The results of the elections were a surprise to almost everyone, for just about whatever candidate you may have supported. Nationally a divided government of some sort was expected by most, in some fashion. Within New Hampshire, it was probably anyone’s guess. The winners say they knew they would win, the losers reverted to at best “nauseously optimistic” on Election Day. Joy and sorrow came fast overnight. We are now on a journey where we will learn much about our nation, our Constitution, and our idea of getting along in a democracy. Let’s consider all the ways this can go: ch-ch-changes ahead for sure, David!

We’ve seen a Trump administration before, but not with this big win and both houses of Congress. He is what many always seem to look for: someone not part of the Washington machine, not part of a party machine, not even a lawyer! This type person always seems attractive to a broad audience, the outsider who can fix whatever perceived wrongs there are.

There actually was great hope in 2016 when he came into office, with a Cabinet team mainly stocked with Party and capable folk. It was certainly more conservative than some might care for, and we missed an opportunity to elect the first woman President. But a swing back and forth between the parties is probably healthy for democracy – as long as the swing doesn’t go too far. I myself thought (hoped) that the office would make the man, and he would bring change but would not go far astray. His failed legislation – repeal of the Affordable Care Act – was a bullet dodged. I can’t even imagine what might have happened if it was repealed: free market healthcare? His tax bill could be seen as a success: reduction of the SALT deductions was only fair, and the increase in the standard deduction saved many households (mine included) hours and hours of work. You can argue against the reduction in the corporate earnings tax, and elimination of easy deduction of charitable contributions, but those items come and go and policies change. But changing the tax code was a breeze compared to really cutting spending. Until some administration seriously takes on Defense, Social Security, and Medicare not much can change.

We can expect President Trump to be smarter than last time. Many of his advisors and Cabinet appointments apparently are valued according to loyalty over expertise. Elon Musk may be brilliant, but – as George Will recently put it: “The richest man in the world is about to get a free public education.”  No change happens without someone’s ox being gored. We’ve been down these paths before.

The worst case scenario is if the Senate and the Congress are so totally aligned with the Trump agenda that no opposition, no questions, no damping is imposed. Thar’s where monsters dwell. Trump’s own bombastic way of dealing with critics is also a grave danger. Fortunately, even when a single party government has been place, the internal differences have always stymied the most radical changes. But it is rough on many as it plays out. Stay tuned.

Is the Federal government an overwhelming administrative state? For sure. Should any organization continually self-examine and clear the cobwebs, the traditions, the “well we always do it that way” approach? Absolutely. This would be a great outcome of the Trump presidency, even if we might disagree and oppose some changes. To quote someone else, let’s not let a crisis go wasted. Let’s look to lever changes that will benefit all – at least from this viewpoint.

If you believe education, health care, affordable housing, and things people need to flourish should be a basic right and not a privilege, then you might be a “Democratic socialist.” (apologies to Jeff Foxworthy)

In his 1961 speech to the Negro American Labor Council, Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Call it democracy, or call it democratic socialism, but there must be a better distribution of wealth within this country for all God's children."

Democratic socialism typically refers to collectively-owned businesses and forms of government, where workers and government entities have more control over the means of production and distribution of goods, as opposed to the private ownership and free market that drives capitalism. A Democratic socialist typically supports ideas such as labor reform and pro-union policies, tuition-free public universities and trade schools, universal healthcare, federal jobs programs, fair taxation that closes loopholes that the wealthiest citizens have found, and using taxes on the rich and corporations to fund social welfare programs.

Some examples of democratic socialism that we have all enjoyed for years without giving it a second thought:
~police, fire and ambulance departments;
~public schools;
~public libraries;
~public museums;
~public parks, Grand Canyon in Arizona; Hot Springs in Arkansas; Yosemite in California and Acadia in Maine as examples;
~Social Security;
~Medicaid/Medicare;
~SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program); (for those who need help in feeding their families)
~highway and road maintenance; these are just several examples of what Democratic socialism is all about. Think about that the next time you travel that highway to a state park, take your child to a library, or find yourself in need of an ambulance or the fire department.

On the other hand, capitalism is an economic system consisting of private ownership of the means of production. Modern capitalist systems generally include a market-oriented economy, which means the production and pricing of goods, and even the income of individuals, are dictated to a greater extent by market forces. Capitalism is built on the ideas of private property, profit motive, and market competition. Throughout history, capitalism has been criticized for several reasons with some historians connecting profit-driven economies to the rise of oppressive institutions such as colonialism, imperialism and slavery. Capitalism is also ripe (when it runs amuck) for abuse of the very system which enables it. 

