Sawin Millet has been a career Washington and Augusta, Republican politician since at least 1968. He hasn't had an independent thought since he was born. Paul LePage has neither the experience, temperament, or knowledge to run anything beyond a junk cart. What are these independent values that Len Greaney shares with them.
He says he wants to move the state forward after "30 years of decline". Well its true the shoe companies have disappeared along with many of the jobs in the forest products industry, but Maine's per capita income has risen faster in those 30 years than the national average. The whys are obvious. The Party Mr. Greansey is now going to support came back in power 30 years ago with the philosophy it now holds - destroy the middle class. That's you and I if you didn't notice. George Bush 41 called it voodoo economics or soak the working people. Just last week, Republicans in Washington prevented the repeal of tax incentives corporations use to move jobs overseas. Mr. LePage who has proved himself a liar, cheat, and tax evader and many of us suspect a draft dodger would continue this Republican tradition.
First, Dr. Aniel may have called Rumford "cancer valley". What I remember is Dr. Martin called it cancer valley. I also remember a "preliminary" study was done that showed an epidemic of cancer in the Rumford Valley. Not to surprisingly the sample was declared too small so the study was expanded to include up-wind towns like Andover and miraculously cancer all but disappeared. That is not to suggest that Dr. Aniel is credible. He isn't. But he should be listened to and his ideas analyzed with a critical eye.
Second, to Commonsense a "special interest" is anyone he disagrees with. To me a special interest is one that will financially gain by lobbying for some governmental action. That fits First Wind not private citizens. Private citizens are protecting their property rights.
Third, when someone proposes a significant change like building a new industrial plant, they are responsible to prove that either no harm will be done or that the affected people are compensated for the harm done. We have heard nothing from First Wind and others. They haven't participated in meetings. They haven't offered any answers. They have not shown that their actions are safe. Only vague claims of wonderful tax cuts (bribes) cross their lips and even less specific "its only noise".
Until we have scientifically valid answers and proof that these industrial wind farms are perfectly safe, the only sane vote is NO on November 2nd.
Too bad that some people are this ignorant. LePage as Major of Waterville had a ceremonial position. He's an expert in one thing only - Marden's. He expressed his ignorance on road repair by answering a reporters question about the backlog of road repairs by saying that the problems were solely caused by "bloated bureaucracy". The bloated bureaucracy disappeared years ago with the Republican recession.
By Jalbrecht1, unverified — Mon, 09/27/2010 - 01:59
People are undecided in this race? Mike Michaud Has done a great job in Augusta and Washington. Mr. Levesque is slavishly devoted to a false ideology that will land America as a third world country. Free us from the Angle, O'donnells, and Levesques, vote for sound responsible leadership - Mike Michaud.
organization headed by a black man so it must be ignored. Press release from the Republican Governors Association.
The tax hike is a republican tax hike. They put the language into the law sunsetting the Bush tax cuts. The Obama administration has proposed extending the cuts up to $250,000 a year in income. I don't know many retirees and seniors making more than $250,000/yr. Do you? Since the Republican voodoo economic theories hold that a zero tax rate is best, I can't be surprised by this press release. But for the rest of us who aren't wall street bankers we must ask why are the Republicans now opposed to extending their own policy.
LePage opposes abortion apparently without exception. We don't know if he opposes birth control as well, but that may be behind his platform plank that parents and only parents make medical decisions for their children.
"A self-made man whose word is his bond". Do you believe that. He's spent most of this campaign lying. 6 days 6 different explanations for why his wife falsely claimed permanent residency in Florida and not a mention of the roughly $64,000 he saved in tuition and costs at FSU (no explanation of why he moved all his assets to his wife).
"....his views on welfare, education, energy and the economy would be a positive change of direction for Maine." Mr. Matthews may agree with LePage's bizarre beliefs, but they certainly won't take Maine in a positive direction. Well, maybe a positively awful direction. He wants to end general purpose aid to education which will raise taxes in rural Maine by 300+% and cut taxes in cities like Waterville; drill for oil in the Gulf of Maine, build nuclear power plants, eliminate the Bureau of Environmental Protection, eliminate business regulation. Read his platform on the GOP website.
I've been calling folks for weeks on this election. If they are undecided, many say its between Libby and Cutler.
LePage is far tooooo extreme. Death Penalty, Off-shore oil drilling, Nuclear power, eliminate the Department of Education, go back to local control of education as defined in the Maine State Constitution (no state aide), go back to traditional family (no government "intervention" meaning child abuse will increase, no "In Loco Parentis"), the list just gets longer. His program helps the cities in Maine like Waterville and hurts rural Maine.
Cutler, I don't know how a lobbyist for the Chinese Communist Goverment can help Maine. Rich, Cape Elizabeth lawyer, who apparently wants a trophy for his mantle. A vote for Cutler is a vote for LePage according to the New York times.
Moody, no experience. Why does every businessman who has made a little money think they can buy an election. How does anyone really know his views. No record.
Mitchell. Experience. Great record. Long service to Maine. Fresh ideas. She identifies with the average working Mainer. She doesn't live in Cape Elizabeth. She doesn't exaggerate she record.
Bush prevented enforcement of US regulations. The failure to enforce those regulations be they at the SEC that ignored the Madoff ponsi scheme or the failure to clean up the MMS scandal that let BP ignore the to follow minimal safety at its wells in the gulf were the direct cause of the gulf disaster and belong to the Bush Administration.
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have problems not because they caused the financial meltdown but as a result of the financial meltdown. Given that you buy Republican lies its hopeless to try and educate you. The rest of us know that you just buy propaganda and can't think for yourself.
SonofTron asked the question is the economy better under Obama or Bush. The answer is an unequivocal - Obama. In 2008 the economy was headed for depression. Job losses were accelerating toward a million a month, credit was frozen, bankruptcies, and foreclosures were increasing, profits were down, deflation loomed as a real possibility. Had Bush continued in the Presidentcy into 2009 50,000,000 million Americans would have been unemployed, tent cities would have sprouted up across the country, my company would have gone into bankruptcy. Obama stopped the slide into the abyss and stablized the economy.
Now as you know employment is a trailing economic indictator. It took the economy at excellent growth rates under Clinton 8 years to reduce unemployment from the first Bush recession from 8+ to 4.3%. It will take 8 years or more to bring unemployment down from this Bush Great Recession.
Of course, Republicans don't want a solution. They want to extend the recession as long as they can to blame democrats for what they, the Republican Party, caused. They are willing to sacrifice America, its standing in the world, and our future to gain 10 seats in the house of representatives. Pathetic losers.
they knew their visa status. They knew when it would expire. There's much more to this story than this letter.
And the bias of the author is obvious in this statement: "...12 million illegal immigrants in this country, sucking the schools and hospitals and the welfare coffers of many cities and states dry." That's not true at all. Illegal immigrants pay taxes too.
Please cut welfare for the poor but give it to a $4 billion corporation.
The failure of federal regulation resulted in the 2007 Bush Recession that has put 8.4 million people out of work and the Gusher in the Gulf of Mexico. Now is the time to increase regulation, end the revolving door between regulatory agencies and the corporations they regulate, and to collect taxes from corporations like Exxon-Mobil that pay none.
The governor of NJ has a $20 billion budget gap in next years budget and is more likely to be impeached than re-elected. The only states doing well are N & S Dakota and Texas (until next year when its $20+ budget gap opens up). All are oil or gas producing states. Now if you have discovered oil or gas under commerce street in Portland then our problem is solved. Source: Stateline.org
When the Chamber of Commerce corporations start spending some of the $1.8 tillion slush fund they so far have refused to spend because it would help democratic prospects in November.
Republican presidents have generated 12 of the $13+ trillion national debt largely to prevent Democratic Presidents from meeting the nation's needs. $6 trillion by George Bush alone. Now Republican legislators are playing Russian roullete with the national recovery all so a confused and inattentive public will give them a few more seats in the House so they can wreck the economy again.
Will LePage slash social spending. Well here's what is says. "My three top reform prioritites are general assisteance (welfare), government regulations, and education." "Our entire welfare system is designed to breed dependency." Source: Mr. LePage's campaign website. Oh it is. Then we have nothing to fear because welfare is a monumental failure because people rarely stay on welfare for a year unless they are permanently disabled or children.
Most disturbing is this comment from Mr. LePage's positions website - "recipients with disabilities would be required to perform community services within the scope of their respective abilities." I visited Mississippi some years back and got a very good view of what Republicans mean by "respective abilities". I visited "workshops", public run businesses (apparently not socialism), that contract work with for-profit companies where disabled folks are forced to work to get public assistance. All disabled people. Those missing one or more limbs; mentally unstable, can't walk, even quadripelgics. Have you ever watched a quadripelgic try to screw two metal plates together holding the screwdriver in his teeth. I did. It was within his respective abilities.
I've read these stories accusing Earth First of spiking trees. It would totally contradict their methods and philosophy. I've agree with queenhoneeybee. I've never read of ayone ever being hurt by a "spiked" tree. All I've seen is lumbermen showing reporters spike trees and then blaming Earth First. I doubt they are involved.
That said, they are radicals. That is they believe that their passion should supercede reason. Trees are not more important than people. The Earth is not first. People are.
Politics confronts us everyday in many different ways. We get one of these ignorant letters every year from someone ignorant of politics and their responsibilities. I congradulate anyone even supporters of LePage who venture out to inform and educate their neighbors to the issues at hand.
The last thing this state needs is a businessman leading it. Screw the consumer will become screw the poor and middle class.
And this businessman has very perculiar ideas like encouraging child abuse, giving parents absolute, sole and unrestricted authority over their children who will have no rights and government no authority to intervene in cases of abuse. He wants to teach students that 6000 years ago children rode on the backs of dinosaurs. He wants to close the Federal Reserve, the Department of Education, the Deptment of Commerce and he wants to make the 2007 recession permanent by following the principles of the Austrian School of economics. That will all help us a lot.
Your comments would make more sense if they weren't contradicted by the facts every time you write one. If fiscal responsibility is your issue then you have to vote democratic this year. What' the factual record. Baldacci did not pay lip service to listen to the people on budget issues. Every budget since the defeat of TABOR I has met all the criterion of TABOR I. Every budget including those before the Bush recession of 2007. What's the Republican record. Well in Maine they have none other than opposing a $55,000,000 tax cut. So nationally, Bush added $6 trillion to the deficit. He promoted and did not pay for $2.1 trillion in tax cuts that provided not a penny of additional federal revenue or economic growth. Two wars both off-budget and not paid for. Medicare Part D, $800 billion not paid for. You can go on and on because he heard Cheney's mantra "The deficit doesn't matter". Now that's real fiscal responsibility.
So if the Democrats are fiscally responsible and the are and if Republicans are fiscally irresponsible and they have been during my life time. And fiscal responsibility is your issue then there must be some other hidden reason why you turned against our constitution and joined the party of political lunacy.
I bet you went down to the town hall to change you registration whispering "me, Its all about me"
By the way, investigations into ACORN have all found that the allegations against them were all false. Three investigations into the so called ClimateGate found all the allegations false. Republicans and truth can't appear in the same sentence.
Sexual development is very complex. The interactions of chemicals is sometimes random. So it is easy to understand that such a process running for 10-16 years does not produce one result. Rather it produces a range of results. Genetics now confirms that homosexuals are the natural result of that process just as heterosexuals with a wide range of orientations, transsexuals, and other orientations.
In the 1700's Immanuel Kant proposed a procedure for determining if an action was ethical or not. He wrote - imagine that everyone took the action you intend. If the result would be good, then take your action. If the results are bad, the action is unethical. Would a 400 ft wind turbine on every hill in Maine have good results or bad. I conclude that the result would be bad for tourism, forests, mountains, birds, wildlife, and people who make a living from any of the above or people living near the turbines. This unconstrained wind development is bad for Maine. But well planned development in limited areas where the downside is minimal and the upside significant might be possible. But that can't be done town by town. Has to be done statewide. And if its not going to be done, then no wind turbines in Dixfield.
All these projections about what will happen are like the editorial says based on faulty premises. But this much is clear. Single-payer remains the only solution that can cut costs. Insurance companies with anti-trust protecction can charge anything. The problem is not government; its insurance, drug, and hospital companies.
This is not correct - "First is the requirement to get health insurance, it's not an option, either enroll or pay at tax time." The Commissioner of the IRS testified before Congress that the IRS has no authority and no mechanism to collect fines from people who do not enroll.
Both of my comments are absolutely consistent. You small governmen types can't explain to anyone where this notion came from. As you guys are quite happy to say its not in the Constitution. Well I can. It came from Thomas Jefferson, an anti-federalist that had nothing good to say about the Constittion (He wrote Madison that the Constitution was a mistake, that they only had to add 3 or 4 lines to the Articles of Confederation and it would have been good.). If small government was the goal then why did the founders explicitly state that they had to re-write the Articles to allow the new government to collect taxes, provide for the national defense, and provide for the national economy.
This has to be the most bizarre letter to appear in the Sun-Journal.
"Concerning blasphemy and swearing — I doubt the original Constitution OK'd such bad behavior.
I believe people make up their own constitution to mean what they want, for their convenience."
People, conservatives, do make up their own constitution just as Gabrielle has.
The orginial Constitution did not deal with nor can it be interpreted as dealing with blasphemy and swearing. Only the 1st Amendment is at all relevant and it permits all speach except threatening speech under which blasphemy does not fall. So she has no reason to doubt. The Constitution permits blasphemy.
But this letter illustrates how religious folks make up their own Constitution, how they have not respect for the Constitution, and how they know nothing about it.
I can almost buy Lenny's comment except he to wanders off into very fuzzy territory. Patriotism has many ethical problems. By its nature it implies a selective ethical preference for people from one's country. Patriotism is often conflated with nationalism even exceptionalism. Giving a country the idea that it can attack other countries to "civilize them", to bring them the benefits of the attacker's superiority. or because it is the attacker's "manifest destiny".
I would suggest this formula - Patriotism is a love and devotion to one's country based on its Constition and laws while committed to making it better for all those who live in the country. Patiotism should be inward looking.
Now if we could only agree on what the Constitution and Laws are or what the founding documents are?
I'll take a shot. Founding documents are the Constitution, minutes of the ratification Conventions, The Federalist and anti-federalist papers (but it must be acknowledged that these are political arguments that may not reflect the authors true views), articles and letters written about the Constitution or ratification, amendments to the Constitution, SCOTUS decisions and dissents throughout our history.
I like the idea, but I would have to be assured that not one penny of taxpayer money went correct problems like an oil spill that is caused by the actions of any corporation.
A wise Federal Judge taking the only action the law and the Constitution dictates. That DOMA violates the equal protection amendment is obvious. That prohibitions against same-sex marriage violates the equal protection amendment is equally obvious. No rational justification exists to deny same-sex marriages. Nothing supports the continued denial of equal rights for gays except prejudice as the courts have repeatedly found.
First, the 138 is a very meaningful number. But I do not favor abolition of the Death Sentence. I would though reserve it for only the most extreme crimes.
But the 138 means nothing in this discussion. George Bush was proud to say that no innocent person had ever been executed while he was governor of Texas. Well the reason is Texas doesn't allow new DNA tests post-conviction. Doesn't really allow appeals. So the number in Texas should be very low or zero even though groups like the Innocents Project have identified many guestionable convictions.
Just because 138 people have been proved to be innocent doesn't mean they have identified all the innocent people among those 3,000+
Story today that a new law was signed by the Govenor of Illinois requiring police to test all rape kits within 6 months of receiving them. Human Rights Watch reported that since 1995 about 20% of rape kits in possession of the police had been tested. Meaning that people were tried based on eye witness identification which is notoriously unreliable and other physical evidence in 80% of these cases. Undoubtedly many innocent people were convicted and many guilty people were found innocent. Source: Stateline.org which is where I get most of my imformation on current issues.
News reports from Indiana may have been Illinois where the Governor ordered a halt to executions because DNA tests proved that a prisoner on Death Row was innocent. After all death row inmates were tested (where DNA was available and would have been material to the case), half of the inmates tested were found to be innocent.
1988, the FBI Director Sessions ordered that DNA tests be run on suspects (these were people who had been arrested and indicted for the crimes but not tried) in capital crimes. More than a third were proved to be innocent.
News reports from Texas. The San Antonio police department announced that they were changing their identification procedures because they found that a majority of the eye witness identifications of perpetrators were wrong.
I forget the year, but the FBI Forensic Lab admitted that they had knowing;y given false testimony in over 3000 criminal cases.
I could go on and on.
Candiceanne is at it again. "Boarded up condemd building after builing, houses falling down around the occupants, about the highest unemployment in the country." Where did you get this doom and gloom stuff. I know your a Maine-hater, but gees you could at least try to make your arguments somewhat plausible. Maine's unemployment rate is 8.4% well below the national average of 9.4%. I've seen a lot worse communities in Philadelphia where some districts do have building after building condemed and falling apart.
But yes the court system is a failure not just in Maine but natioally. Roughly half of death row imates are proven to be innocent. If they are, a much higher percentage of none capital criminals are also innocent. The whole system based on competition is dysfunctional and must be rebuilt on some other basis.
"Indeed, self defense is about as basic a right as we have in this country, enshrined by the founders in the Second Amendment to the Constitution." No it isn't. During the ratifying conventions many of these arguments were brought up to support the right to bear arms. All the amendments that used these arguments including self-defense were defeated. The 2nd Amendment specifically refers to the attempt by the British to confiscate colonial arms in Boston and Lexington and Concord. Nothing else.
But self-defense is an inherent human right. To exercise that right one must have access to the means to protect one self. The right to bear arms is now definitively an individual right. That the two should be merged is all to the good. The observations of this editorial are meaningless
As the Iowa Supreme Court documented only bigotry motivates opposition to same-sex marriage. So it can't be debated. Only one side will participate in the debate. We saw with the recent anti-human rights campaign which argued that same-sex marriage would let gays into the schools. Same-sex marriage had nothing to do with schools. The Maine Human Rights Act years ago allowed gays in the schools.
The 2010 Republican Platform was written by LePage aides. Its his platform. But instead of talking about his beliefs and where he wants to take the state he instead wants to hide his positions and views. Sharron Angle, Rand Paul and a host of other tea party candidates are doing the same thing. They are stealth candidates. Their strategy was developed and most promenently used by the Christian Conservatives who ran for the Dover,Pa school board claiming to be mainstream candidates and denying that they had any agenda. Then they tried to get creationism taught in science class.
His opponents who know him by his works have every right to expose his real beliefs and the real views. Paul LePage is Chadler Woodcock's Chandler Woodcock.
You can't sell this "Republicans are better for the economy nonsense". Every modern recession has occurred under the Republican's watch except 2000 and that was caused by the Republican Fed policies followed by Alan Greenspan devotee of Ayn Rand. Every recession except 1973-75 was caused by Republican policies of small federal government, low taxes, low spending, weak regulation, and balanced budget. I was reading over the weekend, Empire of Liberty by Gordon Wood. The 1819 recession and the depression of 1837 were caused by those very same policies. And they were before the rise of capitalism. Republican economics has never worked for the "general welfare" of the country.
Barb you can't sell that foolishness. The recovery effort from 1933-1937 pulled the US out of depression and restored growth and productivity. Then Roosevelt made the biggest mistake of his Presidency (he was after all a rich old wealthy conservative). He cut back on the recovey programs (some becaue of the decisions of the pro-business anti-people SCOTUS) which produced the 1937-38 recession. Obama on the other hand had to accept a stimulus package less than 1/2 the size required. Leading economists said at the time that such a small stimulus package would make a double-dip recession a real possibility. Well we may be facing that now. The cost of the recession was some $47 trillion in assets' value. What would spending 1/2 trillion now matter is it saved us from losing many trillions more next year. This recession proves that increased federal spending in times of recession stops developing depressions and that cuts in Federal spending aggravates depressions. So you as ususal have it backwards.
By jalbrecht1, unverified — Tue, 07/06/2010 - 12:41
The Editorial board makes it sound so simple. Little real scientific information is out there. What is makes it almost clear that wind power in the western mountains of Maine will have very little positive impact on energy generation. But wind power development in western Maine will have a huge impact on the environment, wildlife, human populations, and tourism. If Wind Power in the Western Mountains were economically feasible, then why does it require huge Federal and state Government subsidies and TIF's.
Most of all I object to the anarchy out there. Any and every mountain can become the target of this development with little regulation. Who decides which ones - the promoters. Towns are ill equiped to challenge these projects. Where is the planning?
I too disagree with your numbers. Its much worse than you represent. Reagen, Bush I, and Bush II account for over $12 trillion on new debt out of the $13.1 total (You didn't include the 8.4 million jobs lost in the Bush II recession also). Every recession since the second world war has been caused by Republicans' economic policies and occurred under Republican Presidents. One exception 1973 can't be blamed on Nixon's policies except in a very indirect way. 1981 was intentional caused by Paul Volker in the FED but might have been the best policy option. But your arguments are right on the money. Five minutes in the 2010 Almanac or a few more on google. Proves that the Republicans are the party of job destuction, slow growth, recession, and economic failure. Every Democratic President after Roosevelt has created more economic growth than every Republican President. Exception JFK whose term began in the 1959 Eisenhower Recession and ended too shortly.
Democrats are the real fiscal conservatives and Republicans the spend thifts. But the Republicans can re-claim their title. All they have to do is implement the cuts they have proposed. Have them cost them out. 50%, 40% of the Federal budget. I want to see them sell that.
As usual here we have Conservatives telling us the exact opposite of the truth. Some years ago, communities members asked a School Board, I was a member of, to bar pregnant girls from school and after they had the children to bar the children from school. A board member formerly from Conn. proposed that we facilitate bringing those girls and their babies into the School. She said that an infant in a girls arms was the best birth control device they had ever encountered. Births to girls in her district in Conn. fell by 95% after the program was implemented.
I commend Diane Brown for her great work.
The issue is timimg and yes Obama wanted a 20% cut in debt. Until we are securely out of the recession you want to increase government spending, but when is secure. The Obama Administration announce today that they believe that private spending will begin to increase and that Federal spending can start to be cut. I disagree. Its too soon. We should wait until next year when unemployment begins to fall. We don't want to create another recession by cut spending now. But the Obama administration has started cutting spending even before the debt commission report.
You guys can't stand it that Democrats are the fiscal conservatives. But the Tea Partiers know it although they also can't admit it. They left the Republican Party because of Bush's orgy of spending that created $6 tillion in new debt.
Ok. You have proved that you are a Conservative. You will not admit you are wrong nor will you answer a question. So I'll try one more time. Didn't the framers of the Constitution build a strong central government with authority to control the economy and defend the nation as its primary responsibilities? Yes or No. Didn't the supporters of the Constitution known as Federalist defeat the opponents known as anti-federalists and ratify said Constitution? And aren't your pretentions about a weak central government not the views of the founders but your personal views?
but not implementation with huge subsidies that provide a profit before the turbines are installed. Wind has huge problems.
But shale oil is a joke not a solution. Extraction of shale oil is as environmentally destructive as extracting coal. In the water starve west, extraction of shale oil will turn a partched landscape into a desert. No technology exists to extract it. Technologies that have been tried have failed. This is a hope promoted by the far right so they can prevent research into real solutions.
Expect to be flooded with the "me,me,me" crowd as they drive us back into another depression. The G-20 and the Obama administration have committed to cut spending and reduce the deficit to sustainable levels. As the NYT article this morning warns that has never been successfully done. The Roosevelt administration tried it in 1937 and the only result was another recession. I have more confidence in the Obama administration but that's not much. I would prefer to see another year of deficits than additional 10% unemployed another 5 or 10 million homeless.
This is a very dangerous period. The rich increased their wealth in 2008. They and their mouthpieces the Republicans will want to cause another recession or better yet a new depression where they can re-distribute wealth from the working class to themselves. Democrats must be strong and demand economic growth until all chance of another downturn has passed.
You are right the natural result of unregulated markets is economic collapse. And you can't just blame Bush. He had lots of help. But as Truman said the back stops at his desk. So does the blame. In addition Bush specifically can be tied to decisions he made that made the recession inevitable. But then again he has to share that blame with many. Conservative economics demands economic collapse. They like them. They want them. Because millionaires gain wealth in recession and labor costs fall. Millionaires it was reported recently increased in number and in their share of the national wealth once again in 2008.
well regulated markets produce small recession but primarily stable growth. Look at the productivity curve from 1945 to 2008. Look at economic growth in th same period. Nice and stable until 1981. That's our choice frequent economic collapse with the huge social costs or stable growth with social benefits.
All you have to do is google federal debt and remember that the last budget year over laps the next Presidential term. But man you live in a world of delusion. It was an R that order our troops to break of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora. It was an R who attacked Iraq - a state with one Al Qeada member in it and he was in the hospital, but because of our attack Al Qeada grew by thousands. D's love God. They hate people who try to force their god on the rest of us and against our laws.
at least 1 trillion in the Federal budget. Florida just bribed Jackson labs with $260 million. Goes on everyday. The corporatists call it incentives. What it is is a transfer of income from working people to the rich.
Thought so. You had nothing to say except to vent. I can count - $12.1 trillion is a lot bigger than $1 trillion. But you would rather bathe in you baseless conclusion and factless assumptions. Hopes it makes you feel good.
$12 trillion in debt under three Republican Presidents. Budgets they created; and they approved. All other Presidents a little over $1 trillion. Now I grant you that that will change under Obama. But he came into the Presidency still in Bush's last budget year which had a $1.3 trillion deficit. Obama created a Debt Commission. Bush didn't. Obama has cut $20 billion from the Federal IT Budget, Bush didn't.
How else do you measure fiscal responsibility in our present situation other than planning and reducing Federal spending until we are at sustainable debt levels. And don't tell be he hasn't done it yet. 18 months. Took the Republicans 30 years to ruin the economy, Democrats will need time to heal the wounds.
GM by itself would not have tanked our economy. But then no one thought that Lehman Bros.' collapse would tank the financial system, but it did. And yes if we had waited 5 or 10 years everything would have been all right assuming no Republican presidents in that time. But 3 million jobs would have been lost in every state. Lower state revenue a deeper federal deficit millions more homeless. The social costs of letting GM fail in the middle of the worst recession since the Second World War rightly is unthinkable.
The only people who says there will be an enforcement provisions are Republicans and then only for campaign propaganda. While I may be able to project trends, I've never been very successful on reading the minds of our House, Senate, President, and SCOTUS. I have to proceed on the facts and situation as they are.
You need to read the Constitution because you are flat out wrong. What's that phrase at the beginning "to form a more perfect union". Now why would they do that. Because we were united under the Articles of Confederation that had a weak central government, couldn't tax, couldn't defend the country, and couldn't control the economy. So how did they fix that. They adopted a Constitution of a strong national government that could do those things.
$13.1 trillion in debt. Roughly $12 trillion racked up in the administrations of Reagen, Bush I, and Bush II. The only balanced budgets since 1980 racked up by President Clinton 4 times.
Today President Obama announced that $20 billion in Federal IT programs will not be spent and all Federal IT programs will be reviewed with an eye to killing them. While I don't agree now is the time to curtail Federal spending with the economy facing the European debt crisis and the BP oil gusher. Recent reporting suggests these programs are either complete failures (some wasting up to $850 million) or inefficient or have little ROI. If this is true they have a modest impact on economic growth and the money could be better spent on unemployment compensation and education and training.
This years budget will end up in the black. They are talking about the next budget. A budget is a planning document. They were told to plan on the money and its not coming. So they'll make cuts unless the improving economy generates more revenues. In which case this budget "gap" is just pointless speculation.
Obama said he didn't want it. But you just had these private companies drive us to economic collapse often by breaking the law. It was an emergency. It demanded immediate action. Temporary Government ownership protected the national interest. Most of the companies involved are no longer goverment owned and we made a profit on each of these investments. So far its worked out very well even if it was a Republican program.
The IRS might have been authorized to enforce it had early versions of Health Care Reform been passed. Enforcement was stripped out of the bill very early on. Enforcement did not pass. Although a lot of people are confused on this because the Republicans continued to use it as a talking point long after it was removed.
private enterprise is never mentioned in the Constitution. private property is mentioned twice once in the 5th and again in the 14th amendments. The 5th restricts the Federal Government and the 14th the state governments. They both allow government to take private property as long as the taking follows the law. The idea that private enterprise is somehow above the Constitution arose in the last half of the 19th century when the Robber Barons controlled the Federal and almost all state governments. The idea has no basis in the Constitution. Its being brought up again by the economic anarchists. Corporations have no special place in our system. They began and still are chartered government enties. Go to the Secretary of States office and ask for the Corporations office. Go fill out your incorporation papers. Its a government license (not liberty) to conduct some business.
Government ownership of private enterprise is not un-constitutional if only because if its government owned it isn't private enterprise. Nothing bars the government from creating government enterprises. And nothing bars the government, bondholders, and other parties from making contracts. Private property is not absolute as the SCOTUS has found many times. And the bond holders were pleased. It was that or nothing.
No one is forcing anyone to buy anything although if they did it would be the right thing to do and has been done many times in the past (car insurance). There is a provision in the Health Care Reform legislation that reguires people to have health insurance coverage, but there is no enforcement mechanism, no force.
Czar is a word. Presidents for several hundred years have appointed people in the executive to handle specific issues. No transparency lost. President's from Washington to Bush have denied Congress access to executive processes and information. Do we forget the famous Bush Energy Summit. We couldn't even get a list of the attendees much less decisions.
The Constitution was written and America was founded as a secular, rationalist society. The Second Great Awakening transformed American into a christian reformist society. The Civil War converted America into an individualistic, capitalist, greed driven culture. And the Cold War projected capitalism into a false religion merging it with christianity. Conservatives haven't a clue what they are talking about when they say "restore America to what its founders envisioned". What they really want to restore is the 1950's. But to gain authority for their false ideas they want to hijack the Constitution and its founders. They have no right to re-write our history.
envisioned." This is the line we get from every right-winger who wants to trash our Constitution to replace it with his personal vision. LePage is no different. His platform is one continuous assault on what they Founding Fathers envisioned - a strong national government that controlled both national defense and the welfare of the country as a whole. Instead the LePage followers believe in isolationism (rejection of UN treaties that we negiotiated) and economic anarchy (austrian school of economics). None of the Founding Fathers envisioned any such thing. Don't let LePage hijack our Constitution and destroy our way of life.
