Rent Seekers On Parade

"We love captive markets! Make them pay us! It's for their own good!" Sure, they'll tell you they're "merely" authoritarian nanny-staters selflessly looking to protect their fellow man from himself against his will -- not that I'd contend they're not that, too, of course -- but I'm not buyin' the "beneficence" act for a second. This is about preserving their income stream at the cost of your liberty with the force of government. OK, so for the bureaucrats, it's about control. Justifying their fine hats...

Herewith, HB540, 'Relative to motor vehicle inspections,' extending the inspection period from 1 year to 2, before the NH Senate Transportation Committee, 4/7/2011.

This is not about safety. The opposition is to free-market capitalism -- providing what the market wants, rather than what government and its friends want. It's about rent-seeking. It's about protectionism and crony capitalism. This is private business asking government to order you to pay them, for no demonstrable benefit (indeed, quite the opposite), and your government obliging them. "Government force is great. And your constituents love it. Really, they do. Trust us. But they'd never take responsibility for their own safety and preserving the value of their own investments if you don't continue to bring the force of government to bear. They're just too stoopid to take care of themselves if you don't order them to. Well, yes: until they get elected, of course, Senator. Then they're suddenly very wise..." How has the species ever survived...

You know what to do, citizen: call and tell your Senator, tell the Committee members -- go ahead and tell all of them, in fact -- that you are perfectly capable of tending to your own affairs, and assessing your own safety needs, thankyouverymuch. You actually have more invested in your safety, and that of your family, than bureaucrats or rent-seekers do. And you're certainly at least as capable as the majority of US citizens are already acknowledged to be by their respective governments. Hell, more so: you're a New Hampshirite, after all.

Society won't crumble. There won't be carnage in the streets. People will take responsibility for themselves. Life will go on. We even have the data...

Some of prime sponsor Rep. Keith Murphy's talking points:

• Annual inspections are proven to be ineffective and an unnecessary cost of time and money for our citizens.

• NH is one of only three states that require statewide testing for both safety and emissions annually.

• This bill would save our citizens $11 million per year in inspection fees while being revenue neutral to the state. This is a free market, pro-jobs bill.

• Emissions testing would not still be required annually, as some have said.

• 30 states do not require safety inspections at all, up from 19 in 1976. These include snow states such as CT, MI, CO, NJ, WI, MN, etc.

• Five additional states almost never require inspections (MD, NV, DE, etc).

• Of the remaining 15 states, three require biennial inspections (RI, MO), 12 including NH require annual inspections.

• Of five studies done on this topic in the last 20 years, four show that inspections do not reduce accidents. Cars are better-made and safer than ever, which is why the federal government repealed its mandate.

• Of the 11 states that repealed their inspection mandate, not one has ever re-enacted it.

But first, Rep. Steve Vaillancourt, as is often the case, to be sure, sums things up rather eloquently...

Are You Listening, Weare Taxpayers?

I told ya this was comin'. Being the main attraction in Prosecutor Baumann's (already voluntarily de-escalated -- 'cause, y'know, there's that 'law' thing -- but still...) little circus this day, my camera work suffers. And so does your wallet. And your liberty.

The State v Your Humble Chronicler, Arraignment, Goffstown District Court, 4/5/2011. I'll update here with the trial date when they settle on one. One of these days, I'll even be able to tell the story...

Motion to record in District Court.

EDIT: Watch the Watchmen

Attention Weare Taxpayers

This is an example of how your police department and your prosecutor choose to spend your tax money. Your humble chronicler will leave it to you, gentle reader, to decide how appropriate, professional, prepared, competent, effective, and fiscally and litigiously prudent they are. Whether they're actually honorably serving your interests and simply keeping the peace, or just persecuting a fellow citizen for not bowing deeply enough to "authority." Whether there's something else going on here. With your money. I warn you this will be painful. But you're strong. (And just btw, they're scheming to do it again even now. Trust me. I know. Pay up, citizen. And don't you dare question your masters...)

The State of NH v George Hodgdon, Goffstown District Court, 3/15/2011. Catherine Baumann for the prosecution. Seth Hipple for the defense. Read more about the trial here. Read more of the (just recent) history here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Just to get ya started. Pattern? Don't forget the comments...

And more just from this blog here, here, here and here.

The Offense



The Defense

Denying Pain Relief Is Barbaric

(Hey, lookit me! I'm recording public servants in the performance of their duties -- even cops! -- without their permission...!)

