Let me first be crystal clear… I am not running against anyone. I am running because I think it is time for a new approach to implementing our strategies, and I think that I am the best choice to get that done. I have been asked questions about the other candidates. I have nothing bad to say about any of them, and will continue to talk only about myself and my ideas. When the dust settles, we need to be one team moving forward.
To that end, I won’t be doing Speaker pins. I realize that it is a tradition, and I don’t criticize those who do it, but I won’t participate. When we elect a Speaker, these can become symbols of our past division.
I’ve been successful getting some bills through that have failed in the past. One of these took six years. The key is finding a new way to package a bill that clears objections and distills the issue. We have become locked in a cycle for several terms where the extent of our effort is to file the same bills, start whipping, and become resigned when we don’t get to the right result. This isn’t good enough.
We also have to make government more interesting to young people. If you believe the press, all we do is have the same labor law, election law, education funding, 2nd amendment, etc. fights over and over again. These are important fights, we will have them, and will win… but it isn’t all we do. If we are going to attract high tech companies like Amazon, we need an image makeover. We need to promote science and tech related bills to interest people who are not political junkies. I want us to get to the point where, when other states are considering a tech related policy, they ask “What is New Hampshire doing?” We are first in the nation in Presidential elections. We need to become first in the nation in new ideas and innovation.
I want to be your Speaker to promote the state, trumpet your successes, and convince the public that not only are we a responsible government, but that we are also a forward thinking innovative government providing new millennium solutions for a better New Hampshire. This should be the future of the Legislature we should lead the way.
To the Future,
Steve