Letters to the Editors

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Warren Rudman: Sen. Sununu has a long record of fiscal responsibility in Washington

SEN. JOHN SUNUNU has stood up for New Hampshire values and fiscal responsibility in Washington. He has been an independent voice for New Hampshire when it comes to reining in wasteful Washington spending.

John is a true fiscal conservative who understands that we have a budget deficit because of overspending, whereas some politicians think we should keep on spending and just raise taxes on hard-working families and small businesses in order to close the budget gap.

This week the Democrats in Washington proposed doing exactly that in their Fiscal Year 2009 budget, which included the largest tax increase in American history and would increase spending to record levels.

John's commitment and sustained efforts to stand up for New Hampshire and fight against fiscal irresponsibility are highlighted below:

-- In his first year in the U.S. Senate, John Sununu led the successful effort to defeat the bloated $31 billion 2003 GOP energy bill. It was loaded with unnecessary tax subsidies to oil companies and budget-busting spending that failed to provide the fairness, equity and efficiency in the energy markets we sorely need.

-- In 2005 John stood up and opposed yet another bloated energy bill supported by the Bush administration that was full of unnecessary tax breaks and subsidies for oil companies.

-- In 2003 and 2005 when the administration and some in Congress tried to ram a budget- busting highway bill through, John Sununu said no to the excessive pork-barrel spending.

-- We all remember the "Bridge to Nowhere," perhaps the most egregious example of bad politics in Washington. John Sununu was one of only 15 senators to vote against it.

-- In March 2008, John Sununu voted for enacting a one-year moratorium on earmarks that would have prohibited Congress from trying to fund more "Bridges to Nowhere." Additionally, John co-sponsored the 2006 Pork Barrel Reduction Act along with Sen. John McCain. It would have brought transparency to the appropriations process and help rein in wasteful spending. In 2007 he supported the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, an additional effort to reduce wasteful spending.

-- Fiscal watchdog organizations have recognized John Sununu for his tireless work and commitment to rein in unruly spending. Notably, John received the 2006 Taxpayer Hero award from the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste for his opposition to pork-barrel spending and wasteful government programs. The organization gave Sununu a 95 percent score and cited his votes on earmark reform, cuts to budget-busting subsidies and his opposition to Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere."

-- Recently Congress passed a $300 billion farm bill with outrageous pork-barrel spending and special interest provisions that would have increased food prices even higher, putting more pressure on family budgets. It was John Sununu who once again stood up and said no to unfairly increasing the burden on families in the Granite State in order to pad the wallets of wealthy sugar barons and large corporate farms.

-- The failure of politicians to effectively reform entitlement programs is contributing to the deficit and bloated Washington budgets. John Sununu has provided real and thoughtful leadership on entitlements -- the largest part of the budget. He wrote legislation that would modernize and strengthen the solvency of Social Security for generations to come.

-- Just this week John Sununu voted against the largest tax increase in American history put forward by the Democrats in their FY2009 budget, which would also increase spending to record levels.

Effective leadership requires leaders who are willing to take a stand against what might be politically popular at the time but the wrong direction for our country. It also requires leaders who are willing to communicate the truth about the challenges we face and work to honestly address them.

The choice for New Hampshire this November could not be clearer. John's opponent, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, has given lip service to the fiscal challenges our nation faces and instead has chosen to distort his record. I am not surprised, given Jeanne Shaheen's efforts to raise taxes and significantly increase spending during her tenure as governor. New Hampshire deserves better and deserves to have John Sununu's fiscal leadership for another term in the U.S. Senate.

Warren Rudman is a former Republican U.S. senator from New Hampshire. He also is a co-chairman of the U.S. Commission on National Security and co-founder of the Concord Coalition.

YOUR COMMENTS

There is nothing so powerful as the truth Senator Rudman

by Libertarian Ken Blevens

SEN. JOHN E. SUNUNU must be getting spooked by poll numbers showing he is in electoral trouble. How else to explain his vote for expanding subsidized health insurance to middle-class children and adults, and paying for it with a tax increase?

Last Thursday Sununu voted for a bill to expand eligibility for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The bill would make health insurance subsidies available for families of four earning up to $83,000 a year and even covers adults. It is funded by a 61-cent per pack hike in the cigarette tax.

