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 – 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 – 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 – 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: DJ Bettencourt – January, 2014 The founder of the modern Olympics, Pierre de Fredy, once observed that, “those who find themselves first in physical exercises are also first in their studies because serious commitment in one area promotes the desire to be first throughout.” By first eliminating the national sport of baseball from its […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – December, 2013 The vast majority of Granite Staters know from experience that New Hampshire public schools offer an outstanding education for most students. But while many flourish in their assigned school, some students need a different educational environment. Every child learns differently, and all children hold within themselves their own particular […]
By: D.J. Bettencourt – October, 2013 Earlier this year, State Representative Cynthia Chase (D-Keene) opined on a fringe New Hampshire liberal blog: “Free Staters are the single biggest threat the state is facing today. There is, legally, nothing we can do to prevent them from moving here to take over the state, which is their […]
By: D.J. Bettercourt – September, 2013 A vote is the ultimate equalizer in American politics. The idea that every citizen, regardless of race, gender or background, is awarded the same power of choice and influence in the voting booth has been the backbone of the American electoral system. This has been predicated by the simple […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – August, 2013 As a general rule, when liberals lash out with nasty hyperbole against a political leader you can be almost assured that they are doing a good job. Such is the case with Maine’s Governor, Paul LePage. For those of us in the Granite State, we see Maine as a […]
By: D.J. Bettencourt – APril 2013 The Mercatus Center, on the campus of George Mason University, is billed as an “education research and outreach center” and does something incredibly rare for an institution within higher education. It thinks seriously about freedom and how states can protect and expand it. Not ironically, Mercatus takes its […]