Pubdate: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 Source: Rochester Times (NH) Copyright: 2008 Geo. J. Foster Company Contact: http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=ROCNEWS Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4729 Author: Dan Steinbach STATE GOING TO POT To the Editor: Timothy Leary's dead. No. No. No. No. You elected him to the New Hampshire legislature. As if kids are not exposed to enough drug pushers. Now parents have to contend with our legislature telling kids there's no consequences for smoking dope. The Doobie Brothers in Concord seek to decriminalize marijuana law. It's cool with them if your kids get stoned. Is that what you voted for in 2006? The "Lucy in the Sky" legislature says anything goes, man. These ultraliberals stumble on toward a society devoid of personal responsibility and respect for the human body and soul. Parents keep trying to develop good citizens. The Democrat-controlled government seems to be saying, "If it feels good, do it." I believe Strafford County voters did not intend its representatives to mimic the website that sounds like "Dems Gone Wild." From a personal responsibility perspective our legislature seems to be emulating Roman Emperor Caligula. The Democrat-controlled government's assault on parental responsibility and authority is unacceptable. Their magical mystery tour includes repealing the Parental Notification Law that once ensured a parent's right to know if their adolescent child was getting an abortion. At the same time they're working to ensure 17-year-olds who commit major crimes are prosecuted in the juvenile justice system instead of as adults. They are a confused group and it appears purple-haze is all in their brain. Financially they act like a teenager with a credit card. They've increased the state budget seventeen and one-half percent and the Strafford County budget fifteen percent. The State budget is fifty million dollars in the hole with a projected deficit of another one hundred million by 2009. Such is your self-proclaimed fiscally responsible Democratic leadership. Their ride on the horse with no name continues as they push to impeach the president, assault charter schools and expand gambling. The list is endless. In Strafford County 37 of 38 seats in the House are filled by Democrats. Mercifully, we can soon fire this crop of pot promoters. Let's put them into a flower power van and point them toward L.A. Go to http://www.nhstaterep.com and get involved. Raise your voice! Dan Steinbach Milton (Editor's note: The pros and cons of HB1623 can be viewed in Roll Call Round Up (C) below.) - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D