Yes, I said barbaric. There is no accurate yet appropriately genteel euphemism. Deal with it. The time of the authoritarian drug warrior must end. Now. Starting with the atrocities committed against those who are suffering. Civil liberties, human rights and self-ownership must be restored. Government as servant, not master. If we make any claim to being a civilized -- let alone free -- society, we must stop forcing our fellows to live in misery for our own ostensibly "high ideals." "Misguided" doesn't remotely begin to cover it. You. Mind your own goddamn business, and "allow" your neighbor to mind his. In return, he'll do the same for you. What a concept.

Two years ago, the NH legislature finally did the right thing, with HB648. They almost even did it twice, but the Senate couldn't quite muster sufficient basic humanity to override Gov. Lynch's promised callous, soulless veto -- of a bill he effectively wrote. When Democrats can't be counted on for even drug reform, I am left wondering what at all they might still be good for.

So this year, the NH legislature -- now under theoretically veto-proof GOP control -- is taking another whack at compassion with HB442, 'relative to the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.' Mind you, it's said to be the most restrictive such legislation in the country, so it's hardly something over which to get overly excited, other than as a start. But if the only reason they finally pass medical marijuana is to put it to the castrated lame duck in the corner office, well, I can live with that.

Can Lynch live with the damage he's done to peaceful, pain-ridden lives? Can't really say I care. Or hope he can, to be honest. There really need to be more consequences for arbitrarily screwing with people, making their painful lives even more difficult, particularly for mere venal political calculation. John, you should experience a little of those shoes. Hey, as Captain Mal Reynolds says, "Mercy is the mark of a great man. Guess I'm just a good man. Well, I'm all right..." (at about 8:40)




Anyway, so here's testimony before the NH House Health & Human Services Committee, 3/1/2011.




And here, the hearing's culminating testimony from Clayton Holton. Actually, I know you're willing, Governor. I just want to hear you say it to his face...




And in the interest of equal time -- 'cause every opinion is equally valid, right...? -- law enforcement's position can, as always (so you don't have to bother slogging through the hearing), be summed up by the following tried-&-true, peer-reviewed scientific analysis.




So, to recap...
Law enforcement: opposed.
Citizenry: in favor.
Reason, federalism, liberty, Constitution: in favor.

Who works for whom here? Who's the boss of you? Can ya tell I'm gettin' really tired of this tyrannical shyte...?

EDIT: 'Why Would Anyone Object to Government Monitoring of Pain Treatment?'

RidleyReport Addresses Weare PD Abuses

Is the NH GOP Aware It HAS a Platform...?

A curious theme appears to be emerging in the Granite State with regard to the NH Republican Party and its stated objectives. The NH GOP's platform specifically states that the party supports expressly acknowledging the right of jury nullification (find some historical opinions on the matter here). Just as the NH GOP's platform specifically states that the party supports the right to record cops, thereby holding public servants accountable (which also resulted in some recent confusion).

The Legal System
The Republican Party believes that the New Hampshire Advantage is, in part, secured and promoted by a legal system that upholds the safety, values and freedoms of law-abiding citizens. We will work to maintain a legal system that provides every citizen prompt and impartial justice by: ...
* Support jurors being instructed on the right of jury nullification

And yet somehow the GOP-dominated House Judiciary Committee nevertheless managed to unanimously recommend killing HB146, 'relative to the right of jury nullification,' NH's 2011 "fully informed jury" bill. Here's the majority opinion blurb published in the House Calendar, where it was placed on the Consent Calendar, with other "non-controversial" bills:

HOUSE CALENDAR
CONSENT CALENDAR
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23

JUDICIARY

HB 146, relative to the right of jury nullification. INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE.
Rep. Gregory M Sorg for Judiciary: This bill would require judges in all court proceedings to “instruct the jury of its inherent right to judge the law and the facts and to nullify any and all actions they find to be unjust.” The committee concluded that, as drafted, this bill would incorrectly instruct the jury to put the law on trial rather than the application of the law in the case actually before it. The committee further concluded that the so-called “Wentworth” instruction, by which the judge instructs the jury that if it finds that the prosecution has proved all of the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, it should find the defendant guilty, adequately informs the jury of its unquestioned right of nullification without misleading it. Vote 15-0.

