adventures in the free state

NH Rep Dan Itse Calls Out the House. Again.

2009-10-28T22:10:00.003-04:00

And yet again, we must inquire, why aren't they embarrassed? Even just a little bit. But no-o-o-o. . . The first time, no one seemed sufficiently and justifiably contrite. This time, from 10/28/2009 -- the same day the Senate couldn't see fit to extricate itself from peaceful individuals' medical decisions -- is clearly no different.

Rep. Itse first references last term's SB153, "relative to business practices between motor vehicle manufacturers, distributors, and dealers," specifically. But he could just as easily have used as examples the recently eviscerated payday loan industry. Or any of the far too numerous professional licensing boards and mandatory requirements in NH (one of the most onerous lists in the country), and all of which directly restrict the forms of contracts into which your state "allows" you to enter. Our government is flatly prohibited from passing such legislation by the Constitution, by rule of law, and all these are just violations of merely one particular Constitutional provision.

Then Rep. Itse goes on to cite intentional Constitutional limitations on the imposition of taxes. You know, like income taxes?

And what is the reaction of this august body to the notion that they've violated their oaths (which they took most recently less than a year ago), and that violation thereof is, in fact, a serious matter for honest citizens? Chortles. Snickers from the peanut gallery, so to speak. It's just so much mindless trivia, not an intentional proscription on the expansion of government's delegated authority that they should be remotely expected in any substantive way to adhere to. And then -- get this -- they quite vocally don't want a record of his chiding published! Stunning.

But I suppose no criminal wants evidence laying around, though, right? Well, by request of the orator, here it is, dear viewer, for all posterity. Including the "honorable" House's reaction... <shudder>

Hey, I just thought of a great statist campaign slogan:

"He simply knows better than you. And the Founders.
So just let him run your life, already!"

Must be true. It's on the internets...

On NH's failure to override Lynch's medical marijuana veto

2009-10-28T16:45:00.001-04:00

Sent this afternoon to my representatives, regarding HB648, "relative to the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes," following the NH legislature's failure this morning to override Democratic Gov. Lynch's supercilious veto, which itself followed the meticulous rewriting of the bill to meet his very own stated requirements (btw, Sen. Gallus was the only Republican Senator -- again -- to vote in favor of smaller, less intrusive government, not to mention compassion):

Representatives and Senator Janeway of Hillsborough 7 (and Sen. Letourneau),

A great 'thank you' to those of you -- Rep. Hikel, particularly, for your floor speech (although you did miss the opportunity to point out that while the dismissively challenged 53% of your "they-haven't-read-it" constituents support this, 63% of the House, itself, supported it back in March, then 68% in June, and presumably they read it, so...) -- who voted to defy our "liberal" governor and return just the tiniest yet still wildly restrictive shred of my civil liberty. You know who you are. I do...

A shred that was originally and unconstitutionally stolen from me (thanks primarily to authoritarian prohibitionists and crony capitalists -- sure, that's how a "limited-government, free market capitalist society" should work...) equally without the "100% certainty" (which we enjoy when, exactly?) that we were told in today's House floor debate should nevertheless be needed before government deigns to return any of its self-delegated control. Rush to regulate, inertial stagnation to rescind, neither with better knowledge than the marketplace. Or, in this case, than the patient actually in pain and her doctor.

My only concern, had the veto override mercifully also passed in the Senate today, would have been that "the good enough" would have proven to be the enemy of "the perfect." Or even just "the better," and we would have been stuck at this marginal level of returned freedom for the foreseeable future. Instead, we now have a prime opportunity starting next session -- perhaps with a little help from a finally fed-up electorate -- to do, perhaps not "perfect," but at least even "better." I can only hope we don't have to wait longer to take advantage of it, and remove just a little Draconian, non-omniscient, unauthorized government from peaceful people's lives.

As Rep. DiFruscia positively noted this morning, (even non-patient) activists have been smoking openly in Keene and Manchester. And surprise, the world hasn't ended. The empire hasn't collapsed. Chaos hasn't descended on quiet hamlets (although, yes, dogs and cats are living together, though causation has yet to be established). Indeed, law enforcement is largely ignoring them. So if, per law enforcement (and presumably its local governments, too, and despite its incongruously contrary hearing testimony), the law doesn't actually have to be enforced because it's demonstrably not a problem, then why is it still arbitrarily illegal? What is the specifically demonstrated compelling state interest that should continue to trump the individual's? (And please, no one give me essentially that the 10th Amendment is dead, and we simply must continue to submit to a self-appointed "higher authority." It's dead only if we allow it to be. But then, so is the Republic.)