We never knew Sununu to support either socialism or tax hikes. Sen. Judd Gregg stood steadfastly in opposition to the bill. And Sununu did vote for Sen. Gregg's amendment (Amdt, 2587) to focus the program more on the poor, not the middle class (it failed). But in the end Sununu voted with the Democrats to raise taxes for the purpose of subsidizing the middle class.

SCHIP is a popular program, and we can understand the senator's desire to support it. But this expansion is a bad deal. He should've stuck to his principles and voted against it.

 

Blevens is the Libertarian Candidate for U.S. Senate
- Libertarian Ken Blevens, Bow

 

Sununu and Gregg both had better stop supporting things like L.O.S.T and Lieberman-Warner or conservatives will not be able to support them any longer. Pressure from liberals who will never ever vote for these guys is taking its toll....

These are both very damaging bills to our sovereignty and our economy.

Sununu, stick to your guns! It's too late for you to reverse your tragic decision on L.O.S.T., but you can still reject Lieberman-Warner which according to climatologist Patrick Michaels, would have "virtually no effect on the climate, an additional 0.013 degrees (Celsius) of "prevented" warming". According to the Heritage Foundation, this bill would cause economic damage equal to the cost of "660 hurricanes - 35 per year - for two decades."

- Sue, Manchester

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Defending earmarks: Judd's folly

3/18/08 Union Leader

AS EXPECTED, a proposal to place a one-year moratorium on pork-barrel spending, aka earmarks, went down in flames in the U.S. Senate last week. Manning one of the guns that shot it to bits was Sen. Judd Gregg.

"Congress has every right to prioritize how money is spent as the executive branch does," Gregg said in a New Hampshire Union Leader story last week. "If not, then you turn over a huge authority to embedded bureaucrats in the executive branch."

Yes, but. Congress prioritizes its spending by debating projects in the light of day, putting them clearly into the budget, and voting on them. It should not do so by slipping pet projects into the budget, often in secret, to help get members re-elected.

Sen. Gregg voted to perpetuate a broken process that wastes taxpayer money by the truckload. It needs to be fixed, and he should be seeking ways to do that.

YOUR COMMENTS

How about the do as I say not as I do Senator Sununu. It is time for reelection and the cry will be coming forth that spending is to high yet it was reported that Senator Sununu instituted $75,000,000.00 in e-marks. A true conservative he is not. It is time for a change from a corrupt “two” party system time to vote for Libertarian Ken Blevens.

 

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Two more reasons not to vote Republican

Reason number one

Reason number two

8/7/07 Union Leader

SEN. JOHN E. SUNUNU must be getting spooked by poll numbers showing he is in electoral trouble. How else to explain his vote for expanding subsidized health insurance to middle-class children and adults, and paying for it with a tax increase?

Last Thursday Sununu voted for a bill to expand eligibility for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The bill would make health insurance subsidies available for families of four earning up to $83,000 a year and even covers adults. It is funded by a 61-cent per pack hike in the cigarette tax.

We never knew Sununu to support either socialism or tax hikes. Sen. Judd Gregg stood steadfastly in opposition to the bill. And Sununu did vote for Sen. Gregg's amendment (Amdt, 2587) to focus the program more on the poor, not the middle class (it failed). But in the end Sununu voted with the Democrats to raise taxes for the purpose of subsidizing the middle class.

SCHIP is a popular program, and we can understand the senator's desire to support it. But this expansion is a bad deal. He should've stuck to his principles and voted against it.

YOUR COMMENTS

Time to vote Libertarian and organize a new society for the purpose contained in article 3. State Constitution - Bill of Rights Art.] 3. [Society, its Organization and Purposes.] When men enter into a state of society, they surrender up some of their natural rights to that society, in order to ensure the protection of others; and, without such an equivalent, the surrender is void. June 2, 1784 For those of you who believe that the word others in article 3 meant other people you would have to also believe that the founders were forming a socialized form of government. But for those of us that believe the word others refers to rights that are not being protected how long before we void the surrender? Or organize a new society for the purpose contained in article 3?

