#leon rideout

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2015: The year in quotes from the Grand Old Party

(Graphic: Mike Licht/CC BY 2.0)

May 2016 usher in a little less bombast and a little more respect and civility in the public square -- but I'm not holding my breath. We begin the new year with a look back at last year’s most provocative, inflammatory and offensive pronouncements from the Grand Old Party.

10. “Thank You Obama And Your Wave Of Illegal Immigrants”

Measles Once Eradicated In United States Now Rampant In 14 States. Can You Say Thank You Obama And Your Wave Of Illegal Immigrants. There Is A Reason To Have Legal Process And Screening!! ... Look at the States Connect The Dots and String Of illness Since The Wave Of Illegals This Summer That were inspired to come because of the Non Enforcement Of Immigration Laws By Obama Administration... There were NO Measles in the US for years Now it is rampant. The spread may be helped by those who refused immunization but the problem was reintroduced to this country how?

– State Rep. Leon Rideout (R-Lancaster) blaming Pres. Obama for a measles outbreak that the Center for Disease Control traced to a California amusement park.

9. “He's a traitor and needs to be arrested”

Obama has been arming and funding ISIS for a long time. It's his Army. That's why he doesn't want to destroy them. He's a traitor and needs to be arrested. Will it happen? Right now I don't think anyone has the courage to do what's right. Sad statement, but true.

-- Former New Hampshire GOP chairman Jack Kimball accusing Pres. Obama of committing treason.

8. “It would be like the McDonald’s...cooking their Big Macs wrong”

It would be like the McDonald’s Corporation. They have several restaurants or franchisees that may be cooking their Big Macs wrong because they got instructions from headquarters. And that could be the same with all their affiliates. They need to be treated as one. They’re one corporation and we need to get this investigated and find out exactly what’s going on here for sure. This is criminal activity.

-- Executive Councilor David Wheeler (R-Milford) explaining his vote to reject contracts that would have funded Planned Parenthood’s five New Hampshire health centers.

7. “That is a lot of Diaper heads”

Coming to a State near you! "Oh” “Yes” it is coming here too! 1200 to 2,000 a day are coming here. Obama asked for to have 10,000 then it expanded to 100,000 [then within] a week it went to 180,000. That is a lot of Diaper heads. The thing is these that Obama is bringing in does not have a wife or family with them! This a invasion! Wake up people we are being taken under with out a shot fired! Obama’s pen does the same thing! If this pisses you off! GOOD!

-- Rep. Richard Marple (R-Hookset) on the Syrian refugee crisis.

6. “They don’t care about human life”

The tragedy of texting bans is that people just hold their cell phone lower to avoid being seen by a cop, which increases accidents and gets people killed. The Law Enforcement Lobby knows this, but pushed for it anyway because they don’t care about human life. It’s not the rank and file cops, It’s the politically appointed officials who are pushing this authoritarian agenda.

-- Rep. Max Abramson (R-Seabrook) on police support for legislation that banned cellphone use while driving.

5. “This president is a racist marxist muslim”

This president is a racist marxist muslim - completely consistent with his upbringing. This should not be a surprise to anyone. The forces that influenced his formative years are well known and documented. One does not listen to Jeremiah Wright for 20 years and not learn hatred and racism. One does not grow up with a Muslim father in Kenya and Indonesia and not learn islam. One who believes in the rule of law does not invite Al Sharpton - who owes $4 million in back taxes - to repeatedly consult with him in the White House. One who follows his oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution…against all enemies, foreign and domestic,’ does not bypass the Constitutionally established legislative process to impose his will on a free people with 'telephone and pen.’

-- Former state representative and 2010 congressional candidate Bob Giuda (R-Warren) on Pres. Obama.

4. “The two things seem to be happening at roughly the same time”

Do you think [the rise in heroin overdoses is] related to expanded Medicaid? ... Because expanded Medicaid now has substance abuse disorder treatment. So you’re more able to get substance abuse treatment than you were previously. ... Maybe it’s a little easier to maintain yourself in that situation. I don’t know... The two things seem to be happening at roughly the same time, you know. Are they causal or related? I don’t know.

-- Rep. Dan McGuire suggesting Medicaid expansion may be responsible for the state’s heroin epidemic.

3. Hitlers men remained silent also

Sadly Governor Hassan and NH Law enforcement are willing to allow this discrimination to the people of NH which is known as the “Concealed License.” Why do I have to beg the Government to carry a gun concealed which I do not have to beg the same Government to open carry my gun? The criminals do not beg the Government. ... So the next time I am getting a lot of heat for speaking up should I just, "remain silent so I wouldn't face reprisals?" [Law enforcement officials] are just as guilty. Hitlers men remained silent also. Silence is not always the better side to be on.

-- Rep. John Burt, on law enforcement officials who did not support legislation that would have repealed the license requirement for carrying a concealed firearm.

