by Skeptikos | Nov 7, 2011 |
City council elections are tomorrow. Most readers already know that Free Keene blogger Heika Courser is running.
But there’s another reason to show up at the polls: Steve Lindsey.
Steve Lindsey is the most libertarian state representative from Keene (beating six other state representatives). He is not a liberty activist, but he is generally on friendly terms with liberty activists. And he’s this close |-| |-| to being elected to city council.
There are five city council seats at-large. In the primary election, Steve tied for fifth place with another, less libertarian, state representative, David Meader. (Surprisingly, I have never met David Meader, so I won’t judge his friendliness.)
Steve’s views are hard to pin down. Left-leaning, and civil libertarian, but very eclectic.
This election will be very close, so every vote counts. The outcome tomorrow will determine the character of the council for the next two years, and could mean the difference between success and failure in future activism. I hope you will consider helping our friend Steve. See voting info below
by Skeptikos | Nov 5, 2011 |
This is a little late, but the video of the Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee meeting, addressing disorderly behavior in Central Square, is available online, courtesy of Cheshire TV and the City of Keene. (The City of Keene has been working, successfully, to make local government more accessible. The video requires Microsoft Silverlight to play, which is frustrating, but a lot better than no video at all. [Update: Steve, a computer whiz, says you can also play it with VLC media player. Download the relevant program at the link.])
See the Video and more
by Skeptikos | Oct 28, 2011 |
Last Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee voted that a bill that would repeal gay marriage, which is immensely popular in New Hampshire, “Ought To Pass”.
Some of the language of the bill is downright silly:
Children can only be conceived naturally through copulation by heterosexual couples. Because of this biological reality, New Hampshire has a unique, distinct, and compelling interest in promoting stable and committed marital unions between opposite-sex couples so as to increase the likelihood that children will be born to and raised by both of their natural parents. No other domestic relationship presents the same level of state interest.
(Because we all know the purpose of government is to make babies.)
Unfortunately, due to overwhelming Republican majorities in both the NH House and Senate, this has a serious chance of passing. But, as Boston.com reports, the repeal effort is provoking dedicated opposition: (more…)
by Skeptikos | Oct 26, 2011 |
I was frustrated by some behavior at the last city meeting about Central Square, so I want to suggest a few strategies for wielding more influence at tonight’s meeting, and other meetings in the future. These suggestions are based on both my own experience talking to people and my understanding of the relevant social science research.
1-
Some people at the meeting will be prejudiced against libertarian activists and Juggalos. Why help them exercise that prejudice by advertising your background with your clothing? If you dress more discreetly, these people will be forced to listen to you without prejudice (at least for a little bit).
Dressing nicely and professionally helps, too– it automatically improves your social standing, and encourages people to give more weight to your argument.
2-
Decorum is important. If you break the rules of the meeting– say, for example, by speaking out of turn– that is perceived as rude. When people see that you are being rude and disruptive, they conclude (correctly) that you don’t care about what they have to say, and that you don’t intend to contribute to a productive meeting. Then they stop listening to what you have to say.
If you want your views to be dismissed out of hand, the most effective way to do that is to disrupt the meeting by breaking decorum. (So don’t do it!) See the rest
by Skeptikos | Oct 23, 2011 |
In his latest episode of More Politically Alert, State Representative Steve Vaillancourt (R – Manchester), a libertarian opponent of Occupy NH, debates State Representative Seth Cohn (R – Canterbury), a libertarian member of Occupy NH. The discussion starts at around 10:45.
Vaillancourt, prolific media producer that he is, has also posted a blog about his experience at the redistricting committee hearing in Keene last Tuesday: Joy And Sorrow On The Redistricting Front. (See earlier Free Keene coverage.) Fun fact: I’ve never understood the appeal of the B-52’s.
by Skeptikos | Oct 20, 2011 |
Thanks to new census data and a recent amendment to the New Hampshire Constitution, voting districts are being redrawn all over New Hampshire. Keene, in particular, will experience major changes.
But, with only eight months left until state candidates begin filing to run for office, many details are still undecided.
In the last election, Keene residents voted for 7 state representatives, all running at large (that is, they represent the entire city). The new Constitutional amendment, passed in 2006, requires that, if a town or city ward has enough people to support its own state representative, it must have its own state representative. All 5 wards in Keene qualify. Thus, there will be at least 5 state representatives in Keene representing individual wards.
By itself, this will bring major changes. (more…)
