Valley News – Forum, Oct 16: Tired of Political Ads

I can’t be the only person in the Upper Valley who is sick and tired of all these political TV ads being thrown at us every other year. These PACs, super PACs, candidates, political parties, and dark money groups obviously have millions of dollars to spend on this useless advertising. These people must think that we need to see the same ad 30 times a night on five different networks to absorb their messages.

Here are some ideas for campaigns to consider:

■Since this assault on the airwaves is costly, ineffective, and annoying, I would suggest that our state legislatures require that these individuals contribute an equal amount of money to charities, improvement projects, or general public programs in states where that are advertised. then they could show us that they really care about the public good and not just their own selfish interests. If they don’t want to, that’s fine too, because then we can watch the ball game at night without being bothered by this crap!

■Does anyone really believe that almost all voters hadn’t decided who they would vote for a long time ago? Those people who say they haven’t made up their minds obviously haven’t been paying attention and probably shouldn’t be allowed to vote anyway. Most people knew two years ago how they would vote in this election. Hence my belief that this is a horrible waste of our time and a horrible waste of someone’s money.

■Pass state laws that will require all these ads to be verified before they are allowed to air. They are riddled with false allegations, as well as outright lies in many cases. I want all voters to do their own research on these candidates’ records and not trust this type of deception.

I realize I’m probably howling at the moon here, but no change will happen unless someone brings it up.

Thomas L Franklin

white river crossing

I support Charlene Lovett

As a state representative, I have been deeply alarmed by what I have seen come out of Concord in the last two years. Efforts to undermine New Hampshire’s public education system and attacks on reproductive rights have been the focus of extremist elements in the New Hampshire Legislature. It is because of these and many other troubling initiatives that I am endorsing Charlene Lovett for State Senate in Senate District 8.

Charlene has decades of public service, as a school board member, state representative, city councilwoman, mayor, and 22-year Army veteran, that have groomed her to be the state senator from all 20 SD8 communities, including my own. . Sunapee community. As mayor of Claremont, Charlene became alarmed at the number of children becoming lead poisoned each year, affecting her ability to learn. She took the initiative and led a collaborative effort to prevent lead poisoning in children. This resulted in the City of Claremont winning the EPA Children’s Health Environmental Merit Award and Sullivan County being the first county in the state to receive a HUD Lead Hazard Mitigation grant.

Charlene is also an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights. Charlene believes that these are personal and private health care decisions to be made by the individuals involved and their health care providers, not the government. She also understands firsthand the importance and challenge of providing healthcare to rural areas from her time as chair of the Valley Regional Hospital board of directors.

Decisions made in Concord affect us locally, and Charlene’s background in local government will make her a more informed and thoughtful legislator. Please join me in voting for Charlene Lovett as the next State Senator for Senate District 8.

NH State Representative Sue Gottling

sunapee

Vote Ricci for assistant judge

We want to take a moment to introduce our good friend Michael Ricci, the independent candidate, for re-election as Assistant Judge for Windsor County. We are supporting Michael and ask that you consider him as he completes his 2022 ballot.

You may not have given this office much thought, but it is vitally important to our court system. Assistant judges perform vital work in our family and civil courts, covering a variety of topics such as domestic abuse, divorce, property division, and parental rights, among others. Decisions made by a presiding judge and assistant judge can affect lives for years. Their positions must be balanced and thoughtful when deciding cases. They also manage the affairs of the court.

Michael was appointed assistant judge to fill a vacancy in September 2021, now seeking a second term. In that role, Michael has demonstrated the necessary integrity, judgment and judicial temperament, and has applied his extensive experience in the management of judicial affairs. A local resident for over 40 years, Michael has held senior management and finance positions at the Norman Williams Library, Windham Northeast Supervisory Union, and Dartmouth College.

He has a genuine interest in public service and during those 40 years he has served our community as an Assistant Judge, Justice of the Peace, Chairman of the Woodstock Board of Trustees, Dartmouth Hillel Board Member, Advisor to the Tucker Foundation Fellows, and the Dartmouth Environmental Conservation Organization, chairman of the board of directors for the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce. He also volunteers in the library, the school district, and in youth sports.

We hope we have piqued your interest in Michael and how his skills align with the duties of assistant judge. Voting is our most important civic duty, remember to cast your vote and be sure to check both sides of your ballot.

Alessandro Iuppa and Anne Valentine

western windsor