Carolyn McKinney - Restore the people’s oversight over their court system

By Carolyn McKinney, chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire
 
As voters, it’s troubling to watch a Legislature act against the people’s best interest in times of economic distress by raising tax after tax or fee after fee to pay for unrealistic increases to public employees’ salaries or benefits, or to grant special-interest requests without regard to their need or effectiveness. Such was the case during the 2007-2010 period when Democrats controlled the N.H. Legislature and governor’s office.

Yet, in our system of government, the people have control over how the government spends their money, and voters overwhelmingly rejected the Democrat’s spend-then-tax agenda when they elected a Republican Legislature in 2010. Republican representatives and senators, answering the people’s call to create the proper conditions for economic growth, promptly cleaned up as much of the mess as they could within a two-year period by cutting spending, lowering taxes and fees, and saying “no” to those special interests.

Unfortunately, since 1978 when the Legislature and the people were duped into passing Article 73-a to the N.H. Constitution, the people have not had similar oversight over their court system, which now has the autonomy to write its own rules that have “the force and effect of law.” Many people perceive this constitutional language to be minor—affecting only how the courts run their courtrooms—but they are wrong.

The courts have used the 1978 change to control the behavior of the Legislature, the Executive, and innocent, law-abiding citizens, both inside and outside the courtroom. Because of Article 73-a, the courts have assumed a role that the “separation of powers” clause previously reserved for the elected Legislature. As a result, and because of complacent legislative and executive officials, the court has become an unaccountable and arbitrary power unto itself, which is the exact type of government that our constitution was supposed to prevent.

Article 73-a is the language that gave the Supreme Court hubris to think it could legislate from the bench, such as it did with the Claremont decisions in the 1990s when it said that the constitution’s imperative that individual “legislators… cherish … public education” means that the Legislature must define and fund an adequate education.

Under 73-a, the family court has used its rules, including a particular rule that allows all court rules to be waived, in cases where it has ordered children removed from fit parents on mere accusations from third parties. By waiving rules, these courts have admitted hearsay evidence and used it to make a decision without a finding of abuse or neglect or any due process of law.

District court judges have used court rules to throw citizens in jail for contempt on minor decorum issues, and they have used their office to send journalists to jail for simply asking questions about their decisions. Just last year, a Superior Court judge used court rules to prevent two innocent citizens who were not accused of any crime from engaging in a legal activity. He also ordered the citizens to post his ruling on their Web site. Had they disobeyed, the judge threatened to imprison them on charges of contempt of court.

Thankfully, the Republican Legislature that the people elected to correct the wrongs of the previous Democratic Legislature also passed a constitutional fix that will give the people oversight over their court system again. Upon passage of Question Two on the Nov. 6 ballot, the people will restore some checks and balances to their judicial branch.

The change to Article 73-a will make sure that the laws passed by the Legislature are superior to court rules, as they should be. The amendment will put the court back in its place as an interpreter of law for individual cases and not as the policy maker that explains how the law must be applied in all situations—that is a power reserved for the people’s Legislature alone.

When the powers of government are balanced and held in check by one another, there is a greater chance that no branch of government will grow too strong or powerful, and that the people will remain free.

Article 73-a made the courts untouchable, and the people lost control of their government as a result. Question Two on the Nov. 6 ballot will restore the balance of powers by making the court accountable to the laws passed by the Legislature. The people, who elect their legislators, will once more have necessary oversight over all three branches of their government.

Frank W. Szabo - Wake Up And Smell The Tyranny

I debated whether or not to write this. Would anyone really understand? Would anyone care? Would it make any difference?

My whole campaign for County Sheriff had been about helping the Citizenry. In that spirit, this is the last effort of this campaign.

The County Sheriff is a unique Office, which has the authority to protect Citizens, their property and their Rights. It matters not whether it is federal, state, or local government violations of Citizens’ Rights. Law enforcement experience is not the same thing as corporate regulation enforcement experience. Understanding the difference is paramount in being able to honor the Oath of Office, which all public officials must swear.

I took full responsibility for allowing my positions to be misrepresented. I am one man and did all that I could to present the true nature and authority of the County Sheriff to as many people as possible. It is now up to the Citizens to hold their next sheriff accountable.