And I find it profoundly disheartening, disturbing and hypocritical, too, that legislators such as Sen. Letourneau can appreciate and outspokenly champion the fundamental underlying principle of liberty for his own pet issues (such as motorcycles -- which is also one of mine, btw, so you can bet you'll be hearing from me on the upcoming helmet bill), but as per his own floor address today, loses any semblance of consistency on others, such as (even compassionate medical) marijuana. "Let those who consume decide." Especially those whose pain you mercifully don't have to share.

What a barbaric outcome. Shame on Gov. Lynch. Shame on the Senate. Undying, iniquitous shame.

Please maintain the consistent spirit of individual liberty and personal responsibility when considering legislation -- related or otherwise -- that comes before you in the future.

Taxing Times in NH?

2009-10-21T15:13:00.003-04:00

The NH House Ways & Means Committee holds another the-public's-not-invited-to-instruct-us "House Information Session," this time jointly with the NH Senate's analogous committee, 10/21/2009.

Faithful viewers may recall that I recorded the first such session, back on 9/10/2009. But this one's slated for 2 full days, so all I could stand was the opening ceremonies. If you can stand it, Chair Almy promises the audio will be posted on the state's website.

Surrounding the "session," anti-tax activists commence a parallel 2-day rally, and hold a press conference outside the Legislative Office Building. If you just wanna jump to the good stuff, the press conference begins at minute 4.

The rally will continue tomorrow, 10/22/2009, tracking the second ponderous day of outsiders reinforcing NH government's desire for more of your money. Be there or be... poorer. Whenever you can make it, between 8:30am and 3:00pm...

EDIT: Grant Bosse is live blogging from the "session" over at NH Watchdog.

Manchester Marijuana Meetup, Day 2

2009-09-29T19:17:00.001-04:00

The soon-to-be-very-usual-suspects gather in the soon-to-be-very-usual-location for the soon-to-be-very-mundane activity. 420 @ 4:20 in Veteran's Park, Manchester, NH, 9/29/2009.

The "Ins" 'n' "Outs" of NH Activism

2009-09-28T23:50:00.002-04:00

NH liberty activists, primarily of the Merrimack Valley variety, spend a busy day practicing "inside-the-system," then "outside-the-system" liberty activism, 9/28/2009.

First it was early morning FIJA outreach in Concord, Manchester, and Nashua. From the inaugural Concord session at the Merrimack County Courthouse, Mike Tiner called in to Porc411 with news, then later recounted the events for this videographer.

Concord FIJA Follies

Then prohibition push-back at Veteran's Park in Manchester. No arrests. No press -- yet...

Manchester Marijuana Meetup, or...
420 @ 4:20

Come join the subversive, dissident fun, every day at 4:20pm, at Veteran's Park on Elm St.

NH House Committee income tax hearing-- err, "meeting" loses cover

2009-09-11T13:18:00.001-04:00

UNH Professor Ross Gittell addresses the NH House Ways & Means Subcommittee by request, regarding HB642, the current income tax bill, 9/10/2009.

What I found particularly galling was the good professor's open hubris regarding a paternalistic state-directed economy. One of his claimed "benefits" -- "I see this as a positive" -- to his preferred sales tax (which is first broached at 24:30) would be the intentional non-market-driven shrinking of the retail sector, thus forcing people out of those jobs (first offered at about 25:30, again at 28:00, and again at 41:30~42:35, but clearly contradicted at 19:45). "For their own good," of course. Not that the legislature hasn't been more than happy to impose a similar employment purge on the payday loan industry not that long ago. Certainly, by his own stated criteria, this is expressly his goal: tax what you want to (what you believe you have the authority to) discourage (17:30, 28:45); in this case, by definition, retail commerce...

Also, if the current sales tax rate disparity is acceptable to surrounding states, if we cut that disparity in half as the professor recommends, why wouldn't that encourage those states to increase their revenues by subsequently increasing their rates in response, to maintain that acceptable-to-them disparity? What's the down side for them? Why wouldn't we be doing them a favor by voluntarily closing the gap, thus encouraging their consumers to spend their FRNs at home? Why wouldn't this course spark a tax rate "arms race" in the wrong direction? Isn't NH's lack of a sales tax a significant reason why those other states aren't higher now?

The presumption throughout, no surprise, is that the state needn't cut spending. It will have more revenue at the expense of our wallets. The only question is how. Why is the state's position always, "if we can collect it, we should have it to spend?"

