Democracy for New Hampshire - Economy

The Power of One

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:26:59 -0400

Friday, August 15th, 7:30 pm: The Power of One: A Talk by and Conversation with Doris “Granny D” Haddock at South Church, 292 State St, Portsmouth NH. NH's own Granny D talks about how each of us can make a difference, and how public funding of elections can help us. Changing our election funding system can bring peace, the environment, alternative energy, education, poverty, healthcare and more the attention they deserve. Also, from 5-6pm join Granny D and the Leftist Marching Band for the Peace Vigil, Market Square, Portsmouth.
Free and open to the public. Refreshments and a book signing will follow the program. Sponsored by Outreach Associates of South Church, NH Codepink: Women for Peace & Seacoast Peace Response. For more info contact bgh3@comcast.net or 603-431-0138.

The Global Poverty Act

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:54:47 -0400

I'm writing on behalf of the Borgen Project- a seattle based non profit organization working to bring political attention to severe poverty. You can learn more about our organization through theborgenproject.org.

As you will see we have created the Global Poverty Act which has passed in the House and now we're trying to pass in the Senate. The way you can help is severly important and takes only thirty seconds to help pass this act.

We need roughly a dozen people (however the more the merrier) in New Hampshire to call Senator Sununu's office at (603) 647- 7500 and simply tell the staffer on the phone: “I’m a Borgen Project supporter and I would like the Senator to cosponsor the Global Poverty Act.” People can also email his office here:

sununu.senate.gov.

If you and your members can make the call or shoot an email it would greatly help the cause. You can see here (sample call log on right) how political offices tally each call and why it’s so important. Thank you so much for your consideration and let me know if I can answer any questions.
Thank you,

Candice Hays
The Borgen Project
theborgenproject.org

Message for Sununu

Fri, 02 May 2008 12:39:36 -0400

SOURCE:FOSTER'S DAILY DEMOCRAT

It took a week, but the local press finally reports on Seacoast citizens lobbying their junior Senator.

Sending a message: Citizens tell Sununu funds should be spent at home, not on war
By GRETYL MACALASTER
Article Date: Friday, May 2, 2008

PORTSMOUTH — About 15 area residents turned out at Sen. John Sununu's office recently to present a new report from MoveOn.org that shows New Hampshire voters think federal money would be better spent on domestic issues instead of the war in Iraq.

Iraq and Recession Report Release at Pease:

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:48:45 -0400

On Thursday, April 24, members of MoveOn.org Political Action in the Seacoast Region will release a new report, &q! uot;Iraq and Recession". The report focuses on groundbreaking poll numbers that show that voters in New Hampshire believe that the billions of dollars a week spent on Iraq war should be invested in economic priorities at home.

“Senator John E. Sununu has consistently voted with the President to spend half-trillion dollars on this endless war in Iraq, while ignoring the mounting economic pressures of voters here in New Hampshire. The billions per week we’re spending there could be invested in our faltering economy here at home,” said Timothy Horrigan, local MoveOn member. “It’s time to bring our troops home and use those same dollars for the priorities of most Americans--health care, clean energy, and job creation--to help those hurt by the impending recession.”

After the event, local MoveOn members will deliver the report to Sen. Sununu at his Seacoast Region office at the Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth.

Transfer of Public Assets into Private Hands--Not a Public Concern

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:51:46 -0400

SOURCE: Foster's Daily Democrat

Making the prison prosper: Developers of defunct Navy facility convene in closed forum
By ROBERT M. COOK

Article Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2008

DURHAM — Luxury condominiums, a high-tech office park or even a new correctional facility represent some of the potential new uses for the 100-year-old prison at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.

As many as 40 to 50 prospective developers from the Seacoast and elsewhere will converge Wednesday on the New England Center for an all-day forum where they can learn more about lease process, according to Deputy Shipyard Commander David Kelly.

Please help a native Vermonter understand the Granite State . . .

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:35:37 -0400

I am a new member of DFNH and a native Vermonter who moved to southern NH 18 months ago. To begin with, I'm an avid hunter and angler and frequent listener to talk radio as well as NPR. I am a registered independant who doesn't go for the politics of party but rather votes on issues which are important to me. I'm probably not what you would call your "average" DFNH member as a result.

Having said that, I would also like to add that I am a public school teacher and musician who is pro-public education and an advocate for the Arts as well as Environmental conservation. I'm extremely confused by some of this state's "traditions" regarding taxes, politics, etc. Specifically:

1) Members of our legislture, from what I understand, get something like $300 a year to do their job. Forgive me for my ignorance, but WHO can live on $300.00 a year?!?! The answer is NO ONE! So then, who can afford to be a NH legislator? It would appear that only those who are independantly wealthy. So we have a system where a bunch of rich people are making laws for the state. I wonder who will benefit from laws that are made exclusively by rich people?

Candlelight Vigil in Market Square in Portsmouth

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:58:43 -0400

Wednesday, March 19, at 6 pm: A candlelight vigil in Market Square in Portsmouth on the actual date of the beginning of the Iraq war five years ago. We will have some signs and candles, or bring your own. For more information contact Seacoast Peace Response at info@seacoastpeaceresponse.org or 603-749-9159.

