YOUR COMMENTS

To correct Tyler of Manchester: PrioritiesNH is not related in any way to MoveOn.org. We are a project of Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, and we work to educate voters about the $60 billion that military leaders say is waste in the Pentagon budget, and to provide a vision of what America could accomplish by shifting that money to other purposes -- including quality health care for veterans and stronger homeland security. Bleeding heart liberalism or common sense?
- Steve Varnum, Warner

I’ve noted of late the ‘Republican machine’ cranking-up their criticism of our recently elected democrats from NH, Paul Hodes & Carol Shea-Porter. Letters to local papers appear to criticize their voting record, i.e. against Bush and his illegal war of choice. These letters never talk about the facts. What have Paul Hodes & Carol Shea Porter actually done that seems to upset these folks so much? Well, here are the facts:



Hodes and Shea-Porter have voted several times to end the war in Iraq. As we know most Republicans must support this war even though the American People want us out of Iraq. Republicans must support our involvement in Iraq’s civil conflict because to do otherwise would tacitly admit to the error of failing to follow-through in Afganistan, the real seat of AlQaeda and terror.



Hodes & Shea-Porter have voted to restart funding for stem-cell research, a policy most Americans want in order to unshackle our medical researchers in finding cures for diseases that affect all of us.


Hodes & Shea-Porter have voted to curtail earmarks which have grown from 1300 to over 14000 per year under the past twelve years of Republican control, i.e. Bass & Bradley.


Hodes & Shea-Porter have voted to place reasonable restrictions on lobbyists, something our previous Republican legislators never thought was sufficiently important.



Hodes & Shea-Porter have voted to increase the wages of the poorest among us which never seems to rate very highly under Republican Congresses and Administrations.



In short, Hodes & Shea-Porter have been doing the Peoples work in Washington, something I never quite felt from our previous Bass-Bradley team.

Ray Iannuzzelli, Amherst
- Ray Iannuzzelli, Amherst

The response the op-ed of August 16 regarding Pelosi, Hode and Shea-Porter is a most amazing melee of dichotomized thinking Aren't we all about the good ole' US? Don't we all care what happens to our poor, mentally ill, jobless, at risk soldiers in Iraq?
I would love to hear the response to half of the writers as to why the Republicans voted endlessly against the minimum wage! I would have loved to have seen the previous congressmen try to live for a month on the minimum wage without a car or a home. Please don't be picky picky folks, get together and get things done for our many needy citizens.
- Barbara Carpenter, Kensington

Nothing is getting done because the Rubber Stamp Republicans have now turned into the Road Block Republicans and are now obstructing everything in lock-step just as they have previously rubber stamped anything our draft dodging president asked for. As far as talking points and there being no truth to them please point out where I was wrong. Iraq is not a quagmire? New Orleans is not still struggling to recover? Our infrastructure is not crumbling (see bridge collapse)? Our government is not spying on Americans? ALL of these things are well documented, as well as the fact that Bush lied us into war. As I said, you can't vote in lock-step as the Rubber Stamp Republicans congress did for twelve years and then whine when Democrats vote along party lines. The Hypocrisy is staggering. Oh yeah, and we won't even mention the treason of Cheney, Bush, and Libby et al snitching out one of our own CIA agent, Valerie Plame, in order to punish her husband, Ambassador Joe Wilson, for telling the truth about what we didn't find in Niger. An agent working counter proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East no less.
- Mike Lane, Manchester

Mike Lan - little of what you say is accurate or fair, but it doesn't matter: the Democrats run Congress now. What are they doing? Nothing - which explains
their record low approval ratings.

Hodes and Shea-Porter are embarrassments to New Hampshire who are better suited to representing Massachusetts. They have consistently voted with Nancy Pelosi and against the people of New Hampshire.