In a backroom conversation before the gavel fell, it's clear Chairwoman Almy was not particularly pleased that word got out about her quiet little session. "I'm sure one of these cameras is the Free Staters. Probably the first." ... "And I'm not going to be bullied." (I suppose we should leave the bullying to the professionals, then...?) WMUR's reporter assured her it wasn't he who was responsible. She acknowledged, and blamed the Portsmouth Herald for the leak. The "media circus" (Hey, Mom! I was mentioned in Subcommittee! Unless I'm still not considered the med-- HEY...!) she references around the 4:50 mark she apparently considers sparked by a Herald article that doesn't seem to be online at this point, but she also makes a crack in the meeting that the Union Leader owes her an apology.

Well, the video's finally converted, so I gotta get this posted. Some background can be had here. "After action reports" here and here.

Paul Hodes surfaces and holds restrictive court

2009-09-04T00:22:00.001-04:00

Or: It's good to be da king...
NH Congressman (I will not honor him by implying that he in any way "represents" me) Paul Hodes deigns to address the little people on specifically selected topics at a press conference (NOT a town hall meeting), 9/3/2009. NH State Rep. Jenn Coffey exposes the violence inherent in the system.

EDIT: Telegraph: Hodes was wrong to shun town halls

FIJA Outreach in Manchester, NH

2009-08-31T13:46:00.000-04:00

"Fully Informed Jury" Activists take to the street to educate prospective jurors on their rights, in front of the Hillsborough County Court in Manchester, NH, 8/31/2009. I believe there was a previous such effort in Manchester (following the lead of similar, and now long ongoing, outreach in Keene) in the past 2 years, but Big Mike fully intends this one to become a regular Manchester event.

FIJANH.info
NHCLOG.org
FIJA.org

Wall-to-Wall Wet Wal- er... Rallies

2009-06-25T11:35:00.001-04:00

Liberty-minded voters mass in front of the NH State House to inform their representatives on several issues. Specifically, HB648: "relative to the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes," and the bloated "recession" budget, HB1 and HB2, 6/24/2009

And for those on a time budget, here's some selections from the Taxpayer Rally.

Subversive Government

2009-06-09T22:50:00.001-04:00

Lead by Rep Paul Ingbretson and Rep Dan Itse, the NH House ad hoc committee on Redress of Grievance, attempting to restore that moribund Constitutional mandate (Part First, Article 31) to the NH legislature (an odyssey begun last year with HB1543), commences "listening sessions" in a storefront across Main St from State House grounds, in defiance of the wishes of House leadership, 6/9/2009.

Yes, the legislators, attempting to do the People's business as directed in the State's charter, were denied access to government facilities. Apparently Speaker Norelli has an issue with direct accountability to citizens wronged by their government. Or perhaps she simply considers such citizens to be necessary and acceptable collateral damage in her political machinations. I guess you'd have to ask her...

Previous posts on Redress of Grievance are here, here, here and here (the afternoon session of which was the first time Adventures in the Free State met David Johnson).

Part 1

Part 2

One step closer to equality under the law

2009-06-03T21:45:00.002-04:00

Today, NH government is just a little less discriminatory. And that's never a bad thing. HB436, HB310, and finally HB73 are the law of the land. Herewith, the Marriage Equality Rally preceding the final showdown on HB73, "relative to the solemnization of marriage," outside the NH State House, 6/3/2009, culminating in making NH #6. By 5:30pm, even the shouting was over, the fat lady's lungs collapsed. Hell, even Cheney gets it. How, then, is there an excuse left...?

See more of my ranting, and the Senate Committee hearing here.

Now. Can we all work together to get government out of the religion business?

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE FASCISM!

2009-05-30T01:30:00.002-04:00

Jesus Christ. What the hell does it take, people...?!?

This billboard is part of the Federal Government people's "Department of Homeland Security". You really do have to provide credentials to government people when they say "Papers Please". We don't even need to put on a fake German accent to drive home the oppression of that.

You can't vote to end this at a state level. So the question is, if NOW isn't the time to secede and leave the oppression of the FedGov behind, when is?

"DO YOU HAVE APPROVED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS."

"TO GET HOME!"

Are ya feelin' the chill yet? Ya really should.

Really...

Let's hope the entire NH legislature gets the message -- as it finally did for REAL ID -- for next session's anticipated enhanced version of HCR6, state sovereignty. But what will it take for our federal servants to get the hint? Do we really need to care...?

"Permission" to monitor your servants not so popular with servants

2009-05-20T01:05:00.006-04:00

Now, there's a surprise, eh...?

NH Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on HB312: "permitting a person to record a law enforcement officer in the course of such officer's official duties," 5/19/2009

Essentially the same self-serving, dismissive, disingenuous dissembling from law enforcement as they trotted out at February's House hearing. Shouldn't they be required to understand the existing law?

