YOUR COMMENTS

I'm beginning to think we shoud outlaw the current political parties and start over...
- Frank, York Me

Dave Parent
I have no idea what you are talking about - but then again, neither have you.

A quick search of the internet confirms the origins of the Eu. It wasn't, in any sense, the product of US (or any other) NGO's.

Neither does it "bully" members by depriving them of food or fuel - that is total nonesense and completely untrue (in fact the EU does not control food or fuel supplies, that is the role of the individual sovereign nations). The model is actually that of the US Federal Government and federal funds to the individual States - the current seat belt debate in NH is much the same as what happens in the EU - you want transport grants, then jump through this hoop.

The whole thing is mediated by the European Parliament and the European Court - again modeled to a degree on the US.

There are not nightly riots in France, the immigration issue in Italy is akin to Arizona or New Mexico and censorship in England is less than it is in the US, save that privacy laws make rapacious data mining illegal and with it minimize the kinds of ID theft that are routine here.

I suspect you didn't get as close as you might like me to think.
- Leon, Manchester

JP from Warner, I'm with you. You need to aim your comment to Comrade Leon.

I'll also take free markets, liberty, and freedom!
- Gus, Manchester

Wow - sounds like Tracy in Manchester is willing to give up all her rights - including freedom of religion and the right to bear arms - as long as the goverment keeps sending the checks. If you want to live in a socialist country go ahead - like you said, there are planes leaving everyday, and some nice people on here have even made you a list of possiblities. I for one am tired of giving my money to people who wont get off the couch to get a job. I completely agree with Bob H.
- Lisa, Manchester

Tracy enough with the 'redneck' cliches, they don't carry any weight or even make sense. This president has been the worst disaster in the least amount of time, of any president, ever.

Expanding government and the deficit is NEVER good for the economy but expanded private business is.

Why is it every time Obama opens his mouth and lies to us, the market tanks?
- Sue, Manchester

Leon, from Manchester. What you’re talking about are the actual dates of inception. I'm talking about the actual dates of execution. I'm talking about the actual effects and reactions the EU thugocracy has had on people when it actually came on line with its Euro. I spent most of my career working in that area for an NGO laying the groundwork for the EU. Please save the bureaucratic nonsense that the socialism in the EU is not forced. If you have any on the ground experience there you know that the EU bullies nations into compliance by denying them trade and essential goods, unless they do as they are told. You don't go along? Sorry no food. No fuel. They cut them off until they comply. Yeah..That’s some democracy alright. Then you say that the rise of nationalism is as a result of hard right politicians scapegoating the immigrants? You have got to be kidding. The vast majority of Europeans have realized their lives and medical care are worse since the EU came into being. They have seen the face of democratic-socialism and its ugly nanny state child the EU. Look at what’s happening in France with nightly riots. Italy is taking drastic measures against the onslaught of unchecked EU immigration. Look at England, they can't breathe without government oversight. They are afraid to speak due to Orwellian speech crime legislation. So save it. I've been up close and personal with these European uber-capitalists who have high jacked democratic-socialism and use it as a disguise. The majority of Europeans have finally figured out it was a massive power grab. They see what this artificially forced construct that has been foisted upon the people in the name of oligarchic control. They are getting ready to stand up and fight back. From the looks of it people are getting ready in the US as well.
I stand on the veracity of my post.
- David Parent, Manchester

Nick you have been on the Republican conservative government fed gravy train for eight years. Give some of the rest of us a chance at the free money, the shrink wrapped hundred dollar bills, the too big to fail Houdini banking, no bid contracts, the military equipment that the military doesn't want, Abramoff coat tails, why not take a break and let us who actually have jobs and work for a living to make up for the profiglacy you have been doing since 1994? Just make some more stuff up while your greedy friends suck up our tax money.
- Robert, Deerfield

Dave Parent:
You are factually inaccurate. The Schengen agreement has been around since 1985. The EU goes back to the 1950s. Schengen still does not apply to all EU nations. Notably Britain, that has some of the highest levels of immigration (legal and illegal) in the EU is not a Schengen member (it is also an island so even if it was the 'free movement issue would be limited). Ireland also is not a member and has had significant immigration in the past 20 years from developing nations.

