Bring the troops home

Total estimates for the death toll during 18 years of military operations in the Middle East: 
  • 7,000 U.S. military and DoD civilians
  • 7,820 American contractors
  • 109,154 local police and military personnel
  • 244,000-266,000 civilians
  • 1,000 journalists and humanitarian workers
Picture
Some estimates to the total are now over 520,000 dead, not including thousands of children who've been burned by white phosphorous and armed service personnel who've been disabled, blinded, or who now suffer PTSD as a consequence of their service to country.
   I've introduced House Resolution 10, which, "calls for bringing home our armed service personnel from operations in the Middle East and an end to military actions and occupations of these countries."
   Our military is being overextended, and the long term financial and human costs have clearly exceeded any benefit that could be achieved through these endless wars of regime change.  We need to pull together as a country to work to bring our armed service personnel back home so that we can take care of problems here at home.

Making college affordable
​   College was once one of the best investments that you could make for your child, but government subsidies, subsidized loans, and the Pell Grant system now encourage the $559 billion a year Academic Industrial Complex to overcharge students for their services.  A bachelor's degree can now bankrupt a family.
   However, seeing the New Hampshire university system spend $23 million a year on the chancellery and hundreds of thousands on everything from the new UNH logo to a $17,000 illuminated table, there is a need for greater oversight.
  • Reduce the interest rate on student loans to the market rate
  • Require colleges to extend any future loans that must dissolve after 7 years 
  • End the $180 textbook scam
  • Stop letting colleges charge $750/mo for dorms
  • Require that colleges taking federal funds accept transfer credits
  • Increase Basic Research funding and work study

Drug crisis
Harm Reduction methods used in both the United State and Europe have proven far more effective at reducing drug addiction and crime, yet legislators in both parties continue to build more prisons for addicts.   As a state representative, Max Abramson sponsored Jessie's Law which would have enabled Ten Different Solutions for Ten Different Counties, allowing each county delegation to try everything from Recovery Support, Needle Exchange Programs, Diamorphine Clinics, or even Employment Support, each of which has shown promise in American and other western countries.
​"Putting addicts in prison is not compassion, and it doesn't work.  We need to offer treatment and recovery support for those who come forward."
Parents have the right to raise and educate their children according to their own standards.  Rep. Abramson has fought consistently to support a parent's right to homeschool or choose any public, private, or charter school that they feel works best for their child.  According to the Friedman Foundation for School Choice, 23 out of 24 studies have shown that existing public schools actually see test scores go up when they must compete for students and funding.  Yet too many politicians are at the mercy of the teachers' union officials and school administrators who oppose school choice.  Education is simply the most important single thing we do as a society.  

SChool choice
Representative Max Abramson took on lobbyists from MONSANTO and other powerful firms in sponsoring GMO Labeling in New Hampshire.  Already the law in Vermont, Maine, and other New England states, at least 91% of consumers and more than two-thirds of self-identified Libertarians support labeling of genetically modified foods.  Abramson led a bipartisan coalition against the weight of powerful, entrenched interest groups.  As governor, Abramson will work tirelessly for the best interests of the public, even against the weight of out of state casinos, developers, agribusiness firms, union officials, and other interests that provide almost 90% of the campaign money behind most statewide political campaigns. 

GMO Labeling