2. “The most barbarous group of people on the face of the Earth”

Let me remind you that the most barbarous group of people on the face of the Earth are all...MUSLIMS! I know of no other group that beheads innocent human beings who have simply exercised their God-given rights to change their religious beliefs. Only muslims do that! I know of no other group that beheads reporters who are merely going about the business of doing their jobs. ... And lest we forget: How about the innocent people who were first beheaded and then crucified due to their religious beliefs? Who committed that crime? More muslims. All of them are terrorists...those who did these horrendous acts of barbarity. It does not seem to make any difference if they are Palestinians, or Saudis, or from any of the other muslim theocracies.

-- Rep. Don Leeman (R-Rochester) responding to commentary that blamed extremists on both sides for the violence in Israel.

1. “A man’s inclination to stare at it and grab it”

Who doesn’t support a mothers right to feed? Don’t give me the liberal talking points Amanda. If it’s a woman’s natural inclination to pull her nipple out in public and you support that, than you should have no problem with a mans inclanation to stare at it and grab it. After all, it’s ALL relative and natural, right?

-- Rep. Josh Moore (R-Merrimack) responding to Rep. Amanda Bouldin (D-Manchester) who expressed opposition to legislation that would make it illegal for women to expose their nipples in public.

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State Rep. Rideout blames measles outbreak on Obama immigration policy

Image: youtube.com/wmurtv

President Obama and his "wave of illegal immigrants" are responsible for the ongoing measles outbreak, writes State Rep. Leon Rideout.

"Measles Once Eradicated In United States Now Rampant In 14 States," Rideout wrote on his Facebook page. "Can You Say Thank You Obama And Your Wave Of Illegal Immigrants. There Is A Reason To Have Legal Process And Screening!!"

The Lancaster Republican apparently based his claim on the number of measles cases in states with high populations of undocumented immigrants. "Look at the States Connect The Dots and String Of illness Since The Wave Of Illegals This Summer That were inspired to come because of the Non Enforcement Of Immigration Laws By Obama Administration," Rideout explained.

The Center for Disease Control reports most of the 84 measles cases reported in this country since the first of the year are part of a large, ongoing outbreak linked to two Disney amusement parks in Anaheim, California.

"Although we aren't sure exactly how this year's outbreak began," the agency reports, "we assume that someone got infected overseas, visited the parks and spread the disease to others. Infected people in this outbreak here in the U.S. this year have exposed others in a variety of settings including school, day cares, emergency departments, outpatient clinics and airplanes."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, puts the blame squarely on parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. "It really is a shame that children are not allowed to get vaccinated by their parents," he said on CBS This Morning.

Measles was eradicated in the U.S. until a significant number of parents began refusing to vaccinate their children against the disease. The New York Times traces the anti-vaccine movement to "a 1998 report in a medical journal that suggested a link between vaccines and autism but was later proved fraudulent and retracted."

"[A]ll the scientific data that we've collected over a long period of time from multiple organizations indicate that the measles vaccine is safe and all of these connections to things like autism and things like that are just not true," Fauci said.

For the record, the number of undocumented immigrants deported from the U.S. has increased under the Obama administration while those entering the country illegally has decreased.

Image: Pew Research Center

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House GOP Whip blasts conservatives for 'political grandstanding' in Sudanese controversy

Image: J. Stephen Conn / CC BY-NC 2.0

The House Republican Whip blasted a maneuver by conservative Republicans to involve the House in an international controversy, calling it "political grandstanding." and saying "it hurt" the Manchester man whose wife has been sentenced to death in Sudan.

Wednesday, Rep. Daniel Itse (R-Fremont) proposed the House adopt a resolution that would have asked the President, the Secretary of State and the U.S. State Department to intervene with the Republic of Sudan to secure the release of Meriam Ibrahim. Ibrahim, the wife of Manchester resident and U.S. citizen Daniel Wani, has been sentenced to death by a Sudanese court for apostasy, or the renunciation of faith.

The 27-year-old Sudanese woman was raised by her mother as a Christian. Under Sharia law, she is considered to be Muslim because her father was Muslim. Ibrahim, who refused to renounce her faith, was also convicted her of adultery and sentenced her to 100 lashes because the court did not recognize her marriage to a non-Muslim.

When the House motion to allow a vote on the resolution failed, conservative Republicans lashed out at Democrats. "Democrats don't care about the killing of another Christian," wrote Rep. Jordan Ulery (R-Hudson). Rep. Leon Rideout (R-Lancaster) called it "the most disturbing move yet by the NH Democratic Party."

Rep. JR Hoell (R-Dunbarton) expressed "shock and dismay," and Rep. John Hikel (R-Goffstown) singled out the Democratic leadership, specifically naming "the gun grabbing, self defense diminishing, constitutional usurping representative, [House Majority Leader] Steve Shurtleff."

"Political Grandstanding"

It was all "political grandstanding," declared House Republican Whip Shawn Jasper (R-Hudson). "The resolution was asking that we ask the state department to do something they are already doing," he wrote on Facebook. "Our congressional delegation is already all over this. Does anyone seriously think that Sudan would quake in its boots over a NH House Resolution?" he asked.

