Campton Forward - Our Core Interests
Campton Forward supports policies, officials, and candidates who represent environmental responsibility - including a commitment to combatting climate change - universal healthcare coverage, civic equality and freedom, strong public education, and economic opportunity for all. We base our endorsements and support of candidates and measures on how they respond to and align with these key issues.
Our core interests include:
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Addressing Climate Change
Protecting our Environment
HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT
Covering Health Care in our Community and the Nation
Including All Types of Health Care
Reproductive Health Care and Education
Protection of Public Health Officials and Health Care Providers
Keep Politics Out of Health Care Leadership
Adaptable Public Health Care
Inclusive Public Health Care
CIVIC EQUALITY AND FREEDOM
Protecting All People
Supporting Immigrants and Refugees
STRONG PUBLIC EDUCATION
Funding Public and Higher Education
Education, Safety, and Guns
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
Supporting Income Equality
Fostering and Promoting our Local Economy
Our core interests include:
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Addressing Climate Change
Protecting our Environment
HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT
Covering Health Care in our Community and the Nation
Including All Types of Health Care
Reproductive Health Care and Education
Protection of Public Health Officials and Health Care Providers
Keep Politics Out of Health Care Leadership
Adaptable Public Health Care
Inclusive Public Health Care
CIVIC EQUALITY AND FREEDOM
Protecting All People
Supporting Immigrants and Refugees
STRONG PUBLIC EDUCATION
Funding Public and Higher Education
Education, Safety, and Guns
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
Supporting Income Equality
Fostering and Promoting our Local Economy
Environmental Responsibility
Addressing Climate Change
Climate change presents real and imminent threats to our future, even here in the White Mountains. The work of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change and the forecast of the Fourth National Climate Assessment report are clear: we must stop carbon emissions as soon as possible. We must push our representatives to enact policies that foster and invest in renewable green energy resources and infrastructure, energy efficiency, while eliminating our nation’s production and consumption of fossil fuels. We must also immediately deal with the consequences of climate change that are already upon us, those that will soon affect us, and those coming that will be overwhelmingly disastrous. In the White Mountains, these effects include the increase in the frequency and severity of storms, heat waves, and drought; resulting in more frequent and more destructive forest fires, the influx of tropical insects and diseases, and threats to our native plant, wildlife, and insect species, human health, property, transportation, and local agriculture.
Protecting our Environment
We support the work of local and state organizations that protect the public parks, recreation areas, and environment of the White Mountains National Forest and the Pemigewasset River Valley. We believe it is our duty and responsibility to preserve clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment for the future.
Further reading:
Climate change presents real and imminent threats to our future, even here in the White Mountains. The work of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change and the forecast of the Fourth National Climate Assessment report are clear: we must stop carbon emissions as soon as possible. We must push our representatives to enact policies that foster and invest in renewable green energy resources and infrastructure, energy efficiency, while eliminating our nation’s production and consumption of fossil fuels. We must also immediately deal with the consequences of climate change that are already upon us, those that will soon affect us, and those coming that will be overwhelmingly disastrous. In the White Mountains, these effects include the increase in the frequency and severity of storms, heat waves, and drought; resulting in more frequent and more destructive forest fires, the influx of tropical insects and diseases, and threats to our native plant, wildlife, and insect species, human health, property, transportation, and local agriculture.
Protecting our Environment
We support the work of local and state organizations that protect the public parks, recreation areas, and environment of the White Mountains National Forest and the Pemigewasset River Valley. We believe it is our duty and responsibility to preserve clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment for the future.
Further reading:
- INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE - The IPCC is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change
- IPCC SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORT - The Sixth Assessment Report addresses the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change
- FOURTH NATIONAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT - The NCA reports on the science of climate change and its impacts across the United States
- CAMPTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION - The CCC believes our community is sustained by its natural landscapes, clean water, forests and habitats for plants and animals
Health Care Is a Human Right
Health Care in our Community and the Nation
Health care is a basic human right and we support universal health care coverage. We support policies to improve access to quality health care in our rural community and others like it.
Including All Types of Health Care
Quality health care must include medical, vision, oral and mental health care as well as a comprehensive approach to ending the deadly opioid crisis that faces our state. The expansion of prevention and treatment programs is vital to addressing this crisis.