Libertarian Ken Blevens
Candidate for U.S. Senate
www.kblevens.org

- Ken Blevens, Bow

If ANY government was EVER good at doing anything, there might be some hope for this feel good, "it's for the children", bill. But history proves that governments primary interest is in the growth of itself and NOT in serving the people. It's safe to say that for every dollar of benefits paid, $10.00 in taxes will have to be collected in order to pay the overhead of yet another wasteful government program. Hey Sen, Sununu, if you really want to help your constituents, let them keep more of the money they earned by cutting spending, entitlements and taxes.

- A. J., Windham

A politician with "principals?" That would be a nice change in the political climate of the 21st Century. Judd Gregg showed he lacked principals during the illegal alien amnesty vote. And Senator Sununu. Another Republican falls to feel good politics.

- GR Chase, Exeter, NH

When Sununnu loses the next election the media will once again tout that New Hampshire is no longer a Conservative State. The news deia will be missing the fact that people like me are not going to vote for a Democrat no matter what party he claims to be in. Charlie Bass didn't learn the lesson after running the most ridiculous campaign add "being independent means working for the things that matter to all of Us" It looks like Sunnunu wants to stay in power more than he wants to stand on long standing NH principles.

- Brian Fellers, Grafton NH

 

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Response Concord Monitor Editorial,

Time to get serious

Copy of e-mail from a friend and supporter,

Thanks John it was a good article... We're still way ahead of the crowd, unfortunately, most of America is still disillusioned... Either in love with the Clinton's version of free wheeling with no consequences or responsibility, or the brainwashed that think we need an ever increasing authority in Washington to lead us sheep ( morons ) through life as a subject of their rules for the good of the community as a whole ( communism ) ... There's no longer much difference in either major party and that's part of the reasoning I believe as does the author of the article, for Paul's growing popular movement... Maybe not this time around, although it could happen, there's plenty of time yet, but make no mistake the natives are restless... As Jefferson would say, " It's time for a little revolution. " Let's hope it's political and not bloody...

Best regards, Sal

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/23/AR2007112301299.html

For Liberty,
Candidate for U.S. Senate
Libertarian Ken Blevens

 

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Paul: Supporters buying into stance on Iraq

Published: Thursday, November 8, 2007

By KEVIN LANDRIGAN
Telegraph Staff
....To confront terrorists bent on violence against the U.S., Paul would pursue a "mark and reprisal" provision used by the Founding Fathers to empower private individuals to bring pirates to justice using legal means...

August 23, 2007

Your wrong,it is all about money in New Hampshire as in the nation just ask any third party candidate. It’s about protecting the two parties money and control on retail politics by the news media. It’s time to have a good look in the mirror.
Your editorial Paying to play: Big parties get big advantage
Monday, Aug. 20, 2007
FOR A STATE that prides itself in helping out the little guy, New Hampshire’s *news media* sure is doing a number on small political parties.
If they the media truly believe in the primacy of small-state, politics, as they all have said they do, they would do more than give it lip service. They would act to preserve it.

Libertarian Ken Blevens

 

UNION LEADER Election laws

8/20/07

Response: Big parties get big advantage
There is noting so powerful as the truth.
Election laws ?? HAHA what a joke.
Alleged violation:
Did WMUR Channel 9 and the New Hampshire Union Leader violate New Hampshire
election law by not filing as a Political Committee in the 2006 New
Hampshire election?
Background for complaint: Response from FCC complaint attached and reads in
part.. See complaint at kblevens.org

Key to this complaint is "was not obligated to offer you equal
opportunities" resulting in advocating the election of clearly identified
participating candidates and/or the defeat of a clearly identified candidate
in this case Libertarian Ken Blevens thus influencing the election for
congress 2nd district.

RSA.664:2 Definitions. - As used in this chapter:

I. ""Election'' means any general biennial or special election and
political party primary except presidential preference delegate primaries.

II. ""Candidate'' means any person publicly declared as such and for whom
votes are sought in an election.

III. ""Political committee'' means any organization of 2 or more persons to
influence elections or measures, including the political committee of a
political party as defined in paragraph V.

Libertarian Ken Blevens
Bow,NH 03304
603-225-5547
kblevens@comcast.net

 

Letter UNEDITED VERSION BELOW

A la Lenin
Ken Blevens, Bow
Print article
Send to friend
Letter to editor

For the Monitor

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July 31. 2007 7:20AM

 

In your July 27 editorial, "Here's one health care program that works," there's a five-word sentence by editors that says it all: "Government simply provides the money."

