The facts of life

Someone forgot to send the memo — or maybe it just wasn’t read by a select few — that the NHGOP did pretty, pretty well this election cycle.

But there is a group of GOPers — both elected officials, just plain ol’ anti-maskers — who apparently just can’t face the reality that they’re in the majority in the State House and Exec Council for the next two years. Oh, and there’s this little thing that they also hold the Corner Office again.

Actually, it’s pretty obvious that the guy in the Corner Office, Guv Sununu, is the reason the NHGOP is in such a good position.

But you can’t confuse some people with the facts — which is why, for example, they get so worked up about the very thought of wearing a mask in the pandemic. And that’s why they’re insisting on screwing the whole enterprise up and killing (politically speaking, of course) the goose that lays the golden eggs. Or, actually, the governor that gets them all those votes.

Even before the session begins, seven GOP reps are looking to start an effort to impeach the guv after he issued what they say is a mask mandate, but what really is a strong suggestion that the state would like its citizens to wear a mask to protect themselves and others. After all, a mandate would come with fines or other penalties for failing to comply.

But, as already noted, don’t confuse these peeps with the facts. “This move was not taken lightly,” said Rep Andrew Prout of Hudson.

“We must restore our government to its constitutional roots — with checks and balances — where the Legislature writes the laws and the executive branch implements them.”

Fact No. 1: This ain’t a law. And Rep-elect Melissa Blasek of Merrimack claimed that this is all the fault of Dem leaders who “abdicated their legislative duties” in abbreviating the session, paving the way for the guv “acting as a king.”

Fact No. 2: Check the average age of legislators, the close confines of Reps Hall, the surging Covid numbers in the spring, the unknown future or path of the virus. You get the point.

Then there’s the random assortment of anti-maskers who, for two weeks in a row, decided that the most important thing they could do on a Sunday was protest in front of the guv’s house over his “illegal mask mandate” and “unconstitutional executive orders,” as a couple of signs read. But the winner was the sign that said, “Stop the scam-demic. Masks by choice. Not by force.”

Fact No. 3: Once again, no one is forcing anyone to wear a mask.

Thus, it’s not an “illegal” mandate. It’s a strong suggestion. No force. No threats.

We’ll give the last word to the guv himself: “Last I checked, masks don’t have a political party. If individuals do not want to look at the data, understand the dangers … people are going to do what they are going to do.”

For better. And worse.

CSI: Dems’ November car wreck

Here’s a factoid that adds fuel to the fire of the anti-NH Dem Chair Ray Buckley crowd:

In the Nov. 3 election, NH Dems — who were basically planning to retain control of the House, Senate and Exec Council — lost all three. Not to mention the guv’s office. In fact, the House loss was pretty humiliating — an over 60-seat loss.

And that came with an electorate that is now majority Dem — 347k to 333k.

So what the heck happened?

Career opportunities

Remember back in 2018, when SOS Billy Gardner, facing a challenge to his job from Colin Van Ostern, implied — rather strongly, in fact — that he just wanted one more term so he could oversee the 2020 Dem prez primary on the primary’s 100th anniversary.

The increasingly desperate SOS pulled out that implication as it became very apparent that CVO was racking up something that could very well be a Dem majority. In the end, thanks to the NHGOP and five former guvs — four GOPers, one Dem — he held on to his job. But that implication was still there.

Well, to hell with implications as the SOS gets his 23rd two-year term and likely a 24th. Just so he can oversee the 102nd anniversary of the prez primary.

MAKING THE ROUNDS

Dick Hinch, the next speaker, is gonna have his hands full with the Belknap County delegation alone.

Then again, Renny Cushing, incoming Dem leader, will have his hands full just trying to figure out what on Earth he’ll be able to with 170 or so seats in a 400-seat House.

It is a historical fact that a political party that experiences as much success as the NHGOP did in Nov. immediately turns to bad blood, backbiting and bickering. Or, to use a rather strong term, political cannibalism, eating its own.

In the end, the Sununu-for-Senate talk will look like a fantasy, at least if the guv’s wife Valerie has any say in the matter. DC? No thanks.

But Don Bolduc, who lost to Corky Messner in the GOP Senate primary in Sept., sure looks like he just loves the idea of living in DC. Although throwing your hat in the ring again, two years before a vote is cast, doesn’t guarantee winning. Or even coming close.