A MESSAGE FROM SPEAKER NORELLI

Democratic Convention Speech

May 17, 2008

Manchester, NH
Good morning everyone. It is great to be here. First, I’d like to recognize the outstanding leadership of Governor Lynch and Senate President Sylvia Larsen.

I also want to thank state party chair Raymond Buckley and convention co-chairs Jackie Weatherspoon and Jay Buckey and the entire staff at the state party for putting together an incredible state convention.

A few months ago, we had a record number of Democrats gathered all together in Milford, NH. Now, look at all the Democrats gathered here!

Why is it that there are so many people here today?

Why is it that there is so much positive energy in this room?

Why is it that there is so much optimism going into this year’s elections?
It’s because we are the party of the people, all of the people. We are the party of ideas – big, bold, creative ideas. We are the party of change – long-overdue, visionary change. We are the party of today and tomorrow. We are the party that is changing our communities, changing our state, and changing our country. We are the Democratic Party. We are united. We are strong, and in November, we will once again sweep to victory!

I understand that there is another political party in New Hampshire – a party that once held a stranglehold on state government. But what has happened to them? How did they lose so much power in such a short time? It may have been a long time coming, but it really began to fall apart during the two years of the Benson Administration – two years filled with questionable ethics and the arrogance of power.

And then what happened? Well, for Craig Benson, John Lynch happened, and two years later, the unimaginable happened. The Democrats took back a majority in the New Hampshire House for the first time in 84 years!

Now maybe some of you didn’t hear that, or perhaps it didn’t register. I am the first Democratic Speaker of the New Hampshire House in 84 years!

I am incredibly proud and honored to have been chosen Speaker by my House colleagues, and I am so very proud of all of them. I would like to ask all House members to stand up please and be recognized.

Look around, folks. These are the people making a difference in our state. These are the people who volunteer their time, who share their ideas and their incredible talents. These are the people who come to Concord and sit for long hours in committee hearings looking for ways to make New Hampshire a better place to live. These are the people who deliberate long and hard on complicated issues and do what they believe in their heart is the right thing to do. Please take time today to thank them for their service.

And how did we make a difference in the lives of New Hampshire’s citizens?
Well, it took a Democratic majority to pass the first increase in the minimum wage in a decade. And what have the Republicans done to help those on the bottom rung of the economic ladder? Absolutely nothing!

It took a Democratic majority to recognize the dignity of all of our citizens by passing a civil unions law. And what have the Republicans done for our gay and lesbian citizens? Absolutely nothing!

It took a Democratic majority to ban indoor smoking to protect the health of our citizens. And what have the Republicans done for our public health? Absolutely nothing!

It took a Democratic majority to ban predatory lending practices in New Hampshire? And what have the Republicans done for our most economically vulnerable citizens? Absolutely nothing!

And it took a Democratic majority to begin to deal with the deficits created by the Bush economy, to deal with rampant foreclosures and bankruptcies, with skyrocketing energy costs, and with the destruction of our environment.

It took Democratic brainpower to create a tax credit to help the economically distressed North Country.

And yes, it takes Democrats to protect the right of women to make their own choices regarding their reproductive health!

We, as Democrats, on issue after issue after issue, believe that with creative thinking, with energy, and with collaborative efforts, we can and we will solve the problems that face our state!

As for the Republicans, they believe the best thing government can do is get out of the way. With a philosophy like that, is it any surprise that what they end up doing is – absolutely nothing.

And so, to keep our state from returning to the era of do-nothing Republicanism, I want to issue a challenge to everyone in this room. The changes we have begun to make in our state after so many years of Republican rule will all be rolled back, unless we hold our majority in the House. So, how do we accomplish that? First and foremost, we need to field candidates in every single House district in the state. NO Republican can run unopposed.

So, I need you to commit that you will run for the House, or that you will find a candidate for the House, or that you will make a financial commitment to help ensure that we retain our majority in the House.

I just had all of my House colleagues stand, so I ask that you find one of them and talk about what it takes to run, or what you can do to help them win in November. There is a table here today for the Committee to Elect House Democrats. Stop by and visit with our Director, Kevin Hodges. He will answer questions about running for the House or about providing us with financial assistance or answer other questions regarding any help you can offer.

The future of our state is in our hands. Please work as hard as you can for every Democrat, up and down the ballot in November, so we can continue to make a difference in the lives of the citizens of our great state!

Thank you.