There's quite a lively discussion going on over at BlueHampshire.com, where Manchester activist Brinck Slattery has posted a controversial Election Day video featuring Senator Betsi DeVries (who voted against medical marijuana), Senator Maggie Hassan (who voted in favor of medical marijuana), and disabled veteran Ronald Mitchell. Ron's doctor has [...]
With several legislators still appearing to be undecided, the fight to pass a medical marijuana law in New Hampshire is coming right down to the wire. Now that the Obama administration has clarified its medical marijuana policy, and now that the U.S. attorney for New Hampshire has announced that his [...]
In the last 14 months, the astonishing and tragic story of this small town mayor has helped to put certain aspects of the "War on Drugs" into perspective for a lot of people. Seriously, how would you feel if a SWAT team raided your house, shot and killed your [...]
It's clear that most people who call themselves "progressives" believe that health care is, or should be considered, a right. But did you know that to some truly special progressives, there is a right that is considered even more sacred and important?
I'm talking, of course, about the [...]
The Concord Monitor, Nashua Telegraph, Union-Leader, and Seacoast Online newspapers have all editorialized in favor of HB 648 this year. Today the Telegraph explicitly called for Governor Lynch's signature. The editorial speaks for itself:
Governor, the time has come to do the right thing. Supporters of this bill have done [...]
There have been rumors that Governor Lynch intends to veto the medical marijuana bill, but it's important to remember that these are just rumors. Lynch has promised he will study the bill before making a decision, and supporters of HB 648 have to trust that he will do exactly that.
[...]
Here's a detailed article exploring Vermont's medical marijuana program.
Key quote:
"According to the Vermont State Police, the program has been an unqualified success. Except for one arrest in October 2008, of a registry member in Stowe who was allegedly growing too many plants, none of the sinister scenarios initially envisioned" [...]
As WMUR reports, a new UNH Granite State Poll shows broad support for medical marijuana.
According to the article, "45 percent of residents said they were more likely to vote for a Senate candidate who supports legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes." Only 24 percent said they would be less likely [...]
In previous years, opponents of medical marijuana reform argued rather strongly that marijuana has no legitimate medical uses. This year, since seven New Hampshire patients, a prominent Vermont neurologist, and other experts presented convincing medical testimony in favor of HB 648 at the House hearing, most opponents have held tightly [...]
I was honored to appear in studio as a guest on NHPR's "The Exchange" Wednesday morning with Laura Knoy (listen here). Overall, I believe listeners were treated to a very polite, thoughtful, and informative discussion about HB 648, the medical marijuana bill which passed the House 234-138' [...]
When the House Health and Human Services Committee voted 13-7 to approve a medical marijuana bill, GOP Chair John H. Sununu took a firm stand. According to John DiStaso's "Granite Status" column March 18, Sununu said the vote "confirmed the Democratic agenda is coming out of San Fancisco," and [...]
This excellent op-ed was published in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Star Tribune. Minnesota, like New Hampshire, is seriously considering a medical marijuana law.
Marijuana: The miracle drug
By KATHY RIPPENTROP
February 16, 2009
For the past several years, Minnesota lawmakers -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- have worked hard to pass sensible, compassionate [...]
This is a very thoughtful take on the Michael Phelps situation, strongly recommended:
"[Michael] Phelps may be an involuntary hero to this charge, but his name and face bring necessary attention to a farce in which nearly half the nation are actors. It's time to recognize that all drugs are not'" [...]
In this Jan. 16 article for the NH Business Review, former state Senator Burt Cohen observes that although it isn't likely to happen anytime soon, ending marijuana prohibition "would inarguably cause far less harm and raise more, and more reliable, revenue" than a reform that is being seriously considered: [...]
Wow, I finally made it over to Change.gov, the website which bills itself as "The Office of the President-Elect." Turns out it's a pretty fascinating place, and I have to commend Obama's transition team for implementing such an innovative mechanism for polling the interested public at large. I [...]