Here's the deal. Taking pictures is already legal. Taking (silent) video is already legal. Holding a camera or a cellphone is already legal. Therefore, the "it might be a gun" argument is specious. Likewise, using a light with those visual image recording devices is not currently prohibited, so they are irrelevant to the question at hand of limiting audio recording. Non-law enforcement private citizens don't lose their rights, so the "they wouldn't be able to object to being recorded" argument is also specious. Breaching a crime scene is equally illegal without an audio recording device as it is with one, so that argument, well, you're seeing the pattern, yes? Right on down the line.

As Rep Joel Winters points out, all this bill does is remove the misapplied wiretapping law as an authoritarian cudgel. Collecting your own evidence in what law enforcement is (needless to say) expecting to be legal jeopardy CANNOT BE ILLEGAL. Erasing that evidence -- and summarily destroying private property without due process -- while the camera is in their custody, however, is another matter entirely...
[EDIT: and Radley agrees with me.]

On the job means on the record. Why does this need to be explained to our employees?

Legislator schedules being what they are (and the Committee Chair is painfully aware of it on this incredibly hectic day she scheduled for herself), Rep Neal Kurk rushed in at the last minute, and signed in on the wrong sheet. Professional courtesy would generally have the Chair allowing him to speak, anyway, but she simply couldn't be bothered. "Sorry, the gavel can't be unbanged. There's nothing I can do. My hands are tied." What a...

Also below, the culminating testimony from Ryan Marvin and Rep Winters.

If a complaint is lodged in the capitol...

2009-05-01T10:12:00.001-04:00

...would anybody hear it? NH Representatives Paul Ingbretson and Dan Itse lead an ad hoc House Committee addressing formulation of procedural recommendations for the House Rules Committee (breath) regarding the further adventures of last session's HB1543 and the non-optional -- as in Constitutionally mandated -- restoration of petitions for redress of grievance in the NH Legislature, 4/30/2009. Follow the backstory here and here and here.

Restraints in the NH Senate

2009-04-21T16:45:00.003-04:00

Testimony on HB383: 'relative to passenger restraints,' before the NH Senate Transportation and Interstate Cooperation Committee, 4/20/2009. Mostly the same collection of nanny-statist authoritarians as at the House hearing. The liberty side seemed more focused and targeted to me than previously, although some testimony was missing this time. Yes, if you're still awake approaching hour 5, you heard that right: you're not an individual. Submit to the general good, whatever that is... I really can't stand this crap anymore...

Although I didn't end up using it in my testimony (which happens to kick off Part 4, and which is substantially identical to my testimony at the House hearing on the same bill), in the hearing I had jotted down an introduction that went something like this:

Rep Kelly is quite fond of referencing in her testimony and public statements the representative from the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance who also served on that stacked seatbelt commission. I trust it is not her intention to in any way imply to this Committee that the conclusion reached by that NHLA representative was or is remotely in concurrence with her own.

If you believe as I believe that you are an independent adult who can make your own decisions, thankyouverymuch, CONTACT YOUR SENATOR! NOW!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

And here is the isolated testimony of Rep Joel Winters and Rep Steve Vaillancourt.

Redneck vs. Pariah (not that there's anything WRONG with that!) Smackdown

2009-04-17T10:40:00.008-04:00

Somewhere down below, you'll find the video of the public hearing in front of the NH Senate Judiciary Committee on HB436: 'relative to civil marriage and civil unions,' 4/15/2009. Half of it could accurately be characterized, as one Rep quipped to me, as "bigots on parade," transparently convenient self-serving protestations and self-descriptions to the contrary aside. "Hey, I know a (godless) lesbian! I even said that out loud! Whaddaya want from me?! There're only so many rights to go around, ya know! I got mine, and I ain't givin' 'em up...!"

Check out the final speaker in Part 1, just for a pointed, head-slapping, cringe-inducing example (or the slightly more insidious grinning bigotry of the final speaker of Part 2, or the blissfully self-unaware 'Tyrants-R-Us' rant at the end of Part 3, or... ). Yes, he's a lovable sitcom stereotype, but don't be lulled. Wait for it... Wait... There. Was I lyin'? Yeah, that was my reaction, too. How ever did he forget "barefoot & pregnant," anyway...? Now, who was clapping louder in response: the defiantly authoritarian social conservatives or the bill supporters thankful for the farcical comic relief, hoping to encourage more such revealing volunteered honesty? Tough to say. "Give 'em enough rope" is certainly a valid strategy, especially when they so happily cooperate...

