Opinion: In praise of the populist

By RICHARD BIRCHER

Richard Bircher lives in Lebanon. The notion of a politician advocating policies that are of primary concern to ordinary people is certainly a just representation of democratic ideals and responsibility. In contrast to the media’s often dogmatic...

Opinion: First came the ‘60s, now the counter-revolution

By JEAN STIMMELL

Jean Stimmell, retired stone mason and psychotherapist, lives in Northwood and blogs at jeanstimmell.blogspot.com. I was born in the 1940s and grew up in the 1950s. The ‘50s was a strange chapter in American life: banal, antiseptic, and...

Opinion: Let’s keep our forests as forests

By JACK SAVAGE

Jack Savage is president, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. New Hampshire and Vermont are home to two great environmental success stories: the White Mountain and Green Mountain National Forests. Together they comprise some 1.2...

Opinion: Time’s up for the new planet Earth

By MICHAEL SILLS

Dr. Michael Sills was the chief engineer of the New Hampshire Environmental Agency, NHDES-WMD, for nearly 30 years, overseeing the Super Fund, RCRA Solid & Hazardous Waste program, and Emergency Spill Response functions. He also served as chief...

Opinion: ‘Just trust me:’ Perceptions of the trustworthiness of the United States

By JOHN BUTTRICK

John Buttrick writes from his Vermont Folk Rocker in his Concord home, Minds Crossing. A news day doesn’t go by without hearing the words, “trust me.” When I hear those words, I’m caught on the horns of a dilemma. First, if a person needs to urge me...

Opinion: We condemned Russian and Hamas atrocities, but what about Israel’s?

By KARISHMA MANZUR

Karishma Manzur, Ph.D. is a science writer living in Exeter. She volunteers with various groups, including the NH Coalition for a Just Peace in the Middle East which includes NH Veterans for Peace, VT/NH. Jewish Voice for Peace, NH Conf. of United...

Opinion: Clarifications on Medicare Advantage

By NED WOODY

Ned Woody lives in Bow. Ahmed Kutty’s recent My Turn was a timely one. With Medicare open enrollment under way, seniors face what is often a confusing choice about their Medicare options. While I generally share Mr. Kutty’s opinion that...

Letter: The urgent need for media literacy

In today’s digital age, we have access to a never-ending onslaught of information. Media literacy, the ability to analyze, evaluate, and create media in various forms, empowers everyday people to navigate the abundant and chaotic landscape of...

Opinion: Divest from tests, invest instead

By CARISA CORROW

Carisa Corrow of Penacook is co-author of “126 Falsehoods We Believe About Education” and founder of Educating for Good. In Nov. 12th’s Monitor, reporter Jeremy Margolis asserted that “Poorer school districts in Merrimack County [are] lagging on...

Letter: You got what you wanted

Mr. Mayotte, I feel fairly sure that you are not deplorable, trash or dumb, nor are many that voted for the president elect. However, may I remind you that he is the one who made being so hateful and incredibly insensitive acceptable. He has made fun...

Letter: Please release me

I keep getting these emails from Bernie Sanders. He wants me to read his latest editorial in the New York Times. Well, I have an editorial for you Bernie. Give it up dude! You are one of the proles in the party and your “revolution” has failed. But do...

Letter: Wrong about Columbus

State Representative Mike Moffett’s recent opinion piece starts off with a well worn, dog-whistle type lie that Columbus proved the world is round. He then doubles down on the lie at the end of the piece. The content in between is equally misleading,...

Letter: Stop the aid

There is a simple solution to deal with hypocritical, election-denying, woke sanctuary city and state leaders vowing to defy federal law and the will of the people: federalism. All of these states are massively dependent upon federal aide to keep...

Letter: Thanksgiving is overlooked and undersold

Retailers having Black Friday right after under-promoting Thanksgiving, and the millions who feverishly go to it, which I never have, reported on news outlets, is a sign of their greediness, and it is fueled by the so-called Thanksgiving Day parade,...

Opinion: Medicare enrollment, seniors beware!

By AHMED KUTTY

Ahmed Kutty, MD lives in Peterborough. A week ago, HS my 89-year-old neighbor asked for help to make sense of the calls and ads that were creating confusion and consternation to choose among various Medicare Advantage plans being pitched to her. My...

Opinion: What it means to be anti-establishment in 2024

By JONATHAN P. BAIRD

Jonathan P. Baird lives in Wilmot. As people sort through election results, one thread that has commonly emerged is the idea that Trump won because he was the “change” candidate. He was the disruptor, who was anti-establishment. This supposedly...

Letter: Russia and Ukraine

The Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied longer-range missiles for deeper strikes inside Russia. A provocative move experts, nationally and internationally, warned against. A move meant to start a war. Before being kicked out,...

Letter: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is on the right side of history

Sen. Shaheen scored a big vote for justice and the rule of law on Wednesday night. In presenting the resolution to prevent the illegal sale of arms, Sen. Sanders said, “The Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act are very clear: the...

Letter: Trump’s dubious selection process

“Send in the clowns.” Has there ever been in our history a worse selection of cabinet heads, international representatives and presidential advisors? Apparently expertise and experience have no place in Trump’s selections. Seems the only requirement...