Linda McCarthy is a Mother, Grandmother, and political activist. She has been active in politics since she was 16 years old, and has worked on every Presidential election since George McGovern. She lives in Derry with her Son, Daughter in law, and her Granddaughter Monica, as well as her three dogs, three cats, and a rabbit.

Linda is running for the NH House of Representatives from the Town of Derry because she has a growing concern over the state of her country, and NH. She considers herself to be a moderate Democrat. Some of her positions are:

Immigration: We need to tighten our borders both for security reasons, and to make sure that people who have broken the law by sneaking into this country are not reaping the benefits of our public assistance programs, etc. We also should not be encouraging this behavior by giving illegal immigrants driver's licences, etc. Anyone who wishes to come to this country needs to go through the proper channels just as millions of legal immigrants have done before them.

Taxes: I can't promise that I will never vote to raise taxes, but I can promise that I will not do so unless it is a measure of last resort, and vital to the well being of NH. To promise anything else would be unrealistic, and I refuse to lie. I hope to find other alternative ways to fund programs, and balance the budget without raising taxes. I will explore every avenue before considering placeing that burden on NH residents.

Gun control: I believe that we all have the right to bear arms. That is not to say that I feel there should be no checks and balances. I do not favor a waiting period. Background checks can be done instantly, and should be handled that way. I also do not favor putting a limit on how many guns can be bought in any given period of time. There are many collectors who should be able to buy as they wish, assuming they have no criminal record, or history of violence. As far as keeping guns secure, I think that in any household that may entertain children, guns must be kept securely locked, and out of reach. It is simply a matter of knowing that not one child's life is worth keeping unsecured guns.

Abortion: This most personal decision should not be interfered with by the Government. A woman must have the right to make this choice without pressure from anyone. I do believe, however, that abortion providers should have to inform parents in the case of a minor child seeking an abortion unless the pregnancy is the result of incest or rape within the family.

Education: It's time that NH defined "adequate education". The Republicans would like to eliminate the NH Supreme Court in order, partly, to circumvent this issue. This must be done in the next two years, or we will suffer the consequences. I also believe that public kindergarten is a right for all children, and must be provided for.

Health Care: My plan to provide health care for all citizens of the State of New Hampshire can work. It would require some revamping of the Public Assistance programs currently in place, and also cutting some of the fat from Administrative Government. But, it can be done. No one should be without health care in this country. We should be ashamed of the fact that we allow children to do without this. It is imperative that we start to put a plan into place NOW to make sure that all people have adequate health care.

Thank you for taking the time to research my opinions. I hope that you will cast your vote for me on November 7, and give me the chance to serve you well and proudly. If you have questions, please email me at Linda.StateRep@yahoo.com, and I will reply personally to all.