This is an open letter to Republicans who are following [president] Trump like sheep, and to Democrats and Independents who are still trying to figure out what’s next. What will you do to prevent the destruction of this country? 

Senators and Representatives are charged with acting to preserve the USA and its precious democracy, as testified in their installation oath to follow the Constitution. Although I may not be one of your direct geographical constituents, my citizenship allows me — forces me — to communicate with anyone in Congress. The assaults on democracy, institutions, legal aliens and federal employees are cruel, vindictive, unjust and unnecessary. 

Every day, Trump is shredding pieces of this country and throwing them away. To save money? RIDICULOUS! It's like cutting down all the trees to save a forest when the disease is the shredder, not the trees. It is time to develop enough courage to listen to the American people and DO SOMETHING! 

Trump is the opposite of presidential. He demonstrates negative traits easily witnessed. He is not a leader. He has no moral vision. He cares nothing for people or organizations which have historical and beneficial characteristics and have enriched our culture. He cares nothing about his insulting behavior to leaders of other countries or their people. He is both a liar and a hypocrite. He is vindictive and does not accept responsibility for being wrong. He is angry at anyone who does not agree or expresses a different viewpoint. He is self-indulgent, thoughtless and ignorant. 

As a result, he attempts to diminish others or he gets rid of them with falsehood and insult. He recently proclaimed that “America is a fat, dumb and foolish country." Perhaps – for electing him – but he should look in the mirror! How insulting and outrageous for someone who claims to love America! He seems to think he can do or say anything because he believes he is (or wants to be) king! This is not a kingdom! This is a democracy with Senators and Representatives who are charged with serving the needs of their constituents; i.e., PUBLIC SERVANTS! That representation is supposed to be for everyone -- whether they believe in or follow similar ideologies -- whether they live in wealth or in poverty – from wherever their ancestors came. We are suddenly learning how little politicians seem to care and how reluctant they are to make waves. 

Congress is like the third leg of a table that balances the leadership of this country to be reciprocally accountable. Where is their courage to do the job for which they were elected? There are graver concerns than Trump’s narcissistic personality. Our legal system, checks and balances, national security, and influence in the world are no longer at risk – THEY ARE BROKEN! 

There is no trust in the Department of Justice because the it accepts his lies and fails to hold him responsible. Laws, rules and norms are abandoned and orders by the Courts are ignored. Other departments are being led by wealthy sycophants who are actually causing great harm (prevent or cure measles with Vitamin A – REALLY?). News media, colleges and universities are being intimidated. Effective leaders in various governmental departments, upon which we depend, have been fired, leaving a legacy of fear and a dearth of expertise among the remainder. Staffing is reduced irrationally so work cannot be done successfully. 

Trump is listening to phony influencers (such as Elon Musk, Peter Navarro, Stephen Miller and Laura Loomer) who have little or no knowledge of, or experience in, government and who foster no beneficial purpose for the nation. Our political enemies (internal and external) are on a joy ride because of the chaos, poor decisions, and negative consensus. Business leaders are living with unrelenting anxiety but are afraid to speak out because of likely retribution. 

The economy is in free-fall and Trump’s promises to reduce prices remain unfulfilled. Trump has imagined he can take extraordinary measures to “protect” the US from violence and fraud, but he is creating an environment that can actually lead to the same and a new type of war! Perhaps this is purposeful so he can declare martial law and abandon democracy thoroughly. Some of these actions are outright illegal and impeachable! 

Congress, do something! If one person can be assaulted and deported “by mistake” while others have been suddenly taken off the streets, kidnapped and deported to places which are suspiciously secret and unsafe, all without explanation or legal process, what else can happen? NO ONE IS SAFE! Your loved ones are in danger too! What will you do then? How much threat will encourage you to be courageous? DO SOMETHING! It is past time when the US Congress should be taking a stand about what is right and what is wrong. Trump is indifferent to right and wrong, good and evil, as evidenced by his lies about the 2020 election and his multiple felony convictions. 

The world watched as Trump committed treason January 6, 2021, and he should be in jail for any or all of the aforementioned. It is shameful for a convicted felon to be President of the United States and the current situation is abysmal. AREN’T YOU ASHAMED? When something is bad or wrong, it is mandatory to say or do something to fix it. Ignoring only reinforces. THIS IS THE TIME to take responsibility for saving this country. Republicans are able to stop this insanity, vitriol and cruelty but seem unable to stand for what is right and good. 

