Imitation: The Sincerest Form of Flattery

by Jeb Bradley

So Charles Colton wryly wrote in the 19th Century observing human nature. Two centuries later, Colton might opine that in politics -- imitation is more a masquerade -- a way to co-op your opponent to win elections!

Our liberal Democratic friends have astutely won elections claiming as loudly as possible...

ROCK A BYE BUDGET: A LULLABY

By Jeb Bradley 7/7/10

The Democratic authors of New Hampshire’s budget and its current $300 million deficit have accelerated into full spin campaign mode. They are chanting across New Hampshire that tough decisions were made, the budget is balanced, taxes are low, and the economy will recover.

Democrats are hoping to lull voters to sleep un...

“A Wish – A Prayer – And A Credit Card”

So said the Concord Monitor in their June 13th Editorial titled “Not a State Budget to be Proud Of.”How did the Democratic controlled New Hampshire Legislature get into such a predicament?

Spending has jumped by 10.5% while revenues fell through the floor --- $102 million behind the estimate for th...

FLIP A COIN:A NEW WAY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET

HEADS & TAILS MEAN NEW TAXES!

By Jeb Bradley

In what can only be called a bizarre turn of events in the statehouse last week, a coin flip was needed to break childish chest thumping between the Democratic House and Senate Leadership.At issue was how to begin negotiations over dueling pieces of legislation purporting to ...

Can You Believe It?

Unfortunately, Yes We Can!

Joe Castiglione, the inestimable radio play-by-play announcer of the Boston Red Sox, has called two World Series victories. When the last out was recorded, Joe finished his play-by-play with words that rang through all of New England: “Can You Believe It?”

The “unbelievabilty” of ...

Governor Lynch has finally weighed in on the budget crisis with his proposal for balancing a $220 million deficit. Let's re-visit how we got here, and place it in the context of the overall economy.

While there have been glimmers of economic hope, New Hampshire citizens continue to struggle. The national unemployment rate crested at 10.1% in October. Since then the national rate has inched downward to 9.7% while unem...

WELCOME TO NEW TAX-SHIREPart II

By Jeb Bradley

“I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question.”Yogi Berra

Governor Lynch firmly proclaimed in his State of the State Address this past week that Jobs, Jobs, and Jobs are the issues facing New Hampshire. Meanwhile, business leaders are scratching their heads asking how in the world...

WELCOME TO "NEW TAX-SHIRE"

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS BRACE FOR BIG TAX HIKES

The brand new Limited Liability Company (LLC) Tax has come home to roost in Concord. After being slipped into the budget at the 23rd hour and 59th minute in the dead of night without a public hearing --- the legislators who voted for it are now flummoxed that ordinary working people ar...

10 Reasons Why Shaheen, Shea-Porter and Hodes Should Reconsider Their Health Care Votes

By Jeb Bradley

With Senate passage of “HarryCare” and the previous House passage of “PelosiCare” the stage is set for closed door negotiations between select House and Senate leaders on a unified single bill. What this legislation ultimately looks like is anyone’s...

THE NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION NEW HAMPSHIRE NEEDS: SPENDING CUTS

By Jeb Bradley

Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is just around the corner. The Holidays come quickly and there's so much to do to get ready, but is New Hampshire ready for the budget problems awaiting the Legislature’s return to Concord in January?

Through ...

PASSING THE BUCK….TO US

By Jeb Bradley

Harry Truman is forever remembered by the honest but prophetic words on his desk: THE BUCK STOPS HERE.

Several generations later Truman’s descendents in the Democratic Party, notably Nancy Pelosi, will be aptly remembered by the words: PASSING THE BUCK.

My grandfather, a practical an...

Washington Promises -- New Hampshire Realities

by Jeb Bradley

"If government were a product, selling it would be illegal"  PJ O’Rourke

The latest version of health care reform legislation introduced by Speaker Pelosi and passed by a 220 to 215 cliff hanger vote represents a 1990 page mammoth attempt to ‘change’ America.While clearly there is bipartisan recognition of&...

TALKING TAXES --- AGAIN     

by Jeb Bradley

Last week’s TAX SUMMIT organized by Representative Susan Almy reaffirmed that New Hampshire’s lack of a general income or sales tax has enhanced our competitive position compared to other states. But the SUMMIT also warned that business taxes are too high and may be hurting our ability to attra...

A Little Good News, Some Mixed News But Even More Bad News in Concord

by Jeb Bradley

The recent release of New Hampshire’s revenue receipts simultaneously offers glimmers of hope while raising even more concerns about the State Budget enacted in June.

First the good news: The “Rainy Day Fund” which is the State’s hedge aga...

The ink is barely dry on the New Hampshire budget signed into law by Governor Lynch on June 30. Only 2 months have elapsed in the 24 month spending blueprint, but problems Republicans warned about are intensifying like a hurricane ready to make landfall. More ominously, a Plan B strategy dealing with budget problems is not even discussed in the polite company of Democratic legislative leaders.  In fact the chair of the House Finance Committee said publically a Budget Plan B is not even n...

New Hampshire residents weary of dreary summer rain received a frightening jolt of lightening when a Judge blocked Governor John Lynch’s attempt to transfer $110 million dollars of private funds to State coffers.  Belknap County Superior Court Justice Kathleen McGuire ruled that an extremely controversial provision in the recently enacted New Hampshire Budget, which transferred $110 million from a fund controlled by the Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) to the S...