A dictatorship is where one person or a small group possess absolute power without effective constitutional limitations. Dictators typically use force or fraud to gain despotic political power, hanging on to it through the use of intimidation, terror, and the suppression of basic civil liberties. They might also use techniques of mass propaganda in order to retain public support.

This last election has given rise to the potential of a dictator here in the United States. They will be coming after healthcare, looking to repeal the ACA again. They plan on getting rid of the Dept. of Education, which we have already seen the beginnings of with taxpayer funded religious school vouchers in many states.   Immigrants will have more to fear, and soon. The EPA will be dismantled, a majority of environmental protections for humans and planet alike will go bye-bye which means more and frequent extreme weather. No more funding for Planned Parenthood. 

Our new assignment now is to somehow support civil liberties groups such as the ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, National Organization for Women (NOW) to name a few. We need to stay informed and vigilant on local, state and federal issues and don’t be afraid to reach out to your representative, let them know what you’re thinking and/or how you would like them to vote. Most importantly, do not obey in advance!

Future articles will be featuring a birds-eye view (so to speak) as to what happens at the State House. We are stronger together!

Last week was rough, but one highlight was the election of this blog's own Terri O'Rorke to be the new State Representative 2 in Keene. Congratulations Terri!

Terri will be one of several new faces representing our area in Concord. Friend of the blog Samantha Jacobs is also a new representative for Keene wards 1,3,4 & 5, Chesterfield, Hinsdale, Walpole, North Walpole, Surry, and Westmoreland. Other friend of the blog, and occasional poster, Nick Germana will also be serving in that floterial district, having switched to that district from representing Ward 1. Ward 1 will now be served by Nick's son, Dylan. Jim Gruber, from Alstead, will be representing the floterial district covering Ward 2, Alstead, Gilsum, Sullivan, Stoddard, Marlboro, Nelson, and Harrisville. 

Meanwhile Dru Fox won re-election in Ward 3, Jodi k Newell won in Ward 4, and Phil Jones in Ward 5. Lucius Parshall won in Marlboro and we're not going to talk about Swanzey.

Finally, the incomparable Karen Liot Hill will now be our Executive Councilor, and the only Democrat in that body of five. Be sure to give Karen some love this term, she's going to need it.

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In the attached picture, starting from the left, that's Dru, Karen, Nick, Terri, Samantha, Lucius, County Commissioner Terry Clark, outgoing State Rep Joe Shapiro, and Jodi.

Well, the unthinkable happened. There were enough people in this country who hate democracy (or Pres. Biden or Kamala Harris) so much they voted in a blubbering, demented, uneducated, senile, narcissistic, racist, misogynistic, bigoted, fraudulent, adjudicated sexual assaulter and convicted felon to unleash his autocratic fantasies on the rest of us. 

Jokes on them . . . if they think they’re going to miss out on the ride to hell, they need to think again! 

In the meantime, we need to take the words of the late Congressman John Lewis to heart. He believed in the importance of getting in “good trouble, necessary trouble.” Historian Timothy Snyder recently stated, “Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.” Good advice.

To that end, there are now Democrat governors in several states preparing to do what they can to protect their citizens from an overbearing and lawless autocrat. On Nov. 7th, California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom called for lawmakers to hold a special session with regards to protecting his state’s progressive policies. During Trump’s first term, Democratic leaders began California's resistance campaign against conservative policies. They have now rekindled this campaign. “The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle,” stated Newsom.

California State Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said his office has been working with Democratic attorneys general throughout the country anticipating and preparing for a Trump win.

New York’s Gov. Kathy Hochul and Atty. Gen. Letitia James along with their senior staffers will be regularly meeting to consider legal strategies to protect “key areas that are most likely to face threats from the Trump administration.” These areas would include civil rights, environmental, gun safety, immigration, labor rights, LGBTQ rights and reproductive rights. “If you try to harm New Yorkers or roll back their rights, I will fight you every step of the way.”

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey immediately stated women’s rights would be protected and she would not support deportation efforts on the part of a new administration.

Washington’s Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson, said his team have been busy scrutinizing Trump’s remarks on the campaign trail, reviewing his possible agenda, and reading every line of Project 2025. "Nothing that Donald Trump does, or his administration does, takes away our ability to enforce our rights here in Washington state, to protect our environment, to defend civil rights of all Washingtonians. And we are far, far better resourced to do that work than we were in Jan. 2017."

JB Pritzker, Illinois Gov., has stated, “You come for my people, you come through me.” He had been working with the General Assembly to create a plan in the event of a reelected Trump and assured the people of Illinois they will remain a state where everyone’s rights remain protected, including healthcare, labor and women’s rights. Pritzker has also been familiarizing himself with Project 2025. 

