By: DJ Bettencourt – Sept, 2016 It has been 40 years since Meldrim Thomson was last elected Governor of New Hampshire and permanently imprinted fiscal conservatism into the political landscape of the Granite State. It was Thomson who famously ran on the platform of “Ax the Tax.” The slogan was both a rallying cry and […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – March. 2016 At the time of this writing, it marks the eighth anniversary of the passing of the father of modern American conservatism, William F. Buckley. As the Republican Party seems ready to imperil its chances of winning the 2016 election by nominating Donald Trump, this edited tribute to Buckley at […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – August, 2015 The announced retirement last month of former New Hampshire House Speaker Bill O’Brien is certain to set off reflections and reactions from across the political spectrum as the legislative session winds down next year. To his liberal critics, the departure of their favorite boogeyman is bittersweet. While they were […]
By: DJ Bettencourt –April, 2015 New Hampshire’s budgeting process can fittingly be compared to a nine-inning baseball game. The governor bats lead off by asking their department commissioners for proposed revenue estimates and expenditures for each department in state government. With that information, the governor and their staff will begin putting their final budget together […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – March, 2015 It is unsurprising that in a state with no general sales tax, the topic of Internet sales taxes has become a key issue for potential GOP presidential candidates testing the waters in New Hampshire. In particular, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has had to answer some tough questions about […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – January, 2015 As Governor Maggie Hassan and the Republican-controlled legislature begins crafting the 2015-2016 state budgets, Granite Staters can be certain that both sides will allege that the other is “downshifting.” While campaigning for office last fall, Republicans promised no new taxes or fees and no borrowing gimmicks. They also campaigned […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – December, 2014 This month, the newly elected members of the New Hampshire Legislature officially took office. Despite most of the attention focusing on legislative leadership battles and a shocking upset in the Speaker of the House race, the most important battle of the 2015-2016 legislative session is likely to be […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – November, 2014 Few presidents upon leaving office have kept a lower profile than George W. Bush. Where other presidents have sought to bolster or define their legacies, Bush has been content to let history pass judgment on his leadership. When pressed for comment, Bush is emphatic: “There’s no need to defend […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – October, 2014 At the Salem Animal Rescue League, we appreciate that the vast majority of pet owners love their pets and could never imagine having to give them up for adoption. Sadly, sometimes desperate situations arise in which it’s the only option. We see this heart wrenching situation everyday at our […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – September, 2-14 Late last month, the New Hampshire Supreme Court delivered a huge victory for educational choice in the Granite State. At least temporarily. In 2012, the New Hampshire legislature passed the New Hampshire School Choice Scholarship Act (NHSCSA). The legislation allows businesses to receive an 85% education tax credit against […]
By: D.J. Bettencourt – August, 2014 Few states have endured a longer drought of electing a Republican governor than New Hampshire. In fact, that dry spell is unrivaled even in deeply liberal New England. New Hampshire has not elected a Republican to the corner office in a decade, and only once in the past 18 […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – July, 2014 In New Hampshire politics there is a widely held but grossly inaccurate myth. For Republican believers in the myth, it is a source of significant resentment. For Democrats who believe this myth, it instills confidence. For decades, New Hampshire was a reliably Republican state. From 1960 to 2000, New […]
By: D.J. Bettencourt – June, 2014 Those unfamiliar with the Veterans Administration (VA) scandal have undoubtedly still heard of the hullabaloo of political leaders and bureaucrats deflecting blame for the bureaucratic homicide of American veterans through a tragic combination of administrative incompetence, medical malpractice and disgraceful indifference. To summarize, a courageous whistle blower within the […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – May, 2014 Whatever may be said of Richard Nixon, he was a visionary and strategic genius on foreign policy. Indeed, Nixon’s most enduring and important legacy is the positive mark he left on the world stage. The 20th anniversary of Nixon’s death this month comes at a time when the American […]
By D.J. Bettencourt – April, 2014 State Senators should strengthen New Hampshire’s domestic violence laws and further protect our beloved four-legged friends. This month, the New Hampshire State Senate has the opportunity to strengthen New Hampshire’s domestic violence laws and further protect our beloved four-legged friends. House Bill 1410 provides our judges with flexibility in […]