YOUR COMMENTS

An honarable move by Mayor elect Gatsas. He'll begin his term in Manchester with an aire of integrity already preceeding him.
- Greg Barrett, Manchester

@ Gary

You're conveniently forgetting that the majority of NH voters consider themselves independent of either the Democrats or Republicans. The fact that NH went "blue" in the last two elections is simply consistent with the fact that many people rejected the big government spending of the Republicans and the unpopular / unnecessary war in Iraq. I seriously doubt your innuendo that it was some type of mass exodus of our core belief in a Republic form of Democracy and limited federal government. After all, the Left-wing Democrats basically had control of Congress since 2006 and look at their popularity today -- 58% still disapprove at the direction the country is heading.

Big government is unconstitutional. Government in the "business" for its own profit and self-existence, whether it's under the misgovernance of a "progressive" Republican or Democratic administration equals the same results - wasted tax dollars, a skyrocketing federal deficit, and a loss of civil liberty. The answer to big government problems is exactly what America's Founders professed long ago -- a small, limited federal government. To quote Alexander Hamilton, "It's not tyranny we desire; it's a just, limited, federal government". But for as the dangerous direction the Left-wing Democrats want to take the country, Thomas Jefferson said it best, "Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition".

As for the current NH budget shortfall of $38M, perhaps you to ought ask the Progressive Democrats in the state legislature about their tax and spending habits. NH Rep Dan Itse did a great job of calling out the NH House on the unconstitutionality of those "progressive" tax and spend schemes -- no wonder why the NH Democrats are very embarrassed. Please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gq789qGx-w "NH Rep Dan Itse Calls Out the House. Again."
- Mac Wade, Newmarket

I vote for Gary K to pay for all our tax burdens in 2010
- Andy, Milford

Gary - congrats! You just made his point. All the elections going 'your' way has done quite a bit of good for NH.
Or maybe not.
You can only blame the past for so long. Pretty soon, you will be blaming yourself.
- Calvin, Candia

- Mac Wade, Newmarket: ". . . I like NH to remain 'Live Free or Die'". I hope you realize that NH is anything but a "free" state in which to live. NH has a myriad of taxes that are so regressive that it stymies growth, education, and all necessary public services. It even fails to identify a master plan of essential core services and how to pay for them! Suffering continues and people die because of the lack of such a plan and the residents fear of paying for their respective fair share of the burden to run the state, county, and local governments. That is regressive and the former senator Gatsas is a perfect representative of such backward thinking.
As for living in the wrong state, perhaps it is now the ultra conservative, libertarian who is living in the wrong state. Proof may be as evidenced by the past several elections in NH with more of the realists being elected to office than the conservatives.
- Gary L. Kerr, Chichester

Progressive = Liberal = We spend money we don't have and like to raise taxes on the ignorant peasants
- Andy, Milford

@ Gary & Matt

Progressive? as in more Progressive and Liberal control freaks. "Progressives" are certainly not civil libertarians by any stretch the imagination.

Isn't that exactly what radical Leftists do themselves - legislates their personal tastes into "law"? Rather hypocritical.

History has shown us the ills of "Progressivism" as backdoor assault on liberty ever since the late 1890's.

I like NH to remain "Live Free or Die", perhaps you two are living in the wrong state.
- Mac Wade, Newmarket

Hopefully Manchester will replace him with someone outside the usual GOP/Dem mold. Not necessarily third party, but maybe a libertarian Republican or conservative Democrat would be a nice balance.
- Tom, Keene

Well I guess there is a silver lining to Gatsas's win! We will now have one less ignorant representative in our state senate! Let's hope we will vote in someone who legislates based on the interests of the citizens of NH rather than their own personal values.
- Matt, Manchester

Actually, the state legislature is now better off than it was two days ago. The state's senate is on the brink of being more progressive now than it was a few days ago before Gatsas resigned. Glad to see that he is not there to stymie progress. Hope that Manchester can have better luck with him than the rest of the state's residents had.
- Gary L. Kerr, Chichester

Manchester's gain is the State's loss.

Gatsas was a voice of reason in Concord.
- sally, candia, nh

Good job, a great first step.
- Fred L, Manchester