Meanwhile, attorneys general in blue states throughout the country have announced they too, are preparing for legal fights.

How about New Hampshire? Has our Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte or the attorney general come out with statements on how they would protect their citizens from a wannabe dictator? Nope. Even though she rescinded her support of Trump in 2016, she endorsed him in 2024 so I guess we have our answer on that. 

Coming up on Tues. Nov. 19th from 6:30-8:00 there will be a “What Now?” in Cohen Hall which is upstairs at the Keene Public Library. This is co-sponsored by the Clean Energy Team and the Monadnock Sustainability Hub. Can you offer support or do you need it? Do you have ideas for strategy and action or would like to learn of some? Either way, come if you can.

"Modern authoritarianism, as it's growing inside Europe and now coming to the United States, rests much more on the use of power to protect the guilty than to persecute the innocent. And its motive is not crazy totalitarian utopianism, it's motive is repressive kleptocracy. To steal and to use the powers of the state to protect theft." ~ 
David Frum, Canadian-American political commentator

"Clarity of language is the first casualty of authoritarianism." ~ 
Robin Morgan, American activist, journalist, writer

Gladys Tantaquidgeon was born in Uncasville, Ct. on June 15, 1899 to parents of Mohegan heritage. She was a descendant of the famous 17th-century Mohegan Sachem, Uncas. Gladys was trained from an early age in herbalism and tribal spirituality and went on to dedicating her life to preserving the beliefs, customs, and traditions of Native Americans throughout America.

In 1931, she, along with her brother and father, founded the Tantaquidgeon Indian Museum in Uncasville. This is the oldest Native American owned and operated museum in the country. In 1934, Gladys worked with the Bureau of Indian Affairs for more than ten years, promoting Native American artwork and centuries-old customs that had been banned by the federal government. She was essential in the work of gaining federal recognition to the Mohegan Tribe in 1994.

The following is a list of Gladys Tantaquidgeon’s, also known as the Mohegan Medicine Woman, accomplishments:

• Pursued Ivy League education as a non-white woman, 1920s
• Co-founded Tantaquidgeon Museum 
• Fought for civil rights in the 1930s
• Social work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
• Economic development work for the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, late 1930s and 1940s
• Worked at Niantic Women’s prison as a librarian in 1940s 
• Provided free community education about Indian lifestyles 1960s-1990s
• Ensured friendly relations with the town of Montville and all of Connecticut
• Preserved traditional Mohegan spirituality
• Worked to preserve the environment
• Documented traditional Native herbal remedies
• Preserved traditional Native ceremonies and artforms
• Preserved the meaning of traditional Mohegan symbols
• Recorded and shared old Native American stories

She and her brother believed education was the best cure for prejudice, "You can't hate someone that you know a lot about."

Gladys passed away on November 1, 2005.

Conservatives sure are hell bent into twisting themselves into chocolate covered pretzels in their quest to destroy public schools. In the late 1990’s, the New Hampshire school funding system was found to be unconstitutional by the NH Supreme Court. The governor and legislature were ordered to define the sections of a constitutionally adequate education, figure out the cost of doing so and pay for it with taxes that were equal across the state. We are now at the end of 2024 with members of far-right extreme conservative groups having infiltrated our legislature and local town governments, doing all they can to put an end to public education. 

An amicus brief was filed in early October to the NH Supreme Court, alleging the court incorrectly ruled on the Claremont cases way back in the 1990’s and would like that ruling overturned. As a refresher (and at the risk of being redundant), the NH Supreme Court had ruled the state must put into effect its constitutional duty to provide its students with an adequate education and come up with a school funding system that fairly taxes its citizens in order to do so. In the meantime, while the state and public schools are still waiting for the results of that ruling to take effect, more than thirty Republican legislators signed on to the brief. 

The two current lawsuits, Contoocook Valley School District et al. v. State of New Hampshire and Steven Rand et al v State of New Hampshire say the state has failed to meet the obligations imposed by the court in 1997, that taxpayers in different towns do not pay equal rates of taxes for education, and that students do not have equal access to quality public education. 

