What makes NH the only Red state in the region? (Manchester: unemployed, school)

[lisa g]

*Exactly* right. My dh has family in Mass, and I swear to you they and their numerous friends and neighbors do not think beyond the next baseball or football game. Their political views are dictated by comedians and talk shows hosted by nasty women. Anyone wanting small govt & less spending who thinks Obama is going to get us there is a complete fool. And forget our borders at that point. It'll be "come on in, we'll pay for everything".
Many Mass transplants in NH have been brainwashed or made complacent after years of services and spending contributing to their lifestyle that they feel entitled and sadly have lost the willingness to make any independent effort toward less spending. I'm sick of the hypocrites who claim to want smaller gov't while they whine about having to bring their trash to the transfer station. For crying out loud, people can't do anything for themselves anymore, and the less independent people become, the more they demand should be done for them.

[nicolem]

Originally Posted by lisa g

*Exactly* right. My dh has family in Mass, and I swear to you they and their numerous friends and neighbors do not think beyond the next baseball or football game. Their political views are dictated by comedians and talk shows hosted by nasty women. Anyone wanting small govt & less spending who thinks Obama is going to get us there is a complete fool. And forget our borders at that point. It'll be "come on in, we'll pay for everything".
Many Mass transplants in NH have been brainwashed or made complacent after years of services and spending contributing to their lifestyle that they feel entitled and sadly have lost the willingness to make any independent effort toward less spending. I'm sick of the hypocrites who claim to want smaller gov't while they whine about having to bring their trash to the transfer station. For crying out loud, people can't do anything for themselves anymore, and the less independent people become, the more they demand should be done for them.

Great point- I agree 100%

[CoventryDude]

The worst part is they move from mass to NH because they like the (perceived) lifestyle, and then want to turn NH into the very state that they left! Hell, if you want to live in a high tax socialist haven then stay out of NH or move there. I swear, they are like locusts.

I've lived in NH and my heart remains there. I never felt any more at home than I did when I lived there, and I will move back, someday.

[Positiveone]

I'm way out here stuck in Nevada! But someday we hope to make the move to NH. Once we do you will have a strong Conservative family moving in. I hope for America and your wonderful state of NH that McCain brings victory! It will be sad to see your state of NH to lose that true American state feeling.

With your awesome NH gun laws i'm super glad the NRA is fully backing McCain/Palin.

Get your friends & family out there to vote for a better tomorrow.

Check this out please!

http://blip.tv/play/Ac6yA4L1Gw

[GregW]

People want their trash picked up at the curb because, with their artificially over crowed lifestyle (kids soccer games, parties, extra classes etc) they do not have the time to go to the dump and wait in line to get rid of trash. They are willing to trade their tax money for the time saved. They are also willing to trade their tax money for excellent schools so their kids can get the professional college educations required so the kids don’t wind up working in a non-union factory job just to survive.

These people think that both of these examples are a good use of their money. Enough of them seem to think so because the towns spend the money these voters tell them to. If more people were like the cheapskates complaining on this board the spending would get changed. I continue to hope the cheapskates stay away from the poles.

IMHO if we changed back to a smaller government that did not collect the garbage or provide excellent schools we would wind up in as a low pay, no benefits, no hope, minimalist industry and agricultural state that New Hampshire has been for most of it’s history. The state and local governments have worked very hard and spent a lot of taxpayer money to change the state and the economy into what we currently have. This is far better than the rampant poverty we used to have.

I prefer having a world class airport at Manchester and a less than two hour drive to my relatives North of the Notch. I also prefer taking my trash to the curb and having it hauled away because, with a 60 hour work week, I have better things to do with my Saturday morning. I like the really good schools because some of these kids will be paying my social security in a couple of years.
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

[lisa g]

Not knocking people wanting trash pickup - but the state/county should not perform that function. Hire a private company to do that. I'm not paying for anyone's laziness, and I'm not about to whine about how many hours I work because that is beside the point. Outside of the employment we enjoy each one of us has personal responsibilities. At this point in time, we are either independently willing to bear some of the burden of our personal and civic responsibilities or we are so spoiled we have become complacent to the point that we refuse to consider any sacrifice of discomfort without whining(("I have better things to do with my Saturday morning" than being responsible for my own waste??!!)), toward a locally controlled society in which independent farms and businesses still survive and are accountable within their towns and we can maintain a level of integrity. To expect the collective whole to pay for some people's dysfunctional philosophy of entitlement is egregiously wrong (think spoiled children), especially so when you consider the corruption that inevitably goes along with taxes and how the very face of our state could change. Taxing toward "progress" or over commercialization will most definitely lead to every last rural NH area becoming urbanized/suburbanized which is NOT my America. People will have *more than they need* at their fingertips which of course will not be enough in a short matter of time, you'll need to learn spanish to function within small NH towns, and gangs will put every neighborhood at risk. This is not a "this won't happen here" scenario, and it is not a "that's not so bad" scenario either. It is happening throughout our country.

Public education on the whole is not terrific in NH or anywhere, unless parents take some responsibility to stay connected with their children and support their academic efforts. Throwing more $ at education is not the answer. One certainty is that building up NH towns will most certainly threaten the level of safety in public schools - the most basic and vital expectation of a public institution servicing our children.

We can convenience ourselves without integrity into giving away our state/country or we can make sacrifices to keep it our own.

[bryfry]

Huzzah, Lisa, Huzzah!!!!

[GregW]

Trash pickup in my town is done by a private contractor hired by the town. Having the service contracted by individuals would cost far more because of scaling effects and there still would be 10,000 households trying to get to the transfer station on Saturday morning. I have watched my town grow from 8,000 people to over 20,000 in the last 20 years. Like it or not what served a population of less than 10,000 does not serve a population of over 20,000.

If you want a place that will not grow to annoying population levels and change your exurban exclusivity so you can practice “personal responsibility” move to a town that has been loosing population for the last couple of decades. I am tired of the folks living in the past instead of coping with the present. There is nothing “spoiled” about having municipal services when this is the most efficient way of getting the job done.

I plan on retiring to a predominately Hispanic town in the southwest. I expect to learn Spanish if I want to talk with my neighbors. I do not expect to have “gang” problems. I may have trouble with bored teens (every society has trouble with bored teenagers) but not organized gangs.

Things change and they always have. Sometimes they change for the better sometimes not. In all cases the smart folk adopt to their environment (or move to a more suitable place) and don’t try and stop change.

[thisguyrighthere]

Originally Posted by GregW

In all cases the smart folk adopt to their environment (or move to a more suitable place) and don’t try and stop change.

I moved away from all the garbage you seem to embrace. Why haven't you moved to Mass yet since you seem to think so highly of what they've done with the place? How long until you retire and run off to support ruin in some other state? I'll start a clock.

I just fled all that garbage to come here. I'll be damned if I have to pick up and flee again anytime soon.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by GregW

I am not calling for a spendthrift extravagant government ...

But that is exactly what the policies you advocate will achieve.