Hillsborough Districts FDC 1, 3, 4 and 38 NEWS D1: Antrim, Hillsborough, and Windsor QUARTERLY D3: Bennington, Hancock, and Fall 2020 Greenfield D4: Francestown, Lyndeborough, Wilton, and Greenville

D38: All ten towns listed above. DOWN BALLOT VOTING The 2019-2020 legislative session had unprecedented challenges. After months of virtual committee meetings and remote sessions, the House concluded its work in September with the Sununu veto-override day hosted by UNH in Durham.

With the 2018 elected majorities in the Senate, House, and Executive Council, Democrats delivered historic levels of education funding and municipal aid for communities.

They provided relief to the unemployed, and the governor vetoed. They acted to protect our environment, and the governor vetoed. They supported paid family leave, and the governor vetoed. They cleared a path to independent redistricting, and the governor vetoed. They raised the minimum wage, and the governor vetoed. They closed loopholes in gun sales’ background checks, and the governor vetoed.

In fact, in the last two years, the governor vetoed a record 79 bills, bills that had broad, bipartisan NH State Representatives support; bills that would have made a difference in - Marjorie Porter, D1 - Dem the lives of thousands of residents. ([email protected]) But, let’s be clear: it was not the governor alone who - Jim Fedolfi, D1 - Rep failed the people. Republicans in the House and ([email protected]) Senate sustained virtually all of Sununu’s vetoes. - , D3 - Dem Republicans supported bills in committee, on the ([email protected]) floor of the House, and then caved to pressure and - , D4 - Dem refused to vote to override the vetoes. ([email protected]) - , D4 - Dem That is why down-ballot voting is crucial next month. That is why we need a strong Democratic ([email protected]) turnout! - , D38 - Dem ([email protected]) - Jim Bosman, D38 - Dem ([email protected]) FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 2 FROM THE CHAIR *Put up yard signs to signal that the Blue Wave has hit Francestown. Contact Eric Rasmussen at [email protected] to arrange to have With just thirty days left until Election Day, we signs delivered to your home, or to pick them up need all hands-on-deck. Here are some of the at our FDC Sign Depot on Bible Hill. ways that you can help contribute to a

Democratic victory in November: *Contact organizenh.org, (or call Suzanne Farrell at 609-203-81555) to help make phone *Write a Letter to the Editor at the Monadnock calls to NH voters about how and why to vote Ledger-Transcript , Milford Cabinet, or Concord for Democrats this November. Monitor, supporting one or more of our Democratic candidates, or educating readers *Volunteer to write postcards to NH voters with about problems created by Republicans in the Kent Street Coalition and 603 Forward, OR Washington and Concord. It's important to get learn how to send text messages to voters the word out about how damaging Sununu has through the national OutVote program. actually been to NH and women's reproductive Contact [email protected] for rights. Link him to Trump. Contact Jim Bosman information. at [email protected] for talking points, or contact our state candidates directly . *Work with NextGen America to send texts to young voters in eleven swing states. Go *Reach out and ask your neighbors if they could to https://actn.et?FzAkh5i0 use help obtaining Absentee Ballots and returning them, or if they will need rides on *To make phone calls or send postcards to Election Day. Step up and shepherd them voters in D38 contact Jim Bosman at through the AB process. Call Ted Graham at [email protected] and for the swing state of 547-2548 to book rides for them to the Polls. Wisconsin, contact Wisdems.org. *Turn out on Saturday, October 10th, at 4pm to *Help out on Election Day with poll watching, meet our D38 candidates (and Francestown voter and ballot tracking, and our Visibility and residents!) Stephanie Hyland and Jim Bosman, GOTV activities in Francestown. Please commit and our D8 Senate candidate Jenn Alford to an assignment by contacting me at Teaster: Parking and a Socially Distanced [email protected]. Outdoor Rally in Jim Bosman's yard at 243

Journeys End Road. Masks required. Bring a friend. Come hear how to support these - Sue Jonas, Chair candidates during their final push. We'll also have sign-up sheets for VISIBILITY EVENTS, Francestown Democratic Committee literature for you to distribute, and yard signs for ALL Democratic candidates. DEMOCRATS CAN'T WIN *The Red Team is showing up, and we need to WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR HELP. step up our presence NOW. Email Stephanie Hyland at [email protected] for the schedule of planned local visibility events for D4 and D38 candidates. Please volunteer to accompany candidates on their visits to Town Recycling Centers and Town Centers. FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 3 FROM THE REPS communities which house them. But when the new filing period opens, it will be on many MARJORIE PORTER - NH REP, D1 more.

