NHDP -- Corporate Money Can’t Hide Guinta’s Questionable Past or Vote to End Medicare

Concord, NH - Yesterday, the US Chamber of Commerce released a New Hampshire television ad that attempts to hide Congressman Guinta's questionable barfighting scandal-ridden past and his vote to end Medicare as we know it.  The Chamber will spend more on the ads - over $400,000 - than Guinta raised over the last six months.

"Guinta's questionable bar fighting and scandal-ridden past as one of the most corrupt members of Congress can't be hidden by any amount of out of state television ads. This November, voters will hold him accountable for his numerous votes to destroy the Medicare New Hampshire seniors citizens rely on," said Harrell Kirstein, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. 

"The fact is, Guinta voted for the hugely controversial Paul Ryan budget last year that would have ended Medicare as we know it and turned it into a private voucher system," continued Kirstein.

FACTS

Guinta didn't believe the reckless Ryan plan to end Medicare went far enough. Earlier this year, Guinta voted for the Republican Study Committee budget, "a radical plan that annihilates the social contract in America by putting the GOP budget on steroids. Deeper tax cuts for the wealthy, more severe entitlement rollbacks." [Vote; TPM, 4/15/2011]

Frank Guinta, Republican Candidate In NH, Fled Scene Of Friend's Bar Brawl Reportedly Stepping Over Victim's Body On His Way Out The Door. [The victim's] leg was broken in multiple places and would require a three-hour surgery...What Guinta considers to be a resolved situation sent English to the hospital for three days. They left before an ambulance arrived. The police were not called to the scene." [HuffingtonPost, 10/11/2010]

Frank Guinta was named one of the "most corrupt" members of Congress. The non-partisan Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington named Guinta one of the most corrupt members of Congress, because he "'fudged the numbers and cooked the books to buy a seat in Congress.' That references controversy over the funding of Guinta's 2010 election campaign." [Nashua Telegraph, 9/21/2011]

NH Democrats want Guinta fundraising answers. "Democrats on Monday asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate a news report about Guinta's fundraising published last month. The report in the New Hampshire Union Leader said 1st District Rep. Guinta tried to get the Republican Governors Association to donate $100,000 to the state Republican Party, but was rebuffed over concerns about former GOP chair Jack Kimball's management of party affairs." [Union Leader, 9/27/2011]  

NH Democrats - ALEC: We Don’t Support Your Bill to End Medicare

Over 500 petition signatures against ALEC sponsored bill delivered today

Concord, NH - Today, Democratic lawmakers and New Hampshire citizens dropped off more than 500 petition signatures in opposition to HB1560 written by ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Republican House Majority Leader DJ Bettencourt and Republican Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Morse have sponsored HB1560, which would end Medicare in New Hampshire. ALEC sponsored a presentation on Health Care in New Hampshire at the State House this morning.

"This bill is a reckless and irresponsible takeover of New Hampshire's Medicare program, said Representative Cindy Rosenwald of Nashua. "Turning Medicare into a voucher program where seniors have to purchase private health insurance would also put at risk what people like most about Medicare:  that they can continue their relationship with their own doctors.  If they have to choose doctors from within a carrier's network, they may possibly have to leave the doctor they have trusted for years.  That's not fair." 

Instead of a stable, reliable Medicare plan, seniors would be subjected to a budget process every two years that could slash benefits and services at the whim of the state legislature. Under HB1560, the legislature also could choose to eliminate the Children's Health Insurance Program. This irresponsible bill would attempt to nullify federal law and put thousands of Granite State senior citizens and children at risk of losing health insurance and health care services.

"I am a Medicare beneficiary who is very satisfied with the program and the guaranteed health care services made available to me, even though I have a pre-existing condition.  Not only do I have access to medical care, I have the peace of mind knowing that the Medicare program affords me maximum choice of doctors and hospitals," said Joan Jacobs of Portsmouth in testimony before the House Constitutional Review and Statutory Recodification Committee.  "I paid payroll taxes to Medicare throughout my life as a wage earner.  I do not want my Medicare coverage terminated by the state of New Hampshire.  I repeat:  I do not want my Medicare coverage terminated by the state of New Hampshire."