Watch out David Gagnon has pulled out the Republican talking point " biggest boobs in House using Fanny and Freddie as their tool" Fact is in 2006 the Republicans passed a bill that allowed Frannie and Freddy to buy sub-prime mortgages. Without this they could not participate with the bubble that Countrywide started in 2001. The list of responsible parties in long - Greenspan, Rubin (Democrat by the way), Countrywide, Republican Congress, Bush as sole decider, Democrats in Congress who went aong with the Republicans, and then the Banks who invented the securities that almost destroyed the US. Let's not forget, the mortgage originaltors who knowingly wrote fraudulent mortgages, the apprasiers who took bribnes to inflate home values.
is that when the Republicans blame everything on Obama and Clinton before him none of it was true. When we blame Bush we have the documentation to prove he was responsible. For example, MMS regulated no one because Bush didn't want them to. What's' the proof. One of Bush's first appointments was a Harvard Professor to head up OMB. The Professor ran a company that provided risk management i.e biased reports showing why it was always better to deregulate. First, thing he does is issue a order that any new regulations must be cost justified and retire two existing regulations. MMS stopped regulating and started taking bribes.
I'm saying the Republicans can not talk out of both sides of their mouths and expect us to believe them.
Your incentives are in fact corporate welfare. A re-distribution of wealth based not on what has been earn. I don't buy your assumptions that 1%ers create jobs nor that giving them incentives grows the economy. Some years back a gentleman approached the Missouri legislature with a proposal to built a huge hog feed lot along the Mississippi. He needed a new road, waivers on environment regulations, a place to load hogs into refrigerated railway cars. All total he wanted 10's of millions of dollars. Passed the Missouri House. When the Senate took it up, a staffer estimated that the feed lot would each day produce enough manure to cover the State of Missouri to a height of 3 feet. The proposal died; the promoter disappeared.
Incentives given to working people do grow the economy. For every dollar in unemployment benefits spent $1.93 in economic growth is produced. Economic grow is a function of productivity growth. If your 1%ers invest 5% of their re-distributed welfare, that will increase productivity if spent wisely. 60% of major private computer projects fail. That doesn't help productivity. It all depends on how the money is used.
I prefer that it trickles up not down and I think our economic history justifies that conclusion.
The Republican Party says that the top 1% of wage earners are overtaxed by Federal Income taxes and that the working man is getting a almost free ride. Didn't I just see that half of Americans are paying no federal income taxes at all. Then how could it be that the era of taking from the working man is about to end. You at least should agree with the Republicas daily talking points.
"allowing Mainer's to purchase health insurance outside of the state." What's extreme about that. Is it legal in any state?. Why would ayone want to do that. You lose regulatory control, you make civil suits more difficult. The Insurance companies not subject to anti-trust laws would simply move to the state with the least regulation, agree amongst themselfs what to charge for what, and no one could do anything about it. Why would allowing this increase competition when the insurance companies aren't reguired to compete. A single payer health insurance fund is extreme? Mass. has it. The Federal Government almost passed it. Paying for the health insurance fund is extreme by taxing things that contribute to the need for the fund? Libby Micheal sounds very mainstream.
Everyone should read it. Written by two key LePage operatives and then passed through the Knox Chairman to cover its origins so LePage would have "deniability", the platform is a collection of just about every extremist rant for the last 30 years. But we don't even have to pin this where it belongs. The Republican Party in Convention assembled adopted this platform by majority vote. And they are representative of the party as a whole aren't they? Besides my favorite of encouraging child abuse, the platform rejects such favorite targets of the extreme right-wingers as "the global warming myth", participation in "one world government", and the UN Rights of the Child treaty. By the way the platform has almost nothing to say about specific Maine problems.
Now LePage is running away from his Party's platform, but not its positions nor their supporters.
And your opinoin is that how and what Mr. LePage thinks is not germane to his candidacy. Not surprising. but I do apologize for the misspelling. I have only a few seconds to write these comments and a keyboard that sometimes decides it knows better how to spell then I do. And sometimes its right.
What kind of family do you want to raise. The 2010 Maine Republican Platform, Mr. LePage's platform, envisions a family headed by a dictatorial father free to abuse his right-less children and the state powerless to act. The platform envisions that a mother who cooks her child in a microwave as happenned some years ago (to drive the devil out of the child) should be praised not condemned. The platform envisions that DHHS child protective services department would no longer be necessary.
The Republicans, of course, are saying "that's not what we meant". But bloggers on Republican blogs say the platform is simple and clear needing no interpretation and I agree.
How is looking into the next Governor's thinking processes - how he thinks, How he solves problems, what criterion he uses in making decisions - nit-picking. I'd call it fundamental to how he's going to do his job. Here we have a candidate so ignorant of fundamental principles of science that he thinks creationism is just another scientific theory. A position that every court in the land that has dealt with the problem of religious infiltration of our schools has rejected forcefully.
The Govenatorial candidate's platform reflects this view. It contains just about every crackpot idea that's been floating around the fringes of the extreme right wing for the last 50 years. The platform clearly shows that decision-making in a LePage administration would defy logic and facts. Voo-doo economics would be merged with magical social policies that would make Maine the laughingstock of the nation. I think that's germane.
Just look at his party's platform if you want to see an anti-working class party. Charlie the Fool Webster is at it again. Charlie your mother taught you it wasn't right to lie.
The Republicans had an easy time lying to the public that this was a tax increase when it wasn't. The saving weren't just in the first year. Have you looked at the inflation rate. Have you seen how few republican employers are giving raises the past few years. The savings would have been permanent. People were fooled into believe this was a tax increase by the same folks who didn't want to collect the sales tax on new items and services. This was business vs the people and the people lost.
I too read and heard this reported all over the place, but I guess if you only listen to FraudNews you might miss it on CBS, MSNBC, CNN and all the other places its been reported.
"A straight man without the companionship of a woman doesn't suddenly turn to young boys out of frustration." Yes, they do. Ever heard of prison life.
Celibacy is a perverted doctrine that perverts the whole church.
"but the long term effects of non-renewable resources far outweigh temporary destruction to the land and surroundings." The non-renewable resources are a generality. The destruction to the land and surroundings a permanent specific fact. I too think this country must abandon the oil economy and move on to types of energy including wind. That transition will be very painful and no alternative option is without its downsides. Putting wind turbines on the tops of Western Maine's mountains destroys much more. It destroys Maine's brand, Maine sense of self, what makes Maine unique, what draws people to Maine. Just a few years ago Maine adopted the Brookings Report's conclusion that Maine's brand was its economic future not wind turbines.
about, again. LD 1495 was revenue neutral. So said the Maine Revenue Service which has the data to prove it. What do the Conservatives here have - nothing. They simply wanted to cut their nose off their face to spite the democrats who are working very hard to improve this state.
"Oppose any and all treaties with the UN or any other organization or country which surrenders US sovereignty." This seems simple enough and as one poster on paintmainered wrote there is not room for interpretation (of the platform). But this plank betrays the paranoid delusions and the ignorance that are at the heart of the Tea Party movement.
All treaties the US signs must comply with the US Constitution (not the Tea Party's Constitution). Sovereignty is inherent in nationhood. A treaty that violated our sovereignty would be null and void. So why bring the subject even up. Because the Tea Party is motivated by ultra-nationalism and its mirror isolationism and its complement American exceptionalism. They see any relationship with other countries good or bad as a threat to those views.
Today the Tea Party is a democratic fascist movement funded by big business and for now peaceful. But soon we may have to drop the "peaceful". All the elements are there specifically ultra-nationalism for this movement to become a real threat to the Constitution.
Normally platforms don't matter. The platform is written by one group and candidates elected by another. Rarely do the two meet and the platform is discarded within minutes of being approved. But not this one. The radical 2010 Maine Republican Platform was authored by two LePage staffers and then sent to the Knox County Chairman to coverup its origins.
Whats wrong, thinkingman. Its not a theory. Creationism is an assertion with no scientific validity at all. Probably the most recent case was Dover, Pa. Where creationist hid their views from the public as Rand Paul, Sharron Angle, and Paul LePage are doing now. They got elected and soon tried to bring creationism into the classroom. The case went to court and they lost. The judge found that creationism isn't science and that books used to teach it were direct copies of religious textbooks.
This election will be about jobs. Republican job killers who have caused every recession in modern times in our country against Democrats who create jobs and a working economy.
But its also going to be about the radical views of the extremists who have taken over the Republican Party.
if you believe this - "socialist agenda which Washington is trying to cram down our throats" - you demonstrate the lack of political judgement that makes LePage and the Tea Partiers a threat to our Constitution and sound government for the better part of 220 years. There is no socialist agenda. There is no attempt to implement any such thing. I know what socialists believe and want and it has nothing to do with what is going on in Washington.
First, LePage staffers wrote the platform adopted by the extremists in the Republican Party. These are his views. They reflect what he wants to do. They are very germane to his conduct as Governor and should be the center of this campaign.
Second, these views are so extreme as this editorial points out that its not concievable that they would be implemented. But many people have said that before about other candidates here and in other countries.
Third, extremism must always be fought.
Fourth, even if we are mistaken and LePage really doesn't agree with the party's platform and his staffers involvement in writing it, those staffers and other extremists will come into office with LePage. That represents a material threat to the children of Maine.
Fifth, we do need to save this state and its people from folks who will not believe their own eyes, who reject objective facts, who believe themselves always right and the rest of the world always wrong.
Sixth, Maine needs jobs; it needs businesses; it needs economic development. But we are not so desperate that we will turn over the state to a junk dealer.
Defeat LePage. Center this campaign on Republican extremism.
You were wrong; you know that you were wrong so in typical conservative style you change the subject because you can't admit that you were wrong.
But I'll asnwer some of irrelevent questions. Obama came in office with a $12.9 trillion debt, worst recession since the Second World War, 750,000 workers being unemployed each month, hundreds of thousands stopped looking for work each month and in a little over a year employment is up and unemployment down (although not by nearly enough. But it took Clinton 8 years to get unemployment down after the first Bush recession), the recession appears over, and soon we can start talking about reducing the debt without starting a new recession.
"You cannot convince me he is not bought and payed for by special interests." Of course he like every politician is bought and payed for, but "special interests" refers only to corporations. This is another phrase that has been compromised by the right to mask their true meaning. He has supporters and works to meet their needs like all politicians. He's their advocate and he should be. But the pay Obama takes is knowing that he has done the best for the country while doing the best for his supporters
Obama has done a great job in mobilizing the federal government to respond to the BP mess. Let's be clear here. BP and its subcontractors are solely responsible for the Gulf of Mexico gusher. Solely. As such they and only they should be judged on the cleanup. Obama can not dive 5000 ft into the gulf and plug this thing. Obama should be judged on how well he reforms MMS, how other deepwater rigs are regulated in fact, and how well the federal government responds to the perhaps 1,000,000 people put out of work by BP's criminal acts.
By the way, where are they? Angle of Nevada - hiding, her website purged of all of her freakish positions. LePage Maine - hiding. Rand Paul Kentucky isn't it - hiding. Tea Partiers hve no understanding or respect for the Constitution. Apparantly when people learn what these folks actually believe they don't do well like Sue "a chicken for a checkup" Lowden learned.
I believe you will find these figures correct - 2001 $2.61 billion last budget $2.69 billion. I believe those figures have been widely reported. The Democrats could have raised general taxes; they didn't they cut them. They could have used some irresponsible method like across the board spending cuts. They didn't. They used targetted cuts which while painful were focused. You simply can't deny that the budget as adopted by the governor and modified as falling revenues required spends the least amount since 2001. And no help in doing this from the Republicans.
I love how you Conservatives so freely confirm my points.
Where do I find that Republicans are encouraging child abuse. I read their platform. One plank urges the rejection of the Rights of the Child treaty which has protocols to protect children from sexual and physical exploitation. Another says that government should have no role in protecting children - no child protective services. And there are others that place children at risk.
But you were most kind, to demonstrate your total ignorance of the Constitution. "General welfare" is not an 1789 social program. Has nothing to do with modern "welfare". It means the overall well being of the country. The Federal Government is charged with creating the conditions under which the economy can grow and prosper. Under this Section (I.8) are enumerated powers to accomplish this goal. For instance, regulating the value of money - that means a banking system that sets the price of money. Why because all businesses need a stable currency.
The fact that tea partiers are so ignorant of their own government, their own laws, and their own traditions is why we can't let them hijack our Constitution. They don't understand it at all. Now I haven't counted up all their obviously unconstitutional and anti-constitutional proposals found in the 2010 Republican Party Platform. Almost everything in the platform would be unconstitional. Just one example the platform calls for a Congressional Term Limits Act to be passed. The qualifications for Congress are set out in the Constitution and can not be changed except by Constitutional Amendment not a law.
$800,000,000 read it and weep. Maine's budget today is almost the same as Maine's budget in 2001. Is your's. Democrats have cut the budget. I repeat Democrats with no help from the Republicans cut the budget by $800,000,000 and proposed a tax cut of $55,000,000 which the Republicans also rejected. Talk about phonies.
If want some laughs read the 2010 Maine Republican Party Platform. The party of spend, spend, spend wrote a platform which is crazy, crazy, crazy. From wanting to restore the family of the 50's with its incest, child abuse, domestic violence they want to restore cultish austrian economics which brings economic ruin every few years. But they say they want to follow the Constitution. Must be a different Constitution. Maybe its the Marian Constitution because for some reason they can't find the second primary responsibility of Government - "provide ... for the general welfare" that is declared in the Constitution.
Fact remains, for all their bluster Shields lied. Republicans have to lie. Their policies have and will continue to destroy the US economy and environment to benefit them. They are short sellers of the American dream.
Until we ban campign contributions by corporations, weak politicians like Collins will do their bidding and apologists for her will continue writing silly comments on blogs.
Great that this lady is teaching these children what changes life will bring.
For those idiots who think this has something to do with politics, get a life.
No conservative believes in the Constitution. Like the bible, they misuse it to provide authority to their cherry picked political positions which have no support in our political traditions. They are the worst of self-serving ego maniacal perverts.
The same Jindal who said that we must cut down Federal Government and stop wasteful programs like volcano monitoring in Alaska. I don't know if he was denied anything nor the circumstanes under which it occurred if it did. But the last thing BP and the people of the Gulf Coast need is a politician looking for a photo op at their expense.
How many other corporations - protected by their virtual personhood delivered by an activist conservative Supreme Court, legions of former Congressional aides and Congressman, and not just their wealth but by the numbers of their employees, customers, and vendors - are now taking cost cutting risks or or gambling with our money that will threaten this Nation in the future.
To protect America we need many new regulations and we need them now.
Public financing of all election and referendums.
End the revolving door between regulator and regulated.
Fire not promote any regulator that allows a regulated company or its employees to prepare official agency reports, proposals, or regulatory actions.
That would be a start.
Can't, can you.
Ron, its not very interesting because its already law. Called workfare. Been in place since 1996.
I wish some of you "silver-bullet, everybody but me is lazy and gaming the system" guys would come south with me to Mississippi. They have workshops there where people on welfare have to work or lose benefits. Have you ever seen a quadruplegic (got that wrong) trying to screw in a screw while he holds the screwdriver in his teeth. I have. Or a pregnant woman with two screaming children clutching her dress trying to operate a press.
Pie in the sky. I just thunk it up stupidity.
Its hard competing against yourself and thinkingman for most uninformed man of the year. "lock on the turbines used for wind mills" Nope the chinese do not GE. But then you invent this classic smear - "The Gulf crisis could have been avoided, the technology and the know how was there, but he intentionally refused the aid and allowed it to get out of hand, in order to make his push for Cap and Trade." Only 7 words of truth in this conspiracy theory, "The Gulf crisis could have been avoided". Yes it could have had only BP followed their own procedures and not cut costs the gusher in the Gulf would have been a successful oil well. Obama never refused any request for aid from BP. In fact none was made because BP was trying to hide the gusher. He did not "allow" it to get out of hand BP did. Why bother hatred and thinking are incompatible.
"When a tax is levied on a business of industry, the money to pay the tax does not come out of thin air or some other miraculous pocket, we pay it in the form of higher prices for the goods and services that company is selling." Only if they are an illegal monopoly or a health insurer. According to even Republican false-economic theory in a free market profits are reduced.
When a Democrat is President and republicans control Congress, the President makes all the decisions. When the reverse Congress is in control and makes all th decisions. At least according to the "we never accept blame or apologize for anything" Republicans.
Well we have 2000-2006. Republicans in control of the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. What did we get. More than $6 trillion in debt, one legal and one illegal war not paid for, a Prescription Drug program not paid for, $2.1 trillion tax cut for the very wealthiest Americans not paid for, illegal wiretapping, the torture of innocent prisoners of war, the destruction of New Orleans which because the residents were black got little help from the administration, the Mineral Management Service sex & bribery scandal, the Madoff scandal, and by the way the worst recession since the Second World War.
Republicans are perfectly capable of ruining the US all by themselves.
This is an empty letter. Not a single fact, just opinoin based on nothing.
The people who figured it out Roger are the non-partisan Maine Revenue Service. You know the people with all the tax returns, sales taxes, and all the other little taxes we pay. They also hav computers (its not pencils anymore Roger) and reaaly good modelling programs that can estimate what effect a tax change would make on revenues. You know the numbers Republicans hve used for years until Democrats fixed the tax system.
People didn't see through the deceit. The deceit was republicans falsely claiming that LD 1495 would create 102 new taxes. People didn't see through the lies.
Where did you come from. I spend my time trying to get these looney conservatives to examine their failed formulas and along comes you. Sane, rational, factual. I'm shocked.
I know its against your principles at least since the death of Russel Kirk to learn anything, but read the Republican platform. No sane Mainer can support such lunacy. Its not conservative; its crazy.
sentence. Yes, selling junk for cheap is the Republican motto. With the Gulf of Mexico destroyed by cost-cutting at BP ad the complete failure of the Federal Government to regulate them, we should believe they have our best interests at heart. Give us a break. Success at Mardens; we should applaud that. LePage has oversold is ceremonial position of Mayor of Waterville.
Let's stop the lies. Maine is not doing poorly because of 35 years of Democratic control of the legislature. That's just Republicans pointing fingers at any one other than themselves. For 100 years Republicans contolled Maine. Poor worthless farms dotted every road and village while huge corporations prevented businesses from opening so that they would control the labor market.
A LePage vistory means poverty for Maine, the ruination of our scenic landscape, and the health of Maine's citizens.
Great comment and entirely true. Parents point at teachers because they won't point at themselves or their children. Some years ago, I attended a conference of school boards where the firing process was laid out and documented. As cranky yankee wrote, the process is simple. I also was on a school board and attended all of our district's history offerrings (in the main they were pathetic). One teacher stood out. This teacher did nothing in class (AP History) and when the teacher started to teach something it is was pathetic, dumbed down to the point of nonsense. The teacher assigned grades not on student performance, but on the gender of the student and admitted it, was proud of it in fact. Was this teacher fired. No! The super took the Navy way - the teacher was promoted to a non-teaching position which should have gotten the super fired but didn't.
We should stop blaming teachers in general and become involved in our children's education at every level.
Let's be very clear. BP (and its subcontractors) and BP alone are solely responsibile for the gusher now polluting the Gulf of Mexico. The WH has no drill rigs. Has no experts on drilling. And if it did those complaining now that the WH is doing nothing would complain that they are wasting our money because there hasn't been a failure like this in history. But praying will do about as much good has listening to BP spokepeople.
Graham is obviously obsessed with one issue to the point that she confuses all other issues with it. I won't be surprised to see her blame global warning or tooth decay on gays.
"people are leaving and not coming to Maine because of taxes." Nonsense. People are leaving for jobs. That's why for every one person who comes into the state while on welfare 6 leave. All one has to do is go through the Rumford voter list to know what's wrong. 90, 80, 70, 60 and no 30's or 20's. Its the 30's and 20's who have young children. Why no jobs? We are an end-of-road state whose natural resource based economy is fading away leaving the workers from those natural resource based jobs in retirement with nothing to replace them. We are in transition. The next governor must continue the transition that the Brookings Report so clearly documented.
How often do Snowe and Collins have to betray the people of Maine before we get the picture that they are in Congress to protect big business. Congress has no business trying to control science. We know that the Bush administration repeatedly re-wrote the conclusions of scientific investigations to match their policy choices which always favored big business. Happily, looks like the crazies in the Republican Party are going to fire these two next time around. Happy days are here again.
The first sentence is backwards. Dugray statement makes no sense since he introduced the referendum question and he wrote an letter appearing in this paper supporting an appointed position not an elected one. Who wrote this thing the commissioners. Jackson statement also makes no sense. We did have it in an off-year primary.
Please read the 2010 Maine Republican Platform. Then see if you can define yourself as a Republican. The Republican Party has always had a completely loonny minority. I left the Republican Party in 1964 after reading their featured literature in the Goldwater campaign. Completely insane stuff. Now the same stuff is back but as the Republican Platform. Ultra-nationalistic isolationism, children have no rights, government is the enemy, allow business to dominate society, end any government regulation, no checks and balances on anyone, economic anarchy, greed is good, and no one owes anything to his/her society. Ego-maniacal madness.
Republicans just defeated lower taxes and a better business climate proving once again that they will sacrifice the interests of the people of Maine for their special interest groups so nicely provided by Govt2big. Please do call them and thank them for higher taxes and no economic growth.
It is. But Obama is the possible solution. He's not part of the problem.
The problem was the Bush Recession which started in 2007 due to deregulation and outrageous Republican spending. Because of financial deregulation and financial globalization that recession has spread to Europe. Helped by irresponsible spending in some coutries (Greece for one) that's now become a crisis. The result is a shift in world power to the Chinese temporarily. They too may soon see economic crisis (or at least some economists so predict). But the start was de-regulation. The recession is a product of that de-regulation and so is the oil gusher dstroying the Gulf of Mexico.
Obama has a debt commission. He's asked department head to cut their budgets. When did Bush to either. No, Bush kept the wars - off budget. He lied to his own party about the cost of his prescription drug plan and then didn't pay for it. He left us $12.9 trillion in debt and a $1.3 trillion yearly budget deficit. Obama is a major improvement fiscally over Bush. And remember Cheney declared that the deficit no longer matters.
Start with welfare reform.
Let's not look at corporate welfare. Forget the $75,000,000 cap on oil companies' criminal acts.
No, the Republicans want the poor to starve. Their children to go without an education. Builds character (as long as its not their own). So that they can buy that new 500 horsepower sports car.
Maine government under the Democrats and with no coorperation from Republicans has cut state spending by $800,000,000. The Federal Government under the Republicans in 7 of the same 8 years increased spending hugely and added $7 trillion to the national debt. Time to vote out the spend and spend Republican hypocrits.
The LePage win means that we can pin the 2010 Maine Republican Platform to their candidate and it will stick. The Republican Party is now the party of extremism and will not have Les Otten's millions to cover it up. Their platform calls for the destuction of the Federal Government, the ripping up of the US Constitution, and economic anarchy. Boy will fall be fun.
As usual Elaine is way over the top. We're adults. I suspect that some of us have seen women topless. I also suspect that some of us aren't impressed. Andrea, go girl. Equality is coming if slowly. Nothing about nudity has anything to do with debauchery.
is being treated unfairly here. He has a problem. If people come to admire sorcery, they may dispense with the bible and all its magic. Sorcery and christianity are direct competitors. Christianity is selling a tin hat story cleverily structured so if a part is irrational they suspend the laws of nature (God's intervention) to make it believable. That's what Harry does except he uses magic. That's why Christianity has burned so many witches and heretics over the centuries. They want a monopoly on magic otherwise their story is not believable. So burn your books Rev. T. I suspect more will be printed.
lewistonauburnsucks, a communist concept. Now I've read a lot of political books and I never once saw the Fairness Doctrine in any communist publication. Its a private property issue. The public owns the airwaves. Always had. All stations are licensed. They are expected to fulfill their responsibilities or lose their license to operate. Therefore, the public (owners) have the right to regulate how their property is used. The Fairness Doctrine limits no speech; it encourages additional speech. If Limp declares that Obama is a martian; then a rebutter should get equal time to present what he believes to be the truth. The public is served by encouraging a free flow of ideas even crazy ones like the 2010 Maine Republican Platform. Right wingers have never presented any evidence that the 1st Amendment disaster that they claim will happen is even possible.
Lil is right as usual the only folks pushing the Fairness Doctrine are right wing wacko commentators like Limp.
Only goes to prove that people on the right willingly would let their friends and neighbors suffer so that they can have a steak tonight instead of a hamburger.
Its all emotion on the right. Mind games without any factual support. Maine is doing great. Average income has grown more quickly that the national average in spite of the fact that our population is older than average.
OK, we know that Republicans will say anything to get their way. Re-visit this issue in 5 years. I bet you an appoint ad county commissioner controlled treasurer will add to the county tax burden. An elected treasurer is running for election out of a sense of public duty. They spend thousands of hours above their treasurer's duties to meet with the people of Oxford County and to explain what they have done and what they will do. That's all free to the taxpayer. An appointed treasurer only has to speak to the commissioners.
Of course Dave supports this power grab by the county commissioners. Its his idea. It has nothing to do with part-time, full-time, on-line banking. It has to do with power. The voter elected treasurer is a check on the commissioner's power. So they want someone who is under their thumb.
Even some fiscal conservatives make the distinction between operating expenses and capital investments. Capital investments like building a railroad increase economic growth both in the short-term by funding consumer spending and in the long term by increasing productivity. The return on investment in these projects is much better than any business would expect.
Federal matching funds are paid for by every Federal revenue source. Mainers pay a tiny fraction of those revenues. So for all practical purposes this is free money.
We aren't going to pay this back with higher taxes. We are retiring more debt than we are creating and we have done so for some time. This new debt will be paid for from the economic growth this investment will produce.
Its the height of irresponsibility to oppose these bonds.
Yes, since I came from a dysfunctional family (along with about 30% of the US population). I was never socialized into the many myths and value systems of society. So I could dispassionately test them against reality and discard what obviously wasn't real - the vast majority of what passes for the "conventional wisdom". I value nothing that can not be proved through rational investigation. And to someone socialized into the social system of myths that makes be a nutjob. Thanks.
"innocence of another young child". Myth. "live with the nightmare for the rest of their lives" Myth. "punished for the rest of their days" Myth. When you make decisions based on a series of myths, you can't arrive at good decisions. Sex is only a "nightmare" and children are only "punished" when society makes it such. A christian counseler on the 700 Club some years back said that if you don't tell children about sex they won't do it. A child raised in this way will suffer for life if abused. Suffer from memories of the powerlessness, victimization, and the guilt of doing what obviously the parents thought wrong. Children are sexually active in the womb, none are "innocent" and that whole idea stems from perverse religious myths. Given that, sex inappropriate to the level of a person's psychosexual development, whatever their age, is a crime and should punished. The rare sexual predator - those who actively seek out victims that they can force ( through physical force or psychological manipulation) into sexual activity - yes should be isolated for life because they do not change. But they represent a tiny fraction of those convicted of sex crimes. The usual victim of sex crimes is the 18 year old who has sex with his 15 year old girlfriend (43% of people aged 15-19 have had intercourse at least once, 30% have had multiple partners, 6% of 10 year olds have had multiple types of intercourse and half of that activity is a crime in most states) or as recently happenned a 6 year-old who touched a 5 year-old. Or the series of child care cases some years back which later proved to be cases of social workers implanting their memories of abuse into children after the investigation began when in fact no abuse had ever occurred. The issue is to make distinctions based on fact not myth.
Well there is 4 more lost souls.
No that's not what I wrote and you know it. I was referring to the society wide hatred of sexuality based on the perverted teachings of fundamentalist christianity.
Now we know what this Republican slogan from 2008 really meant - kill, baby, kill. Goes along well with the Republican's ode to the middle class - starve, baby, starve.
"arizona's new law is just an enforcement of federal law" Conservatives like the constitution as long as it complies with their point of view. When it doesn't well then its just a meaningless rag. A state can not constitutionally enforce federal law. The Supreme Court recently ruled on this in a gun case saying that state law enforcement officers could to enforce features of a Federal Gun Control law.
As reported today, the Arizona law was written and promoted by FAIR an organization identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a racist hate group. Not at all odd that Mary Jane would support the law and this hate group.
"Mental health experts agree that pedophiles are not changed or "cured" by treatment or incarceration. They simply repeat their hideous behavior once released from jail." This statement is absolutely false. It reflects the unreasoning hatred some people feel toward sexuality. It is a solely modern attitude reflecting the perverted teachings of fundamentalist christians.
Hardly. The Maine Tax Cut Bill is according to the Wall Street Journal a "miracle" because in a recession Maine's political leadership found the political will to improve the revenue system without a tax increase inspite of the fact that more than 35 states have had to increase taxes. Opposition to this tax cut was organized by the Republican Party and financed by huge out-of-state special interests like the realators purely for partisan advantage. That it will benefit 95% of Mainers meant nothing to them. Given their outrageous, radical, anti-constitutional and anti-government platform and their partisan games with the Tax Cut Bill no Republican is qualified for any elective office.
They tell you they are for smaller goverment and lower taxes. But when you cut spending by $800,000,000 and cut taxes by $55,000,000 well that's just bad. What do they do when they are in charge. More than double the federal deficit. Not once but 2 out of the 3 times in recent history that they have been in charge. Republicans want smaller government and lower taxes when Democrats are in charge and bigger government and greater deficits when they are in charge (gotta' pay back the donors).
the Republican present fantasies. "Why do welfare recipients come to Maine, because I say they do. Where are my facts, well I don't have any but I know its true. Why is it true, because I'm an emotional basket case jealous of everyone else and blames everyone else for my failures." Yes, that's the Republican case on welfare.
All good candidates only Rosa Scarcelli doesn't have a wealth of experience solving Maine's problems.
The contrast with the Republican candidates is very striking. The 2010 Republican Platform indicates that the party has been taken over by the most exteme elements of the far right - christian theocrats, libertarians, and ultra-nationalists. The Department of Homeland security warned last year that radical fringe elements of the far right were a potential breeding ground for home grown terrorists. The Air Force Academy and the Pentagon have been reported to be infiltrated by some of these radical groups in the recent past. In 6 days we will find out whether the Maine Republican Party has completely lost its way.
She talks funny for anyone.
But this time see did good.
Worry more about the 40% of teenage girls who have or who have had an STP many of which are incurable.
about effectiveness and morale what he really means is that the bigots in the military will continue to bash gays. Time to let JD Hayworth beat him and then beat JD with a responsible person.