Bottom Up It’s vital we keep and expand our Democratic majority in the NH House. All the policies and With the election only weeks away now, programs we hold dear depend on it. Please vote Democratic candidates all over the state are Blue from the bottom of the ballot UP and get geared up and working hard to get elected. This your friends to vote that way too. year, we have a record number of Democrats running to represent their neighbors in - Marjorie Porter Concord. With so many good candidates we’re Municipal and County Government sure to keep the House blue and gain a veto- proof majority to boot! DAN PICKERING - NH REP, D3 Although the State House complex is still officially closed, incumbent Democratic state What If? reps have been hard at work preparing for the term ahead. For ten days starting September 8, What if I told you that three years ago when the those of us running for re-election had a chance NH Republicans controlled the House and to file bills for the coming term, and 153 bills Senate, they passed a bill with bipartisan help have been filed so far. We get another chance from some of the Democrats. And, two years ago after the election too. when the NH Democrats controlled the House and the Senate, they passed a bill with The continuing uncertainty created by the bipartisan help from some of the Republicans? coronavirus makes us realize we need to be very And you guessed it, one year ago the Democrats efficient this year. We may not have the luxury passed the same bill with bipartisan help from of holding multiple hearings at the same time in some of the Republicans. How can this happen? the Legislative Office Building as we’ve become used to. To help things work more smoothly, the What if I also told you that there was a high House Democratic caucus has identified ten or likelihood that passing this bill could: twelve policy areas as priorities the 2021 session • help towns balance their budgets without year, and like-minded representatives are raising taxes; working together to craft bills to file in • help struggling small businesses generate November in each area. Some high-priority some extra income; areas include racial justice, civil rights and • create new high-quality jobs to vastly improve police accountability, gun violence prevention, energy independence; Covid relief, housing affordability, election • create cleaner sources for the electrical grid; integrity, clean energy and climate action, • and not negatively affect the State budget? LGBTQ+ rights, child and family issues, and health care. What information am I leaving out?

So far, my name is on only a few of the early Every time this bill reached the Governor’s desk, bills—a constitutional amendment to establish he vetoed it. The first two times, the supporters an independent redistricting commission, a bill of this bill (from both parties) tried to override related to my work on the NH Commission on the veto they fell a few votes shy. Currently, New Deafness and Hearing Loss, and a bill fixing a Hampshire has to buy energy from outside the glitch in the way DRA sets the tax rate for wind State and then Eversource distributes that farms to protect property tax-payers in energy to all of us. Those outside sources need FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 4 to make a profit and Eversource does too. dedicated to the lives lost and devastation that Interesting fact: Eversource is also one of the took place there. As a people, we came together, Governor’s biggest donors. and, as best as we could, healed the harm that had been done. Oh, did you wonder what this bill is about? NET METERING! I believe we can do the same thing today. If we, as a community of brothers and sisters who - Dan Pickering, Hancock believe in love, in hope, in peace, and in caring Transportation Committee for our planet; if we reject ignorance, hate, and profiteering, we can create a new and better nation for the future. CHRIS BALCH - NH REP, D38