In November 2008, I urge the people of New Hampshire to vote against Hodes and Shea-Porter.
- Tom, Campton

The truth is that these two are even more disliked than their predecessors, Mr. Lan, and with justification. You've got all the talking points down pretty well but that's just about all they are is talking points. For a party in the majority in both houses of Congress, the Democrats have precious little to show for it. And we get a never ending political season because they are apparently scared still about their chances in '08, judging by their own approval polls and the desparate begging emails I get from the DCCC. Congress needs to be thrown out - again.
- Lester Bradley, Thornton

Republicans have the amazing ability to deny reality. Americans are tired of the same old spin from the "too wrong for too long" homophobic, warmongering, rubber stamp Republicans. America voted for change on November 7th and apparently Republicans are still not ready to listen to the American people. They are far more interested in listening to their corporate masters. Meanwhile, Iraq is a quagmire, our government spies on us, New Orleans struggles to recover, and our roads and bridges are collapsing due to "no new taxes" Rubber Stamp Republicans, who demagogue the issue of taxes while our infrastructure crumbles. As I said, the hypocrisy is staggering. It's mind boggling how they wail and moan even though Republicans have voted in lock-step for the last 12 years.
- Mike Lan, Manchester

When I see the workings and Machinations of Carol She-Porter and Paul Hodes, I am reminded of the Mark Twain quote, "Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." And in the case of Ray Buckley, I quote Plato where he said, "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors..." Ray Buckley is nothing more than a marginalized propagandist who thinks he can craft the state agenda by repeating himself like a broken record...Ray is the type of guy that thinks people are stupid and not engaged. on some levels he might be right, but on constant I find in Mr. Buckley is that he is never short on personal attacks on people who disagree with his position on any level. The Democrats have no ability to oppose people who disagree with them on any substantive level because deep in their minds, they know their views are relegated to the ash heap of the societal fringes. Case in point, MRC Machine Gun Shoot. As For Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter, they are nothing more than congressional "sheeple" for Nancy Pelosi. That backbone that Paul Hodes claimed he was going to bring with him is now located in Nancy Pelosi's junk drawer. Yeah, Ray...you just keep running your mouth....you pose as much political danger as a fruit fly on a plastic banana. I think the Republicans have been fairly restrained on personal attacks...I have not seen one picture of Carol Shea-Porter saying, "Boomerang, Toomerang, Soomerang, like lady Elaine Fairchild on Fred Rogers Neighborhood. But there is one truth behind their congressional records: Hodes and Porter do live in the Land of Make-Believe"
- Rick Olson, Manchester

Mr Buckley - I am one of NH's "Mainstream Families" - and Hodes is my supposed representative. He has not yet once voted in a way that I can support or that accurately represents me. So, I guess, I don't count?

This editorial accurately reflects how I feel about Hodes and Shea-Porter. And I am not "far right".

What I am fed up with is people like yourself and your "buddies" who enjoy passing laws that infringe on my rights or taxing me to pay for someone else's lifestyle.

And finally, when it comes to voting and candidates - this two party system of ours doesn't really allow for candidates to be elected that do reflect the people. All we get is a choice for Bozo A or Bozo B.
- Susan, Concord

Shame that NH has become a liberal bastion. Great economy, low unemployment, tax cuts, and an overall increase in tax revenues as a result of Bush's tax cuts. Iraq is worty of criticism, but steering the country through the 9/11 mess to where we are today was an example of true leadership, like it or not democrats.
- Mike Smith, Overland Park, KS

Judy,

Wow. Your gay obsession is coming through loud and clear. The editorial was regarding how angry the far right is with Representatives Shea-Porter and Hodes with their votes representing the mainstream values of NH's families and you went off on some wild irrelevant tangent.

Perhaps you are unaware but your views on homosexuality are in the distinct minority. Few people still hold on to such absurd positions as yours. I have yet to see a single poll in NH where your postion has any substantive support. You need to stop obsessing about other people's families because you can't do anything about it anyway. But, hey, why let facts confuse your right wing talking points right?

The voters of NH tossed out the Republicans in 2006 because you and your buddies were too wrong for too long that you lost touch with NH's families. The people of NH are fed with the "so wrong for so long gang". I suspect you are going to have a tough fifteen months ahead of you.
- Ray Buckley, Manchester

I stand corrected about my comment about universal healthcare.
However, Kucinich is still considered centrist by most standards. Regardless of their occaisionallly populiast rhetoric the Democrats are notoriously unreliable to their base. Voting for a super-right zombie like Romney or a center/righty like Hillary Clinton will matter little in the long-term though because they both have almost the exact same goals.These are: to exploit their bases divisive and petty issues while assisting corporate America to further widen the income gap and lower the standards of living for profit. As long as we have a two-party system the vast majority of America will not be represented. This is the core reason why people don't vote anymore.
- joseph turcotte, derry

Let’s set the record straight

Gregg and Sununu voted against letting Medicare negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. It was also Gregg and Sununu that voted against raising minimum wages.