All business groups. Not a single public organization. No teachers, No nurses, no PTA's, no lawyers, No Doctors, No average citizen groups. Only business groups. Can they all be wrong. You bet your life. If you vote Yes on 1 you are voting for every boss who fired you, every boss who gave your raise to his girlfriend, every boss that forced you to work overtime so he could play golf.
thinkingman, OK, I'll try but I know I'll fail to get you to think. "less will come to our state". What makes you think this. Do you have a fact? Did you conduct a marketing survey? Did you talk to anyone who visits this state regularly? Thought not. Maine's meals and lodging tax after the Maine Tax Cut Bill goes into affect will remain the lowest in New England. Maine will still have a cometitive advantage over all of New England. If people decide to come here solely based on the tax rate (no one does of course this is just more PR from the tourist industry) they still will come to Maine.
Is anyone in Maine going to drive 100 miles to buy stuff in NH? They have to save $44 in taxes just to break even. No, the folks who go to NH now and break the law will still go but few if anyone new will start making the trip to become a criminal to avoid paying $3.25 on a car repair.
"The “No on Question 1” group continues to use deceitful language to try to shift the tax burden away from their overpaid buddies onto the lower class, while claiming to create jobs. Their claims are totally false."
As usual the "Yes on Question 1" folks present not a single fact to justify their bizarre and false conclusions. LD 1495 means a $55,000,000 tax cut shared by 95% of Mainers. The "no" folks know they can't fight the facts. So they just lie. They never mention the progressive tax credits that make LD 1495 progressive and a boon to poor folks. They don't mention that expanding the sales tax will help in future recession prevent headlines we see today about cutting teachers, reducing programs, throwing the mentaly ill out on the streets without medical care. They don't mention that the 6.5% highest income tax bracket will make Maine competitive with other New England states and attract new businesses.
We have cut $800,000,000 out of the state budget with a $55,000,000 tax cut and the Republicans say no no no. Democrats just can't be fiscally responsible. LD 1495 is according to the Wall Street Journal a "miracle". We can't let the Republicans sabotage Maine's future for political gain.
Mac antSaior doesn't know what he's talking about. A shift in where taxes are collected is not a tax increase. That's obvious. Vote No on 1 and save yourself $55,000,000. Vote No on the repeal of Maine's tax cut Bill.
You just can't say that everyone's to blame. Leads to no solution. You have to indentify the problem before you can decide on a course of action that will prevent it in the future.
The Republicans have proposed Fannie Mae and Freddie Max as the problem. But we know that they did not engage in risky and irresponsible lending under Congress authoritized it after 2006. Far too late to contribute to the 2007 recession.
Independent economists have pointed to the de-regulation of the banks and the decisions of Countrywide that followed to create worthless mortgages and to then convert them into worthless derivatives which were then overvalued by bribed ratings companies and sold to unsuspecting investors.
This chain of criminality was the root cause of the recent recession. Recent regulator reform appears to be too weak to break this chain. A bribed congress appears unwilling to do what is necessary to protect the American people. A bribed republican party is the problem. So kicking the incumbants out is not the solution. Public action is the only answer to the very corrupt corporatist system we now have.
thinkingman, no Republican candidate for govenor, not Beardsley the religious wacko nor LePage the Tea Partier, are to the right of you. So I expect this is a put-on.
Its not misinformation. I have handed out the platform to close to a dozen non-democrats. Let them read it and asked them to explain what those to planks mean. So far after explaining the contents of the Rights of the Child treaty they have all agreed that these planks describe a family structure that rejects childrens' rights and will encourage child abuse. One is re-registering as a Democrat (she was a republican) because "that's just crazy".
I read the Democratic platform the afternoon before the convention. Great document. Speaks to the hopes ad dreams of Maine people. The Republican platform speaks to the fears and hatred of people, but barely mentions Maine.
"Tired" You may be tired, but everyone in Maine needs to see what Republicans really believe. Before this election is over they will.
Doubt it. Not when the Republicans act like jerks and show to the whole state how really irresponsible and out of touch they are. Republicans have a reverse midas touch. Let them play with the economy and you get recession. Let them play with the schools and performance dives. Let them play with ideas and we get paranoia, hate, and conspiracy theories or the 2010 Republican Platform. Everyone should read the Republican Platform. Then ask these candidates whether they endorse it or not. If they say yes, then ask them how they can agree with a platform that encourages child abuse, child prostitution, and child pornography by oppposing the Treaty on the Rights of the Child and by encouraging a model of the family that rejects the rights of children and gives parents the unfetterred right to abuse them.
you got it. These false sterotypes. All legals are good and all illegals are bad. Its a new story for conservatives. They are trying to improve their image after running an overtly racist campaign against Mexican immigrants several years ago.
The John Birch Society to which Mr. Acheson belongs has no political credibility. Its morphed from an anti-communist extremist and conspiracy group (of the "there's a communist under every bed variety") to selling vitamins. The fact that it is now invited to spread its hate among Republicans only demonstrates that Republican after years of failure and betrayal of their own beliefs the Republican Party must now rely on the lunatic fringe. Read the Republic Platform. It states the parties core and very crazy beliefs. Everett Dirksen and Dwight Eisenhower must be rolling over in their graves.
The Tea Party is the Republican Party witness Maine's Republican Party's crazy platform. And true to Tea Party principles this guy is a real freak. But he won the nomination showing that the rest of the Republicans agree with him. So the Republican elite tries character assassination which is what they did to McCain in 2000. Watch them eat their own.
the economy has expanded more under all Democratic Presidents than Republicans since WWII. Every post-WWII has been caused by Republican policies under Republican Presidents. If you want slow growth, high unemployment, expanding poverty just let them have a few years in the WH.
Tron SSDD veritas. Republicans have no respect for facts no matter how well documented. They are blinded by their partisanship, misinformation, and self-centered greed and envy.
Just look at this lie. "IRS is reportedly adding 16,500 new agents to enforce Obamacare." Reported by whom. What's your source. Well let me tell you. The Congressional Republican Caucus based on calculations not one even the congressmen could defend. Truth, the IRS estimates that it may take a few hundred. "if you fail to prove to the IRS's satisfaction that you are insured, you will face a federal fine of as much as $2,250". Truth, you may face it, but the IRS has no authority to collect the fine nor can they subtract it from a refund. "Steve Forbes mentioned that this year the federal government will have to borrow 50 cents for every dollar it will spend". He might be right. He's one Republican that can count. But the Truth is very different than the impression. Of the 1.5 trillion dollar deficit in 2009 1.3 trillion was in Bush's final budget. Obama added less than $200 billion and that was to rescue the country from the worst recession since WWII, an absolutely necessary spending. If you hate the Republican deficit, please tell us which unfunded Republican program you would cut. "If the U.S. is not yet a socialist country, then surely, it is on the way." Truth, The ownership of the auto companies is now down to GM and that will soon be ended. The ownership of most of the banks has been ended. Those we still own will be ended shortly. When all government ownship ends, will the author applaud Obama' return to capitalism. Doubt it. These steps were necessary to save the auto industry and the banks which had they failed would have put many millions out of work and destroyed American as an industry power. Fact is on all these rescue programs the US Taxpayer will make a profit. Its very clear how out of touch with reality these critics are.
needs to start with barring the revolving door between industry and government. No employee of a regulated company or of the regulatory agency of government should be allowed to be employed by the other or for any lobbying firm with regulated companies as clients for a period of ten years.
next step pubic financing of all federal elections and barring corporate spending on elections.
The Oxford County Commissioners couldn't recruit a candidate for this office, so they proposed changing it from elected to appointed. Now we have to vote either to maintain this check on the commissioners or to surrender it. The voters are far better off protecting their authority.
"102 new taxes on the way!" Classic Republican spin. There are not 102 new taxes. There is one tax the sales tax applied to 102 new items or services. After this passes Maine will be taxing fewer categories of goods and services than most other states. 95% of Mainers will pay lower taxes in 2011. This is a tax cut bill. Don't be fooled by the Republicans.
LD 1495 is a very good bill that will cut taxes for the poor and increase economic development while maintaining progressivity and stabilizing state revenues. Every recession in modern times has been caused by Republican policies. Republicans think recessions are morally good ("cleans out the deadwood). They are wrong as their record shows and as the comments above reveal. Veritas has stated the situation very well.
Maine's sales taxes are paid on fewer items and services than most states. Adding 102 again leaves us near the bottom of the list. A tourist coming here from almost any state will go home shaking their head wondering why taxes are so low. And they still will after LD 1495 passes.
"How taxing tourists more will make them want to come back defies all logic."
Maine's a cheap date. We have the lowest meals and lodging taxes in New England. Even after LD 1495 goes into effect, we still will have some of the lowest taxes. The Tourism industry wants to frighten people not inform them.
Vote NO on question 1 June 8th
if there is "no proof that any of us specifically cheated", what good would it do to go after tax cheats as you propose. You must have some proof that their are tax cheats. Have you turned them in to MRS? I think you get a reward.
The increased sales tax items and service still leaves Maine taxing fewer items and services than most states. The increased meals and lodging tax is the lowest in New England and after passage of the Maine Tax Cut bill will still be among te lowest. 95% of Mainers will share in a $54,000,000 tax cut in 2011 if this bill goes into affect.
"oh wait NH has the same population and NO sales tax and no income tax...go figure" but huge proverty taxes. You can't figure if you are comparing apples to oranges. Maine 35,385 sq. miles in size. NH 9,350. The means more roads, longer school bus rides, more police patrols, more maintenance etc. NH has 146 people/ sq. mile. Maine 43. You can deliver service much more easily in NH.
Maine has 485 municialities; NH 235 that means more governments, more duplication of services. Our biggest town has a population of 64,247; NH has two towns consideraby bigger at 87K and 109K. NH has been a bedroom suburb of Boston for decades. Maine has only recently started to become that. And those are just the beginning of the differences.
Maine was 15th before the recession. That was before 35 states raised general taxes and Maine cut their. That also includes taxes paid in Alaska by Alaskan companies under Alaska's laws that are pro-rated to states based on the use of oil. Given Maine's heavy use of heating oil this misreprsents Maine's tax laws. We in fact are in the high 20's headed for 35th.
Hardly. You will notice I dated that to the 1990's. The NYT counted the violations of federal regulations and laws for a period of one year and the results. If memory serves me and at this age it sometimes doesn't, a few dozen fortune 500 companies had no violations.
Govenor King ran business forums in Maine. He brought in experts on locating sites for New or expanding companies. They only pointed to the maximum state income tax rate as a problem in attracting companies. Maine's Tax Cut Bill addresses that problem by reducing the maximum rate while all across the country states are increasing their maximum rate.
What happenned when the state of Maine took over 55% of the costs of education?2/3rds of Maine's municipalities cut their property taxes.
Thinkingman, I'm talking about policy not a few isolated examples. in the 1990's virtually all US fortune 500 companies cheated on their taxes, most broke federal law, most agreed to consent decrees to get off the hook. I've worked for 5 companies in my working life. 2 broke the law. One cheated the IRS and one de-frauded a company buying them. Both were intentional. The most corrupt segment of our population are business owners.
You guys just repeat your unfounded bias and self-deluded opinoins. But I don't expect you to research for the facts. That would be too much to ask.
Pat McGowan is the class of the Democratic candidates for Governor. He knows small business. He knows rural Maine and its problems. He knows the Maine forests. He knows the economy. He is the best prepared of all the candidates.
Isn't it a shame that thinkingman and the Republicans encourage tax cheats. While you and I pay our fair share of taxes and support our government and country these folks are flying off to the cayman inslands to hide their income. Then they come home and boast about what great patriots they are.
The Maine Tax Cut Bill does not favor the rich and hurt the poor. What the right ignores is the new bill's tax credits. These progressive tax credits more than compensate for the increase in the tax rate at the lower income levels. Declining at higher income levels maintains the progressivity of the tax code.
The Maine Tax Cut Bill does not expand the sales tax to include everything but air. Fact remains Maine will after implementation of this tax cut tax few items and services than most states.
The Maine Tax Cut Bill does increase the Meals and Lodging tax. But the meals and lodging tax will still be below the rest of New England. So the increase should have little or no impact other than to increase state revenue and reduce taxes for Maine residents.
Don't believe this republican propaganda. None of it is true.
The Democratic Platform will be sane and rational based on true facts not unfounded conspiracy theories, false economics, and hate. The thing is so badly written or thought out that it encourages child abuse, prostitution, and pornography. Amazing, but that's only the good part. Half of it is unconstitutional like Congressional term limits and these are folks claiming that they support and understand the Constitution. I read today their secret. They support and understand the Confederate Constitution of 1861.
Great idea. Proves Maine is doing what's in the best interests of its people. But its an experiment that as soon as Baldacci is gone probably won't survive. But our debt and debt rating show that the state has been conservatively managed over the long-term. Maine Tax Cut Bill,a miracle according to WSJ, the lack of tax increases in either income or sales during this recession prove we are conservatively managed. TIF's, compliance with TABOR. The list of conservative policy decisions just goes on and on
I would have thought with the decline in the forest based businesses in Maine and with the worst recession since WWII in the last 3 years, I'm surprised we are doing that well.
They publish a lot of information on their website. And if you believe the 102,000 then you have to believe the 6 to 1.
Maine cut taxes which the WSJ wrote was a "miracle" while 35 states raised their income or sales taxes or both in the last few years. Maine has a revenue gap in the hundreds of millions one of the smallest in the US. Only 3 had surpluses and they are all oil producing states. We have cut the budget by $800,000,000 during the recession. We are the only state that has met the TABOR provisions every year since its defeat. That's conservative. We have the lowest welfare benefits in New England only NH is close. That's conservative. Maine's debt is low and manageable and our debt rating is high. That's conservative.
All taxes in the US (Federal, state, local) have declined to the lowest point since 1950. They are not increasing. We now pay a little less than 9% of income on average. So when you read someone writing that they are being taxed to death, it either untrue or they have a unique situation.
And when you read something like stop borrowing our way out of debt. Why it works. When government spends on infrastructure and education, the economy grows which increases government revenue which can pay down the debt.
But Conservatives can read tea leaves. They commune with the dead. They personally know ghosts and gobblins, and spirits of all sorts. So they can see the future. They know that legislation won't work before its tried. Not only do they know the future, they know how elected officials will react.
hypocrisy is running amok. Maine has been a very conservatively managed state for most of the last 35 years. Republicans oppose the Maine Tax Cut bill and quite franking they oppose anything that would improve our state. They don't like our towns, our Mountains, our seashore. They just don't like Maine.
Because of that they just can't stop making things up like people move here to enjoy our wonderful welfare state. Truth is 6 people on welfare leave Maine for every one that comes in. Maine's benefits are lower than any of the other New England states. Only the waiver on the 5 year rule would make Maine attractive, but those who exceed the 5 year limit are 100% disabled or children not visitors from away.
While it doesn't intend to, the Republican Platform encourages incest, child abuse, prostitution, and pornography. The platform would place children under the unrestricted control of bad parents and deny any government intervention to protect the children. Any candidate running under that platform should be soundly defeated.
Ignoring what Pirate and thinkingman write because you must. Maine has been a very conservatively managed state. The Baldacci Administration has met the provisions of TABOR even though it was defeated. They are living proof that you can't agree with them. If you do they will change their position. Like Sen. Grassley they would never negiotiate in good faith. Read the Republican platform. Could you be proud to live in a state that abided by those extremist, irresponsible provisions?
People in Maine are responsible and understand that Maine's finances have been very conservatively managed. While most other states have budget gaps up to $26 billion, Maine's is in the millions. While most states have increased income taxes (up to 11%) or sales taxes or both and many others have increased fees of every sort, Maine in what the WSJ described as a "miracle", cut the income tax rate from 8.5% to 6.5% saving Mainers $55,000,000. Maine has cut $800,000,000 from the budget and has met all the provisions of TABOR even though it was defeated.
Someone elsewhere wrote today that the Constitution was written in plain simple English so people could understand without a degree. True but wrong. The words used in 1787 had different meanings than they do today. For example, "establishment" in 1780's meant a public building not "to create". So the 1st Amendment refers to a church. They couldn't use church because it didn't fit with the free exercise clause that followed. "provide for the general welfare" in Article I Section 8 doesn't mean 20th century welfare it meant in 1787 the "general well being of all the people". That is the second duty of the Federal Government and it grants very broad powers - control of the foundation of the economy some of which are enumerated below it. Things like education, weights and measures, money supply, the banking system and many more.
The right wants to misrepresent the Constitution because the more local power is the more easily they can corruptly control it which was Madison's point. The right spends a great deal of time wandering around in Federalist No. 10 trying to justify small government. But the Federalist Papers were political articles trying to convince people to ratify the Constitution akin to today's political advertisement. Not the founder's viewpoints. Madison's real feelings were on display when he submitted his 12 admendments in the Bill of Rights to Congress in 1791. One of those was an admendment to give the Federal Goverment the power to veto any and all State laws. It was defeat as was in original proposal in the Constitutional Convention. It took the Civil War to implement it.
So no the Constitution is not plain simple English.
1. Constitutional litmus test. We already have three parts of government - the president, Congress, and the Courts - that apply a constitutional litmus test. So this provision is meaningless or poorly written.
2. Return of States Rights under the 10th Amendment. When written this amendment had very little meaning. Federal legal supremacy made it pretty much a feel good tip of the hat to the States. By the way it protects States' power not rights. People have rights not states. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments make the 10th amendment very close to mute. There are no powers the Federal government can't override. Federal Law and US Treaties superceed all state law. Its in the Constitution.
3. It upholds the 2nd Amendment. Again unnecessary. The Supreme Court already has. But this provision is one of three in the platform that are not absurd, dumb, patently false, unconstitutional, or dangerous or impossible to implement without turning America back into the stone ages.
4. Term limits for Congress. When its put into a bill by our Governor. OH drat. This is a State platform not a national one so this is another misplaced, unconstitutional proposal. It also should be called the Corporate takeover of the Federal Government. Term Limits haven't worked in Maine. Sen. Martin is still in office. Only the staff and lobbyists have benefitted from it.
5. You have to understand the Constitution before you make it a litmus test. Folks who make obviously unconstitutional proposals obviously don't understand it.
The platform calls for the Rejection of the Rights of the Child treaty that attempts to control child abuse, prostitution, and pornography. The platform includes a plank that states, "Parents, not government, are responsible for making decisions in the best interest of their children, whether disciplinary, educational, or medical." The parents get to define what is in the best interests of the child. A few parents thought that meant putting them in a microwave and cooking them was in their best interests. Taking last first, If the parents decide that prayer is better than medical care they can do it without DHS' interference even if the child dies as several have over the recent past. Parent not school boards can decide what children learn or don't. To implement this DHS' authority to remove children from abusive homes has to be repealed. Parents can beat their kids all they want and government can't interfere. Now we know what the drafters meant to say. The want the law that allows teanage girls to get birth control pills without parental consent repealed. But they didn't say that. They made an absolute overly broad generalization whose implications are horrifying.
The only people who support Austrian economic are those that know nothing about economics, but a lot about the supernatural, ghosts, magic potions. They believe they can pray us into recovery.
I'm not surprised. As usual the wacko-right can offer no reason to support this most dangerous and irresponsible major party platform. I urge all Mainers to read the thing. This platform encourages child abuse, prostitution, and pornography. The platform encourages withholding medical care of sick and injured children. It encourages keeping children in ignorance. The Republican Party has now become a religous cult and has no political credibility..
MMS must be dissolved. Some of its management team need to go to jail. The Bush administration needs to be investigated and those responsible need to join MMS management in jail. The Bush administration's successes can be summarized simply - deregulate the economy and create a depression, deregulate industry and bring on the worst economic and environment disasters in history, and invade and destroy a peaceful country. Time for them to pay for their crimes.
Yes, because the minorities have been and are oppressed by the actions of the white majority based solely on their national origin or the race of their victims. But since you agree with that opression you can't see it.
the Republican Party platform is qualified to be governor. The platform is a wish list of unfounded conspiracy theories, wacko political extremism, lies, and false unfounded political theories.
For example, the platform calls for a restoration of Austrian Economics. You can't restore what has never been implemented. No credible economist and no nation has ever implemented this obscure and fundamentally unsound and unscientific theory. Its a theory that guarantees depressions every few years and those depressions are guaranteed to last for many years. Its a formula for permanent poverty. It proposes that economic activity can not be quantified and can only be understood by "mind games" i.e. personal prejudice. Enspousing Austrian Economists is very similiar to being part of a cult that believes aliens are go to come to earth and transform the choosen few into "new beings".
Republican candidates either reject this extremism or disqualify themselves.
a laughing stock throughout the country. While the whole document almost without exception is lunacy. Some points just leap out and knock you down. "h.i. Reject the UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child." The US is one of two countries (Somalia being the other which has no government) that has not yet signed this critical treaty which prohibits using children in war, child pornography, prostitution, and other abuses. This is a huge embarrassment for the US and patently immoral. "III. a. ii. Parents, not government, are responsible for making decisions in the best interests of their children, whether disciplinary, educational, or medical." So how is this implemented. Under this DHS can't remove abused children from their abusing parents. Parents can pray for the recovery of their child until the child dies without government recourse. Teachers can't add a teaching technique that improves a childs learning or give children detention without parental permission. Courts can't enforce decisions in divorce that affect a child's education, medical care, or discipline. Think of the mountains of good law that has to be repealed to implement this provision. Think of how many children will suffer at the hands of bad parents.
the real motivations of the anti-immigrant right. Veritas is completely correct. crossing the border without proper permission is a violation of administrative law with no criminal penalty only deportation. The only real reason to oppose illegal immigration is the economic impacts it has on US workers and those are hard to justify today. A case can be made against fraudulent H1-B workers and has been by the PPH. But every time you make that case, the real criminals are the companies that encourage, recruit, and pay for illegal or fraudulent workers to come here. A company that knowingly hires illegal aliens like Wal-Mart should be criminally charged and if found guilty forced into bankruptcy and liquidated.
One look at the platform adopted by the 2010 Republican Convention confirms that the Republican party is now controlled by bigots, homophobes, and nativists. Not a single rational policy proposal is included in the platform. Its made national news for its comical declarations of stupidity.
The author intentionally doesn't mention that you can't deduct your mortgage interest because a new tax credit more than makes up for the benefit of deducting interest. That's why 87% of Mainers will pay less in taxes if this bill is adopted. The 30% of taxes paid by out of staters means that Mainers will not have to pay $55,000,000 in additional taxes. $55,000,000 tax cut in a recession when 31 states have sharply increased taxes and just today two more increased sales and income taxes. Sounds like a great deal. Vote to implement the Maine Tax Cut Law June 8th.
Just check out the Republican Platform. Its a combination of conspiratorial fantasy, bad history, and complete ignorance of the US Constitution. In other words, Tea Party philosophy. Bought and paid for by the power elites in the Republican Party, its a collection of ignorant, racist, wealth, over-educated, Republicans who need care.
But as even he knows, he is not charismatic. Maine needs a strong and charismatic leader who can unite the state. Former Atty. Gen. Rowe will do a great job as Governor. But others can do a better job.
is against wind power generation that is improperly sited and subsidized by the public. If its profitable, then let the businessmen pay the bill. No TIF's. No Federal subsidies
Don't let them get to you. You are right most of the time and they haven't got a clue. On way or the other they believe in magic, the supernatural, Reganomics and similar fantasies.
This is precisely why this event should not be sanctioned by the President. Seven centers of power my butt. The national director of this pathetic demonstration, Mrs Dobson, declared that this nation was founded on biblical values. That's demonstratively false. The country was founded on purely secular vaues after full research on the workings of pagan republics and first nations' governments. The country was transformed by christian propaganda between 1800 and 1825. Now fanatics like Mrs. Dobson wish to rewrite history in support of her worldview. The President should not allow himself to be used in this was by these crackpots.
Veritas has tis right, except he/she didn't mention the primary point he/she was making - the women were fully clothed when being abused just as sexual hrassment in the workplace involved fully cothed women much of the time. Nudity has nothing to do with sex crimes. Hopefully children by 6 have seen their parents naked and if they are good their play partners.
Meghan's real argument is that society must control people's sexuality and one way is modesty. That's the same argument the Islamic Clerics make. Immodesty causes earthquakes (i.e. the destruction of society). The premise is fundamentally wrong.
So is Maine's indecency law. Philadelphia has a fully nude bike ride I believe to raise money for breast cancer. Other states permit fully nude folks to ride bikes, hikes, just do about anything. It should be encouraged.
I have to disagree with you a little bit. I've made the same agrument as you. But really its very weak. Yes more people have been killed in the name of religion than anything else. But religion is just a mask covering people's identifies and culture. They may say its for God, but usually its for their greed or their sense of themselves as a people. And there is more to religion than just the evil it has done. 85% of Americans self-identify themselves as religious. People's have created religions for tens of thousands of years. Religion must supply some valuable trait that benefits our social evolution or it would not survive. It is a self-delusion but it must be an important one.
Let us not forget that the GOP's failures are not just 2001-2009. They gave us the Great Depression and the Great Recession. If we let them back, the economy will tank again.
Now that the homophobes and prudes have had their chance to write of their insanity, we should turn our attention to Heath.
How do you make this connection. Mr. Heath won't say. Because there is none. So Mr. Heath is using the event as a means to attack UMF. He's hoping the College which has nothing to do with the event will stop it.
Fannie May and Freddy Mac were small players in the subprime mortgage market. Less that 3% of the questionable mortgages were issued by them. The argument that they were the primary cause of the economic collapse is nothing more than propaganda invented by the Republicans to misdirect people. No reputable economist even of the most partisan strip supports this invention. The economic collapse was caused by de-regulation which allowed companies to engage in unethical or illegal acts that overvalued assets, increased profits, and bonuses and when properly valued caused the collapse of the financial services industry.
Safe. The oil industry tells us that drilling offshore is now safe. The Coal Industry tells us that coal is clean once you wipe the blood off. When will we learn that self-interested groups, simply lie.
Matt says te Republicans are against "a $50 billion slush fund for future bailouts". The characterization is just false. The $50 Billion industry funded fund is to cover the administrative cost of liquidating failing banks. That means the stockholders, boldholders, bank CEO are wiped out. Now the US has been doing this for decades. When a bank under the regulation of the FDIC fails, it is closed and money in the industry-funded liquidation fund are used to make dpositers whole. Works great. FDIC has not gone bankrupt yet although it came close).
Then Matt cncludes that the monies paid to the fund are tax free. If they are its not because of this legislation. Democrats are not give new tax-breaks. The banks may benefit from previous tax breaks.
If its good enough for the FDIC, then why isn't it good enough for big banks.
Income redistribution goes on every day. Everyday that a bank, financial advisory, corporation defrauds, misrepresents, or deceives the working people of this country. Virtually all US corporations have violated regularly Federal, state, and local laws. Payday Loan sharks collect up to 400% interest. The people of the US sufferred a recession that cost them more than $27 trillion resulting from the financial services corporations's fraud and disceptive practises. And you're worried that a welfare receiptant got what he deserved.
If this woman does in fact live on $50/wk then she qualifies for every form of state support and she should seek it. Welfare is hardly the problem.
Shows the bias that confuses him to the point of irrationality. He says who cares if a judge rules the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional. If Taylor is an American, he should care. The Judge has properly defended our system of laws. On the other hand Taylor is right, no one can stop a person from praying. They also are defending our system of laws - the free exercise of religion. But you can't be a American and "be Christian, pray in the name of Jesus and observe the National Day of Prayer." The NDP is a state imposed religious exercise which threatens our system of laws for all the reasons Rev. Taylor points out and more. No one should need or accept government sanctioned religious services.
Moody reportedly said "recessions are a fact of life". No they aren't. What he meant to say but can't is recessions are good for the economy particularly when they result in the reduction of middle income jobs and wealth. Since the Great Depression, every recession has been caused by conservative economic policies and every Democratic President has produced greater job growth than any Republican President. Conservative policies = recession every 10 years or so now. If they could get away with everything they want, it would be more like every 2 or 3 years. For example, Ron Paul wants to go back on the Gold Standard which would make South Africa, Russia, and some others world powers while crashing the US economy. But Sue Lowden, Republican Senatorial candidate in NV, has gone him one better. Don't just change our currency; eliminate it. Pay for everything you need with barter; pay your doctor with chickens. Clueless.
The Editor's Note implies by using the phrase "unique provision" that this is something limited to GNP and its union employees. Its not. The Rumford Mill had a similiar provision for union and supervisory personnel until it was sold. This provision is parrallel to owners of businesses which can still own and operate their businesses while being state senators and reps. I'd be interested if state employees and in particular teachers have similiar provisions. The whole idea in Maine is to have a part-time legislature so this kind of provision seems very useful.
Every time a Christian extremist goes out and exterminates a few or a few hundred folks just say well he's not Christian. Just one example, Tim our good old agnostic spent the last week before he killed 168 people at a Christian compound in Missouri soaking up all those positive waves. But this is a good technique. Since Christian fundamentalists believe the Mormons and Catholics are non-christian cults, when a Mormon and or Catholic goes out and slaughters a few people you can say they are not Christians. The Mormons can say that a baptist killer is not a christian. When we are done nobody who commits an act of terror is a Christian. Great spin. If you are a fool. These folks were motivated by extremist religious views.
We had a small federal government under the Articles of Confederation. It failed. We adopted the Constitution to have a strong, vital, national government. Small federal government is just a cover for segregation, nativism, and corporate control of our lives.
First you can pick the haters out and they are on the right.
The Republicans have no constitutional arguments. Everything Obama has done is constitutional and backed by years of court decisions. 90% of what Obama has done is to continue Bush's policies.
Thinkingman needs to start thinking. Congress is not solely responsible for the budget. The President Proposes the budget. Congress approves it with changes. The President then signs it into law or not as he sees fit. What the President proposes is rarely changed to any significant degree. The President gets two shots at this and his/her control of one of the major parties gives him huge influence in Congress. Thus the President is primarily responsible for the budget and the deficit.
Yes, they do. Every economic downturn since the great depression has occurred while a Republican controlled the White House. Russ told you he wanted America to fail. Why, becaue they have changed the rules so that exporting businesses and jobs is more profitable then keeping them here. They oppose all immigrantion because they plan on moving the jobs out that would support the immigrants. Fact is they have the opposite ideas to Kotkin.
If its to tell the real Revolutionary War story. People are so ignorant of the Revolution they accept the Tea Party or the NRA's ideologic driven agenda or the pro-gun rally scheduled for today. Pro-gun groups are closer to the truth but they so often mix their message with small government positions. The purpose of the Constitution was the defeat of the small federal government anti-federalists by creating a strong activitist government which could defend the country and establish an economic system a non-mercantile trade system. The Federalists saw nothing good in small government policies. Their principles were manifest destiny - the expansion of the US to cover the entire continent, strong national defense with a standing army and navy, and economic growth through the development of our industrial base.
