Jay started it. Unlike Bruce, I’m not in the thick of things down there in Manchester. But thanks to teh niternnet!!1!!! I don’t need to be to expose the obvious. Well … if it’s obvious it doesn’t really need exposin’, at least I can confirm the obvious. Jay’s question was simple … why don’t they release their political affiliations.

Answer … they don’t need to. I will.

I give you … The Granite State Fair Tax Coalition. Not-for-profit and, so they claim, “non-partisan”.

Yeah. A not-for-profit group calling for income taxes in an income-tax free state. Let’s have a look at the current board of directors list:

Rev. William Exner, President
Jane Armstrong, Vice-President
Mark Fernald, Treasurer
Peg Fargo, Secretary
Laurel Redden
Ruth Heden
Sam Mekrut
David Lamarre-Vincent

Don’t forget Executive Director, Paul Henle

I did a bit of digging over at Open Secrets and guess what I found?

Laurel Redden donated $200 to the NH Democratic State Committee. That was in December. Laurel is also the chair of the Salem, NH Democratic Town Committee.

VERDICT: Laurel Redden is a Liberal.

Mark Fernald donated $250 to Barack Obama last month. He’s a partner in Fernald, Taft, Falby & Little.

Note that this liberal fair-tax group advocating a state-wide income tax is doing so under the guise of “unfair property taxes”. Please note that Mark Fernald (Obama donor), is partner of a law firm that specializes in Real Estate Law, according to Findlaw.

In 2003 Mark Fernald also donated $250 to Wesley Clark.

VERDICT: Mark Fernald is a Liberal

Ruth Heden, in May, 2007 donated to “EMILY’s List”. What’s EMILY’s List, you ask? Go there and have a look. Or just go with their tagline: “Supporting pro-choice Democratic women running for congress and governor.”

VERDICT: Ruth Heden is a Liberal

Paul Henle was on the list for a donation of $250 in 1996 (a long time, yes I know) to Arnie Arnesen. Who’s that?

Before, during and after these political interruptions she managed to pursue her real passion – talk radio. In 2000, Talkers Magazine recognized her and her co-host as one of the 100 most powerful talk show hosts in America. Most of her stints were in AM talk but she also did a point-counterpoint show on Public Radio with Charlie Arlinghaus, at that time the State Republican Chair. Her radio programs have covered the landscape of NH and she has been recognized as the Air Personality of the Year in 2004 and 2005 by the NH Association of Broadcasters. Arnie can still be heard every Friday on WKBK radio in Keene, is a regular political analyst on Iowa public radio and a guest host on Air America.

VERDICT: Paul Henle is a Liberal

David Lamarre-Vincent from Public News Service:

Churches across New Hampshire are starting programs to “green” themselves to become better advocates for environmental action. Through a program called “Becoming Green While Staying in the Black,” church leaders are finding ways to reduce their carbon footprint without budget-busting expenses. New Hampshire Council of Churches Executive Director David Lamarre-Vincent says the program helps churches increase their credibility when they preach action to stop global warming. “It is hypocritical for us to preach about reducing your carbon footprint unless the institution of the church has put their money where their mouth was.” Lamarre-Vincent notes that the program starts with an understanding that climate change is a faith issue. “Caring for the planet is a faith issue from the first word in the Bible, and if things are not good now it’s our responsibility as stewards of creation to care for it.”

I always knew it was a religion. There’s your confirmation.

VERDICT: David Lamarre-Vincent is a Liberal

The President of the Granite State Fair Tax Coalition is Rev. William Exner.

Have a look at this article. Or just this snippet:

“The Rev. William Exner, chairman of the social outreach ministries of the Episcopal diocese of New Hampshire, said the local Episcopal church started a peace fellowship about three years ago. Today, it has about 30 members who reach out to parishes. Exner estimates that today, up to 70 percent of Episcopal churchgoers in the state are “progressive, liberal peacemaker-type people.” But he said that has grown little by little. “There was a small but growing voice, and in the last year a very substantive change.”

VERDICT: Rev. William Exner is a Liberal

This was too easy and Jay was right. This is not a “non-partisan” organization. It’s a group of liberals with a stealth non-profit organization advocating an income tax in a state that makes it’s money because of it’s tax advantage.

So what’s this bullshit about the “religious right”? What a meme that is. As much barking as you hear about this whole “evangelical right” made up of these rabid republicans you’d think we could find some. Seems to me the religious right has been hijacked by the left in quite a bait-and-switch.

What does this all come down to? The New Hampshire Fair Tax Coalition is a liberal organization with a liberal make-up in their board of directors. Lifelong Democrats advancing a liberal public policy through the guise of a non-partisan “fight-for-the-common-taxpayer” facade.

I call bullshit. Kick them out of this state. Live Free Or Die is a great motto, but quite honestly I prefer Live Free Or Fuck Off.