Kelly Ayotte:
NPR LINK: She took the opportunity to highlight the nation’s lingering fiscal problems and started by reminding her colleague’s of New Hampshire’s state motto. “We believe strongly that government cannot and should not be able to get in the way of each of us reaching our full potential – that’s what ‘live free or die means.’”
Lest you think I'm taking what she said out of context, you need to read the article. Sure, she was speaking about fiscal responsibility in Congress. But by invoking the NH Motto she said far more than I think we yet realize. She described "spending" in the federal government as an "addiction", and in the following link: from the Nashua Telegraph news, she said: “With limited resources, they (NH) make hard choices to distinguish between ‘wants’ and ‘needs.’ It’s time for the federal government to do the same”.
It sure is...
I have to tell you I didn't vote for Kelly Ayotte. I voted for Paul Hodes who had much more experience and an ability to make sound decisions in the US Senate. Kelly Ayotte was/is a former Attorney General from NH, who, by all accounts put personal success above the interests of the citizens of NH. I especially was offended when she squashed all hopes for a MA family who's daughter disappeared in Woodsville NH in 2004, first claiming Maura Murray ran away, and giving back to the family all evidence related to the case, and then doing a reversal in which AG Ayotte instructed state police to repossess all evidence, including Maura's personal computer, and refuse any access to the family, or other interested parties, any access to information and evidence the state held.
AG Ayotte refused numerous requests from Maura Murray's family, her father in particular, for cooperation and assistance in finding his daughter, whom he had always been very close to.
The state made all information pertaining to Maura Murray off limits, except to state law enforcement, claiming, "maybe there was foul-play", maybe not; but until we know for sure, all evidence is available only to local and state officials, not the family. Her father went to court twice to secure access to his missing daughter's evidence and personal computer. Both times, AG Ayotte made sure he was denied access.
Since AG Ayotte gave up her roll as AG, and became a state Senator, the case of Maura Murray was accepted as one of a select few "cold cases" the state created a special dept. to investigate. Although good news, the fact seems to remain that the state in no way ever cooperated with the family.
More...
When at a straw poll in Aug. 2010 Kelly Ayotte met with a disabled Navy Vet who needed medical marijuana for relief of symptoms and a better life, she pretty much felt he should be prosecuted instead of understanding his needs and showed zero knowledge of the benefits of cannabis; least of all that it is safer than most currently legal medications and those legal recreational drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. LINK: "Disabled Vet Gets His Answer from Kelly Ayotte" - NH Compassion.ORG
How can a person who attains the ultimate job of representing the people of this country attain such status with such ignorance? Ah, Sarah Palin and the Tea-Party?
Regardless... the thing that irks me the most is that she had the gall to invoke NH's Motto; “We believe strongly that government cannot and should not be able to get in the way of each of us reaching our full potential – that’s what ‘live free or die means.’”
For 30+ years I prospered able to use cannabis to suppress hyperactivity, anxiety, and more. I became the best i could become, earning several college degrees, finding the ability to overcome personal limitations to be socially active, and felt inspired to explore nature and conduct extensive research in many personally important areas - such as medicinal plants, electronics, computers, and helping my fellow human. Since turning 50, my access to cannabis is non-existent and I've taken to drinking a lot of alcohol, smoking a lot of tobacco, and overall, have found my quality of life plummet downwards. Ahh, but in 6 years one would think i would prosper not having cannabis available. Not so. And there's a good deal of research that explains why.
The most poignant suggestion is that prohibition of cannabis actually causes more harm, and I'm NOT FREE to prosper, to reach my full potential, to be what I feel is my best, and my best is happy and productive. The state of NH has passed some amazing bills in the House to legalize cannabis for personal use, but has been shot down every time either by the NH Senate, or Governor Lynch... and Kelly Ayotte. So much for invoking our State Motto, or for endorsing the fact that "...government should not get in the way"!
