New Hampshire: The Epicenter of Politics
Steve Whitmore
“Consider this: Between Jan. 11, the day of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, and Friday, … 16,369 political commercials” have aired on WMUR-TV (New Hampshire Sunday News, October 21, p.1). The same paper listed the presidential campaign commercials break down as follows-“Romney: 2,485 vs. Obama: 4,923.” See what I mean?
The first thing you may have noticed was the early date of our presidential primary. By law, New Hampshire’s primary must precede any other state’s by seven days. Other states moved their’s up so New Hampshire responded in kind. New Englanders are indeed a hearty breed. They have to be to brave a January nor’easter just to vote in the primary.
The state says our largest industry is tourism. I used to think that was due to the natural beauty of the state’s clear lakes and rivers, seacoast, mountains, forests, wildlife and quaint New Englandness. But now I know it’s politics that really brings people here.
Mitt Romney relocated here from Massachusetts. He has a nice little multi-million dollar estate on Lake Winnepesaukee, our largest lake. Yes, the same Lake Winnepesaukee that Moe once gave to the census taker as the birthplace of himself and his brothers Larry and Curly.
You may have heard that we were impacted by a storm yesterday – a hurricane/nor’easter hybrid named Sandy. Our Democratic governor asked us, even us Republicans, to stay off the roads. As a sign of bipartisanship we did. We received at least six political phone calls. My wife and I have learned that if no one speaks on the first hello to hang up fast – it’s a pollster. I’m not sure how many church members we’ve hung up on due to our quick reflexes.
Several years ago I began making small contributions to various Republican campaigns. I would compare that decision with the one of starting a Christian school. Are you sure you want to do that? You may want to let the other guy do it. Here’s why? You will be hounded like a Baskerville. I receive two or three Republican mailings per day asking for money. By the way, that’s what some of those phone calls are about too.
Please don’t be dissuaded from vacationing here. We need your eight percent accommodations and meals sales tax since we have no general sales tax or state income tax. But use extreme caution when crossing a street, you could be run over by a campaign bus or a Quebecois speeding to the nearest Wal-Mart.
Happy voting.
Steve Whitmore is the pastor of Hill Village Bible Church, Hill, NH.
PS: I predict Romney will win and it won’t be as close as many think. If I’m wrong, I’ll never admit I wrote this article.