Anyway, in the course of testimony, we were told that this is an unflattering "'me' issue." That we've become a selfish society, and must change our ways. Wanna guess which side that assertion came from? (Answer [sorry, no 'spoiler space']: Those who want to vengefully [isn't there something about "vengeance" in their "good book"?] deny to others rights and benefits they, themselves, consider a birthright.)

We heard that the encouragement of the stability of official marriage greatly benefits all of society. Wanna guess which side that statement came from? (Answer: Those desiring to continue to limit its availability.)

We were assured that no one is opposed to equal rights, that justice is our goal. Wanna guess?

We were informed that the purpose of marriage is to breed future generations of obedient government servants. Guess... OK, that one's a gimme.

We learned that rights should be voted on, subject to majority rule, this being a "democracy," and all.

We were regaled with ominous arguments and portentous prophecies citing biology and education and adoption and tax revenues and incest and bestiality, but never exactly how any of it related to the bill at hand.

We were informed, on multiple occasions and to knowing chortles, that this bill would outlaw the use of words like "bride," "groom," "husband," "wife," in common usage. "Who's 'Person 1,' anyway?!?" (guffaws ensue) Well, who's "Party of the First Part?" For that matter, what's a "part"? (guffaws ensue...)

We were notified that God will be filing copyright infringement charges. (Well, the wages of sin aren't what they used to be, after all, the economy being what it is...)

We were warned that Taliban-like imposition of religious values was the inevitable next step, the irony clearly entirely lost on the speaker. (Once again, oppression is bad only if "we" aren't the oppressor.)

It was implied that gays are godless, or at least that any religion they might claim to follow (there were audible snickers for the Druid) is somehow plainly false because...

We were told that there are many kinds of churches, but they all (needless to say) subscribe to the (particular) speaker's interpretation of [southern preacher accent] everybody's lord Jesus! [/southern preacher accent] (I think somebody said the Committee Chair is Jewish, so that concept should have gone over well...)

We wistfully recalled, with 'Tammy Faye,' the days of scripture exams in public schools.

We were literally told that passing this bill would usher in full-blown barbarianism. True. No, true.

We were warned that softball fans can't be allowed to confuse their favorite sport with the National Pastime, thus profoundly harming us all. Seriously.

We heard from several individuals that they were personally willing to go to jail, ostensibly (they weren't exactly clear) rather than comply with some provision of the proposed legislation. (They were even less clear on what the charges could possibly be. Maybe those 'copyright' violations...?)

We were told that if one is bisexual -- i.e., if one might potentially be hormonally attracted to other people, especially people of whom someone else's church might not approve for them -- certainly one wouldn't be getting married, anyway, since ya can't not do something about it, right? (Evidently, heterosexuals automatically lose that biological capacity. Does that mean I'm not really hetero, or not really married? I'm so confused. I guess the "traditional marriage" divorce rate is just a fiction...)

We learned -- with visual aids, even -- that marriage is like stool: all connected and fibrous-like. Oh, sorry -- that was like a stool... (Btw, the third leg of "the marriage stool" is "the child" -- not to be confused with "the Belmont Stakes," being the third leg of "the Triple Crown," speaking of big honkin' stools -- so I guess the "not" that I'm judged to be is "really married.") This unadulterated "stool," you may be interested to know, issued forth from an actual elected (I must accept, I suppose, lacking evidence to the contrary) NH Representative. Eww...

And ahhhhh, of course, we were incessantly chided that denying equality under the law is righteous and -- say it with me -- "for the children!"

About the only thing that no one seemed to disagree on, or at least contest -- refreshingly (small incremental victories...) -- is that government marriage does, in fact, bestow government benefits. As an aside, I'm not really steeped in this specific issue -- coulda fooled you, at this point, huh? -- being personally more vexed by the broader implications of theocracy and church/state commingling in general. But it seems to me that if I were directly affected, I'd be mostly fixated on the state-granted "contract package" aspect (visitation, etc. -- "permission" to visit your sick spouse, can you imagine?) than with any monetary windfall that social conservatives often claim I'd somehow realize against their will (but haven't we heard a lot of kvetching over the years from those very same conservatives about the "marriage penalty"? So which is it...?).

So, after six and a half (plus lunch break) liberty-sapping, soul-crushing hours (divided by ~2) of repetitive, mind-numbingly parochial "well, duh! God said so! Everybody knows that!" religious fundamentalism, I remain, um, fundamentally and profoundly unconvinced by the opposition.

Simply stated, government shouldn't be -- isn't authorized to be -- involved in many things, but if it unfortunately currently is (as with marriage), and until it isn't again, it absolutely may not discriminate. Period. Least of all according to one sect's -- nay, empirically one faction of one sect's -- definitions. Not in a free society. Not, as on this issue, in a First Amendment-compliant society. Any existing discrimination must end. Immediately.

