This Week's Trivia--Constitutional Revision

Who and in what context was the following remark made regarding constitutional revisions?  Regular followers of this blog may have an idea without choices, but five will be offered.

"All power issues from the people.  The constitution lays down the way by which a conception, an idea, and therefore an organization must gain from the people the legitimation, for the realization of its aims.  But in the last resort, it is the people itself that determines the constitution...When a constitution proves itself o be useless for its life, the nation does not die--the constitution is altered."

Was that?

A--Thomas Jefferson, arguing that the U.S. Constitution be amended to prevent a recurrence of the electoral college tie in 1800;

B--Abraham Lincoln, arguing for passage of the 13th amendment barring slavery;

C--Woodrow Wilson, pleading for his "progressive" measures, including a federal income tax;

D--Ronald Reagan, appealing for a balanced budget amendment;

E--Adolf Hitler, noting even before he assumed power, that changes would be needed in the Weimar Constitution.

Hint--441-94.

Hmmm.

First, the quote doesn't flow too smoothly, indicating a translation.

Secondly, I've referred to Alan Bullock's 1000-page tract "Hitler and Stalin:  Parallel Lives" this week, not to mention the Night of the Long Knives.

Of course, the answer is E, Adolf Hitler.  It's from page 252 of Bullock's book.  Hitler said that in December, 1931, 14 months before he was appointed Chancellor by the elderly President Von Hindenburg.  Hitler was responding to a question about his intentions; a question from then Chancellor Heinrich Bruning.

The 441-94 is the vote for the Enabling Act in March, 1933, two months after Hitler came to power and a month after the Reichstag fire.  By that vote, the Reichstag basically voted to get rid of itself and give unlimited power to the Chancellor's cabinet.

Bruning, by the way, escaped death on June 30, 1934, the Knight on the Long Knives, only because he had fled the country.  Another former Chancellor Kurt Von Schleicher, was not as fortunate.  He was murdered as his wife looked on.

Bullock's previous biography "Hitler, A Study in Tyranny" is a much better book actually, not to mention shorter.

Some Changes, But Gambling Margin Remains -62

After checking emails, I have made a handful of changes in the gambling tally sheet.  Perhaps counter intuitively, we now have a few more undecideds than we had the last time I checked.  My 139-201 (a 62 vote margin) has become 200-138, still a 62 vote margin.

Moving from undecided to definitely no are David Lundgren and Brian Wazlaw.

Betsy Burtis is the only switch from No to Yes (a reluctant yes, she writes me). Here's her explanation (no mention if her decision came before or after a meeting in the corner office).

"Hi Steve, 

Despite a great deal of reluctance for a variety of reasons, I will be voting yes. My constituents are in favor of this by about 3:1. 

Betsy Burtis

State Representative 

Derry - Rockingham District 6"

While I understand opinion polls in favor of gambling in general, I find it impossible to believe that people who know what SB152 does could possibly be for it by a three to one margin, but that's just me!  I guess I'll talk about that specifically on the House floor (unless the bill gets tabled).

Bob Backus has moved himself from No to Und.  I had him as a No because his wife is a leader in the anti-gambling movement, but he's also a friend of Lou D'Allesandro who, according to my Manchester TV sources, say appeared on the Backus TV show last week to plead for Manchester support.  Even if it destroys the Verizon Wireless Center (in other words, even without the Long protection amendment), expect most Manchester Democrats to vote for this bill!

Phil Straight and Tony Pellegrino, both from Merrimack, has been moved from Yeses to Undecided.

Joe Duarte has moved from No to Undecided.

That should come out to 138-200.

As for the procedure for the bill Wednesday, keep in mind that House rules call for the committee recommendation to be voted on first.  That is Inexpedient To Legislate.  If that motion passes, the bill dies.  If it fails, any number of other motions could be made.  Word Friday is that many amendments, presumably the same ones which were never voted on by the committee Wednesday, have been printed in the calendar. 

Since I am so convinced the ITL motion will pass, I was not going to have the state incur the expense of printing my amendment, but when I learned that others are doing that, I decided, "What's good for the goose is good for the gander."  Thus, should the ITL motion fail, I will be prepared to offer my amendment which, rather than the state getting a mere 30 percent as in the D'Allesandro bill, the state would get 60 percent of revenues from six mini facilities (four with 600 slots; two with 1300).