We have to understand that some people like Mr. Yates have a perverse and twisted sense of morality. This demostration is not for shock value; its educational. Every child over the age of 6 should be required to attend. Those under 6 should already have seen their mothers nude and there is absolutely nothing wrong or improper about it.
Heath is a hater who wants to use the police power of the state to harm a segment of its citizens. His defeat is certain, but as his friend says this is about press coverage not an election. I hope the Sun-Journal and the rest of Maine's media refuses to be used by this dispicable bigot.
Well we can be certain that RedWhiteBlue and marooned don't support the Constitution, don't like America, and don't even like beautiful Maine. How can you pretend to be a patriot when you don't like the country you live in.
"if you go thru with this march you are not only putting yourself at risk, but you will also be putting all the other women at risk for stalkers and perverts." This is why Andrea needs to march.
The idea that women can't go topless in public is purely social prejudice. Its irrational and a double standard. If I can make it from work, I will be happy to join her.
Maybe you do need some ideas to be elected to Congress. That's why we have Mr. Levesque. Republican economic policy is anti-growth. They have been responsible for every recession in US history starting with the great Depression. That community organizer began office with 700,000 people a month being thrown out of work and now with have the start of hiring. The economy had crashed under Bush and now under Obama grows. If you want to destroy the middle class, vote republican.
All social scientists who have studied this question have come to the conclusion that we are safer with more guns. Conservatives like John Lott say by a lot; Liberals say by a little.
Tron the 2nd amendment is clear. Its history is clear. But all those folks saying that we have the second amendment so they can defend themselves is flat out wrong. At the Constitutional ratification conventions amendments were offerred that allowed people the ownership of firearms for the purposes of hunting, self-defence, and several others. All were defeated.
The second amendment was specifically adopted to prevent any government from confiscating firearms as the British tried in Lexington and Concord. That confiscation was the trigger that started the Revolution.
But I think a very good case can be made for self-defence based on government's fundamental duty to protect the lives of its citizens failing to do so the individual inherently has that right. We just have to recognize that this is a change in our Constitution (a change from a national defence to a personal defence rational means a very differnet understanding of what the public can do with firearms)required by the changing needs of our people and our situation without an amendment. Self-defence as a reason for the second amendment is one of the clearest example of how the Constitution must grow with the country and often outside formal procedures.
Great education is the product of motivated students. Parents, teachers, or the students themselves can provide the motivation. If a student is lucky they will find one or two teachers that can light the fire of inquiry in them. So don't blame teachers. Blame the students first; its their lives. Blame the parents next; they provide the funding and we hope guidance. If the first two don't do it, then trust to luck because education is an interpersonal experience.
thinkingman continues to prove that someone esle is doing his thinking. The 16,5000 new agents is an invention based on complete false and knowingly false assumptions made by the Republicans. They, first, assumed that maximum IRS estimated implementation costs. They then assumed all that money would be spent on new employees. Lastly they assumed that new hires would be paid the same as trained experienced agents. The CBO and IRS agree at most a few hundred new employees will be required.
This is just like the Republicans estimate of 159 new departments. They assumed that every new grant program will require a new department and all new empoyees. The non-Republican consensus is that at most less than a dozen new departments will be needed and most will get their employees from transfers from other departments.
Death panels. The Republicans most have modelled this fantasy after the insurance industries' death panels.
The "free enterprise model" does work in very limited circumstances. Replacing a feudal or mercantile system will grow the middle class. Replacing a fascist system (a feudal capitalist model) will grow the middle class. In general replacing any highly centralized tyrannical economic system will increase growth and benefit the middle class. But the same is true with a loosely managed or mixed economy. And the mixed economy can continue growth for centuries whereas a free enterprise model is designed to collapse after a decade or so.
Charles you have it right. But perhaps its too little. Employing 7% of the unemployed while admirable it doesn't nearly deal with the problem of the failed "free enterprise system". Now if you need a good example of a failed economic model that's it. Also its a fantasy model. No country anywhere has ever used a free enterprise system. Everytime they try (because it benefits a very small minority of the people and a completely corrupt system) the system collapses. Just go to the web site that lists US recesssions. Identify the political parties that control the country immediately before. 1929 - Republican. 1957 - Republican. 1973 - Republican. 1982 - Republican. 1987 - Republican. 1992 - Republican. 2001 - Democrat. 2007 - Republican. 1937 - Democrat. 1937 and 2001 are due to the Democrats implementing the Republican policies of under-regulation, soak the poor, and promote foreign aggression or Republicans in Congress controlled the political agenda. Now that's a failed economic model. In fact, the Republican Party has been following an economic model that says we need no numbers. We can make it up as we go along for some 30 years. What did that produce. Flat wages (decreasing wages for the middle class and rapidly increasing wages for the rich) while productivity about doubled i.e. the rich gained all the benefits while empoverishing the middle class.
But the use of the CPI alone doesn't fully reflect business conditions. When the economy is growing 4 or 5% minimum wage employees should share in the benefits. When the economy is contracting by 3 or 4 % they should shoulder some of the burden. Business should not be limited to choices of just hiring or firing.
The Republicans are making this all up. And its all lies. That's why the President has to come to Maine. He needs to get the truth out. No death panels. No government official will be making health care decisions. No government takeover of health care. Republicans claim the law creates 159 new departments. It does no such thing. The Republicans assumed that every grant program, every demonstration project would require a new department and new employees. They don't. All but a handful will be handled by existing employees in existing departments.
No 15,000 new IRS agents and certainly no agents coming to your door. The Republicans divided the average salary of an IRS employee into their estimate for what the IRS will need to manage the program and assumed that all that would go to new employees. Well, its not. No one can estimate what it will cost or how many employees will be required.
The IRS under the legislation as passed does not have any enforcement authority at all. They can access the penalty for not getting insurance, but if you don't pay they have no criminal, civil, or administrative power to collect the penalty.
All Republican lies to scare the uninformed, those who casually look at politics, and the simply ignorant.
Nothing but lies. That's what the Republicans have to offer and that's why the President has to come to Maine. He needs to get the truth out. No death panels. No government official will be making health care decisions. No government takeover of health care. No 159 new departments of government (but there will be a few. The Republicans added all the grant and demonstration programs with the new departments to come up with 159. All but a handful will be handled by existing employees in existing departments. No 15,000 new IRS agents and certainly no agents coming to your door. The IRS under the legislation as passed does not have any enforcement authority at all. They can access the penalty for not getting insurance, but if you don't pay they have no criminal, civil, or administrative power to collect the penalty. All Republican lies to scare and abuse mainly serior citizens.
I will live in the shadow of the Turbines. I don't mind how they look. I don't mind the noise they make. I do mind that they will be built solely to make some people rich at our expense. And no they are not democrats.
Typical uninformed letter compounded by the "we are victims" whimperings of the completely off base right.
First, Maine does not have "some of the highest taxes in the nation" and never has had. Maine was rated second by the Tax Foundation, an extreme right-wing group which then admitted that they had mis-calculated and Maine was really 22nd. Then they couldn't explain why they included taxes paid to the state of Alaska by oil companies on production in Alaska were included in taxes paid by Maine citizens.
Second, the recession has forced 37 states to raise taxes and fees, and cut programs. Maine has increased some fees, but raised no taxes. Maine has proposed a $55,000,000 tax cut which the Republicans have prevented Mainers from getting.
Third, when the ratings come out for last year Maine will have fallen into the 30's range being one of the least taxed states in the country.
Fourth, Being critical of business when they break the law or operate unethically or just simply do the wrong thing is our civic duty. To suggest that we slavishly defend business is simply morally wrong.
And to suggest that business is the source of all money and therefore we should bow down to their awesome power is disgusting.
You write as if there is moral equivalency between the two sides. One side wants children to get high quality health care. The other side doesn't. One side wants women to be viewed as a patient. The other side as a pre-existing condition. One side wants doctors, especially those in rural areas, to get fully reimbursed for the care they provide. The other side want doctors to receive as little as possible so that their care will be seen as a failure. One side wants bad doctors and hospitals to be held accountable for their actions. The other side wants bad doctors and hospitals to get a free ride. One side is interested in the results of Health Care Reform. The other side is more concerned about the process.
These bills has been debated for more than a year (many months before there was either bill). It needs no more debate. It needs to be implemented. And because it is implemented over the course of time the Congress can correct the law if necessary without disrupting the hundreds of changes made by this law.
First, church employees are free to discuss anything within their church without risking the church's tax-exempt status except they can not endorse a candidate for election and they can not run a political campaign out of the church.
Second, church employees should use their free speech rights to comment on social issues of the day just like anyone else and to try to mold the political environment.
Third, and we, their audience, are free to ignore everything they say. For surely anyone who believes in the supernatural, magic, and 6-foot tall bunny rabbits is not, by definition, in touch with reality.
"The three stooges Obama,Polosi and Reid are responsible for the mess we are in..." What planet to you live on. Surely not this one.
Our current recession began in December 2007. 11 months before the election. Most economists admit that the recession bottomed-out in March 2009. Geo. Bush entered office with a $50 billion fiscal surplus and a very minor and isolated recession caused by the dot com bubble. Obama entered with a $1.3 trillion deficit and the worst recession since WWII, 15 million people out of work, a frozen financial system, a million families going bankrupt each year because of medical cost. Yes, this mess must be all Obama, Pelosi, and Reid's fault.
Libertarians argue that we need a radically smaller federal government. We tried that and it failed miserably. From 1781 to March 4, 1789 our federal government had no president, couldn't levy taxes or control commerce among its many failings. We, the people of the United States, not the states themselves agreed to be governed by a strong, vital national government in order "to create a more perfect union" of the people. That's why the Constitution begins "We, the people".
All those who wish to repeal the Constitution; vote libertarian. The libertarian Party stands for the rejection of everything that the Constitution was created to do. Fact is that the Libertarian Party is the Republican Party of my great uncle's day say 1940 when he died. Isolationist, luddites who fear economic progress and international cooperation.
No deficit??? A Surplus. Do you see the slight of hand used by David Gagnon. Clinton cut the fiscal deficit and achieved four years of fiscal surpluses. So David directs you to the debt web page. Not the fiscal deficit which comes from the budget (revenue - expenditures) which is what we are talking about because that's what a President controls. Debt includes many items most of which the President doesn't control. Republican Presidents have added $12.0 of the $12.9 trillion to the fiscal deficit and that's a fact.
"...there was no reficit reduction, no surplus, no savings under clinton...The far-right fanatics can't even accepted well documented facts. 4 straight years of federal fiscal deficit reductions and budget surpluses using the same formula that for decades have shown the Republicans' wasteful spending that has created $12 trillion of fiscal debt of the $12.9 trillion that has been created in over 220 years.
The worst of the Health Care Reform bill that passed the house Sunday is better than anything the Republicans proposed under their new campaign slogan - Don't get sick, and when you do die quickly.
Not only are these lawsuits frivolous and their arguments are unconstitutional. Being forced to buy insurance has been tested in the courts before and found constitutional.
"....there would have been overwhelming bi-partisan support." No. The Republicans decided long before the health care debate in congress to destroy the Obama administration by every means at their disposal. Killing the Health Care bill was in their warped little minds the same as killing the administration. Well they lost in November and they lost in March.
They challenged the reconciliation bill last night and got two meaningless provisions removed requiring a new vote in the house. Smart move. Not really, because now the Senate can make any change they want in the reconciliation bill that is budget related. They can add a public option. They can extend Medicare to everyone. And only need 50 votes.
Please Republicans run on repealing health care for disabled children. Pretty Please. Or your motto - Don't get sick; if you do die quickly.
Even the unsavory deals were specific fixes for specific problems where more Federal dollars should have been available a long time ago or will help make sick people well. The worst in the bill is better than anything the Republicans proposed.
"Let gun owners police themselves." Let Wall Street police itself. Left Enron police itself. Let business voluntarily regulate themselves. Has voluntary policing ever worked anywhere at anytime. No. If its a big enough problem to be discussed it needs independent regulation.
But that doesn't make SSDD right in this case. "handguns which serve no purpose but to kill people.." only means "which serve no purpose I recognize, but to kill people".
275,000,000 guns in private hands can not be regulated without such burdensome measures that they would be politically impossible to attain. Banning the sale and possession of handguns is a fantasy that prevents real solutions from being discussed or implemented. Let's get real.
SSDD, aren't you a little hard on the Republicans. They are doing what their coalition wants. The racists want Obama destroyed. The homophobes and fundamentalists want the liberals destroyed. The Corporate lobbyists want their clients to be able to loot the Federal Treasury and to lift our wallets as required. The military wants to practice on living subjects. You may notice that the "national interest" is not in their agenda. "National Defense" is a hollow debating point. Good of, help, solve problems, unite the nation these are all foreign concepts. I know 8 year old boys that have better social skills, composure, and judgement than the typical Republican congressman.
Republican delusions and paranoid misinformation intended to frighten senior citizens and the poor are not policy. Republicans have committed themselves to wrecking the US. 8 years and 8.4 million jobs lost. 27 trillion dollars in asset values lost. The dollar weakened. The Debt more than doubled. Destroy Obama at any costs even the vitality of the country. Their technique - spread racist and homophobic irrational fears - as was demonstrated over the weekend. How can they have any credibility when their only policy proposals are temper tantrums that would embarass an 8 year old.
"And there may be another billion or two to be saved by rooting out waste and fraud." Sorry its not a billion or so; its 60 billion dollars per year. The cost of the whole health care reform bill is just 95 billion per year and its paid for by this bill.
But much remains to be done. A public option or a single-payer system or regulations that will strangle the health care insurance industry.
Any one in management knows the Deming approach that holds that 85% of the problems in an organization are caused by top management. Schools are no different. You simply can't change the facts. Management makes the decisions that make organizations strong or poor performers not workers. No one should regret that after years of failure a principle is asked to leave.
"Where do the wind power companies expect to sell their output?" They don't. At least the land based wind farms (oceans might be different) will make money solely from the Federal and State subsidies. Wind farms do not reduce our demand for oil or natural gas based energy generation. Wind Farms do not reduce our balance of payments deficits. Wind Farms do nothing but sacrifice the quality of life in Maine for private profits.
Being a dues-paying member of the League of the South, being associated with a secessionist group in Vermont, being a bit of a survivalist, and being an internet priest, suggests that this man's love of guns may present risks.
The League of the South has been identified by the Southern Proverty Law Center as a white supremist neo-confederate organization. "The Alabama-based group is against interracial marriage, believes the old Confederacy never surrendered, and wants to reestablish "the cultural dominance of the Anglo-Celtic people and their institutions". You "just" don't belong to the League of the South. You don't "just" believe in some of its views.
In 2005 the white supremist SVR, which argues for Vermont to secede from the Union, joined with the League of the South in hopes of breaking America up into pure ethnic republics.
This man's background suggests that he may be very dangerous.
The League of the South has been identified by the Southern Proverty Law Center as a white supremist neo-confederate organization. "The Alabama-based group is against interracial marriage, believes the old Confederacy never surrendered, and wants to reestablish "the cultural dominance of the Anglo-Celtic people and their institutions". You "just" don't belong to the League of the South. You don't "just" believe in some of its views.
In 2005 the white supremist SVR, which argues for Vermont to secede from the Union, joined with the League of the South in hopes of breaking America up into pure ethnic republics.
This man's background suggests that he may be very dangerous.
"Gun control IS the NEXT THING OUR GOVERMENT WILL ENACT JUST LIKE HITLER BEFORE WWII !!!!" Another groudless rural legend with no rational support. The situation in Germany before WWII has no bearing on our situation now. Before being elected you ranted and raved about how Obama was going to take away your guns. What's really happenned. Obama has signed laws extending the use of guns to our national parks. You can only yell the "sky is falling" for so long before people figure out you have nothing to contribute.
By the way the next thing the government will enact is National Health Care Reform. Gun Control isn't on the radar.
Wonderful quotes. I hope some of them are true. The first two don't apply because they are pre-Constitution. The Jefferson quote cares little weight because he was an anti-federalist (opposed the adoption of the Constitution. He also took no part in the debates about the Consitution. Did not attend the Constitutional Convention nor the Virginia Ratification Convention and was no part of the group working to adopt the Constitution. He was in France during this entire period. ). Jefferson's Constitutional principles were nationally rejected by 1824. His party dissolved and was replaced by the Jacksonians in 1832.
"Have Liberals ever heard of the Bill of Rights or the Constitution?" Yes!
"People do not trust this incompetent government of Obama's (and Maines too,) and they are showing it by arming themselves like no other time." Why? If self-defense is the reason to arm and crime control is primarily a local (municapal, town, city) responsibility then no one has any reason to arm because of what state or national government does.
"when the people are armed the crime goes down. Look up NY crime stats!" No scientific proof of this exists. The only thing that we can be certain of is that armed citizens do not significantly worsen the statistics. NY city has made handguns illegal for many years. If the their stats have gone down its for other reasons or you weren't specific enough and meant NY state. Crime stats generally are unaffect by the number of guns but are affected by economics. We just had a huge recession which could explain any change in crime stats.
What we need is to protect ourselves from these self-serving, unsupported urban/rural legends. First the right to own a gun is an individual right as stated by the Washington DC case and soon to be re-stated in the Chicago case. That does not give anyone the unrestricted right to use their gun in any way they see fit. The Supreme Court is expected by all sides to support this conclusion in the Chicago decision. The problems this editorial presents are equally unfounded. Lastly, no question remains that banning, registering, or greatly restricting the use of guns in this country where we have 275,000,000 in private hands is impossible without tryanny and that will not work.
As the NRA says, guns don't kill, people do. If we are to address the problems that weapons cause we must do so by changing people not by artificial unenforcable laws. In other words, training, training, training.
Republicans once were a loyal opposition now they are no more than the lunatic fringe whose activities are funded by the Corporate elite that owns them (FreedomWorks and the Tea Parties as a some example). But make no mistake about it, The Corporate elite rents the Democrats (Blanche Lincoln, Joe Lieberman, Kent Conrad). They have influence because they contribute money, supply campaign workers, and influence voters who work in their industries. The fault is with the corporate elite who are the enemy of every working person.
"Free trade" is just another name for how to wreck an economy. Some of the things Mr. Soucy writes are right on the money, but he leaps to false conclusions. Protective tarriffs and no international trade agreements will also wreck our economy and put most of us out of work. NAFTA traded away some American industries to get American export industries working. Trouble is its a bad deal. A few very rich people in American became richer and 3 million Americans lost their jobs along with millions more in Mexico and Canada.
Let's end NAFTA but the right way with fair trade agreements.
Conservatives on this page claim that they are not bigots; that that is just liberal name calling. Then they lie about the definition of bigotry not make their position plausible. Sorry, bigots we can't let you get away with it.
Bigotry is the irrational hatred or prejudice against a group of people that results in intolerance. The key is "irrational". Conservatives have taken political positions for hundreds of years that they can be rationally defend. Buckley was great at that. He through the bigots out of the conservative movement because he understood that bigots (racists, homophobes, nativists) would discredit the movement. Well he's dead. The John Birch Society is back co-sponsoring CPAC. The League of the South is welcomed in conservative circles (Joe Wilson is a Republican representative and member of the league of the south). Our first black president is being attacked for positions he does not support and are completely invented by the whacko wing of the conservative movement out of their racist hatred. The birthers have rejected all credible evidence that Obama was born in the US and have even tried to pawned off a fraudulent Kenyan birth certificate because they can't accept that a black man was duly elected President. Three court decisions have shown that no rational argument supports opposing same-sex marriage and the US Constitution requires allowing same-sex marriage. Michael Savage has coined the phrase that is nativism - Language, Borders, and Culture. Now these irrational purveyors of hatred have taken over the Republican Party. That is not intolerance; it is bigotry.
Please show me where anyone is proposing adopting the French Health Care system in the US.
Fact remains we can save up to 30% of health insurance costs with any public option. Government workers get better insurance than we do because insurance companies are required to compete against each other. In 47 of 50 states there is no competition because health care insurers are not covered by anti-trust laws.
Some folks like Rep. Cunningham and Jefferson took graft. But we are gullable to think that most of the rest are honest and certainly its paranoid delusions to think all of them are dishonest.
Since no bill before congress right now has a public option no one can say what it is or isn't. Public option could be an extention of Medicare - the most successful health insurance plan ever created. Could be private insurance pools regulated by government. Both could save up to 30% of the insurance dollar.
Webster's opposition to the bill is not based on anything in the bill; its based on what isn't in the bill and Webster fantazing about what might be added in the future. Classic Republican misinformation campaign. This bill is good for 87% of Mainers. It will cut taxes by about $55,000,000. The Wall Street Journal called the legislation a "miracle".
How do you end the partisan strife in Washington. 70% of the American people believed that Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11. Why, because their President told them so. When truth becomes more valuable to a politician than lies then partisanship will end.
Sen. Snowe didn't show because she wants to be vice-president some day. The Republicnas have been taken over by their lunatic-fringe. Nothing could be clearer than their fund raising powerpoint presentation that made the news yesterday. It demeaned their donors as driven by fear and ego-maniacs. It demeaned the president and leaders of the Senate and House. It showed contempt for the American polity.
Collins went over to the dark side long ago. Should we be surprised that Snowe has followed.
"Also, where is the attempt to direct students who have issues in these areas to the proper medical specialties that can help them?"
Transgender people have no medical problems other than the cosmetic changes needed to align their body with their minds. I doubt that is a school's responsibility.
The Maine Human Rights Commission position is correct. Where now we stereotype people and segegrate them by sex, the MHRC is saying protect the privacy of each individual. A locker room does nothing to protect someone's privacy. Its designed that way to save money at the expense of privacy.
All bad ideas. "autonomous innovation school" isn't that just code for non-union. I've never belonged to any union but after "No child left behind" its obvious every teacher should be a member.
Tomorrow its going to be sunny and warm. A great break from winter.
Armymom will of course complain that skiing will shortly end, flowers will soon bloom, and the Red Sox will soon begin their quest for another World Campionship.
Comphrensive Health Reform is wildly popular. Polling is 2-1 in favor.
What's not popular is the Senate Bill. Its not popular with progressives, health care workers, and the general public because it does not include the public option or Medicare expansion that are supported again by wide majorities. Its not popular with populists because every special interest got their little (multi-billion dollar) bribe to not publicly oppose the bill. Its unpopular with conservatives because even with its many defects it would still save 44,870 lives each year. Its unpopular with Republicans because it would go a long way to solving a major American problem, cut the deficit they created, and credit would have to go to the Democrats.
A bill most pass. Just lets hope is way different than the Senate Bill.
Anna, your assumptions are wrong. Wind power does produce clean power, but it does not increase our energy security or cut our use of fossil fuel. Your comparison is wrong not Dwight's.
"A Moody's Investor Service report written in late January said Maine had "below average debt levels" and praised the state's "management of spending levels."
All the loonies need to re-read that sentence. This bond will not add to Maine's tax burden nor does it reflect a irresponsible attitude toward spending. Maine has done the best job of any state in the last 4 or so years in controlling spending.
This bond is important for economic development and for jobs now.
This letter isn't just petty and judgemental. It's wrong on every count.
People do not move to Maine to get welfare benefits. Maine's benefits are lower than the rest of the Northeast. In fact, 6 people on welfare in Maine move out of state for each person on welfare elsewhere moves in to Maine. Many of those moving to Maine has social security numbers issued in Maine. So they are returning home.
Having babies is a sin? Doubt it. Sorry I don't think the state should control a women's genitals.
So if Bert has no facts then I suggest he can not draw any conclusions. But he does. So this must be a lot like a temper tantrum.
kj has it right. This is only an issue for the parents not the kids. We can expect a few students to act out to get their parents approval by harassing or harming trans kids. Immediate action by administrators should end this.
Priate, I realize you can't keep on target with your comments. How well they have managed Social Security and Medicare? First Social security isn't a health insurance or health care program so that's off target; but Social Security is the most successful public program in history. Scial Security has kept many millions of Americans out of poverty for over 70 years. Medicare is wildly popular. More popular, providing better service, and at lower cost than any insurance company. And look at health insurance companies. Not subject to antitrust laws, they can increase their prices in 27 states without review by anyone. They operate as monopolies in 47 of 50 states. Repeal these advantages and many would go out of business because they are incompetently managed. They are primarily vehicles to loot money from the public and transfer it to an undeserving elite.
While I can't justify county government at all, if we must have it then we need elected officials accountable to the voters not appointed "yes" men from the old boys network.
Wind power does not displace oil. It might displace coal, but because wind power is inconsistent backup generation facilities which are coal, natural gas, and occassionally oil fired are need to be in place ready to run when the wind generation fails. So for a practical matter, wind may displace nothing.
"Maine is not the highest taxed state in the nation, but it’s close" In an otherwise, factual and important editorial this sentence sticks out as very wrong out-of-date idea and perpetuates the myth that Maine is highly taxed.
The Tax Foundation (a right wing organizations which uses its tax burden ratings to justify its policy choices) has written that Maine is 2nd in the nation a few years ago. Then they admitted that their method miscalculated the tax burden and they changed Maine from 2nd to 15th. Then Maine cut its budget and harmed its citizens in so doing on the wrong assumption that we were highly taxed. By last year Maine had fallen to 22th. Since then 35 states have raised taxes and fees some very significantly. Maine will surely fall once again probably to the mid-30's. Even this is wrong. The Tax Foundation pro-rates taxes paid in other states for commodity production based on commodity usage. So Maine gets charged with taxes paid in Alaska for oil produced in Alaska under Alaska state law disproportionately because we are a cold winter state. Remove this and Maine will fall to the low 40's.
$7.50/hr times 2080 hours per year that's $15,600 per year well below the poverty level for a family of four. Isn't that terrible that unlike average real wages that have decreased for middle class workers by 20% over the last 30 years some one is proposing that minimum wage employees over the next 30 years earn no real wage increase while the top 1% who have more than duobled their income in the last 30 years can expect a continuation of this. How about a tax credit for business owners equivalent to 10 times the increase in the minimum wage. That's fair isn't it. It just continues what's been happenning for the last few decades.
Health care costs went up 6% last year. Insurance premiums in Maine 16-25% (30-39% in California, Nebraska, and many other states, 80% in Alaska.). Health care costs have obviously no relationship to insurance costs because insurance companies are monopolies and can set prices wherever they want. Insurance companies can refuse insurance to sick people before or after they pay their premiums.
"know that we already have the best health care on the planet." Like Armymom the search for ignorance goes on unabated. No certifying body; no medical authority; no agency of government anywhere reports that the US has the "best health care on the planet". That on person whatever their status comes to the US for specialized care proves nothing or if you prefer as little as a snow storm in Washington proves about climate change.
This claim is self delusion so that the author can defend the status quo. A status quo from which they most likely earn their living. For the rest of us, we need to re-double our efforts to save the lives of the 45,000 people who die each year because they don't have insurance, the 1 million a year who die because of medical malpractice, and the many millions who are injured because of rationing by the health insurance industry.
Armymom has descended into nonsense. She refuses to listen or learn of facts. Froget the 1000+ FBI investigations into fraud by mortagage orginiators. Forget the now well documented regulator failures either because of repealed legal authority or because the regulators turned a blind eye to reported criminal activity. Forge the testimony before Congress by Alan Greenspan that he was wrong throughout his whole career in pursuing an expansive monetary policy. Forget all this so Armymom can feel morally superior for her alleged austerity. She like George prefer emotional temper tantrums which have nothing to do with the situation rather than solutions. Its all about Armymom. Pathetic.
She prefers to blame the victim rather than the criminal. Please explain Armymom how investors in Madoff's ponzi scheme could have protected themselves without assistance from law enforcement.
George named everything except the weather for causes of our current economic disaster. He only needed to list de-regulation, fraud by mortagage originators and banks, and expansive monetary policies that created investment bubbles. Guess George doesn't know that. George used a TV commercial for his facts!!!! He guessed at the number of local taxpayers who can't pay their property taxes.
How did this letter get published? Why did it get published?
less than 10 percent of the scientists? Fact is only one out of thousands. "Climategate" is another right-wing manufactured smear financed by the coal and coal-fired energy industry.
Robert Bruce Acheson is or was a member of the looney cold war anti-communist conspiracy jokester of the John Birch Society, a group wrong about everything. Weren't they selling vitamin supplements a few years back.
We can see their insanity with his statement, "Jobs never started to get out-sourced to China until President George Bush pushed the North American Free Trade Agreement..." NAFTA which was negiotiated by Bush I was never signed by Clinton. Clinton signed a must-sign Omnibus Military Appropriations bill to which NAFTA had been attached. Since Clinton did not have a line-item veto, he had to sign the appropriations bill with NAFTA which he opposed. Jobs have been out sourced since the 1970's long before NAFTA and NAFTA has nothing to do with out-sourcing jobs to China or anywhere else for that matter. The effect of NAFTA has been to decrease employment in the US, Mexico, and Canada. Its one of the worst foreign trade agreements ever signed while increasing the profits of America's uber-rich.
But Mr. Acheson grows his paranoia when saying, "the Federal Reserve is a cartel of foreign bankers, such as the Bilderburgers and the Rothschilds... Poor Rothschilds. They have been blamed by every anti-semitic group for 200 years for everything that's gone wrong in the world including the weather. The Federal Reserve is a cartel of American privately held banks. Its critical to the functioning of the economy.
The national debt is not primarily the result of interest paid to Foreign Banks. Under George Bush 43 the debt more than doubled. All the monies added to the debt can be accounted for in new programs initiated by Bush - the $2.3 trillion tax cuts for the rich, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - $1 trillion, the Medicare Part D - $725 billion, and the financial services bailout - $2 trillion. That's 6 trillion of the $7 trillion Bush added to the deficit. No interest included.
over 300 "terrorists" have been tried in federal court, largely found guilty, and imprisoned or given the death penalty.
New information is that the Christmas bomber is signing like a bird to intelligence agencies.
Looks like it worked well. Like the DHS director said, everything has worked out well AFTER the EVENT.
Collins has no right to be in the Senate. She allowed Halliburton to kill American soldiers by not holding hearings on its failure to ground shower facities. She's the terrorist.
I came to the debate hoping to get some information on which to base my support or opposition to the proposal to build a wind farm on Holman Mountain in Dixfield.
Dr. Jennings made a powerful impression. He argued that the people of the Common Road should be willing to sacrifice their health and homes so that his grandchildren (whom he couldn't name and he tried) can enjoy the benefits of an end to Global Warming. He dismissed the health and other complaints of residents near other wind farms as "exaggerated" and unimportant. I don't think the people of the Common Road are expendable. I don't think they should be asked to sacrifice their health and homes for the profits of a Wind Co which primarily comes from Federal subsidies - our tax dollars.
