Thomas: Where Has The Republican Party Of My Father Gone?

The NHGOP is doing a slick PR move where by using March Madness-like brackets, they are trying to identify the most feared Democrat in New Hampshire. I am one of the people being voted on. In order to help their voters with their decisions, I offered up a “liberal” statement on how I feel about regulating industry and protecting our environment.

Background on a candidate's platform is always helpful. Here’s the statement I posted:

“We can no longer afford to consider air and water common property, free to be abused by anyone without regard to the consequences. Instead, we should begin now to treat them as scarce resources, which we are no more free to contaminate than we are free to throw garbage into our neighbor’s yard.

“This requires comprehensive new regulations. It also requires that, to the extent possible, the price of goods should be made to include the costs of producing and disposing of them without damage to the environment.

“We have been too tolerant of our surroundings and too willing to leave it to others to clean up our environment. It is time for those who make massive demands on society to make massive demands on themselves. Each of us must resolve that each day he will leave his home, his property, the public places of the city or town a little cleaner, a little better, a little more pleasant for himself and those around him.

“With the help of people we can do anything, and without their help, we can do nothing. In this spirit, together we can reclaim our land for ours and generations to come.”

In short, just as it says in the statement, I am for regulating industry and protecting our environment so that something like what’s happened with our PFAS contaminated water in Merrimack doesn’t happen in other parts of our state or country.

But when I posted that statement online the other day, I had forgotten to identify where it came from.

It’s part of the State of the Union address delivered by Ronald Reagan in 1970.

That’s right. A long time ago (clearly too long) republicans put people first over profit. I’m not sure how the entire party has moved from protecting people to protecting profits but their views and actions have.

Mine have not.

I continue to advocate for responsible industry regulations that protect people and our environment’s health and welfare. For me it will always be people over profit.

Same as it ever was. Same as it will continue to be.

Wendy Thomas for Merrimack State Rep. Vote on April 13th. wendy4NH.us