(Draconoian) Cuts (in social programs) trigger N.H. rage

[cali]

By Norma Love, The Associated Press
Updated: 04/01/2011 07:56:59 AM EDT

CONCORD, N.H. -- Amid chants from the gallery and thousands of demonstrators in the Statehouse plaza, New Hampshire's Republican-dominated House approved a $10.2 billion budget yesterday that makes deep cuts to social programs and strips public unions of much of their bargaining power.

The House debated the budget for five hours before Republicans pushed it through, 243-124. Early in the debate, chants of "Shame On You!" rained down from a raucous crowd in the gallery, which was temporarily cleared but reopened before the final vote. Outside the Statehouse, thousands more gathered to voice their opposition.

Republican House Speaker William O'Brien called it a historic achievement to pass a spending plan to the Senate that raises no taxes or fees or borrows for operating costs. The loud voices outside weren't the ones speaking to him, O'Brien said.

"The voices that speak to me are the taxpayers who say (the spending is) too much," he told reporters.

An estimated crowd of 2,500 rallied outside and voiced their displeasure while the House debated. The demonstrators were public employees, their supporters and opponents of deep cuts to social-service programs who opposed the budget.

"Are we going to give everyone the opportunity to live free, or are we going to sit back, pass a state budget like this and just let people suffer until they die?" 16-year-old recovering drug addict Jesse Welch told the crowd.

Welch spent five months at Phoenix
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House in Dublin, a treatment center that receives state funding. State funding for substance-abuse treatment is reduced in the House budget.

Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_17750493#ixzz1IIF2ZmEj

[Tesha]

1. If it benefits the average family - its getting cut.

They're allowing pay-day-loan companies back in.
They're de-funding social programs, while pretending will decrease taxes that will in fact increase taxes in a state that has no income tax and towns rely solely on property taxes - guess where the burden will lie?
They've killed profitable things such as RGGI - the regional greenhouse gas intuitive, and a study on commuter trains that was paid for by the feds - they're passing guns laws left and right - removing regulations on things such as licensing backwoods guides and hairdressers...

and on the other hand they're cutting fee and taxes?!?!
They cut the cigarette tax by 10cents?!?
They cut a $30 fee on new cars?!?


and on and on... NH - taken over by the Freestaters and Koch and friends is lost for at least 2 more years...