Libertarian ideas??? No. Many fine organizations in America exist that believe in magic, worshipping the sun, and similiar follies. Libertarians have no ideas becuase ideas require a degree of rationality. Libertarians are believers in a false almost religion that never let actual experience intrude on their dreams.
Well Tommy "same-tried-old-follies" Shields is at it again presenting a mix and match of long ago discredited bad ideas. Tommy how about a fresh idea like attacking Mexico so we can steal California. Let's take these ideas one at a time:
1. Balanced Budget Amendment - terrible idea. Means the federal government can not respond to the business cycle. Violates Article 1 Section 8's stated purpose of the Congress and its powers.
2. Congressional Term limits - correctly known as the lobbyist empowerment act. Would turn over control of the Congress to the corporation elite. The people's voice would be silenced.
3. Line-item veto. Finally we almost have a winner. But another violation of the Constitution. Moves us toward a dictator and away from a President. With this the President might as well ignore the Congress entirely and just write his own budget that's more like what you do at home isn't that a good idea.
4. English as an official language. Well we could do that. But if we did why stop there. How about caucasian as the offical race. Why not bar immigration. We haven't needed this in 223 years, we don't need it now. Its also backwards, the government is to serve the people, not the people serve the government.
5. Curb the deficit. Great idea. When was the last time you heard of a military procurement program stopped dead in its tracks? Hint last year when the F-22 boondoogle was stopped. Its good to know that Republicans are concerned about the deficit crisis that they created. Bush II more than doubled the federal debt entirely with new programs that Republicans in Congress supported completely. Obama on the other hand has introduced a budget which will cut these huge Republican deficits in half. Not enough but a place to begin. Also the timing of the cuts in deficits is important; can't take effect until the economy has recovered.
6. Give tax incentives for businesses to employ more people. Another good idea. Its already in Obama's budget and he is promoting it all over.
7. Affirm the foreign terrorists don't have the legal rights of US citizens. Here Shields disagress with his own party. The numbers vary but the Bush administration gave foreign terrorists legal rights under our Constitution - over 200 in 119 trials depending on how you look at it. Our Constitution and international treaties require that foreign "terrorists" have the same rights in our courts as our citizens. The Shoe Bomber was given his rights under Bush in 5 minutes and before any interrogation.
Given all the ideas that Shields promotes that violate our Constitution and not just bad policy, maybe Shields needs to go back to school.
Whose name is on the order - G. W. Bush. All the bank bailout funds were committed ($12.9 trillion) by Paulsen under Bush's orders by November of 2008. Obama was able to modify the auto bailout so that the US people had some role in deciding how those funds were used. At $5 billion for GM it hardly made a dent.
Let's take for the most recent example, Rep. Hensarling R-TX. Obama slapped him down at the Republican House Conference Friday. Well he appeared on Hardball last night and said that the deficit was caused by the Democratic Congress because they passed the budget. Partisan, disingenuous, false conclusion, and a misrepresentation of how our government works. The President proposes the budget. Congress modifies his proposal. The President approves the budget or vetoes it. Congress can override the veto. Congress is only responsible and then only partially for the changes they made. The President is responsible for the rest.
Since the President is primarily responsible for the budget lets look at G. W. Bush's performance. He did not propose paying for new programs which added $4 trillion to the deficit - $2.3 trillion in tax cuts, $1 trillion in war costs, $725 billion in Medicare Part D. The Congressional Republican Party voted for these new programs. The President proposed spending of about $3 trillion to bailout the financial services sector of the economy and guarantee and additional $9 trillion in spending if necessary. The deficit under Bush's proposals which were not paid for increased the deficit from $5.7 trillion to $12.9 trillion and the Congressional Republicans supported every one of these proposals. Bush did not veto any bill passed by the Republican Congress. Now the Republicans and Rep. Hensarling admit that they want the poor and middle class to pay for all of this by either privatizing Social Security and Medicare or by reducing benefits for those under 55. The wealthy will not pay a penny under the Republican plan.
Now that's the truth and the whole truth. The Federal Government can balance the budget. It did for four years under Bill Clinton. No commission can or should replace the Congress's Constitutional duty. If the American people are being irrational that's their right under the Constitution. They will remain irrational until someone has the courage to tell the whole truth and it won't be any Republican.
The headline is wrong. Normally when Democrats President, caucus attendence is lower than when Republicans are President and lower in off years than in Presidential years. This year's attendence exceeded both 2002 and 2006 off years.
I believe the better than expected attendence is a sign that Obama has energized the Democratic Party. His sparkling and unprecendented performance at the Republican House Conference Friday and his handling of the economic emergency strengthens people in there resolve to get through this mess.
I believe the obstructionism of the Republican Party and the emergence of Susan Collins as one of the wingnuts who control this party of NO validates Democrats in their view that the Republicans are not interested in governing this Nation only in looting its treasury.
What's new about a Republican lying to gain political advantage? Old as Joe McCathy, Richard Nixon, and George W. Bush or James O'Keefe the young Republican, employee of ultra-right wing web master Andrew Beitbart, and master of dirty tricks and disciple of Liddy who was recently arrested for attempting to bug the democratic Louisiana Senator's office. Republican and liar are synonyms.
Having wrecked the economy in the last 8+ years through false economic policies, the Republicans again are demanding that we do the wrong things - reduce the deficit now being one. They drove 8 million people out of work while spending billions and committing trillions to save Wall Street corporations. You would think they would have some shame. But no.
The President's plan is appropriate, sensible, and can give us some hope that next year a few million people will be back at work.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Old Bill, your Jefferson quote is a phony. It was likely first printed in 1986 in John Galt, Dreams Come Due: Government and Economics as if Freedom Mattered] (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1986), 312. You can verify that at: http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/The_democracy_will_cease_...
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Yale situation is much different. The story didn't state, but I'm assuming the University and the Author had a contract and it should govern this situation. I'd be amazed if the University isn't wrong.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Barfoot's gallant service is not a factor here. Should we look the other way every time a veteran breaks a rule or a law simply because he was a veteran (truthfully we should make every accommodation possible to Mr. Barfoot). My understanding is that the Homeowners Association owns the land where Mr. Barfoot placed the flag pole. Its their decision to make and they have choosen not to accommodate him.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This report is biased. The inclusion of properties more than 5 miles from the wind farm
where everyone would expect no impact waters down the data. The author did say that there were impacts just too few for a statistical conclusion.
Remember the Health Study in Rumford. Preliminary report found a statistical association with soft tissue cancers so people upwind of the mill were added to the study and surprise surprise the association disappeared.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Democrats from cutting vital Medicare coverage for our seniors.", so says John McCain. You know the guy who lost the Presidential election last year and the Senator who campaigned on making these same cuts. Imagine "small-government" Republicans opposing cutting out waste, fraud, and abuse from a government program. The sweet, pungent smell of hypocrisy is everywhere.
The Democrats bill does not cut medicare coverage much less "vital" medicare coverage. Just more Republican lies to frighten senior citizens. You would have thought we had learned not to listen to these folks after Bush lied to invade Iraq.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Something has to be done and done soon. More than 7 million people lost their jobs. We are unlikely to get all 7 million back after recovery. Took 8 years of very robust economic growth under Bill Clinton to reduce the unemployment rate by 4%. That's far too long for many people to wait.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Jobs must be the top priority of our next Democrat Govenor.
Having wrecked the US economy, Republicans continue their long held goal of destroying the middle class and by doing so enrich the super-rich. Since 1980, wages have remained stagnant while productivity has doubled. In other words all our economic activity have benefitted the rich while the middle class has been destroyed. Before 1980 productivity and wages moved up together with 60% of the gain in productivity going to workers. What changed in 1980? Ronald Reagan was elected President and immediately set to breaking the unions, out sourcing our jobs, and giving tax breaks to companies that moved overseas.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Apparently Mr. Sabine runs a business and Pietar sells gas. As someone who does neither the most burdensome Maine tax is on property where the bottom 20% of wage earners pay 6.5% of their income in property taxes and the top 1% of wage earners pay 0.7%. So let's compromise. End all property and sales taxes. Adopt LD 1495 and then increase the refundable tax credits on the 40% of low and moderate income taxpayers. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well its nice to know that America still raises bizarre bigots.
The attack, Mr. Bechard, has never happenned. The ACLU and CAIR are both strong supporters of religion in general and Christianity in particular. The one who hates religion is Mr. Bechard.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Obama is driving him crazy. Doubt it. Seems from his letter that it is a pre-existing condition.
the stimulus (Obama's and it saved the economy at least for now), TARP (Bush's), financial takeovers and bonuses (Bush's), auto industry takeovers (Bush's with added Obama conditions to protect the american tax payer), cash for clunkers (Susan Collins' only good thing she has ever done. Added .8% to economic growth), government-run health care (No one's. there is no such proposal) , cap and tax (Under current proposals American taxpayers will not pay one penny in either higher taxes or rates), the cabinet (best in memory) and czars being avowed Marxists (Good, gives Obama a range of opinions from Republican mid-westerners to California activists, to New York financial experts) and tax cheats (didn't get the jobs), his affinity for our sworn enemies (he has not such affinity) and his deference to terrorists (he has none), his apologies for America (when we are wrong and for the past 8 years we were very wrong and arrogant, we should), and his complete ineptness in serving as commander in chief (what ineptness. His speech last night showed him to be a calm, deliberate, thoughtful leader who takes the advice of his suborrdinates) , to name just some (that Obama isn't or didn't do).
Proves one thing. If Obama walked on water, the Republicans would say he can't swim.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Great letter. The current Senate bill being debated this week is simply the insurance industry bailout bill. Far too conservative. The only feature worthy of passage is the public option and that has been watered down to the point that it just barely useful. H.R. 676 - expand Medicare to every resident of the US. fully fund it. Will make US business competive with the rest of the world. Will move doctors back to being doctors. Will end a lot of these family destructions.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Conservatives are so easily duped. So far the story is that a hacker stole 20,000 documents. Well no one's seen them. The hacker quoted a few indicating that one researcher may have destroyed some data that couldn't be explained by his hypothesis. He should not have done that, but its not uncommon. In fact, real scientific fraud goes on everyday. We see that almost daily now with the Coal industry advertising their "clean" coal technology which does not exist using data no one has ever been allowed to see. Or the tobacco industry proving by scientific tests that cigarettes are as good for you as milk.
Or the ACORN "scandal" manufactured by the Republican Party. What are the charges so far. Having millions of dollars embezzled from them. Drawing out important information from two frauds so they could report them to the police. Reporting to election officials that some of their temporarily hired voter registration collectors were completing fraudulent cards so they could collect more money. What's missing here. Any illegal activities by the ACORN organization. If ACORN registered only rich white folks, none of these charges would have been publicly raised.
The common thread here, is that without any evidence, no trials (innocent until proven guilty), these poor conservatives who lack critical thinking skills and are accustomed to taking orders jump on the bandwagon of invented scandal. Some do it because they have a financial interest in misleading the public, some because they have an ideologic interest in misleading the public, some because they simply lack to skills to not be fooled.
Then there are the birthers, etc, etc.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Medicare, Social Security, Amtrak, USPS,....all enterprises "successfully" managed by government. Glad you now understand that. The government als prvides 50%+ of all health insurance and their programs are better rated by the inured than private insurance.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
fixit001, obviously has some problems. His anaysis of national politics is almost completely wrong. NAFTA didn't violate the Constitution. Its a bad treaty, but its very constitutional. Clinton never committed a crime in office. I don't know the President he's referring to about the bailout money, but let's hope its Bush because Obama continued the Bush bailouts with many added restrictions. "We" have made billions of dollars in profits from those bailouts.
And that's the problem with Rep. Bickford's letter. Where's the truth. He says, "This new tax scheme from the majority party will hit low-income and elderly Mainers the hardest..."
Primarily this comes from Mr. Albert Dimillio (one of the 13% of Mainers who will pay more until the new tax reform.). Rep. Bickford doesn't write that Mr. Dimillo's analysis was refuted months ago. He does'nt mention the refundable tax credits which replace deductions and will give low-income and enderly Mainers a check much larger than any sales tax increases. 6 out of 7 Mainers will pay lower taxes - $55,000,000 less under this bill. That's a tax cut.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
An all-volunteer military is a growingly bad idea. As you mentioned it isolates the military from the political process.
Our military has been infiltrated by extremist religious groups in the military academies and the pentagon (the 2006 fundraising video shot by "Christian Embassy" in the Pentagon using 7 general officers being one of the worst examples. 34 "Christian Embassy" volunteers without security clearances were given free rein to access the Pentagon including restricted areas.)
We should bring back the draft and make the military look like the people of the USA.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
the_poorman, good observation. Since 1980, working people's income has declined while the rich have doubled their money (some like CEO's hae increased their incomes by 1000%. Its embarrassing and political and needs to change.
While I'd like to donate, giving to a church makes me very uncomfotable. Too bad there isn't a secular food bank.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Oh! here comes the supernatural Von Mises who went no further than his imagination to construction an economic system for OZ. Well our early settlers never used socialism (would have been diffcult since socialism requires an industrial economy which they never had and didn't exist for another 200 years). But that's Mises' thinking for you. IF its not true well just make it up.
Jabba, "But a government run plan is NOT the answer" No one has proposed a governmnt run plan" that's a Republican invention like "death panels" and all the other lies they tell in their frustration. The Party of NO NO No. They sound like 8 year-olds.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Sirmel, there is no proposal for "government controlled health care". The bills before Congress all call for a private insurance system with a public option for those denied coverage by the insurance industry. The nation is split down the middle on abortion, but your numbers on health care are a fantay.
Diana, great letter. I agree 100%.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The $400 billion is coming from waste, fraud, and abuse not from benefits and that's very realistic. A single-payer system would save up to $800 billion in just administative overhead. Th currently proposed public option won't be that successful but it will bring competition to the 47 states with insurance companies monopolies. And as the Republicans so often say a free competitive market will drive down costs.
Mostly you can't say that you favor health care reform, acknowledge that the system is broken, then call all the current proposals reckless and unrealistic and not offer your own solutions.
I say expand Medicare to cover everyone (H.R. 676). Save $800 billion. Use that to fund the uninsured and still provide more funding for the current Medicare system. Some oter positives are no health care insurance companies, no worries abou their abuses.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Maine Leads is one of many Republican front groups (MHPC another). They don't want to reveal funding because the funding will prove this. The Republican Party,itself, has illegally failed to make its FEC reports for the same reason. The fine was much too small. $100,000 would have been much better for those who deceive Maine voters.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
First, CAIR is following our laws and our Constitution. Second, Christians have never faced discrimination in public schools since organized, state sponsored pray was removed. Third, obviously a problem exists between the super and the parents. Various court decisions require that governmental organizations make reasonable accommodations to allow people to exercise their Constitutional rights. Lastly, its not a question of Muslims becoming Americans. Its a question of Americans changing to accept new Americans and new Americans learning to live among us.
The racism, religious intolerance, and dowright bigotry in these comments unfortunately doesn't amaze, but it will give Lewiston a bad name.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Frostproof, get a life. The insurance companies are not subject to anti-trust laws. Theefore they can demand any prices they wish and we are forced to pay. Has nothing to do with illegal immigrants, socialism, welfare, o immoral bottom feeders and racist such a yourself.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"people comprehend the meaning of the words in the Pledge of Allegiance" Peple should. The Pledge as now written is a committment to voluntarily be a slave to an all powerful collective - the Republican fascist state. Instead use the oath of office from the Constitution. Pledge to serve and protect the constitution. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"The Catholic Church does not strive to win popularity contests. It has a mission, mandated by Jesus Christ, to lead people to salvation. Bishop Malone was not merely taking a personal stand on the gay marriage issue; he was doing what was required of him by God."
What BS. I suppose protecting pedophiles is required of him by God too.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No one should critize individual catholics. They have every right to vote yes on 1 and to do so based on their personal religious beliefs. But Bishop Richard "Bull Conners" Malone has no right to use Church resources and facilities to organize opposition to a public vote. The church is now being investigated for violations of its tax exempt status over a number of interventions in secular political issues across the country. Politico reports that the Catholic Bishops believe they have a new lobbying strategy that will legally allow them to do this. I hope they are wrong as the Catholic leadership is wrong on so many issues.
Boycott the Catholic Church. Work to end all funding for the Catholic Church and any agency they re related to.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Taxes are not going to be raised 572 bil. This is a phony number used the the US Chamber of Commerce to frighten people.
Susan Collins is well aware that the Lewin group is owned by an insurance company and that its so called nonpartisan studies are absolutely false. She knows because every Republican uses these false studies and has done so for months and whenever they do the Democrats call them on it. She has to have heard it a 100 times. She knows they are lying. Shows she and her fellow republicans think health care reform is freeing health insurance companies to steal more from the system.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
That's exactly the right way. Civil rights and fundamntal human rights should never be decided by popular vote. The passage of Question 1 was akin to a lynching. Mob rule by ballot. The Courts on the other hand have to consider the law and legal traditions of the State or Country. They should not be guided by hatred or fear. The Iowa Supreme Court decision destroys any claim by anti-gay bigots that gay marriage should not be accepted.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Pirate, no it doesn't. But some were. Some still are like the birther movement.
But the gay marriage debate over the last year showed that there was no rational reason to vote yes. And when challenged the Yeson1 folks could not supply a reason. The advertising was designed solely to inflame anti-gay hostility. ProConserv and other writers in various forums explicitly stated any number of false and irrational anti-gay sterotypes. In that case, the overwhelming majority of Yes on 1 voters are and were bigots. Some because of institutional bigotry, some religious bigotry, and some personal bigotry. In the end though its just bigotry.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
veritas, as you note Teddy Roosevelt was a Progressive Party member. Today the Republicans would disown him as they are so many of their party.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"The people spoke and that's that". No its not. The bigots spoke. Either by court ruling or a new vote, this one will be overturned soon. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"If you like the way the government is handling the distribution and rationing of H1N1 vaccine". The government can not distribute what private industry has not made. As to their priority sytem, its wonderful. Makes all the sense in the world to give the vaccine first to those most likely to catch the disease and to suffer the worst cnsequences. I expect you would give the vaccine to those who can pay the most for it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"why do a lot of people from around the (socialist) world come here to use it." Because they don't. This is pure myth. Yes, a few isolated indivduals do come here for specialized teatment, but its very few and almost all with very special problems. They also don't have US insurance so they have to be rich to have the time and money to come here.
"...profit driven capitalist system works..." It doesn't. Every 8 years on average it fails. This past year it cost people $27 trillion world wide. In baseball a player who gets 3 hits in 10 attempts is considered great. I think most people expect more of a economy. I think they like to eat more often than 3 times in 10 tries.
"Health INSURANCE costs are a REACTION to health CARE costs." No they aren't. Health Insurance companies are not subject to anti-trust laws. They can and do sit down together to set prices in 47 of the 50 states. Their prices have nothing to do with health care costs.
Most Jefferson quotes are phonies. Maineexile, care to provide a source. Yours in particular sounds modern not 18th century. Many Jefferson quotes come from the Texas Republican VP and his books whch had to be re-written because he invented the quotes, he used only secondary sources which he did not check, and many of his stories are bizarre. For example, he stated in a letter to the Kennebec Journal that John Quincy Adams was a founding father because he fought in the Revolutionary War. President Adam's war record consistented of marching with minutemen from one end of the white picket fence in front of his home to the other end carrying his wooden rifle and leaving for Europe when he was 10.
9.8%. Private insurance premiums went up at twice that rate this year and in some states Blue Cross/Blue Shield asked for 80% premium rate increases.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
undocumented immigrants provide much more in benefits than they cost and they are bankrupting no one. At least that's the conclusion of the study the Bush (that's right big business wants undocumented workers in fact they go to Latin America to recruit them.)administration did after the Heritage Foundation put together a phony report that listed only the costs of undocumented immigrants.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
First, violations of the immigration laws are not crimes; they are not included in the criminal code. So they are undocumented not illegals. Undocuments do not go to a criminal court nor do they see a judge. They go to an administrative hearing and see and administrative judge. The only penalty is deporation (if no other crime is involved).
Second, Opposition to undocumented immigrants comes from two sources. The Michael savage and Lou Dobbs "border, language, and culture" crowd or nazis for short and the "they are taking our jobs". Conservatives inhabit the first group; the second can have anyone. Its tough but necessary to separate the two motivations.
Third, The author is correct. We must fix the immigration system. The recession has helped forcing millions to leave the US because they can find no jobs here. Health Care and Education should be recognized as basic human rights and all residents (which is how the Constitution refers to census taking probably because they didn't want to refer to slaves) of the US should have access to each. New immigration legislation should be going through Congress shortly. Republicans oppose it some because they are nazis, but we need a system that will be easy enough that no one needs to sneek into the country and so that we can document everyone here.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Government is prohibited from establishing a "State" religion and from making laws that prevent people from exercising their religious beliefs. It DOES NOT prevent religious people from participating in government." Strawman alert. jchick is at it again. Now no one will convince him/her to use reason as the author of the letter suggests. No one including jefferson has ever argued that religious people should not participate in government except religious people. Some religious groups think that participation in government is to worldly. But chick is trying to sell what only the extreme far-right religious groups try to sell. That government should follow religious law whether it be sharia or old testament. Rev. Emrich, Republican Senate Chief of Staff, Jeramiah Project leader, and Pastor is such a theocrat as jchick is. They wish to imprison all of us in an out-dated, dysfunctional, irrational set of eternally true and immutable laws which they are right no in the process of changing (see Conservapedia project to re-write the bible by removing "liberal" concepts like charity).
No respectable politician or lawyer has every supported jchick's mis-interpretation of the 1st Amendment. This is strictly an invention of a right wing nut who has spent his career inventing quotes from Jefferson and writing books that have to be re-written because fact-checking the book discovers that almost nothing in the book is true. First of all "establishment" here means building (the definition in 1759 and usage then referred to a tavern or building) not "to create" which gives the clause much wider meaning than just create a state religion.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No surprising that someone would challenge when the Republicans' could only get 1020 signatures more than needed. Given their long record of voter fraud, dishonesty, and incompetence, finding another few thousand phony signatures should be easy.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Very serious. Many people are being hurt by these cuts. But Maine is in better shape than most states that are increasing taxes and cutting programs. Pew has identified 11 states in serious trouble and Maine isn't one of them.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Obama is not offering Joe the Plumber, Shaws, Victoria's Secret or Ruby Tuesday's any stimulus or bailout money." The Obama administration has any number of programs to help small business. This is just flat out wrong. Ever hear of the Family Leave Act.
This is a great idea. Better one is to require documentation and a reason when firing someone. Better still is passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Best is requiring all employees to join/create a bargaining unit in every business and organization including non-profits. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"President Obama took over the Office of the President in November in what is considered to be one of many unconstitutional acts..." Utter nonsense. In fact Obama spent November through January 20th staying out of the President's way. He did not comment on many of the issues of the day and he did not criticize the President. More conspiracy nonsense. Get over it. A black man is President.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Ah! the sillies are out in force. "It can't even supply citizens with much-needed vaccine for the H1N1 swine flu virus...." The government isn't manufacturing H1N1 vaccine, private industry is. Government is just coordinating distribution and it can't distribute what hasn't been made.
How can a private health insurance company compete with the government? First they don't have to. The Public option as defined in all the bills being discussed in congress is only available to people that all insurance companies have already denied health insurance. Health insurance companies are exempt from anti-trust laws so they don't even have to compete with each other.
We will be at the mercy of the Federal Government? Oh! let it be true. Today, health insurance companies kill 44,870+ Americans. They ration care in 20% of cases. Please leave me at the mercy of the Federal Government at least there I have a vote and representatives fighting for my interests.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Donald now you are being silly.
Because of this and several other efforts by the Catholic Church leadership to interfere in secular, political matters their tax exempt status is being investigated by the IRS. I hope its revoked. There must be consequences when folks violate the law.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The bishop closed churches to finance his interference in the gay marriage referendum. You can make all the excuses you want for him, but that seems to be the fact. The IRS appears to be investigating the churches interferences in political matters which could bring about the denial of their tax exempt status. The bishops have threatened Washington D.C. with a denial of contracted services; wrote the Stupak anti-abortion amendment that would deny women insurance coverage for abortions, and interferred in Maine's referendum all of which suggest that the 501 c(3) status of the church is being ignored by the bishops. Nothing should be done that that interferes with parisoners excericing their faith; everything should be done to prevent the church leadership from interferring in secular, political affairs.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Parties matter. The Republicans policies have just wrecked the national economy and severely crippled the State of Maine revenue stream. They will do the same in Maine because they believe wrecking the economy is best for the wealthy.
"Taxes are always a central issue, specially seeing as Maine is one of the highest taxed states." Maine is not one of the highest taxed states. The Tax Foundation, a very conservative group, rated Maine 2nd for a while and then admitted that they had miscalculated and changed Maine's rating to 15th. They included in their calculation of Maine's tax burden taxes paid in other states by the residents of those states for example they pro-rate oil taxes paid in Alaska to Maine based on the amount of oil we use. This obviously biases the rating. Removing these amounts, Maine rates somewhere in the mid-20's. Other groups have calculaated 22nd. But these figures do not include the changes in 2009. While Maine has proposed cutting taxes by $55,000,000 (called the Maine Miracle by WSJ) many other states have increased sales or income taxes or both. When all the figures are in Maine will fall to mid-30's in the ratings.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Skippy, look at it this way. If they are not credible and you agree with their positions then you are not credible and your postions are likely wrong too. Don't you want known factual support for your positons.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Skippy, 44870 Americans die each year because they do not have health insurance. The US is rated 15th to 37th among industrialized countries in the quality of its health care.
So much for "taking care" of people without insurance.
The American people have a right to know who is pitching what propaganda. It speaks directly to the credibility of the source. The only reason to operate in secret is because knowing who they are will hurt their message. Given that I would ignore these folks.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wackoism taken to its logical conclusion "Liberalism equals socialism equals communism". Words mean nothing. Radically different things are the same things. An anti-communist uses a failed communist as authority for her point of view. If we needed anymore proof of the incapacity of the right to think this surely is it. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Isn't it interesting that the fundamentalists deny that God could make a new relevation and that the Constitution exists ahistorically and without any context.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Centarie2000 you ask a very good question. How long. Until all American citizens enjoy equal rights.
Can't people compromise? On what basis. To compromise you have to have a common language and a common set of rules for debate. On one side you have people who have a secular, rational, and fact (the laws of nature are fixed and unchangeable if imperfectly discovered) based worldview governed by the Constitution (the rules for debate). On the other you have a supernatural, irrational, and subjective worldview governed by the bible (as the fixed tradition which it of course is not since its been re-written so often but there I go being rational). On one side words mean something or the other the laws of nature are relative. They can be changed to anything else they want through their subjective power (prayer). The sun can stop in the sky for example. One side want the private realm of religion and the public realm of policy separated; the other wants to impose their brand of religion on everyone else through government's police power.
This will end when the demographics change with more of the first and less of the second
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil, words have meaning. I know in your supernatural worldview that's an unnecessary restriction. Words also have an author and a context and a history. True the words "the seperation of church and state" are not specifically in the constitution and they don't have to be because the policy is. In 1791 when James Madison wrote the 1st Amendment the word "establishment" was a noun that meant tavern or building. So the establishment clause means quite plainly that Congress can not make a law related to the organization, structure, dogma of a church. The free exercise clause clearly states that Congress can not limit how people choose to exercise their religion. But that's not the end of the 1st Amendment. In addition there is the freedom of speech, press, and assembly, and petitioning of Government. Why are all of these seemingly very different subjects under one amendment. To that you have to look to the author and the debates in Congress to find out their intent. Madison is very clear in the debates in the house, works that he authored like the Remontance, and in his letters. Jefferson expressed it best that he would oppose all tryanny over the mind of man. Madison was equally clear if not so elegent. He wanted government strictly out of conscience or man. Government can not be used to impose one man's conscience on anothers .i.e conscience is private, religion is private and the two spheres private and public shall never touch. The separation of church and state. Jefferson understood that and articulated it best in his 1802 letter to the Baptists where the phrase was first used. That letter was a letter of state that set a precedent in defining the role of government and churches and as such has been referred to by the Supreme Court often. The letter is as binding as any Presidential action by tradition.
There are many good books on Constitutional Law, biographies of Madison and Jefferson, and the journal of the House (no record was kept of the debates in the Senate just a recording of the actions taken). You might want to get out of your bible and back into the real world.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jchick, you finaling got something right - "Our system of government is based on the Constitution of The United States." The Declaration has nothing to do with our founding. It is not a founding document and it has no legal standing. Great prose and nothing more. Written 11 years prior and two governments prior to our Founding by men who mostly didn't participate in our founding. Its chief author did not prticipate in writting the Constitution, attend the radification convention, and publicly condemned the constitution.
The separation of church and state - First Amendment. It is in the Constitution.
"It does NOT mean "if one can do it, everyone can do it." It depends on what "IT" is." Wrong again. That's exactly what it means
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
50% of health insurace today is a public option. Try to close down Medicare, Medicaid, Military , and Federal Health insurance. Just try. The polls are pretty damn close. And out west. I refer to my second sentance. Not enough in the Republican South is there support for ending public options.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Health Care Reform national debate is a perfect example of this. The vast majority of Americans want a check and balance placed on insurance companies by establishing a robust public option and repeal of the anti-trust exemption for them. Yet it appears that both will fail. Why? because of the exterordinary power that 50 years of anti-trust exemptions have given the insurance companies, their great wealth, their large number of often wealthy employees, their concentration of employees, their associated companies and other factors.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Denison's letter is inspired by a thory current in the libertarian circles that government must become corrupt as it intervenes in the marketplace. This theory has no fact to support it only the mind games of a dysfunctional economist. We can easily point to specific individuals who have been corrupt - Cunningham who extorted $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors and Jefferson just convicted of accepting $478,000 in bribes from companiesthat want to do business in Africa. But the venality of a few corrupt men does not establish that "government is corrupt" or that government intervention produces by the laws of nature corruption"
What is really going on here is people don't understand our government, how it works, how it should work, and their proper role in all of that. They don't understand our Constitution or our history. Mr. Denison exposes his real feelings in his last sentence - "we have so much control of government." It is his powerlessness that motivates his frustration. Power in a republic is asymetric - some people have great deal of power some little. That is caused by the unregulated growth of business and the accumulation of wealth not just of individuals but of corporations. The concentratin of wealth without proper check and balances leaves people like Denison and myself and most of the people of Maine with little opportunity to "control government". The solution is not to look toward "corruption" but applying the very successful principles of our Constitution to our economic lives.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Civil Unions are a dead issue.
