The Soapbox

The Soapbox: Why I will be opposing the ‘cryptocurrency freedom’ bill

read more…: The Soapbox: Why I will be opposing the ‘cryptocurrency freedom’ bill

I will be opposing HB 639, the so-called “cryptocurrency freedom” bill now before the Senate. Despite its libertarian rhetoric of innovation and “financial opportunity,” the measure is a blueprint for deregulation that would invite precisely the abuses and inequalities that scholar Finn Brunton warns of in his recent New York Times essay on the true nature of cryptocurrency.

The Soapbox: At a crossroad

read more…: The Soapbox: At a crossroad

The question remains: Can we prioritize the well-being of our children, or will we allow influential figures and organizations to dictate our future and impose globalism? It is crucial that we set aside our minor disagreements to effectively confront the threat of globalism. True freedom is not free, and we must move beyond the left versus right narrative.

Ending just cause protections from eviction puts already vulnerable populations at far greater risk

read more…: Ending just cause protections from eviction puts already vulnerable populations at far greater risk

Housing has already become unaffordable, and now thousands are left hanging by a thread,  unsure if they will have a place to call home tomorrow. These struggles cut across party, race, faith, and income, because the hardships of life spare no one. Humanity is shared, and so should be the responsibility to protect it.

The Soapbox: GOP Senate candidates want to help Trump put Social Security on the chopping block

read more…: The Soapbox: GOP Senate candidates want to help Trump put Social Security on the chopping block

To say that more than 334,100 people in New Hampshire don’t want Social Security and don’t care about the program is one of the more audacious comments Brown has made so far – and it was a glaring example of how he is willing to sell out Granite Staters to get Trump’s endorsement. 

The Soapbox: Manchester needs a leader who understands that classrooms are the bedrock of opportunity

read more…: The Soapbox: Manchester needs a leader who understands that classrooms are the bedrock of opportunity

So let us champion their next steps: urging O’Connell toward the mayoralty, backing Cavanaugh’s citywide bid, welcoming Kaw-uh’s vigor in Ward 1, and returning Trisciani’s sharp mind to the board. For in their stories, as in Manchester’s own, the immigrant’s promise endures:What was built in struggle can be governed in hope.

Are we willing to risk disenfranchisement of some voters for needing absentee ballots?

read more…: Are we willing to risk disenfranchisement of some voters for needing absentee ballots?

I write in STRONG opposition to NH Senate Bills 213, 218, and 287, and all their negative impacts on vulnerable groups of voters who cast absentee ballots – those living with disabilities who may have no way to leave their homes or would need expensive or complex planning, the elderly, those providing 24/7 care to a family member, and those with very limited financial means – as well as those of us who are consistent and lifelong voters.

The Soapbox: Confusion is a gift

read more…: The Soapbox: Confusion is a gift

I still think of Rachel every year around this time, as my Facebook feed fills with mortar-board hats, acceptance letters, and congratulatory yard signs, and I wonder how many of those gleeful graduates have their next several decades mapped out, and how many are secretly terrified by their lack of a map.  I was terrified at graduation, and for decades afterwards; but I can say now that loved the journey, and I love where it brought me.

The Soapbox: ‘I stand with our transgender youth – please join me

read more…: The Soapbox: ‘I stand with our transgender youth – please join me

I retired in 2015 with cautious hope that society was moving toward greater acceptance. But in recent years, that hope has dimmed. Across New Hampshire, some lawmakers and vocal community members have introduced and supported legislation that targets transgender youth and the adults who support them. These policies do not protect children—they harm them.

The Soapbox: New Hampshire can’t afford to abandon the arts

read more…: The Soapbox: New Hampshire can’t afford to abandon the arts

The State Council on the Arts has been reduced by the Senate Finance Committee to a single dollar. One dollar. Lawmakers have asked the Council to become a volunteer operation and rely entirely on private donations—despite knowing this move could lead to the loss of all support staff and federal matching grants. This isn’t just a budget adjustment. It’s a slow erasure.

The Soapbox: Root out the laziness and incompetency rot at Manchester City Hall

read more…: The Soapbox: Root out the laziness and incompetency rot at Manchester City Hall

Some of Manchester’s aldermen, including Ward 6 Alderwoman Crissy Kantor, who is now running for mayor, may be outsourcing their jobs to Rich Girard, an unelected political operative with a track record of advocating for policies that harm Manchester’s core institutions. They’re either too lazy, too incompetent, or too indifferent to do the work themselves. This is a blatant failure of leadership and a slap in the face to every voter who expects elected officials to earn their keep.  

We need to be in the business of housing people and solving the real problem

read more…: We need to be in the business of housing people and solving the real problem

I’ve heard elected officials in Manchester responding to criticisms about their mishandlings of the homelessness crisis by saying “homelessness is a complicated problem”. For those of us who face the horrific consequences of these mishandlings out on the streets it certainly can be complicated. However the solution is quite simple.

The Soapbox: New Hampshire’s public media is here for you – be here for public media

read more…: The Soapbox: New Hampshire’s public media is here for you – be here for public media

The White House wants to eliminate federal support for public media. Congress will vote soon on a proposal to slash millions from NHPR and NHPBS’ budgets. About six percent of NHPR’s annual budget and 18 percent of NHPBS’ is at risk. This funding sustains our statewide emergency alert system, local watchdog reporting, and shows like Morning Edition, PBS News Hour, Granite State Challenge, and Civics 101. 

The Soapbox: When local police enter into agreements with ICE to conduct immigration enforcement, our communities suffer

read more…: The Soapbox: When local police enter into agreements with ICE to conduct immigration enforcement, our communities suffer

The Trump Administration is targeting immigrant communities and significantly increasing the operations of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, including contributing to mass deportations. This is happening right here in New Hampshire.

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