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Publisher's Note: All together
By Jody Reese
Elections by their nature divide us. It’s not about how much we agree on things, but about the differences. We have to choose sides. It’s all or nothing. It’s red or blue. We’re Republicans or Democrats; we’re conservatives or liberals; we’re pro-this or pro-that.
In reality, an overwhelming majority of Americans are united on our most basic principles, including one person one vote, the right to choose a candidate freely, the right to worship or not a god of your choosing and the right to wake up each morning and choose what you want to do for a living. Our most basic principle is the freedom to choose. Ironically, that agreed-upon freedom to choose leads us to divide ourselves into these partisan camps.
Politics have been rough and tumble since the beginning of this great nation. There was a time when campaigns accused candidates of having illegitimate children (now just the National Enquirer accuses John Edwards of this) and handed out large amounts of rum to voters. Instead of those anti-Obama e-mails many of us now get, back then political opponents distributed pamphlets and crude cartoon drawings.
I guess the more we change, the more we stay the same.
Still, I think we need not take our politics so personally. This internalizing of political goals, such as getting someone elected, easily leads us to demonize our opponent. Some recent surveys have even showed that Americans are voluntarily segregating themselves based on political and social views by moving to more conservative or liberal parts of the country.
This is sad.
Regardless of political views, we’re all in this together. If crime rises or our homes or 401(k)s are worth less, we all suffer. McCain or Obama, Lynch or Kenney, Shaheen or Sununu, in the end we all have to go back to work and make this work for all of us. There is no “real” America, we’re all struggling Americans, trying to make a better life for ourselves and our kids. We’re all pursuing our happiness, one day at a time.
Manchester mayor’s bold plan
Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta is trying to position the city for continued growth during these challenging economic times. At a recent Queen City Rotaty Club meeting in Manchester, the mayor announced he wants to increase city loans to small businesses, tackle Hackett Hill (a business park on the Hooksett side of town) and redevelop the Rockwell property on Elm and Auburn streets, diagonally across from the Verizon Wireless Area on Elm Street.
Understandably, many of the city aldermen are opposed to any new investments by the city when property taxes could be forced up. Still, now is a great time to push a project through. There is talk of adding a performing arts center, a movie theater, retail, parking and apartments to the location.
Whatever happens, now is the time for city and town officials to get creative and push private business to invest in this region.
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