NHDP - Chair Ray Buckley on Governor Lynch's State of the State Address

Concord - New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley released the following statement on Governor John Lynch's final State of the State address. 

"Governor Lynch has once again shown himself to be a strong leader, focused on the best interests of the people of New Hampshire, and working to move our state forward. There is no wonder the people of New Hampshire elected Governor Lynch to an unprecedented fourth term.  He has helped to strengthen our successful strategy despite the best efforts of legislative Republicans who have been actively working to undo our success. 

"For seven years, the Governor's strong leadership has brought people together to make progress for New Hampshire during some of the toughest times in the last century.  I hope the Legislature will heed the Governor's call for common sense solutions at the State House and change their focus from issues such as weakening our public safety laws and discriminating against certain segments of our population.  They should join the Governor in focusing on jobs and the economy."

"Governor Lynch has stood up for our New Hampshire advantage and state he loves. Over the past twelve months, he has served as much needed check against the legislature's Tea Party agenda."

DNC - Manchester: DNC Chair & NH Democratic Party Chair to Preview GOP Debate at St. Anselm

Manchester, NH – On Saturday, January 7^th, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and NH Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley will hold a press conference at Saint Anselm College’s Institute of Politics to discuss Mitt Romney’s real record as governor of neighboring Massachusetts.

The central question of this election is going to be who will restore economic security for the middle class. Mitt Romney believes that we can just cut our way to prosperity.  He believes America should join a race to the bottom based on loopholes and outsourcing.  He believes that Wall Street should be able to write its own rules again and pursue whatever means necessary to create profits regardless of the consequences for middle class families.

Who:
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC Chair
Ray Buckly, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair

What:
Media availability to discuss Romney’s real record as governor of neighboring Massachusetts

Where:

Lobby of Saint Anselm College Institute of Politics
100 Saint Anselm Drive
Manchester, NH

When:
Saturday, January 7 at 4:00 PM

NHDP - Out of Control Republican Lawmakers Damage NH Education Quality

Concord, NH - New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley condemned Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate for passing HB542, allowing students to be exempted from specific course material in schools.  Even the extremely conservative Union Leader editorial board called it "neither workable, nor sensible" in supporting Governor Lynch's veto of the bill. 

"Instances where the Union Leader editorial board and I agree are few and far between, but we both know that HB542 simply isn't sensible."

"HB542 does serious damage to the quality of education in New Hampshire. It will allow children to be removed from any lessons their parents find objectionable, algebra, English language arts, American history, the civil or women's rights movements, science education, absolutely anything. 

"In addition this bill will downshift an enormous cost burden on to cities and towns.  It requires school districts to create individual curricula for each and every student and the costs of developing those plans will be passed on to local taxpayers.  

"Even the members of the Tea Party circus that have taken over our State House this year know how damaging and widely unpopular this bill is, that is why they both overrode Governor Lynch's veto within minutes of each other and in the midst of our first in the nation Presidential Primary.  This bill is reckless and irresponsible."

NHDP - House GOP Economic Plan: Increase Interest Rates on Consumers

Concord, NH - New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley released the following statement on the reckless vote to override Governor Lynch's veto of SB57.

"Less than 24 hours after making wild claims that their reckless agenda was focused on the economy, House Republicans voted to allow New Hampshire consumers to be charged excessive interests rates of more than 300% annually.  But charging New Hampshire citizens astronomically high interest rates will do nothing to grow our Granite State economy; instead this irresponsible bill will let our state fall victim to predatory lenders and interest rates so high that the majority of other states and our U.S. military have banned them. 

"In less than one week, New Hampshire will once again be first in the nation as we host our Presidential Primary, but today Republican legislators sent us to the back of line when it comes to consumer protection and put countless Granite State families at risk."

NHDP - NH Rejects Job, Wage Killing So-called Right to Work Bill

Concord, NH - New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley issued the following statement on the House vote to sustain Governor Lynch's veto of the job and wage killing right to work bill, HB474.

"Despite all Speaker O'Brien's unprecedented ethically questionable efforts to pass HB474, today was a huge victory for New Hampshire working families, the New Hampshire advantage, and Granite State businesses and workers' right to freely negotiate.  In a stark contrast to the so-called right to work states, our New Hampshire unemployment rate is significantly lower and our median income is nearly 20,000 dollars per year higher.  

"Four times this year, New Hampshire voters have gone to the polls for a special election and each time they have overwhelmingly rejected both Speaker O'Brien's candidate and agenda.  Hopefully this latest defeat will finally deliver the message to the Speaker as well as the Republican candidates for Governor Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith who have supported his disastrous efforts this year: New Hampshire voters don't support your job killing Tea Party agenda and it needs to stop immediately."