The reasons for this are the same as they are for immigration anywhere - proximity and economics. Those 'socialist' economies of the EU have grown significantly int he 90's. Ireland boomed. Jobs were plentiful (the UK had lower unemployment that the US) and people were attracted to those jobs in the same way as people crossing from Mexico into the US.

From 1989/90 the iron curtain fell making it easier for people to enter overland from the east. Not just those from former soviet states, but from further east as they could more easily pass through what had been the USSR.

There is nothing forced about the socialism of the EU. All EU members are democracies and the EU itself is part of a democratic structure.

The problems in the EU countries now are in part the result of the election of ultra conservative governments and their policies of blaming minorities and immigrants for economic problems that a really the result of conservative economic policies - including those here - when America sneezes, Europe catches a cold.
- Leon, Manchester

To Gus, Manchester -who wrote:
"Sweden, Norway, Denmark, what was West Germany pre-1989, the Netherlands, to name a few."

Gus, you should check your facts.

Absenteeism in the workplace in these countries is extremely high while productivity and GDP is very low.

Consider for example:

US Absenteeism is ~2.5% in a bad year.

Compare this to:

German Absenteeism is ~16%
Netherlands Absenteeism is ~15%
UK Absenteeism is ~10%
Swedish Absenteeism is pushing 27%

Even the Swedes are admitting that Socialism hasn't worked and they have the model environment for it with a near totally homogenous population unlike the US with a multitude of social values and ethnic groups.

You should also look at Productivity and GDP in these countries which are disproportionately low thanks to Socialism.

Lets not forget about Rationed Healthcare in the UK, Canada and elsewhere...everyone has Healthcare in principal but good luck actually getting an appointment or actually getting a procedure authorized in a timely way.

Socialism has failed everywhere its been tried and is nothing more than mandated mediocrity.

Thanks but no thanks, I'll keep Free Markets, Liberty and Freedom.
- JP, Warner

Carey, you are wrong. The GOP is not a pack of jokers. The GOP wants people to be responsible, not enter into a cycle of dependency from the federal government. With all of Obama's talk about empowerment, he is taking that empowerment away and wants people dependent on the government like little babies.
- Nick, Manchester

Can't wait to go on welfare and live the good liberal life ! The Dems will fix everything with our hard earned money. If there is a problem throw money at it.
- Mike Johnson, manchester nh

Hey there are planes leaving the country every day, all you rednecks are welcome to be on one!

We voted and for ONCE the guy we voted in is doing exactly what he said he would do, rolling back the Reagan disaster we've lived under for 25 years! Reagan is dead, literally and figuratively! Bravo!

I encourage the phony conservatives to go homestead in Central America or any other place they wish. Get out! Don't let door hit you on the rear on the way out. Take you Bibles and guns with you. (Don't expect any welcome anywhere you go!)
- Tracy, Manchester

Louisiana's GOP Governor Bobby "elect-me-I-have-dark-skin-too" Jindal showed us all how responsible the Republicans are.

Of 3.8 BILLION DOLLARS in stimulus, he is standing up to Obama and REFUSING to take all but a paltry 3.7 BILLION DOLLARS of it! Ha ha ha, the GOP is a pack of jokers!
- Carey, Manchester

Typical - play the compassion card and conviently ignore the concept of personal responsibility. This is socialsim, pure and simple. At this rate there will be an uprising if these foolish politicians aren't stopped.
- Frank, Manchester

Think of this on a household level. Would you accept $13 in your paycheck if acceptance required you to increase your cable TV service to premium level (a $13 special package from your cable provider-great a free year!)? Okay, but after a year the extra $13 ceases and you MUST continue to keep the service and, oh yeah, the special package price increases to $49. It's a gamble some are willing to take assuming the money will come from somewhere. You'll certainly enjoy the free service that first year but will you be able to manage financially after that year? Remember you are OBLIGATED to continue to keep the increased service.