I agree that the state should not recognize matrimony (the church rite), but the state must recognize marriage (the secular contract between two people that defines the civil rights and privileges tht the state provides to committed couples.) Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Yes on 1 capaign was not a campaign to repeal Marriage Equality; its was as its supporters so frequently said and wrote a campaign to force gays back in the closet.
They want to discourage gay Mainers from living here by making Maine "gay unfriendly". They hope gay Mainers will move to Mass. or elsewhere that they can get their full civil rights. If that doesn't work they want to return to the pre-US Supreme Court decision on sodomy when they could imprison or kill gay with impunity. Won't work. We, those who believe in equal rights, will stop you. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Since the purpose of the Yes on 1 campaign is to force gays back into the closet and to return Maine to the situation prior to the US Supreme Courts decision on sodomy when gays could be imprisoned and killed with impunity, is any one suprised that they might make false charges to the press without first informing the police.
So this matter must be fully investigated first.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
lobster,
A few problems with your constitutional amendment. First, economists should be non-partisan number crunchers. Making them run for office, will change their conclusions. Second, no voter knows enough about the people or the science to rationally vote the best economists into office. Third, economists are reverse indicators of economic activity i.e. the majority are almost always wrong about the direction of the economy. Fourth, never be passed.
Well lobster presents some old Republican partisan slanders. Current National debt about $11.6 trillion (as of 7/22/09) National debt as of Ronald Reagen's election < $ 1 trillion. Debt accumulated by all Republican administrations from Reagan to now $9.4 trillion. All debt accumulated by all other Presidents in the nations's history $2.2 trillion. Now who grows government most.
After winning the 1994 election and taking over Congress Dick Armey, now the lobbyist for all right wing causes and leader of the Tea Party movement, said ,when asked why federal spending had shifted from the cities to the suburbs, "...to the winner goes the spoils". So much for Democrats increasing spending to buy votes.
As to borrowing from China. This began many years ago as the Republicans accumulated debt. Democrats have done very little until forced to by the huge $1.0+ trillion deficit left by George Bush.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Another thing you might consider is that 1/4 of private corporate IT projects are later abandoned often at terrible cost. Now if I was a right-winger I end my comments their. The rest of the story is we have no way of telling how successful government is. We know of some projects, the FBI case file project, that proved to be huge failures, but much of governments work is hidden we really have no way to know how many failures they have had. But these failures have increased corporate overhead.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
the_poorman, I've seen estimates that medicare administrative overhead runs between 1 1/2% to 3% with the 3% most quoted. Private insurance companies administrative overhead runs from 15% to 33% with something over 30% the most quoted. This is easily explained because the private insurance companies have been increasing premiums (double digit for a decade), increasing profits 428% in last 6 years, and increasing rationing care, about 1/5 of medical decisions are reversed by private insurance companies and they have reduced the % of premiums that go to pay for medical care from 95% to 80% just in the last decade. Medicare is rated higher than all private insurance plans by the insured. The US government runs 50% of all health insurance in the US and runs it much more efficiently than any corporation.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"...eternally true, transcendent normative standards....." Mr. Tassel. How can that be true when conservatives (Conservapedia) are right now re-writting the Bible removing anything they think is "liberal" like charity. Or are those eternally true, transcendent values only eternal for as long as you believe them.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Rinolast, you need to understand that this was the third opportunity that bigots in Maine got to harm gays and their children. The issue was never marriage to them. Its always been their way to eliminate gays.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well the Yes on 1 crowd continues to prove that they are motivated by hate, bigotry, and institutionalized fear. They have never provided a single reason to vote yes on 1. But they are right on one thing. The Gay/straight movement for human rights will be back again. Blacks finally won their freedom more than one hundred years after the civil war. So the human rights movement isn't about to be discouraged by a few bigots.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The cash for clunker program was very successful. It increased the GDP growth rate from 1.9% to 3.5%. That was its primary goal. It replaced car/trucks with new ones with 10 miles/gal better gas mileage.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Its a serious mistake to think that because some part of the stimulus packaged worked for a few quarters that they can be abandoned. Roosevelt did that in 1937 and produced a serious recession 4 years after the many New Deal stimulus programs were begun. We do not know right now that the housing market is self-sustaining or that the economy in general can continue to grow. At its current rate of growth (3.5%) it will take more than a decade to reduce unemployment to anything near acceptable levels (see the Clinton years at 3.7% average growth over 8 years unemployment was reduced from over 8 to 4.3%. That's too long at 10+%). Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Both should be congradulated. Rep. Mike Michaud had the much tougher vote. Many people (some on this page) have been fooled and mislead by industry propaganda but the fact remains that low Medicare reimbursement rates weaken health care in rural Maine. Rep. Michaud has fought hard to make those concerns heard. This historic bill had to pass and in the end Rep. Michaud listen to his constituents.
Now we need the Senate to pass it or something similiar and then take it to conference and make it better. Watch. Collins and Snowe will vote to protect insurance company profits not the people of Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"...this interpretation would mean a majority of Mainers hold hatred in higher esteem than human rights, which is unfair and callous." BS pure an simple. This is the same percentage of voters who voted to discriminate against gays a few years ago. Accepted Mainers are a bigoted lot.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Now to the Supreme Court where queston 1 will be overturned and the Constitution re-affirmed. Each year more bigots die and more supporters of human rights are born so even without the Suprme Court of Maine its only a matter of time.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Trying to defend Republicans is a pretty pointless task. They have no credibility left. Whether its political indiscretion (like the party of small government and balanced budgets growing government faster than any other administration in history and running up the deficit a dozen times larger than all Democrats and Republican administrrations in history) or outright crime, the Republicans have an unmatched recorded. Cunningham went to jail, but he stayed in office until the last minute. Democrats have Murtha, Cunningham's counterpart which suggests the military procurement is seriously broken, but he has not been charged with anything not even an ethics violation. Bush and company saw contractors in Iraq steal $20 billion and if you throw in waste may be as high as triple that. Susan Collins held not one hearing and the Bush administration did nothing. The list of Republicans convicted of corruption is as long as your arm. Democrats on the other hand can now prove that federal prosecutions were directed by the Bush political office with Rove in charge not by DOJ.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Executive and legislative restrictions are important. How about also restricting employees from regulative agency from moving into the industries they were involved in regulating and employees of companies in a regulated industry from moving to the regulative agency for say 5 years. Its clear that their is too much fraternization. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"...even to those who are fully committed to granting the full range of legal rights to same sex couples under any other name but "marriage,".. No such people exist. The Yes folks are just throwing that out now to create the false impression that they now support civil unions. The don't. They opposed the domestic registry. They opposed civil unions. And now they oppose Marriage Equality. Read Mrs McG posts. This is about legitimizing gays in her eyes. Not about marriage at all. Read the other similiar posts. Look at Yon1 advertizing. Nothing they have to say has anything to do with marriage. What they want is to eliminate gays. There is no positive Yes on 1 message. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil, you are a conservative so you don't believe words have meanings and even if you did words are just there to allow you to manipulate people who don't understand. Bigot has a meaning and when someone writes like a bigot, thinks like a bigot, and proposes to take actions that only a bigot would take. Well then he's a bigot.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mrs. McG,
Saving western civilization is not involved in this law. "....is confirmed by the near-universal history of civilization." Hardly. Polygamy is the form of family that has near-universal support thoughtout history. Nor does it have anything to do with education. As you point out they have taught sex education before and they will again. They didn't need this law to do it either. Marriage Equality neither helps nor hurts teaching sex to 14 year olds.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Yes, the catholic church will endure because ignorance and superstitution are in charge. Remember these are the folks that burned witches for the better part of 2000 years, opposed the freedom to think, and helped Hilter murder tens of millions of people. If thsat weren't enough they have organized the brutalization of millions of children all over the world. Yep, the church will endure.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Natural law is simply ignorance and superstition institutionalized. Its an attempt to "secularize" the bible. Doesn't work. Marriage is a purely secular contracted created by government to organize marriage. The bible does not apply. And if it did its been re-written so often no one knows what it means. The bible is not authoritative.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"In 1999, Bill Clinton signed the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, a bank deregulation bill that swept away a Depression-era law known as Glass-Steagall." This is classic Republican propaganda. Bill Clinton never signed the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Clinton signed an appropriations bill to which Gramm had added his act as a rider in conference committee. The appropriations bill had to be signed. Clinton did not have a line item veto so he could not remove GLB. GLB was a purely Republican bill bought and paid for by the banking industry and opposed by democrats everywhere.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"....offering policies across state lines which allows for more competition and better pricing." How is that? Health Insurance Companies are not covered by anti-monopoly laws. If they were allowed, and they are now, to sell insurance in all the states, they would not do it. They have sat together and divided up the insurance market so that each of them maximizes their profits which have grown by 428% in 6 years. They are not going to mess that up.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"She's also concerned that creating a taxpayer-subsidized, government-run health insurance company would ultimately lead to fewer choices and higher costs." 47 of 50 states are now monopolized by 1 or 2 health insurance companies. Profits have risen 428% in 6 years because of their monopoly control. Those monopolies were created by the insurance companies because they are not covered under anti-monopoly laws. Sen. Collins does not support any effort including a public option to break up these monopolies and therefore lower costs and create more options. Simply she's lying.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well we'll know wednesday; maybe tomorrow. Either way I expect it to go to the Maine Supreme Court where the issue always belonged. Like Iowa the MSC will find for marriage equality.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Government should not be run like a business. Businesses and Government have different structures, different purposes and goals, and most importantly different governance. But if you would like to run it like a business you have to vote NO on 4. What business has an inflexible budget process that does not respond to business cycles.
But Maine tries. Government has adopted the Harvard Business school model of management by headcount - outsource, insource with contractors, temporary employees. Its a disaster because their is little institutional knowledge.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Cecillia, great letter. Just because bigotry has been institutionalized by the Catholic Church of Maine is no reason not to call them on it.
Vote NO on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Conservative derangement syndrome at work. First, the re-writing of the Bible for political purposes is routine. Its been going on for almost 2000 years. That Conserpedia is now re-writing it to remove anything "liberal" like charity is no surprise. But you have to ask, if conservatives believe the current Bible is literally true exactly as written then isn't it hypocritical to re-write it.
As for jojolou loving Fox News, we can't be surprised from his/her comments. Unfortunately most of what they carry that isn't on other channels are lies, distortions, or just plain garbage intended for the weak minded who can't do the basic research or have never learned to think critically. Ms. Dunn's comment was that student should develop their life's plan themselves. An individual plan and they should stick to it. Referencing Mao and Mother Therasa may have been poor choices. But promoting individualism seems very consistent with US principles.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Don't be amazed that those who preach the glories of the free market and competition are now like Lowry preaching monpoly. They desire only whatever will benefit the rich and if today that is competition and tomorrow that is monopoly so be it. Its not hypocrisy. Its a hidden agenda.
Premiums and profits have increased as the percentage of the premium dollar that goes for paying for health care has decreased from 95% to 80% this century. Shows that Frostproof's explanation is just another of many Republican distractions - a plausible but false explanation to protect their rich friends.
The public option is absolutely necessary and without it there is no health care reform.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Jabba, yes we can deny that state government is bloated. The Brookings Report that fairly analyzed state government found only two areas of what you might call bloat. Too many school districts with too many administrators and managers throughout state government but particularly DOT and MRS. Many of these positions are long gone.
State workers are not over-compensated. They generally have lower pay but better benefits than private businesses. Unfortunately, irresponsible anlaysis done be groups like the MHPC create this false conclusion that state employees are over-compensated. A position by position analysis like those done by payroll companies will show differences mainly in benefits.
Can we do more, of course and we should.
But the mindless attempt to reduce government and sacrifice essential public services is unacceptable to all but a few irresponsible, self-serving, greedy, folks like Mr. Heutz. He is right in one area. Far too much of the tax burden is on the poor who pay at twice the rate that all other Mainers pay. After the tax reform package is implemented, we need to find a way to reduce the property tax from 44% of all taxes collected to something around 30% which will go a long way relieving the burden on the poor.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
the YES on 1 folks are making one simple argument - deny gays in our society equal status because they are disgusting people.
We need to vote NO on 1 to tell our fellow citizens that we not only accept them we will try our best to honor and protect them as I hope we do with all our fellow citizens.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
sammie demands rational replys to his incoherent comments. Sammie is worried about the "obscene promiscuity" of gay men. What discourages promiscuity, why marriage which sammie's against. Sammie's concerned about huge increases in STD's among gays. But his sources are 11 to 17 years old. 40% of teenage girls mostly heterosexual have or have had an STD. STD's are spread by promiscuous sexual activity. Homosexual sexual activities are the same a heterosexual. Heterosexuals engage in them at the same rates as Homosexuals. What discourages the spread of STD's. Marriage which sammie opposes.
Sammie why do we have to be rational when you aren't.
Vote NO on 1 Help reduce the spread of STD's and promiscuity
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
While it will take many years to work out the process that takes place to create sexual orientation. It will occur. But based on what we know now almost no chance exists that sexual orientation is a choice any more than eye, hair, or skin color. Although I will admit that sexual behavior is a choice. And I will admit that under extreme trama like brutal rape or Christian indoctrination sexul behavior may be different than sexual orientation. It would be a serious violation of human rights if the state dictated sexual behavior except where they have compelling reasons like incest.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
TABOR II, is bad maagement, bad budgeting, and makes no sense. Mr. Gilbert has hit the nail aquarely on the head. Sen the MHPC back to its billionaire supporters in Washington. Let's defeat TABOR again.
on Albrecht Dixfield
Her letters are written by the Republican staff in Augusta not by her. She just signs them. I expect without reading them. Of course, I assume she can read and that is also debatable.
TABOR was a disaster in Colorado and its cousin Prop 13 was worse in California.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Bob Emlich is the pleasant face of the neo-nazi hate groups while Madore is the ugly himmler face. But they both subscribe to the final solution.
Vote NO on 1. Let all Maiers enjoy the rights nd priveleges of bein citizens.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jojolou hypocrisy is amazing. a little over 300 contributions to the spread hatred campaign and 20,000 to fight hatred and jojolou complains about out-of-state campaign workers for civil rights. Get a life jojolou; stop hating your neighbors.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
iangol, that's a stupid remark. Because 1 gay couple split all gay couples don't stay together longer than heterosexual couples. One can never accuse the Yes on 1 crowd of being rational.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Concerned KD, natural law is not scientific fact. natural law is a system of belief based on supernatural processes. Natural law was developed centuries before there was science or a scientific method. While its true reproduction requires at least up until now a egg and sperm, The product of reproduction is not 100% heterosexual. Human reproduction normally and naturally produces a wide range of sexual orientations.
Saying that bigotry is OK because its traditional is stupid. And exposed by saying that marriage is "a social institution". If its a social institution and therefore secular it can be changed at any time.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Placing prejudice into something else like the Bible or moral beliefs so that it seems ok is called institutional prejudice. Its providing cover for irrational hatred. That's all we have heard from the Yes on 1 side. They never give a concrete reason why discrimination against gays makes sense. They always hide behind some ridiculous biblical quote while ignoring the weight of the rest of the bible. Or they say its a matter of morals. Morals is learned behavior. Sexual oreintation is not. Adam and Eve is a fairy tale. Let's write our laws to make them consistent with Grimm's Fairy tales. It would make as much sense.
No on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
rogor,
Apparently along with not being able to think you also can't read. Sen. Simpson quoted the Declaration of Independence not the Constitution. But nothing in either document supports a pro-life position. Once again that is a religious not a secular position. The point of Sen. Simpson's letter is that secular not religious considerations should determine our vote on question 1. And the only rational vote on 1 is NOOOOOOO.
jojolou,
Another nonsensical comment. Would you find the time to stay on subject. Come to think of it don't try.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Only complete idiots believe TABOR will make Maine better. They just don't want to pay their fair share of taxes. Simple solution. Prevent our elected officials who represent the majority of Mainers from doing their jobs. The supporters of TABOR favor minority rule. They are using the recession and low voter turnout to get their way. Don't let them. Support constitutional government.
Vote No on 4
Once again we have hatred of gays. Marriage to the Yes on 1 folks is not the issue. Elimination of gays is. Stoke up the ovens these people want to eliminate gays, destroy them, not because gays do any harm to society or anyone but because the Yes on 1 folks can't tolerate them
Vote No on 1. Protect children from hate.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Once again we have proof that Republicans don't understand economics, can't count, and can't tell the truth. From Bruce Bartlett - a Reagan Treasury official and supply sider who remains conservative :
"According to the Congressional Budget Office's January 2009 estimate for fiscal year 2009, outlays were projected to be $3,543 billion and revenues were projected to be $2,357 billion, leaving a deficit of $1,186 billion. Keep in mind that these estimates were made before Obama took office, based on existing law and the Bush budget, and did not take into account any actions that Obama might implement. ...
Now let's fast forward to the end of fiscal year 2009, which ended on September 30. According to CBO, it ended with spending at $3,515 billion and revenues of $2,106 billion for a deficit of $1,409 billion.
To recap, the deficit came in $223 billion higher than projected, but spending was $28 billion and revenues were $251 billion less than expected. Thus we can conclude that more than 100 percent of the increase in the deficit since January is accounted for by lower revenues. Not one penny is due to higher spending."
That proves that the Republican myth - cutting federal taxes increases Federal Revenues - is false and that Federal spending is not out-of-control.
They are wrong on TABOR; they are wrong on the excise tax, they are on tax reform.
Once again we have proof that Republicans don't understand economic, can't count, and can't tell the truth. From Bruce Bartlett - a Reagan Treasury official and supply sider who remains conservative :
"According to the Congressional Budget Office's January 2009 estimate for fiscal year 2009, outlays were projected to be $3,543 billion and revenues were projected to be $2,357 billion, leaving a deficit of $1,186 billion. Keep in mind that these estimates were made before Obama took office, based on existing law and the Bush budget, and did not take into account any actions that Obama might implement. ...
Now let's fast forward to the end of fiscal year 2009, which ended on September 30. According to CBO, it ended with spending at $3,515 billion and revenues of $2,106 billion for a deficit of $1,409 billion.
To recap, the deficit came in $223 billion higher than projected, but spending was $28 billion and revenues were $251 billion less than expected. Thus we can conclude that more than 100 percent of the increase in the deficit since January is accounted for by lower revenues. Not one penny is due to higher spending."
That proves that the Republican myth - cutting federal taxes increases Federal Revenues - is false and that Federal spending is not out-of-control.
"Traditional marriage is one man and one woman in a committed and loving relationship from the days of the Torah to the days of Jesus' coming." But the bible says this is not true. Polygamy was the typical jewish marriage and certainly the jewish aristocracy's preferred marriage. Adam and Eve were never married. If by marriage you mean a sacred rite of the church. Was no Church. Was no priest. Was no rite. Marriage isn't mentioned unit long after Adam and Eve left Eden. Like the wives of the Children of Adam and Eve these thing are missing from the Bible.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
TABOR hurts kids because it reduces needed spending for education. Prop 13 did it in California sending their education rating from first to worst in just a few years. The result was a huge migration of highly educated people from California to Colorado. Where they passed TABOR. Once again Colorado's ranking went from very high to below Maine's inspite of having a much higher percentage of people with college degrees which is one of the best indicators of educational results.
Pass TABOR and we will be the third strike. And our kids, our economy, and the people of Maine will suffer.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Precisely the type of spending the Federal Government should be engaged in during a recession. Also shows how dumb TABOR is. In a recession government should spend more than it takes in at all levels. State and Local governments can't do that because they are required to balance the budget. They can though sell bonds. TABOR will stop that in most circumstances.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil can stamp his foot and jump up and do all he wants. Emotional rants aren't an argument. Anyone who would treat others differently without a rational compelling reason is yes a bigot. The YES on 1 folks have never provided any such reason. That's why in the end they lose.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Programs have already been drasticly cut - close to a billion dollars at the state level. TABOR will make those cuts permanent.
TABOR in Colorado avoided drastic harm because increases in population because of a one-of-a-kind migration out of California hid the fact that the use of CPI to inflate spending has no relationship to government spending and will strangle state and local governments. Is Maine's population increasing rapidedly. Is Maine's economy growing by double digits each year.
TABOR did seriously harm education in Colorado. In a state with a highly educated workforce, one of the best indicators of education performance, (because educated people moved out of California because of Prop 13), education results are worse than Maine's with a not well educated workforce. Because of this Colorado voted to suspend TABOR.
TABOR II is unneeded because spending is not out of control. Since TABOR I failed, state spending has been consistent with TABOR I's requirements.
If Questions 2 and 4 are passed together, about 2000 jobs in Maine will be lost ($88,000,000) unless governments send their budgets to a popular vote allowing an increase in property taxes. What do you think are the chances of that and what do you think it will cost.
TABOR bad idea in 2004 and 2006 worse idea in 2009.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
TABOR never has worked and is even worse when state government has cut spending to the bone in these recessionary times.
Virtually everything in Warren's letter is false. State spending since the failure of TABOR has gone down or been consistent with TABOR I as promised. Spending is not out of control. Rumford's 20% increase is regettable, but its not due to spending. Its due to the revaluation of the Mill. Rumford has for more the 100 years gotten a free ride because of the taxes paid to the town while paying Mexico very little. Maine didn't become a welfare state in the last 3 years.
The TABOR formula is wrong. Using CPI instead of a basket of goods and services government actually purchases results in artificially low growth in spending. TABOR will strangle public services. California passed Prop13 many years ago starting a huge migration to Colorado of better educated people. Now TABOR has passed in Colorado devastating education as Prop 13 did in California. Even now that population growth has cushioned the bad effects of TABOR there, but they still had to suspend it for the last 5 years. Maine doesn't have a cushion. We don't have double digit population growth. We don't have thousands moving in and bringing their businesses with them.
Old Bill - check your Jefferson quotes looks to be a fraud.
Vote NO on 4
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Why don't the Churches keep matrimony and civil society gets marriage. Now I buy that Holy Matrimony has a purely religious and therefore untouchable meaning. Where as marriage has a purely civil meaning. It is after all a marriage license issued by the state.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Samual, excellent piece.
The excise tax is just stupid. The construction is poor. The legislature should do many things to correct it like the MSRP. But let's keep it.
Vote NO on 2
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No one can prove anything with the Bible. It's a completely unreliable source. I don't think much more than a couple of sentences can be verified. Most of whats in it a fairy tales that can be proved untrue or self-contradictory or very incomplete.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Homosexuality is perfectly normal.
And no this is not nor ever was a "christian nation". And no our founding fathers have never decreed any such thing. And freedom OF religion includes freedom FROM religion. No subtle difference at all.
The first Amendment includes 6 separate ideas including religion, speech, assembling, and petitioning government. Why? Because James Madison thought they all were related to conscience. He wanted no man to be able to corrupt/force another's opinion. The cute games people play with language like FROM v OF. Are just that games of deception.
Vote NO on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Not sure I believed the first one. This one makes much more sense.
Vote NO on all the referendum questions except 5. Vote YES on the bond.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
joojolou,
Did you ever go to school. "The constitution was based on the Bible, look into your history books." This statement is totally false and please do read your history books. They will make it very clear that jojolou doesn't know what he's talking about.
James Madison was the author of the "Virginia Plan" which is the core of the Constitution and because of that named the father of the Constitution. James Madison was religious, but not Christian as far as anyone can tell (He would not tell people where he went to church if he did). Certainly not a Christian in any modern sense of that term. He developed his plan by reading something in the neighborhood of 200 books many sent to him by Thomas Jefferson while in France. Jefferson was then and should be now considered a athetist. He wrote his own bible by removing anything supernatural like Jesus' divinity (there goes Christianity), miracles, etc. The books covered ancient Greek and Roman Republican history, modern political theory, American history, and Native American political science. No bible. The concepts he employed like check and balance and using ambition to counter ambition are completely foreign to the bible.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
D wilson, So you want to overthrow our system of government and replace it with an artificial and wrong mathematical formula. You want to replace judgement and flexibility with a bad one-size-fits-all non-solution that does not take into consideration economic growth, increasing governmental costs, new laws, or changes in revenue to a almost non-existent problem. You want to exchange the safety and education of our communities for more vacation time for billionaires (those really backing this proposal).
I think not. Vote NO on 4
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
D Wilson,
All true and I've seen it since I moved here is 1982, but those facts don't support voting for TABOR. In fact they confirm what a dumb idea it is.
Police department workload is not a function of the number of people in town. Its a function of the laws they must enforce, the economy of the community (the worse the economy the more police protection is needed), and all the other factors that lead people to commit crimes. So if you will compare the police logs from 1980 to today and then add in all the time required to meet lawful requirements, I might listen. Otherwise TABOR is a terrible idea.
First, it replaces our representative form of government, you know where who wins the election governs, with a formula.
Second, the formula is stupid. It uses CPI to inflate spending when governments do not buy what consumers do. Government spending is therefore not related to the CPI.
Third, we are now spending a recessionary low levels. These are emergency levels. TABOR will force us to spend at these artificially low levels forever costing us thousands of jobs.
Fourth, TABOR does not respond to economic cycles. Should the Rumford mill be purchased by someone who wants to exploit its potential and they invest millions and hire thousands unless those workers move into town TABOR will not allow the spending to increase. It doesn't allow for increased revenue, spending, economic growth or anything that a rational group of townspeople would take into concideration in changing times. Instead they have to live with a artificial and wrong formula.
Vote NO o 4
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Great letter. And Arse's comment shows what the supporters of TABOR are really after. They want taxes cut no matter what damage it does to the state or to their communities. Apparently they can't get better jobs or stop their wasteful spending habits so they want to force everyone else to cut back so they pay less in taxes and can use the savings on their SUV, 4-wheeler, or trips to florida. TABOR will cost thousands of jobs especially if Question 2 passes. Its sets the baseline at recession reduced spending levels. It uses the CPI to calculate spending growth when government do not buy the basket of goods and services that the CPI is derived from. Its nonsensical to use CPI.
The only people who will benefit from TABOR are the super-rich.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
As long as wind turbines meet certain conditions, we should welcome them. If we permit wind turbines into our communities then no harm should be done to abutters or their property without compensation that is reasonable. Any associated expense like building new transmission lines should be born by those benefitting from the energy produced by the turbines. If these conditions make the project unprofitable, so be it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Arse69, you are a full citizen when you receive all the rights and privilegies that everyone else has. You know "equal protect of the law" and other ideas you hold meaningless. Homosexuals in Maine are denied over 1300 rights and privilegies that heterosexuals enjoy through civil marriage.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Arse69,
"Its seems to me that the more educated people get, the less common sense they have." What you call common sense is ignorance not sense. But that's a wonderful summary of America's anti-intellectualism. Couple books on that you might want to read. Oops! books, read just forgot myself.
When you have no facts, no logic argument, no reason to believe harm will come to society,and your true feelings are unacceptable to that society, how do you oppose a perfectly constitutional law. You LIE!
All you need to do to understand this is to read some of these comments.
The supporters of 1 have provided no reason to vote yes and many good reasons to vote NO.
Vote NO on 1 Protect Maine's Families and Children
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
We have a representative form of government. You know a Republic. "How can the Maine Legislature vote such a law without bringing this to the people." This is no argument in favor of Question 1. The "people" have no right to vote on a matter of rights. They didn't vote on the Bill of Rights. Why should they vote on marriage equality.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Let's be clear on the issue to be decided Nov 3rd on Question 1. The Question voids a law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor that grants to any two persons the opportunity to be married should they meet current requirements. It redefines marriage in the same sense that the Loving decision of the SCOTUS redefines Marriage. It means that those partners who now can not get married will enjoy the same rights and benefits that those who now can get married enjoyed.
So far and confirmed by the leader of the opposition to marriage equality Rev. Emrich last night on channel 5, no argument has been advanced by opponents of marriage equality to overturn this perfectly constitutional law. Lacking any reason acceptable to the people they have made up a series of lies to first mislead people but really just to provide an excuse so they can vent their hatred of gays and lesbians on Nov 3rd.
Vote NO on 1 Nov 3rd
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Fox News fair. That's a joke. Balanced ridiculous. I agree with Scotty_O. Don't like it don't watch it. I don't like it. I never watch it. If I want opinoin I'll get it from Maddow and friends where the opinoins are based on facts that I can document not based on RNC propaganda.
But I do think that the RNC should be required to report the costs of Fox programming as an in-kind contribution.
Let's be clear on this. No consensual sexual activity that man can conceive of is unnatural, wrong, a sin, a problem, or disgusting. Those who believe otherwise are disgusting.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Dostie, stop blaming this on God. If God exists and if mankind was made in his image (a truely arrogant belief) and God is perfect. Then God created homosexuals. He intended them to live full and happy lives. God is gay. As he is also male and female, black and white, etc. The blame rests with those whose false beliefs based on their own hatred have misrepresented God to lend credibility to their hate.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
In one sense we could have avoided this problem centuries ago had the government prohibited religions from conducting "marriage" ceremonies. Instead they could have used "holy matrimony" or some other words. But government can't interfere in the rites and dogma of a church. So they could have ignored the prohibition. So there is nothing to be done. Religion has kidnapped the word marriage and we have the right as has been done many times in the past to re-define it at our whim.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"If our government wishes to extend these to unmarried heterosexual and homosexual couples, they could easily do so". They could. You and people who believe like you have fought against granting those rights and benefits at every turn. You false believe in the definitiion of marriage compels you to continue to oppose equal rights for homosexuals. You have convinced those who support human rights that the only way left to us to grant homosexuals equal rights is to include them in civil marriage.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
lobster,
LD 1020 changes no definition of these words you mention. That change comes from your head not the law. The law grants equal rights as required by the Constitution. We are not bound by your concepts of societal customs. We are bound by the Constitution.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jchick, You need to go back to school. Re-read the state and federal constitutions, the federalist and anti-federalist papers (remembering that these are political propaganda not truths), notes of the Conventions both Constitutional and Ratification.
Your libertarian comments have no basis whatsoever in American history. Marriage is a contract. Contracts are a civil not a religious agreement between two people. Any interaction between two people can rise to be a civil matter. The enforcement of contracts is entirely a civil matter. All of this is in our Constitutions in various ways. The US Constitution specifically says that just because some human rights are enumerated in the Constitution (both in the original text and in the bill of rights) that does not mean that there are not other rights of equal or greater importance that are not enumerated (9th Amendment). One of those is privacy. You see the enumerated rights were those that the British Government violated in the run up to the revolution and therefore of particular notice to the founding fathers.