Jasper blamed the embarrassing episode on Itse. "The sponsor of the resolution was asked to write this up in way that would be supportive of the action that was already ongoing," Jasper explained. "He decided to write [it] so as to ignore what the state department and our delegation is doing."

"NH is not ignoring a citizen," he continued. "It is being handled the right way. Just because one Rep wants to do something that is really just political grandstanding is no reason for us to all have to go along with him."

"In the end did this help the citizen?" asked Jasper. "I would say it hurt him," he answered. "Why? Because he didn't listen to the Speaker of the House, nor did he try to gain the support of the Republican Leader. He does not even represent the citizen. He did things the wrong way."

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The next victim in the GOP civil war: Immigrants

House Bill 474 would grant in-state tuition to undocumented Granite State students who are in the process of obtaining legal immigration status.

GraniteGrok reports former GOP state chair Fergus Cullen has emailed Republican members of the House pleading with them to support the legislation:

Our party believes in equality of opportunity. It is not good for our party to be perceived as anti-immigrant. Why give the other side an opening to accuse Republicans of being so? If they have the grades to get into our colleges, let’s treat all kids who attended New Hampshire high schools the same when it comes to the bill.

Writing in The Hill, former U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) expressed similar sentiments. Immigrants "are natural conservatives," he wrote:

But they are turned off by the misguided belief of some conservatives that some wrongs, such as coming here illegally, can never be righted.

The GOP should set up a system that rewards the work ethic and highlights the meritocracy Republicans espouse. It’s time to stop the stupidity of turning off people who agree with us, and instead get on with immigration reform.

Cullen and Gregg recognize the electoral imperative of embracing immigration reform, as the party's rebranding roadmap explicitly stated. "[W]e must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform," the report warned. "If we do not, our Party’s appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only."

But that's a bridge too far for the state's Tea Party Republicans.

"I will be opposing this legislation which would allow a instate tuition rate for Illegal Immigrants," Rep. Leon Rideout (R-Lancaster) wrote on Facebook. "I believe this is a slap in the face to all of those than followed our laws and immigrated legally."

State Rep. JR Hoell (R-Dunbarton) turned on Cullen for even daring to express support for the measure:

And here you have it folks, the same [former] NHGOP CHAIR who single-handedly almost destroyed the NHGOP.(He managed to suppress the republican vote enough in 2008 to elect CSP, Hodes, Shaheen, Lynch and both of the NH state houses), and now he seems to be working overtime to attempt this again.

I'm beginning to wonder: Does Fergus actually work for the dems?

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House GOP lawmakers fall for Fox faux news story

Thursday, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) posted a tweet claiming Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee walked out of the hearing room as parents of two victims of the Benghazi attack testified. Fox News and other conservative media outlets jumped on it and accused Democrats of spitting on the graves of Benghazi victims.

New Hampshire GOP lawmakers joined the chorus. "Disgraceful and sad," tweeted state House Rep. Leon Rideout (R-Lancaster). Rep. Al Baldasaro (R-Londonderry) forwarded Rideout's tweet with "Names of Democrats on House Oversight Committee who walked out on Benghazi victim family members." Rep. Regina Birdsell (R-Hampstead) jumped in, "Tammy Duckworth, a veteran!!!!! What you did was a disgrace!!!!!"

"Just how cheap is this story?" asked Slate's Dave Weigel:

Well: There are 24 Republicans and 17 Democrats on the committee. Democrats sit on the left, from the witness's perspective; Republicans sit on the right. Here's a screenshot from the moment [Rep. Trey Gowdy] started speaking to Woods and Smith.

There don't seem to be 24 Republicans sitting down for this; there seem to be six of 'em. So does Rep. Patrick McHenry not care about Benghazi victims? Does Rep. Thomas Massie not care about Benghazi victims? Does Rep. Doc Hastings not care about Benghazi victims? No, I'm sure they do...

This was just one of three hearings the House of Representatives held this week on the Benghazi attack. But that's apparently not enough for Rep. J.R. Hoell (R-Dunbarton). He's submitted a Legislative Service Request for a House bill "requesting Congress to investigate the Benghazi incident."

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'Thirteenther' conspiracy theory picks up support

Five Republican lawmakers today voted against a motion to recommend killing a bill that declares the "original Thirteenth Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution was swept under the rug.

Members of the House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee voted 10-5 to recommend the full body kill the legislation. House Bill 638, ridiculed by the national media, declares, "As long as the original Thirteenth Amendment is concealed from the people, there shall never be justice or a legitimate constitutional form of government."

Reps. Al Baldassaro (R-Londonderry), Jeanine Notter (R-Merrimack), Leon Rideout (R-Lancaster), Skip Rollins (R-Newport) and Todd Smith (R-Hookset) voted against the recommendation.

In a video shot by Granite State Progress, Rideout explained why he thinks it is premature to recommend killing the bill:

I think it's open to very much interpretation on whether this was ratified or not. Why it was dropped is questionable. At the time, after we'd gone through a civil war, maybe people just figured it wasn't that important.