Tag: NH

IN ANOTHER KIND OF POLLING

~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

Today’s mail delivered six big political campaign cards of the kind I’ve previously described — the stiff ones that are at least eight-and-a-half by eleven, although one was closer to nine by fourteen inches.

In a switch, only one is funded by Jeb Bush’s deeply bankrolled Right to Rise USA super PAC, and that’s an attack on both John Kasich and Marco Rubio. (You’re surprised I’ve come to the conclusion Jeb’s really in Donald Trump’s camp. Why else would you ignore the front runner?)

Rubio’s Conservative Solutions super PAC, meanwhile, rushes forth with a “Don’t trust Ted” assault on Cruz. Which has me wondering why Rubio, like Bush, is afraid to go after the Donald. Has this really devolved into a race for vice president? If it has, we can safely assume none of the GOP candidates in the race has a chance for either spot on the national ticket.

Meanwhile, Chris Christie is fighting back with a claim he’s “vetoed more tax hikes than any other governor in modern American history” and four talking points in his favor.

And I’m perplexed by two we got from America Needs Leadership, which opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants. No idea who’s funding it, but it’s clear its backers oppose President Obama. The fact the fliers quote the Moonie right-wing Washington Times says volumes.

Only one of the mailings takes aim at Trump — along with the rest of his GOP field — and that’s Hillary Clinton’s “They would all defund Planned Parenthood.” It’s not the first time we’ve seen her go after the Donald. Is it true that it takes a woman to do a man’s job, or whatever the joke is? I’m wondering.

What’s happening in our household is that as the campaigns and surveys keep calling us to see where we stand, I’m examining their campaign mailings for something similar. Do you have a plan you’re willing to stand behind or are you out and out negative? We already have too many right-wing politicians who haven’t done anything positive to speak of. You can decide not to spend anything, after all, and let the house fall apart or have the family go hungry. I wouldn’t brag about that, and apparently neither are they.

From the Republican side, the only one I’m seeing toeing a positive course is John Kasich, and his mailings are smaller in format and more modest. I like that. In fact, that’s truly conservative. The only one? I’m beginning to think so.

On the Democratic side, the tone’s altogether positive. For all of the Ronald Reagan shadow, if you’re looking for fresh ideas, look there.

And we still have a bit under two weeks to the primary election. Things are beginning to heat up in New Hampshire.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

Noticing the first few lawn signs for a particular presidential hopeful the other day demanded a second look.

Yes, they were brand new. Sparkling. So who was endorsing him?

Nobody, apparently. Only his staff.

Years ago I learned to pay attention to just where the roadside signs were being planted. If they’re popping up on people’s lawns, you can assume some support for the candidate. But placed on public right of way or at intersections or uninhabited stretches of roadway, it’s only somebody doing a job. (In this case, the signs were in front of the parking lot of an abandoned church. So much for separation of church and state?)

Some of us have learned not to be fooled. And some of us have learned to seriously consider a candidate, based on the lawns where their names are appearing.

CAN ONE CANDIDATE REALLY DICTATE THE NEWS?

~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

As we’ve noted, Donald Trump has a very thin skin. Add to that his obsession with, well, himself as he imagines himself, brooking no dissension. It’s said he dictates the position of television cameras at public events to enhance the likelihood of only flattering images.

And now that the New Hampshire Union Leader has endorsed Chris Christie in the Republican presidential primary, Trump is taking credit for getting the state’s largest newspaper dumped from participating in an upcoming debate in its home city. The ABC network, it appears, simply caved in to the candidate’s demands. (For the record, it’s not the first. Let’s hope, though, it’s the last.)

Perhaps as part of his shallow understanding of the workings of the public sphere, Trump apparently cannot separate the news gathering and reporting side of journalism from the opinions expressed in its editorial columns. Now, it seems, neither can ABC News, which puts its own credibility in question. More to the point, where does the network separate news from entertainment? Is it as soft and spineless as Trump just accused the American public of being?

Where’s the truth in all of Trump’s image-building? Who’s to separate the reality before us from an increasingly weird fiction? Is it going to be left to the legions of National Football League fans he’s just insulted? Or is the court jester really in line for his own coronation?

One way to take down a bully, as we recall, is for everyone to pile on together. So who will take the first move – and who will be second? After that, you can imagine what happens. Right?

WHAT GAME? WHAT TEAM?

~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

A bit of news over coffee came as a question. “Did you know Bill Clinton was in town yesterday?”

No, I had no idea. Turns out it was an unannounced stop at his wife’s campaign headquarters about a mile from our house. Fire up the troops. Support the loyalists. Show some spirit. A smart move between appearances elsewhere in the state that day.

It’s also the sort of thing that can make the New Hampshire first-in-the-nation presidential primary a lively affair. You just might be greeted by one of the White House hopefuls in your favorite diner or convenience store. You just might ask a question that generates headlines. Or you might accept a campaign button or bumper sticker or sign up to help. It’s all face-to-face, even hand-to-hand connection. You get a real-life measure of the person.

Usually, we’re aflutter in action this close to the actual voting. At least Hillary and Bernie are in traditional mode, but the Republican side is utterly baffling. I’m still not seeing much in the way of ground action. Very few bumper stickers or lawn signs, for one thing. No downtown rallies with enthusiasts waving “totem poles” of posters. No canvassers going door to door, either. Just what’s going on? Where’s the enthusiasm? The real enthusiasm?

My guess is the managers think they can do it all with television clips, mailings, radio advertising, and the like. Things they can, uh, manage. No surprises. And nothing personal.

Think of watching a professional football or baseball game and noticing there are no fans in the stands. No cheering or booing, for that matter. It would be deadly dull. And then, a moment later, realizing there are no live figures on the field, either. It’s all for appearances. Now, to the ads. The endless ads. At some point, you need a product — the one you tuned in to view.

There are good reasons to play the actual games rather than rely on the stats (or, in the political realm, rely on surveys). Upsets and unpredictable flashes make the day. The mouth-running coach may be good for building anticipation, but the quiet, calculating rival may deflate all that pregame hype and bombast. So everyone shows up for the contest. Or that’s what I’d expect.

WALKING AROUND TOWN, MOSTLY

~ Jnana Hodson ~ 1 Comment

A typical New England neighborhood will mix a range of architectural styles and history. Dover is no exception.

One of the joys of living where I do comes in the variety of architectural periods you can encounter even within a block or two. While little in Dover remains from the first half-century of settlement here – a consequence, in part, of King Philip’s War along the Colonial frontier – that still leaves three centuries of development. Because my community was spared the ravages of big-city development, housing filled out neighborhoods over time as owners one by one sold side lots and pastures where new houses were then built. This makes for a rich tapestry, especially while strolling down a side street.

Throughout this year, the Red Barn will feature snapshots of some of these distinctive touches, especially in the housing styles. Hope you stroll along.

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THE STASH

~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

100_9689A woodpile needs time to season if it’s going to do any good in heating the house. It’s a relief knowing this is ready. This is how it looks in a typical year, unlike this uncommonly warm December. Last time we looked at the forecast, though, snow was finally around the corner. We’re hoping. This is, after all, New England.