In a new 3 1/2 minute video, Clayton Holton tells the story of how marijuana helps him fight his battle against Muscular Dystrophy. Many of you probably remember Clayton from his widely-publicized encounter with Mitt Romney on CNN -- well, take a look, he's back on Youtube.
Incidentally... for readers who [...]
Because where mainstream economists see prosperity, "Austrians" (economists in the tradition of Ludwig von Mises, Freidrich Hayek, and others) see a bubble on the verge of bursting. And then, when it bursts, the "crazies" turn out to be correct.
I tried to post this video in my previous blog post, but [...]
Wow, this video explains the core problems facing our economy, and does so in 10 thought-provoking minutes. Enjoy!
[...]
Last weekend, college students from across the country converged on the nation’s capital for the 10th Annual Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) National Conference, and among them were 10 students from Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. On Friday, Nov. 21, over 250 students swarmed Capitol Hill for [...]
Two historic ballot initiatives were successful in the Nov. 4 election. The airwaves in Massachussetts and Michigan were blitzed by ridiculous attack ads from the drug warriors, but voters tuned out the noise and passed two major reforms.
By a stunning 65% to 35% margin, Massachussetts voters passed a landmark initiative [...]
...or even if you aren't, then please read this "Open Letter to my Friends on the Left" by economist Steven Horwitz. It's a long, impassioned letter with a wonderfully clear and concise explanation of how government regulation spawned this economic crisis. I'll include a few paragraphs, but I really [...]
"It's the same destructive strategy that government tried during the Great Depression: prop up prices at all costs. The Depression went on for over a decade. On the other hand, when liquidation was allowed to occur in the equally devastating downturn of 1921, the economy recovered within less than a year."
How dare he make [...]
Remember Texas Congressman Ron Paul? The word I keep hearing for him these days is "gadfly" (do most people even know what a "gadfly" is?). Regardless, would somebody please read this article he published at CNN.COM and tell me Dr. Paul's explanation isn't right on the money?
Bailouts will [...]
NHFC member Bob Sullivan of Grantham, NH, posted this letter as a comment on my previous blog (thanks, Bob!). I think it's worthy of it's own blog post, so I'll reproduce it here. I like to think every rational supporter of the individual right to keep and bear arms will [...]
In my Sept. 14 blog, "Gun Group Shoots Self, Others in Foot," I described
the counterproductive (at best) efforts undertaken by the New Hampshire
Firearms Coalition (NHFC) to damage Rep. Jason Bedrick's reputation and
oppose his reelection with an "F" grade.
An anonymous commenter, who signed his comment as "Concerned NHFC
Member," sounded [...]
Here's a fascinating perspective on Wall Street's recent developments, from the Ludwig von Mises Institute. Discussion?
The Glories of Change
Daily Article by Jeffrey A. Tucker | Posted on 9/15/2008
The events on Wall Street, the collapse of Lehman and the [...]
There are a lot of gun rights groups in New Hampshire, and most of them are pretty respectable. We have Gun Owners of New Hampshire (GO-NH), Pro-Gun New Hampshire (PGNH), the Second Amendment [...]
David Orde, the friendly farmer who runs Lull Farm in Hollis, faces possible felony charges for growing 16 marijuana plants at his house. When confronted by police, he responded with a flinty New Hampshire-style defiance that has resonated with sympathizers across the state: "Yes, I’m not going to hang my head in shame; I [...]
(letter from yours truly, published Sunday, Aug. 24, in the Nashua Telegraph)
The Aug. 14 candidate forum at Nashua City Hall gave voters a great
opportunity to meet the four Republican candidates for Congress in the
2nd District.
Questions from the audience were submitted on index cards and read by moderator Gene Chandler.
Nashua
resident [...]
I've been a steady John McCain critic for as long as I can remember, and that general trend is certain to continue indefinitely, but today I will interrupt the trend to observe one policy position where McCain is actually far superior to Barack Obama: school choice.
This today (8/1) from [...]This piece by Charlie Arlinghaus in the Union-Leader is one of the best op-eds I've ever seen on what I truly consider to be the most important issue facing these United States. No, I don't mean reforming archaic drug laws, or correcting our insane foreign policy, or any of [...]
