Note: The following are Jeff Chidester’s show notes used during the roundtable discussion with Rick Fabrizio and Charlie Arlinghaus (03/28/2010).  Although not a transcript of the show, the notes provide the listener with more details as to the show’s flow.

NHP Radio Show – March 28, 2010 – Roundtable Discussion

Guest:

Charlie Arlinghaus, Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy

Rick Fabrizio, Managing Editor, Portsmouth Herald

 =1^st Segment: All Things New Hampshire

State: NH version of American Idol –Our NH representatives singing Hall and Oates: their “Out of Touch”

NH Budget:

• Cuts Like a Knife: Cuts are more painful now, than if they had made them when the budget was first created
• Revenues are way off (Charlie called it way back!)
• Rick’s observations: All cuts, as suggested by using that term, are painful, but do they have to be made with the rhetoric of guilt by suggesting we’re failing those who rely on the state

The LLC Tax: The Political Football

• The New Hampshire House presented the bill at the last minute
• The New Hampshire House did not vet the LLC spending bill properly
• How much blame should be directed at Governor Lynch?
• It would appear that the New Hampshire House will conduct the redress of the LLC behind closed doors again, and without the benefit of expert testimony. History repeating itself

Recently passed federal Healthcare bill:

• Can NH handle the federal mandates in the healthcare bill?
• Is Governor Lynch “under concerned” about the impact on NH?

Gambling:

• Is gambling the answer?
• Is gambling a temporary “fix?” Will it open doors to more problems?
  • Charlie: Both sides “exaggerate”  gambling’s affects (pros and cons)
  • Rick: The claim that patrons will leave the casino’s and visit tourist hotspots (such as Portsmouth) is not supported by any data.
  • Will gambling only allow our representatives to continue to spend irresponsibly.
  • Provisions in the bill require the creation of a new law enforcement unit (within the State Police) and funding for treatment programs. Is this an admission of some of the negative effects of gambling?

 Senator J. Cilley’s statement in support of gambling:

“These are old arguments. They were used against Prohibition; they were used against the lottery; they are trotted out every time,” said Sen. Jackie Cilley, D-Barrington, about critics predicting cultural doom if this bill becomes law.  “The folks that gamble are going to continue to gamble, but one thing they don’t have right now is a program to help them when they want to have help, and this, for the first time, gives them just that.”

 Poor choice of words? Naive?

 Politics:

State –

Senator Jaclyn Cilley recent statement about the Governor (misleading):  Is there a fracture amongst the Democrats?

Will the LLC tax come back to haunt those that supported it in November?

2^nd Segment: The National Campaigns, Healthcare and the Red Sox:

Republican candidates are coming out of the woodwork.

• 1st CD: Ashooh, Guinta, Bestanti, Bearse, Castaldo and Mahoney (?). Are there too many candidates?
• 2^nd CD: Charlie Bass, Jennifer Horn, Bob Guida. Bass is begging for money in DC.  Will Horn and Guida split the conservative vote?  The Democrats seem very quiet? Swett seems to be the front-runner.
• Senate:  Binnie -  A star on the rise Ayotte – Peaked too soon? 

National:

The Healthcare Bill:

• The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
• The Healthcare Debate: What really happen?

 Quick fire:

 Boston Red Sox: What kind of year are we looking at?

Boston Red Sox – Pink Hats: Yes or No (two No votes – pink hats verboten)

You can listen to the interview in its entirety by going to the NHP Archives section.