During the debate on ITL, details of specific amendments may be not be explored.  Talk of amendments in general terms is usually allowed by the Speaker but nothing specific.

A tabling motion is always in order and may be offered at any time--without debate.  A tabling motion most likely would kill the bill.  While there is some talk of such a motion, I would vote against it because I believe this subject is important enough to warrant a full debate.

All indications are that Governor Maggie Hassan continues to apply tremendous personal pressure on first term (and other) Democrats.  I'm told she is asking that Democrats promise her they will vote for this bill as a personal favor regardless of how they feel about it.

If that's true, and I have no reason to believe it's not true, all I can say is that anyone who votes for such a reason is violating his or her oath of office (we pledge to act on our own best judgement) and should be ashamed of himself or herself...if not removed from office.  Of course, there would be no way to prove such motivation. 

The more the Governor pushes for this plan, the more chance that she will be deemed a big loser if it fails, especially if she cannot rally a majority of Democrats who in the past have always been slightly more anti-gambling than Republicans.

As I check my emails, I discover some back and forth on the gambling bill, mostly something we rarely see--internal Democratic fighting (Jeff Goley vs Marj Smith for example), but surprisingly, I've received far more emails for and against lead for loons.

Anyone keeping tabs on that...feel free to put me down with the loons (no pun intended).

Gambling Tally Sheet--139 Yes, 201 No

Here's your personalized gambling scoresheet, alphabetized.  Since I first posted a sampling of this earlier today, one person called to move from yes to no.  Unlike Channel 9 which seems to ignore messages of change, I will update this immediately when I learn someone is not listed correctly here.

A "yes" here indicates support for the Senate gambling plan which, of course, would mean a no vote on the Inexpedient to Legislate motion and vise-versa.

Unless I know differently, I have taken the WMUR positions.  For others, I have either used past gambling votes (not always an indication of future tendencies, I must admit) or my personal knowledge.  Very rarely, I have moved people to one column for geographic or party reasons.  For example, I moved a few first term Nashua Democrats into the yes column; and a few Carroll or Belknap County Republicans into the no column.

The listing I received seems to have the two newly elected Reps missing; I have added the new Manchester Rep, but the list seems to be one Rep (Nashua short).

It is conceivable that some people might vote against ITL only because they want to hear amendments, but my guess is this number will be only five or so.

In a few cases I've used "lean yes" or "lean no" terminology.

NOTES:

Winters--Since this bill represents a monopoly, an anathema to libertarian types, Joel is the only Libertarian l've listed as yes, and only because that's what he told me.

Hatch, Huot, Ulery voted against ITL in committee, but I feel more comfortable leaving them as undecided here.

Rideout emailed me to say that although he supports gambling, he will not vote for this plan, so I moved him from yes to no.

Kaen, the deputy speaker, has voted both for and against gambling in the past.  I had her a lean yes, but feel more comfortable with a straight undecided.

Gionet is listed as a Yes by WMUR; he told me he would not vote for this plan, but I felt more comfortable listing him as undecided.

Rappaport is a No on WMUR.  A lobbyist insists he should be yes, so I listed him as Und.

Unk indicates that I have no idea how these Reps are likely to vote.

Und indicates that at least to me they appear truly undecided and may not even know themselves how they will vote.  Rep. Shurtleff, take note.

If my math is correct, the total is 139 Yes and 201 no.

