Pun Salad

For years, legislators have been on a relentless quest to raise electricity rates for Granite Staters. Because unlike the rest of us, they are geniuses.

None of us knows exactly what New Hampshire’s energy mix should be. None of us could say precisely how much of the state’s energy should come from solar or biomass.

But they know.

On Wednesday, Bernie Sanders, the independent senator and a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, delivered a major speech on socialism. Titled, "How Democratic Socialism Is the Only Way to Defeat Oligarchy and Authoritarianism," the speech sought to give us Sanders' own definition of socialism. But the address left enough lingering questions that it might better be understood as a declaration simply that Sanders is a socialist, whatever that is.

Socialism—what it is, whether it's any good, and who counts as a socialist—has become a major divide in the Democratic primary and is likely to play a role in the 2020 general election, no matter who is on the ticket.

[…] why is there surprise that Trump said he would accept opposition research or dirt from a foreign government if offered in the 2020 cycle? He never apologizes. He never admits mistakes. In his mind, something or someone who helps him is good, regardless of all other factors, and something or someone who criticizes him is bad, regardless of all other factors. This is why he keeps talking about how nice those letters from Kim Jong Un are. He cannot assess the quality of someone or something outside of the context of self-interest.

Trump will say whatever pops into his head in response to any question, and he’s demonstrated time and time again that he does not care where he is — whether it is in front of the wall of stars at CIA headquarters or whether he’s sitting in front of the graves at Normandy.

He is who he is, he will not change, he will not modify or adapt, and most of us figured that out a long time ago. This is why the “You won’t believe what Trump said” coverage gets tuned out after a while. Yes, we will believe it.

The Granite State is one of few to demand reimbursement from hikers, hunters and others whose negligence resulted in a need for rescue services. This gives new meaning to the state motto, "Live Free or Die."

EDGE: You’re heading to New Hampshire for a gig at the Music Hall Loft on Saturday, June 15th. What are you most looking forward to when you visit us here?

Gillis: I have played at the Loft a few times! It’s always such an enjoyable venue with great people.

What else am I looking forward to? Honestly, eating seafood. I go to Row 34 every time I’m there and get a lobster roll, usually for breakfast. It’s a definite splurge, but I always look forward to it. I also love the state motto “Live free or die.” It sounds like a song (laughs).

Well, I'm doin' ten to twenty
In the frozen granite state
And every day I go to work
To stamp out license plates
Everyday I got to work
And every night I cry
Cause every license plate I make tells me to
Live Free or Die

[Chorus]
Live free or die
Oh Lord tell me why
Can't they say seat belts fastened
Or Oklahoma is okay
Vacation land sounds mighty great
I wouldn't mind stampin' out the Garden State
It's enough to make me cry
Live free or die

Well I didn't mean to shoot that man
Why the gun just went off in my hand
I caught him with my wife
And it cost that man his life
I'd just got home from the factory
And that man was sittin' where I'm supposed to be
Now he's up there in the sky and I'm stuck with
Live free or die

[Chorus]

So let this be a lesson
To all you married men out there
That patience is a virtue
So make your plans with care
So if you catch your wife with another man
It's best to hold off as long as you can
Then shoot him in another state where they got
A different license plate