Does anyone miss Gov. Benson?

  This is an editorial from a recent edition of the Caledonian Record newspaper. I really liked both the content and the ideas. Somehow there is and continues to be a void between the hard working business people and the lofty ideas of the policymakers, consultants and state agencies that supposedly are in the business of economic development and jobs.

UNH is apparently starting a curriculum about franchising. It should be interesting to see what kind of leadership and experience the state run college recruits to run this program. Notice I said experience running a business and making money.

Guess that is why I found Gov. Benson to be at least new air in the stodgy lobbyist dominated NH Statehouse.

"Don't forget to bring your brains to work."- Gov. Benson.

Sometimes I wonder if New Hampshire would be in the same set of circumstances that it is today, if, the one term Governor had been re-elected even for just one term. My guess is no but that ain't the way politics works.!

"Three cheers for Duncan Kilmartin and Dena Gray. Kilpatrick, Republican representative to the Vermont Legislature from Newport, and Gray, owner of Newport's Eastside Restaurant, were the only private sector business people out of 50 who attended an economic development forum in Barton. All of the rest were from alphabet agencies that live directly on taxpayer money or grants that ultimately come from taxpayer money, i.e. they are on the dole.

Both Kilpatrick and Gray pointed that out, though a bit less brutally than we do. Both wanted to know, "Where are the people who make the money?" And we ask the same thing. Do academics and public agency people know how to start, run, and succeed at a business? Do those whose salaries don't depend upon their brains and energy, but are guaranteed by a distant public entity, know anything about entrepreneurship other than what they have read in a book? Do those who haven't ever had to meet a payroll know the intense pressure of that necessity in hard times?

Academics and alphabet agency people remind us of a poem by Alistair Reid "Curiosity." It is an allegorical treatment of the differences between those who are involved and those who are not. If the cats are the entrepreneurs who weren't there, all but two of the people at this forum are like the dogs, in this excerpt:

"Nevertheless, to be curious

is dangerous enough. To distrust

what is always said, what seems

to ask odd questions, interfere in dreams,

leave home, smell rats, have hunches

do not endear cats to those doggy circles

where well-smelt baskets, suitable wives, good lunches are the order of things, and where prevails

much wagging of incurious heads and tails."

We agree with Rep. Kilpatrick and Ms. Gray. Next time, whoever sponsors such a forum ought to make sure that some of the people upon whom the economy of Vermont depends are there."
""

Comments

[Jim Splaine]

I miss that former New Hampshire Governor what's-his-name like I miss the broken foot I had for 10 months last year.

[Ed Naile]

Jim:

Do you miss the $40 million dollar surpluss he left you Democrats to squander?

You must be dreaming of getting the tiny governor to drop his no broad based tax "pledge" next.

Keep up the good work.

[Jim Splaine]

Since that Governor whose-name-I-not-speak left a big budget balancing gap, not a surplus, and had smashed morale among state employees at all levels, nope -- I don't miss him.

[Ed Naile]

Jim:

Benson left a deficit? That is a sad little lie.

No wonder you guys spent us into half a billion in debt.

So are you going to push the non-governor we have now into breaking his worthless word again?

I think that was my question.

[01/20/13]

I never knew that keeping government employees happy was the indicator of a successful government. Silly me, I thought it was to provide the State's citizens basic services and protections. If that's the only important yard stick, let's just keep on giving them life time job security and annual raises when those of us in the dreaded private sector are, when fortunate enough to keep a job, have to face significant cuts to our pay and benefits. Not to mention the free spending majority party who is hell bent on free spending and taxing the NH citizens back to the Stone Age.

[Steven J. Connolly]

"free spending and taxing the NH citizens back to the Stone Age."

I think the Democratic plutocracy is running out of options. The state budget defcit grows wider the revenues aren't coming in and the demands from all sides are ever present.

A recent (yesterday) e-mail from Fixitnow New Hampshire says that $160 million from slot machines would be the likely statrting place. I think this needs to be considered by the policymakers in Concord.

The Fixitnow organization also says that a majority of the NH population would support slot machines over increased taxation.

[Arthur]

Ed, it isn't the first time Jim has made himself look silly. Jim is a typical lib hypocrite as his other big issue (besides gay marriage) has been campaign finance reform. If Jim is such a staunch crusader for CFR then why was it ok for him, and his other state democrats to receive thousands in donations from big out of state pro-gay marriage groups?

[Ed Naile]

Steven J. Connoly:

How can you trust this liberal legislature, addicted to reckless spending to NOT become addicted to more revenue?

Simple math and history proves they would spend $320 million if they thought for a second gambling would bring in $160 million.

THEY ARE BANKRUPTING NH ON PURPOSE.

[Steven J. Connolly]

"How can you trust this liberal legislature, addicted to reckless spending to NOT become addicted to more revenue?"

I support economic development and jobs and enhancement of the state's largest industry. We need to pass this legislation regardless of who is in power.

Politicians come and go. This includes the Democrats.

P.S.
Pennsylvania has already captured in the vicinity of two billion dollars and its only been a year.