This begs the questions: What does Trump hold over their heads? What are they expecting to earn for misplaced loyalty? Are they hoping to sit at his table in the new regime? Do they really imagine he will be loyal to them? WHAT ARE THEY (YOU) AFRAID OF? The fact is that doing nothing makes Congresspeople as guilty as Trump is of the malevolence he is bestowing on this country. They are allowing him to get away with illegal and immoral activities. Therefore, INACTION OR CONDONATION DEMONSTRATES THEIR OWN ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL BEHAVIOR. 

If this continues, Congress too will soon be out of a job – no matter what or who they think will be their salvation. Espoused Christian values will not save them when they are flouting the values of Christianity and every other faith. Trump is tearing this country apart, embedding fear, hate and corruption. His actions are making people sick! Families are in turmoil! There will be some who commit suicide and others who will simply die as a result. And there is nowhere to escape. It feels like no one cares. WHAT WILL YOU DO TO PREVENT THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS COUNTRY?

Katie Delaney, Keene, New Hampshire

Cosignatories: 

Áine deDanaan, Keene, New Hampshire

Lewis Whittum, Keene, New Hampshire

Terri O’Rorke, Keene, New Hampshire

I’m sure we’ve all seen the recent television ads with Gov. Ayotte promoting her “all in” support for education freedom accounts, better known as the hated “school vouchers.” These ads come from a fairly new organization called yes. every kid. 

Now we need to connect the dots as there are quite a few. 

Yes. Every kid. was founded in 2019 by Andrew Clark, who hails from the Stand Together community, a philanthropic organization founded by Charles Koch. Koch and his late brother, David brought us Americans for Prosperity and yes there is a chapter here in Windham, New Hampshire. Koch has also supported and donated to the Heritage Foundation, who are the authors of the conservative playbook Project 2025. Lest we forget, the playbook calls for eliminating the Dept. of Education. 

Craig Hulse is the Executive Director who previously managed policy and government affairs at Tesla and public policy and public affairs at Uber. He also served as the Chief of Staff for the Nevada Speaker, helping to bring in education reforms, including universal education savings accounts, tax credit scholarships for private schools, and the creation of an achievement school district. 

Erica Jedynak is the Chief Operating Officer whose background includes Director of Economic Opportunity for Stand Together. 

Matt Frendeway is Vice President of Strategy bringing with him more than two decades of experience in strategic communications,  including working as a senior advisor to the US Secy. of Education Betsy DeVos, and Gov. Jeb Bush at Foundation for Excellence in Education.

Alexander Graff is a legislative analyst, having interned with Koch Internship Program and the Independence Institute.

These are just several of the people behind Yes. Every kid. Think about that the next time you see one of those TV ads. 

"Beware the snakes in the grass."

An activists work seems to never be done! And here we go again with another suppression bill. SB 33 is the Senate’s version of a book ban bill. Books should not be banned or removed as classroom materials based on one parent’s complaint. If a parent does not want their child to read a particular book, that parent needs to have a conversation with their child, letting them know why. But one parent does not get to determine what another parent’s child can read. If there are issues, that can be brought to the librarians and schools boards to be worked on locally. A state driven process that ends with our libraries being bare is not needed. This is just one more attempt at chipping away at local control and slowly turning New Hampshire into a police state.

This bill “requires local school districts to adopt and publicly post policies describing materials authorized for use by students in the district and outlining procedures to address complaints alleging that material is harmful or age-inappropriate for use in the district's schools.” Confused? Good. Mission accomplished by the Senate and House Republicans who sponsored this mess, with most being members of Liberty Alliance. 

On Wed., April 23rd, there will be a public hearing on SB 33 in the House Education Policy Committee. You are being asked again to go online and register your opposition to this bill:

https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/

 Fill in your Personal Information

· Select the correct date and committee for the hearing by clicking on it in the Meeting Schedule Calendar (make sure you are on the right week). [Select Bill # and select the date].

· In the drop box below "Select the Committee," select committee.

· In the drop box below "Choose the Bill," select the appropriate time and bill number.

· Select the appropriate option for the "I am" drop box (likely "Member of the Public").

· Fill in the content box under "I'm Representing" with the business, organization, or group you are representing. If you are representing yourself only, write "myself."

· Under the “Indicate Your Position on this Bill,” check the circle stating your position on the bill. “I Oppose this Bill” or “I Support this Bill”

· After filling in all the appropriate drop boxes, click “Submit.”