Hot Questions for a Steamy August

Members of Congress come home in August to talk to constituents through town hall forums. It's a time tested tradition, especially here in New Hampshire. Voters get to ask questions and share their opinions about the decisions that are being made in Washington, D.C. We expect our Presidential candidates to hold town hall meetings and we certainly expect our congressional representatives to d...

Americans Rebelling but is Washington Listening?

By Jeb Bradley

Americans know the debate about health care is as profound as any issue in recent memory. They are paying attention and growing increasingly alarmed at what they see:  politicians who don’t read legislation then can’t explain what they don’t understand. It gets worse when politicians cower from their constituents, then lash out at them venomousl...

Supporters of the recently enacted State of New Hampshire budget were quick to claim that it was responsible and that they made tough decisions during difficult economic times. Talk about myth and spin - this budget fits the bill - literally!

Myth #1:  State spending will decrease in the next two years.<...

After two marathon weeks of discussions between House and Senate members charged with negotiating a budget, early Friday morning a package emerged.  Its fate is uncertain as the full House and Senate must pass it before it reaches Governor Lynch for signature. Counting votes before the June 24th Session will be almost as daunting as reaching this compromise -- anything can and may well happen.

Let's first focus on what is in this package and what is not, then on the impact it wil...

The legislative session may be winding down rapidly but the greatest issue of all, the budget, is far from being resolved. The budget debate comes against the backdrop of a distressed economy with high unemployment rates and families and businesses struggling to make ends meet.  Will the conference committee on the budget make this situation worse?

Unfortunately, despite our Live Free of Die motto, this debate is not between those who would frugally limit government and those who...

Last week I titled my blog: Time to Talk Taxes. This week’s title is unfortunately: Time to Pay Taxes.

Just as easily it could be:  New Spending  = New Taxes = Job Losses.

The budget approved by the majority of the New Hampshire Senate proposes to increase total spending by $1.2 billion! That’s on top of a similar spending increase from the prior budget to the current budget of $1...

The Senate Finance Committee last week reported its version of the state operating budget.  It increases overall spending by about a billion dollars or approximately 10% after similar increases in the last budget enacted two years ago.  This budget depends upon $185 million of direct revenue from slot machines as well as hefty tax hikes on businesses in the middle of a deep recession.

Slot machines at race tracks in Salem, Seabrook, and Belmont is a p...

American icon Yogi Berra once said, “It’s like déjà vu all over again.” For New Hampshire legislators and voters overwhelmed with the on-going debate over same sex marriage, Yogi’s words ring true.

 A little history. Two years ago New Hampshire approved civil unions -- designed to insure that same sex couples had the same rights and obligations as heterosexual couples under New Hampshire law. Supporters of civil unions (the ardent proponents ...

This past week the New Hampshire Senate considered numerous pieces of legislation that while not nearly as important as the looming debate on the budget, nevertheless affects citizens' lives from personal liberties to health care.  I will briefly describe several significant legislative initiatives and my responses to them.

HB-391 which passed, authorized the Department of Transportation to install what is known as open road tolling---a faster version of E-Z Pass.  Unfortun...

Social issues monopolized the attention of the Legislature a week ago, but now all eyes are once again focused on the budget. I have been named a member of the Senate Ways & Means Committee and this past week much of our time was spent listening to revenue projections from various state agencies.

These revenue estimates are more science than art.  But the accuracy of this process is crucial, as spending decisions for state government-- just like family budgets, can only be ba...

April 29th was not only the first day I served in the New Hampshire Senate but also the first day of what promises to be a long hot spring and summer in the Senate Chamber.

The New Hampshire House has certainly raised the temperature for voters by focusing on divisive social issues rather than concentrating on what is on the minds of most people: the economy.

Job losses continue to mount, the unemployment rate in New Hampshire is at the highest level it has been in many year...

Brookfield            Town Office Bldg, Wentworth Road 8:00am - 7:00pm
Chatham              Town Hall 11:00am - 7:00pm
Conway                 Conway Rec Center, 1808 East Main St, Center Conway 8:00a...

Bradley for Senate: This Bud's not for you

No wonder Democratic state Senate candidate Willard "Bud" Martin was so reluctant to reveal his political views. They're radical in the extreme.

Martin is the Democrats' nominee in a special election to fill the vacant seat in state Senate District 3, which covers Strafford and Carroll counties from Conway to Center Sandwich to Farmington. For weeks, he refused to tell voters what he thought about hot-button topics such as s...

Four Local Leaders Pick Bradley in 3rd District State Senate Special Election April 21

Wolfeboro, NH – Four Conway Selectmen today announced their endorsement of Jeb Bradley for the 3rd District State Senate Seat.  Citing his experience, work ethic, willingness to give clear answers to difficult questions, and his understanding of the specific issues confronting, Crow Dickinson, Mark Hounsell, Bob Drinkhall, and Larry Martin put their support behind Jeb.

Dear Mr. Bradley:

I am writing to formally advise you the NFIB New Hampshire SAFE Trust (PAC) has voted to endorse your candidacy for the state Senate in District 3.  The endorsement was made on the basis of your proven record of support for small business

You were a key ally of small business throughout your two terms in Congress.  In fact, you are a two-time winner of NFIB’s Guardian of Small Business Award, given to legislators in recognition of their suppo...

Concord, NH— The New Hampshire House of Representatives today passed a package of new taxes, set to destroy the hospitality and business industry in the state and seriously effect struggling families in New Hampshire.  Jeb Bradley, candidate for District 3 State Senate, released the following statement on the new taxes:

“It is always a bad time for  new taxes, but now more than ever people and businesses cannot afford it.  This bill that pas...

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