Isn't it incredible that the editors of the Monitor don't recognize a socialized agenda? When government simply provides the money for specific uses, be it children, the elderly, the uninsured, the un-housed, the unfed, it has to bring to mind the socialist agenda of Lenin and others who believed in "from those who have to those who need."

How can we represent that we are a free people who cherish the rights to life, liberty and property when every day these civic leaders proclaim another great cause to take more from those that have and give it to the have-nots.

I just want to express my concern regarding the downward trend of this country. Hopefully others will begin to speak up before it really is too late.

KEN BLEVENS
Bow

UNEDITED LETTER

July 31st. 2007

Response to Concord Monitor Editorial July 27, 2007

HERE'S ONE HEALTH CARE PROGRAM THAT WORKS

Five word sentence by editors says it all.

"Government simply provides the money."

Isn't it incredible that the editors of the Concord Monitor don't recognize
a socialized agenda. When government simply provides the money for specific
uses, be it children, the elderly, the uninsured, the un-housed, the un-fed,
it has to bring to mind the socialist agenda of Lenin and others, who
believed in from those who have to those who need. How can we represent
that we are a free people who cherish the rights to "life, liberty and
property" when everyday these civic leaders proclaim another great cause to
take more from those that have and give it to the have-nots.
Just wanted to express my concern regarding the downward trend of this
country. Hopefully others will begin to speak up before it really is too
late. If you really want to know how I and other Libertarians feel about
Liberty go to my web site www.kblevens.org and click on ISSUES, and than
INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF LIBERTY. Here is a visual introduction
that is well worth watching.

State Constitution - Bill of Rights
Art.] 3. [Society, its Organization and Purposes.] When men enter into a state of society, they surrender up some of their natural rights to that society, in order to ensure the protection of others; and, without such an equivalent, the surrender is void.

June 2, 1784

For those of you who believe that the word others in article 3 meant other people you would have to also believe that the founders were forming a socialized form of government. But for those of us that believe the word others refers to rights that are not being protected how long before we void the surrender? Or organize a new society for the purpose contained in article 3?

Libertarian Ken Blevens

 

July 26. 2007 12:27AM

LETTERS CONCORD MONITOR

Where was Blevens?

The Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate understands the power of the press regarding the voters' "Hobson's Choice," an expression meaning no choice at all.

Ken Blevens, at a gathering of Libertarians, said, "When Lauren Dorgan from the Concord Monitor called July 11, I believed that she was doing a story on the '02 election as a prelude to the '08 election." Libertarian Blevens was the only candidate in that election clearly against the war. Sununu and Shaheen backed President Bush. Blevens went on to say "If the Concord Monitor knew of another choice, why not let the voters know in '02? Hopefully voters will see through writers like Lauren Dorgan, who insist on not presenting the full story to the voters."

Why was Libertarian Ken Blevens, who made it clear that he would again be a candidate in the '08 U.S. Senate election, not part of this Concord Monitor article after the phone call interview?

HOWARD WILSON

Andover

 

July 23. 2007 12:21AM

LETTERS CONCORD MONITOR

Consider Blevens

There is another person in the race for U.S. Senate. Libertarian Ken Blevens.

Former governor Shaheen and Sen. Sununu both agreed (in 2002) that sending our servicemen and women to their deaths was the thing to do. In 2002 candidate Blevens did not agree with sending our men and women to violent, untimely, unnecessary deaths.

It was Sununu who wrongly voted to send them to their deaths. Now that he does not know what to do, he seems to have become a "quitter," as has Jeanne Shaheen. Quitting never wins anything.

Blevens is not a quitter. Once in a war, the war must be won. "Winning" means winning the hearts and minds of the people. Winning the hearts and minds of people is done with words that are truthful. After truthful words are used, it is up to Congress to make those words come true. Unlike Sen. Sununu and former governor Shaheen, Blevens would work to win this fight we are in.

All the words we need to win are contained in our Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution of the United States of America.

These documents have all the words necessary to win this war; and to win it verbally, without any more bloodshed.
In 2008, why not join with the 40 percent of the voters in New Hampshire who are registered "undeclared" and vote for Libertarians?