Cleaning Up the Mess We can heal. So, please, take heart - while today’s mess is a huge one and cleaning it up I was paddling on the Souhegan River when I will extend well beyond this November’s saw a cluster of people at a boat landing elections, it is the 'good fight,' and the good fight huddled around a car, listening to the car’s is just beginning. radio. There was something in the tension on their faces that set off alarm bells, and I paddled - Chris Balch, Wilton over, got out of my boat, and asked them what Science, Technology, Energy Committee had happened. The date was September 11th, 2001. JENNIFER BERNET - NH REP, D4 The following weeks were filled with heavy conversations with students, with special A trip to the dentist can be a dreaded task for assemblies, and a sense of unreality. I went to many. As we are taught from a young age from see the school counselor once during that time, the school nurse and clever toothpaste and in our conversation, told him that I thought commercials, however routine visits to the the way we all moved beyond such tragedies was dentist, while sometimes unpleasant, are by “cleaning up the mess.” I told him I wanted necessary to keep in good overall health to grab my shovel and wheelbarrow, jump in my throughout our lifetimes. Unfortunately, a trip car, and drive down to help. I realize now that to the dentist is a luxury for the uninsured and what I was really trying to do was to assert adult Granite Staters who rely on Medicaid and control over a horrible situation. number approximately one in ten people.

Nineteen years later we are in another mess. Many people don’t associate oral infection with Our economy is devastated, over 200,000 of our chronic health issues, but, lack of access to American brothers and sisters have died from a preventative dental care can lead to illnesses pandemic, our climate is on the verge of including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and catastrophic collapse, racism is rampant and adverse pregnancy outcomes that are often not white supremacists pour out messages of hate. treated until they become emergent. The Our president is a self-proclaimed dictator, and American Dental Association estimates that the nation has not been this divided since Civil emergency room visits for preventable issues War days. caused by oral infection cost the United States well over $2 billion per year. In addition, it is If you visit Ground Zero 9-11 estimated that employed adults in the United today, there is a beautiful States lose more than 164 million hours of work and touching memorial each year due to oral health-related issues and FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 5 emergent medical appointments, a huge cost to JIM BOSMAN - NH REP, D38 American workers and employers. Additionally, GOTV many workers face bias in job interviews due to missing or decaying teeth, undeniably causing You may have heard the saying “If you live in capable workers to lose an opportunity for the Granite State, you have either served as a increased wages and a way out of poverty. state representative, are serving now, or will serve eventually.” Last month, the New Hampshire House of Representatives met in session to take up It is only a slight exaggeration. With 400 state Governor Sununu’s vetoes, including his representatives in a state of just 1.36 million rejection of a bill to provide preventative dental residents, it means one out of every 3,400 coverage to Granite State adults on Medicaid. people is a state representative. Compare that to Unfortunately, House Republicans lined up to California, where the state assembly has just 80 sustain the veto, putting the interests of members, or one for every 513,000 residents. Governor Sununu ahead of the people they represent. On the “other side of the wall”, the state Senate with just twenty-four seats, is the fourth With rising unemployment numbers due to smallest in the nation and takes just thirteen COVID-19 layoffs, more Granite State adults senators to stop a bill in its tracks. Added to have lost access to their employer’s health that, New Hampshire is one of only two states insurance coverage and are forced to rely on (the other is Vermont) where the governor is Medicaid. Lack of access to dental coverage, elected every two years along with a five- always a public health issue, has been member “executive council” that acts like a exacerbated. fourth branch of government and whose power is little understood by voters. The New Hampshire House has been working on this legislation in a bipartisan manner. Just Currently, New Hampshire has a divided last year, Governor Sununu signed legislation government, meaning no political party holds a directing our state’s Department of Health and trifecta, where one party simultaneously holds Human Services to develop a plan to extend the governor’s office and majorities in both dental benefits to Medicaid recipients. HB 250 chambers. It is not, however, unusual for was the result of that direction, making control of the NH legislature to “flip.” Governor Sununu’s veto even more puzzling. Between 1992 and 2018, majority control of the The Republican party’s teaming up to deny oral state House changed five times. health coverage for Granite Staters represents partisan politics at its worst. The emergency room is not a substitute for primary care and should not be the first time that a person in New Hampshire receives care for serious health issues. I have refiled this legislation for next term as Democrats believe that providing Our challenge is clear. The best way to ensure adequate healthcare and maintaining public control does not flip again this year is to Get Out health is paramount and that a lack of financial The Vote (GOTV,) the most important aspect of resources should not be a sentence to a campaign. If you want to win, you need to unemployment, chronic illness, or even death. encourage your supporters to vote. - Jen Bernet, Wilton Legislative Administration Committee FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 6