Abrami, Patrick F            Stratham               r               no

Aguiar, James D                Campton             d             no        

Ahlgren, Christopher J  Wolfeboro          r                  yes

Alicea, Caroletta C          Boscawen           d             yes

Allen, Mary M   Newton               r                              yes

Almy, Susan W  Lebanon              d                             no

Ames, Richard   Jaffrey  d                                             yes

Andrews, Christopher R               Bow       d            yes

Andrews-Ahearn, E.   Hampton Falls  d                 yes

Arsenault, Beth R            Laconia d                             no

Azarian, Gary S  Salem   r                                              yes

Baber, William S              Dover    d                            yes

Backus, Robert A              Manchester        d             und

Bailey, Brad        Monroe                r                      lean no

Baldasaro, Alfred P         Londonderry      r              und

Barry, Richard W              Merrimack          r              no

Bartlett, Christy D            Concord               d             no

Beaudoin, Steven P        Rochester           r             no

Beaulieu, Jane E               Manchester        d            yes

Belanger, James P           Hollis    r                              no

Belanger, Ronald J          Salem   r                              yes

Benn, Bernard L                Hanover               d            no

Berch, Paul S      Westmoreland d                            unk

Berube, Roger R               Somersworth    d             yes

Bick, Patrick J     Salem   r                                              no

Bickford, David A             New Durham     r              no

Birdsell, Regina M           Hampstead         r             yes

Bishop, Franklin C           Raymond             r             no

Bixby, Peter W  Dover    d                                          unk

Boehm, Ralph G               Litchfield             r             yes

Boisvert, Ronald R           Manchester        d            yes

Booras, Efstathia C          Nashua d                         yes

Borden, David A               New Castle         d            no

Bouchard, Candace C W                Concord    d       yes           

Bradley, Lester W            Thornton             r           no   

Briden, Steven J               Exeter   d                        yes

Brown, Pamela T              Nashua d                      yes

Brown, Rebecca A           Sugar Hill             d       lean no    

Buco, Thomas L Conway                d                         yes

Burchell, Richard B          Gilmanton Iron Works   r      no      

Burdwood, Greg               Dover    d                      unk

Burke, Rachel B                Farmington        d            no

Burns, Scott A    Franklin               d                         no

Burridge, Delmar D         Keene   d                         no

Burt, John A       Goffstown          r                            no

Burtis, Elizabeth B           Derry     d                          yes

Butler, Edward A              Harts Location   d            yes

Butynski, William            Hinsdale              d            yes

Byron, Frank A  Litchfield             r                            no

Cahill, Michael D              Newmarket        d            unk

Cali-Pitts, Jacqueline A Portsmouth        d             und

Campbell, David B           Nashua d                         yes

Carey, Lorrie J   Boscawen           d                         unk

Carroll, Douglas L             Nashua d                       yes

Carson, Clyde J Warner d                                lean no

Cebrowski, John W         Bedford               r             no

Chandler, Gene G            Bartlett                r             no

Chandley, Shannon E     Amherst              d            no

Charron, Gene P               Chester                r             yes

Chase, Cynthia L               Keene   d                        no

Chirichiello, Brian K        Derry     r                        yes

Christiansen, Lars T         Hudson                r             no

Cloutier, John R                Claremont          d            yes

Coffey, James E                New Ipswich      r             no

Comerford, Timothy P   Fremont              r               no

Comtois, Guy     Center Barnstead            r             no

Connor, Evelyn M            Weare  d                            no

Cooney, Mary R                Plymouth            d            no

Copeland, Timothy D     Stratham             r             unk

Cordelli, Glenn Tuftonboro         r                          no

Cormier, Jane    Alton     r                                       no

Cote, David E     Nashua d                                     yes

Coulombe, Gary M          Berlin    d                        yes

Crawford, Karel A            Ctr Harbor           r             no

Culbert, Patrick L             Pelham                r             unk

Cushing, Robert R            Hampton             d            lean no

Danais, Romeo Nottingham       r                            no

Daniels, Gary L  Milford r                                          no

Danielson, David J           Bedford               r             no

Davis, Frank W  Pembroke           d                           no

DeSimone, Debra L         Atkinson              r             yes

Devine, James E               Sandown             r             yes

DiMartino, Lisa Laconia d                                         unk

DiSilvestro, Linda A        Manchester        d            yes

Dobson, Jeremy S            Manchester        d            yes

Doolan, Ralph J Littleton              r                              no

Duarte, Joe         Candia  r                                         und

Dumaine, Dudley D        Auburn r                              no          

Eaton, Daniel A Stoddard             d                           no

Eaton, Richard S               Greenville          d            unk

Ebel, Karen E     New London      d                           no

Elliott, Robert J Salem   r                                           yes

Emerick, J. Tracy               Hampton             r             unk

Emerson, Susan                Rindge  r                        no

Emerson-Brown, Rebecca            Portsmouth   d  lean no          

Enman, Larry S  Errol      d                                        yes

Ferrante, Beverly A        Derry     r                            yes

Fesh, Robert M Derry     r                                             no