Porter voted FOR increases in minimum wages and FOR allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prices. Good lord people do some research.
- James, Raymond

Mr. Joseph Turcotte - be reminded that notwithstanding his electability or whether you agree with his other positions, Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich does have a single-payer, not-for-profit health care plan. The plan is embodied in HR 676 the Conyers-Kucinich bill, written by Dennis Kucinich & John Conyers. The plan covers all health care needs, including dental care, mental health care, vision care, prescription drugs, and long-term care. Kucinich's plan, is supported by 78 Members of Congress , more than 260 Union Locals , and 14,000 physicians and is endorsed by the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
I'm not taking issue with your other points here, correct or incorrect, but you're in error on this one.
- Nathaniel Gurien, Kearsarge

Only in NH can we call Democrats socialist. The fact is, that NONE of the Democratic candidates offer a reasonable health-care plan. They all support large pay-offs for the insurance companies. Don't be fooled: the Democrats do NOT represent working class interests. Neither do the Republicans for that matter, who don't even bother to pretend to care about the working class.
The fact is that people only disapprove with the congress because they are not moving far enough to the left, and have failed to produce any result from their campaign promises last year. The war is still going on, the minimum wage is still too low, student loans are still sky-high, and health-care is still a privelage for the few. It is because they are ineffective that they are unpopular, not because they are liberals. And in NH, it is because they are more interested in trying to pass "smoking bans" and "balloon ordinances" then doing any real progressive work, like abolishing the property tax and instating a fair income tax. That would be a change that I would like to see.
- Joseph Turcotte, Derry, NH

Judy Paris must have gotten her information about the minimum wage bill from some Republican hate site. Not only did Carol Shea-Porter vote for the increase in the minimum wage, she was a co-sponsor of the legislation (HR2). I find it's always better to do your own reaserch before making a statement rather than just parroting Rush, Limbaugh, Ann Coulter or Bill O'Reilly.
- LENORE PATTON, HAMPTON

Hodes supposedly represents me in Congress. I have written to him on numerous occasion expressing my views on a variety of bills and votes. I have never heard back from him - not even a form letter. Perhaps if I expressed an opinion that was in his own keeping, I would actually get a response.

For what it's worth - I also have written to Sununu and Gregg. I only every heard back from Sununu. I don't even bother with Shea Porter.
- Susan, Concord

Ray, you need to check your facts. Hodes & Porter voted against the min. wage hike even though you said they voted for it.

Plus, according to you, the # one issue in NH, you said, was passing civil union legislation. Of course, you're biased and I think the majority of NH thinks there are alot more pressing issues.

It's easy to say that the dems represent the "mainstream majority" when, in fact, you don't ask the people of NH to vote and rush CU's through the legislature for the 4% special interest group, yet not one dem campaigned on the issue. Even at the hastily called over Easter weekend public session, 2/3 of the public were against CU's. There is no consensus among scientists that gay men are "born that way" yet a highly vocal special interest minority pushed that it was a "civil rights" issue when, in deed, it is not. Personal choice, environment and lots of things contribute to being a homosexual.

It's a lie to say dems represent the "mainstream majority." We'll see how fast the dems are voted out next election for trying to make NH a nanny state.
- Judy Paris, Bradford

I think there's some posters here who would be happier under the near-socialism that is Massachusetts. What are they doing in New Hampshire if they hate Republicans so much? Trying to make it into Massachusetts II, high crime and all?
- Adam F., Merrimack

How can one claim that the Union Leader is in direct operation with the Republican Party? Do you not see the advertisements on this very website where PrioritiesNH.org is advertising. This group in itself is a faction of MoveOn.org and represents the bleeding heart liberalism that disgusts me in today's society. To ignore the truth is ignorance and that is exactly what you are doing. The Pelosi Twins will have their day in battle when they get steamrolled in the next congressional election based upon their ideology or lack thereof.
- Tyler, Manchester, NH