If'n ya don't like the results of that Constitutionally mandated field-leveling, then you've got incentive a-plenty to help to get government out completely. Then you can continue to discriminate in your own church (ya simply don't get to discriminate in someone else's church -- that's kinda what makes it "theirs," don'tchaknow) or in your own business, to your dark, oppressive little heart's content. Yeah, get used to that characterization: you are an oppressor, like Stalin (ohh, no -- no Godwin's Law invocations here!), of peaceful people just trying to live their lives in liberty, in pursuit of happiness. Or, if you insist, pursuit of happinefs...

Make ya feel good, does it?

As I've said before, even quite recently, government's got no business whatsoever selectively making peaceful private lives more difficult. None. Ever. Simple as that.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

And here, some selected testimony, just 'cause I found it compelling. Alright! I found it sensitive, OK...?!

EDIT: OK, how did they see this before it was aired...?

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad

colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

NASA Name Contest

Medical Marijuana Goes to the NH Senate

2009-04-15T00:50:00.000-04:00

Testimony on HB648: 'relative to the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes,' before the NH Senate Health and Human Services Committee, 4/14/2009. The Forces of Darkness just get more strained and more twisted and more bizarre each time we do this little dance. There's some real unintended comedy here. (See that guy with the "high-n-tight" in the right foreground in the Part 1 preview? Conspiracy theorist. Serious. Give it a listen...)

Part 1

Part 2

And here, the isolated testimony of Rep Steve Vaillancourt and NHCLU Executive Director Claire Ebel.

Last month, following the the House Committee hearing, I sent the following to my Representatives and Senator:

Compassion isn't a character flaw, pain relief shouldn't be criminal

Seriously ill patients in a free and compassionate society should be "allowed" to use medical marijuana if their certified medical doctor (as opposed to their politician) believes it will help ease their suffering. Actively denying and prosecuting medical marijuana patients, besides being cruel and inhumane -- downright barbaric, in fact -- wastes taxpayer dollars and preoccupies law enforcement officials when they could be arresting real criminals threatening life, liberty or property.

And the national government being the expressly created servant of the states, themselves, federal laws -- even if they WERE Constitutional -- are the feds' problem to enforce, not ours. And the current President has apparently finally begun to concede the folly and hubris of the expensive, immoral and unauthorized war on legitimate state laws (on THIS topic, at least -- hey, it's a start...), and will no longer be prosecuting what should have been non-"crimes" in the eyes of state legislatures all along.

Those of us who needn't walk a mile in these patients' painful shoes should simply count our blessings and sit on our hands. It's long past time we recognized the suffering that these seriously ill patients endure, and require that our state government get off its high authoritarian horse and get out of their arduous way. Government has no justification for arbitrarily making peaceful lives more difficult. None. Ever.

Please uphold the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee's recommendation of 'OTP' on HB648: "relative to the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes." It's the compassionate thing to do.

$2.85 For Your Liberty

2009-03-20T22:55:00.005-04:00

That's $3.7M in one-time windfall blood money from the feds (where did they get it, again?) divided by 1.3M NH residents (that's 2007 figures, and truncated at that, so your autonomy was worth less than $2.85 in your government's eyes, even then). Plus the glorious citation revenue, of course. Bwa-ha-ha-haaa...!

Interested? No? Too bad. Whom do you think's running this joint, anyway? Now be a good subject and just do what you're told...

Except activists are sworn to make sure the goon-state of NH never gets to spend it quite the way it envisions, maybe even lose money in the bargain (yes, it's actually taxpayers' money, either way...). Will the state listen? Can it "do the math?" Does it actually care? Or is it really all about obedience of the masses? Watch the video: it's all a big joke to them. They still don't see what's coming...

This is the continuation of last week's NH House Ways & Means Committee hearing on HB383, this year's seatbelt bill. What does it take to instruct these servants that we simply don't want their "help?" For the "attention deficit" crowd, selected testimony video follows...

Details on the pledge Jeremy talks about can be found here and here.

Contact your legislators, and tell them you didn't hire parents. Tell them your freedom isn't for sale. Tell them you haven't authorized them to "instruct" you how to live your life (as if they're qualified). Tell them to leave you alone, thanks for the "concern."

Not great possibilities still in the House at this point, but they're not done yet, and it's certainly worth the fight. Likely on to the Senate after another floor vote, possibly next week. Steel yourselves, sovereigns...

