Short takes . . . .

1) The New York Times reports that Republicans running for election or re-election to the US House of representatives don’t need to be concerned about the Hispanic vote. That’s because they don’t need them. Geography and the population distribution have taken care of that issue. And so — while GOP strategists warn that alienating Hispanics will prove costly in the 2016 presidential election — local Republican in many districts candidates are basing their hopes of why we have to keep immigrants (they mean mostly Hispanics from Mexico and other Latin American nations) out with restrictive new laws and building that fence higher and longer.

We get some of that even in New Hampshire, which is hardly beset by immigration issues Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown, the truck-driving former losing politician candidate from Massachusetts, keeps urging that we must “Save the Borders.” Perhaps he means keep out anyone from Massachusetts? Or Vermont? Not sure. Whatever, it’s a cry that makes little sense when it serves in place of sensible, considered immigration reform. Shame on Scott.

2) The Republican’s ludicrous demand for a travel ban from West African nations to save American from Ebola has been pretty much abandoned now. I wonder if the publisher of the Manchester Union-Leader here in NH has realized that yet and so altered his position to fit into the newly stated position of the Republican party (which wants travel visas instead of a ban)? The notion of a travel ban was always far-fetched and part of the GOP’s lunacy over Ebola. (Can we calmly remember that as of today we have one death and two reported cases in the United States?).

Certainly there has been a bungled response to Ebola in several areas, at the state, local and federal levels. But we are nor unsafe. And comments we read the other day from a woman who lives Louisiana expressing fear because she’s only 300 miles from Dallas is unbelievable. Sort of like Union-Leader editorials.

3) Speaking of idiots, consider Rep. Steve Vaillancourt, who is — regrettably — a state representative in our friendly little state. He was quoted the other day as calling DemocraticCongresswoman Annie Kuster is “ugly as sin.” Yep, not a misogynistic bone in his body, eh? and apparently not much in his brain. His comment was presumably aimed at helping Kuster’s opponent, Marilinda Garcia, who promptly and to her credit denounced Vaillancourt’s words.

Vaillancourt, of course is something of a creep. Several years ago he gave the Nazi salute in the chamber of the state house. But here’s what worse: have you taken a look at Vaillancourt’s photos? They show a fat, balding, baggy-eyed, middle-aged man whose smile resembles nothing as much as a sleazy used car salesman. I’d call it ugly as sin except that I don’t want to appear sexist.