Politics

Secretary of State Bill Gardner chooses expected date, and says NH tradition lives on.

NH law requires its primary be held at least a week before any similar election. When Nevada tried to schedule its caucus in mid-January, NH threatened to hold the primary in December. Under pressure from national republicans and facing a boycott from some candidates, Nevada backed off, giving NH’s secretary of state Bill Gardner the window he sought.

"The tradition of NH presidential primary lives on and it will be held on the second Tuesday, the 10th day of next year 2012.

Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman says energy security would be a driving force behind his administration.  Huntsman laid out a three-part strategy that is unlikely to  find favor with either farmers in Iowa or environmentalists nationwide.

"Why have fundamentally good people, with good intentions, allowed our democracy to be co-opted by outside interests?", asks Harvard professor, Lawrence Lessig. His new book "Republic, Lost" explores how he says money has corrupted American politics.  Lessig blames special interests and campaign finance rules to the fact that U.S citizens trust government less than ever. He also  suggests  a widespread mobilization and new Constitution Convention to regain control over what he says is a 'corrupted but redeemable representational system. 

Guest

Texas Governor Rick Perry tells reporters he doesn't look at polls and plans to win here. NHPR's Josh Rogers reports.

 As he filed his candidacy Rick Perry touted his record on jobs as Texas Governor and brushed aside questions about his steep drop in the polls.

“I am here to win. I am here to talk to the people of NH about here how we get americans to back to work in, and you know granite staters get it.”

Former House Speaker joins race and signs pledge to cut taxes, spending and the size of government. NHPR's Josh Rogers reports.

Republican Newt Gingrich has added his name to the list of NH primary The former house speaker described vying for the presidency here as an awesome experience.

"From my perspective this is a place that is one of the great centers of American self-government. People have been made and broken in this state and it’s the center of real conversation."

Romney says he expects primary to intensify but says focus should be on President Obama. NHPR's Josh Rogers reports.

Mitt Romney was flanked by top local supporters as he signed the paperwork necessary to compete in NH.

"I am happy to put my name on this paper, hoping that this time it will take, and I’ll be able to become the nominee of our party and hopefully the next president of the United States."

"Go Mitt Go."

Governor John Lynch surprised top Republican lawmakers today when he released an education funding constitutional amendment.

The amendment would give the state more discretion to target financial aid to schools than it has today.

Critics are concerned about how the governor’s proposal would affect court oversight of education funding.

Governor John Lynch and Republican leaders all want to see the state adopt a constitutional amendment.

Members of the Occupy New Hampshire movement demonstrated in Manchester this weekend.

More than 200 protesters gathered in Veteran’s Park Saturday afternoon to express their dissatisfaction with the state of the country and proclaim their solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Referring to themselves as the 99%, the assembled demonstrators protested the concentration of wealth in the top 1% of the population.

At one point, around 100 of the activists marched down Elm Street, picketing in front of the Bank of America and Citizens Bank buildings.

Texas Governor Rick Perry is promising voters they will see him a lot in the Granite State.  On Day One of a two day visit, he vowed to campaign with fervor, listening to voters and answering their questions about the big issues that face the country.  In a state famous for its retail style politics, Perry got off to uneven start.

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This month’s installment of our 11 for '11 series of big picture conversations on the issues of our times. Today, we talk with psychologist, author and blogger Bruce Levine, a radical progressive calling for the resurgence of an active and energized democracy. Polls show that politicians are out of step with the will of the citizens on issues like the wall street bailout, health care reform and the current deadlock over raising the debt ceiling.

Manchester officials are calling for a moratorium on refugee resettlement. Before anyone else arrives, city leaders say current refugees need more help finding work, learning English and getting educated then they currently receive. And now with state and local social service cutbacks, city leaders worry about Manchester’s diminishing capacity to help the newcomers. NHPR’s Dan Gorenstein reports.

Pat Long knows that some people will see him as a xenophobic Alderman from Manchester.