Wouldn’t it seem odd if a town that tends to vote Republican had a local paper whose letters page overwhelmingly printed endorsements from and for democrat candidates?  Would it seem stranger if it printed letters from “citizens” questioning republican candidates and their policies, but not those of democrats?

Welcome to Merrimack New Hampshire and the Merrimack Journal.

The Journals web portal and print editions provide the foremost in commentary from people who overwhelmingly favor democrat candidates and their polices.  Rarely will you find references  to Republicans in the letters section unless they are being questioned for their ideas, or are an actual Republican writing to the paper to seek support from citizens for their own candidacy, in which case they are clearly identified by their affiliation.

In my one month unofficial sample of letters written by “non-candidates” endorsing policies or politicians, they all favored democrats or democrat policies over Republicans.  In fact the only positive letters from any source on the right came from Jeanine Notter  who was inviting residents to hear John McManus, the president of the John Birch Society, speak, and he is actually a bit farther right than most.  Maybe that was meant to demonstrate some balance?

I think it is important to point out that the letters they are printing are not just from average “concerned Merrimack residents.”  These endorsements are coming (mostly) from people with connections to the candidates themselves, or active Democrat party members who have run for public office in the state.  These are not casual opinions from the guy with the gnomes on his lawn, or the neighbor with the broken sprinkler head that floods the street every other day from 7-8 pm.  These are very often people actively connected to the democrat party machine in New Hampshire.

Ann McCann, Peter Flood, Don Botsch, and perenial Republican basher Fred Morse.

Is it the policy of the Cabernet press to advance such an obvious bias, or do they expect me to beleive that they just don’t get letters endorsing republicans and their policies from a traditionally Republican town,  in the four weeks leading up to a major State primary?   

In this weeks edition–which is no longer delivered to my home for some reason–the Journal sells itself out again.  This time allotting its “two letters,” to writers who are endorsing…wait for it…. democrats.

Don Botsch, former democrat candidate for State rep, a supporter during the failed Gephardt presidential effort, and “super volunteer” for Shea-Porter at the NH Dem Convention in 2007, wants us to know his feelings on Carol Shea-Porter’s ability to “protect families from living in the cold.”  A similar letter appears in the Eagle Tribune.  It’s fluff.   While Justin King, a “small business owner,” has praise for both Shaheen and Lynch on their smart, prescient policy choices on energy and the environment.  Justin must be confused.  Lynch has recently approved the RGGI cap and trade scheme which will kill New Hampshire by raising all of our energy rates even more, forcing small business development out of New Hampshire, if his business taxes, budget, and spending policies do not do it first.  And while Mr. King praises Shaheen’s policies for supporting the tourist trade (leaf peeping and skiing in particular), he mentions nothing about how plopping wind-turbines across our scenic vistas (a critical component of Jeanne’s renewable mandate based on her policy positions) might make them less scenic (while funding legal battles that milk taxpayers)–affecting a significant part of the trade he insists his company benefits from in his endorsement.

These are just two more examples of why the Merrimack Journal is no longer of much use as a voice of the people it is meant to serve.  The left leaning overlords at the Cabernet press–and perhaps even the Nashua Telegraph, see this as just another opportunity to present throw-away ideas, in a throw away paper,  which are more representative of the editors opinions–than that of the actual residents of the town of Merrimack.

Outside of local sports coverage, and one or two front page stories of compelling interest, its been reduced to being another vehicle for the Telegraphs classifieds, with a few ads for local business–the ones Lynch and Shaheen will likely suffocate with their “prescient policy choices.”  Oh, and its free which makes it perfect for starting fires, or lining the hampster  cage.

Maybe the Journal should advance it’s progressive approach to “local opinion” and simply dump the letters section entirely.  At least that way they could keep their Bias from showing.