A new website called TheFreedomRevolution.com was launched July 4 by some folks who were part of the Ron Paul campaign, and I contributed the following article:
Can Liberty Win Against Obsession?
There's a great scene in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series where Ford Prefect dismisses the idea of saving [...]
This press release should get a few reactions, no?
For Immediate Release
Do you support or oppose changing the law in New Hampshire to allow seriously and terminally ill patients to use and grow medical marijuana for personal use if their doctors recommend it?
If you said "yes," you are in good company. A poll conducted in April [...]
The last time a Republican or Democratic Presidential Nominating Convention began with serious uncertainty was 1964, when Arizona's Barry Goldwater emerged with the Republican nod, famously proclaiming that "extremism in the pursuit of liberty is no vice" and that "moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue." The excitement of [...]
This is a semi-cheerful yet cautionary tale of woe for anybody who makes the mistake of thinking that near-empty parking lots on Dixon Avenue are a safe place to park during next year's Concord Hospital Rock 'N Race for cancer. They aren't. I saw at least 70 or 80 [...]
Back in the olden days before television, our ancestors had to make their own fun. Some folks liked to gaze at clouds and say things like "that one looks like an alligator," and others maybe just sat around and looked at dirty photographs, and before that, drawings. Then we got [...]
I didn't see it myself, but I've gotten a few panicked calls from people who watched WMUR last week to hear Scott Spradling announce that a marijuana bill had been defeated. They thought the popular marijuana reform bill, HB 1623, had gone down in an unexpected "surprise" vote of the [...]
Thursday's subcommittee hearing for HB 1623, the bill to reduce penalties for marijuana possession in New Hampshire, set the stage for what proved to be an ultimately productive exchange between supporters, opponents, and legislators. My personal thanks go to Rep. John Tholl (R-Whitefield), who chaired the subcommittee and made sure [...]
(I've been too busy to write anything for NHInsider, but I will post this excellent op-ed from Monday's Foster's Daily Democrat. Excellent observations by Paul Armentano!)
Pot proposal simply acknowledges reality
As a native New Englander, I've followed New Hampshire's brewing debate over marijuana law enforcement with close interest. As [...]
Dear Senator Obama,
I was one of many voters who applauded Senator Chris Dodd last fall for advocating that marijuana be decriminalized. Accordingly, I was one of many voters who was disappointed to see you raise your hand in the Oct. 30 MSNBC debate, [...]
(Edited version published in the Concord Monitor.)
Last Tuesday's hearing on HB 1623, the bill to reduce penalties for marijuana possession, made for some interesting drama in the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. Those speaking in favor of the bill included a county prison superintendent, an active duty [...]
Rudy [...]
(Also published at the Huffington Post's "Off the Bus.")
Clayton Holton was scheduled to receive a visit from Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich Tuesday morning at his residence, the Riverside Rest Home in Dover, NH. At 22, Clayton is the youngest person ever admitted into a retirement home in New Hampshire, [...]
(Also published at the Huffington Post's "Off the Bus.")
After news broke that a group called Common Sense Issues was behind these stupid pro-Huckabee push polls, I actually got a sharply-worded email about it.
"Please stop your telephone push-poll--it's probably illegal--you are not doing your [...]
I was gearing up to write my own overdue skewering of Bill Shaheen (and, by extension, Hillary Clinton) over the Obama-drug flap, but then I ran across this article in the Huffington Post by Tony Newman, Director of Media Relations for the Drug Policy Alliance.
Thanks for saving me [...]
(Also published at The Huffington Post's "Off the Bus.")
Congressman Ron Paul and 20/20 host John Stossel have more than a few things in common. Specifically, they both think a lot of libertarian thoughts, and unlike a lot of libertarians, they've both learned to communicate these thoughts so effectively that [...]
Last time I saw Ron Paul, he stepped up onto a folding chair to address a throng of supporters at his campaign office in Concord. Well, the spry 72-year-old was at it again Saturday night, when he hopped up onto another chair to address supporters at Murphy's Taproom [...]