Surreal

2009-03-10T12:44:00.002-04:00

Simply surreal. This is part of the discussion that occurred in the hallway outside the NH House Ways & Means Committee hearing room prior to the (first) hearing on HB383: "relative to passenger restraints," followed by the hearing, itself. It was way late, and will pick up again next week (so everybody who took the day off to instruct their legislators can do it again. Oh, joy.).

The Wall Street Journal sent a reporter, Jennifer Levitz, with a video camera (I mooched for a bit). She interviewed the inestimable Jeremy Olson and the world famous Mark Edge. Then she initiated an interview with the bill's sponsor, Rep Sally "live free or die!" Kelly (she's lived here 34 years, ya know -- I think she gets an extra vote at 35 or something...). Our own Ivy Walker interceded (with "permission" from both parties). Even your humble chronicler got in a question. An answer, not so much. Hilarity ensued.

It's interesting how anecdotes (did you know they're "facts?") are only valid when they tell them, and even then, the conclusions they draw can be diametrically opposed to the evidence presented. Eventually, they will make my head explode...

Details on the pledge Jeremy talks about can be found here and here.

As mentioned above, precious little time was allotted, and only 2 speakers were heard. They are also included here. The rest must wait on the Committee's pleasure.

Rep Kelly came up to your humble chronicler following the hearing, extended a hand, and wished me luck with my efforts, as if the contest for my liberty were just some amusing little game to her. A sport. Shaking her hand and saying thank you, I do believe the tyrant was genuinely surprised that I didn't wish her the same...

(I hate Vista. I really, really do. I'd fixed and saved that edit/typo. The OS, it turns out, apparently felt differently. I wonder what else I "didn't do"...)

'Hidden Tracking Devices' in the NH House

2009-03-10T00:30:00.000-04:00

Testimony before the NH House Commerce Committee on HB478-FN: "relative to remotely readable devices and relative to the illegal use of a payment card scanning device or reencoder." RFID, in an acronym.

Part 1

Part 2

And the bulk of Dr. Katherine Albrecht's isolated culminating testimony. See the hacker video referenced by Dr. Albrecht here.

Learn more at Spychips.com.

Somebody Hasn't Actually Contemplated Their Oath

2009-03-05T00:05:00.003-05:00

216 "somebody"s, as it turns out... Have they even bothered to read what they've sworn to uphold?

Herewith, the rally and roll call vote on HCR6, "affirming States' rights based on Jeffersonian principles." As you watch the floor debate in the 2nd half, remember that there was no public testimony against HCR6. None.

There were no arguments expressed against it in the State-Federal Relations Committee's shockingly perfunctory Executive Session. Zero.

The extremely limited coverage the mainstream media has deigned to provide (not to mention statements by Committee members in session) has suggested that legislators have been hearing a lot on this issue, yet none of them seems able to say any of it was remotely negative. There were hundreds of well-chilled voters who turned out on a work day to express their (to employ laughable understatement) strong approval for the resolution.

These "representatives" certainly aren't listening to their constituents. Who are they listening to? Whom do they serve?

And the arrogant hypocrite Rep. Rollo on the House floor disparages anyone who "thinks they know better" on this bill, but I guarantee you he believed he "knew better" on spending bills and regulation bills voted on in this very same chamber later on this very same day. He has no place whatsoever as my servant, and I want him fired.

Find out who your NH State Representatives are. Then locate them in the "HCR6 Roll Call" to find out how they voted on HCR6: whether they defend your unalienable liberty or they meekly turn it over to the feds (remember, they were voting on the Committee's recommendation to kill the resolution, not on the resolution, itself, so 'nay' is good). Then hold them accountable in November 2010. Here are mine:

Nay - Day, Russell(R)
Nay - Emerton, Larry(R)
Nay - Hikel, John(R)
Nay - Hodges, Kevin(D)
N/V - Holden, Rip(R)
Nay - Hopper, Gary(R)
Nay - Kurk, Neal(R)
Nay - Pratt, Calvin(R)

Good job, men. Thank you for understanding enumerated powers, limited government, states' rights/sovereignty, and intended liberty by local control.

Fellow citizens, this is your Republic the politicians are stealing. Your birthright. Your children's birthright. Do you care? If you're in NH (and why wouldn't you be?), hit the NH Liberty Alliance for help.

UPDATE: WMUR report

And here's just Rep Itse's Rally address.

Unwantedly Watching the Willful Watchers

2009-02-19T17:28:00.000-05:00

Testimony on HB312, "permitting a person to record a law enforcement officer in the course of such officer's official duties," in front of the NH House Criminal Justice Committee, 2/19/2009.

And for you RidleyReport fans, here's just Videographer Dave Ridley's testimony.

