My palmcards arrived on Friday, so I've started walking Ward 4 in the last few days, talking to concerned voters.  I'm working generally East to West, and if there's enough interest in the comments, I'll even post where I'm going a few days in advance. 

Knocking on doors today, I met a nice woman (I'll withhold her name) who had been going through some tough times, unemployed like a lot of other people out there.  She told me something I didn't know- that NH just recently got disqualified from receiving some extra Federal unemployment stimulus because our unemployment rate is so 'low' compared to other states.  It's the classic big government response- punish those groups doing well to give more to those doing poorly. 

She didn't want welfare, she is going back to school to train for another job, but she had paid into the system for many years and just wanted, in her words, "my fair share back." 

I'm 32 years old, so I have no illusions that I'll get ANYTHING back from the system when I'm older (there may not even be a system then at this rate), but talking to this woman, we both agreed on one thing: New Hampshire has to look after itself.  All the Federal aid will go to the states that fail first, and fail the biggest.  That means California, New York, and Illinois as a start.  Maybe others.  By the time New Hampshire needs help (and if we don't cut our future budget liabilities, we will), there won't be any money left over to save little old NH or her citizens.  So what does that mean?

We need to save- put money away for the future.  We need to make a list of priorities that reflect who we are and what we stand for, and fund the most important first, not fund them all equally.  And we need to get to know our neighbors, because in hard times, we will have to help each other.

So I'll keep walking the Ward until Primary Day, Sept. 14th., to meet more people like this woman and hear what you have to say. 

Have a good day, and stay safe!
-Shuvom

I found this story yesterday, and while the title seems silly, it could be any city in New Hampshire in 5 years if we don't start saving for the future now. 

Read about how the Mayor of Newark plans to fill a budget hole by cutting EVERYTHING he can, like toilet paper in city offices: 
http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/22/news/economy/newark_budget_cuts/index.htm

He's not doing this because he wants to- we need to cut our budget while we still have good choices to make!

-Shuvom