations in the area. Convenience stores come to mind. Most are controlled by a British company. Citizens could go to City Hall, pay their water bill, and buy a super size slurpy at the same time.
A couple of the areas finest hotels are controlled by foreign companies. Citizens could now go to City Hall, pay their water bill, and book a room for their next wedding or Bar Mitzvah. Of course any toast given would have to be done with a super size slurpy.
Years ago the process of “Eminent Domain” was used to take tax delinquent abandon property to build playgrounds, or roads, or other such projects for the public good. This was the purpose of Article 5 of the Constitution. The intent was not to take property and pass it on to private “for profit” developers. Neither was the intent to allow governments to seize to assets of successful private companies under the guise to “public good”.
The United States Supreme will be hearing other cases concerning the abuse of Eminent Domain this session. Those of us who are concerned with the government’s abuse of power will be watching closely.
Reputed mobster Whitey Bulger strong armed his way into owning a business ostensibly to help some friends. The real reason is that it was a power grab for his own financial benefit and control.
There is a pretty hefty reward out for the capture of reputed mobster Whitey Bulger. I’m wondering if he is hiding out in Nashua somewhere.
Now that the Nashua Board of Alderman are discussing the use of School funds from the State that were allocated for Special Education to be used instead for the Pennachuck takeover, I thought I would revive an old column I had written some time ago.
Years ago, reputed South Boston mobster Whitey Bulger and his gang went to legitimate businessman Stephen Rakes and with a gun held to his head, forced Rakes to sell his business, one South Boston Liquor Mart, at a financial loss. The reason, Rakes was under pricing other liquor stores in the area, who also happen to be friends of Bulger. (Authors note; when referring to strong arm gangsters, my lawyer said it is always wise to use the word “reputed”.)
From Utah to Florida to New London Connecticut the process of Eminent Domain has been controversial, to say the lest. Even right here in the “Live free, or die” state.
Sometime during the year 2002, a group of "reputed" politicians and community activists got together and decided that the city of Nashua would be better served if one newly formed government agency controlled the drinking water supply of not only its own community, but also that of several others throughout the entire state. Thus was born the Merrimack Valley Regional Water District.
The purpose of the newly formed water district was clear and concise from the very beginning. To take by eminent domain all the assets and property of a successful New Hampshire company that has been servicing customers throughout the state for over 150 years. The impact of such a takeover would mean that politicians in the city of Nashua would have total control over the operation, rate setting, and future system modernization plans of communities from Hollis to Bow, from Milford to Gilford, and from Raymond to Amherst. The reason for the take over was that company in question was in danger of being sold to a foreign corporation. A second reason given was that not having to worry about a bottom line profit; the Water Authority would be well suited to handle the operation.
Let’s assume for the moment that the reasons given are valid. The next logical step for the politicians of Nashua would be to take by eminent domain other foreign controlled corporations in the area. Convenience stores come to mind. Most are controlled by a British company. Citizens could go to City Hall, pay their water bill, and buy a super size slurpy at the same time.
A couple of the areas finest hotels are controlled by foreign companies. Citizens could now go to City Hall, pay their water bill, and book a room for their next wedding or Bar Mitzvah. Of course any toast given would have to be done with a super size slurpy.
Years ago the process of “Eminent Domain” was used to take tax delinquent abandon property to build playgrounds, or roads, or other such projects for the public good. This was the purpose of Article 5 of the Constitution. The intent was not to take property and pass it on to private “for profit” developers. Neither was the intent to allow governments to seize to assets of successful private companies under the guise to “public good”.
The United States Supreme will be hearing other cases concerning the abuse of Eminent Domain this session. Those of us who are concerned with the government’s abuse of power will be watching closely.
Reputed mobster Whitey Bulger strong armed his way into owning a business ostensibly to help some friends. The real reason is that it was a power grab for his own financial benefit and control.
There is a pretty hefty reward out for the capture of reputed mobster Whitey Bulger. I’m wondering if he is hiding out in Nashua somewhere.
2.16.2006
Ruminations
---By Ron Dupuis
In view of what’s going on along our southern border I thought perhaps we should reflect upon the words of the old “Rough Rider” himself.
"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt 1907
Legal immigration is one thing; we should welcome anyone that wishes to enter this country seeking a better life. The problem is that our borders are being violated by drug smugglers and other nefarious characters who wish to dismantle the very freedoms that attract so many worthy refugees. Additionally, it boggles my mind to try to understand why this country can place thirty five thousand U.S. troops on the border of South and North Korea and not spare any to prevent the invasion of our own country.