This year, GOTV is different from usual. Voter contact efforts, such as door knocking, will not “Proud to be Ignorant” propaganda has long happen in person as we keep our communities been idolized in some of the media while our safe and healthy during the pandemic. Some government simultaneously invites corporate voters will be wary of voting in a public place on America into policy negotiations. This has led to election day, so we have provided voters the laws that shield the tax liability of the wealthy. information they need to vote by mail in Now, powerful voting demographics are those advance. with the luxury of considering work-lunch deductions, ETFs, and tax avoidance. No We are done trying to persuade voters to vote, wonder they vote. and it’s time to make certain our identified voters actually do vote. During the remaining Not sure what an ETF is? You’re not alone. days leading up to the election, the focus should Financial literacy is not mandatory in our public be on voters who have a good record of voting in education system -- this alone favors the the Democratic primaries over several elections. children of parents who already know. But, that’s a problem for another day. Let’s focus on Phone calls, text messages, and neighbor-to- the fact that Election Day is not a paid holiday neighbor postcards combined with organized and NH state legislative positions are largely visibility events and lawn signs are crucial unpaid. Legislation is not set up to fairly during the coming days. Step forward and represent working people, simply because they volunteer to help keep the NH House Blue! cannot afford to get involved. The majority of New Hampshire shouldn’t be forced to accept - Jim Bosman, Francestown the ideals of a few rich folks. This is why Fish & Game and Marine Resources Committee individual votes matter! If you want to change this unbalanced way of governing, vote! If you feel that state and national policies do not NEW 2020 CANDIDATES reflect your needs, vote! Yes, right now, the only way is to vote! STEPHANIE HYLAND - NH REP, D38 - Stephanie Hyland, Francestown The Reality of Voting Candidate for NH Rep, D38

Too often citizens assume that things are fine as long as the lights turn on and the beer is cold. But things haven’t been fine for a long time. One reason is that far too many young people are convinced that voting doesn’t matter. If younger voters are counted out, that leaves only those with decades of earning power -- and wealth to protect-- to influence policy change.