In the not so distant future, when approved “food” is only produced by factory farms, when spy drones flying over American cities are a common sight, when assassinations of American Citizens are considered routine and people remember the “good ole days” when fluoride was the only toxic chemical added to the drinking water, perhaps some will remember that a Constitutional Sheriff could have prevented such violations of (what formerly were) Citizens’ Rights.

In Liberty,

Frank W. Szabo

Carol Shea-Porter - The Truth about the Independent Payment Advisory Board

There are only two months left before voters go to the polls. They will cast their lot with either President BarackObama or with Mitt Romney, and they will also choose a member of Congress who will be in President Obama's party or in Mr. Romney's camp. Money is pouring into both the Presidential races now, and also into the Congressional races across the country, especially swing states like New Hampshire.  While I abhor the amount of money being spent by outside groups, and wish that Congressman Frank Guinta had agreed to sign a statement with me asking that outside groups stay out of our race, I am more concerned about the inaccurate messages that their money might spread across our state’s television sets.

I have listened to the false charge that President Obama and the Congressional Democrats “robbed” $716 billion from Medicare. The press and factcheck.org have done a good job explaining the facts about the $716 billion—how it actually was savings generated by stopping insurance companies who run Medicare Advantage from charging taxpayers 14% more, and by other administrative cost savings. Seniors now realize that not one dollar in benefits will be cut from their Medicare, and they also know that, as former President Clinton said, it was "brassy" of Paul Ryan to accuse Democrats of "robbing" Medicare and then include those savings in his own budget. Case closed.

However, there is a new claim about Medicare, a scary claim that is also false.  I heard our congressman, Frank Guinta, say it to a room full of seniors this week. This new claim insists that that a new board established under the Affordable Care Act, the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), will, in Congressman Frank Guinta's words, "make decisions for every Medicare recipient as to change whether, say you need a hip replacement or some sort of surgical procedure." Congressman Frank Guinta went on to say, "We're talking about every single procedure, this board will make those decisions." If that were true, that would be terrifying. Fortunately, it is false, and we need to reassure people that nobody is going to stop their hip replacements.

So, exactly what is the IPAB, as it is commonly called, and what do they do?  The Republicans falsely accuse them of being "bureaucrats." The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities describes it very well. "The board must include physicians and other health professionals, experts in health finance, health services researchers, employers, and representatives of consumers and the elderly. To prevent control by special interests, health care providers may not constitute a majority of the board's membership.”

So, clearly these are not bureaucrats. But Pat Boone and others have misled seniors in political attack ads that are funded by an outside conservative group called 60 Plus Association.

FactCheck.org says that the health care law, "explicitly says that the IPAB's proposals ‘shall not include any recommendation to ration health care, raise revenues or Medicare beneficiary premiums...increase Medicare beneficiary costsharing (including deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments), or otherwise restrict benefits or modify eligibility criteria.’”

This does not stop Republican politicians from shouting the word "rationing," although it is wrong and shameful to mislead seniors who rely on full access to medical treatment to keep them well. It is particularly "brassy,” since Paul Ryan and the Congressional Republicans actually voted to turn Medicare into a voucher program.

Let's let USA Today, a very sensible, right-in-the-middle newspaper, have the final say on the Independent Payment Advisory Board. In a 4/9/12 editorial called "Medicare Cost Panel is Common Sense," it says, "The Medicare board seems like a common-sense mechanism. The reason it engenders such heated opposition is that like the ‘death panels,’ it's a convenient way to scare people into opposing health reform—facts to the contrary."

Don't be fooled by these false claims, or any others. Educate yourself and your neighbors before Election Day. Facts are stubborn things, as we all know, and we should all be armed with the truth if we are going to be fully informed citizens at the polls. Knowledge is power—use it.

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Former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter represented New Hampshire’s First District from 2007-2011, she is seeking a third term in the November, 2012 election.  She wrote the proposal for and established a non-profit, social service agency, which continues to serve all ages.  She taught politics and history and is a strong supporter of Medicare and Social Security.

Carolyn McKinney - The true radicals are trying to stop Speaker O’Brien

By Carolyn McKinney, chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire

There is no doubt that House Speaker William O’Brien’s leadership was instrumental in the historic achievements of the just finished Legislature, and for no other reason, his political opponents have targeted the man and tried to make him appear the enemy. 

But quite clearly, Speaker O’Brien’s reelection to the House Speaker role will ensure New Hampshire’s present course toward liberty and prosperity, which will encourage more people toward their greatest potential and reduce dependency on government.

