Free to be you and me

At its much-publicized 2004 Liberty Dinner last month, the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance — a group that describes itself as a “non-partisan coalition” that supports “increased individual in New Hampshire” – didn’t only hear from Governor Benson and Jason Sorens, the creative genius behind the Free State Project. And to prove its non-partisanship, the group presented its first Legislator of The Year Award to Rep. Michael Harrington, a Strafford Democrat.

“In a state where liberty is the favored political paradigm, Harrington stands out as the best of the best,” said NHLA political chairman and former state Rep. Don Gorman, a former Libertarian Party member of the House.

Harrington was apparently singled out for his sponsorship of a House resolution that “affirms the civil rights and liberties of all citizens and opposes federal measures that infringe on such rights and liberties.”

The judges must have been pretty impressed with that measure, considering that Harrington is the same guy who this past session sponsored House Bill 1251, which called for a 4 percent state income tax – not exactly at the top of the Libertarian Party’s agenda. But, hey, this is a non-partisan crowd.