Fields, Dennis H               Sanbornton        r             yes

Fink, Charles R  Belmont              r                          no

Flanagan, Jack B               Brookline            r             no

Flanders, Donald H         Laconia r                          no

Flockhart, Eileen C          Exeter   d                          no

Ford, Susan M   Easton  d                                          no

Frambach, Mary E            Epsom  d                          no

Frazer, June M  Concord               d                          no

French, Barbara C            Henniker             d            no

Friedrich, Carol H             Wentworth        d               no

Friel, William G                Atkinson              r             yes

Gage, Ruth E      Goffstown          d                           yes

Gagne, Larry G   Manchester        r                      lean no

Gagnon, Raymond G       Claremont          d            lean yes

Gale, Sylvia E     Nashua d                                        no

Garcia, Bianca R                Salem   r                         no

Garcia, Marilinda J           Salem   r                           no

Garcia, Michael A             Nashua d                          no

Gardner, Janice S             Dover    d                            unk            

Gargasz, Carolyn M         Hollis    r                           no

Gidge, Kenneth N            Nashua d                           yes

Gile, Mary Stuart              Concord               d            no

Ginsburg, Philip E            Durham                d            no

Gionet, Edmond D           Lincoln r                          und

Goley, Jeffrey P                Manchester        d            yes

Gordon, Richard E            East Kingston     r           no

Gorman, Mary J                Nashua d                         yes

Gottling, Suzanne H        Sunapee              d            no

Grace, Curtis W Brentwood         r                          no

Grady, Brenda E                Merrimack          d            yes

Graham, John A                Bedford               r             no

Grassie, Anne C                Rochester           d            no

Gray, James P    Rochester           r                            no

Greemore, Robert H       Meredith             r             no

Grenier, James L              Goshen                r             yes

Griffin, Mary E   Windham            r                              yes

Groen, Warren J               Rochester           r             no

Grossman, Kenneth        Barrington          d            yes

Gulick, Ruth P    New Hampton  d                            yes

Hackel, Paul L    Nashua d                                         yes

Haefner, Robert H           Hudson                r             und

Hagan, Joseph M              Chester                r             yes

Hammon, Marcia             Whitefield          d            unk

Hammond, Jill S               Peterborough   d            no

Hansberry, Daniel C        Nashua d                     lean yes

Hansen, Peter T                Amherst              r             no

Harding, Laurie Lebanon              d                            no          

Harriott-Gathright, Linda              Nashua d            und

Harris, Jeffrey F                Epping  r                            no

Hatch, William A              Gorham                d            und

Hayes, Jack         Atkinson              r                        yes

Heden, Ruth S   Milford d                                          no

Heffron, Frank H              Exeter   d                           no

Helmstetter, Barbara S  Epping  d                           yes

Henle, Paul J      Concord               d                       unk

Hess, David W   Hooksett             r                         no

Higgins, Patricia C            Hanover               d           lean no

Hikel, John A     Goffstown          r                           no

Hinch, Richard W             Merrimack          r             yes

Hirsch, Geoffrey D           Bradford              d            no

Hodgdon, Bruce E            Northwood        r             unk

Hoell, J.R.            Dunbarton          r                           no

Hoelzel, Kathleen M      Raymond             r             no

Holmes, Stephen             Alton     r                            no

Hooper, Dorothea D       Dover    d                           no

Hopper, Gary S  Weare  r                                          no

Horrigan, Timothy O       Durham                d            no

Hubbard, Pamela J          Rochester           d            unk

Hunt, Jane J        Concord               d                        unk

Hunt, John B      Rindge  r                                          no

Huot, David O    Laconia d                                       und

Infantine, William J        Manchester        r             no

Introne, Robert E             Londonderry      r             no

Irwin, Virginia   Newport              d                            unk

Itse, Daniel C     Fremont              r                            no

Jack, Martin L     Nashua d                                lean yes

Jasper, Shawn N               Hudson                r             no

Jeudy, Jean L     Manchester        d                         yes

Johnsen, Gladys               Keene   d                        yes

Johnson, Jane B                Swanzey              r             no

Jones, Laura M  Rochester           r                             no

Kaen, Naida L    Lee         d                                        und

Kappler, Lawrence M     Raymond             r             no

Karrick, David B                Warner d                            yes

Katsiantonis, George     Manchester        d            ABSENT

Katsiantonis, Thomas    Manchester        d               no

Kelley, John D   Nashua d                                            no

Kelly, Sally H      Chichester          d                            yes

Ketel, Stephen M            Dover    d                             unk

Khan, Aboul B   Seabrook             r                               yes

Kidder, David H                New London      r                no

Knowles, Mary Ann        Hudson                d              yes

Kolodziej, Walter            Windham            r             yes

Kopka, Angeline A          Nashua d                              yes

Kotowski, Frank R            Hooksett             r             yes

Kurk, Neal M      Weare  r                                           no            

Ladd, Rick M       Haverhill             r                       yes

Lambert, George A          Litchfield             r             unk