· After clicking submit, you will be brought to the next page, where you fill in the content boxes with your first and last name, your town, state, and email address.

· Press “Continue.”

· If you wish to speak during the hearing to present your testimony, you need to attend in person at the State House, but you upload your testimony if you cannot attend.

· If you wish to submit testimony on the bill, email the relevant committee and upload the testimony file from your computer.

The other one is HB 273, sponsored by mostly Liberty Alliance members. This will allow parents access to all of their minor child's library records, because what parent wouldn’t already be able to access their MINOR child’s library records? A solution looking for a problem. There will be a hearing on Thurs., April 24th and if you would like to register your opposition click here. Just follow the directions above. 

Thank you for taking a few moments to voice your opinion!

1775 - 250 years ago - New England was abuzz…. At least Massachusetts and the distant town of Keene…. Those damned British!

By April 19, the British Royal Governor General Thomas Gage felt things had gone too far and he had to act, as he was under orders to extinguish the growing rebellion.  He must have felt that back in London others were undermining his position at court, and no doubt he wanted to report some success rather than let the merchant rumors fly.  There were reports of munitions stockpiled in Lexington and Concord, so he seized upon the opportunity.  On the night of April 19 at 10:00 pm he sent a force of 800 British soldiers to capture and destroy the weapons.  At 10:00 pm!  Imagine getting up (perhaps with a throbbing headache from the earlier drinking) and putting on the heavy woolen uniform, donning the belts and hoisting the musket and setting out on the 13 mile dark, cold and wet march to Lexington.  And as we know, as they started out, so did Paul Revere, Richard Dawes, and Samuel Prescott, bound to raise the alarm. 

(One if by land!  Two if by sea!  I on the opposite shore will be!)

And raise the alarm they did:  To arms! To arms!  In Lexington, Capt. John Parker assembled 70 militia on the town green to meet them.  They too were roused in the middle of the night, kicking off their bed clothes, pulling on heavy boots in the cold wet weather, their spouses not knowing what they might be off to.  At about 5:00 am still in the dark the British arrived the British commander ordered the colonials to lay down their arms.  Capt. Parker, recognizing that 800 to 70 on an open field was not a good idea, called on his men to do so. But somewhere a twitchy finger twitched and a shot rang out.  The trained, nervous, and, no doubt, fatigued British soldiers fired a volley into the militia, killing eight and wounding ten.  The “shot heard round the world” had sounded.

It's still just dawn, and the British moved on to Concord by 8:00 am, marching another 7 miles, but getting more nervous with each step.  Here the British sent about 220 men ahead to secure the bridge across the Concord River, controlling movement in the town.  Once the bridge was secured (the British commander was no dummy) the rest of the force would head to the Barrett Farm, where the munitions were understood to be stored.  But by now the sun was up and so were the colonials, and a force of about 400 had assembled on high ground overlooking the bridge.  They could see some smoke rising from the other side of the river, and their commander Joseph Hosmer called out that the British were burning the town!  (They weren’t but it was a good motivator.)  As the colonials started across the bridge the British opened fire, and the militia on the hillsides returned very effective volleys, given their advantaged position. 

The British commanders realized that after having been marching for almost 12 hours and encountering growing resistance it would not be a good day, so they ordered return to Boston. Another 20 miles to travel to get to safety!  Unfortunately for them by now militias all over the countryside had arrived along the entire road back to Boston and the retreat became a rout.  The 800 that started out suffered 73 killed, 174 wounded and 26 missing.  All told the British soldiers lost more than 10% of their force, and carried the wounded back.  Overall, they traveled about 40 miles under difficult circumstances, to say the least.   Not a motivating day for troops that made it back to the ships in the harbor.  

Meanwhile, a messenger dispatched from Concord arrived in Keene on the morning of April 20.  Determined to support the cause, Isaac Wyman formed a force of twenty-nine men and himself, and they marched out at sunrise on the 21st.  It took three days to reach Concord, marching 64 miles through the wet and cold and muddy April.  Shooting was over, but they eventually did reach Boston and became part of the larger force.  Overall, about 1000 men from New Hampshire journeyed to Boston for the fight.

The colonials were no doubt elated and invigorated, as they began to mass around Boston to drive the British out.  But militia against the embedded troops sheltered under shipborne cannon would not work to well – the rebels needed cannon.  Where might there be an easy source?  Ticonderoga!