We grew up in a time when you got a job and pay increased as you got a better position. But now, pay cuts, forced time off and uncertainty of your job being there is current day reality. If we were in prosperous times of years past many would take the gamble knowing that pay increases would come and we could survive beyond that initial first year comfortably. Too many, however, cannot take the risk because they have no confidence in their job and pay stability to know where that money will come from.

If federal stimulus money ends and we are still in this same economic slump, can you afford the cost of continuing the expanded programs?
- Patty, Stratham

"however you might want to avoid the broad 'socialism never works remarks' - because int he last 30 - 40 years, the populations of some of these contries have done a damn sight better than we have here."- Leon, Manchester

- Leon you forget to mention the reason for that. We had encouraged and unchecked illegal immigration for the passed 30-40 years that overwhelmed all our social and medical systems. Since the European Union has been created about 15 years ago all their member nations have experienced the same problem of unchecked immigration (Shengen Agreement) causing all their systems social/medical to degrade. Hence the rise of extreme right nationalism erupting all over the EU which is in direct response to the forced socialism in the EU. (and you aint seen nothing yet, wait till this summer, the EU's going to explode in civil unrest) The same style of socialism we see being pushed on us here in the US.
- Dave Parent, Manchester

William sounds like the typical blind liberal who bought into Obama's message of "hope and change". In one short month we have seen our country turn socialist because of a panicked unprepared president with a radical agenda.
Liberal now equals socialist and it seems not to matter to the blind liberal sheep.
- Greg L, Hudson

To get more welfare money, the state has to put more people on welfare." There is change you can count on. What a great idea. Put more of "our voters" on the dole. How about we turn down the money and eliminate welfare from the NH budget? They will move where the benefits are better. That will be the only time you will see any individual effort from the welfare crowd.
- Bob H, Londonderry

Well I hope all those who vote with their emotions and never think about the consequences or ask simple questions enjoy the compassion of a federal government that will demand the taxes be taken back to pay for these schemes.

Ask yourself who can take care of the needy better charity who's workers either get paid very little or volunteer and get paid nothing at all, or government who pays high wages, benefits, and pension plans that will always need more and more tax money to keep going. One you freely give too because you actually care, the other takes from you and less gets to those who need it. Or in this case is taking from your children with only some pork in the billions of dollars Chuck Schumer claims you don't care about. I think what Mr. Schumer really means is he knows best how to spend our money.

Welcome to home grown tyranny and corruption. Just don't be foolish enough to believe those who will point you to just one party. I wonder how some would like it if we had the federal government take money from all of us and give it to church based charities to distribute?
- Ross, Derry

Hey, but I want my $13 bucks a week so I can stimulated the economy by buying starbucks or D&D twice a week.
- Chris, Bedford

Gus, Manchester -
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, what was West Germany pre-1989, the Netherlands, to name a few.

All have healthier, better educated populations who live longer and grow taller (but not wider) on average than average Americans.

Likewise, Britain's healthcare system was a product of Socialism in the 1940s and is directly responsible for the better health of British people compared to Americans (longer life expectancy and lower infant mortality rates for example).