Lauer, Linda D   Bath       d                                       unk

Lavender, Tom  Brookfield          d                           unk

LeBrun, Donald L              Nashua r                       no

Lefebvre, Benjamin P    Grantham            d           yes

Leishman, Peter R           Peterborough   d            yes

Lerandeau, Alfred C       N. Swanzey        d            yes

Levasseur, Nickolas J     Manchester        d            lean yes

LeVasseur, Richard D     Hudson                r             no

Levesque, Melanie A     Brookline            d               no

Ley, Douglas A  Jaffrey  d                                           no

Lockwood, Priscilla P     Canterbury         r             no

Long, Patrick T   Manchester        d                          yes

Lovejoy, Patricia T           Stratham             d            no

Lovett, Sid          Holderness         d                         no

Lundgren, David C           Londonderry      r             no

Luther, Robert A              Laconia r                           no

MacKay, James R              Concord               d            no

MacKay, Mariellen J       Nashua d                             yes

Major, Norman L              Plaistow              r             no

Malloy, Dennis J               Barrington          d            unk

Manley, Jonathan F        Bennington        d            unk

Mann, John E     Alstead                d                         unk

Mann, Maureen R            Deerfield            d            unk

Marston, Dick    Manchester        r                          lean no

Martel, Andre A               Manchester        r             yes

Massimilla, Linda             LIttleton              d            unk

McCarthy, Michael J       Nashua r                            yes

McCloskey, David            Manchester        d            yes

McConkey, Mark E           Freedom             r             yes

McGuire, Carol M             Epsom  r                          no

McGuire, Dan    Epsom  r                                          no

McKinney, Betsy              Londonderry      r             yes

McMahon, Charles E       Windham            r             yes

McNamara, Richard D    Hillsborough      d            unk

Meaney, Richard E          Goffstown          r             no

Menear, H. Robert          Durham                d            yes

Merrow, Harry C               Ctr Ossipee        r             yes

Miller, David P  Rochester           d                           unk

Milz, David E      Derry     r                                         yes

Moffett, Howard M         Canterbury         d            unk

Moody, Marcia G              Newmarket        d            no

Moynihan, Wayne T       Dummer              d            unk

Mulholland, Catherine  Grafton                d            no

Mullen, John A Middleton          r                              yes

Muns, Chris        Hampton             d                         und

Murotake, David K          Nashua r                         yes

Murphy, Keith   Bedford               r                            no

Murphy, Kelleigh D         Bedford               r             no

Myler, Mel          Contoocook       d                           no

Nelson, Bill G    Brookfield          r                            no

Nelson, Mary S Nashua d                                      yes

Nigrello, Robert L            East Kingston     r             yes

Nordgren, Sharon            Hanover               d            no

Norelli, Terie     Portsmouth        d                            no

Notter, Jeanine M           Merrimack          r             no

O'Brien, Michael B          Nashua d                          yes

O'Brien, William L           Mont Vernon     r             no

O'Connor, John T             Derry     r                          unk

O'Flaherty, Tim Manchester        d                         no

O'Hearne, Andrew S       Claremont          d            unk

O'Neil, William          Manchester            d               yes

Ober, Lynne M  Hudson                r                           yes

Ober, Russell T Hudson                r                            yes

Oligny, Jeffrey D              Plaistow              r             yes

Packard, Sherman A       Londonderry      r             no

Palangas, Eric    Manchester        d                         yes

Palmer, Stephen J           Milford r                            no

Pantelakos, Laura C        Portsmouth        d            yes

Parison, James A              New Ipswich      r             no

Parkhurst, Henry A. L.    Winchester        d              no

Parsons, Robbie L            Milton  r                              no

Pastor, Beatriz  Lyme     d                                           no

Patten, Dick W  Concord               d                        yes

Peckham, Michele S       North Hampton       r       unk          

Pellegrino, Tony J            Merrimack          r             und

Pelletier, Marsha L          Dover    d                      lean no

Perkins, Amy S  Seabrook             r                        yes

Perkins, Lawrence B       Seabrook             r             yes

Perry, Robert J  Strafford              d                            no

Peterson, Lenette M      Merrimack          r                  no

Phillips, Larry R Keene   d                                          no

Piper, Wendy A                Enfield d                              no

Pitre, Joseph A Farmington        r                                no

Porter, Marjorie A           Hillsborough      d                no

Pratt, Calvin D   Goffstown          r                                no

Priestley, Anne K             Salem   r                            yes

Ramsey, Peter E               Manchester        d            yes

Rappaport, Laurence M Colebrook           r              unk

Ratzki, Mario F  East Andover     d                             yes

Raymond, Ian P                Sanbornton        d            no

Reed, Dennis     Franklin               r                             yes

Reilly, Harold T Hill         r                                             yes

Renzullo, Andrew           Hudson                r             no

Rhodes, Brian D                Nashua d                            yes

Rice, Chip L         Concord               d                          no

Rice, Frederick C              Hampton             r             no

Richardson, Gary B          Hopkinton          d            no

Richardson, Herbert D   Lancaster             r               yes

Rideout, Leon H               Lancaster             r             no ?