Militias in Connecticut and Massachusetts realized this opportunity simultaneously but totally separately.  The Connecticut militia was led by Col. Ethan Allen, who along with his “Green Mountain Boys” headed to the great stone fortress at the place between the lakes.  (Remember, Vermont did not exist as yet, it was all called Connecticut.)  At the same time the frequent hero of the Revolution Benedict Arnold set out with a force from Massachusetts.  They ran into each other on May 9 on the eastern shore, and, while no doubt surprised and wary, they determined to work together.  Turns out that the fort was only lightly defended and easily taken “in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!”  Ethan Allen got the fame and the painting, and Arnold rose in the ranks of the Continental Army, leading the (disastrous) invasion of Canada later in 1775, but continuing heroic deeds at Valcour Island (1776) and Saratoga (1777).  Henry Knox managed the cannon transfer back to Boston, to force the issue and drive the redcoats away.

A couple big years of history ahead, for sure!  especially for us in the East.  Stay tuned.

Taking their cues from the current regime, the Republican majority “party” in New Hampshire have been practically falling all over themselves and each other trying to pass one lousy, cruel, mean-spirited bill after another. Their targets? Quite a list; the elderly, the disabled, those with low-income jobs, those seeking an affordable college education, voters, immigrants, children, public schools and teachers, libraries, women of child-bearing age, Medicaid recipients, LGBTQ community, affordable housing, the environment. 

WOW!! Sounds like they’re destroying everybody and everything they imagine is standing in the way of their own personal utopia!

Let’s break it down with a few examples.

• The elderly – Really? They’re a threat? HB 645 was an amended bill giving the Prescription Drug Affordability Board data access that could support increased pricing transparency while lowering costs for public payers. It was “tabled” by Liberty Alliance member Rep. Jason Osborne. They also voted to “zero out” the budget for the Commission on Aging.
• Voters - HB 365 is the sloppy attempt by Liberty Alliance member Rep. Bob Lynn to fix the constitutional issues he created with last years HB 1569 voter suppression bill. Targets married women and naturalized citizens. Not only do you now need to request an absentee ballot six months in advance to an election, you better still have an excuse for voting absentee, otherwise no absentee ballot. HB 217, (Lynn again) will now require absentee ballot voters to present information showing citizenship, age, domicile, and identity in order to qualify to vote. Suppression disguised as legislation. Targets, elderly, disabled, students and military overseas.
• Immigrants – Nope, no funding for the Human Rights Commission. HB 511 prohibits state and local government from endorsing sanctuary policies to prohibit or hinder the enforcement of federal immigration law (ICE). Liberty Alliance member Rep. Joe Sweeney stated, “If you are in NH illegally, you are not welcome in NH.” HB 452 adds the following to RSA 263:10 : “The department shall not renew a driver's license for any person who is not a United States citizen and cannot prove that they are a lawful permanent resident of the United States.” A lot of people are here under protected status or asylum seekers, how are they supposed to get to their jobs, school? HB 461 requires all printed and digitally available driver's license exam-related materials, including the exam itself, be available and administered in English only. And yet, NH already has multi-language driver training and tests. Just more cruelty towards “the other.”
• Women - HCR 7 was a resolution acknowledging abortion as an important piece of comprehensive reproductive health care. They “tabled” it. Best to bleed out to within an inch of your life before anything can be done for you. Restoring the funding for Family Planning also failed.
• Schools - HB 329 would require school boards to initiate a policy governing air quality and temperature issues in schools, along with a heat illness prevention and emergency response plan. The bill failed, who cares about air quality in schools anyway? Especially when they do not want mandatory mask policies in schools. Or vaccines either. HB 520 allows the Dept. of Education to issue subpoenas against educators to investigate “alleged” violations of the Code of Conduct. Targets teachers and school staff. And of course, they passed HB 115 where more and more property tax money goes towards school vouchers.
• Energy/Environment - HCR 4 rejects all offshore wind projects in and around the waters off the coast of NH and Gulf of Maine until there is a better understanding of the effect such projects may have on the ocean's ecosystem, the fishing industry and electric ratepayers. Unfortunately for the ten Republicans who sponsored this, they failed to acknowledge that NH has no jurisdiction over federal waters.
• LGBTQ - HB 377 prohibits a medical procedure or giving out medication, upon or to a minor child, that is intended to alter gender or delay puberty. It should be noted only after evaluations and consultations with the patient, parents, medical professionals and counselors, are these treatments implemented. HB 148 removed transgender peoples from NH’s anti-discrimination laws. So, no protections. Pretty obvious who the intended targets are . . .