From the New Hampshire Union-Leader, Nov. 26:
Matt Simon: Drug gangs will plague Manchester as long as drugs are illegal
The 24 "Operation DAG" drug arrests announced recently by Manchester Police Chief John Jaskolka might have made the city a trifle safer for a few days, but [...]
(Cross-posted at SendTheRightMessage.com and at The Huffington Post's "Off the Bus.")
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich was scheduled for a full day of campaigning Wednesday, Nov. 21, but he set aside some time in the morning to conduct one-on-one interviews with New Hampshire press at his Manchester office. Armed only [...]
John McCain does a lot of town hall meetings, and he's usually quite pleased to get questions from law enforcement officers, firefighters, and military personnel. Sunday evening at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, NH, may have provided an exception.
It would be an understatement to observe that [...]
Sometimes it's nice to forget issues for a minute and just talk about something else, like the craft of political advertising. Like it or not, effective use of advertising has an awful lot to do with who wins the presidency.
Having just seen the new Barack Obama ad running in [...]
I've been doing some filming and a lot of writing, but I hadn't asked a question at a Town Hall since I went to see John McCain in Wolfeboro August 10. With Rudy Giuliani appearing at St. Anselm's College Monday, I felt like it would be a good chance [...]
Dear Reader,
Do you understand inflation?
Can you explain why a loaf of bread used to be a nickel and now it's two bucks?
Have you ever wondered how large families could once have survived without debt on a high school graduate's income? On a non-graduate's income?
[...]
(Cross-Posted at The Huffington Post's Off The Bus and at SendTheRightMessage.com)
Senator Chris Dodd is not usually characterized as a maverick politician, but his outspoken support for decriminalizing marijuana has recently distinguished him from the other Democratic presidential hopefuls. Dodd's position prompted a question from Tim Russert at [...]
Six months ago, a lot of New Hampshire folks were saying they liked Ron Paul but didn't really think he had a chance to win. With Thursday's release of the St. Anselm's Poll showing Paul on the rise at 7.4%, it's clear those doubts are beginning to fade.
Poll [...]
(This is my first blog to be published by Huffington Post's "Off the Bus" project. A more developed version containing the embedded video is at SendTheRightMessage.com)
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has been getting a lot of respect from critics of Marijuana Prohibition, and it's easy to see [...]
I've scored a few fights in my life, folks, and let me tell you -- last night's Manchester Mayoral debate wasn't even close.
For the record, I've heard Mayor Guinta speak a few times and my inclination has been to like the guy. But I've held back [...]
When Keene resident Toby Iselin met John Edwards Oct. 13 and asked if he observed any similarities between Marijuana Prohibition and Alcohol Prohibition, I don't think Iselin realized he was putting forth such a stumper.
After all, Iselin had asked candidates this question before for his [...]
Today's Republicans often tell you that national security should be a very high priority for the federal government, and that preventing acts of terrorism on American soil is of paramount importance. To this extent, I quite agree.
But then they often make comments about foreign policy which [...]
(My latest, cross-posted from SendTheRightMessage.com, where you can also see the video.)
To Mitt Romney's credit, he's been holding an awful lot of town hall meetings in New Hampshire. He calls them "Ask Mitt Anything" events, and they begin with a short speech followed by a question and [...]
(Cross-posted from SendTheRightMessage.com)
At a Sept. 23 town hall meeting in Milford, NH, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo separated himself from the so-called top-tier Republicans by demonstrating his ability to read and interpret simple English sentences like the ones found in the Bill of Rights.
As Tancredo will tell [...]
Kudos to Tim Russert for providing us with a debate worth watching. I've been critical of Russert in the past, but I loved the way he opened the debate by going straight to a question every voter should seriously consider: "Will you pledge to have all the troops out of [...]
So now the field of Democrats seeking to unseat John Sununu is down to two: Dr. Jay Buckey and Jeanne Shaheen. With former governor Shaheen's entry into the race, Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand and activist Katrina Swett decided they would find something better to do than run for U.S. Senate. [...]