Roberts, Kris E   Keene   d                                           no

Robertson, Timothy N   Keene   d                              no

Rogers, Katherine D       Concord               d              yes

Rogers, Rose Marie         Rochester           d            no

Rokas, Ted          Manchester        d                             yes

Rollins, Skip       Newport              r                              yes

Rollo, Deanna S                Rollinsford         d            yes

Rosenwald, Cindy           Nashua d                            no

Rowe, Robert H                Amherst              r             no

Sad, Tara A          Walpole               d                          no

Sanborn, Laurie J             Bedford               r             no

Sandblade, Emily C         Manchester        r             no

Sanders, Elisabeth N      Danville               r             no

Sapareto, Frank V            Derry     r                            yes

Scarlotto, Joe W               Portsmouth        d            yes

Schamberg, Thomas C   Wilmot d                           yes

Schlachman, Donna L     Exeter   d                          no

Schmidt, Andrew R         Grantham            d            no

Schmidt, Janice E             Nashua d                         yes

Schmidt, Peter B              Dover    d                           no

Schmidt, Stephen J         Wolfeboro          r             yes

Schroadter, Adam R        Newmarket        r             no

Schuett, Dianne E            Pembroke           d            yes

Sedensky, John B             Hampstead         r             yes

Shackett, Jeffrey S          Bridgewater       r               no

Shattuck, Gilman C          Hillsborough      d            no

Shaw, Barbara E                Manchester        d            yes

Shepardson, Marjorie J Marlborough     d                no

Sherman, Thomas M      Rye        d                         unk

Shurtleff, Stephen J       Penacook            d            und

Smith, Marjorie K            Durham                d            no

Smith, Steven D               Charlestown      r             yes

Smith, Suzanne J              Hebron d                        no

Smith, Timothy J              Manchester        d            no

Smith, Todd P    Hooksett             r                            no

Soucy, Timothy A             Nashua d                         yes

Souza, Kathleen F            Manchester        r             no

Spainhower, Dale S        Somersworth    d            yes

Spang, Judith T Durham                d                          no

Spratt, Stephen P            Greenville          d            yes

St.James, Kevin P            Kingston              r             yes

Stevens, Audrey M         Rochester           d            yes

Straight, Philip N             Merrimack          r             und

Stroud, Kathleen M        Merrimack          r             yes

Sullivan, Daniel J             Manchester        d            yes

Sullivan, Peter M             Manchester        d            no

Sweeney, Cynthia P       Charlestown      d            yes

Sweeney, Joe    Salem   r                                          yes

Sweeney, Shawn P         Milford r                          no

Sykes, George E                Lebanon              d          no 

Sylvia, Michael J               Belmont              r             no

Sytek, John         Salem   r                                         no

Takesian, Charlene F      Pelham                r             unk

Tamburello, Daniel J      Londonderry      r             no

Tanner, Linda L Georges Mills    d                              unk

Tasker, Kyle J     Nottingham       r                               no

Tatro, Bruce L    Swanzey              d                             yes

Theberge, Robert L         Berlin    d                               yes

Thomas, Yvonne D          Berlin    d                            yes

Thompson, David H        Derry     r                       lean yes

Ticehurst, Susan J            Tamworth           d            no

Till, Mary L          Derry     d                                          no

Tilton, Franklin T              Laconia r                         no

Tilton, Joy K       Northfield          d                              yes

Townsend, Charles L      Canaan d                       no

Tremblay, Stella S           Auburn r                             no

Tucker, Pamela Z             Greenland          r             no

Turcotte, Alan J                Allenstown        d            unk

Ulery, Jordan G Hudson                r                         und

Umberger, Karen C         Kearsarge            r             no

Vadney, Herbert R          Meredith             r             no