Let’s try to follow along with this seemingly never-ending litigious mess: 

• the NH Attorney General’s Office is defending the school funding system by claiming it is constitutional and the plaintiffs haven’t proven the state to be distributing less for an “adequate education.”
• the AG’s Office has additionally stated the courts are prohibited from requesting legislators to disburse particular amounts on schools under the separation of powers doctrine.
• -the extremist legislators are now asking the NH Supreme Court to overturn the Claremont decisions, whereas the AG’s Office is not.
• the extremist legislators claim in 1993 and 1997 the NH Supreme Court incorrectly interpreted Article 83, part 2 as granting the duty to provide education to the state.
• the extremist legislators feel that Article 83 be read in connection with Article 6, part 1 which states: “As morality and piety, rightly grounded on high principles, will give the best and greatest security to government, and will lay, in the hearts of men, the strongest obligations to due subjection; and as the knowledge of these is most likely to be propagated through a society, therefore, the several parishes, bodies, corporate, or religious societies shall at all times have the right of electing their own teachers, and of contracting with them for their support or maintenance, or both. But no person shall ever be compelled to pay towards the support of the schools of any sect or denomination. And every person, denomination or sect shall be equally under the protection of the law; and no subordination of any one sect, denomination or persuasion to another shall ever be established.”
• But no person shall ever be compelled to pay towards the support of the schools of any sect or denomination. Just wanted to repeat that.
• the argument from the extreme legislators is for the constitution to be understood as to require an education for all students while giving local control on how to pay for and provide that education.

In the event the Claremont cases are overturned, the state would no longer be obliged to finance the adequacy formula. This is what gives extra help to towns who can’t raise enough funding for their schools through just the statewide education property tax (SWEPT). That decision would grant legislators the ability to considerably lower or eliminate altogether, state spending on education.

Muddy up the waters, then take another step closer to getting rid of public schools. Be careful who you vote for, you just might get what you didn’t want.

Inquiring minds want to know . . .

The following is taken from the Executive Council website:

The Executive Council of the State of New Hampshire has the authority and responsibility, together with the Governor, over the administration of the affairs of the State as defined in the New Hampshire Constitution, the New Hampshire statutes, and the advisory opinions of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and the Attorney General.

Each of the five Executive Councilors represents one fifth of the population or approximately 263,000 citizens. Councilors are elected every two years, concurrently with the Governor. The Councilors participate in the active management of the business of the state. They receive assistance from the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services and the Attorney General who review requests involving state funds since no expenditure can be legally authorized without the availability of adequate funds.

When a contract for the state comes in at more than $10,000 it goes before the Executive Council who then votes on whether to approve or disapprove of it. They decide if this is a good use of taxpayer money, then send their decision back to the governor. It is one more form of a “check and balance” system in our state government.

Other duties of the council is to approve appointments of Commissioners, Commissioners of Deeds, Judges, Justices of the Peace and Notary Public. They also manage and oversee the state’s 10-year highway plan while keeping an eye on the state treasury,  ensuring departments don’t spend more than permitted, or use funds for something else not approved by the legislature. 

Additionally, they serve as “go-betweens” for individuals, municipalities and organizations with the state government. They can also hear requests for pardons.

A councilor’s term is 2 years and is made up of both Democrats and Republicans at any given time. Their collective decision(s) can have a positive or negative impact on our state, which makes this elected position very important.  

On Saturday, Nov. 2nd from 1:15 -3:00 a “Freedom March” is planned in Keene. Join other democracy lovers at Keene State College on Main Street at 1:15 for a walk to picturesque Central Square. There we will hear speakers who are passionate about: 

• Climate Action
• LGBTQ rights
• Reproductive rights
• Voting rights

Bring your homemade freedom signs, bring your family and friends, bring your enthusiasm! 

To register and learn more: keene-freedom-march.eventbrite.com

See you there!

Good question. I don’t know. Let’s find out together. . . 

Property tax rates are set every fall by the Dept. of Revenue Administration (DRA) and is meant to be a means of checks and balances for each community. Each municipality sends in its total assessed value, exemptions, credit figures and municipal budget for a rate calculation. County and school districts do the same by sending in their proposed budgets and the state legislature sets the education budget. 

When the DRA receives all required documents, the tax rate is calculated by dividing budget totals by the total taxable assessed value of the city or town. Let’s put this in understandable numeric terms: if the total of all the budgets for a community is $100,000 and the total taxable assessed value of that community is $1,000,000 then the tax rate would be set at $10. 100,000 divided by 1,000,000 would equal .10 or $10 per thousand.

OK, now that we get the gist of it, would it surprise you to know that over the past 20 years property taxes have tripled?? Why? Have costs and spending increased in our cities or towns? Yeah, probably, but the main culprit for these increases has been the state placing more costs onto the property tax payer. Let’s explore a few places where that is happening:

-Meals and Rooms Tax: RSA 78-A became law in 1967 and is a tax collected by hotels, restaurants, caterers, and other businesses. That tax money is then sent to the state. Some of that money goes toward school building loans and tourism promotion. Additionally, state law requires 40% be returned to towns based on their population, but for far too many years the state has ignored their legal obligation for revenue sharing. In the meantime, revenues have increased due to this tax but barely 21% sees its way back to communities. This leaves the property tax payer stuck with making up the difference while the state has reaped the benefits of millions of dollars.    