None of these places are perfect and just because something worked in Sweden 20 years ago doesn't mean it would work in American today (Sweden now has an extreme right wing conservative government that refuses to bails our GM brand Saab for example), however you might want to avoid the broad 'socialism never works remarks' - because int he last 30 - 40 years, the populations of some of these contries have done a damn sight better than we have here.
- Leon, Manchester

This is fun. Our businessmen are now recommending the tried and true Republican conservative plan of buying low and selling lower. Our investment in Citibank of $45 billion is now worth $1 billion. Mommy, mommy, can we do that again? You do know who walked away with that money don't you? Some money actually can disappear but not this stuff. It went to the manuevers of this and other banks and is now stuffed into wallets in the Caiman Islands. But CEO's wouldn't do that would they? Duh!
- Rob, Deerfield

One more reason why Governor Lynch should support HCR 6 and help end federal corruption.
- Libertarian Ken Blevens, Bow

Here are some sobering statistics about our current state of deficit affairs. According to US News & World Report, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicade entitlement programs have expanded from 16% to 40% of government expenditures over the last 40 years. And the baby boomers aren't officially hitting retirement age until 2011.

Also, according to Richard W. Fisher, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, the long-term unfunded liabilities from Medicare and Social Security are expected to be about $99 trillion.

As a country, if we're not done in economically by those numbers, then expanding expenditures further will surely do the trick.

And brace yourself for both means-testing and raising the qualification age for receiving Social Security benefits. Good news is that at the rate things are going, we'll all pass the means test. Bad news is you'll have to hit 90 years old to start receiving benefits. The Lord giveth...
- Brian, Lancaster

As usual the rich get richer and the poor lazy folks who don't want to work ride the gravy train named "welfare" I'm not talking about the recent hardworking folks who may have just lost there recent job. I'm speaking of the single peopple with numerous kids who make this a way of life. they dont want to work and do just enough to get buy. It's the middle america hardworking people that end up paying for all of this...as usual
- John, Manchester

For heaven's sake don't let the governor do anything to improve the lot of the NH residents who work for a living. Keep all the perks for Gregg and Sununu (remember all the unauthorized air travel?) and the rest of the conservatives who talk such a good story but when it comes down to it increased the size of the federal government by 60% and doubled the National Debt twice - once under that tax cutter Reagan who raised taxes by 3.1% and then the shrub who did even better or worse. The Republicans think it better to leave your children with $10 Trillion debt. How did they sneak that in? This paper is a Trojan but not the horse kind. It protects you from knowing how badly Republicans have looted the government. And you are left with condo-mints (sic).
- William, Deerfield

Of course........ it all part of the Democrat plan. Get more and more people dependant on the government. Amnesty for the illegals. Allow convicted felons to vote. Allow 17 year olds to vote. They are attempting to ensure no conservative is ever elected again. Big spending, big taxes = total control over the populace. Can someone...... anyone, please point out a country where socialism has made life better for its population? Cuba? Russia? Venezuela?
- Gus, Manchester

So you would put ideology over regular old compassion? Who cares if the state government is "expanded"? Keynsian recovery economics requires the existence of a large network of social programs that will keep the economy going from below-which is the only place that an economy like ours CAN be boosted. This is a trick. If Gov. Lynch doesn't accept this money everybody knows that it will come back to haunt him at the next election.
- joe t, derry, nh

It is clear the new administration is playing the "fear card", following the Rham Emanuel playbook not to waste a good crisis. This legislative blitzkrieg of high priced social program changes under the guise of "stimulus" is attempting to redefine life in America. I hope Gov. Lynch joins other Governors in rejecting those parts of the bill that wil obligate the State to higher operating costs down the road when federal money has dried up. There are Governors on both sides of the aisle that have been smart enough to see the bait and switch provisions in the bill. As a veteran, a retiree who never took a handout in my life, I object to the creation of a nanny state where the idle and scammers can live well on the backs of those who worked for what we got. I urge everyone to continue to deluge your elected officials with emails and phone calls.
Let me give you a litmus test. Did your blood boil to see the bank exec supoened to come to Washington to testify arrive in a Gulfstream private jet? After all we all paid into his company to keep it afloat! You and I are having trouble paying our home heating bills and buying groceries! If being reminded of this makes you mad, then you have the right mindset. Now let the elected hogs in DC with their noses in the liberal giveaway trough know it!!
- John Linville, Wolfeboro