Vail, Suzanne M               Nashua d                        unk

Vaillancourt, Steve         Manchester        r             no

Verschueren, James       Dover    d                       unk

Villeneuve, Moe              Bedford               r             no

Wall, Janet G     Madbury              d+r                      no

Wallner, Mary Jane         Concord               d            no

Walsh, Robert M              Manchester        d            yes

Walsh, Thomas C             Hooksett             r             unk

Walz, Mary Beth E           Bow       d                           no

Ward, Gerald W.R.          Portsmouth        d            no

Ward, Kenneth J              Rollinsford         d            yes

Warden, Mark   Manchester        r                            no

Waterhouse, Kevin K     Windham            r             yes

Watrous, Rick H                Concord               d            no

Wazlaw, Brian   Portsmouth        d                          no

Webb, James C Derry     r                                       yes

Webb, Leigh A  Franklin               d                        lean yes

Weber, Lucy M  Walpole               d                          no

Weed, Charles F               Keene   d                        no

Weyler, Kenneth L          Kingston              r             yes

White, Andrew A             Lebanon              d            no

White, Syndi G  North Conway   d                           no

Whittemore, Lisa I          Londonderry      d            und

Willette, Robert F           Milford r                              no

Williams, Carol A             Manchester        d            yes

Williams, Kermit R          Wilton  d                           yes

Winters, Joel F  Nashua d                                        yes

Woodbury, David            New Boston       d            no

Worsman, Colette           Meredith             r             no

Wright, Donald S   Moultonborough        r             lean no

Young, Harry L   Jaffrey  d                                       yes

Speaker And Media Notwithstanding, Gambling Vote Will Not Be Close

Even Speaker Terie Norelli, who has yet to take a public position for or against expanded gambling, is quoted in the media today saying next week's vote will be close.

 Lobbyists on both sides seem to be saying it'll be close.

 The media is salivating in their hopes for a close vote.

 Perhaps it all depends on what your definition of close is; the first person I asked today said ten votes would be close.  If that's your definition, this vote will not be close.

 Even after a few adjustments for votes from committee members yesterday, I have the margin at 60 votes, approximately 200-140 as it now stands.  That would be 200-140 in favor of the Inexpedient to Legislate motion or if you prefer 140-200 in favor of the bill.  We're into the realm where Yes really does mean No and No means Yes.

WMUR at long last has done an update.  They have finally moved Rep. Barry from Yes to No, where I've had him all along.  Apparently it takes a vote before the WMUR folks will correct their errors.

WMUR now has nos ahead 138-112, but they list now list five people (and I've informed James Pindell of this at least twice, so he's had plenty of time to verify) as Yes who are rather firm Nos.  Make those corrections, and even the WMUR margin is 36 votes, 143-107.

 Yes, it's time to name names.  What with Jodi facing death today and O.J. taking a stab at getting a new trial (ugh!  I know, but I had to work it in), it'll be a great personal sacrifice but hopefully by the end of the day, I'll be able to post a list of all 396 Reps (three seats vacant and GeorgetheK nowhere to be found).  Not only that, I'll do it in a format (alphabetical) far easier to follow than the WMUR town by town approach.

 For now, allow me to name three Reps who insist they are Nos while WMUR still has them in the Yes column:  James Aguiar of Campton, Tim Horrigan of Durham, and Tim Comerford of Fremont.  Two other Reps (Larry Gage of Manchester and Joe Pitre, of Farmington) I would also move from the Channel 9 Yes to No column.

 I just received an email from Rep. Mario Ratzki. of East Andover, noting that he is a Yes, but this doesn't change anything.  He's been listed as a Yes all along.

 What we need to ferret out now are stances of undecided Reps or even more importantly, those who might change positions.

 I also have a list of key undecided Reps.  Dan Eaton, of Stoddard, was one of them, and his vote against gambling yesterday must be viewed as more than a simple addition of one vote since he's on the list of people who absolutely must change for SB152 to have even a slight chance.  One of my other key undecideds came out as a No yesterday, but I promised him/her anonymity.

