Mash Notes, Hate Mail & Other Correspondence

Dear Editor, Now that the Democrats have control of both houses of Congress, citizens have high expectations that Dems must do what is necessary to solve the many crises we have been left with, after too many years of Republican control. To avoid the mistake from Obama’s presidency, the filibuster must be ended. If the 60 percent supermajority filibuster remains, Trump’s Republicans will assure gridlock. Democrats must not make the mistake of playing defense—worrying about what happens if Republicans regain the Senate in 2022 without the filibuster in place. Now they have a majority; now is the time to play offense. Majority rule is 50 …

Read more

To the Editor: After each ten year census, New Hampshire is “redistricted.” How can 400 representatives be shared among equal-sized groups? The New Hampshire Constitution requires one representative for every 3,290 citizens. It is supposed to be a fair, nonpartisan and transparent process. But in 2011, the process was not bipartisan, not transparent, and not fair. In 2011, three people created the maps behind closed doors, not a nonpartisan committee. Public hearings were required, but no maps were shown, making informed public input impossible. That year, 24 towns were “gerrymandered”—cheated. Towns of 3,290 citizens or more didn’t get their own representatives, as guaranteed by the …

Read more

To the Editor: Many of us were greatly saddened to hear the news that Hank Aaron had passed away. He was not only a baseball superstar but a great American. As a teenager in the early sixties, I became one of his fans, not knowing much about his personal life and challenges, I only knew that he was a fantastic all-around baseball player. That was enough for me. In the meantime, after reading the July 23, 2007 Sports Illustrated article about his quest to break the home run record of Babe Ruth (714), and reading his own auto-biography, I Had a Hammer, published in 1991 …

Read more

To the Editor: [Note: The following screed may contain typographical errors; our 100 Proof Department will have nothing to do with Mr. Ewing. — The Ed.] After years of silence as Democrat activists rioted in American cities killing dozens and physically, emotionally, and financially injuring thousands of innocent people; destroying billions of dollars of public and private property, and attacking the White House, Capitol, and Supreme Court Building; it’s nice to finally see Democrats condemn, rather than support, violence. [Note: “Democratic activists…destroying billions of dollars of public and private property” — The writer has supplied not a whit of evidence backing up this accusation. – …

Read more

To the Editor: Do we govern from our Town Meetings, or no? The state considers it beyond our legal authority when we attempt to use our local governing process to protect our communities from state-issued permits that allow any number of harmful activities such as water extraction, landfill expansions, waste to energy incinerators, sludge application, mining, fossil fuel pipeline infrastructure, even unsustainable “renewable” energy projects; or when our communities attempt to create sanctuary and equity for all inhabitants, including rights for Nature. Why are we denied the right to protect our health and safety, and not able to create the kind of communities we envision …

Read more

By Patrick Rosenstiel I think most people agree that our presidential election system needs to be reformed. In New Hampshire, S.B.43 is a bill to replace the state’s winner-take-all system of awarding electoral votes with a system that allocates electors by congressional district. It mimics Maine and Nebraska’s system and does not require a constitutional amendment to be enacted. The sponsors of S.B.43 and I agree that the shortcomings of the current system present a clear threat to the future of American democracy. The idea of battleground states versus flyover states delivers chaos, instability, and tribalism, and it shakes the very foundation of trust in …

Read more