There is a difference

By Dave Buhlman

First, we at IMHO are praying for the speedy recovery of our leader, Ron Dupuis. Ron had surgery and is experiencing some difficulties in the recovery. Please pray that all is well and that he’s back very soon displaying his ability to cut right to the heart of the matter through logic and humor.

There is a difference between the two major parties, at least on the state level. Since the Democrats took over in 2006, the state has been plunged into deeper debt caused by too much spending and obvious mismanagement. I was a State Representative for two terms while the Republicans were in charge. As one who believes in liberty and limited government, it was somewhat frustrating that many in Republican leadership positions seemed to go along with Democrats too often. But I suppose that’s the nature of leadership - some compromise to keep the government machine churning. On balance, however, the Republicans held the line on more spending and no tax increases. This was especially true when Craig Benson was Governor. Benson had the courage to hold the line and take the hits. I hope he runs again.

I had a number of good friends in the Legislature who were Democrats. With the exception of their undying support for abortion on demand, their hearts were in the right place. They wanted to help people. Their giant flaw, which remains to this day, is that they believe that government is the answer for providing this help. It isn’t. Granted, on a limited level, government should be there to help people get over a hump in their lives. But when government becomes the problem solver of first resort, things are a mess. They raise taxes on cigarettes under the pretense that the government needs the money to help smokers quit, and for an endless string of other reasons, while in fact the additional money is needed mainly to provide jobs for their friends with Masters in Social Work who are otherwise unemployable. In raising the tax on butts, they are hurting many in the lower economic strata who are just getting by. What these folks sure don’t need is a higher tax on a pack of butts, or increased registration fees on their cars. But the Democrats give it to them anyway, like it or not. They believe that they know better.

Regarding the butt tax, the legislature is now considering about the fourth increase in that tax in as many years. They have no shame singling out this group of addicts to punish. No shame at all. As soon as the Massachusetts House voted to increase the tax on a pack down there by a buck, I predicted that the New Hampshire Democrats would jump on that increased tax gap, and sure enough, they did. Increasing the tax on a pack of cigarettes is the first refuge of a politician with no imagination and no courage. They probably thinks it’s okay to kick a guy when he’s down, too, as long as it’s for what they perceive as a greater good. Another driving force for Democrats is that all or most of those in leadership, including Governor Lynch, have not had to worry for years about how to pay the bills. They seem to forget that not all of their constituents are living off trust funds, good pensions, or good luck with investments. They talk a good game about helping people without realizing that when government helps one group, it has to hurt another group of innocents to make the scheme work.

In November, 2008, New Hampshire voters will have a chance to return the state to some semblance of sanity by giving control of the Legislature back to the Republicans, and voting in a Republican Governor and Executive Council. It won’t be perfect, but it will sure be better than these days when we have to keep a constant watch on our wallets to prevent intrusion by light-fingered do gooders with a D after their names.

Dave Buhlman served two terms as a New Hampshire State Representative. His novel, Final Warning, introduced the Environmental Freedom Party, champions of the three card monte game known as global warming.