By all indications, much party chaos, embarrassment and hysteria ensued, as it discovered the transparently tenuous nature of its own allegiance to principle, on display for all to appreciate. Here is the subsequent floor debate, mere days later, to salvage both intended citizen control over government, and Republican self-respect, 2/23/2011. The result? Back to Committee. We're gonna keep doin' this until you get it right...! Thank you, Speaker O'Brien.

Beer, Glorious Beer...!

The NH House Commerce Committee hears testimony on HB262, 'relative to beverage manufacturers,' 2/22/2011. Less vaguely, "This bill establishes a nano brewery license for businesses that manufacture up to 2,000 barrels of beer or specialty beer annually. This bill also eliminates the quantity restriction on sales by beverage manufacturers to the general public." A new industry could flourish in NH.

Is it just me, or does the Committee come off as more authoritarian and micromanaging than the Liquor Commission (starting at about 28:30)...?



And as a special bonus: why it's so gorram important. From the Discovery Channel, so you know it's righteous, right? 'How Beer Saved the World'...


How Beer Saved The World from College Curb on Vimeo.

Son of REAL-ID

How the hell do we KILL this thing...? HB455, 'authorizing optional enhanced drivers' licenses and optional enhanced nondrivers' picture identification cards,' before the NH House Transportation Committee, 2/22/2011. More history here.

But first, The Man, NH's channeler of Patrick Henry, our primary champion on nullifying REAL-ID in NH already, my own Rep. Neal Kurk, dissects -- eviscerates? -- the bill line by line...

Scenes from a Big Day at the State House

Many big bills addressed in hearings by NH House Committees this day, 2/17/2011. Education, parental rights, 'freedom to marry' (you can still "enjoy" some of the last go-round on this topic, which ultimately resulted in NH becoming the first state to recognize gay marriage without a court order, here -- it's unlikely the arguments have changed much...). Far too many to hit even many of them. So, here's a selection.

First up, this year's version of 2009's HCR6 -- NH's first 'sovereignty' bill. HCR19: 'affirming States' powers based on the Constitution for the United States and the Constitution of New Hampshire,' heard by the House State-Federal Relations Committee.

Here, co-sponsor freshman Rep. George "On the Job Means On the Record" Lambert speaks truth to power. Then the whole hearing, including the non-typical step (at least in the House) of an immediate 'Executive Session,' where the Committee votes on its recommendation to the whole House. The result was 'Ought to Pass,' 10-2. At about 0:42, Rep. Theberge exhibits some character when he protests voting to recommend a bill he professes he isn't "well-versed" on. More of the People's representatives -- especially at the federal level -- should show such honor, IMHO. However, as you can almost hear, he commences writing the "minority opinion" before the session even concludes! Now, if that opinion will be simply that House members should actually understand bills before they vote to pass them, shouldn't there be sufficient time to become educated by the time the House reads it? Surely he's not rendering judgment on the substance, on which he admits he's not "well-versed"... I'll be interested to learn his official objection, which will be printed in the relevant House Calendar for the scheduled floor vote, which is currently slated for 2/23.






Next, while I'm waiting for the 'Obamacare opt-out' bill, I sit in on HB225: 'relative to the return of personal property confiscated by law enforcement agencies from a person charged with a crime,' before the House Criminal Justice Committee. It would seem a non-controversial concept, wouldn't it? Surprisingly, the tone while I was there reflected that rational perception. The AG's office is there purely informationally? What else should they be there for? Isn't their job to enforce the laws we tell them to?




Finally, here we go. HB126: 'prohibiting interference with access to medical services and health insurance of New Hampshire citizens' -- Obamacare nullification, effectively -- before the House Commerce Committee. Don't miss the final speaker, who regales us with this revelation, from a government employee: force-based government thinks government is good. Presumably, more force-based government is good-er.

But let's lead off with co-sponsor freshman Rep. Andrew Manuse speaking more truth to power.

NH House Leadership Addresses State Budget

I braved the increasingly unacceptable Concord parking situation (only made worse by the snow) this day, 2/3/2011, to record the Republican-dominated NH House Criminal Justice Committee's scheduled Executive Session (to finalize its recommendation to the entire body) for HB145: "permitting the audio and video recording of any public official while in the course of his or her official duties" -- you know, the bill that's faithful to the GOP's own platform -- only to learn it was already preordained for a study committee where, presumably, it can be quietly separated from its teeth.

On the way out, I ran into this press conference by House leadership on the state of this biennium's nascent budget process. I'm reminded of a quote the intended meaning of which I've never considered I fully understood: "Hope is like a dose of spiritual clap." We shall see...