So privacy dictates that government have nothing to do with the consensual sexual interaction between two people. We don't and shouldn't care. But marriage is much more than sex and we should care. Because we should, all citizen should in conformance with the Constitution be treated equality with respect to the laws.
Vote No on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Normally Scotty_O is wrong about everything, but in this case he/she is right. There is no hate in this letter. Its an excellent letter. A bipartisan letter. We should tip our hats to the author. And then go back to fighting for full citizenship for gays and other opposed people's in America.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jojolou,
So!. Mass laws are not Maine laws. Whether LD 1020 goes into effect or not. Maine schools can begin teaching gay marriage today. Nothing prevents it. Defeat of question 1 will not make teaching gay marriage any more likely.
The fundamental problem here is the false belief by bigots that homosexuality is a decision, a choice. Well all of us who are straight know that being straight is not a choice. We were for all practical purposes born straight. Well if our sexual orientation is fixed then so is the sexual orientation of gays. But by believing that homosexuality is a choice, bigots' belief in religion is preserved, the belief that God is a male chauvinist is preserved, their worldview is preserved. So they must reject the obvious. They must punish those that threaten their worldview.
The idea that parents not teachers should be talking to children about homosexuality is an obvious ploy. Let the parents brainwash their children rather than have them learn objective truths provided without passion or prejudice. The fact is that both parents and teachers should be talking to children at all ages about the realities of sexual activity. But they don't. We have a class of parents who hate sex. They do it. But they hate it. They want their children to grow up as they did. Sick and preverse.
Economic development in western Maine means a highway that replaces Rte 26 and an east-west highway that replaces rte 2. Rail services implies heavy freight but with the mills closing or reducing production that seems an unproductive investment. Has anyone done a study to determine if the freight in LA could be profitably moved by rail? I see passenger traffic as the more likely profitable investment long term. If true, then lines to bethel and Farmington would make the most sense.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Another Republican federal mandate that is completely wrong headed because its based on ideology not experience. Drop the thing and save us a lot of money.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
leaddog,
I have a suggestion let's pass a law that no corporation in Maine can spend more than their current years expenses allowing for CPI inflation and any growth in sales. That will force the board of directors to be fiscally responsible.
leaddog, you are correct. I was over excited. That doesn't change the fact that during the 1980 and 90's huge numbers of Californian moved to Nevada and Colorado. Nor the fact that these people brought their businesses with them and contributed significantly to Colorado's growth.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
There goes Denny1 again with his unfounded conclusions. How has Obama changed from a campaigning moderate to a far left liberal? Never happenned. He has continued most of Bush's programs. Now that's radical. He hasn't even proposed a budget. His foreign policies have been consistent with post-WWII American policies which only Bush deviated from in radical ways. What's far let liberal about Obama.
Its a mistake to think the Hannity, Russ, and Beck are morons. They are not. They are very sofisticated propagandists. They do their job very well. Just read Denny1's post and you can see why. He can't name a far left liberal policy Obama has adopted but he is certain that he is because the propagandists told him so. Who's the moron.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No you didn't Robert61 because you want to deceive people. Make what changes in how they do business? Do you have any suggestions. Of course not. These mythical changes don't exist because most towns at least those with town halls run on a shoe string now. They have cut everything there is to cut. You just don't want to meet your responsibilities.
or pay your fair share of taxes.
Question is a dumb proposal which benefits the rich and well-to-do while putting at risk the safety of the poor and middle class.
Maine can't be compared to Colorado or New Hampshire for that matter. Maine is an end-of-the-road state. New Hampshire borders Mass. and specifically the Boston market. Colorado borders California. Both have seen a huge migration of workers from these population centers. Maine has only recently seen a similiar migration and that limited to the south west corner of the state.
TABOR hurt Colorado; just as TABOR will hurt Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Obviously, the ranking is consistent with the Northeast being ranked low. That suggests that the criteria were biased. This is fairly typical. The Tax Foundation ranked Maine 2nd in Tax Burden then admitted its calculations were wrong and changed Maine's ranking to 15th. But it still included pro-rated taxes from Alaska for oil consumed in Maine. This biases their results for all Northeastern States. Without the out of state taxes Maine would rank in the mid-30's in tax burden. Another ranking placed Maine very low in business climate (I believe 48th). Come to find out that they ignored Maine's real tax climate and used only Maine's maximum income tax rate. They did not include the many targetted tax programs because they disagreed with that approach politically. Correcting for actual taxes paid moved Maine up again into the 30's. Looks like something very similiar is happenning here. But we have no details from this story.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
mad dad,
Politicians are also taxpayers. The problem with Maine taxes is the property tax on poor people. We are property rich and income poor. Federal income taxes have fallen from 90% to 35%. The last two tax changes to federal income taxes were reductions. The state income tax was just reduced from 8.5% to 6.5%. The state sales tax was reduced last time from 6% to 5%. The rate of property taxes has dropped greatly with the homestead exemption, increase school subsidies, and increased revenue sharing. Taxes are going down everywhere. But that said, increased assessments and at best stagnant and at worst falling wages have increased the property tax burden on the poor and middle class.
Because TABOR mis-calculates spending needs it will burden the poor with increasingly worse public services. With TABOR we will get the worst of all world, poor public services, high property taxes, low income. TABOR solves nothing.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Brooktrout, I don't think anyone has said that gay marriage CAN'T be taught in the schools. What they've said is that it isn't now. Nothing in LD 1020 allows it or denies it. Therefore it is irrelevent to the issue at hand.
Could someone put together a different law, or add it to learning results and then go to each of the 218 school districts promoting the teaching of gay marriage. Of course. Is anyone? No. Will LD 1020 help them in their efforts if they ever do take it into mind to make this change? No.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"By bringing the issue of gay marriage to public vote, you are asking that either religious persons not be allowed to vote or that they only be able to give assent and approbation to a *public act* of marriage between same sex couples. Further, you are asking that they recognize these marriages as real and valuable to society."
Mrs McG, that is precisely what you are not asked to do. LD 1020 states clearly that religions do not have to acknowledge or perform gay marriages. So your argument is completely false.
Shields doesn't mention that the TABOR II proposal controls spending based on consumer inflation. When was the last time a consumer bought a school district or a bridge, or a few hundred PhD's.? Do you pave the road outside your house? Do you patrol your neighborhood. Consumer inflation has nothing to do with government inflation or spending. Its a false measure. Therefore, it does not correctly provide for needed spending. Formulas don't do that people with judgement do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Property Taxes are set by local governments not by the state (although the state does reduces them through the Homestead exemption, school subsidies, and municipal revenue sharing. We need TABOR like a whole in the head.
What a combo Shields and Mello both supporting 4. Surprising surprise. The two worst legislators in Maine's recent history.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The letter perpetuates the Heritage Centers misinformation. Colorado grew because businesses moved out of California because of overcrowding, crime, water restrictions and dought, and budgetary chaos brought about by California's version of TABOR Prop 13. California went from first to worst in education in the Nation before the people began to move to Colorado with their children. So the Heritage Center moved to Colorado and passed TABOR with the help of their Billionaire donors. Colorado has suspended TABOR for the last 5 years because it was doing to Colorado what it has already done to California - wrecked public services.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Both these measures make no sense and neither is necessary.
Since TABOR I defeat, state budgets including prior to the recession have conformed to TABOR I requirements. So TABOR II is unnecessary.
We also need to know that Maine is being used by the Hertiage Center in Washington as national guinea pig. They have already stated that if TABOR II passes in Maine they will start campaigns in other states.
The excise tax changes if passed will have 3 effects. 1. The guy who bought the Mercedes will pay a lot less in excise taxes. 2. A lot of police and fireman will be fired across Maine or 3. Your property taxes will shoot up or a combination of the two.
Makes so sense to give the rich a huge tax break at the risk of losing a poor retired couple's home to fires we can no longer contain or contain quickly enough.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil, You joke. I think we all know she's intelligent and she's created a great job for her attacking good government and liberals. Now why is that. She knows the right will buy any nonsesical lie so the more she lies she tells the more money she makes. Russ is up to $400 million. Right.
Louise, everything you want in the Health Care Reform legislation is there. Requiring everyone to have some form of insurance makes the same sense that requiring car insurance does.
Why does it do it now? Because the insurance co stated that they would oppose reform unless everyone was required to have insurance. Now that they have revealed their two-faced dealings on the issue. I hope we can get back to a robust, voluntary, public option or extended Medicare to all with tiered premiums.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
During a recession this bad idea becomes even worse. Promoted by Washington Billionaires and their front groups like The Heritage Center, the dire predictions of opponents are likely very moderate and even conservative. Since TABOR I failed, State Government has reduced spending but every budget conformed to TABOR I provisions. This radical experiment in oversimplified goveranced, one size fits all budgeting is not only dangerous its unnecessary.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Bangor Daily News this morning endorsed NO on 1. The reasons are obvious and have been written in this blog endlessly.
1. Yes on 1 has provided not a single reason to vote yes. Their campaign is completely false. Not surprising since its lead by Rev. Bob Emrich who couldn't find honesty with a stick. I could go to my local school board and ask that gay marriage, gay sex, anything be included in the curriculum. The decision is entirely theirs. LD 1020 doesn't matter one way or the other.
2. Religious institutions are entirely protected by LD 1020. No religion must preform or acknowledge gay marriages. So religious comments are immaterial.
Gil, taxpoor, and Sammie add nothing to the conversation. They are just wrong.
Cow, pig, and House ____
Its not unusual to find a politician who has sold out for a few pieces of silver.
His party has increased the natioanl debt from < 1 trillion dollars to 12 trillion most in just the last 8 years. Please explain to us your cost concerns Mr. Steele! What he really is concerned about is that someone might finally get the insurance companies' hands out of our pockets. Only they and major league baseball are exempt from anti-trust laws. Only they don't have to play by the rules.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Nutty again confirms that the Yes on 1 folks are motivated by their hatred not by what is good for Maine. He failed to present a single rational, secular reason to vote yes on 1.
Here's another NO on 1.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jclick, you mean that the Bible doesn't NOW endorse polygamy. Obviously polygamy is the biblical tradition of the jewish faith. To be practiced by jews it had to be endorsed by the jewish faith. Just because that endorsement has been removed from the Bible by sex hating monks in the middle ages does not at all mean that the christian tradition of marriage is not rooted in polygamy. In fact the Mormons among others have defended polygamy as biblical.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
So much of the discussion is about religion is because after years of discussion the Yes side has produced not one rational reason to vote yes. All they have is their violent distorted misinterpretations of the Bible. If God is who they say he is then he is gay, straight, man, woman, black, and white.
God would vote NO.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I am totally comitted to single payer health care reform. I will if necessary accept a robust public option. I even will accept a "triggerred" public option if the affordability conditions for low and median income people are tough enough. Won't like it; but I will accept it. But $500 billion in subsidies for the insurance industry that's not health care reform.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The family is not the foundation of society; its the foundation of the church. Its also hiding place of male supremacy which is sanctified in the church and its dogmas. Male supremacy like white supremacy is a cancer in society and needs to be exorcised.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The public option is the only tool that will bring some checks and balances to the health care insurance industry. Snowe's remarks make clear that there are no free markets in insurance. Increasing premiums by 138% when inflation is 28% and income growth 31% (and no income growth among 60% of the population) is not sustainable and can only be the explained by active monopolies which by law the insurance companies have been allowed to create. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
But what made all these action possible was the false "free market" propaganda from Ayn Rand, Ron Paul, and all the libertarian nonsense in between. This is the intellectual capital spawned over the last 80 years that has lead us to financial disaster.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Scotty_O, its not hating Bush to recognize that the recession of 2007 was primarily caused by a failure of regulation - regulation that largely worked until 2000. A combination of repealing those rgulations and a failure to enforce those or new regulations caused the failure. That failure can be seen in the Madoff scandal. The SEC was warned about his criminal activity many times. Many times they failed to take actions their regulations demanded. Combine that with the repeal of various Great Depression laws and decisions to reduce liquidity requirements and you produce an asset bubble every time. Bush gets credit because he approved or should have approved many of the decision and it occurred on his watch. He let the bankers, the mortgage brokers, the assessors, and the consumers exercise their greed. He let the evil out of panadora's box. Not only did he let the evil out; he advocated that it was good. He bought into the Gecko lie "Greed is Good". He promoted it.
Now we must put the evil back in the box by creating a system of checks and balances which will one prevent regulators from ignoring their jobs and which will force accountability on everyone involved in these transaction and restore the Great Depression laws which protected the system for so long.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wind Power may turn out to be a major source of power, but not in Maine. All the power will be shipped out of the state, but the transmission lines needed to take it out-of-state will be paid for by Mainers. We get the costs; people elsewhere get the benefits. Now does that make sense.
Anything Dr. Aniel comments on has no credibility. In politics he's a joke.
Mikeda78, "Obviously your wires are wrong". Not wrong. different and if there is a God, then God did it. Religion has nothing to say on this issue. Religious marriage is protected by LD 1020. Those who vote yes because of religious belief are irrational and paranoid. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
So many defects were in that editorial that the editorial board should write a correction stating that the editorial was wrong from beginning to end.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Yes, the state should have allowed Holy Matrimony in churches when it used marriage. But the state can not regulate what words a or all religions use. So the church could have taken the word marriage back and used it. So the state had no choice. Churches could use civil unions instead of marriages if they wanted to.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
LD 1020 protects religious marriage. It will have the same meaning after LD 1020 is implemented as it did in 1969. Did the Loving Decision in 1967 change the meaning of marriage from previous years. Yes it did. It made the meaning better because more people could enjoy it; move children could be protected in loving homes. So too will enforcement of LD 1020 open civil marriage to more couples and more children. But it will not change religious marriage at all.
The religious argument has been taken away by the law so any religious argument is irration and a cover-up for the real reason. What's Monika's.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"it is the truth as God revealed it." The Bible "God's revealed word" is in fact a political document developed over the last 1800 years. Its been written and re-written. Its being re-written as we speak to remove "liberal" ideas like charity by conservatives. The Bible has no credibility much less truth.
LD 1020 protects religious marriage and says so quite explicitly. No church is required to change anything in their dogma. So even if marriage between one man and one woman was the revealed word of God that would not be a rational reason to vote yes on 1. On the assumption that Debra is rational (I know she believes in the supernatural, magic, suspending the laws of nature so that assumption may prove false), then this is not the reason Debra is voting yes on 1. I wonder what is?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This idea has no merit at all and shows a lack of understanding the legislative process. Quite simply, committees develop legislation. Individual legislators certainly submitted bills but in the end only committee members where the bill is assigned, staff, and the author and then any interested legislators ever reads the final bill. Were legislator required to read every bill through all its changes in the legislative process nothing would ever get done. Now that may be to some people's liking, but I prefer as efficient a legislature as we can have.
All legislation should be posted on the web by the responsibile clerk, indexed for a word search, and its status changed and amendmentd listed. Which I believe is being done now.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
denny1, from your post we know that you don't know anything about politics or english.
Obama is a moderate pragmatist, free market supporter, moderate to conservative democrat. Just take two programs Obama has been involved in Financial Services and the Auto bailouts. Both programs fascist in nature. Both negoiated by the Bush Administration. The Financial Services Bailout was implemented by the Bush Administration. And even though the people of the US have profitted by $10,000,000,000 by doing it. The whole program was a rescue of criminals who are going to walk off with trillions in ill gotten gains and we get nothing for our efforts. The Auto Bailout was completely different because the Bush Administration did not have time to finalize an agreement. The Obama Administration negoitated a much tougher deal and again we will profit from it financially because the Obama Administration got back something for our money - ownership of the co.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This was a deft political move. The vote for Republicans was a throwaway vote. The bill was going to pass if every Republican voted against it. Keeps Snowe in the game. Keeps her face above the fold in newspapers and on all the TV talk shows.
Her position of course is ridiculous. A "Trigger" to be fired if the health insurance co. fails to meet expectations. They have failed to meet expectations for 50 years and their new report says that they control pricing in the insurance market and they will set those prices where ever they want. The trigger should have been pulled several decades ago. By the way, won't a "trigger" require more legislation to fire it. More delay; more millions spent lobbying and if the Republicans gain some seats back the trigger will be gone. and 30 million Americans will be forced to buy insurance at prices approaching $40,000 per year by 2019.
The Bush Recession of 2007 demonstrates that Republican economic principles and policies are wrong. And every time they have been in power from 1928 on the same principles lead to the same recessions and depressions. They are wrong on the economy. They are wrong on "free Markets" they are wrong on Health Care.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
dunna, you can't elected your "true" Republican in Maine. Our votes are usually well informed and rational in most things. Your "true" R's are about 20-25% of the voters. That won't elect anyone except by luck. But kick her out. Please do. It will be the announcement of the Republican Party's demise.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
What's there to debate. The "Stand for Marriage" crowd has yet to present any social harm that would befall us if this legislation goes into effect. Their whole photoshop campaign has been dishonest from beginning to end. I still ask them to give me a single rational reason to vote yes so far no one has taken me up on this.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
They left out ".....if the population crisis became sufficiently severe to endanger the society." and they left out "Indeed, it has been concluded that compulsory population-control laws,...." and they left out "....could be sustained under the existing Constitution"
What was Mr. Holden advocating. He was standing that a population crisis could become so damaging to society that it would risk the destruction of civilization then compulsory population control laws might be Constitutional. He is not advocating such laws. And he's perfectly correct. If society was about to be destroyed as in war the government does have the right under our Constitution and commonsense to adopt very painful laws. Laws that would not be constitutional in the normal course of events like the next four years.
Barb, just went on an anti-Holden site which proports to have direct quotes from the book. They then translate what was written. Its is the websites' translation that you are stating as if it were a fact and that translation is taken out of context (they don't acknowledge that they used only part of the sentence) and then misrepresented.
Why would anyone believe anything on Beck, or Limpbaugh, or Hannity?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Jefferson's is a good choice. Wait a while and you can get the new Conservative Bible. Conservepedia is now working on a project to remove everything liberal in the Bible. You know ideas like charity. If we removed every similiar politically motivated word, phrase, or verse that was put their by some slimy church politician the 4 Gospels would be the 4 sentences. Even so nothing in the Bible calls homosexuality a sin. And I know all the verses that are taken out of context and misrepresented.
Vote NO on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If its all fine and dandy, why did Colorado suspend the law specifically stating that the law had dramatically forced cuts in services and schools?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
dr. dosh,
I think you are low balling it. 250 million guns were in private hands decades ago. I suspect that its now over 300 million. As it should be.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"The president hasn't done anything specific to earn the prize." Yes he has. He was elected. This is the anti-Bush Prize awarded to any President who does not appeal to unilateralism, pre-emptive war, or government sponsored terrorism and torture.
Well earned.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
A church advocating for any idea under public discussion is not breaking the law and has every right to its tax exempt status. Only advocating for a specific candidate threatens their tax status.
Vote NO on 1.
Keep your kids out of the Boy Scouts. The Scouts are an institution that indoctrinates children into the world of male supremacy, upper class culture, and fascism.
I attended a meeting at a church in Wayne, Pa many years ago when Boy Scout leaders from the area wanted to introduce the idea of bringing black boys from Phila out to the suburbs. Since Wayne was almost 100% white they appeared concerned that the community would resist bringing poor black boys in. During the meeting one of the Scout leaders said, We have to bring the kids in so that we can erase their black culture and replace it with our culture. Only then can we trust them. Close the Scouts.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
scott, you haven't learned anything. Taxes in this country have gone down for 45 years. The top Federal income tax rate was 90% in the 60's now its 35%. Sales taxes in Maine went down from 6 to 5% the last time they were changed. LD 1495 will reduce taxes by $55,000,000 if it goes into effect.
California passed a bill very similiar to TABOR I. Education spending and results went from 1st in the nation to last in two years. Colorado passed TABOR I then after education spending collapsed they suspended the law because of the damage it was doing to the kids. TABOR demonstratably hurts public services. Its not using the kids to document the facts.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Liberal in my mind means supporting and defending the Constitution and all of the Bill of Rights. Conservatives love to cherry pick the bible and the constitution to provide authority for their personal beliefs. Unfortunately some liberals follow their example. Guns are dangerous tools that should be in the hands of experienced and trained users. But its the user not the gun that is the problem.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Scotty_O, you have it right. Until the loonies like the Conants learn who really is controlling their lives we will continue to live under corporate tyranny.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Attendees at the Tea Parties are either fools, ignorant, or just plain dysfunctional. Taxes, in real terms, have gone down dramatically over the last 45 years. If socialism is on the rise, George Bush and the Republicans brought it to you with his rescue of the financial services industry and the auto industry. Of course socialism to these cranks just means government action. Truth be told its fascism not socialism that was exercised by George. Didn't think there was this many wack jobs in Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This issue demonstrates the problems that arise when you mix church and state. But the legislation protects religion. There is no religious issue here.
Marriage has been re-defined many times. The last being the Loving decision. Almost always by the courts.
The public should not have a voice in civil rights issues. The majority is almost always wrong. We should leave this up to the constitutionally designated officials - the legislature and the courts.
Vote No on 1.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
My interpretation of one feature of the report is that Maine is property rich and income poor reflecting our age distribution and increases in property valuation over the last 20 years. Since the effective tax rate is low at 1.5%, assessment and low income (property taxes are 5.3% of income) must drive the perspection that property taxes are too high. Since neither is controllable for a large part of our population, many would fall prey to that perception. Confirms the idea that we must find another way to finance local government.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
B, TABOR doesn't allow priority judgements; doesn't allow legislative bodies to do their job. What makes you think we have "expensive programs" or programs we can't afford. Maybe (I doubt it but maybe) all the programs we have are absolutely justified but costs that could be lower are out of control because of external factors Federal government rules for example or State policies external to the program. Programs we can't afford is just a code phrase for a low priority program whatever its cost.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
LisbonBrad,
Just read Woodbury's report. Excellent work. Confirms for me that LD 1495 must be enacted and afterwards we must deal with the problem that property taxes represent the highest revenue the state and local governments receive and that it disproportionately impacts low income earners.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The facts remain even though the pro-TABOR folks will ignore them. Since TABOR I was defeated state spending has been consistent with TABOR I guidelines. Spending has been reduced. Taxes over the last 45 years have been reduced. The top Federal income tax rate has fallen from 90 to 35%. The sales tax rate last fell from 6 to 5%. Property tax rates state-wide have fallen from 4.5 to 1.5% of assessed value over the last 23 years.
There is no need for TABOR except the delusions of its supporters.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
TABOR II like TABOR I is a trial balloon by national anti-government groups to find how they can package bad policy cutting government in half. Written in Washington by the Heritage Foundation, TABOR II is the same one-size fits all over-simplified and therefore disasterous policy. Its greatest fallacy is that government buys the same basket of goods and services that the average urban consumer does. We have no urban areas in Maine. Government doesn't buy what the average citizen buys. In times of recession government must spend more to stimulate the economy because the private sector has failed to do so. TABOR II doesn't allow this to happen. TABOR II places government in an inflexibile straightjacket based on false assumptions and bad math.
It has well earned its defeat.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
liberal bias - tells the truth. Conservative pundit - fair and balanced, he lies about everything. Fox News - publicity arm of the Republican Party. Hannity, Beck O'Reilly super rich entertainers who prey on the minds burdened with miraculous thinking (suspension of rational thought and the laws of nature)
Good, fair letter.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Some good thoughts, but without a public option business will still bear a cost burden that our international competitors do not. Without a public option, insurance monopolies created by the insurance companies will still be able to increase premiums by double digits as they have over the last decade. Without a public option the premium cost for an average family of 4 will exceed $32,000/year by 2019. Without a public option prevention of criminal acts by insurance companies - denial of insurance because of preexisting conditions, denial of care, and revocation of insurance when the insured becomes sick all forms of fraud - will be almost impossible.
The compromise between a single payer system and the current system is a robust public option.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
momof4,
Look it up. You can start with the Kinsey Reports wonder through Master and Johnson or go anywhere in legitimate scientific research. Heterosexuals engage in all the sex acts that homosexuals do. With the same consequences. Of course homosexual sex is a subset of Heterosexual sex.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Has any one thought of tiered consolidation. 1 superintendent and central office per county. Several districts per county with a school board for each. Several school systems per board. A public advisory council per school.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I'm voting NO on all the questions. None have serious merit.
We should have in small counties 2-3 districts and in large counties 4-5. That's it. About 40 state wide.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well when you let the Church leadership think for you sometimes you can be disappointed. That this Bishop doesn't care a wit about his flock shouldn't surprise anyone.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Civil Rights should never be decided by a vote of the "people". Civil Rights have already been decided by the authors of the US and State Constitutions. Passage of LD 1020 was the right thing to do but should have been unnecessary. But many here don't like representative government, don't like our constitutions. Their hatred is so violent that they say - I lost the election, I lost control of the legislature, I lost the Governorship so lets have another chance. Maybe if we do this a dozen times someone will join me in my hate.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Certainly the story should tell both sides and the complete story. You just can't say that Nuclear power plants are the best way to reduce greenhouse gases or whatever the buzz issue of the day is. There are those little problems of disposing of the radioactive waste for 200,000 years and those nasty little accidents which one day might not be so little. When the promoters of Nuclear power can get private insurance without government aid, i.e when the private sector thinks that nuclear is safe, OK.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
We also need a law that defines fraudulent signature gathering and it must have jail time for those who actually commit the fraud and denial of any license for organizations that assisted the fraud.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I will suggest that my legislator submits a bill in the next legislative session that will require the naming of all contributors to a referendum campaign and bar "bunderlers from donating to a campaign. We have a right to know if a referendum campaign is being bought by outside billionaires.
Registering 200 even 2000 new people in Maine has no impact on statewise races. Even local elections in the towns they would register in would not be effected because the 200 are split among many towns. So the registration of inprisoned felons will have no political effect. And as the article says it does benefit the community and the felon. So all you racist commentators all your rants prove is how insane you are.
But nothing can match Sammie's delusion comments.
"According to the General Psychiatry in 1999, "homosexual people are at substantially higher risk for some forms of emotional problems, including suicid(e), major depression, anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, and nicotine dependence."" Compared to whom? Homosexuals in America are an oppressed minority. They suffer from all the problems that any oppressed minority suffers from. Had you been cursed your whole life, beaten up in gym, denied a job with a snear, denied housing with a door slammed in your face. Or met Sammie. You too would suffer higher risks of emotional problems.
I'm checking with the Omega Journal to confirm the median age of death for homosexual men. Were the report from 1999 I can understand it. Gay men were in the mist of an epidemic that most heterosexual men did not experience. But the epidemic has nothing to do with being gay. The man who brought the disease to America was homosexual. In Africa where it originated entire countries both men and women have died at exceptional rates. Were you to calculate their median age at death it would be just as significant.
The comparison on STD's is equally meaningless. You can't compare two "classes" of people. Its called stereotyping and has no scientific basis. You have to compare two groups based on the causal factor in this case the number of partners and frequency of sex. The only thing these numbers mean is that homosexuals are enjoying themselves more than heterosexuals. Since they perform the same sexual acts, being gay in and of itself has nothing to do with Sammie's nonsense.
This is homophobic bigotry. Don't even know why its here.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Clearly, Rev Roy is sick. How does increasing the number of families harm families exactly. Rev. Roy must believe in James Dobson's famous quote, "Scandanavia has virtually adopted gay marriage which has cause an explosion of out-of-wedlock births". Iraational from beginning to end.
Families are in danger not because of scapegoats selected by Rev Roy, but because of divorce, poverty, the corporate attack on the middle class. You wouldn't find Rev. Roy writing about that.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No one needs God to explain the human body or a rainbow, or a dinosaur. Believe what you will but don't turn American citizens into second class citizens or targets of violence because you wrap you warped point-of-view in the authority of God.
As to the Pledge, God never belonged in the Pledge. It was added by Congress in 1954 because they believed according to Congressional testimony that Communists couldn't say the word God. Hysteria will do things llike that to you. The motto on money was added in 1865 by some well meaning if very sick ministers. The same ministers in the 1830' and 40's waged a campaign to prevent self touching. You know that thing we all do that will make us blind, drive us into insane asylums, cause us to slaughter our neigbors.
The core evil of Christianity is the denial of what it is to be human (the fictional fall).
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Beck never tells the truth. He's an entertainer. He dishes out fiction. And many of you are too lazy to test it. Jennings did not talk to a 15 year-old-boy. He talked to a sixteen year-old-boy or so the boy says. No policy required him at the time to report anything.
Talking about Marxism and socialism. You guys don't know what the words mean. Any centralized government power constitutional or not you hate. You just substitute those titles for thinking.
Amazing that the Obama haters are real the American haters. If they can't break it they will lie about it.
Mass Public option is recognized as the nations best hope for universal converage. Of course, it doesn't meet all health care goals but at least Mass as the lowest number of uninsured folks in the country 4.1%.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Taxpoor,
But you have to admit that you think its sick because you aren't attracted to someone of the same-sex. But You never made that decision. You have always just been straight. Well so have they just always been gay. yours nor theirs was a decision, a lifestyle, or a whim; but who you are.
I think people who like vegtables are sick. Doesn't mean I'm going to penalize them. Or treat them as second class citizens.
Gays have lived together and raised families together for centuries. President Buchanan and his partner lived together for at least 20 years. More gay families will not be created by this legislation. The only change is that those gay families will be granted some of the 1300+ rights and benefits they are currently denied.
Teaching about gay marriages is perfectly OK today. This bill has nothing to do about teaching about gay marriages. Mass. and Maines laws about education are very different which is why what has happenned in Mass. has nothing to do with Maine. In Maine, if they wish, any district can teach the history of gay marriage, the literature of gay marriage, or the legalities of gay marriage and they don't need this law to do it. Nor do they have to mis-represent Christian fundamentalist teachers now employed by Christian private schools to make that point.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
You can't argue for tort reform like Texas which restricts competition and then agrue for competition to cut costs. As we now see Health care reform means many different things to different people and interests. Well so does tort reform. Doctors who perform according to standards should be protected. Facilities that apply management techniques that reduce errors should be protected. But 98,000 people die because of medical errors each year. One control that provides an incentive to reduce that number is lawsuits. In this state we have a peer review board. That's a good step. We need more.
Its not state laws that have eliminated competition. The insurance companies have colluded to cut up the insurance markets into monopolies where they can control prices independent of costs. This year Anthem has increased premiums by 80%, 52%, 42% respectively in three states. In the middle of the Great Recession. Competition can only be restore by a government run program where regulated and regulator have no contact.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Universal Coverage is not the sole goal of health care reform. If it were only a single-payer universal health care system supplemented by private insurance would be the answer. The US health care system is rated 37th by the WHO. Others rate it differently but no one rates it better than 15th. Insurance Companies deny care for 20% of treatments order by doctors. That can only worsen care.
