Little Miss No It All

Tyranny starts at home. I currently live in the pretty town of Portsmouth, NH. As a man who wants to get into business for himself, I saw a fantastic opportunity for a high concept hookah lounge here in the downtown of a well trafficked area.

For months I have researched the feasibility, gotten the money for and was in talks over the perfect location.

Low and behold the health inspector (Kim McNamara) says no. Just no. Is there a city ordinance that I can see? No. Isn't liquor not labeled as a food? No. Do you have any idea of the current economic conditions of the area? No.

Now, I am going to go talk to her in person rather than just getting a rather nasty phone call. Because I have no interest in being so easily booted. I know it to be a losing proposition, because even to get the license I have to get approval from the same lady who just told me "no" without providing any city ordinance or law.

But I did have this to say.

Portsmouth city "services" sits in a monolith of a building atop a hill overlooking the town. They have a vision of a town that is currently being fed by the tourist industry. This they feel is their accomplishment. Not the people who own the business that bring tourists. Nor the general populace that provide a nice community for people to visit. No, it's the bureaucrats who do it all with their power of force and "no".

Plus, these wonderfully exquisite examples of tyranny in action don't seem to realize that the downtown area is HURTING. Not hurting like so many small towns across the nation which only three businesses left are boards for windows, meth, and pharmacies for the elderly. But, do not mistake me, Portsmouth is showing the signs.

And, like all those towns, the bureaucrats and many foolish people will blame a new road, the lack of tourist money, or some other trivial excuse. They'll blame these phantoms for their woes as they tax higher, regulate arbitrarily, and attack both current and potential business.

Worse, there is an example of the travesty of power just across the bridge in Kittery, ME. While this area has been enjoying tourist dollars, they have been going largely without. Businesses by and large avoid the area (I know I did after some research) and it's because of the depredations of their STATE.

They are the dangerous idiots. And they are the drivers of tyranny and oppression at home.

So, to Little Miss No It All, I will be speaking with you in person soon. I hope you will see the light of reason and stand out of the way of people making voluntary transactions especially when it would provide jobs and revenue in a spot that has been closed for most of a year now right in the middle of a prime location. But if not, I'll retool and find another path. You'll sit there in your tiny tower and wonder where all the people are going.