CONGRATS TO CONNOR,
REP. MCRAE AND REP. BICKFORD

Back in November 20 girls and 20 boys who qualified by winning their local and sectional in their age group competed in the Team Championship (NY Giants) Punt, Pass & Kick showing their stuff before 80,000 fans at Giants Stadium as part of the Pepsi PPK competition.

From the NY Giants press release: “Over 3.5 million young kids, ages eight to fifteen years, took part in the PPK program in 2005.”

When you break that down by four divisions based on age, just qualifying is a feat in itself!

My grandson, Connor Christopher Young, competed in the 10/11 year old boys. He won the competition to represent the New York Giants and his national ranking is number 11. In checking the “punt” portion of Punt, Pass & Kick, Connor is second in the country at 98' 11". The young man with the best punt is a boy named Chad Kelly from Red Lion, Pa. With 100' 6". Chad went on to win the overall national championship during the Steelers-Colts playoff game (1/14).

The family is very proud of Connor, but Connor’s Dad (Chris),Poppy is most proud of his character and that his grades are all “A’s”.

And Connor will celebrate his 12th birthday Saturday, Feb. 4. Did I mention that Connor is willing to talk politics, and does understand the difference between liberals and conservatives – another Blessing from God to his Poppy?

All children and grandchildren are Blessings. Connor's dad (Chris), Uncle Dean, Uncle Todd, and Uncle Dan all played football for the Laconia High Sachems. Aunt Stephanie, played Defensive End in flag football, then went on to play field hockey, basketball, and softball at LHS.

Just thought I would give a bit more background from a proud father and grandfather! Clicking on the “team c h a m p i o n s h i p s ” hyperlink at the attached website brings you directly to the scores for the winners from each division.

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Surprise! As I sit here this night contemplating the next column – the one you are reading right now – Chris Matthews’ Hardball TV show is on in the background.

That is so I can compare programs like Hardball, Tim Russert, George Stephanopulos, all ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN news and talk shows to my Saturday morning radio program, which some have mistakenly tagged as support for all Republicans, and too conservative.

I am a conservative. What is too conservative?

I am a registered Republican, but if you listen to the program, ALL politicians are subject to my criticism and admonition.

Now, when do you hear the hosts of the above mentioned TV programs verbally beat up one of their own – you know – the liberals and the Democrats?

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Arizona Congressman J.D. Hayworth author of “Whatever It Takes: Illegal Immigration, Border Security, and the War on Terror”: “America is starting to crumble under the weight of illegal immigration. Those on the Left and even some on the Right just don’t understand the true chaos caused by this illegal invasion. It’s an enormous burden on our health care, education, and welfare systems. It is changing our culture.”

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When I read that Heritage NH located in Glen, NH would cease their operation at the end of the 2006 tourist season my first thought was – where will the children go to learn, with visuals, about New Hampshire history?

Stoney Morrell the President of the corporation that owns Heritage and Story Land: “We’re very proud of what we have at Heritage-NH, but we recognize that it has lost some of its relevance to today’s audience and its ability to compete in today’s world.

“Demand has been on the wane for several years, while expenses continue to increase and the list of major improvements required to bring the 30-year-old building up to today’s standards continues to multiply.”

In a report by NH Union Leader Correspondent Lorna Colquhoun we are told that people are looking for more “action-oriented activities”.

Jayne O’Connor, president of White Mountains Attractions: “It has been tough for historic attractions.

”Being someone who believes that civics, state and U. S. History are not studied enough, if at all, I am concerned about the “trend” we are experiencing.

Going back in history I found a July 6, 2005 piece in The Barre-Montpelier Times Argus that supports my theory.

“Americans’ lack of knowledge of their own country’s beginnings has become a national issue, prompting more federal legislation aimed at making an understanding of our 229-year history a requirement for high school graduation.

“A group of leading educators and historians told a Senate panel last week that Americans” knowledge of U.S. History is ‘just plain pathetic,’” the Boston Globe reported.

Other items that caught my interest from that piece include: most fourth-graders don’t know how the Declaration of Independence begins, a majority of high school students do not “understand the reasoning behind setting up three branches of government to provide the necessary ‘checks and balances’ that protect our self-evident truths of democracy.” That data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress tells us that only 10% of high school seniors know who were the allies and the enemies of the U. S. during WW II.

“Equally frightening, the publisher of ‘The Nation’s Report Card’ found that almost two-thirds of high school seniors ‘did not meet the basic threshold of knowledge’ of what America stands for.

“The Vermont House also introduced a bill this session to make high school civics a mandatory part of school curriculum. Eighty percent of Vermonters polled by Sen. William Doyle, R-Washington, said they want civics to be required in high school.
on Town Meeting Day, “Without knowledge of our nation’s history, it is difficult to imagine a future of enlightened and informed Americans who can understand the importance of protecting free speech and freedom of religion. Or who can appreciate the powers and limitations of its government.”

Just in case you are my age and it has been along time since we were 4th graders: “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the personal bonds which has connected them with another…………”

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A story in The Concord Monitor by Eric Moskowitz caught my eye. Eric tells the story of an activist who has placed pictures of lobbyists and legislators (with a scorecard for each) who sit on the House Children and Family Law Committee on his website. This man also videotapes many of the hearings before this committee, and allegedly pans the audience which includes lobbyists for various interested groups.

From the Monitor story: “Debates over custody and child-support legislation typically draw impassioned fathers who say the divorce system discriminates against them by creating two classes of parents. Many tell stories about their struggles to maintain access to their children and some regularly send emails to lawmakers.”

As a legislator and city councilor I have sat at the table. What is wrong with a scorecard for my votes? There are those who wrote letters about my conservatism in regards to budgets. So what? An activist has a deep enough interest in an issue(s) and becomes, passionate about it, does not make one a bad person.
Some folks in my hometown will be upset with me for successfully – with a lot of help – placing the tax cap charter amendment on the ballot for a long time – so?

Activists, lobbyists, bureaucrats, and politicians; we all know the rules. Referring to complaints by lobbyists Rep. Karen McRae R-Goffstown says “If you’re going to throw it, you’ve got to be able to receive it. And if they’re on the receiving end, they don’t like it.” And Rep. David Bickford R-New Durham: “They’re trying to play that they’re the victims. I find that underhanded. I don’t believe for a minute they’re intimidated.”

Both McRae and Bickford are members of the HC&FL Committee, and I salute them for Their candor!