“In My Humble Opinion” we should require South Korea to place an equal amount of their troops on OUR southern border in order to prevent the invasion of our country.
__
A United Arab Emirates company has been approved to buy a British firm that controls most of the operation in six U.S. ports. They include Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, Miami, New Jersey, and New Orleans.
In my wildest dreams I never thought I would agree with Sen. “Chucky” Schumer of New York who stated “America's busiest ports are vital to our economy and to the international economy, and that is why they remain top terrorist targets." "Just as we would not outsource military operations or law enforcement duties, we should be very careful before we outsource such sensitive homeland security duties."
In view of what’s going on along our southern border I thought perhaps we should reflect upon the words of the old “Rough Rider” himself.
"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt 1907
Legal immigration is one thing; we should welcome anyone that wishes to enter this country seeking a better life. The problem is that our borders are being violated by drug smugglers and other nefarious characters who wish to dismantle the very freedoms that attract so many worthy refugees. Additionally, it boggles my mind to try to understand why this country can place thirty five thousand U.S. troops on the border of South and North Korea and not spare any to prevent the invasion of our own country.
“In My Humble Opinion” we should require South Korea to place an equal amount of their troops on OUR southern border in order to prevent the invasion of our country.
__
A United Arab Emirates company has been approved to buy a British firm that controls most of the operation in six U.S. ports. They include Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, Miami, New Jersey, and New Orleans.
In my wildest dreams I never thought I would agree with Sen. “Chucky” Schumer of New York who stated “America's busiest ports are vital to our economy and to the international economy, and that is why they remain top terrorist targets." "Just as we would not outsource military operations or law enforcement duties, we should be very careful before we outsource such sensitive homeland security duties."
2.15.2006
Abusing Disabilities Act, Everyone Loses
---by Micheal
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was supposed to improve the lives of the less-able. Make-work lawyers are abusing the ADA to extort a generous income for themselves. They will cheapen the lives of everyone in the process.
Case in point: The Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Art opened a King Tut exhibit. Few new exhibitions open without a wrinkle or two to sort out. The Tut exhibit was over crowded and experienced delays at its openings. Things settled out, as they usually do. Despite that rocky start, the museum's spokesman, Michael Mills, said thousands had enjoyed the exhibit which included some 131 artifacts.
Not everyone, however, was there to find out about ancient Egypt. Two disabled women got angry about having to wait 45 minutes for the only scooter-capable elevator and having to use a restroom in a nearby restaurant. They found a lawyer who would file a suit against the museum for not adequately complying with ADA. (This would be a building issue which the museum would have always had. It wasn't Tut-specific. Where were they before this?)
Not to miss a bandwagon (or gravy train), other lawyers also sued the museum on behalf of three blind visitors who felt the museum did not provide them with an adequate experience. Only 19 of the 131 artifacts were described in the audio tour. (Were there 19 really cool objects and 102 other bits of stuff? I mean, a golden sarcophagus is not the same as a clay pot. Does everyone need an audio tour of the clay pot?)
A very telling couple of facts are that the museum had received no complaints, no requests to provide additional services for the disabled or to correct physical errors (such as providing a clear 36 inch wide pathway, etc.). Instead, the first they hear of any trouble is a suit. One of the demands of the suit is that the deficiencies be corrected (why didn't they ask without lawyers?) The more telling fact is that the suit requests attorney's fees.
Now we've lifted the rock and had a peek at the truth. This is a suit to generate income for some lawyers, not to help the handicapped.
Having worked in the museum exhibit design world for over 12 years, I know first hand that most museum directors try very hard to make their exhibits accessible to as many visitors as possible -- old, young, disabled, etc. They want as much happy visitation as they get. Unlike the lawyers, museums live pretty much hand to mouth on ticket sales. They must constantly balance costs vs. reaching the widest practical audience.
I know that no exhibit, no public space for that matter, will be as 100% accessible as 100% of people want it to be. Lawsuits which pretend to redress injustice, but really punish/penalize to make a point will only diminish everyone else's quality of life. Imagine a school in which students who scored under an A were beaten. Very soon, there would be only a few students remaining -- and they'd be very nervous all the time. That's how it will go with Museums. Only a few will be able to afford to offer a scant few things to see. Most will just cease to exist for lack of funds.
As it stands now, lawyers get their money either way. There's nothing to stop them from filing insipid suits to generate income. They either extort it from the plaintiff, or swindle it off the gullible dupes who agreed to bring the suit.
