Just before COVID changed life as we knew it, I retired from three decades teaching American history and English at Lebanon High School. I loved emphasizing that students needed to become lifelong learners as we could not cover everything in one year. I never hesitated to acknowledge that I was still learning about important people and events.
One example was my own discovery of the importance of John Winant, a man I had never heard about until I read Citizens of London. How could I not know about this former governor of New Hampshire? A Republican with a keen concern for bettering the lives of others? A man known not only for being an awkward public speaker, but also for opening his own wallet to help others? A man who gave up his future as a potential Republican Presidential candidate to work for FDR?
Why write about a man who died back at the end of WWII? Because Roosevelt asked him to chair the committee that set up Social Security. Winant later resigned from that position to travel the country challenging his own party’s negative spin on this critical support system for the aging. This great Republican knew aging teachers, bus drivers, hair stylists, grocery clerks, electricians, plumbers, office workers, secretaries and custodians deserved an alternative to poverty. This great New Hampshire Republican compromised his political future for all of us.
I am now in the unimagined position of hearing Republicans propose abolishing Social Security. In the state with the second oldest population in the country, Republicans have the nerve to threaten something we have all paid into for our working lives. And they have absolutely nothing to propose in its place. Social Security used to be considered the third-rail of politics, the thing you would be foolish to touch because of the dire consequences. The Republican Party is not only touching that third-rail, they are endangering every one of us. If you want to be independent as you grow older, think twice about voting for Republicans who have no alternative plans and no interest in developing them. Vote for Democrats if Social Security is part of your future.
Deborah H. Bacon Nelson
Chair – Hanover/Lyme Town Democrats
Wolf provides real leadership
Judy and I have two signs up in our front yard. One is for Karen Ebel, a Democrat. The second is for Dan Wolf, a Republican. Both are respected and experienced state representatives who have partnered to ably serve New London and Newbury.
Importantly, Dan and Karen have worked together providing leadership within their parties and across party lines. A key to their success is their focus on being attentive to our local needs and concerns.
This year, there is a determined vocal group who want to see Dan Wolf defeated simply because he is a Republican. They forget he provides real leadership, standing up to his party officials when their views are in conflict with the concerns of his constituents.
In my experience, there is real benefit in having local representation in both parties. Dan stood against his party to remove awful restrictions on access to abortion for women in New Hampshire. Without Dan, there would likely have been no change in the law. Democrats needed Dan to pull enough Republicans together to pass a new law.
We also should not forget the key role Dan Wolf played in ending the battle over the proposed Wild Goose boat launch. He had worked on the issue for years and was critically important to keeping Gov. Sununu informed on the options. In the end, Gov. Sununu put an end to the Wild Goose development plan on Lake Sunapee and thankfully brought about closure on the years long divide created by the Wild Goose debate. It helped to have a Republican on our team.
The citizens of Newbury and New London have benefited by Karen and Dan’s partnership over the years. Let’s keep them working for us … please support Karen and Dan, our bipartisan team, on election day.
Bob Odell
New London
Bob Odell, a Republican, Newbury and
New London in the state Senate
Lovett gets results
Throughout her entire career, Charlene Lovett has stood for one thing: results.
When she advocated for landmark legislation to prevent childhood lead poisoning, her efforts led to nearly $2 million dollars in federal funding for Sullivan County to remediate lead in homes. While New Hampshire struggles with soaring housing costs, in 2021 Charlene received the Municipal Advocate Leader of the Year Award for her success in increasing housing in Claremont. When faced with chronic underfunding for Claremont’s school system, her advocacy brought millions in funding for improvements to Claremont’s schools. Most importantly, she spearheaded the revitalization of Claremont, bringing in millions of dollars in outside investment to transform unused buildings into housing and new businesses.
Now is a pivotal time for both Senate District 8 and New Hampshire. At a time of skyrocketing property taxes and housing prices, underfunding of our public schools, and underinvestment in our health systems and hospitals, I know that Charlene can begin the process of solving these long-standing problems. And I know that because she has already done it in Claremont.
Current Sen. Ruth Ward is a champion of the school voucher program that is taking public dollars away from our already underfunded public schools, making the problems even worse. It is time for a state senator who will make things better. Charlene has proven time and time again that she is focused on results. To get a state government that focuses on delivering for you, please join me in enthusiastically voting for Charlene Lovett for state senator for Senate District 8.
Karen Dewey
Newport
Hassan and Kuster
serve New Hampshire well
I am a life-long Republican, who has rarely voted for a Democrat. This election, I’m voting for two: Maggie Hassan for Senate, and Annie Kuster for Congress. Both have served New Hampshire well. Both have been responsive to my concerns as a constituent, and a Republican. Both have cooperated with Republicans in Washington, a bi-partisan cooperation we need.
Their opponents are exactly the Trump extremists we do not need in Washington. They are the inheritors of the attempted takeover on Jan. 6. They must be stopped, now, before they further threaten our Democratic process and rule of law. Don Bolduc should be respected for his service, but he should not be a Senator.
We are fortunate to have Maggie Hassan and Annie Kuster serving us. We should not exchange them for people who will support and serve Trump, more than the people of New Hampshire or our Democratic process.
Malcolm Swenson
Hanover
A lot is riding
on the mid terms
On Nov. 1, former President Trump gave an interview to conservative radio host Chris Stigall, and said, regarding the attack on Paul Pelosi: “It’s weird things going on in that household in the last couple of weeks. You know, probably, you and I are better off not talking about it. The glass, it seems, was broken from the inside to the out and, you know, so, it wasn’t a break in, it was a break out.”
The question each person planning to sit at home and not vote on Tuesday has to ask themselves is: do you want members of a party who follow this conspiracy-spewing, violence-exhorting maniac to be the majority in the Senate and/or House of Representatives?
If the answer is no, get off of the couch on Tuesday. Our futures depend upon it.
Barry Wenig
Lebanon
Supporting a friend
for state Senate
I’m a friend and huge fan of Dr. John McIntyre who is running as the Republican candidate for the NH District 5 Senate seat. And as a friend, the least I can do is have a fraction of John’s conviction and write him a letter of support, because like him I believe we all do have more in common than we don’t. That sentiment has been the ice breaker in every one of the many conversations he has had over the past several months.
John is not one to waste resources and believes the best way to engage is more through individual contact than via media spending. Perhaps his walkabout approach is limiting his outreach a bit, but in New Hampshire, meeting people one-on-one is a political tradition of sorts, and he has taken that to heart. On Tuesday morning alone he knocked on 150 doors in Enfield, leaving door cards while yielding 15 informative discussions that truly energized him and allowed him to discuss and debate the issues of the day in a productive and non-confrontational manner. He sees that approach as the path to constructive solutions.
Through these efforts to meet people from every town in the district over the last few months he has gleaned a very clear understanding of the issues that concern people. I can say with confidence that no other candidate in New Hampshire for any office is working harder to get elected, and no one will work harder in the true spirit of being a public servant for the people of our district than Dr. John McIntyre.
Chan Morgan
Etna
In place of an oath
I see that a physician is running for New Hampshire senate as a Republican. Does that mean that “Do No Harm” has been repealed?
Dick Mackay
Hanover