One of the hallmarks of the new administration was to be its enlightened view of diplomacy. Talking to our enemies was to be the new approach,along with working closely with our allies and the United Nations. The results of this enlightened approach have recently begun exploding into the headlines. Iran announces it is a nuclear nation! North Korea restarts its production of enriched uranium! Our Russian allies do not support action against Iran.UN unable to reach consensus on action against Iran!

The fifes and drums played a martial version of "The World Turned Upside Down" as General Cornwallis turned over his sword to General Washington. No one would ever believe that the colonies called America could ever separate themselves from Great Britain. The small defeating the mighty rarely happens in world politics. David and Goliath is a story that Americans revere because it is a metaphor...as a if we shared the same destiny.

Congratulations to Dave Boutin on his victory in the republican primary for the district 16 senate seat. He is a very fine candidate and ran a very efficient campaign in this special election. The State of New Hampshire is facing some difficult economic times, and will need intelligent and effective leadership to navigate through an economic minefield.

This is an important reminder that all Republicans in New Hampshire Senate District 16 need to go to the polls in their town to vote on January 12th for the special election. We have an opportunity to nominate an outstanding candidate in Terry Pfaff! I have written about Terry and I encourage all of you who may not know Terry to do some home work. This is a person we call all be proud to be served by!

When they want your money they can't get out of their way fast enough to take it from you...this story makes my blood boil! My son who is attending college in Boston, came home for the Holidays. Like most college students he scrimps and saves his money and is generally very careful about the things he buys. He went out several weeks prior to Christmas to buy his gifts, one of the stops was a store at the Mall of New Hampshire, Forever...something or other. This store is famous for trendy woman's' clothing. He purchased a very attractive jacket for my daughter with the promise that if it didn't fit it could be returned. According to Murphy's law, if it can go wrong, it will go wrong...it did!

We have been very fortunate to have had Ted Gatsas as our state senator. Ted has represented the people of district 16 with strength and the type of leadership that is special. Upon his election to replace outgoing mayor Frank Guinta, the people of Manchester gain an excellent person to lead that city into better times. Their gain however is our loss...we need to replace Ted with someone with the intellect and leaderships skills that are so important in the New Hampshire State Senate.

This speech was supposed to illustrate that the commander in chief is strong yet thoughtful,  a man of action, yet a thinker...instead, it exposed what many of us have been saying for sometime now...the only thing that has changed since his election, is the party in power.

In moments of national tragedy we look to our presidents to provide a sense of calm, we expect them to maintain their composure,and lend dignity to the moment and their high office. In these uncertain times the president is the embodiment of and the voice for our national expression of sympathy and compassion. For those who witnessed the tragedy and the nation, that looks on in stunned horror, we look to the president to help us understand. We look to our president to explain what has happened and to help us with the healing.

Today...thinking people must take on the mantle of Paul Revere, because Obama care, is once again marching through Congress. This 1090 page monstrosity is a nightmare that we must wake up from now! Call your friends, neighbors, and relatives and ask them to call their congressional representation and just say no! The traditional media has been playing the song that Republicans have been holding health-care legislation hostage. The truth is far from that, it's democrats who are most worried about this onerous and expensive bill. The Blue Dogs and any one with a lick of common sense have good reason to be concerned. The cost on this bill exceeds 1 trillion dollars and the stuff hiding in the thousands of pages of legalese is even more disturbing.

To control costs we need a public option for health care. A government's intrusion into the health care system has been proposed under the guise of lowering costs. Wow...this is news...a government run anything, actually controlling and reducing costs! Just writing those words sends a chill down my spine. Please name any, neigh...just one government program that has ever reduced its cost of operation. Nope can't think of one.