The Fundamentals of NH Dems are Strong: Part One

Quoted (0.00 / 0)

"It's further proof that New Hampshire is a different state than it was eight years ago," said Michael Hoefer of Richmond, who was among Railroad revelers, of the Democrats' widespread victories.

Sentinel Blue tide sweeps the state (Print edition has me as Fmr. State Rep Chris Coates.)

Hope > Fear




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by: Mike Hoefer @ Wed Nov 05, 2008 at 20:39:25 PM CST

Wow! (0.00 / 0)

You pushed the narrative in the right direction as two different people!

birch, finch, beech

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by: Dean Barker @ Wed Nov 05, 2008 at 20:46:28 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Would have like to also have said (4.00 / 1)

that 20k more people voted for Obama than for Kerry, but we still don't have 100% reporting yet.  That number should grow some.

birch, finch, beech

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by: Dean Barker @ Wed Nov 05, 2008 at 20:47:21 PM CST

Before We Get Too Overconfident... (4.00 / 2)

Before we get too overconfident or cheerleading for ourselves, let's remember that even a 55% to 45% margin just means that if 6 out of every 55 of our current "supporters" decide to switch in two years, we're at 49% -- and we lose.

I think they put us in there for a reason, and that means we have to produce this coming year -- Democrats have to act like Democrats.  By November of 2010 we have to essentially be out of Iraq, we have to have some meaningful health care reform, and we have to have solved what ills in this economy.  On the state level, we have to have had some real solution to education funding and at least opened the dialogue on serious tax reform to reduce property taxes and provide that education funding -- not necessarily a new tax because it's clear that would be vetoed, but at least have the courage to discuss it.

If 55% is considered a mandate to do something, or to put it in another perspective, if 550 people out of every 1,000 voters are telling us to something -- I think our job is to do what we've said we would do.

Fortunately, I think we have enough leaders on the national and state levels to get serious about leading, instead of doing what Republicans have done -- ducking issues and passing on problems to the next election.

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Wed Nov 05, 2008 at 21:28:40 PM CST

Pundits Might Be Offering Caution And A Reality Check (0.00 / 0)

I'll repeat on this post what I said on another post yesterday, because I believe it to be true, whether or not we're excited in the afterglow of Election Day.  Fact is, many of us have been through previous "ups" in Democratic success, only to learn that in politics, "change" is the only constant.  In my lifetime, the years of John F. Kennedy were only temporary, soon followed by years of Vietnam and Nixon.  And the years of Bill Clinton were followed by years of nighmares.  In New Hampshire, we had much Democratic Party strength in the late 1970, followed by decades of Republican dominance.  

So...

Before we get too overconfident or cheerleading for ourselves, let's remember that even a 55% to 45% margin just means that if 6 out of every 55 of our current "supporters" decide to switch in two years, we're at 49% -- and we lose.

I think they put us in there for a reason, and that means we have to produce this coming year -- Democrats have to act like Democrats.  By November of 2010 we have to essentially be out of Iraq, we have to have some meaningful health care reform, and we have to have solved what ills in this economy.  On the state level, we have to have had some real solution to education funding and at least opened the dialogue on serious tax reform to reduce property taxes and provide that education funding -- not necessarily a new tax because it's clear that would be vetoed, but at least have the courage to discuss it.

If 55% is considered a mandate to do something, or to put it in another perspective, if 550 people out of every 1,000 voters are telling us to something -- I think our job is to do what we've said we would do.

Fortunately, I think we have enough leaders on the national and state levels to get serious about leading, instead of doing what Republicans have done -- ducking issues and passing on problems to the next election.

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 06:32:52 AM CST

All solid points; it's not going to get easy for us to hold onto everything in NH, just possible (0.00 / 0)

That said, with the exception of the President-Elect and his team, some time for resting on laurels is in order, at least until the people who just won are inaugurated.

--
"Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you." -Aaron Sorkin

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 11:11:33 AM CST

[ Parent ]