Before I started this campaign, I, too, had no idea which policies were determined by different levels of government. For example, local school districts, not the State House, determine Superintendent salaries, but, state representatives do control issues like renewable energy incentives, fairly funding education, and healthcare coverage. FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 7 SUSIE WHITE - NH REP, DISTRICT 1 Is this not the perfect time to reconsider the The Perfect Time need of health care for everyone? If health care is withheld from those who can least afford it, A month away from the election, seven months their ill health is reflected in the long-term plus into the pandemic, and who knows how health of all of us. We can expect long-term long before the people and economy return to health challenges to the survivors of COVID-19, good health. Collectively, we have endured which will place challenges on the provision of isolation, illness, loss, hardship, and yet we have care. If we don’t treat those who cannot afford also had the opportunity to reconnect with care, we will never rid ourselves of this deadly household and family members in meaningful virus. ways, to share our strength with others when they need it, and to receive it when we need Is this not the perfect time to rethink our it. Many people have literally stopped to smell commitment to the environment? We will all be the roses and other flowers as plant nurseries breathing the smoke from the west coast sold out in record time this spring, and they wildfires. We have experienced a drought this have harvested foods from their gardens, summer and the atmosphere began to heal itself perhaps learning and appreciating how precious with reduced traffic these last seven months. this earth is and how important it is to care for What does this tell us? How can we continue it. the gains and protect the futures of the earth, our children, our grandchildren and our I often hear the phrases “the new normal,” and successive generations? “getting back to business as usual.” Great challenges present great opportunities, and, Is this not the perfect opportunity to re-envision rather than return to “normal” or “business as and rethink and ready ourselves for 2021 and usual,” collectively we have the space to review beyond? and reflect on the old to rethink, re-adjust, retime, and ready for our post-COVID-19 lives. - Susie White, Hillsborough Candidate for NH Rep, D1 Is this not the perfect time to reconsider the definition of an “adequate education?” What if high school graduates had skills to earn jobs that could support them and enable them to HEIDI’S TAKEAWAY plan for further education? What if we partner private and public institutions to provide Mary Trump’s book about her uncle, Donald education in the trades that would include Trump, offers little in terms of revelation. If one apprenticeships that resulted in affordable and has paid attention to what was regularly written senior housing? What if graduating apprentices and broadcast about the president’s background had the learning and skills necessary to pursue in real estate, television work, and personal life, further education without having to mortgage and if one has kept abreast of the president’s their futures? What if the definition of words, actions, behavior, and attitude while in “adequate education” was revisited every five office, Ms. Trump’s book provides largely years to graduate students with skills that meet confirmation. employment needs for the future rather than skills required at the time they entered middle Ms. Trump does, however, offer two striking school? Gains in technology far outpace our revelations. First, she portrays a family definitions, but we must change that mindset to completely loveless. The bonds among its imagine the future and prepare our young members are powerfully strong but forged by people for it. fear and power, not by love. Second, she FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 8 portrays a family drama in which the father impulses take him, always with impunity. In his makes a pet of the son who has little self- wake, hundreds of thousands succumb to a control, barely any moral sense, and little killer virus for which he didn’t want to take ability. At the same time, rather than trying to responsibility and act to control – a course Carl improve the boy and groom him to become a Bernstein calls “negligent homicide” in the face successful businessman like his father, he gives of well over 200,000 avoidable deaths. In his the boy free rein to fail over and over, bails him wake, hundreds of thousands teeter on the brink out, covers for him, and, worst of all, encourages of economic ruin. In his wake, hundreds of him to believe he is a success. These revelations thousands are confused about scientific truths simultaneously clarify and horrify. that a multitude of scientists daily explain very clearly. Now it is clear why the president, who has created, improved, and solved nothing; who has What could possibly prompt the president to brought civic, political, and economic disorder, suggest that Bob Woodward should have turmoil, and chaos to our country; who has reported what he learned from the president “to appalled our allies but let our enemies know the authorities,” when the president himself is that they can flatter, ridicule, make a toy of him the authority and the very author of what – so clear why, all the while, the president can Woodward heard? What could possibly prompt blare out his “successes,” his “tremendous” the president to suggest that Joe Biden should achievements, his “great” results, when none of establish a national requirement to wear masks, that is true. when he, not Joe Biden, has the power to make such requirements? It is precisely in such Given a father who gave no love but allowed him irrational suggestions that Bob Woodward sees to believe he was a success, who enabled his a president who can’t tell the difference between delusions, who made him think he could do and what is real and what is unreal. The president get away with anything, flout the law, fail and plows ahead, ever entitled, ever blameless, ever fail, disrupt and destroy, and yet insist that he dodging responsibility, ever unsympathetic to “alone can fix it,” it can be no surprise that the the sick, the dying, the jobless Americans in his president feels justified in making care. pronouncements on subjects he knows nothing about – the pandemic and climate change are What can we do? Plenty. We can certainly vote, just two examples. He tweets and spouts forth, encourage others to vote, help people to the spewing misinformation, plunging headlong polls. We can support our candidates by letters into every subject even though he still doesn’t and donations. Our most important and even understand the causal relationship challenging job now is to do whatever we can to between the pandemic and the collapsed defeat Mitch McConnell and work for the economy. victory of Amy McGrath: making donations in any amount to her campaign; seeking donations If the damaged relationship between father and for her from wealthy voters; helping to finance son were a contained family story, it would rank people who can actually travel to Kentucky and as a private horror show. To our country’s grave form ground troops in her behalf; if possible, misfortune, it has become a public horror show, actually going to Kentucky to join the ground for the president found, on his arrival in troops. Getting rid of that powerful, damaging Washington, an enabler exactly like his father in force in the Senate might just awaken the Senator Mitch McConnell. The Senator permits, respect for law; might just awaken a drive to sanctions, covers up, bails out as the president restore the Senate to its historical prestige; speaks, acts, tweets, rants, abuses and fires might just awaken a desire to serve the country capable public servants, rejects good advice, and in what has been a majority of morally defies the law – in short, goes wherever his paralyzed and psychologically craven FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 9 Republicans. Faithful to our belief in the sound Alison’s Recommendations laws and healthy ideals on which our country was founded and became an inspiration to the Jump Starts in the Breakdown Lane world over, we can help our country heal. Since 2016, way too many of us have been - Heidi Dawidoff sideswiped by the relentless barrage of attacks on democracy. Here are some podcasts that Francestown's Democrats Care helped keep me going. I’d love to read your recommended resources in upcoming issues, in Stephanie Hyland will be raising funds for the turn. Francestown Recreation Commission through Online Community Yoga, every Saturday at My podcasts serve one of three functions: roil, 9am, starting October 3rd. Go toil or spoil (as in treat oneself). to [email protected] to make a donation and receive the Zoom link to join in. •Radio Lab’s fresh scientific look at discoveries Take care of your health while you help fund alternately entertain, startle, and galvanize me. E.g. How the flu epidemic of 1918 shaped the League of recreational activities in Francestown. Nations. •Code Switch: “Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race head-on.” Offered on NPR since 2016, its base has grown greatly in past months. •Preet Bharara’s Café Insider offers incisive analyses. Preet pushes past distractions to spotlight underlying stealth agendas. I need that. Café Insider has great guests and also features podcasts like United Security. •The New York Times Review of Books is collegial and incisive. Pamela Paul’s interview of Robert Caro shone. Noted authors discuss groundbreaking work. •Nate DiMeo’s Memory Palace conjures up past with poignance and wisdom. Offered by Radiotopia. Add an extra dimension to your day… •Rough Translation’s episodes, nuanced explorations of parallel enterprises in different countries, reveal bright facets and startling ironies. Check out Hotel Corona.