What we need is a provision in which the law firm itself has to pay (and very dearly) for bringing frivolous lawsuits. If being stupid or greedy doesn't have a cost, they'll just keep doing it.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was supposed to improve the lives of the less-able. Make-work lawyers are abusing the ADA to extort a generous income for themselves. They will cheapen the lives of everyone in the process.
Case in point: The Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Art opened a King Tut exhibit. Few new exhibitions open without a wrinkle or two to sort out. The Tut exhibit was over crowded and experienced delays at its openings. Things settled out, as they usually do. Despite that rocky start, the museum's spokesman, Michael Mills, said thousands had enjoyed the exhibit which included some 131 artifacts.
Not everyone, however, was there to find out about ancient Egypt. Two disabled women got angry about having to wait 45 minutes for the only scooter-capable elevator and having to use a restroom in a nearby restaurant. They found a lawyer who would file a suit against the museum for not adequately complying with ADA. (This would be a building issue which the museum would have always had. It wasn't Tut-specific. Where were they before this?)
Not to miss a bandwagon (or gravy train), other lawyers also sued the museum on behalf of three blind visitors who felt the museum did not provide them with an adequate experience. Only 19 of the 131 artifacts were described in the audio tour. (Were there 19 really cool objects and 102 other bits of stuff? I mean, a golden sarcophagus is not the same as a clay pot. Does everyone need an audio tour of the clay pot?)
A very telling couple of facts are that the museum had received no complaints, no requests to provide additional services for the disabled or to correct physical errors (such as providing a clear 36 inch wide pathway, etc.). Instead, the first they hear of any trouble is a suit. One of the demands of the suit is that the deficiencies be corrected (why didn't they ask without lawyers?) The more telling fact is that the suit requests attorney's fees.
Now we've lifted the rock and had a peek at the truth. This is a suit to generate income for some lawyers, not to help the handicapped.
Having worked in the museum exhibit design world for over 12 years, I know first hand that most museum directors try very hard to make their exhibits accessible to as many visitors as possible -- old, young, disabled, etc. They want as much happy visitation as they get. Unlike the lawyers, museums live pretty much hand to mouth on ticket sales. They must constantly balance costs vs. reaching the widest practical audience.
I know that no exhibit, no public space for that matter, will be as 100% accessible as 100% of people want it to be. Lawsuits which pretend to redress injustice, but really punish/penalize to make a point will only diminish everyone else's quality of life. Imagine a school in which students who scored under an A were beaten. Very soon, there would be only a few students remaining -- and they'd be very nervous all the time. That's how it will go with Museums. Only a few will be able to afford to offer a scant few things to see. Most will just cease to exist for lack of funds.
As it stands now, lawyers get their money either way. There's nothing to stop them from filing insipid suits to generate income. They either extort it from the plaintiff, or swindle it off the gullible dupes who agreed to bring the suit.
What we need is a provision in which the law firm itself has to pay (and very dearly) for bringing frivolous lawsuits. If being stupid or greedy doesn't have a cost, they'll just keep doing it.
2.14.2006
AG's Report on Voter Fraud
-- by Ed Naile
Here it is 2006 and the NH AG's office is releasing another of its earth-shattering reports on the non-existence of voter fraud in our fine state.
I remember the last “report” they did back in 2001. The AG's office was so proud of it we did not find out for several months afterward they had gone to the effort of ginning up a report on the 2000 election at all.
I stopped by Senator Jack Barnes's office one day and asked him to pry it out of them if he could. Senator Barnes made a call and I headed across the street to the AG's office to pick it up. Orville “Bud” Fitch was there in person to hand it to me with some pathetic disclaimer I told him I was too busy to listen to.
Here is how the first report went.
Durham was “investigated” and it was found by the NH AG's office that some students there were registered in other states but voted here in NH on an impulse. That would be stealing a vote in the real world.
(As has been the case with the AG's office that they claim they want to prosecute people who vote twice, and seem not to care about the huge amount of people who have no business voting here at all. If we investigated arson this way we could practically eliminate that crime as well.)
A dozen or so students wrote letters to the Supervisor of the Checklist asking to be taken off the Durham voter checklist after casting a vote here. They stated in their letters that they were really residents of other states.
My favorite letter started like this:
Dear Supervisor of the checklist,
I am one of the 1,700 students who wrongly voted in Durham. Please take my name off the list...
In another letter a young fella described how he was “shanghaied” by a Gore/Lieberman van full of girls who took him to the polls to vote even though he said he was a non-resident. They told him he was allowed to vote anyway so he did. After getting back to his apartment in Lee his roomie informed him it was illegal for a non-resident to vote so he also wrote to have his name taken off the list.
