We may argue the practical differences between Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, but at the core only one issue should matter.  Democrats want us as far from the decision making process as possible.  They believe government is best positioned to make decisions that will “help” us run our lives.  But each one of these decisions relieves us of some level of responsibility and gives that authority—and the cost of maintaining it–to the government.  Republicans would prefer—whenever possible–to allow the people to make these kinds of decisions themselves.  They prefer that power, both political and economic, remain local, closer to home, in our wallets and our local ballot boxes.   And what is distinctive about the exceptions—because they always exist–is that while you may from time to time find Republicans that are inclined toward government largess, you will not find a single Democrat who is not.

So as the aftershocks of the rebellion against anything on a ballot with an (R) next to it, echo across the broad green valleys and myriad lakes of the Granite State, we need to ask ourselves some serious questions.  Is our frustration still so great that we should just lie down and let the Democrats continue to smother us with their out of control spending programs; should we continue to allow them to dominate the political landscape?   Is it wise to sit back as they use the legislative power of their ‘mandate’ to erode any and every opportunity for us to act responsibly of our own free will?  Is the unique character of New Hampshire dead, or does it lay slumbering beneath this growing blanket of big government liberalism?  Does live Free or Die still mean something? 

We have burdened ourselves with a Democrat governor, and a Democrat controlled state government, sent two Democrats to the House of Representatives, and our reward at the local level is two years filled with useless legislation, and a massive state budget deficit.   At the Federal level instead of attending to their duties they have, like spoiled children, focused not on the needs of our State and our nation but on thwarting every desire of an unpopular president, simply to do so, all at the behest of their Speaker, using parliamentary tricks and pointless legislation to gain political points.  Is this the predominate role of a Democrat controlled government?  Is it our legacy to contribute further to this abuse of our authority, to elect representatives who would not only make light of the power we grant them, but use it to pander away our part in history, failing completely to fulfill their constitutional oaths?

If Live Free or Die still means something we will effectively exercise our constitutional authority to protect our liberty from a State legislature that brings us ever closer to broad-based State taxes, and the ‘Do-nothing’ Democrat congress, and those who would hope to join it.