My collected thoughts from forum posts, etc.:

NH RSA 91-A:1-a,II ("Revised Statutes Annotated") says: "'Governmental proceedings' means the transaction of any functions affecting any or all citizens of the state by a public body."

And RSA 91-A:1-a,VI says: "'Public body' means ... (d) Any ... agency, or authority of any county, town, municipal corporation..." (a cop is an official representative thereof, and if the SPCA guy is operating under color of legal authority, perhaps even deputized...)

And RSA 91-A:2,I says: "a 'meeting' means the convening of a quorum of the membership of a public body, as defined in RSA 91-A:1-a, VI ... for the purpose of discussing or acting upon a matter or matters over which the public body has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power." (a cop is a quorum of 1, authorized to act unilaterally upon the alleged matter at hand)

And RSA 91-A:2,II says: "Any person shall be permitted to use recording devices, including, but not limited to, tape recorders, cameras, and videotape equipment, at such meetings." (particularly if said person is required to be there, one might imagine)

Obviously, especially given the current relative ambiguity, any cop is gonna do whatever he wants, regardless, and always considers intimidation a legitimate tool, whether backed up by facts or not, but it seems to me that he simply has no more authority to prohibit recording than does a legislator in a committee hearing, or a Selectman at a Board meeting. And a solid legal foundation is established by:

"I respectfully decline. You're an officer of a government authority; this is a government proceeding. RSA 91-A:2,II authorizes me to record it."

I'm confident that their invoking wiretap laws over these "governmental proceedings" is a fairly clear violation of RSA 91-A, and we shouldn't simply concede the legality. As Dave Ridley is fond of saying, I think this is a hill worth dying on, in general, but I don't believe that "death" can be the ultimate legal result of making the stand. 'Course, I didn't see how the NH Supreme Court could uphold the 4% ballot access threshold, especially after their reaction to those oral arguments, either, so...

That said, I'm not sure I'm ready yet to commit so fully to this hill, however, although I do/will push the limits. We're talking about a felony, remember. If you record a cop -- your voluntary employee -- they (claim they) can annul your guaranteed inalienable right to self defense. Permanently. And they have the guns to do it. Even, one would imagine, if HB312 (or its posterity) subsequently passes. FOR RECORDING A PUBLIC SERVANT. In performance of ostensibly legal official duties. In your name. A penalty, I would contend, that is an egregious violation of NH Constitution Part First, Articles 18 -- being a sure road to "extermination" -- & 33, oh-just-btw. That's a pretty violent death, both figuratively and literally. How does this happen? How do we allow this to stand and still consider ourselves masters of our servant government?

But again, I still contend that 91-A (not to mention Part First, Article 8 ) is a fairly clear exception to the wiretapping statute, RSA 570-A, with respect to government proceedings. House hearings, e.g., are recordable because the whole state can't be in the hearing room. Likewise, police proceedings must be recordable because the whole state can't make it to the traffic stop. To quote Part First, Article 8, "the public’s right of access to governmental proceedings and records shall not be unreasonably restricted." Without a reasonable and articulable exception (and the law enforcement testimony near the end of the hearing hardly rises to that standard), the presumption must be for openness.

Besides, "what do they have to hide"...?

NH State Rep Dan Itse on 'Glenn Beck'

2009-02-14T15:25:00.007-05:00

Discussing HCR6: "affirming States' rights based on Jeffersonian principles," 2/13/2009.

EDIT: As of midday 2/15, NHLA forum membership has already close to doubled since this broadcast, a mere day and a half ago. Wow. Just wow...

My Take: Dereliction of Duty

2009-02-12T22:15:00.010-05:00

The NH House State-Federal Relations Committee holds a show tri-- er... an Executive Session on HCR6, on Jeffersonian principles and states' rights, arriving at the recommendation they will send to the full House. 2/12/2009

See the 2/5 public hearing here.

For developing details on the March 4th rally at the NH State House, hit the NH Liberty Alliance.

Also, Rep Itse is scheduled to be a guest on Glenn Beck on Fox News Channel, Friday, 2/13, at 5pm est (video here).

And contact your Representatives, if you're as outraged as I am.

The "up" side to a citizen legislature...

2009-02-11T18:10:00.002-05:00

...is that literally anyone can be in a position to submit proposed legislation. The "down" side to a citizen legislature is, well, you see where I'm going...

Poor Representative Day. She just can't seem to get any good bills to sponsor. None without significant push-back, anyway. It's OK, though: she's just trying to "be helpful." Why can't these terrible people just let her have her way...?

HB367: relative to procedures for evaluation of home schooled students
and
HB368: relative to annual goals in a home education program
before the NH House Education Committee, 2/11/2009