Can poetry repair the intricate infrastructure of On Saturday, November 7th, the FDC will kick one’s psyche? Seems so to me. Profoundly off a food and holiday gift drive, coordinating tough, tender and resilient lessons here. once again with Lori Hardwick-Way. Last February we began working with Lori to help •Stanley Kunitz: The Layers is an incandescent keep the Town Pantry on Bennington Road well journey through age and upheaval. stocked for families affected by unemployment •Wendell Berry: Do Not Be Ashamed – A call to and COVID-19. Details about dates, times, courage. suggested foods and gifts, along with •William Stafford: A Ritual to Read to One Another instructions for delivering donations throughout •Naomi Shihab Nye: Kindness – Sensitive and restorative, this poem was inspired by a shattering the month of November will soon be event when NSN and her husband were stranded, forthcoming. south of the border. FDC News Quarterly - Fall 2020 Page 10 Time is so short! Here’s where I get my cogent BECOME A SUSTAINER summaries at day’s end and late-breaking news: We are grateful to all donors to your local Democratic committees. Your contributions go •Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters From an American analyzes the day’s subterfuges from a far to supporting candidates who, when elected, historian’s perspective and provides copious will work for all of us. We are especially grateful footnotes. Free: special services for subscribers, too. to those who have become sustainers, that is, •ProPublica is a whistleblower par excellence. people who make a regular contribution (the amount is their choice) every month. Do join You’ll rarely see me around, but I’m writing this them. To be a sustainer is a joyful, satisfying act, in appreciation for all the great work local Dems well worth your generous effort. are doing! I hope to see your lists, too. Maybe Send your donations to: I’ll list favorite audiobooks, if people like to discuss booklists. Hillsborough Democratic Committee ℅ Gil Shattuck Alison Scott 571 Center St Hillsborough, NH 03244

Antrim Town Democratic Committee PO Box 617 Antrim, NH 03440

Hancock Town Democratic Committee PO Box 232 Hancock, NH 03449

Greenfield Democratic Committee PO Box 6 Greenfield, NH 03047

Bennington Democratic Committee c/o David McKenzie 131 Gillis Hill Rd Bennington, NH 03442

Francestown Democratic Committee ℅ Jim Bosman 243 Journeys End Rd Francestown, NH 03043

Lyndeborough Democrats ℅ Sally Curran 954 Mountain Rd Lyndeborough, NH 03082

Greenville Democratic Committee ℅ Hillsborough County DC P.O. Box 659 Milford, NH 03055

Town of Wilton Democratic Committee ℅ John Zavgren 16 W End Hwy Wilton, NH 03086