The Coalition of NH Taxpayers has all the materials from the 2001 “investigation” by the NH AG's office in our ever growing collection. You know what is striking about all the letters from the non-resident voters who wrote to have their names taken off the Durham list AFTER voting here? (That would be stealing a NH vote.)
They are all very similar! And we have never seen any like them again. It is as though they were asked to write the letters to the Durham Supervisor of the Checklist by some “higher power.” What a coincidence. MAYBE SOME ENTERPRISING STATE REP. COULD ASK “BUD” FITCH AT THE NEXT ELECTION LAW COMMITTEE HEARING IF ANYONE FROM HIS OFFICE DID ASK STUDENTS TO WRITE LETTERS IN LIEU OF PROSECUTION, wink wink.
In any case, no one was prosecuted for being an out of state voter nor was any campaign or professor held accountable for lying to students or encouraging them to vote illegally in the 2000 election. (remember this point for part 2 or 3 of this series)
There was one of those dog and pony shows of a joint legislative committee investigation into voter fraud that year as well if memory serves me correctly. Supervisors of the Checklists from Durham and Hudson as well as other towns testified how non-residents are flocking to the polls to register same day using non-resident drivers licenses for identification.
It seems the local election officials were concerned enough in past elections to notify the Department of Safety's and Secretary of State's offices that long after elections non-residents still were using other states drivers licenses in violation of state law. In effect, they were not NH citizens after claiming to be to vote and several local election officials were concerned they were part of an illegal action by not taking the non-resident off the checklists.
Don't worry they were told. That is just a violation of Department of Safety laws regarding new residents being required to get a valid NH license after 60 days not election law violation. So just register everyone.
In an interesting moment during one of the joint legislative hearings into voter fraud, then Representative, now Senator Bob Clegg, pinned down an as-always illusive Secretary of State Bill Gardner with this question:
If a person registers same day to vote in NH but has no intention of living here is that a crime? Bill Gardner said, after some thought, “yes” he believed it was.
My how times have not changed. Out of the 50 thousand or so same-day registrants in 2000, the 96,000 same day registrants in 2004, an all the ones in between, the AG's office can't come up with one single non-resident voter.
And the NH press dutifully wrote about there being little evidence of voter fraud in NH.
Here it is 2006 and the NH AG's office is releasing another of its earth-shattering reports on the non-existence of voter fraud in our fine state.
I remember the last “report” they did back in 2001. The AG's office was so proud of it we did not find out for several months afterward they had gone to the effort of ginning up a report on the 2000 election at all.
I stopped by Senator Jack Barnes's office one day and asked him to pry it out of them if he could. Senator Barnes made a call and I headed across the street to the AG's office to pick it up. Orville “Bud” Fitch was there in person to hand it to me with some pathetic disclaimer I told him I was too busy to listen to.
Here is how the first report went.
Durham was “investigated” and it was found by the NH AG's office that some students there were registered in other states but voted here in NH on an impulse. That would be stealing a vote in the real world.
(As has been the case with the AG's office that they claim they want to prosecute people who vote twice, and seem not to care about the huge amount of people who have no business voting here at all. If we investigated arson this way we could practically eliminate that crime as well.)
A dozen or so students wrote letters to the Supervisor of the Checklist asking to be taken off the Durham voter checklist after casting a vote here. They stated in their letters that they were really residents of other states.
My favorite letter started like this:
Dear Supervisor of the checklist,
I am one of the 1,700 students who wrongly voted in Durham. Please take my name off the list...
In another letter a young fella described how he was “shanghaied” by a Gore/Lieberman van full of girls who took him to the polls to vote even though he said he was a non-resident. They told him he was allowed to vote anyway so he did. After getting back to his apartment in Lee his roomie informed him it was illegal for a non-resident to vote so he also wrote to have his name taken off the list.
The Coalition of NH Taxpayers has all the materials from the 2001 “investigation” by the NH AG's office in our ever growing collection. You know what is striking about all the letters from the non-resident voters who wrote to have their names taken off the Durham list AFTER voting here? (That would be stealing a NH vote.)
They are all very similar! And we have never seen any like them again. It is as though they were asked to write the letters to the Durham Supervisor of the Checklist by some “higher power.” What a coincidence. MAYBE SOME ENTERPRISING STATE REP. COULD ASK “BUD” FITCH AT THE NEXT ELECTION LAW COMMITTEE HEARING IF ANYONE FROM HIS OFFICE DID ASK STUDENTS TO WRITE LETTERS IN LIEU OF PROSECUTION, wink wink.
