Scamman quits!

[KBCraig]

If only Gatsas would do the same...

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Scamman+won%e2%80%99t+seek+re-election&articleId=1e34b878-0c5e-4460-afca-048d2464e451

Scamman won?t seek re-election

By TOM FAHEY
State House Bureau Chief

Concord ? New Hampshire?s Speaker of the House Douglas Scamman surprised associates and State House observers yesterday by announcing he will not run for re-election this year.

Calling it a ?deeply personal decision,? Scamman said he feels the time required to fill the speaker?s role is too demanding.

Scamman, 65, R-Stratham, said his wife, Stella, also a Republican, will not run for re-election either. The two want to spend more time with their four grandchildren and working on their farm, he said.

Scamman said he reached his decision yesterday morning after weeks of wondering.

?I am not in a position to, and I am not willing to, spend 30 or 40 hours a week, to run for speaker and then being speaker. I am extremely happy about the last two years. We got a lot of issues covered,? Scamman told reporters.

He said helping balance a projected $300 million budget shortfall, and passing a new education funding plan were among the biggest accomplishments of his two-year tenure.

He said an insurance premium tax cut and revisions to the state?s trust laws will strengthen the state?s economy. Putting $52 million into the state?s Rainy Day Fund reserve account will also show business that the Legislature won?t rush to raise taxes during an economic lull, he said.

Scamman won his leadership post with support from coalition of Republicans and Democrats in December 2004, after a 14-year absence from the House. The job opened up when former Speaker Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, resigned over ethics problems.

The fact that Scamman owed his position to Democratic support grated on some in the GOP that continued through last month. Many were quick to criticize him when business in the House, sometimes described as a herd of cats, appeared disorganized.

Scamman argued that he gave policy committees wide latitude in deciding key issues, a break from Chandler?s more autocratic style. Still, he faced a stiff battle in seeking re-election.

Scamman also served as speaker from 1986 to 1990, when he made an unsuccessful run for Congress. He has served in the House for a total of 24 years, beginning in 1969.

His decision leaves the speaker?s race wide open next fall when new House members meet to chose a leader. Among Republicans, Rep. Michael Whalley of Alton and Rep. Betsey Patten of Moultonborough said they?d challenge Scamman weeks ago. Whalley, deputy speaker under Chandler, lost to Scamman in a bid for the speaker?s post two years ago.

A number of Democrats are also interested, including Rep. Dan Eaton of Stoddard, Rep. Terie Norelli of Portsmouth, Rep. Bette Lasky of Nashua and Rep. Jay Phinizy of Acworth.

Gov. John Lynch praised Scamman?s ?tremendous commitment to public service here in New Hampshire. He has worked with me to try to set a new tone here at the State House of bipartisan support for various pieces of legislation. I think he?s done a great job and I will miss him greatly.?

Senate President Ted Gatsas, R-Manchester, said he and Lynch had lunch with Scamman yesterday, but Scamman never tipped his hand.

?All the time he put in for the state of New Hampshire, he should be thanked and respected for,? Gatsas said. ?For anyone who thinks you can be House speaker or Senate president putting in 20 or 30 hours a week, it doesn?t work. It is totally a full-time job.?

Sen. Lou D?Allesandro, D-Manchester, said the news was ?a real shock. This was his second time around in the Legislature, and he always tried to do the right thing.?

Eaton said he has a lot of respect for Scamman, who he said never let politics become personal.

?Those who don?t appreciate his dedication and his fairness just don?t understand how the institution works,? Eaton said.

The Legislature is scheduled to meet one last time under Scamman this session, on June 28 when it will consider veto messages from Lynch.

[d_goddard]

CNHT Jane, "webmistress of the dark" is in this district.

Jane, will you please run for this seat? Pretty-please?!?!

[Dreepa]

RUN JANE RUN

[Otosan]

Calling it a ?deeply personal decision,? Scamman said he feels the time required to fill the speaker?s role is too demanding.

That is political talk for ...I got all I can from the sheeple....now is the time to enjoy/spend it.....

[FTL_Ian]

People actually voted for someone named "Scamman"?  Who was his opponant, "Rapeman"?   ???

[president]

Who was his opponant, "Rapeman"?

Rapeman...I'm a Steve Albini fan...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapeman

Rapeman was an American rock music group founded in 1987 and disbanded in 1989.

Personnel were:

    * Steve Albini (formerly of Big Black) on guitar and vocals
    * David Wm. Sims (formerly of Scratch Acid) on bass
    * Rey Washam (formerly of Scratch Acid and Big Boys) on drums

In an interview, Albini reported that "Rapeman is the title character in a Japanese comic book that I had come across through a friend of mine. The comic book is just a total mind-bender. There's a whole genre of comics in Japan, rape stories where women are raped in really graphic detail for whatever reason, and it's an amazing thing that this is just an accepted part of their sort of normal popular culture."[1] Albini and Washam became "sort of obsessed" with the comic, and named their new group after the titular antihero.

Rapeman's performances would often be the target of protestors, who felt that the band was mocking or even encouraging rape and violence against women. Albini has described such criticisms as idiotic, arguing that punk ideology is generally very sympathetic to feminism.

The playing style at times was reminiscent of more traditional noise punk (as on "Up Beat"), at other times cranky art-rock (as on "Monobrow"), their sound gave centre stage to the signature guitar style of Albini.

The band broke up for personal reasons; not, as has been rumoured, over a dispute relating to their name. Albini went on to form Shellac, Sims founded The Jesus Lizard.
[edit]

Discography

(all released on Touch and Go Records in the US, Blast First! in the UK and AuGoGo in Australia unless otherwise indicated)

    * "Hated Chinee b/w Marmoset" 7"
    * "Budd" EP
    * "Two Nuns and a Pack Mule" LP
    * "Inki's Butt Crack b/w Song Number One" (Sub Pop Singles Club 7")

[d_goddard]

People actually voted for someone named "Scamman"?  Who was his opponant, "Rapeman"?   ???

ROFLMFAO!!!

[AlanM]

CNHT Jane, "webmistress of the dark" is in this district.

Jane, will you please run for this seat? Pretty-please?!?!

Jane is not in his district. He is in mine, Exeter, Stratham, N. Hampton. His wife, Stella is not running again, either.

[KBCraig]

CNHT Jane, "webmistress of the dark" is in this district.

Jane, will you please run for this seat? Pretty-please?!?!

Jane is not in his district. He is in mine,

Run, Alan, run! 

[AlanM]

CNHT Jane, "webmistress of the dark" is in this district.

Jane, will you please run for this seat? Pretty-please?!?!

Jane is not in his district. He is in mine,

Run, Alan, run! 

Why do you hate me? 

[d_goddard]

Why do you hate me? 

To get boatloads fo karma and love... just run!