Okay, so I admit it... Ron Paul has been my favorite Congressman for a long time, and I've followed his career on and off for about 8 years. I've read and watched a lot of his speeches, and I've long considered him to be the most thoughtful, forward-thinking person [...]
News on the March!
(cue the trumpets)
Manchester, NH (Sept. 17) - Fred Thompson proved all the naysayers wrong with his powerful second place finish at yesterday's Manchester GOP Weenie Roast and Straw Poll at Veterans' Park. With his strong double-digit showing, the former Tennessee Senator-turned-Law and Order-star demonstrated that [...]
Sometimes politics upsets me and even depresses me. Yeah, it's true. And the years following 9-11 have been tough years for me personally. They've been tough on every American, especially those who have been called to fight and their families. They've been tough on everybody else in lots of small [...]
Okay, so my title is inspired by a Monty Python joke. But the topic is serious.
My esteemed colleague, Chaz Proulx, has been touting the virtues of John Edwards' plan for health care in America. He says universal health care is "practical" and that it "makes sense." I haven't looked deeply [...]
If you're in the market for a good lecture on the 10th Amendment, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is as good a guy as any to ask. My friends at Keene Free Minds Television got a chance to ask Huckabee two questions at the Strafford County GOP picnic August 18, [...]
After nine months in the spotlight as a marijuana policy reform activist, I've finally gotten to the point where I actually enjoy doing radio interviews. My latest appearance on the Norml Daily AudioStash aired yesterday evening, and I even got a chance to mention NHInsder.com!
(Norml stands for National Organization [...]
I've been spending a good bit of my spare time lately trying to speak with Republican presidential candidates about drug and marijuana policy, and for the most part it has been pretty frustrating. (Yes, I plan to approach more Democrats soon.) In a nutshell, the top three "leading brand" Republicans [...]
Libertarians often complain that important issues are not covered by mainstream media outlets. I complain about this myself from time to time. It's easy to just say there's a vast conspiracy and leave it at that.
But who really decides what issues are most important?
I've been attending several presidential candidate forums [...]
A good many of us just never grow comfortable in the setting provided by compulsory government schools. So, with no choice in the matter, we scrape by the best we can. Then we escape (even that has just gotten a hell of a lot harder), and we're glad we never [...]
New Hampshire Republicans often claim to be advocates for personal freedom, and in fact, many are. Well, I certainly hope our fair state won't be taken in by the presidential candidate who made this statement back in 1994:
We look upon authority too often and focus over and over again, [...]
It may be hard for some to believe, but even a guy like me needs to escape from politics from time to time. And there is typically only one place in this world where I can achieve a complete escape -- the poker table.
Poker players, bless their hearts, [...]
On July 6 at the public library in Candia, I finally got my chance to thank New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for supporting the rights of seriously ill patients to access marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation. Not only did the governor support his state’s medical marijuana bill with public [...]
Sometimes politicians get really angry when things don’t go their way, or even when they do. Consider the case of Cleveland City Councilman Michael D. Polensek, who recently wrote a nasty letter berating a young, black constituent, Arsenio Winston, following Winston’s arrest for selling drugs.
“There are only [...]
To me, being a libertarian is about being a peacemaker. There is
entirely too much conflict at every level in our world, and the way
I see it, a shocking amount of this conflict is caused by bad policies
based on bad ideas, not so much by bad people.
[...]
One of the great things about being an independent is that I’m welcomed (or at least tolerated) at a wide array of political events. This may be hard for partisans of either political baseball team to imagine, but when it comes to presidential politics, for example, I’m just as interested [...]
By Matt Simon
In a June 22 article for the Concord Monitor, GOP boss Fergus Cullen blasted Democrats for "advancing the Nanny State" and going "Too Far, Too Fast" on a number of issues. Personally, I agree with much of what he had to say. For example, like most New Hampshire [...]
by Matt Simon, NH Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy
Please do not listen to the misinformation being propogated about HB 774, the bill that would protect seriously ill NH citizens from arrest and prosecution. Some have said there is no public support for the bill. That is completely false! A recent [...]
