New Hampshire Governor John Lynch is Having Trouble Leading his own Party

 Governor John Lynch likes to think of himself as a leader. During his re-election campaign he talked about all his successes during his first term while working with a Republican majority as proof of his leadership and skill at working with both parties.

 Now that he has been re-elected and he has a Democrat majority a funny thing has happened. Suddenly he is no longer able to lead, suddenly his own party is denying him his legislative agenda.

 It all started two weeks ago, when in order to prevent huge budget deficits because of his irresponsible budget, he decided to raise taxes and fees once again. He proposed multiple “sin tax” increases but the Democrat controlled legislature decided to hold off raising the cigarette tax to study how much revenue would come into the state without raising it. Massachusetts is raising their cigarette tax and Democrats in the house and senate think that if New Hampshire also raises the cigarette tax it will discourage more Massachusetts residents from coming here to buy cigarettes and would cause a drop in revenue.

 Governor Lynch didn’t even bother to wait to assess the projected revenues of Massachusetts residents coming to New Hampshire to buy cigarettes with the potential drop in cigarette sales by Massachusetts residents in New Hampshire if New Hampshire also raised the taxes. Hell he didn’t even wait for the Massachusetts cigarette tax increase to be approved. He had dollar signs in his eyes and if Governor Lynch is one thing- he is a consistent tax and spend liberal. He has never seen a tax he didn’t like and he thought Massachusetts provided him with the perfect opportunity to raise taxes once again.

 But the Democrat controlled legislature shot down his proposal, at least for now. Suddenly a crack appears with this supposed great leader of man, and it occurred in his own party.

 Then last week he suffered another stunning defeat at the hands of his own party. While campaigning against Jim Coburn in 2006 Governor Lynch was against a state constitutional amendment on education funding, something his opponent was for. However, shortly after the election he changed his tune recognising that Jim Coburn was right. Of course he never actually admitted Coburn was right, but it is all too evident now.

 Just a very quick and abridged history of the education fiasco in New Hampshire for those of you unfamiliar. In the early nineties the state supreme court illegally ruled that the state must provide an adequate education for all children. This is erroneous as it is the town’s and community’s individual responsibility to educate their children. The court overstepped their bounds. There has been a battle on education ever since. Jim Coburn, Lynch’s opponent in the 2006 election wanted a constitutional amendment that would have taken the courts out of the education issue altogether, an issue that they have no business being in in the first place.

 Governor Lynch’s amendment would not go as far as Jim Coburn’s and would actually legitimise the court’s decision. Nevertheless, he has made this amendment a staple of his second term. Last year the Democrat controlled legislature voted against the first Lynch amendment brought before them. And last week they voted against the second. These are Democrats who are voting against their great and noble leader, this has started to become remarkable to watch. And it brings a smile to my face, I have to admit.

 Governor Lynch was able to paint himself as a leader while he had a Republican majority in the legislature, he was able to portray himself as a moderate when in reality the Republicans kept him in line. Now with a Democrat majority he has been exposed for the liberal he is and it seems as though Democrats, during an election year, are unable or unwilling to follow him into the abyss.

 Suddenly this great leader is not even able to control his own party and his own agenda even with the huge majorities he was awarded last year. He has failed at uniting his party, never mind the state.

 Governor Lynch is no leader.