In any case, no one was prosecuted for being an out of state voter nor was any campaign or professor held accountable for lying to students or encouraging them to vote illegally in the 2000 election. (remember this point for part 2 or 3 of this series)
There was one of those dog and pony shows of a joint legislative committee investigation into voter fraud that year as well if memory serves me correctly. Supervisors of the Checklists from Durham and Hudson as well as other towns testified how non-residents are flocking to the polls to register same day using non-resident drivers licenses for identification.
It seems the local election officials were concerned enough in past elections to notify the Department of Safety's and Secretary of State's offices that long after elections non-residents still were using other states drivers licenses in violation of state law. In effect, they were not NH citizens after claiming to be to vote and several local election officials were concerned they were part of an illegal action by not taking the non-resident off the checklists.
Don't worry they were told. That is just a violation of Department of Safety laws regarding new residents being required to get a valid NH license after 60 days not election law violation. So just register everyone.
In an interesting moment during one of the joint legislative hearings into voter fraud, then Representative, now Senator Bob Clegg, pinned down an as-always illusive Secretary of State Bill Gardner with this question:
If a person registers same day to vote in NH but has no intention of living here is that a crime? Bill Gardner said, after some thought, “yes” he believed it was.
My how times have not changed. Out of the 50 thousand or so same-day registrants in 2000, the 96,000 same day registrants in 2004, an all the ones in between, the AG's office can't come up with one single non-resident voter.
And the NH press dutifully wrote about there being little evidence of voter fraud in NH.
2.12.2006
Ruminations
I recently embarked on a fact finding mission to Vermont. I wanted to learn for myself if the state is as liberal as the rest of the country feels it is. I spoke with a cross section of citizens. Subjects, ranged from the Burlington judge who suspended a child molester’s sentence, to the town of Killington’s attempt to succeed from the state. Also, I couldn’t resist asking about my favorite Vermonter, “screaming” Howard Dean.
A retired school teacher's view on Judge Cashman; “He said he no longer believes in “punishment”, but feels instead “rehabilitation” should be the road traveled... Since a lot of people in the state seem to disagree, and since Judges are elected and re-appointed by the Legislature every few years, Cashman will simply no be re-affirmed and fade into retirement.”
A Killington shop owner's view on the town's attempt to succeed and become part of New Hampshire; “This is an attempt to bring Killington’s perceived tax problems to the attention of the Legislature.” “That’s all and nothing more.” “It will never happen.”
A Rutland waitress on Howard Dean; “ He was a little more moderate when he was Governor.” “I don’t understand why, but he seems to have moved further to the left since his run for the presidency.”
I realize these are not very enlightening statements, however, Vermonters are reluctant to speak about politics to outsiders by nature. Given the fact that it had been raining all week shutting down the ski slopes didn’t help my cause. Everyone was in a bad mood.
__
There is a New York Times story posted on Drudge that says with the mid term elections coming up Democrats are worried that they are “failing to exploit GOP troubles.” Both far left Senators “Bluto and Otter” (Kennedy and Kerry) along with former Vice President AlGore, Senators Reid and Boxer, all feel that the time is ripe to find their collective voices and take back the House and Senate this year.
The problem, In My Humble Opinion, is that the Democrats have not only no message, no solutions, no credible leaders, but are also so far to the left of any semblance of mainstream America that they will probably loose a few more seats in November.
__
While writing this my T.V. is on and I’m watching a bunch of radical Muslims riot because of a cartoon. People are being killed. I hope there isn’t anyone left in the world who feels we should just standby and allow Iran, or any other Muslim controlled nation, to become a nuclear power.
A retired school teacher's view on Judge Cashman; “He said he no longer believes in “punishment”, but feels instead “rehabilitation” should be the road traveled... Since a lot of people in the state seem to disagree, and since Judges are elected and re-appointed by the Legislature every few years, Cashman will simply no be re-affirmed and fade into retirement.”
A Killington shop owner's view on the town's attempt to succeed and become part of New Hampshire; “This is an attempt to bring Killington’s perceived tax problems to the attention of the Legislature.” “That’s all and nothing more.” “It will never happen.”
A Rutland waitress on Howard Dean; “ He was a little more moderate when he was Governor.” “I don’t understand why, but he seems to have moved further to the left since his run for the presidency.”