Reproductive Health Care and Education
We support access to the full range of reproductive health care and education, which includes contraception and abortion care, in a manner that is respectful, private, safe, and free from government interference in private medical decisions.
Protection of Public Health Officials and Health Care Providers
We support measures taken to guarantee the safety of health care officials, providers and their patients. We oppose any legislation that places a bounty on the act of providing and/or supporting health care. We oppose legislation that interferes with the provision of health care.
Keep Politics Out of Health Care Leadership
We assert that scientific and medical expertise be the foundation of the nonpartisan selection of public health and professional medical board members.
Adaptable Public Health Care
We endorse the strengthening of county and state health systems to meet the challenges of future pandemics, of serious threats to general health caused by climate change, and of the special needs of refugees and immigrants fleeing from physical and psychological trauma.
Inclusive Public Health Care
We oppose public health legislation which threatens discrimination against the poor, elderly, transgendered and any other group so targeted.
Further reading:
Health care is a basic human right and we support universal health care coverage. We support policies to improve access to quality health care in our rural community and others like it.
Including All Types of Health Care
Quality health care must include medical, vision, oral and mental health care as well as a comprehensive approach to ending the deadly opioid crisis that faces our state. The expansion of prevention and treatment programs is vital to addressing this crisis.
Reproductive Health Care and Education
We support access to the full range of reproductive health care and education, which includes contraception and abortion care, in a manner that is respectful, private, safe, and free from government interference in private medical decisions.
Protection of Public Health Officials and Health Care Providers
We support measures taken to guarantee the safety of health care officials, providers and their patients. We oppose any legislation that places a bounty on the act of providing and/or supporting health care. We oppose legislation that interferes with the provision of health care.
Keep Politics Out of Health Care Leadership
We assert that scientific and medical expertise be the foundation of the nonpartisan selection of public health and professional medical board members.
Adaptable Public Health Care
We endorse the strengthening of county and state health systems to meet the challenges of future pandemics, of serious threats to general health caused by climate change, and of the special needs of refugees and immigrants fleeing from physical and psychological trauma.
Inclusive Public Health Care
We oppose public health legislation which threatens discrimination against the poor, elderly, transgendered and any other group so targeted.
Further reading:
- HEALTHCARE-NOW - HC-N fights for a national single-payer healthcare system because access to healthcare is basic to human dignity
- PLANNED PARENTHOOD - PP promotes a commonsense approach to women’s health and well-being, based on respect for each individual’s right to make informed, independent decisions about health, sex, and family planning
- NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS - NAMI NH is a grassroots organization working to improve the lives of all people affected by mental illness and suicide through support, education and advocacy
Civic Equality and Freedom
Protecting All People
We support the constitutional guarantee of equal protection and believe that everyone should be free from discrimination in all areas of our society including employment, housing, education, health care, our justice system, and in accessing all areas of public accommodations. We support all people regardless of race, religious beliefs, disability, immigration status, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression (LGBTQ+).
Supporting Immigrants and Refugees
We believe immigration is an opportunity for growth. We believe diversity is our strength; and investing in it makes us stronger and more welcoming to newcomers and business. We object to the use of state funds and state authorities to enforce federal immigration laws seen in the immigration checkpoints on I-93 and the collaboration of local police with Border Patrol.
Further reading:
We support the constitutional guarantee of equal protection and believe that everyone should be free from discrimination in all areas of our society including employment, housing, education, health care, our justice system, and in accessing all areas of public accommodations. We support all people regardless of race, religious beliefs, disability, immigration status, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression (LGBTQ+).
Supporting Immigrants and Refugees
We believe immigration is an opportunity for growth. We believe diversity is our strength; and investing in it makes us stronger and more welcoming to newcomers and business. We object to the use of state funds and state authorities to enforce federal immigration laws seen in the immigration checkpoints on I-93 and the collaboration of local police with Border Patrol.
Further reading:
- ACLU OF NEW HAMPSHIRE - ACLU-NH is dedicated to preserving the individual rights and liberties guaranteed in the Constitution
- LAMBDA LEGAL - Lambda conducts impact litigation, education and public policy work to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of LGBT people and everyone living with HIV
- GRANITE STATE ORGANIZING PROJECT - GSOP brings people together to envision bottom up effective, solutions to community concerns
Strong Public Education
Funding Public and Higher Education
Public education is a founding element of our free and democratic society. We believe public funds should only support public schools, as per the New Hampshire state constitution. We reject all efforts to privatize public education. We believe all students have the right to a quality education, from early childhood through post-secondary college or technical training without the burden of excessive debt. We support policies to equalize education funding and eliminate the gap for children across income levels. We support lowering in-state tuition costs by responsibly funding our public community colleges and universities and the long-term goal of free university education for all, paid for through public funds, so that students may graduate without crushing debt.
