Wilderness & Politics

When compared, few things appear to be as incongruent to one another as the quiet of the north woods of New Hampshire and the strident sound of politics. 

A required stop for politicians at the nation's first primary.

When one is away from the major population centers of the northeast, it is refreshing to see how quickly one can become inoculated from the barrage of misinformation and the mindless chatter that passes for analysis as it streams from the mouths of TV’s talking heads.

Yet here in New Hampshire, politics is big business, especially every four years, when presidential hopefuls who otherwise would never entertain a second thought about visiting this beautiful part of the country converge upon its first-in-the-nation primaries, with all of the enthusiasm of suitors vying for the same mate. 

Therein lies the paradox. 

This is a state with no sales tax and no income tax, yet property taxes are no higher than those of New Jersey.  Scattered throughout the state, from south to north, are gun shops in which any adult can purchase a rifle or a handgun without a license.  That handgun may be carried on one’s person, provided that it is not concealed.  Yet, the New York Daily News reported that The Granite State has the lowest murder rate in the nation.

For 2010, New Hampshire students produced SAT scores in critical reading, mathematics, and writing, higher than those of their peers in New Jersey.

Refusing to be typecast, highly conservative New Hampshire continues to knock down proposed legislation to legalize casino gambling every time that the subject comes before the state legislature.  Yet it is one of only a handful of jurisdictions in the entire nation which has sanctioned gay marriage. 

The view of Squam Lake from Rattlesnake Mountain.

You can buy beer in grocery stores, yet not the hard stuff:  That market is reserved for the state itself which operates its own liquor outlets in malls and along major arteries – a significant source of income.

It’s the “Live Free or Die” state and it takes its motto seriously.  Yet it voted for Barack Obama in the last election.  My sister up here reminds me of how she can’t understand why people are “so mean to him!”

By all measures, it should be a sleepy little state.  But its mountains, its lakes, and its small but bustling shoreline – all of which, especially when combined with its supportive business climate and the proximity of its southern cities to Boston, make it a compelling draw for businesses and tourists.

Like it or not, politicians of all stripes will be courting voters in this state for their favor – including the big Kahuna himself; and, when it’s over, after all the dancing has stopped, people in these parts will get back to the serious business of keeping their own state government, as well as those of their local municipalities in check.

Thanks for reading.  Take advantage of the rest of the summer.

(Note:  Photos by Dick Bergeron)