Gov. Maura Healey should put the Massachusetts National guard on alert.
That is as a result of if Republican Kelly Ayotte is elected governor of New Hampshire, the Bay State may very well be caught in a two-front “war.”
Under Healey the state is already concerned in a confrontation with Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida.
New Hampshire may very well be subsequent if Healey is as much as the problem. She is, in spite of everything, from New Hampshire.
The Florida struggle started with the exodus of 1000’s of Massachusetts residents searching for decrease taxes, much less crime and a greater high quality of life, deserted Massachusetts for the Sunshine state. They are nonetheless fleeing.
The drawback was exacerbated when DeSantis boldly flew in 50 unlawful immigrants, largely Venezuelans, into toney Martha’s Vineyard, catching everybody off guard.
Martha’s Vineyard residents welcomed them, however couldn’t get them off the island quick sufficient.
Despite a lawsuit from a civil proper group accusing DeSantis of conducting a “fraudulent and illegal scheme” by sending the unlawful immigrants to Massachusetts, none have petitioned to return residence.
Healey, in the meantime, has retaliated by attacking DeSantis and erecting billboards in Florida and Texas bragging about Massachusetts being a welcoming state.
Now Ayotte, a former New Hampshire lawyer normal and U.S. senator, is utilizing Massachusetts as a whipping submit in her marketing campaign for governor. Veteran fellow Republican Gov. Chris Sununu just isn’t searching for re-election.
What does Ayotte consider Massachusetts?
“I’m running for governor because New Hampshire is one election away from becoming Massachusetts,” she stated. Ouch.
But she could also be proper. The 1000’s of individuals leaving high-tax Massachusetts for Florida, are additionally shifting to close by low-tax New Hampshire. And they’re politically turning New Hampshire into Massachusetts.
Many of those newcomers stay in New Hampshire however work in Massachusetts or work remotely for Massachusetts corporations.
A New Hampshire grudge towards them — and Massachusetts — is that these estimated 100,000 staff pay revenue taxes to Massachusetts, not New Hampshire. The Granite State has no revenue tax.
Ayotte took one other shot at Massachusetts when she talked about harder penalties for drug sellers who’re delivery the lethal drug fentanyl into New Hampshire from Lawrence and Lowell.
She stated of New Hampshire, “I was born here and raised here. I raised my kids here. And you know what? I am going to die here because this state and its people are different. What we have here is worth fighting for.”
Perhaps it’s, however instances are altering in New England and within the “Live Free or Die” state.
In Maine, there’s a trouble over the state flag between conservatives who just like the 115-year-old present flag and state seal, which depicts a farmer and a fisherman, and liberals who wish to substitute it with an earlier flag that depicts a pine tree and a star.
In Massachusetts, a particular fee established in 2021 continues to be working to give you a special design to exchange the state seal and flag which dates to 1898.
That Massachusetts seal reveals a Native American holding a bow and arrow beneath an arm holding a sword. The Latin motto across the seal reads, “By the sword we seek peace, but peace under liberty.”
It just isn’t precisely “Live free or Die,” but it surely has been round longer.
Massachusetts has not had a very good skirmish with New Hampshire in nearly 50 years. That was when House Majority Leader William “Biff” McLean proposed sending undercover state cops to spy on Massachusetts residents loading up on lower-taxed and lower-priced booze in New Hampshire.
Under the plan, alerted cops on the Massachusetts facet of the border would nab them and their liquor-laden masses as soon as they crossed. Biff estimated that Massachusetts was shedding thousands and thousands in liquor taxes to New Hampshire.
It didn’t work out, nevertheless.
Healey ought to overlook all of that. Instead of billboards in Florida and Texas, she ought to set them up on the New Hampshire border. They would merely say to the 1000’s of Massachusetts motorists heading north, “Please come home. All is forgiven.”
Peter Lucas is a veteran Massachusetts political reporter and columnist.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”