Rising Republican Stars

Thanks to folks at PolickerNH.com, who had some nice things to say about me this morning:

Grant Bosse: Bosse might have finished fourth in a four-way Republican primary in the 2nd Congressional District, but Bosse redeemed himself by skillfully managing Bill Denley's State Senate campaign. In addition, Bosse's work with the Josiah Bartlett Center will serve as talking points for Republican legislators.

They'll be doing their year-end lists all week, and started with the Top Ten (actually 11) Rising Republican Stars, and I appreciate the mention. It's a great list, and shows that the GOP has a lot of talent on tap. You can read the entire list here.

The Future of the NH GOP

Former Governor John Sununu and State Republican Chairman Fergus Cullen joined Sean McDonald this morning on WMUR's Close-Up to discuss the future of the New Hampshire Republican Party:

Part I:


Part II:


Part III:


Part IV:

Yes, Virginia...

The Union Leader publishes my favorite column of the year:

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following editorial, among the most famous ever written, appeared in The New York Sun in 1897 and remains appropriate for this Christmas season 111 years later.

We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor: I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun it's so." Please tell me the truth: Is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon.

115 West Ninety-Fifth Street

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except (what) they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal life with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world, which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

President Bush and the Horrible, Awful, Really Bad Idea

Awful, awful, awful decision:

The White House announced a $17.4 billion rescue package for the troubled Detroit auto makers that allows them to avoid bankruptcy and leaves many of the big decisions for the incoming Obama administration.

Speaking from the White House, President George W. Bush said the administration decided against forcing a bankruptcy to compel cost-cutting, in order to avoid the risk that consumers would desert one or more of the companies and touch off an industry collapse, deepening the current economic downturn.

Good for Ford for passing up the cash with strings attached, and good for Senator Gregg:

"The Administration's decision to use funds from TARP as a bridge loan to the auto companies to stave off bankruptcy is inconsistent with the purposes of TARP. These funds were not authorized by Congress for non-financial companies in distress, but were to be used to restore liquidity and stability in the overall financial system of the country and to help prevent fundamental systemic risks in the global marketplace."

Heeere's Reggie! Cap and Trade comes to New Hampshire

New Hampshire has netted $4 million by selling the right to emit carbon dioxide. Read all about it over at NHWatchdog.

Also, here is a great resource for all of your questions about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Making a bad idea worse

Bailing out automakers for their bad decisions in a bad idea. Putting the federal government in charge of them is even worse.

Congressional Democrats and the White House worked to resolve their last disputes Monday over terms of a $15 billion bailout for U.S. auto makers - complete with a "car czar" to oversee the industry's reinvention of itself - that's expected to come to a vote as early as Wednesday.

Cullen Stepping Down; Sununu Stepping Up

New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Fergus Cullen will not be seeking a second term following Governor John H. Sununu's decision to seek the post. Fergus is a friend of mine going back to high school, and I'm a fan.

The Party Chair is a truly thankless job. The State Party has never won an election, and gets the blame for every loss. In New Hampshire, it's a volunteer position. Fergus worked hard in an awful year for the GOP. He could have done better, and could have done worse. I want to thank him for her service to the party, and hope he stays involved.

Right to Carry in National Parks

This seems like good news.

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), through the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has announced the final amended version of its changes to rules on carrying of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. DOI’s move will restore the rights of law-abiding gun owners who wish to transport and carry firearms for lawful purposes on most DOI lands, and will make federal law consistent with the state law in which these public lands are located. NRA led the effort to amend the existing policy regarding the carrying and transportation of firearms on these federal lands.

I spoke extensively about the right to carry in National Parks on the campaign trail, and am glad that this right has been restored. Let's hope the Obama Administration decides not to go to the trouble of reversing this sensible and overdue decisions.

Organization Day in the NH

The House and Senate met today to take their oaths, and elect officers.

Check out all the day's events at NHWatchdog, including a brief profile of 17-term Secretary of State Bill Gardner.