This is just the tip of the mean-spirited legislative iceberg! 

There will be public hearings on several election law bills next week on Tuesday, April, 22nd. They are being heard in the Election Law Committee, some need to be supported and others opposed. The following are three bills to support:

SB 218 removes the requirement that absentee ballots be placed in “outer” envelopes unless such ballots are mailed to town or city clerks. This bill also allows clerks to open outer envelopes allowing applicants time to cure any defects. To register your on line support of this bill, click here and follow the instructions. 

SB 103 requires towns and cities to have at least one polling place per every 20,000 registered voters unless the town or city has received approval from the secretary of state for fewer locations. This addresses the issue of long lines on election day(s) that have affected many NH towns. To register your on line support of this bill, click here and follow the instructions.

SB 16 requires municipalities to post a copy of election return forms on their websites and in public locations. This increases local levels of election transparency. To register your on line support of this bill, click here and follow the instructions. 

The following are bills to oppose: 

SB 213 aims to do two things. It will change the standard for absentee voting to "It is more likely than not" that a voter will be absent. The bill will also require proof of identity, citizenship, age, and domicile when applying for an absentee ballot. This bill places unnecessary and troublesome obstacles to the absentee voting process, which is already the preferred method for many disabled and elderly voters. Why make it harder for these folks to vote? To register your on line opposition of this bill, click here and follow the instructions. To also send a quick email in opposition to Representatives on the committee, click here.

SB 287 requires applicants for absentee ballots to present a copy of their photo identification with their application. Again, who will this hurt the most? Disabled and elderly voters. To register your on line opposition of this bill, click here and follow the instructions. To also send a quick email in opposition to Representatives on the committee, click here.

All of this activism in defense of voting rights and democracy should take no longer than ten minutes! Thank you for participating!

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate

Don’t be silent! Speak up, speak out!

In nearby Massachusetts, the Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought on April 19, 1775, which was the start of the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). For many years before that, there was much friction between citizens of the 13 American colonies and the British authorities. It had finally reached a boiling point. The previous evening, on April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to Concord planning on seizing a stockpile of weapons. 

Paul Revere and other night riders sounded the alarm enabling colonial militiamen to begin mobilizing to intercept the British troops. A confrontation on the Lexington town green began when the British fired first but fell back when the colonists returned fire. This was the “shot heard ‘round the world” later immortalized by poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. There were many more battles until in 1783 the colonists finally and formally won their independence.

What lead up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord?

Beginning in 1764, Great Britain began a sequence of events aimed at increasing revenue from its 13 American colonies. Many of those events, including the Sugar Act, Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, gave rise to smoldering resentment among the colonists, who protested against “taxation without representation.” Boston, the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre and the 1773 Boston Tea Party, was one of the biggest areas of resistance. King George III of Britain increased military presence there, eventually closing down the city’s harbor in June, 1774, until colonists paid for the tea dumped overboard the previous year. 

April 19th is the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution where ordinary citizens rose up and fought for and demanded their right to independence from Great Britain. We see our country in a similar situation now, except we are fighting against rights being slowly and methodically taken away from us by those who are flagrantly abusing the power given to them. We are fighting against the oligarchs who would see us kept in ignorance and poverty.

There are a few events planned for Saturday:

"Liberty and Justice for All" in Keene, NH
Time: 12:00 - 2:00 In downtown Central Square for 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. There will be local groups working for democracy, video journalist Kyle Whitten conducting interviews, and a Photo Booth to document the resistance art that is developing. Sponsored by Indivisible and Monadnock Action.

Pro-Democracy Demonstration in Peterborough, NH
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 Intersection of 101/202 stoplights. Bring a sign that tells everyone what you are in favor of, rather than what you are against.

Protest at the State House in Concord, NH
Time: 3 PM - 6 PM. Organized by the NH chapter of 50501

"Voices Heard 'Round the World" Old North Bridge, Concord, MA
Time: 11:00 AM Preserve American Rights! On the 250th anniversary of the shot heard 'round the world, stand against abuses of power at the start of the American Revolutionary War.

“I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down.”