Education, Safety, and Guns
We believe children and teachers have the right to be safe in school. We support enforced anti-bullying policies and laws. We support gun-free schools. We will fight any attempts to arm teachers or militarize schools under the pretense of school safety. We support common-sense gun ownership, which includes background checks and an end to civilian use of, and commerce in, military-style semi-automatic weapons, bump stocks and other devices that convert semi-automatic weapons into weapons with automatic function.
Further reading:
Public education is a founding element of our free and democratic society. We believe public funds should only support public schools, as per the New Hampshire state constitution. We reject all efforts to privatize public education. We believe all students have the right to a quality education, from early childhood through post-secondary college or technical training without the burden of excessive debt. We support policies to equalize education funding and eliminate the gap for children across income levels. We support lowering in-state tuition costs by responsibly funding our public community colleges and universities and the long-term goal of free university education for all, paid for through public funds, so that students may graduate without crushing debt.
Education, Safety, and Guns
We believe children and teachers have the right to be safe in school. We support enforced anti-bullying policies and laws. We support gun-free schools. We will fight any attempts to arm teachers or militarize schools under the pretense of school safety. We support common-sense gun ownership, which includes background checks and an end to civilian use of, and commerce in, military-style semi-automatic weapons, bump stocks and other devices that convert semi-automatic weapons into weapons with automatic function.
Further reading:
- EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY - Everytown is a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities
Economic Opportunity
Supporting Income Equality
The growing wage gap and resulting struggle of middle-class workers to provide for the needs of their families undermine our community. We believe that all public and private sector workers are entitled to fair, competitive wages and that the minimum wage should be a livable wage. We will fight for the rights of women and minorities in all aspects of society, including the workplace, and in equal pay for equal work. We support policies that support and protect the rights of workers. We support the rights of all public and private sector workers to organize and form unions in order to collectively bargain for livable wages, fair benefits, and safe working conditions. We oppose efforts to undermine these rights to collectively bargain, especially so-called “Right to Work” legislation and efforts to reduce union membership. We believe that the promises of pensions should be upheld and not infringed. Every person should be able to retire and live in retirement with dignity and good healthcare.
Fostering and Promoting our Local Economy
We believe our town government can serve a vital role in creating a vibrant community with a robust business environment and economic opportunity for all. We support policies that promote business development and local jobs through endeavors from renewable energy to family farming.
We support development policies that:
Further reading:
The growing wage gap and resulting struggle of middle-class workers to provide for the needs of their families undermine our community. We believe that all public and private sector workers are entitled to fair, competitive wages and that the minimum wage should be a livable wage. We will fight for the rights of women and minorities in all aspects of society, including the workplace, and in equal pay for equal work. We support policies that support and protect the rights of workers. We support the rights of all public and private sector workers to organize and form unions in order to collectively bargain for livable wages, fair benefits, and safe working conditions. We oppose efforts to undermine these rights to collectively bargain, especially so-called “Right to Work” legislation and efforts to reduce union membership. We believe that the promises of pensions should be upheld and not infringed. Every person should be able to retire and live in retirement with dignity and good healthcare.
Fostering and Promoting our Local Economy
We believe our town government can serve a vital role in creating a vibrant community with a robust business environment and economic opportunity for all. We support policies that promote business development and local jobs through endeavors from renewable energy to family farming.
We support development policies that:
- Foster a vital, resilient, and sustainable local economy
- Nurture the growth of larger-scale local business, which will help stabilize the town’s tax base
- Build upon existing seasonal businesses and encourage new sectors to develop
- Promote local, independent businesses located in Campton and our neighboring towns, which generate income for local residents, over those which extract profits to far-away corporate headquarters
- Maintain and expand Campton’s small town ambiance and appeal
Further reading:
- NORTH COUNTRY COUNCIL - The NCC advises local governments promoting coordinated planning, orderly growth, efficient land use, transportation access, and environmental protection