Government is bought and paid for by special interests, not the prosperity of it's citizens. If Kelly Ayotte truly believes in what she says, she will do everything she can to end the War on Drugs, and persecution of the cannabis culture.
I'll not hold my breath however, though death seems the part of the motto meant for me.
I think she means live free or die for the special interest groups like wall street that sent this country into this mess we are now in. Maybe live free if your a far right religious freak that thinks everyone should believe what they believe. Maybe if your gay you can die of poor or old or in a union. These people think they know best seems like there for big Government not small.Their sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong and destroying this country in the process.
ReplyDeleteI've been a NH resident for 23 years. It was difficult at first as the people of NH tend to be quite conservative, and on the surface keep to themselves. But I learned after a few years the conservatives in NH, the average man and woman respects individual freedom, and does not like gov't sticking their noses in their business. That is what being conservative in NH means.
ReplyDeleteThe motto, "Live Free or Die" has taken on a scared vitality in the past several years, beginning in the mid 90's, when the federal gov't started pushing new regulations, like seat-belt laws, mandatory drug testing, education reform, etc.
An example of the the tenacity of the NH spirit is a event in the mid 90's when the public school I worked at got the notice that random drug testing would begin for all employees. The school principal held a meeting with all school employees and came in smiling, but left dazed and confused.
Nearly every teacher and staff member literally scolded him for thinking they would submit to such tactics, and true to their promise the union voted unanimously to prohibit such random screenings. It never happened, not while I worked there, which didn't make the feds all too happy!
Eventually, when push came to shove, most schools and businesses succumbed to threats and coercion that made drug testing common. Soon after, gov't found more ways to intrude into one's personal life. The motto, "Live Free or Die" took on sacred meaning to many and led to NH being chosen as the "Free State".
But we're not free, nor does what Senator Ayotte hold true... what does seem to hold true is that our gov't "by the people, must adjust their ways based on what gov't thinks is "best" for them. Not what the individual believes is best, nor what helps an individual become their best and prosper.
You're correct Mary, perhaps Wall St. should relocate as they surely would find the Free in our motto works to their advantage. But for the rest of us, gov't is an intrusion that that is causing much more harm than good.
You'll be happy to know both NH and VT support unions and recently killed "right to work" bills threatening to destroy unions. That's because, although not all is right in the head of gov't, the old NH conservatives are hard to beat.
You make a good argument, but are off on several points.
ReplyDelete1) Senator Ayyot was talking only about the federal budget, not drugs. Live free or Die" means NH understands what it is to live without. They live free because they can make those hard choices; drugs are not good.
2) You make the mistak to say alcohol and tobacco are drugs like marijuana. That is not true. Marijuana is a drug that's illegal. It's illegal because it's a drug - Sch 1. Alcohol and tobacco aren't drugs - they are legal commodities. They are regulated by the FDA and ATF. Marijuna is not regulated;
3) Senator Ayyotte doesn't need to talk to a vet addicted to drugs - he should seek treatment for drug addiction.
Ypo write well, but you have the facts backwards.
watcher 1
Watcher 1...
ReplyDeleteYou, like many Americans have a heart but a brain that's disengaged. No offense intended, simply fact just as you imply that marijuana is a "drug" and is a "drug" because it's illegal.
With logic like that you and I would not be using alcohol today. This whole notion of what makes something a drug is flawed. Alcohol for example has had serious consequences within our society for decades. Although it is now "legal", that's not necessarily a good thing, but as we witnessed during prohibition, making it illegal was a much worse thing. It is a drug, as is tobacco which contains the extremely addictive drug nicotine, a narcotic, which it's only closely practical use is as an insecticide.
Many people, myself included benefit from the use of cannabis. It's illegal NOT because it's a drug, but rather, special interests decided outlawing it benefited society. I see no evidence of that being a fact.
Go back to your drawing board and please reopen your mind to the possibility God isn't stupid, and cannabis isn't the dangerous "drug" you've been led to believe it is.
Senator Ayotte has an obligation to listen to her constituents; her ignorance is unacceptable in my opinion.