                             Chumbawamba, 1997

Thursday, April 10th was not only a long day at the State House, but a day with some wins for the people of New Hampshire, along with the losses. Before we go over some of those, let’s just briefly revisit the Democrats “Better Budget” rally held on April 9th in front of the State House. This is where the Democrat amendments to the Republican proposed House budget were unveiled to the public. A few examples:

• Reverses funding cuts to mental health services, developmental disability support and family planning
• Removes voucher expansion to the wealthy, lifts the local school budget cap, restores $50 million in university funding and protects Medicaid to schools
• Fully funds the Office of the Child Advocate, Human Rights Commission and Commission on Aging
• Eliminates the Medicaid income tax and the tax on Children’s Health Insurance coverage

That’s just a small sample of what the Democrats hoped to get passed in order to hold back any pain to NH citizens, young or old. This is what NH got instead:

• The amendment to bring back funding for Family Planning failed, 196N-174Y. Can’t afford birth control or cancer screenings? Too bad.
• The amendment to remove universal school vouchers putting that funding towards the USNH failed, 198N-166Y, making it more of a challenge now to seek higher education. It also raises the cost of the school voucher program to more than $30 million by opening it up to even more families who can already afford to send their children to private schools. In his floor speech opposing the amendment, Liberty Alliance member Rep. Dan McGuire gleefully called the university cut “his personal favorite.” The amendment to broaden free and reduced price school lunch funding by aligning Medicaid enrollment with eligibility for school meals, beginning in 2027-28 school year failed by one vote, 182N-181Y. It should be noted while Rep. Hope Damon, speaking in support of the amendment, about 20 Republicans got up and walked out. They absolutely REFUSE to feed low-income children! The amendment to get rid of school vouchers and put that money back into public schools failed, 198N-168Y.
• The amendment to bring back funding for Human Rights Commission failed, 203N-161Y. The Office of the Child Advocate will be terminated. The NH Council on the Arts got the boot also with Liberty Alliance member Rep. Joe Sweeney calling it “state run arts programs or propaganda pieces.”
• Low income families who receive Medicaid will now have to pay a premium (tax) to use it. Leaves even less money to feed their children.

But there was some good news; the House voted 206Y-165N in support of an amendment to HB 2 removing the mandatory statewide school budget cap. People fought back against losing local control and won!

The amendment to restore the Bureau of Tax and Land Appeals passed by three votes, 183Y-180N. 

The bipartisan bill to increase the maximum benefits for first responders, HB 282, actually passed, 296Y-76N.

Now we wait to see what the State Senate does with it. Or will the Senate’s majority party continue with the destruction begun by the House?

Republicans slipped into the budget a controversial bill, HB 675. This takes away local voter control from spending money on your own schools (attacks public schools and local control). On Thurs. there will be an amendment to the budget to take the language of HB675 out of it. Contact your state representatives right away and tell them to vote to take HB 675 out of the budget.

Take Action to Get HB675 Out of the Budget

There are some bills having public hearings on Thurs. and are all opposed by the AFT-NH (American Federation of Teachers):

HB 90 is sponsored by Liberty Alliance member Rep. Rick Ladd R-Haverhill and has to do with the definition of “part-time teachers.” 

HB 324 is sponsored by Liberty Alliance member Rep. Glenn Cordelli R-Tuftonboro and several other Alliance members. This legislation is meant to “prohibit obscene or harmful sexual materials in schools.” And to drive home his point, Cordelli recently “entertained” the House with his erotic bedtime stories. 

HB 741, sponsored by Cordelli again, would allow parents to send their children to any school district they choose. This is a potential cluster**** of a bill! 

Please take a moment to register your opposition by clicking here:

SUBMIT YOUR POSITION TO A SENATE COMMITTEE HERE.

 Fill in your Personal Information

· Select the relevant date and committee for the hearing by clicking on it in the Meeting Schedule Calendar (make sure you are on the right week). [Select Bill # and select the date].

· In the drop box below "Select the Committee," select Education Policy and Administration committee.

· In the drop box below "Choose the Bill," select the appropriate time and bill number.

· Select the appropriate option for the "I am" drop box (likely "Member of the Public").

· Fill in the content box under "I'm Representing" with the business, organization, or group you are representing. If you are representing yourself only, write "myself."

· Under the “Indicate Your Position on this Bill,” check the circle stating your position on the bill. “I Oppose this Bill” or “I Support this Bill”

· After filling in all the appropriate drop boxes, click “Submit.”

· After clicking submit, you will be brought to the next page, where you will fill in the content boxes with your first and last name, as well as your town, state, and email address.

