Tis the season for budget games. The groundwork is already being laid for tax increases and budget gimmicks all in the name of a balanced and equitable approach to government. We can only hope that the newly elected are less susceptible to these siren calls than the lot that came before them.
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.png00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-11-29 15:56:442018-08-28 06:18:38Budget Gimmicks That Will Raid Your Wallet
For the next two years small changes are possible but nothing big can happen because politics and money conspire against change. It’s not true that nothing important will happen but it is true that most major initiatives will flounder on the shoals of budget pressure and political competition.
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.png00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-11-21 01:58:482018-08-28 18:31:35Divided Government Keeps Bad Things From Happening
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Charlie Arlinghaus at [email protected] Tickets by Mail: If you prefer to pay by mail, please send a check to: Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy 7 South State St. PO Box 897 Concord, NH 03302 Please make checks out to Josiah Bartlett Center, and include the name(s) of your guests. Tickets at […]
00Joshua Elliott-Traficantehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngJoshua Elliott-Traficante2014-11-17 13:53:142018-08-28 18:31:472015 Legislative Preview and Social Reception
Charlie Arlinghaus November 12, 2014 As originally published in the New Hampshire Union Leader Campaigns used to tell us what came next. This one offered few clues to the people about what those unfortunate enough to be elected will do to us now that they have the reins of government. What they must not do […]
00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-11-12 12:42:062018-08-28 18:31:58The Budget Debate Should Be About Ideas Not Personalities
This too shall pass. If your people lost this election or won this election, my words of consolation and words of warning are identical. The election didn’t mean what you thought it did. This was not a sweeping denunciation of your way of life, your philosophical outlook, or your taste in personalities. This was an aberration.
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.png00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-11-05 12:38:072018-08-28 18:32:07The Election Meant Nothing
To help create jobs, politicians regular have to decide whether to do something or get out of the way. New Hampshire can do more by doing less and try to stay out of the way of people who know what they’re doing.
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.png00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-10-31 11:37:122018-08-28 18:32:22Don’t do Something, Just Get Out of The Way
Our political culture is being destroyed by a cult of celebrity. Slowly but surely any meaningful discussion of ideas is being crowded out by personalities and the occasional meaningless poll number. Campaigns will never really become a battle of philosophies and spreadsheet but our state’s obsession with famous figures ensures that politics and policy resembles Entertainment Tonight more than the Nightly Business Report.
00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-10-31 10:57:592018-08-28 18:33:28How the Cult of Celebrity Destroys Our Political Culture
The executive branch just proposed a $2 billion increase in state spending and no one wants to talk about it. The budget process starts in October and the executive branch proposed spending $12.5 billion. Everyone involved admits this is an unrealistic and ridiculous place to start but no one wants to disown it just yet. Everyone involved in state budgeting should publicly repudiate the requests as unrealistic fantasies and commit to repealing the law that supposedly requires this bit of theater.
00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-10-17 08:03:132018-08-28 06:18:38Two Billion Dollar Spending Increase is Fantasy Theater That Should End
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.png00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-10-10 17:08:142018-08-28 18:33:48The Importance of Dispersed Bits of Incomplete Knowledge
00Charles M. Arlinghaushttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngCharles M. Arlinghaus2014-10-08 15:31:032018-08-28 06:18:38The State Budget is a Mess and Getting Worse
Budget Gimmicks That Will Raid Your Wallet
BUDGETTis the season for budget games. The groundwork is already being laid for tax increases and budget gimmicks all in the name of a balanced and equitable approach to government. We can only hope that the newly elected are less susceptible to these siren calls than the lot that came before them.
Divided Government Keeps Bad Things From Happening
BETTER GOVERNMENTFor the next two years small changes are possible but nothing big can happen because politics and money conspire against change. It’s not true that nothing important will happen but it is true that most major initiatives will flounder on the shoals of budget pressure and political competition.
2015 Legislative Preview and Social Reception
PRESSFor sponsorship opportunities, contact Charlie Arlinghaus at [email protected] Tickets by Mail: If you prefer to pay by mail, please send a check to: Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy 7 South State St. PO Box 897 Concord, NH 03302 Please make checks out to Josiah Bartlett Center, and include the name(s) of your guests. Tickets at […]
The Budget Debate Should Be About Ideas Not Personalities
BUDGETCharlie Arlinghaus November 12, 2014 As originally published in the New Hampshire Union Leader Campaigns used to tell us what came next. This one offered few clues to the people about what those unfortunate enough to be elected will do to us now that they have the reins of government. What they must not do […]
The Election Meant Nothing
BETTER GOVERNMENTThis too shall pass. If your people lost this election or won this election, my words of consolation and words of warning are identical. The election didn’t mean what you thought it did. This was not a sweeping denunciation of your way of life, your philosophical outlook, or your taste in personalities. This was an aberration.
Don’t do Something, Just Get Out of The Way
BETTER GOVERNMENT, BUDGET, LOCAL GOVERNMENTTo help create jobs, politicians regular have to decide whether to do something or get out of the way. New Hampshire can do more by doing less and try to stay out of the way of people who know what they’re doing.
How the Cult of Celebrity Destroys Our Political Culture
BETTER GOVERNMENTOur political culture is being destroyed by a cult of celebrity. Slowly but surely any meaningful discussion of ideas is being crowded out by personalities and the occasional meaningless poll number. Campaigns will never really become a battle of philosophies and spreadsheet but our state’s obsession with famous figures ensures that politics and policy resembles Entertainment Tonight more than the Nightly Business Report.
Two Billion Dollar Spending Increase is Fantasy Theater That Should End
BUDGETThe executive branch just proposed a $2 billion increase in state spending and no one wants to talk about it. The budget process starts in October and the executive branch proposed spending $12.5 billion. Everyone involved admits this is an unrealistic and ridiculous place to start but no one wants to disown it just yet. Everyone involved in state budgeting should publicly repudiate the requests as unrealistic fantasies and commit to repealing the law that supposedly requires this bit of theater.
The Importance of Dispersed Bits of Incomplete Knowledge
BETTER GOVERNMENTPoliticians suffer from both too much information and not enough information at the same time.
The State Budget is a Mess and Getting Worse
BUDGETWhat’s worse is that this budget mess isn’t caused by a recession but by poor management and political gamesmanship.