"I believe HB1560 is an ill advised proposal that will bring chaos to the health delivery system here in New Hampshire.  It will bring uncertainty and anxiety to doctors and patients alike.  As a Medicare beneficiary myself, I find it alarming that lawmakers in our state legislature would want to take away a guaranteed benefit and replace it with a state block grant of diminishing value," continued Jacobs. "Even more astounding is the fact that the bill as proposed does not even require the redirected federal funds be used for health care."

"Hopefully testimony from Granite State citizens like Joan Jacobs and the cries of hundreds of New Hampshire residents who don't want to see Medicare ended will stop ALEC and the sponsors of this awful bill," added Rep. Rosenwald.

The full text of the petition and signatures can be found here.

NH Council of Churches - Policy Alert: Protect TANF

The NH House Finance Committee next week will hear a bill that would limit financial assistance for poor families who have additional children while receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). 

 

This is a morality question. What happens when a family depending on TANF to get by has an infant who needs things that WIC or food stamps can't buy - bottles, pacifiers, diapers, crib sheets, car seat - but can't receive any additional TANF cash assistance to accommodate the infant's needs? Either the other children do without - Toothpaste and toilet paper? Heat? A home? Or the baby does without?  

 

According to the Fiscal Note on this bill, this law would affect fewer than 75 poor families a year in NH, who each receive an average of $72.50 a month in additional cash assistance when a newborn arrives. Implementing this law would cost the state $200,000 initially in systems eligibility adjustments. From there, the assumption is local welfare would take up the slack and filling the gaps. The problem hasn't been eliminated, the cost of meeting it just shifts to local property tax payers.  

 

If we can't find $72.50 a month for 75 poor families in 2012 to ensure their infants and children are safe, healthy, nourished and housed, it will say a lot about the state we have become.

House Finance Committee Members legislative email: <~HouseFinanceCommittee@leg.state.nh.us>

Individual Members (with links to contact info) at:

<http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/committeedetails.aspx?code=H34>

Full text at:

<http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2012/HB1658.html>

HB1658-FN
Session Year 2012
Bill Title: limiting financial assistance for mothers who have additional children while receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
Public Hearing: HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE, 01/12/2012 at 10:00 AM, Legislative Office Building, Rooms 210-211  

Perry for President - Steve Forbes Endorses Rick Perry for President

AUSTIN – Steve Forbes today endorsed Gov. Rick Perry for president, citing his firm leadership and appealing economic and tax reform plan.

To view Forbes’ comments endorsing Gov. Perry, please visit: http://www.rickperry.org/news/steve-forbes-endorses-rick-perry-for-president/.

“Steve Forbes is a well known fiscal conservative, and provided strong support and advice throughout the process of drafting my economic and jobs plans,” said Gov. Perry. “I am honored to have Steve’s endorsement of my candidacy for president.”

For more information about Gov. Rick Perry’s record, presidential campaign and plan to get America working again, please visit: www.rickperry.org.

DNC Releases New Web Video - "GOP 2012: Chasing the Tea Party"

View the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x58Nzk_QNRQ

 

Washington, DC –  This Labor Day weekend in New Hampshire and South Carolina voters will see the Tea Party Republican presidential contenders up close, singing the Tea Party’s praises and pandering to the right wing kingmakers. As the candidates compete for Tea Party support the DNC released a new web video entitled “GOP 2012: Chasing the Tea Party.” The video highlights Mitt Romney and Rick Perry’s support for ending Medicare as we know it, slashing college aid for students, preserving tax cuts for the super wealthy and eliminating American jobs. 

 

“Instead of talking about jobs and how to help the American middle class, Rick Perry and Mitt Romney will continue to out-right each other at Tea Party rallies,” said DNC Communications Director, Brad Woodhouse. “Their ‘corporations first, middle class last’ policies may score them points with the Tea Party crowd, but they’re not offering any solutions that actually help middle class Americans. Perry and Romney - just like the rest of the Republican field - are advocating for extreme policies that would have forced the government into default and would end Medicare while lavishing corporations and the super rich with tax breaks. It’s clear that they have a plan to court the Tea Party, but even on Labor Day they don’t have a plan for the middle class American worker.”