Day: Help Wanted: Political Leadership in New Hampshire

I am disappointed in the behavior of Governor Hassan and the leadership of the NH House and Senate as shown by their reckless spending and shocking regulatory increases.

The great lineage of New Hampshire history shows us that the NH government was supposedly formed to stop us from preying upon one another, and to punish those who would steal from us or tell us what to do. Unfortunately, as demonstrated by the actions of the Governor and others who, like her, seem to have political ambitions that require them to pander to special interests, the politicians in Concord have become the plunderers and exploiters. As a result, I believe a fair review of how they have done this to my neighbors in NH and how that hurts the economy and the population, is worthwhile.

The off-course budgets pushed by Senate string-pullers and the Governor – foisted on us at a time when the burden of political dictates has never been higher, when people have been struggling to get by – are shocking, and cannot be overlooked. The Senate would see politically-directed state spending rise to $600 million, and the Governor would see that brought to $1 billion. That’s money taken out of the hands of the people who earn it and thrust into the hands of politicians and bureaucrats who believe they know better than my neighbor how to use the fruits of his or her labor.

Despite the fact that the state constitution only grants the government the power to regulate monopolies or companies found to be collusively pricing (see Section 2, Article 83 of the document the politicians swear to uphold), this new budget continues the gangland tactic of shakedowns and mandates on an even more onerous and pernicious scale, giving agencies and bureaucrats even more chances to shake down business owners and impose fines and mandates. The last I discussed this with neighbors, it wasn’t moral to threaten others, and tell them how to engage in voluntary business. If you didn’t like how someone conducted business, you went elsewhere, or discovered an opportunity to compete. You didn’t tell someone else they would be fined or shut down if they didn’t answer strong-arm commands by people who never had anything to do with creating the business.

There was a time when New Hampshire was seen by entrepreneurs in other states as a haven, a place where they could start businesses without being robbed by contemporary Red Coats, when these immigrating business leaders would offer more and more job opportunities to people in the NH area, and better lives, allowing more earned capital to then be invested in even more new ventures. But now, the binge-eating NH government has put the state at the frustrating position of being 48th most appealing for business.

How did we come to this point? How did we arrive at a place where more and more residents don’t work here, they commute in greater numbers to Massachusetts, which was once seen as the oppressive stronghold to the south?

We have arrived here because of a thirst to appeal to entrenched political special interests, be they unions, state employees or organized groups yelling for handouts on the backs of my friends and children who haven’t even been able to vote. It’s more than disappointing, it is enervating. It inspires us to look at those who discard principle and care for our neighbors and their progeny, who would steal from them and claim it’s done in the name of “fairness” and “caring”, and to call them to task.

Governor Hassan is positioning herself to run for Senate as the puppet of the big labor and state unions against Kelly Ayote. Senate President Chuck Morse is likely looking at running for the Second Congressional District or Governor. They’re attempting to play Political Musical Chairs – on the backs of my neighbors.

There has got to be a better way. If we embrace honest dealing with our neighbors, we will try not to take from them, try to leave them in peace. If we adhere to the NH Constitution, reduce taxes rather than increase them, reduce mandates and burdens, more jobs will become available in the productive private sector.

I have been fortunate to work in the field of entrepreneurship, advising and starting companies, for twenty years. I know that the way to help people better their lives is to help free the market for entrepreneurs and to allow earners to keep their money, allow them to spend it where they see their lives being improved.

Let’s step away from mandates, taxes and special favors. Let’s step away from the game of musical chairs. Let’s stand up for our rights and heritage as free people, not cogs in a political machine.

Aaron Day is the chairman of Stark360.org.