The truth is that both the Republicans and Democrats are rubber stamps for their party. It should not be a surprise they have different philosphies and agendas and vote that way. The American people are fed up with both parties as the approval ratings are so low for the President and Congress. What is scarey is that we no longer unite as a country. I get tired of hearing from the Dems that Bush is an idiot and cannot do anything right, that goes for the Republicans as well when a Democrat is President. I think Clinton and Bush have both done things that are right and things that were wrong. Until party lines are truely crossed and good ideas and solutions come out of Congress regardless of which party has the majority America will continue being divided. They cannot even come together on immigration reform. If you let the American people debate it out I'm sure we could have a solution in 30 days or less. Politicians are all good for talking about the problems, what they need to be talking about are solutions to today's problems. I say vote them all out. Its obvious we need new blood in Congress and the White House. We need elected officials that can see the value of rewriting a bill only to include items that both parties agree on. If that would happen, the AMERICAN people would win. Politicians need to put All of the American people above the political party they are in. We need problem solvers and compromisers in Washington and at all levels of govenment, not just a bunch of complainers and Political Party rubber stamps.
- Bob S, Manchester, NH

Thank you Vince for your service and that of your sons. My son, who is in Iraq now, will be coming home soon and if called on again to go - would - and I am very proud of him and those that protect us daily!!! Because of their volunteering to defend us - others, that to me, are unamerican can spit their hate. I support our troops, their mission and support them to victory!
- Susan Peterson, Weare

Remember in 2004 when the Democratic Party was in shambles, trying to find itself? The MSM just loved to talk about how unorganized and pathetic they were. The Republican Party, on the other hand, was smart, principled, and “on message.” Fast forward now to 2007…the roles are pretty much reversed. You would think that the terminologies would reverse as well. Wouldn’t you? Nope. Instead of the Republican Party being unorganized and pathetic, they are independent, mavericks and the ever-neutral “trying to separate themselves from the pack.” The Democratic Party, instead of being smart, principled and on message, are being labeled as “polarizing”, “divisive, and partisan.”
Double standards happen to both parties and Republicans get their fair share of the short end of the stick (i.e. race relations), but in this instance, the issue of party loyalty is a double standard that clearly hurts the Democrats.
- Breyer S., Manchester, NH

The secret is out! The Union Leader must hire monkeys to write their news and opinions.
They send the monkeys down the road a piece to the Republican party HQ, listen to the same simple slogans and talking points over and over, then regurgitate it in the newspaper.
Plus this must save a bunch of bananas in operating costs. Monkey see, monkey do, and monkey saves money too!
You can not make an opinion into a fact merely my raising your voice, nor can you turn lies into truth merely by repeating the same lies over and over. When you engage in name-calling and ad hominum attacks, you expose only your empty malice.
- Nathaniel Gurien, Kearsarge

This is addressed primarily to Mike Lane of Manchester. Mt Lane Your comments clearly show your extreme partisanship. You surely believe your party can do no wrong. I am a Veteran, my oldest son served 6 years in the Active army with 2 tours in Iraq as a combat infantryman and my youngest son just enlisted. I have traveled the world as did my son as a soldier and Mr Lane the only people angry with the US are those that hated us before, and I frankly don't care what the world thinks. I have seen a lot of it and we should never let the US devolve into what most of the world is , a cesspool. It is the Nancy Pelosi / Carol Shea Porter and your type of person that is bringing the US down. Yes I have Freedom of speech, paid for it and yours with my and my families seat, blood and tears, and I will use it. Your side calls us all sorts of names most when we speak out againts illegals, welfare, or try to protect the 2nd ammendment so don't play the " I am offended because I was called unamerican" game. Pelosie, Shea Porter and the rest of the Denocratic party have sold us troops down the river as usual. They did it in my days in the 70's and they are doing it now, to my sons. They are putting thier party before the country and THAT is UNAMERICAN.. No one should follow any party line if it is bad for the US , as an example I am totally against the President on his stand on illegal immigration. 31 years since my first vote and I have heard the same lines from democrats without change - complain, tax the rich, bigger goverment etc., a broken record that doesn't work By the way did you forget that Al Sammoud 2 missiles were WMD on the UN ban list and that they fired hundreds of than at us at the beginning of the war? I bet you missed that, despite it being shown on TV.
- Vince Milano, Epping

Yesh, by all means let's return to the mighty leadership of the days of Jeb Bradley - a joke of a congressman whose entire re-election campaign will basically be "I lost to Carol, so give me another chance!" The Union Leader editorial board is deceptive and dishonest when they write hypocritical editorials like this - put another way, they lie to NH residents. Bradley never "regulary strayed" from the party line - that's a lie. People disapprove in this congress because its not opposing Bush and his failed policies MORE, not less.
- David R., Stratham

