A very interesting question has been posed in the Monitor by former state representative Spec Bowers’s column, “What Happened to the Republican Majority?” (Monitor Forum, March 25).
Well, from my experience as a six-term Republican representative from Gilford, I am not at all surprised by the turn of events focused on by the Honorable Mr. Bowers.
When I entered the House in 2000, the Republican platform focused on limited government, personal responsibility, economic opportunity, principled leadership and, of course, the Second Amendment.
Within that framework there was room for differences without infringing on the “party doctrine.”
Over the next 15 years the Republican Party began a significant move to a more right ideological stance.
The House Alliance (a self- selected group of Republican legislators) began grading all legislators on House votes that met their legislative interest.
Errant Republicans were referred to as RINOs (Republican In Name Only). Anyone, Democrat or Republican, who did not meet the preset scoring mark was targeted. This included most of the so-called “moderate Republicans” and all Democrats.
It was in that transition that the Republican Party became more rigid. At the same time, the Democratic Party softened its approach and moved to more centric positions.
It is no accident that the Democratic Party has had a majority for several terms in the past 14 years, or that Craig Benson (a one-term governor) is the only Republican governor elected in the past 20 years.
One needs to look at the bills being criticized before judging the value and validity of each one. A legislator is elected to represent the people. The party does give a framework, but when the platform moves off a reasonable track, it is harder to evaluate legislative prudence.
In a legislative debate, it is important to listen to all sides, assess the need, discern unintended consequences and do what is in the best interest of the state. The move of so-called “Free State” people to New Hampshire is having an impact on New Hampshire law-making. Some of it, I am sure, is positive, but in what I call an already conservative legislative history, there seems to be a negative impact on conservatism in New Hampshire.
In the days when the Republican Party was more successful, it was noted by former senator and governor Judd Gregg (I paraphrase): For a democracy to be successful, there needs to be room for compromise.
There has been, for some while, a failure to acknowledge that democracy does require compromise in its process. We now have a polarized yo-yo effect.
It is good to see that Speaker Jasper has stepped up to the plate and done what is in the best interest of the state of New Hampshire.
(Alida Millham lives in Laconia.)