I realize these are not very enlightening statements, however, Vermonters are reluctant to speak about politics to outsiders by nature. Given the fact that it had been raining all week shutting down the ski slopes didn’t help my cause. Everyone was in a bad mood.
__
There is a New York Times story posted on Drudge that says with the mid term elections coming up Democrats are worried that they are “failing to exploit GOP troubles.” Both far left Senators “Bluto and Otter” (Kennedy and Kerry) along with former Vice President AlGore, Senators Reid and Boxer, all feel that the time is ripe to find their collective voices and take back the House and Senate this year.
The problem, In My Humble Opinion, is that the Democrats have not only no message, no solutions, no credible leaders, but are also so far to the left of any semblance of mainstream America that they will probably loose a few more seats in November.
__
While writing this my T.V. is on and I’m watching a bunch of radical Muslims riot because of a cartoon. People are being killed. I hope there isn’t anyone left in the world who feels we should just standby and allow Iran, or any other Muslim controlled nation, to become a nuclear power.
2.07.2006
Charlatan Gets Spanked In A Two Hundred Year Old Tradition
-- by Ed Naile
Logan Darrow Clements, purveyor of “FreeLoaderMedia,” just finished leading his lemming march over the cliffs of Weare, NH in a failed from the beginning effort to send a message to US Supreme Court Justice David Souter for his anti-property rights vote in the US Supreme Court Kelo Decision. The message was and REMAINS: Live by the laws you create.
Another message is: Don't send an ego-maniacal media hog to do what a couple vigorous high school seniors could have done with a voter checklist and some cell phones.
When Logan Darrow Clements isn't engaged in other personal fantasies like running for Governor of California, he claims to run a media consulting business. In this case, he ran it like he was hell-bent on losing. Logan Darrow Clements set the anti-eminent domain issue back as far as he possibly could. And the NH press are grateful. You can see it in their “the voters have spoken” editorials the Monday after the debacle.
Logan Darrow Clements should be on David Souter's Christmas list from now on because without Logan Darrow Clements running around threatening lawsuits for which he has no money to pay, or “rallying the troops” of people who cannot vote in Weare, or getting hate mail directed at local officials as though they were to blame for Souter, a legitimate petition to take Souter's house could have passed. It only lost by less than 40 votes. Here is what really happened. At a Senate Bill 2 deliberative session (RSA 40:13) activists and special interests are predominantly who shows up. That was the case in Weare. Logan Darrow Clements had some of his out of town “helpers” show up for good measure to help sink the vote as well, just in case Weare voters didn't get the “message” that this was a non-resident generated event.
At any deliberative session the supporters of or opponents to any warrant article try to gut the wording of the warrant article they oppose so that when it appears before all the voters at the annual meeting on a paper ballot in the secrecy of the polling booth the issue is for all intents and purposes, “pre-defeated.”
The Souter supporters know that if a warrant article to take Souter's house winds up on a town meeting ballot it will be passed overwhelmingly because the general voting public shows up on that day en mass. That is what happened to the “Lost Liberty Hotel” hodge-podge Clements was selling. It was doomed from the start because Clements was only interested in one thing; publicity for himself.
As long as Souter is on the bench and eminent domain is an issue, a warrant article to take his house should be on every ballot.
This was a fiasco from the start. Next year if 40 more voters show up and and a properly worded, petitioned warrant article is on the ballot it could be quite interesting.
Logan Darrow Clements, purveyor of “FreeLoaderMedia,” just finished leading his lemming march over the cliffs of Weare, NH in a failed from the beginning effort to send a message to US Supreme Court Justice David Souter for his anti-property rights vote in the US Supreme Court Kelo Decision. The message was and REMAINS: Live by the laws you create.
Another message is: Don't send an ego-maniacal media hog to do what a couple vigorous high school seniors could have done with a voter checklist and some cell phones.
When Logan Darrow Clements isn't engaged in other personal fantasies like running for Governor of California, he claims to run a media consulting business. In this case, he ran it like he was hell-bent on losing. Logan Darrow Clements set the anti-eminent domain issue back as far as he possibly could. And the NH press are grateful. You can see it in their “the voters have spoken” editorials the Monday after the debacle.
Logan Darrow Clements should be on David Souter's Christmas list from now on because without Logan Darrow Clements running around threatening lawsuits for which he has no money to pay, or “rallying the troops” of people who cannot vote in Weare, or getting hate mail directed at local officials as though they were to blame for Souter, a legitimate petition to take Souter's house could have passed. It only lost by less than 40 votes. Here is what really happened. At a Senate Bill 2 deliberative session (RSA 40:13) activists and special interests are predominantly who shows up. That was the case in Weare. Logan Darrow Clements had some of his out of town “helpers” show up for good measure to help sink the vote as well, just in case Weare voters didn't get the “message” that this was a non-resident generated event.