-Business Profits Tax: Enacted in 1970, this is a flat-rate tax on a business’s taxable income (taxable income determined by federal income tax rules, with a few adjustments) and historically has been one of the largest sources of general fund revenue. However, since 2015, Republican legislators have continuously lowered the state’s business profits tax, taking it down from 8.5% to 7.5% in intervals of two-tenths of a percent. The reduction has been praised as a way of making NH more enticing to businesses, encouraging expansion, hiring more employees and growing the economy.
Who benefits? The state, with business tax revenue increasing 118% since the tax cuts began. Originally, the state was obligated to share with municipalities, but with incremental decreases over the course of 20 years, municipalities now receive nothing, having to make up for that loss (millions of dollars) with increasing property taxes. 
Not surprisingly, the majority of Republican candidates running for either re-election or for the first time are in favor of decreasing this tax while they are against a capital gains tax on our wealthiest residents (which is basically just a handful). 

-State bridge aid: With no funding by revenue from gas and tolls the amount of “Red List” bridges either grows or stays the same. Towns whose bridges need repairs do so at their own expense, property taxes. Luckily, because of the Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Act that was passed into law by Pres. Biden in 2021, a lot of communities will see federal monies to aid in needed repairs. 

-Education Freedom Accounts: Otherwise “fondly” referred to as those damn school vouchers! Article 83 of the NH constitution specifically states “. . . that no money raised by taxation shall ever be granted or applied for the use of the schools of institutions of any religious sect or denomination.” What part of that wording is so hard for Republican candidates to understand as they continue to raid the funding for public education. 

This is unsustainable for property owners. If you feel the same way then be sure to use your voice and your vote on Nov. 5th!

Last year New Hampshire State signed into state law that any government reference to a holiday on the second Monday in October must be called Columbus Day (see XXV: 288:1).  It’s one of our evolving holidays, for sure:  Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthday became Presidents’ Day, Decoration Day became Memorial Day, but they held the same themes.  (Don’t look for Fast Day anymore – could be scary, except that it too evolved.)  The second Monday in October is changing in a somewhat contrarian way from the original. 

Columbus Day originated as a celebration of the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus, an Italian sponsored by a Spanish Queen.  Those who promote this celebration see it as a triumph of the human spirit and thirst for knowledge, with a bold sailor setting off into the unknown.  The holiday later evolved into celebrating the Italian immigration that followed, along with the settlement of the Western Hemisphere with a variety of European systems. 

That “discovery” has become recognized for the exploitation it was, and the genocide that resulted. Indeed, we know and accept that the real drivers were for resource extraction, subjugation, and religion, and the expansion of European culture without regard to any culture that existed. 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day shifts the theme to acknowledge the reality of the European invasion.  Instead of the invader Columbus, it celebrates the peoples that were and are here in the Western Hemisphere.  We now condemn the way these cultures were treated; indeed, it could be a day of mourning as well. 

Is it reasonable to hold these two thoughts in our hearts and minds at the same time?  Can we honor Columbus for a spirit of adventure and boldness, no matter what the real motivators may have been?   Can we simultaneously honor the cultures that were here, are here, and would have been here at the same time?  Western culture in the Americas (even the naming convention) is now an established fact.  It is the freedom we now enjoy which allows us to acknowledge and seek redemption from the original sin of the genocide Columbus precipitated. 

The thought takes us further:  does exploration always lead to exploitation?  European powers sailing the world in the vaunted “Age of Discovery” certainly led to the exploitation of peoples that had not the ability to resist. Is it likely – or even guaranteed - that all state-sponsored or commercial exploration results in exploitation? It sure seems that way  – although the jury is still out on moon landings and Mars probes,  I wager Martians are watching nervously.  I would proffer that exploration, where one side has some advantage over the other, will no doubt lead to displacement of the “explored” culture by the former’s; without going too far back, consider the spreads of Islam and Christianity, totalitarian communism, and the spread of capital market driven democracy after WWII.  Existing cultures tended to disappear. 

Seems that Gene Roddenberry had it most closely to some ideal:  the Prime Directive, not to interfere with an indigenous culture until there is some level of technical equality.  Even then, Star Trek is riddled with violations.  Can we do better?  Or will we too be displaced someday….