 The one thing that could make things closer in my calculation is the preponderance of first term Democrats in the list of 60 unknown/undecided Reps I currently have.  At least on Ways and Means, first term Democrats broke to the yes side while more veteran Democrats still appear to be, for the most part, staunch nos.

 So far, I've found that undecideds have been breaking more to the No than Yes side, but let's go way out on a limb and say that undecideds break two to one (40-20) in favor of SB172.  That would merely reduce the margin from 60 votes down to 40.  Also many Republicans are among the 60, and I fully expect most of them to break to the No side as the loyal opposition to the governor.  The more Hassanick pressure brought to bear on Democrats (one of the most tenured Democrats in the House just told me she'll be going into the corner office next Monday), the more Republican fence sitters can be expected to oppose the bill.

 My bottom line remains that, unless you define close as 40 votes, next week's vote will be the opposite of close.

 As always absences must be considered, but they usually tend to break proportionately about the same for and against a bill, so even if there are 50 or so Reps absent (and it could well be less than that for such a heavily lobbied bill), don't expect the margin to change much.

 Here's the big question of the day.

Speakers rarely leave the rostrum and come down to the well to speak.  I remember Speaker Norelli did so a few years back in support of the transgender bill (I applauded her for it).  What are the chances that Speaker Norelli will wait till the last minute and then decide to speak out against this bill?  Most of her leadership is aligned against it, but then she would be going against her Democratic governor.  My guess is she will wield a fair gavel and say nothing...except to tell the media that she expects a close vote.

The Day Of The Blue Shirts

If you're a history fan like I am (in fact, I'm currently trying to navigate the great Alan Bullock's 1000-page dual biography "Hitler and Stalin:  Parallel Lives"), you've undoubtedly heard of Brown Shirts and Black Shirts.

Neither would be politically correct these days of course, so I may be taken to task for even mentioning it, but as the 45-member gambling panel met to vote this afternoon, the audience was crowded with what we might term Blue Shirts.

Apparently some labor group, shades of when Bill O'Brien was Speaker, had deluded itself into thinking it might swing a few votes if they stacked the crowd with people all wearing the same pro casino blue shirt.  "Yes on 152" was emblazoned on the shirts.  One can only wonder who paid for them.

One can only wonder if the wearers actually believed such tactics would sway votes.

Among the blue shirt wearers was one of my friends (at least I thought so) from Ward 8, Manchester.  I felt the need to explain how I too support expanded gambling, just not this plan which provides only 30 percent to the state as opposed to 55 percent in past versions and which virtually guarantees that Manchester would be cut out of even a small piece of the gambling action.

My plan was tailor-made for a 600-machine facility somewhere in the South Willow or downtown area.  But, this blue shirt wearer asked me if it wouldn't take longer to get up and running.  The answer is--no, not at all.  In fact, since enough infrastructure is already in place for a 600-machine mini facility, the place could be up and running almost immediately after getting a license.

But no, we would forever be pre-empted from a small facility in Manchester or Hudson or Seabrook or Hinsdale or Loudon or Lincoln or any place else if Millennium and Salem hog all 5000 machines.

That's not the kind of plan I support, my blue-shirted friends.

By stacking the House with blue-shirted backers, the casino supporters left no room for the number one backer, Senator Lou D'Allesandro, to sit down; he was forced to sit at the press table.

I know, I know, "Parallel Lives" is 20 years old.  In fact, I bought it back when it first came out and from the underlining, it seems I managed to get through the Hitler parts back then, but I got bogged down with all those long Russian names and skipped the Stalin sections.  As penance for a winter of reading too much crime fiction (Harlan Coben), I'm forcing myself to a spring of tough history.  Note the heading here is not only an analogy to brown shirts, but also to Night of The Long Knives (a good trivia question some week; I could list five people and ask you who survived the night; don't say Rohm, Hitler's homosexual head of the Brown Shirts who was slaughtered during that purge).

Suffice it to say that I've never been a fan of members of any group sacrificing their individuality for any specious reason, especially the wearing of silly shirts in a quixotic attempt to sway opinion!  Not that I'd ever make a law to deny them their free speech.  As I stated in the Stella episode, free speech allows anybody to say or do any stupid thing that body so desires.   It simply strikes me as an unproductive attempt at bullying...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Is there?