· Press “Continue.”

If you wish to speak during the hearing to present your testimony, you need to attend in person at the State House, but you upload your testimony if you cannot attend.

If you wish to submit testimony on the bill, email the relevant committee and upload the testimony file from your computer.

Thank you for taking a few moments in support of public education. Now be sure to share this with others, so they can do the same! 

Let’s look at a few of the agencies and organizations that the proposed House budget is looking to gut or eliminate altogether, aimed at destroying personal rights and safety nets for New Hampshire’s most vulnerable citizens. Can you imagine if it was you or a family member or friend who needed help or support? 

On your own!

The NH Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders was created in 2008, providing coordinated leadership in managing the education, healthcare and service needs of individuals who have autism or a similar disability. The council was formed due to the growing occurrence of autism spectrum disorders in NH. Liberty Alliance member Rep. Jess Edwards R-Auburn (ripe and fertile) has sponsored HB 634, a bill seeking to repeal the Council. 

The Dept. of Corrections Family Support is headed for the chopping block. The Family Connections Center (FCC) has provided family support services and parenting education in the NHDOC since 1998. The FCC has gone from providing support inside the prisons to working with community agencies that provide education and support for families affected by incarceration. The Annie E. Casey Foundation estimates that more than 15,000 children in NH have a parent who is incarcerated. But let’s throw that service out the window! 

The NH Office of the Child Advocate, which is a 501(c)(3,) provides all victims of child abuse a neutral environment where equity, healing, prevention and justice are encouraged through the dependable, high quality and supporting collaboration of community partners. Now it’s headed for the chopping block. NH’s first center was the Child Advocacy Center of Rockingham County in 2000. They are dedicated to serving the needs of NH’s child victims by offering hope for a brighter future. Republicans want to eliminate that safeguard for CHILDREN! 

In Sept., 2023, the NH Dept. of Education granted 77 schools a total of $713,601 to fund robotics programs for their students. Grants help to expand existing robotics programs within schools and create new programs that have not yet begun robotics teams. Funding is used to buy robotics kits, parts and tools, pay for registration and competition fees, transportation to events, team shirts and stipends for coaches or advisors. Republicans want this EDUCATION program cut. 

Funding for Adult Education is to be cut by $1.6 million. Maybe they’ll leave the non-profit adult literacy program alone. I doubt it, as education again, is targeted by Republicans. 

New Hampshire community health centers and community mental health centers receive a total of $1,050,000 to provide care and services to Granite Staters. With support from the Endowment for Health, 21 centers will each receive a one-time $50,000 operating grant. Uh-oh! This sounds too much like helping other people. Well, Republicans will see about that! They want a $38 million cut to Community Mental Health funds. 

The NH Council on Developmental Disabilities is facing a $31 million cut. According to the council’s website they are “Dedicated to the pursuit of dignity and justice, authentic community inclusion, cultural competency, and self-determination for all New Hampshire residents with developmental disabilities.” Not something Republicans care about evidently.

The NH Commission on Aging, established in 2019 as an independent advisor to the Governor and General Court on policy and planning. Its mission is to give all citizens in NH the opportunity to thrive and be valued as they age. Going away as old people are clearly not valued.

The NH Commission for Human Rights is a state agency established by RSA 354-A for the purpose of education and enforcement of the law against discrimination in employment, housing, places of public accommodation and K-12 public schools, because of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, creed/religion, color, marital status, familial status, disability or national origin. We can see why Republicans want this eliminated. Human rights? Unnecessary! 

The goal of the NH Housing Appeals Board, established in 2020, is to provide an alternative forum to the NH Superior Court in zoning and planning cases that are fair, inexpensive, timely and accessible to affected property owners, abutters, other proper parties and municipalities. It allows people to appeal local rulings with a filing fee of $250, seriously less expensive than filing through the Superior Court. The Board’s responsibility is similar to the Superior Court in hearing appeals of all planning and zoning decisions as specified in NH RSA 679. They want that eliminated. 

What is remarkable about the proposed House budget is how the Republicans are still hell-bent on expanding their school voucher program, in direct violation of the NH Constitution. And their repeated and consistent bills that slowly take away local control. 

Sick of it? On Wed., April 9th at the State House in Concord at noon there will be a rally to #DemandABetterBudget! Come join us and be heard! Any one of us could find ourselves in need of any one of these agencies at any time in our lives. Wouldn’t it be nice to know help and support was there when you needed it?