At any deliberative session the supporters of or opponents to any warrant article try to gut the wording of the warrant article they oppose so that when it appears before all the voters at the annual meeting on a paper ballot in the secrecy of the polling booth the issue is for all intents and purposes, “pre-defeated.”
The Souter supporters know that if a warrant article to take Souter's house winds up on a town meeting ballot it will be passed overwhelmingly because the general voting public shows up on that day en mass. That is what happened to the “Lost Liberty Hotel” hodge-podge Clements was selling. It was doomed from the start because Clements was only interested in one thing; publicity for himself.
As long as Souter is on the bench and eminent domain is an issue, a warrant article to take his house should be on every ballot.
This was a fiasco from the start. Next year if 40 more voters show up and and a properly worded, petitioned warrant article is on the ballot it could be quite interesting.
2.02.2006
Ruminations
---By Ron Dupuis
In My Humble Opinion here is what’s going to happen in Palestine. Hamas will disassociate itself with terrorism and form a new government. The terrorist army it was born of will lay down its weapons, briefly. When U.S. foreign aid to the tune of 250 million continues to flow into their coffers, a new organization called SHAMAS, or FAMAS, or JAMAS, will suddenly emerge claiming to be an independent group. Their sole purpose will be the total destruction of Israel. Kind of like the I.R.A. with Keffiyeh’s on their heads. Has anyone seen Gerry Adams lately?
_
Reports are being generated from our southern border that Mexican military are assisting illegals AND drug smuggler by crossing into Texas and Arizona. This has happen once before in our history. It was resolved by President Wilson who abandoned his program of “watchful waiting” and sent Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing and our own military force to protect our citizens. I'm sure we can find another "Black" Jack Pershing among our General staff, the problem is finding another Commander in Chief with the courage of Wilson.
_
NAACP Chairman and civil rights activist “Judas” Bond, er.. I mean Julian Bond, in a speech at Fayetteville State University, referred to the Republican Party as Nazi’s. Mr. Bond is an intelligent, well educated man and I’m sure he is aware that is was a Republican, Lincoln, who pushed and signed the Emancipation Proclamation, it was a Republican, Sen. Everett Dirkson who is credited with getting the civil rights act through Congress and signed into Law, and most importantly, it was a registered Republican, Martin Luther King, who was the driving force behind the civil rights movement of the sixties.
In fact, the more I read of Bonds hateful, virulent anti Republican speech, the more I am reminded of another lying, manipulative orator; Joseph Goebbels.
Who’s the Nazi now?
In My Humble Opinion here is what’s going to happen in Palestine. Hamas will disassociate itself with terrorism and form a new government. The terrorist army it was born of will lay down its weapons, briefly. When U.S. foreign aid to the tune of 250 million continues to flow into their coffers, a new organization called SHAMAS, or FAMAS, or JAMAS, will suddenly emerge claiming to be an independent group. Their sole purpose will be the total destruction of Israel. Kind of like the I.R.A. with Keffiyeh’s on their heads. Has anyone seen Gerry Adams lately?
_
Reports are being generated from our southern border that Mexican military are assisting illegals AND drug smuggler by crossing into Texas and Arizona. This has happen once before in our history. It was resolved by President Wilson who abandoned his program of “watchful waiting” and sent Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing and our own military force to protect our citizens. I'm sure we can find another "Black" Jack Pershing among our General staff, the problem is finding another Commander in Chief with the courage of Wilson.
_
NAACP Chairman and civil rights activist “Judas” Bond, er.. I mean Julian Bond, in a speech at Fayetteville State University, referred to the Republican Party as Nazi’s. Mr. Bond is an intelligent, well educated man and I’m sure he is aware that is was a Republican, Lincoln, who pushed and signed the Emancipation Proclamation, it was a Republican, Sen. Everett Dirkson who is credited with getting the civil rights act through Congress and signed into Law, and most importantly, it was a registered Republican, Martin Luther King, who was the driving force behind the civil rights movement of the sixties.
In fact, the more I read of Bonds hateful, virulent anti Republican speech, the more I am reminded of another lying, manipulative orator; Joseph Goebbels.
Who’s the Nazi now?
The Telegram, R.I.P.
