Also on today’s menu:
Northwood Administrator Charged With Attempted Murder
Citizens Rally Against Dalton Landfill
President Joe Biden Jr. managed to make Donald Trump’s incoherent ramblings seem logical in comparison to his own performance at the June 27 presidential debate, alarming many Democrats who expected Biden to convince voters that concerns about his age are unwarranted. His well-known stutter made many of his answers unclear, especially when he was hurrying to make points within the time constraints of the agreed-upon debate structure. At times, he struggled to finish his thoughts, which Trump seized upon: “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said, either.”
Any impartial observer would say Biden’s hoarse and halting delivery during the debate made him appear incompetent, even though he had the facts to back up his claims that the country is in much better shape today than when Trump was in the White House. Trump, on the other hand, was able to throw out a batch of lies with a confidence that made them sound truthful, as long was one was willing to ignore the video and print accounts of what actually took place during his tenure. Trump indeed looked more fit, even though he is just three years younger than Biden.
Biden’s campaign claimed that he had a cold to explain his hoarse voice. He appeared confused because he was trying to figure out how to respond to Trump’s barrage of outrageous lies. Anyone can lose their train of thought when put on the spot to set the record straight on several issues at once. However, all that left the perception that the president is senile.
For his part, Trump confidently spouted lies, saying Democrats want to allow people to execute babies after they’re born; that every legal scholar wanted Roe v. Wade overturned; that Biden created the highest deficit ever; that his tax cuts paid for themselve when they actually added trillions of dollars to the national debt; and that there were no terrorist attacks during his presidency.
Trump wants to impose high tariffs on imported goods, which would fuel inflation by making products more expensive for Americans. He wants to prosecute those who disagree with him. He wants to fashion his presidency after authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin. All that was lost on people watching the debate because such an event places the focus on appearance, not substance.
Discussion: I received an appeal, purportedly from Joe Biden, asking for a donation ahead of the debate. My response was that, because Biden shunned New Hampshire for holding its first-in-the-nation primary, there was no way I would send his campaign any money; but as long as the choice is between Biden and Trump, Biden would get my vote. Since the debate, some Democrats are ready to ask Biden to step down to let someone younger run in his place. While it is not too late for that to happen, it would not serve democracy well, for it would be hard for another candidate to mount a successful campaign against the felonious Republican on the ballot this close to the November election. Had the Democratic National Committee allowed the voters to choose their own candidate during the primaries, rather than anointing Biden and preparing to disregard votes for anyone else, the choice would have been clearer. Biden has done an exceptionally good job, but he should have stepped down, rather than seeking another term. The overwhelming need at this point is to defeat Donald Trump.
Northwood Administrator Charged With Attempted Murder
Northwood Town Administrator Neil G. Irvine, 60, is facing a charge of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree assault, and one count of criminal restraint after allegedly straddling his intimate partner on September 24, 2022, and attempting to cover her nose and mouth, first with his hands and then with a pillow.
The Belknap County Sheriff’s Department arrested Irvine on June 25 in response to a secret indictment in Belknap County Superior Court.
Irvine posted a $5,000 bond for his release from jail, with authorities confiscating his United States and United Kingdom passports.
Discussion: An indictment is not a finding of guilt, but an independent jury’s decision, after hearing from prosecutors, that sufficient evidence exists to warrant a court trial.
Citizens Rally Against Dalton Landfill
The US Army Corps of Engineers met on June 26 to hear comments about a proposed landfill in Dalton, and residents turned out in force to voice their disapproval of the project, citing the problems experienced at the landfill in nearby Bethlehem, also operated by Casella Waste Systems. The Dalton landfill would be adjacent to Forest Lake State Park.
The Army Corps is accepting public comments through July 3, but Tammy Turley, chief of the regulatory division for the New England district, said they would continue engagement with affected communities beyond that date. The Army Corps has authority over the waters of the United States, giving it decision-making power over the landfill because of the effect it would have on wetlands.
Casella’s engineer, John Gay, says developing the site would temporarily impact a half-acre of wetland and permanently impact around 11.5 acres of wetland. Gay said he used a “multi-state siting analysis” and that the roads and highway access played a role in deciding the site. Part of the project would involve expanding an access road. Wayne Morrison of Whitefield, president of the North Country Alliance for Balanced Change, said the roads are “ill-suited” for a daily barrage of trucks.
Discussion: A major justification for the landfill is the lack of landfill capacity in the state, but that is largely because New Hampshire accepts out-of-state solid waste from states have stricter regulations. The New Hampshire Senate killed an effort to curb out-of-state trash and another that would place a moratorium on new landfills. All four major gubernatorial candidates, as well as Democratic senate candidates Rusty Talbot of Sugar Hill and Rebecca McWilliams of Concord and Republican David Rochefort of Littleton have come out in opposition the Dalton landfill.
Café Chatter
On ‘Debating US Future’: We will definitely be watching. I do wish that there was someone younger on the ballot that I could support. However, this is who we have and I choose the person who believes in our country and democracy. I do not need and I do not want a tyrant. I could never vote for a person who keeps telling us how awful America is. And, how great and brilliant people like Putin is. The very discussion about internment camps should concern everyone. It hasn’t been that long since we did this to our own citizens of Japanese descent.
— Candace Skurnik
I was shocked. Just a few days ahead of time he seems just fine. He seems fine now at his rally. I don’t understand what happened but, it did look terrible. An open convention seems unlikely unless something else happens with Biden that confirms that he is not up to the challenge. He still has my vote.