National Green Jobs Conference

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:46:46 -0500

On March 13-14, a conference unlike any other will take place in Pittsburgh, PA. The event will launch a nationwide dialogue about moving our country rapidly toward leadership in promoting the benefits of a new green economy. Good Jobs, Green Jobs: A National Green Jobs Conference will bring together advocates representing local, state and federal policy makers; labor; business; the environment and public health; economic and workforce development specialists; investors; and scientists and technology experts.
We envision a confluence of big ideas and innovative strategies to help jump-start a nationwide green economic renaissance. Participants will share best practices about how we can revitalize our manufacturing sector, drive green building, promote safer chemicals, and realize the economic benefits of global warming solutions.
Join us.
http://www.greenjobsconference.org/site/c.rvI3IiNWJqE/b.3820537/

Buckey withdraws from U.S. Senate race

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:34:44 -0500

Dear Friends,

Today I'm announcing with regret my withdrawal from the campaign to represent New Hampshire in the US Senate. I remain committed to the goals of our campaign, but I do not have the financial resources needed to campaign full-time for the next nine months, which is what would be required to beat John Sununu.

I would like to thank all the people who have volunteered their time, money, and energy to support the campaign. I'm proud that our campaign has brought the need for an Apollo Program for Energy to the forefront of the Senate debate here in New Hampshire, and Im going to continue to work for the issues that have been the foundation of our campaign, including:

Promoting the awareness that Americas energy policy is crucial to our national security and economy as well as to our environment.
Keeping our nation a leader in the global economy by investing in education, supporting science and technology research and development, and providing affordable, portable health care for all Americans.
Eliminating the excessive power of special interests in our political process.

N.H. real estate sags for 2nd year

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:34:21 -0500

SOURCE: Concord Monitor
Home prices, sales down, say Realtors, By KATE DAVIDSON, Monitor staff, January 19. 2008 12:01AM

The real estate market in New Hampshire declined for a second consecutive year in 2007, as median home prices dropped slightly, sales lagged and houses stayed on the market longer, according to data released this week by the New Hampshire Association of Realtors.

Jim Lyons, the association president, said the market appears to be stabilizing. But one New Hampshire economist said the price decline may be steeper than the numbers suggest and could drop further.

The number of single-family homes sold in the state last year dropped more than 10 percent, from 13,364 sold in 2006 to 11,989 sold in 2007. And the median price dropped 1.6 percent, from $265,000 in 2006 to $260,800 in 2007.

The average number of days on the market increased 17 percent, from 107 days in 2006 to 125 days last year.

Author to discuss "Fear and Courage in the Democratic Party" at Jan. 3rd Portsmouth event

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:49:35 -0500

Come ring in the Iowa caucus vote with progressive political author Glenn Hurowitz.

Glenn will be speaking at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, NH on Thursday, Jan. 3rd, 2008 at 7 p.m. His new book, "Fear and Courage in the Democratic Party," challenges Democrats to show more political courage and embrace confrontation.

The American Dream: Alive and Well?

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:14:10 -0500

Is the American Dream -- that bedrock belief that if we work hard, we can get ahead and make a better life for ourselves and our children -- alive and well?

It depends on which Americans you have in mind.

A series of studies by The Economic Mobility Project (www.economicmobility.org), a bi-partisan initiative, reveals that while some groups continue to move up the ladder of success, others are facing a tough time. And for two significant groups – children born to low income parents and middle-income African-Americans – the picture appears even bleaker.

What is the Economic Mobility Project?

Funded and directed by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Economic Mobility Project is a consortium of prominent scholars from four public policy institutions that cut across the political spectrum – the American Enterprise Institute, The Brookings Institution, The Heritage Foundation, and The Urban Institute.

The Project’s primary goal is to expand the current national economic debate about economic inequality to also include a fundamentally uniting discussion of opportunity and mobility. As such, and particularly in the lead-up to a presidential election, it is critical that candidates and policy makers are informed by the hard facts about mobility in America today.

Banks Gone Wild

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:20:19 -0500

SOURCE: New York Times

By PAUL KRUGMAN

“What were they smoking?” asks the cover of the current issue of Fortune magazine. Underneath the headline are photos of recently deposed Wall Street titans, captioned with the staggering sums they managed to lose.

"Be wind changers," Jim Wallis tells audience

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 12:13:58 -0400

Jim Wallis tells NH audiences: Creating change requires more than your vote

Progressive Evangelical leader calls on NH voters to create a political movement to address poverty, AIDS, global warming

DURHAM – (Oct. 16, 2007) The Rev. Jim Wallis last night challenged people of all faiths, as well as those who consider themselves “spiritual, but not religious,” to create a movement to address the major global issues of our time, including poverty, AIDS, genocide and global warming.

Wallis told a crowd of about 200 people in Dartmouth College's Rollins Chapel Monday night that “people of faith should be the ultimate swing voters,” who use their moral compasses to evaluate candidates. But he also cautioned that regardless of where the next U.S. President stands on these issues, he or she will not be able to solve them without “a social movement pushing them from the outside to make it happen.”

“Power concedes nothing without a demand,” he said, quoting abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

Raise My Gas Tax...Please

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 19:43:42 -0400

Source: NHInsider

By: Chaz Proulx

Republican Representative Fred King of Colebrook has filed a bill to raise the NH gas tax by six cents a gallon. Thank you, Representative King for having the courage to file this no-brainer legislation. The alternative is a toll hike that penalizes NH drivers who happen to live near toll booths.