Senate Bill 11 — the right-to-work bill — is winding its way through the New Hampshire Legislature, with a 10 a.m. hearing slated for Wednesday at the Statehouse in Concord. If enacted into law, this mean-spirited legislation will make it harder for workers to negotiate good wages and benefits.
Employers want skilled and committed workers, and the way to attract these workers is to ensure higher wages and strong workplace protections. SB11 does the opposite. In a Jan. 12, 2017 report, the Economic Policy Institute states SB11 will not improve New Hampshire’s business climate (epi.org/publications).
Contact your representatives and plan to attend the public hearing on Wednesday. Let legislators know they must stand up for working men and women by opposing SB11.
John and Katie Lajoie
Charlestown
Only Trump Sees Fraud
Donald Trump has succeeded in uniting the country with this one thought — he is an interesting man, maybe even the world’s most interesting man. With each pronouncement, policy or tweet the thought occurs that this would make an interesting subject for an opinion letter. Alas, before thought can be put to paper, Trump strikes again, the new idea becomes old and his mind moves on, taking mine with it. Unbounded ADD is hard to keep up with.
Here’s one theme he promises will be around for awhile.
Trump proclaims he, not Hillary Clinton, won the popular vote, despite the final tally showing Clinton won by about 3 million votes. The basis of his claim is the research of Gregg Phillips, promoted by Trump as an authority on voter fraud. The unsubstantiated allegation contains three prongs: up to 5 million illegal immigrants voted for Hillary, dead people voted, and people voted in multiple states.
Here’s the non-alternative fact: Not one recognized expert on election fraud, conservative or liberal, agrees that voter fraud influenced the popular vote result. Likewise, not one state election official, Republican or Democratic, reports that significant voter fraud occurred in their state.
Trump’s reliance on Phillips’ findings of “thousands of duplicate records and registrations of dead people” is specious. Since dead people can’t vote, we’ll let Trump go there alone. To the claim that people who registered in multiple states voted more than once, it’s noteworthy that Phillips himself is registered to vote in three states. In fact, Phillips has stated his research does not show that multistate registrations means people voted in multiple states or that Trump won the popular vote. Even Trump’s campaign lawyer stated the 2016 election was “not tainted by fraud or mistake.”
Here are a few other people reportedly registered in multiple states: chief White House strategist Stephen Bannon, Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer, Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin, Trump’s daughter Tiffany and Trump’s son-in-law and senior White House adviser, Jared Kushner.
If an evidence-based voter fraud investigation is to be done, as Trump promises, it appears the logical place to begin is under Trump’s nose.
Len Ziefert
Enfield
We Will Overcome Fear
This is an open letter to Dorsa Razi: We read of your denial of immigration due process based on an arbitrary presidential decree, and we are deeply saddened for you and for our country … a country which was built on an openness to the world, enriched by the cultures of others (“D-H Doctor, Wife Uncertain of Future in U.S.,” Feb. 1).
I’m a colleague of your husband, Omhid Moghimi, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, and though he and I have never worked together, I want you to know you are in my heart and that of so many of our neighbors.
The America we know and love has an immigration policy based on facts rather than fear, and is specifically committed to reuniting families; so many of us come from families of refugees and people striving for a better life that we can scarsely comprehend a political action that has brought us to this place.
Regardless of how we as citizens might vary on particular ideological issues, the America we love is built on rule of law and an approach to government that never sacrifices innocent people to the personal whim of leaders.
The America we love understands that we do have an obligation to care for families here at home, but that obligation does not preclude us from also welcoming people from around the world, untainted by irrational xenophobia and fear.
So many of us here in the United States are ashamed by the steps our government has taken to put your family in jeopardy, but we want you to know that we are on your side. We will fight for you. We will overcome.
Peter Solberg
Etna
Looking for Hopeful Signs
Congratulations to Harrison Trumbull of Enfield for his excellent, thoughtful letter of Feb. 1, “Relax, Trump Opponents,” and to the Valley News for printing letters on both sides of many important issues.
As a recent (April 2016) escapee from Connecticut, I thoroughly enjoy the Valley News, and am impressed with the quality of letters from readers and responses from other readers. The letter from Mr. Trumbull is such an example, where he skillfully wades into the controversies surrounding Trump’s evolving presidency. He admitted that he did not vote for either presidential candidate. I did the same, but differently. I used the write-in method, entering two names on my ballot, both of whom are adult, experienced, intelligent and level-headed: John Kasich for president, and Condoleezza Rice for vice president.
I neglected to get their permissions to enter their names in the race, and I suppose I threw away my vote. But maybe Mr. Trumbull’s approach produced the same outcome.
Originally, I considered Trump to be an egocentric, loud-mouthed, shallow thinker. Nevertheless, he became our president. I can only hope that he will tone down his personality and enlarge his intellect in response to his new, weighty responsibilities. The Cabinet he is assembling is, for the most part, going in the right direction, and I hope he will surround himself with quality associates and listen to them.
John E. Yocom
Hanover
Questions for Judge Gorsuch
Here are some questions for Judge Neal Gorsuch, the current nominee for appointment to the Supreme Court.
As you are now nominated for a position on the Supreme Court, please tell the American people how you feel about the treatment afforded prior nominee Merrick Garland by the Republican senators who would not grant him even a hearing, though he was clearly qualified? Do you think the Senate Republicans were correct, from a constitutional perspective, when they said a sitting president may not make a Supreme Court nomination in the final year of his or her term in office?
Is that a political argument, or is that now a constitutional limitation on the power of the presidency imposed by the Senate majority? Does any of this give you pause, either as a matter of constitutional concern or as a matter of fairness to another member of the federal judiciary? And, if you have some concerns, how might they affect your conduct on the bench? Will you feel to some extent delegitimized, or even embarrassed by what happened to Garland?
I ask these questions for a real reason, because it’s important to know how this judge feels about the process that led to his nomination.
Peter Hoe Burling
Cornish
Good Care at the VA
This is a letter of appreciation for the excellent care that was received during a recent hospitalization while on Ground East at the VA Hospital in White River Junction. I may be a little biased, as I was employed at the VA from 1972-1991, but I couldn’t ask for better care.
The doctors and staff went out of their way to meet patients’ needs. The nursing staff on the ward and those in the post-anesthesia care unit should be praised for their care and attentiveness. Without the assistance of the doctor at the walk-in clinic, my treatment never would have been coordinated. She continues to provide follow-up care.
Jerry Ward, USAF Retired
White River Junction