Stella Tremblay, Boston Bombing Conspiracy Theorist, Serves In Nonsensical New Hampshire Legislature

New Hampshire Is Stuck With Bombing Conspiracy Theorist Because Of Nonsensical State Legislature
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State Capitol of New Hampshire, Concord

Tuesday, were introduced to New Hampshire state Rep. Stella Tremblay, the big Alex Jones/Glenn Beck fan in her state's House of Representatives who said the Boston Marathon bombing was an "inside job," and who is advised by a man named David Johnson, who apparently believes that "the United States is still subject to Lincoln's declaration of martial law and is now under the control of Queen Elizabeth II."

I had some exasperated things to say about the situation on HuffPost Live last night, and as soon as I'd signed off, my colleague John Celock -- who has forgotten more things about America's state legislatures than I shall ever know -- gave me the skinny as to how Stella Tremblay became a thing that was happening in America: the New Hampshire House of Representatives has 400 members. "Double-you tee effing eff!" I replied, because huh? The Virginia House of Delegates, by contrast, has a mere 100 members. And, oh yeah, the actual U.S. House of Representatives has 435 voting members.

These two sentences from the Wikipedia entry on the New Hampshire House of Reps is sufficient to put the fear in you: "On average, each legislator represents about 3,300 residents. If the same level of representation were present in the U.S. Congress, that body would have approximately 99,000 members, according to current population estimates."

On top of that, Celock told me that members of this august body receive a mere $100 a year for their participation, which means that the only people who are likely to seek these offices are people who are just beginning their political careers, people who are winding down their political careers, and people who have literally nothing better to do than run for these seats. With a system designed like this, it can't not feature a nutter like Tremblay.

So, anyone who is truly concerned about getting Stella Tremblay out of office would be well served to stop thinking about running a better candidate in "Rockingham 4," and instead concentrate on making New Hampshire's legislative body a lot less bonkers.

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not?]

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Before You Go

Tea Party Statements
'2nd Amendment Remedies'(01 of06)
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During Nevada's 2010 Senate election, an audio clip surfaced of Sharron Angle raising "Second Amendment remedies" as a viable solution to take when "government becomes out of control."The Tea Party-backed hopeful ultimately proved unsuccessful in her campaign to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. (credit:Getty)
'I Do Not Wear High Heels'(02 of06)
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Ken Buck, a Tea Party-backed contender who ultimately fell short in his bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet in Colorado, made headlines in 2010 when he quipped that people should vote for him "because I do not wear high heels."
'I Am Not A Witch'(03 of06)
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Christine O'Donnell captured headlines in 2010 with a now-infamous campaign ad in which she tells voters, "I'm not a witch." She says, "I'm nothing you've heard. I'm you."O'Donnell was defeated in her campaign for Senate in Delaware by Democratic Sen. Chris Coons. (credit:Getty)
Scientists For Creationism?(04 of06)
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Rep. Michele Bachmann said in October of 2006, "There are hundreds and hundreds of scientists, many of them holding Nobel Prizes, who believe in intelligent design." (credit:AP)
Democrats = Communists?(05 of06)
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HuffPost's Jen Bendery reported in April of this year:
As many as 80 House Democrats are communists, according to Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.).West warned constituents at a Tuesday town hall event that he's "heard" that dozens of his Democratic colleagues in the House are members of the Communist Party, the Palm Beach Post reported. There are currently 190 House Democrats.West spokeswoman Angela Melvin later defended West's comments -- and clarified to whom West was referring."The Congressman was referring to the 76 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The Communist Party has publicly referred to the Progressive Caucus as its allies. The Progressive Caucus speaks for itself. These individuals certainly aren't proponents of free markets or individual economic freedom," Melvin said in a statement to The Huffington Post.
(credit:AP)
Welfare Prison Dorms?(06 of06)
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The AP reported in August of 2010 on then-New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino:
Throughout his campaign, Paladino has criticized New York's rich menu of social service benefits, which he says encourages [undocumented] immigrants and needy people to live in the state. He has promised a 20 percent reduction in the state budget and a 10 percent income tax cut if elected.Asked at the meeting how he would achieve those savings, Paladino laid out several plans that included converting underused state prisons into centers that would house welfare recipients. There, they would do work for the state - "military service, in some cases park service, in other cases public works service," he said - while prison guards would be retrained to work as counselors."Instead of handing out the welfare checks, we'll teach people how to earn their check. We'll teach them personal hygiene ... the personal things they don't get when they come from dysfunctional homes," Paladino said....Paladino told The Associated Press the dormitory living would be voluntary, not mandatory, and would give welfare recipients an opportunity to take public, state-sponsored jobs far from home."These are beautiful properties with basketball courts, bathroom facilities, toilet facilities. Many young people would love to get the hell out of cities," Paladino he said.He also defended his hygiene remarks, saying he had trained inner-city troops in the Army and knows their needs."You have to teach them basic things - taking care of themselves, physical fitness. In their dysfunctional environment, they never learned these things," he said.