The difference usually Mr. Lane, is that most conservative republicans or independents that I know, do not support the President in all that he has done. He has been hated for the last 7 years and still does not waiver from his convictions of what is best for our country against the terrorists - not like most of the Dems that do not have the fortitude to see this through. Their fingers are in the wind to see which way the wind blows....most of what they are feeling is the wind from their mouths (they should check out their "un" approval ratings). The politicians like Carol Porter, Peolosi, Hodes, Reid, Murtha, etc. have done nothing to unite our country. Quite frankly, if we worried about what others thought, we would do nothing. As a person, do you not do something because of what others might feel - and they would not agree with you - so you would do nothing? Please - learn to think for yourself. Several military families have tried to meet with Porter and she will not see them - why??? because she does not have the backbone to take their "heat" for her not supporting their soldiers. In my thinking, these politicians would have been declared traitors during WWII - they have done more to embolden our enemies (and they are your enemies too - even though you are blind to that fact) and I hold these politicians personally responsible for the deaths of many of our soldiers and the civilians in other countries that have died at the hands of the terrorists.
- Susan Peterson, Weare

Our terrific new members of congress have displayed remarkable leadership in the few months they have been in office. From working to end Bush's war to providing better care for our soldier to raising the minimum wage, working on access to healthcare and improving education they both represent the vast majority of Granite Staters.

Bradley and Bass like most NH Republican elected officials were so wrong for so long they lost touch with mainstream voters.

Republican partisans are still dazed and confused that the Bush Benson agenda was rejected by the people of NH. They better get used to it because its the Democrats that represent the mainstream majority that the Republicans abandoned.

I am proud of the hard work and accomplishments of Representatives Shea-Porter and Hodes.
- Ray Buckley, Manchester

Nice research guys, let me see if I get this straight Hodes and Porter are bad because they have similar voting records and they side with Pelosi most of the time is this actually the case you are presenting to the people of the great State Of NH?

Where’s the vote record? Where is the detailed breakdown of good and bad votes? All you have given us is a catch phrase “Pelosi Twins” with nothing substantial to back it up and then after six years of a true “rubber stamp” congress you use the label here, now?

Let me see if I can assist you in setting the record straight.

Hodes and Porter voted against domestic spying, for national defense, for children’s health, for improving transportation, for better education, for cleaner water, for homeland security, for stem cell research, against funding criminals in Afghanistan, for ethics reform, for the price gouging act, for the Lobbying transparency act, for improving head start. This list goes on and on.

Gregg and Sununu voted for the war, against education, against accountability, for domestic spying, for NAFTA, CAFTA, and the Medicare Prescription drug program, Gregg voted against children’s health care and college cost reduction, against employee free choice, and on and on and on.

Do some research next time fellas, you’re credibility is circling the drain.
- James Owen, Raymond

I find it incredibly ironic that the same people who supported the rubber stamp republican congress for 6 years and rubber stamped everything George Bush has done, including spying on americans, lying us into war, and doing away with Habeas Corpus, now complain when the democratic caucus votes together. The hypocrisy is staggering. But don't worry, we won't accuse you of being unamerican and unpatriotic for exercising your first amendment right to free speech, as you on the right have done to us since Bush has taken over and destroyed America's reputation in the world.
- Mike Lane, Manchester

The democrats have demonstrated they are more interested in thier party than the best interests of the American people. Pelosi is just another "leader" from the party that refuses to acknowledge the President has indeed tried to work with the "loyal" oppostion and Shea-Porter is just another of her poodles. I certainly hope the voters in New Hampshire come to thier senses and send people and not the many "progressive" (read repressive and controlling) special interests that have the democratic party in thier tight grasp.
- Jeff S, Goffstown

This is just another one of Shea-Porter's self-proclamations that is so far from the truth, it just continues to make her out to be a liar and a follower rather than a leader.

How much money did she take from the DCCC after she said she wouldn't take any so she could remain "independent?" Answer: Tens of Thousands of Dollars!

The propaganda she spews is just that. She tried to take credit for voting for the minimum wage increase after it passed, but the truth is she and Hodes both voted against it.

The truth hurts sometimes. Apparently she thinks NH citizens are too stupid to recognize insincerity and out right lies, but hopefully voters are becoming educated and will send her and Hodes packing in the next election and elect people who have some backbone and integrity.
- Judy Paris, Bradford