History has shown that when government is lean and effective—doing what the Constitution says it should and nothing more—it leaves more money for people to pursue their own goals and dreams while helping others along the way.

A limited, affordable government was the promise America’s founders gave us so we could create a society where everyone has the opportunity to prosper. It is this promise that Speaker O’Brien has been working to restore in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire voters who have been clamoring for “jobs and the economy” can do nothing other than fully support Speaker O’Brien because his agenda will help create the conditions our state’s economy desperately needs to thrive enough to stimulate private-sector job creation.

Yet, because of his courage to outspokenly pursue limited government, individual liberty, personal responsibility and free markets, Speaker O’Brien has been ridiculed incessantly for the past two years. He’s been called a radical, a bully, a tyrant and he was even compared to one of the most infamous murderers who once ruled Germany.

While we all know political rhetoric can be heated at times, the attacks on Speaker O’Brien were far from acceptable in civil society, and it’s about time that someone called out the Speaker’s opponents for the radicals they are.

In Saul Alinksy’s book, “Rules for Radicals,” the community organizer spells out effective methods radicals can use to achieve their goals. Among the most relevant rules to this discussion are number 13, “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it;” number five, “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon [because] it is almost impossible to counterattack;” and number eight, “Keep the pressure on, with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose.”

While the Democrats and liberal Republicans have effectively used these radical tactics against Speaker O’Brien during the past two years to attempt to stymie his agenda, there is one countermeasure that undermines their approach, and that is the truth.

The Speaker’s enemies have been relentless in their attacks against Speaker O’Brien because they do not have solutions of their own that will actually help people achieve their dreams in New Hampshire. These liberal Democrats and liberal Republicans don’t have a real way to create jobs and stimulate the economy; they only know how to take more of your money to fund one failed program after another. For this reason alone, the Speaker’s enemies are doing everything in their power to prevent his agenda for New Hampshire from taking hold. They thrive on the power of big government and its rules and regulations. They enjoy the thrill of telling other people how to live their lives, and they tell themselves they know better than you how you should live your own life. They even think they know best how to spend the money you’ve earned. Theirs is the truly dangerous and radical agenda. 

In truth, Speaker O’Brien knows better than his liberal critics. Speaker O’Brien knows that the best way to restore liberty and prosperity in New Hampshire is to take power away from government bureaucrats and return it to you; to take money away from unnecessary or failing programs and return it to you; and to remove all legal impediments standing between you and the good life and let you achieve whatever you choose to work for.

These are not radical ideas; these are the ideas that led our nation to the greatest prosperity the world has ever known. And they will again if Speaker O’Brien is able to continue his work. 

It is with confidence in Speaker O’Brien’s leadership and a sense of urgency that we must continue down the path on which he and the Legislature have set us that I offer my full endorsement for Speaker O’Brien for state representative, and upon reelection, for House Speaker. Without hesitation I can say that any alternative would be intolerable to those of us who truly want economic prosperity and the jobs that come with it.

John Hikel - I am asking for your vote for State Representative from Goffstownon September 11

My name is John Hikel and I am asking for your vote in the Republican Primary on Sept. 11 to once again represent you in the NH House of Representatives for the 3rd term. I was first elected in 2008 and again in 2010. For the past two years, I have served as the Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee which primarily deals with Dept. of Safety legislation.

I own and operate a small auto repair shop here in Goffstown and understand the concerns of other small businesses and employers.

I have a proven track record of being a strong Republican with fiscally conservative principals based on my oath of office to uphold and defend the Constitutions of the US and NH. My outspoken stance on more jobs, strong NH economy, lower taxes, no sales or income tax, less government, more freedoms and liberty, strong family values, education, pro 2nd Amendment, and firm believer of individual states rights. My voting record stands for itself as one of the higher scoring Republican in all categories based on the party platform over the past 4 years.

We are a compassionate society who must never put profit above the truly needy, elderly, and most vulnerable. I have had the pleasure serving all of my friends and neighbors of Goffstown and assisting them to maneuver through the red tape of state government whenever a question or concern came my way.

Please feel free to stop by my repair shop, call 860-7891, email teachgolfeasy@aol.com, or check out www.HikelForRep.com and my door is always open and my phone is always on.

Again, it's been a pleasure to serve you all and look forward to do it again and keep NH heading in the right direction.

Thank you,

John Hikel

www.HikelForRep.com