BOB KINGSBURY
Laconia

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July 19. 2007 7:20AM

LETTERS CONCORD MONITOR

I'm a Senate candidate too

Ken Blevens is one of the now more than 40 percent of voters in New Hampshire who are not Democrats or Republicans. Is it time for the news media, in this case the Concord Monitor, to recognize this large voting bloc?

Reporter Lauren Dorgan called me for information regarding the '02 election prior to doing her article ("Shaheen supported war too," Monitor, July 12). I made it clear to her that I was the only candidate who took a stand against the war in Iraq in '02. I also was very clear that I am the nominee for the U.S. Senate election in '08 by the Libertarian Party and would be their candidate. Not one word about me was written in the article.

Please try to let those, the other 40 percent who are not Democrats or Republicans, know that they will have another choice come November 2008 for U.S. Senate.

KEN BLEVENS
Bow

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June 20. 2007 6:46AM

LETTERS CONCORD MONITOR

Socialism

In response to the letter from Leo R. Sandy ("Hollow arguments from the anti-seatbelt crowd," June 18), unintended consequences once again?

What if we had a free choice, not government controlled insurance? Imagine you could buy the coverage you wanted from a company that would not accept folks who didn't buckle up or want to wear helmets. The answer is not more control by government but less.

If you truly believe in government control, you might be considered a socialist, and therefore it is understandable that you do not understand the true meaning of the "Live Free or Die" motto. You might not believe that the Bill of Rights was written to protect the individual or that to tax one for the benefit of another is socialism.

KEN BLEVENS

Bow

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May 22. 2007 6:31AM

LETTERS CONCORD MONITOR

The zero solution

You can't put a square peg in a round hole. Gov. Lynch's answer is a half round peg. Governor, that still won't work. It simply takes a round peg.

A square peg in a round hole is not that far-fetched an example for the education-funding dilemma.

Freedom with local control as represented in the state constitution bill of rights Article 6 is the round hole. Legislative and executive interference is the square peg.

After 15 years the voters are getting sick of the Democrats and Republicans insisting on a square peg. The Libertarian answer is zero state adequacy and zero official state funding. Just do it and stop lying to the voters about supporting local control.

Guess what: After the court is officially removed from the issue, the Legislature could freely fund any amount, to any district, any time.

Legislative freedom - what a concept!
KEN BLEVENS
Bow
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April 07. 2007 7:47AM

LETTERS CONCORD MONITOR

Libertarian solution

No ifs, ands or "butts." This is what the New Hampshire Constitution says. Not once is the judicial, legislative or executive branch recognized.

As a reminder, the Bill of Rights is in place to protect individual rights, not factious government rights.

The Libertarian solution to the so-called education crisis is not only right but is also the only solution that is constitutional.

Zero state involvement supports "shall at all times have the right." Zero mandated state aid is also supportive. "Contracting with them for their support or maintenance, or both." New Hampshire Constitution, Bill of Rights, established Oct. 31, 1783, effective June 2, 1784.

"[Art.] 6. [Morality and Piety.] As morality and piety, rightly grounded on high principles, will give the best and greatest security to government, and will lay, in the hearts of men, the strongest obligations to due subjection; and as the knowledge of these is most likely to be propagated through a society, therefore, the several parishes, bodies, corporate, or religious societies shall at all times have the right of electing their own teachers, and of contracting with them for their support or maintenance, or both." . . . June 2, 1784. Amended 1968 to remove obsolete sectarian references.

Question to each legislator and Gov. Lynch: Are you supporting your obligation and oath or not?

KEN BLEVENS
Bow
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March 13. 2007 6:37AM

LETTERS CONCORD MONITOR

Libertarian agenda?

Re "Senior tax breaks make buying homes harder" (Monitor editorial, March 12):

So is the liberal editorial staff of the Monitor really taking a Libertarian stand on taxation? Next they may realize that statewide current use tax assessments for education will set the stage for a north-south battle. They may even convince the Democratic Legislature that the New Hampshire Constitution requires all taxes and assessments to be proportional.

Talk about added cost from Democrats' LCHIP - a $40 surcharge on all documents filed with the county registers of deeds.

KEN BLEVENS
Bow

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