Adapted from a post at Leaven for the Loaf.
The New Hampshire House has voted to kill a “right-to-work” bill. My Facebook and Twitter feeds are noisy with the cries of RTW advocates who are upset that SB 11 failed on the Republicans’ watch. Right-to-work is in the state GOP platform. Republican leadership in legislative and executive branches promoted the bill. It failed anyway, by 23 votes.
*Yawn.*
No one who has seen pro-life bills fail in the New Hampshire House under Republican majorities can be shocked when “party unity” fails.
Many of this year’s House members were in office last year when the House voted 167-116 to kill a bill (HB 1627) to protect children born alive after attempted abortion. There was a Republican majority in place then, too, under the same Speaker who holds the position today.
One difference between this year and last: protecting children born alive after attempted abortion was not a leadership priority in 2016. Unlike with right-to-work, there was no press conference with the state Republican Party chairwoman calling on reps to pass HB 1627. Unlike with right-to-work, the Speaker didn’t hand over the gavel to another rep so he could go on record supporting HB 1627.
I happen to think right-to-work legislation is a good idea, and I’m sorry it lost in my home state this year. But surprised? Shocked?
Please. Without party unity on the fundamental right to life, party unity on anything else seems irrelevant.
I’m hanging on to what the state of New Hampshire insists on calling my “undeclared” voter registration. Any candidate who wants my vote knows how to earn it.
Ellen Kolb 