---by Micheal
The "email" of the 1800s is finally gone. Western Union -- a name which means telegram to folks over 40 -- announced that it has discontinued its telegraph service. No more telegrams. A part of me feels a twinge of nostalgia at the passing. The telegram had been a part of our cultural heritage. It was, in the days before cell phones and Blackberries, how important information was delivered.
Telegrams were fast. Letters could take many weeks. The Pony Express was faster than regular mail, but it was just snail mail with turbochargers. The mystique of speed led one riverboat owner in 1853 to name his Ohio River side-wheeler "Telegraph". The very image of modern high-tech speed, for its day.
After speed, came the mystique of importance. A message too important and time-sensitive to wait for snail mail went as a telegram. Phone calls were too ephemeral and casual.
Families, during the war, dreaded the sight of a telegram delivery man. The government used telegrams to deliver the sad news of a fallen soldier. Self-important business men in the 1920s and 30s enjoyed having a courier interrupt their social flufferies. They were obviously very important men to be interrupted with such important news. (yeah, whatever)
All of that history and usage built up a cache of glamor and importance for the telegram, even though all it was really doing was delivering some word content faster than other available means. I think it's the cache we'll miss. Email has built up a little cache in our modern culture, as evidenced in the Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan movie "You've Got Mail" (1998). Blackberries (if they survive the legal ax) and cellphones have already taken over as the badge of (self)importance for business types.
But, let's not get too misty eyed over the departure of the telegram. Aside from its cache and mystique, it was at its heart, a medium for delivering a message. I'm sure some folks lamented the last run of the Pony Express, or the last clipper ship of mail bound to 'round the horn' for the opposite coast. We still get messages -- tons of them. They have just found new and faster carriers.
Some time in the future, messages may get delivered in marvelous, almost miraculous ways -- perhaps directly from the head of the "sender" to the mind of the "recipient". Voices in our heads. Text will seem as awkward as we view Morse Code. Our grandchildren's children will look back at the rustic early 21st century and smile. "How quaint that great grandpa used to have to go look at words on a screen."
In the nursing homes of the mid 2000s, old folks will rock in their chairs and reminisce over the thrill of receiving an important email or "instant message" during a formal dinner, etc. etc. blah blah blah. Their adult children will smile at how simple and romantic life was "back in the old days."
The "email" of the 1800s is finally gone. Western Union -- a name which means telegram to folks over 40 -- announced that it has discontinued its telegraph service. No more telegrams. A part of me feels a twinge of nostalgia at the passing. The telegram had been a part of our cultural heritage. It was, in the days before cell phones and Blackberries, how important information was delivered.
Telegrams were fast. Letters could take many weeks. The Pony Express was faster than regular mail, but it was just snail mail with turbochargers. The mystique of speed led one riverboat owner in 1853 to name his Ohio River side-wheeler "Telegraph". The very image of modern high-tech speed, for its day.
After speed, came the mystique of importance. A message too important and time-sensitive to wait for snail mail went as a telegram. Phone calls were too ephemeral and casual.
Families, during the war, dreaded the sight of a telegram delivery man. The government used telegrams to deliver the sad news of a fallen soldier. Self-important business men in the 1920s and 30s enjoyed having a courier interrupt their social flufferies. They were obviously very important men to be interrupted with such important news. (yeah, whatever)
All of that history and usage built up a cache of glamor and importance for the telegram, even though all it was really doing was delivering some word content faster than other available means. I think it's the cache we'll miss. Email has built up a little cache in our modern culture, as evidenced in the Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan movie "You've Got Mail" (1998). Blackberries (if they survive the legal ax) and cellphones have already taken over as the badge of (self)importance for business types.
But, let's not get too misty eyed over the departure of the telegram. Aside from its cache and mystique, it was at its heart, a medium for delivering a message. I'm sure some folks lamented the last run of the Pony Express, or the last clipper ship of mail bound to 'round the horn' for the opposite coast. We still get messages -- tons of them. They have just found new and faster carriers.
Some time in the future, messages may get delivered in marvelous, almost miraculous ways -- perhaps directly from the head of the "sender" to the mind of the "recipient". Voices in our heads. Text will seem as awkward as we view Morse Code. Our grandchildren's children will look back at the rustic early 21st century and smile. "How quaint that great grandpa used to have to go look at words on a screen."
In the nursing homes of the mid 2000s, old folks will rock in their chairs and reminisce over the thrill of receiving an important email or "instant message" during a formal dinner, etc. etc. blah blah blah. Their adult children will smile at how simple and romantic life was "back in the old days."
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