NH State Representative Steven Smith

George Washington 1796

“I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.”

Addressing the Heroin and Opioid Crisis – What we have done so far:

Secured a grant for the Sullivan County TRAILS program
Established a fourteen member commission to study Narcan and produce a long term plan on the use and distribution of Narcan. SB447 (2016)
Strengthened laws in several areas including: law enforcement, the program for monitoring prescriptions for controlled drugs, the education of medical providers, and insurance coverage for treatment. SB576 (2016)
Added penalties for the possession and use of fentanyl that are equal to the penalties for the possession and use of heroin and crack cocaine. SB576 (2016) Passed mandatory standards for prescribing rules and required using the controlled drug prescription health and safety program database. HB1423 (2016)
Established a law enforcement grant program to assist the state, county, and local law enforcement in addressing the opioid crisis by targeting drug dealers and traffickers. HB1000 (2016)
Added technology upgrades for the controlled drug prescription health and safety program. SB522 (2016)
Established a special nonlapsing account for the department of health and human services to fund drug education, prevention, and treatment programs. SB522 (2016)
Required opioid agreements between prescribers and patients if the patient is using opioids for more than 90 days within any 6month period. SB523 (2016)
Established a commission to study requiring controlled drugs and controlled drug analogs to be sold in tamperproof form. SB523 (2016)
Established the statewide drug offender grant program. SB464 (2016)
Made a supplemental appropriation to the governor’s commission on alcohol and drug abuse prevention for additional treatment and recovery funding and to the New Hampshire housing finance authority for temporary housing for those in recovery. SB533 (2016)
Encouraged public schools to include drug and alcohol education as part of their health education curriculum. SB369 (2016)

This election season has been pretty depressing.  Neither party can look in the mirror and say “We’re better than them”.  It has been far too long since we had a contest of ideas.  Our election season should be filled with plans and positive visions of the future, with the voters deciding which one to try.  I’ve had some ridiculous dirt thrown at me in the past.  It hasn’t happened yet this cycle, but then again I haven’t gone to the Post Office yet today.

New Hampshire voters have been generally good at rejecting sleazy tactics in local elections, at least here where we live.  I ask you to take that standard, and next time, apply it to the top of ticket.  It is hard.  A lot of smart people on both sides hire marketing people who work night and day to make you hate each other.  You have the power to make it stop.  I have never hated my opponent or thought they were bad people.  I run for office, and re-election, because I think my ideas and my positions are a better path forward than theirs.

Recruiting people to run for state and local office gets harder every year.  Part of that is that they don’t think opening themselves up to attack, to dirty mailers, to having their family persecuted (all have happened to me) is worth it.  We can change that.

I am going to call out dirty players every time I see them… and I don’t care which party they are in.  I hope you’re with me.  The political leaders of each party are clearly not interested in a return to respectful differences of opinion.  Together, we can force them to.

Steve