If we want to meet all the goals of health care reform then a robust public option that as Rep. Michaud proposes permits negiotiated reimbursements not ones pinned to Medicare is the only means that can work.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well, thank you mikec for your repeating these republican myths. Fact is tax rates have gone down for 45 years. Last tax changes were all reductions. $55,000,000 tax cut in LD 1495. State sales tax rate reduced from 6% to 5%. Federal income top tax rate fell from 90% to 35%. Last significant tax increase was G H W Bush's in the late 80's.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Scotty_O,
Family sized dropped because previously you needed children as free slave labor. Since the 50's that wasn't the case although it may return. Only now do we think of children as a cost.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The author is wonderful. Judsun seems to really understand the central issue of our times. Unfettered capitalism fails constantly. It fails on many levels. It fails to account for the needs of its workers. It fails to meet necessary social and political goals. It fails to work not once but routinely as we have seen over the last 2 years. Unfettered Capitalism is the worst economic system of all except fascism (the system we now have) where government manipulates market conditions for the benefit of the owners of commerce.
Its important that the Constitution does not include even a mention of Capitalism. We do not have to amend the constitution to develop a system of checks and balances that will make government the master of commerce as the Constitution intended not the slaves to bribery.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Yes we do deimos. We know the human misery "free trade" has caused. The millions of Mexican who had to uproot themselves and move to America because they could not get a job in Mexico and their farms went bankrupt because of NAFTA. The millions of Americans who have lost their jobs because "free trade" allows China to undercut are markets with defective, dangerous, and poisonous products.
let's dispense with the words "free trade". Doesn't exist. Its just a misleading PR phrase. NAFTA is a treaty containing thousands of trade restrictions. You want to make America's shoes? Well you can if we can make Mexico's sewer pumps. Then the treaty sets up the conditions that make that happen. The treaty was crafted by Republicans to maximize their supports profits. The American people and their health and safety were not negiotiating points.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If the editorial board really thinks there is a problem with state worker salaries, then bring in unbiased professionals in salary administration to make a valid comparison and make a judgement on whether a real gap exists. Let's not use partisan propaganda.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
How many Ph'd's work in private firms in Maine. Jackson labs a few more here and there. Maine State government is full of them in and out of higher education. They have to be paid current market rates. To compare average state government wages to average private wages without adjusting for the vastly different occupations each employs makes the comparison useless. Several other factors are also not accounted for age, sex, education being just the top three. These number mean nothing. The report shows no gap. Only an occupation by occupation comparison which adjusts for factors taken into consideration in setting salaries can show if a gap really exists.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Check this out http://www.mainepolicy.org/library/resources/203.pdf" Why?
The Maine Propaganda Policy Center produces propaganda pieces. They never tell the true story.
TABOR II's one size fits all approach of mismanaging Maine's budget is unnecessary and dangerous to which this lady can speak.
Maine's story is simple. After the failure of TABOR I the Maine budget has been below TABOR I guidelines every year. $250 million was added to the budget in the first year for education by public referrendum consistent with TABOR I. In the last few years the budget has been reduced by almost $1 bn dollars because of the recession. So how can anyone say state spending is out of control.
Taxes haven't gone up; they have gone down. Federal Income top tax rate has fallen from 90% to 35% in the last 45 years. GWB cut the federal income tax rates twice in 2001 and 2003 (unfortunately a primary cause of the out of control federal deficit). The state sales tax rate was cut from 6 to 5% a few years back. The passage of LD 1495 will reduce the taxes Mainers pay by $55,000,000. Where's the tax increases? Property Taxes did increase through the 90's because of higher assessments and home price increases. Now that the housing market has fallen so have home values and property taxes. Mine fell $600 last year.
Taxpoor, I think what's poor is your attitude not how government in Maine is operating.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Taxpoor,
Been a long time since I played with my chemistry set, but I don't believe that water will separate from ethanol. In fact, I believe very extreme measures (or other production methods) have to be taken to reduce the water content below 10%. The gas line additives that you put in your fuel tank to prevent fuel line freeze ups in winter is, you guessed it, ethanol or other alcohols because it absorps the water not separates from it. Mixtures with up to 50% water are being tested now in stoves.
If you used 100% ethanol to replace gasoline mileage will go down by 15-30%. But with a E10 and a properly tuned engine and even some suitable add-on equipment, E10 is just as efficient as gasoline.
If you enjoy sending $1 bn to our "friends" in the Middle East each day, then oppose ethanol and the other new technologies.
No one has said that E10 is the right fuel for mowers, chain saws, or farm tractors. Would you put deisel fuel in a gasoline engine?
While the debate over ethanol for fuel and its costs goes on we should look skeptically at its use but for the right reasons. The decision to use E10 for now is a good one.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Sheesh,
That's how our system works. Its not the dictatorship of the bigoted. Its a Republic where respresentatives of the people make the decisions. They did. They did it right. The people's response should be to vote those representatives out if they disagree. This abusive use of people's vetos to undermine our system of government must be brought under control.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
First, depending on which cap and trade proposal becomes law costs to families could run from nothing to significant. We simply don't know what it will cost.
Second, this lame argument that the world has warmed and cooled implying that humans have no impact on the current warming is just dumb. 95% of the world scientists doing this research say humans have changed the degree to which the normal earth's cycles are warming and cooling the planet.
Third, the last ten years numbers are a tiny fraction of the hundreds of thousands of year that have been studied. They do not change the conclusion.
These are all arguments to make our grand children pay for our irresponsibility in not controlling our effect on the planet now.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
crimeless your conclusions are without merit. Maine is the 15th most taxed state, but if you remove the taxes that are not paid by Mainers and not legislated by the legislature, Maine drops to 22nd. If you include the 11 states that significantly raised taxes this year while maine cut taxes, Maine should fall to mid-30's. So Maine taxes are headed to the least taxed not the most. Dumbest I don't know. laziest ridiculous Maine businesses all appauld the work ethic of Maine workers. Highest used welfare. Great. Brings Federal dollars here helps business and people. That's great. That DHS has performed so well is a tribute to them.
Most people that receive welfare drop off the programs in the first year and those that don't are 100% disabled or children under 10. I don't think you suggestion will be adopted.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Isn't it nice that the rightwing is eager to prooof the point of the letter writer.
Being the biggest bully on the block puts a target on you back. International cooperation gets the job done.
But when someone makes claims that are clearly false. You have to respond, just not in kind. Stangi doesn't know what he is talking about. Obama is a pragmatist who has continued most of Bush's policies. Bush wasn't a communist.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, but it does for people who don't know and will not look for themselves.
The other fantastic misstatement although on just intended to mislead not lie is that Marriage has been defined as a union between a man and a woman for 2000 years. Only in some of the Christian world. And not even all of that. If the statement is turned around - Marriage has never been defined as the union of men and men or woman and woman well that's literally true with some minor exceptions. But Marriage was redefine twice in my lifetime (age of consent applied to marriage, and interracial marriage). Because of Polanski the pundits were talking about how several well known people were married to 13 year old girls at the same time Polanski was convicted. Polygamy of course is the prefered form of marriage throughout the non-christian world and has been for 1200+ years.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, but it does for people who don't know and will not look for themselves.
The other fantastic misstatement although on just intended to mislead not lie is that Marriage has been defined as a union between a man and a woman for 2000 years. Only in some of the Christian world. And not even all of that. If the statement is turned around - Marriage has never been defined as the union of men and men or woman and woman well that's literally true with some minor exceptions. But Marriage was redefine twice in my lifetime (age of consent applied to marriage, and interracial marriage). Because of Polanski the pundits were talking about how several well known people were married to 13 year old girls at the same time Polanski was convicted. Polygamy of course is the prefered form of marriage throughout the non-christian world and has been for 1200+ years.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If this editorial was intended to strengthen a culture of obligation. Fine. People should pay their bills and its no excuse that others aren't. If people can afford it this is a good time to meet their obligations. But this is not the time for the nation to reduce its debt. With growth rates below 1% and the chance for double digit inflation or a double dip recession now is not the time to reduce national debt. When growth is 3% reducing the debt slowly in sync with growth is absolutely necessary. We have committed 11.6 trillion dollars. Without a program to control that debt, economic chaos may be soon to follow.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"they just keep spending the taxpayers money and raising taxes." When went out into the labor market Federal Income Tax's top rate was 90%. Today its 35%. That doesn't sound like "they just keep .... raising rates". Maybe, just maybe something else is wrong about "mad dad" and fixit001's conclusions.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Publikwerks,
I also think that labelling opposition to the President as racist is also a bad tactic. I don't. I label the organizations starting with the Republican Party as racists because they have followed for years political strategies that are racist. Southern Stategy - bring into the party white racist democrats, prevent blacks from voting, expelling illegal immigrants knowing that will force many citizens to leave the country and not vote. The Caricatures, the use of Obama's middle name, the Birther movement, these are just recent overt racist attacks. In fact, the "Joker" characture reminds me very much of Goebbel's Caricatures of Jews.
Now the right is attacking school children for singing a song favorable to the President in February. This skit was part of Black History Month. A celebration of the sucesses of Black Americans. What is more remarkable then raising to be President? And you will notice that they also sang songs describing the good works of George Washington and Abe Lincoln, but that's not mentioned. In elementary school I think we all wrote or sang or did something on President's Day to celebrate one or all of our Presidents. Why then attack Obama? He had been in office less than a month. What's different between Obama and Bush? Given that the right contains many racists we can only reasonably assume its Obama's skin that calls up this hatred.
No this is not true. It just continues the racist rapid conservatives amnesia. Anyone hear of McCarthyism. Or Richard Nixon's Senate race where he called his opponent a communist. Or the Republican produced faked Photograph that proported to be the Sec. of State Meeting a communist agent. The conservatives began attacking civility in the US in 1932. They tried to overthrow the US government in 1934. Don't talk to me about George Bush. Everything the left said about Bush has turned out to be absolutly true. That's the difference where the right invents scandals that don't exist; the left tells the truth.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Schools are prohibited from teaching things that are illegal, right?" Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Where do we get these people. If a local school board decided to instruct children on Marriage Equality they could from many points of view. The could teach the history (California Prop 8, the Mass. and Iowa Supreme Court decisions - great reading by the way). They could teach the sociology of Marriage Equality. They could teach about the religious opposition to Marriage Equality and Human Rights. They can do all of that and more right now. The schools do not need LD 1020.
LD 1020 has nothing to do with schools or children oreducation. The Yes on 1 folks are just trying to scare old ladies.
The legislature can change any law at any time. That doesn't mean they will. So that's no argument at all.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Check Cass out. Sounds like a remarkable, talented law professor. They voted for on of the best and brightest. Good job Senators.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No money in the stimulus package was targetted to ACORN. So far and this may change ACORN as an organization has done nothing wrong. Some employees have submitted fraudulent voter registration cards which by law ACORN was required to submit to the proper officials and whom they notified that some of the cards appeared fraudulent and they fired the employees. Some employees advised a fake prostitute and pimp on how to get housing. The employees then notified the police and special human trafficking police units. These employees were also fired. Another rightwing witch hunt.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"There is no history book anywhere that has a reference to the important role that "same-sex marriage" plays in society." Well duh, Mr. Pajak. All you married folks have passed laws making it illegal and giving yourself 1300 priveleges, benefits, and rights that you deny gay people. A completely circular and meaningless point. What you really said is "Continued Discriminating against gays is justified because we have discriminated against gays in the past.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, they never do because even their inane ads don't identify any harm to society that Marriage Equality would bring. Now here again Pajak quotes what he says is Maine Law "traditional monogamous marriage is of inestimable value to society". Even if it is its an unsupported assertion of a claim that can not be supported. 50% of "traditional" marriages end in divorce. If traditional marriage is of "inestimable value" why is that permitted. The danger to marriage is divorce not more marriages.
The history of the country is full of the dangers marriage creates for society. Incest, alcoholism, domestic violence, and crime are nicely rooted in traditional marriage.
Quite possibly society might be much better off individuals signed explicit contracts outlining their rights and responsibilities in a committed relationship rather than go through a pre-written and perhaps meaningless set of ceremonies.
What are the benefits? Well Mr. Pajak only makes assertions he doesn't present facts. They never do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Lil, correct. The Republican Party is now dominated by the League of the South (joe Wilson's social club also on the Southern Poverty Law Center's Klanwatch list of racist neo-Confederate extremist groups), Operation Rescue, and the Business Roundtable and similiar neo-fascist groups. The moderates are all gone; the Republican extremists purged them in the 60's and 70's just as they purged the NRA of hunters in 1976. Nothings left but wackos.
But Klaus is wrong or at least has a very idealized view of American history. We still have our racists, our homophobes (did you know that porn turns straights into gays or that you should explain to 11 year old boys what all those pictures mean or that gays cause out-of-wedlock births), our nativists, and our authoritarian thugs. So what's Klaus doing in the Republican Party.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Now let's get this straight. Cathy and Dan Bergeron want us to legislate all these anti-government and anti-people proposals while protecting their government run health care and income maintenance programs which since they can't be touched must be working very well. That makes sense. A rightwing revolt to save the socialist system that takes care of them. AMHI anyone.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, They are not dumb; they are little authoritarian thugs. Like the Republican Washington Staffers who were paid by the National Republican Party to go in 2000 to Florida and beat up election workers.
Reggie's right. The radical Groups must be stopped. The Teabaggers. The League of the South to which Rep. Joe Wilson belongs and the other Republican Front groups that want to replace the Constitution with either a theocracy or a slavocracy.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Snowe has been working in recent months with three Democrats and two other Republicans to form a bipartisan approach..." Who is this reporter trying to kid. The other two Republicans are not trying to form a bipartisan approach. They've said so. They simply want to delay or prevent anything from being adopted. They are negiotiating in bad faith. We don't know yet whether Snowe is also.
What we need is Medicare extended to everyone who wants it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I agree too that on this one issue its time to give Rep. Wilson some slack. But Ms. Hayes makes one mistake. She says the President has called his critics liars. I don't think so. Sure would like to know what she was referring too because the President and Gibbs have been very careful about their language. Now supporters of the President are not so restained and we have called his opponents liars because their unfounded conjectures like death panels, free medical care for illegals, and dozens more statements by our opponents about HR 3200 can be easily shown to be deliberate lies for political points.
Where we should not give Rep. Wilson some slack is in his membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans (a group controlled by the League of the South) groups that have been identified as racist neo-Confederate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Nor can we ignore his confirmation of sharing the views of these groups when informed that Strom Thurmond's family had confirmed that Strum had fathered a mixed race daugther. Rep. Wilson said it was a smear. What Wilson meant by that was that racist southerners charge that stories of hundreds of thousands of mulatto children in the south before the civil war was a smear on white southern gentlemen because they would not have sexual relations with an animal which is how they view black women.
Rep. Wilson is and was a racist and he has not repudiated that.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Incidentally, I've already said my piece on the Catholic Churches' actions. The Church has no moral authority on this issue. I hope all its members donate a note of protest.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
joeziehmer, good statement of what Christian should be doing, but you lose it at Leviticus 18:12. You know that the old testiment's Leviticus sins are no longer followed. They are obsolete. Only brought out when someone wants to wrap their hatred of homosexuals in biblical cloth. You can't pick and choose the sins you want to enforce. All or nothing.
FedupMainer; "being gay is not the way nature intended things to be". You really believe that. A mountain of evidence that is building every day says you're wrong with this unsupported assertion. Simple biology says it's very unlikely that its true. People aren't the same and pure discrete genetics fails to explain the approximately 150 different mutations we each carry. Some portion of human genetics and development appears random which is consistent with all organic chemistry. If 1-3% of humans develop a variant sexual orientation that would be well within our experience. By the way, nature intends nothing; it just is
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
momof4, that's for your comments. When George Bush lied about Iraq having nuclear weapons, 70% of Americans believed him. Many Democrats supported him. His resolution to use force passed easily. Now many Democrats after we learned that he had conned us with a scripted campaign of misinformation, misrepresentations, and straight forward lies we called him a liar. And we were proved right. But we did it in newspapers and blogs, and to our friends not in a joint session of congress. Analysts reviewing the controversey all agree that Obama was telling the truth and Wilson was wrong.
All those folks who say Obama is lying need to provide some proof. They can't and won't because they know Obama is telling the truth (like all politicians he shades it some for his benefit at times). Why should anyone hate Obama. He is managing the country like a moderate republican without Republicans false economic theories. Frustration for some and for many racism.
You have George Bush's credibility.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Susan2,
Your delusions are getting the best of you although I do understand that you are just parrotting the views of your masters. Acorn has nothing to do with Obama. Obama has nothing to do with Acorn. Acorn is not setting up Prostitution but should be appauled if they do.
Grouping Communists, Fascists, and Socialists together means you just don't understand politics.
Wilson said that emotion got the better of him. Why? This is the first time in history that someone has made such a charge in a joint session of Congress. Even in the run up to the civil war no such incidence occurred. We have listen to Presidents say many very bad things and occasionally lie to Congress. Why this President. We have had other Presidents who's claim to the office were much weaker, but no "birther" movements. No this President is different and treated differently for one reason. He's black. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Catholic Church support for any political election is clearly wrong in America.
Supposedly all you have to do is read what the bible says about marriage and you'll know to oppose gay maarriage. The Catholic Church's position on sexuality is preverse to no end. Its not bible based. How can you trust the bible anyway when its been re-written so many times. In fact the version used by many evangelicals is being re-written as we write to make it more gender neutral. The bible is simply the political statement by the church at that time. After every medieval heresy, the bible was re-written by the winners to justify killing the losers. Easy to do the church had all the bibles. Worse still during the Dark Ages the church was home to every abnormal sexual practice known. So the Church had to after the Reformation clean house and at least publicaly appear homophobic. If they didn't, you would have faced the same public Church scandal as the last 20 years. The money collected by the church would have decreased. The church no longer would have been able to host married priests. Churches would have been closed. So the church invented chastity and re-wrote the bible again to proclaim that Christ was chaste.
No, the bible informs us not the least on the subject of marriage or homosexuality or any other sexual practice.
Good letter
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No public option means no health care reform. This bill becomes the insurance industry's license to steal and kill its customers. Anyone who supports this is misinformed or benefits from a system where the insurance companies loot the economy and prevent care for their customers.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Dr. Aniel has made public statements on other matters that calls into question his judgement and suggests a thinking process not in conformity with the scientific method. That's the fact, If I come to agree with Dr. Pierpoints' views I would still never agree to support those of Dr. Aniel.
Yes, we are as a public spending huge sums in development of non-fossil fuel energy sources. Both as a stimulous to the economy and to develop energy independence from foreign countries that seems prudent from a national security standpoint.
I've read Dr. Pierpoints web-site and she makes a pausible case for further research. She does not close the case. She presents a pausible mechanism and a number of case studies. I'll guess I have to wait for the book to see the statistics.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Our basic human needs are enumerated in our Constitution. Among them is "general welfare" and the ninth amendment that says that just because the founders enumerated some rights doesn't mean that others don't exist (like privacy the foundation of the constitution). Among "general welfare" is some basic level of health. No, they did mention it specifically then because health care was very primitive and not generally available (they also left out a great number of things like "Corporations". The founders would have looked on GE with horror.).
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This is part of the attack on health care reform of misdirection. The government has several plans including the VA, Federal Employees, Medicare. They are all different. The public option has been discussed in terms of several coverage packages like a basic plan and an advanced plan. The basic plan would have no premium or co-pay costs to the insured and a minimum set of coverage. The plan would be targetted at young healthy people who can not get affordable private insurance. The advanced plan would have much more coverage but require a premium and/or co-pays. Why when people have different needs should we force them to accept a one size fits all plan as Mary Jane Newell's letter implies. Keep all 5 plans. I believe one of President Obama's principles is to not change Medicare's charges or coverage. Let's keep the insured's plan if they like that plan, but give them the choice of something better if they need it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
They do good Rev. The woman who attacked Rep. Barney Frank and drew his famous line "and what planet do you spend your time on" is a perfect example. She is a member of the Larouche organization. In the mid-60's Larouche took over the New York labor Committee of SDS. He began attacking socialists with baseball bats declaring his organization the only true communist group in New York. His favorite tactic was to break up socialist meeting with the disruptive tactics shown in the Town Halls. Later he moved to Queen Elizabeth declaring that she was the leading drug dealer in the world. By then his group was a cult of personality. Later he ran for President several times by defrauding contributors by charging their credit cards without authorization and identity theft. So instead of making it to the white house he succeeded in making it to the big house. Now his group has joined the neo-fascist right (not surprising he was always a rightwing bully). A group without identifiable principles and leadership and very respresentative of the teabaggers.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
A company is planning to build a wind farm across from my house. I will oppose it if there is concrete evidence that the farm would cause health effects which can not be mitigated.
I will support the wind farm if no credibile evidence exists. The MMA and this editorial are pretty clear that the science has not been done to base a decision on.
Dr. Aniel is a conspiracy theorist and political wacko unqualified to perform such research.
An independent scientific committee should be formed and funded through industry contributions but without any contact with the committee (perhaps all contact can be between the companies and the regulators and between the committee and the regulators). If the committee determines that mitigation is not possible, then steps need to be taken to protect the public. For example, people living too close to the wind farm should be moved at company expense.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
All generalized proppaganda. Not a fact to be found in the article. Obviously the music was more entertaining. Cap and Trade legislation has not yet passed so no one knows what form it will finally take. Might increased coal costs but might not.
But you don't hear anything from these folks about the real attack they have organized on their workers. Black lung? Mine cave-ins due to mismanagement? Selenium pollution of streams and rivers and is toxic to humans. Clean coal. No such technology exists and if it did there is no proof it will work. So talking about clean coal is simply misleading the American people .i.e they are lying. The coal operators are doing what they have done for more than a 100 years - killing their workers for the operators' profits and benefitsd.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
One of many reasons why we need national health care reform and a robust public option. How much would the Auburn School Department save if teachers' health care costs were born by a combination of private insurance and the federal government. How much would the premiums be reduced? How much would the state save?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"better train pilots on low-level interception of civilian aircraft". Wouldn't the interception of a civilian aircraft, even over the training ground, have significant economic and social effects not to mention the effects on lives. Training aircraft sometimes crash wouldn't that have economic and social impacts. Seems like this report wasn't a report at all. It was an insulting document produced by an arrogant bureaucracy who thought people would bow to their wisdom just because they mentioned 9/11. I think the Air National Guard has a lot of explaining to do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I doubt it John. I check the median family income of a state in real dollars compared to the national median. Maine has out performed the nation since 1972 inspite of significant negative trends i.e. the graying of Maine - Maine has an increasing senior citizen population which is both property rich and income poor and just poor, Maine's major high income business sector, pulp and paper, has seen radical decreases in employment due to national and international factors. Both should depress median income. Employment expansion has been largely dependent on government jobs i.e. teachers who are paid less than the national average which also should depress median income. Maine is an end-of-road State which does not enjoy the advantages of many other end-of-road states - few broad open sandy beaches, no major mountains, remote from major cities, limited natural harbors. Most of the business growth has occurred in the Portland to Bangor route 95 corridor. Maine has no modern highway system. Inspite of all these disadvantages. Maine has out performed the nation. That seems pretty unexpected.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Ron,
I'm a very partisan Democrat for many reasons some going back to Barry Goldwater. One of those reason is that I have checked out what Democrats have done in this state over the last 37 years. My review (done many years ago) was that they had everything to be proud of. So if you aren't, then I'm very willing to answer any question you care to ask.
As a matter of principle, I can source my answers; nothing comes out of my head except the overall principles and values I believe in. My conclusions, I believe, are always based on sound evidence.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Ron,
I am not a legislator. I do, like everyone else, have assess to my local legislator who is a Democrat. I do ask questions and I do get answers not just from my legislator. I also have attended Sen. Piotti's presentation on LD 1495 as well as read the bill (before the final changes I have to admit.)
Maine State Revenues are forecasted by the Revenue Forecasting Committee not Maine Revenue Service. The members are:
Jerome Gerard, Chair, Acting State Tax Assessor
James Breece, University of Maine System
Marc Cyr, Principal Analyst, Office of Fiscal and Program Review
Grant Pennoyer, Director, Office of Fiscal and Program Review
Catherine Reilly, State Economist
Ellen Jane Schneiter, State Budget Officer
I trust the numbers from Maine Revenue Service because they have the tax returns. They can run an analysis using the real numbers. So they can come up with, if this provision of the tax law was changed to this, what would the results be for the next tax year. Then they can refine that very accurate estimate with the latest economic information. They are not making very general estimates.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wrong, Mr. Hughes.
Maine Democrats didn't create the heavier burden that low income people pay. They have such a burden because of property taxes which are locally determined by non-partisan municipal governments. Democrats have tried to address that with the homestead exemption, but Republicans have and still are trying to prevent tax reform. So Democrat efforts to increase the homestead exemption have been frustrated.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If the petition is defeated and the law goes into effect, Maine's top rate will fall from 9th to 20th highest in the US (out of the 38 states with income taxes based on brackets. The other states system are not directly compareable.) Five states have top tax rates at or above 10%. Maine current tax burden is 15th. But this is a fictious number that was 5th and "re-calculated" to 15th when the method to calculate it was determined to be wrong. It also includes "taxes paid to other states". What this means is taxes paid in Alaska on Alaska oil are pro-rated to Maine based on the amount of Alaskan oil estimated to be sold in Maine. In other words, the rating is almost meaningless. Ignore the phony numbers and estimates and Maine falls into the mid-30's. Implement this law and our burden falls by $57,000,000.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I disagree with some of the provisions of this bill too. Specifically, it does not address the fact that the lowest 20% of income earners in Maine pay twice the tax rate as all other Mainers.
But the overall impact of the bill is what counts. Its revenue neutral. It cuts taxes paid by Mainers by $57,000,000. It broadens the sales tax (we still tax fewer categories of goods and services than most states). It brings Maine closer to the rest of the Northeast States in the meals and lodging tax (we are still either the lowest or next to lowest depending on what other states do. Under the old tax we were 3.5% below the New England average meals and lodging tax.). It brings about more revenue stability in the business cycle.
Its a good bill and proof of that is that the Republicans oppose it and have organized the misinformation campaign against it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No one is using "Reganomics reasoning" here. First of all its an oxymoron.
For years at small business conference after conference, people in the company location business have listed their criteria for locating a business in a specific state or locale. Every time the top income tax rate is a consideration. The reason why is the CEO wants to know what he is going to pay in taxes. The higher the rate the less likely he will choose that state. Even if the overall tax affect on the business is lowest if the tax on the CEO is high they won't come. Lower the tax and more businesses will come into the state.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Please check out http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16502 for a summary of the current legal situation. Maine has found it unconstitutional to ban pay-for-signature gathers and the US Supreme Court ruled in 1988 that banning paid gatherer was unconstitutional.
One of the problems here is that the courts generally don't agree that misrepresentations are fraud. Particularly the anti-gay petitions are almost always almost reversed in meaning to get signatures.
Because of the legal situation focusing on the signer is the only practical way to clean up the referendum situation. The Secretary of State should be required to issue a statement characterizing the intent of the petition and its implications (perhaps with an advisor opinion from the AG). That is statement should be distributed to all media outlets (either as paid advertisements or as public service messages).
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Many of these ideas are very worthwhile. The two year budget if aligned with the state budgeting process makes all kinds of sense. None of these ideas directly affect the education of the students. The regional ideas might be a problem in rural areas. Long bus rides are dangerous and might require young children to wait on dark streets in winter. But all in all very good ideas.
A cut of $200 million sounds more likely than $100. We shouldn't expect state revenues to improve much before 2011.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Completely wacko and ridiculous. Nothing can be accomplished by these investigations.
But.
Cemeteries are usual town maintained, public property. How do you bar individuals from going there and doing perfectly legal things? If its private, bar any one you like.
My mother used to love to stop at a cemetery and read the head stones and wonder about the lives that they respesented. Should she have been barred.
Seems to me that religious prejudice is the root of the complaints. If it is, then the action of the town manager was wrong.
This is tax reform. The affects Sen Craven points out will happen and the people of Maine will be much better off with that $57,000,000 in their pockets and the jobs that will be created by lowering the top tax rate. For the 27 years I've been in Maine the anti-government crowd has said the top rate inhibited economic growth. Now when they have got it; they don't accept it. A craven attempt to get political points by misleading the people of Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Whether the income tax rate is raised next year has nothing to do with this bill. Nonthing. I'm certain you missed it but most states are taking huge cuts in services and big increases (not decreases) sales and/or income taxes. The Wall Street Journal hardly a hot bed of big spending liberals called this bill a "miracle" because it found a way to cut income tax rates in the middle of a recession. A cut which will increase jobs in Maine and put people back to work. Just can't please some folks no matter what you do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
We know from statements made by Charlie Webster last week that the Republican Party has organized Fed Up With Taxes to lie and mislead the people of Maine. We know that the Republican Party distributed the e-mails mentioned in the letter that were filled with misrepresentations. We know that letters to the editor of local papers are filled with those misrepresentations. We know that signature gatherers are telling those misrepresentations to Mainers to defraud them into signing the petition. Too bad that some people want political points so bad that their honesty goes out the window.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Deductions have been replaced by tax credits precisely so that people with very low incomes can get reimbursement even if they have very low taxes. Great. A very smart move.
Robert61 says that three classes of Mainers will see an immediate tax increase. But does not source all of them to the MRS. Good reason. MRS said that 13% of Mainers will see a tax increase and Robert61's numbers far exceed 13%. Scare tactics. Yep.
"Within 4 or 5 years all Mainers will be paying more taxes to the state." Again no source. Well unless you count a crystal ball or tea leaves. And letters to the editor do not count as reliable sources. More scare tactics.
Seems Robert61 wanted to prove Rep. Sirios right.
I tell you you just can't please some people. They ask for a tax cut and you give them $57,000,000 in tax cuts. But those cuts aren't real? They ask for state spending cuts and you give them massive and dangerous cuts in state spending. And still they are not pleased. Well maybe they have some other agenda and they can't be pleased by anything you do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
It is a valid complaint. Worn flags should be replaced. But remember the National Anthem was written to commenorate a flag tattered in battle. A flag whther worn, new, or in tatters deserves the same respect.
But Pledge of Allegiance deserves no respect at all. The irrationality of teabaggers and their wacky friends on the right who protest how terrible the government is and then demand that everyone respect the pledge is just overwhelming. The pledge is your oath to be subservience to the government. The pledge is your oath that you surrender your sovereignty to the government. It is the government's duty to pledge to faithfully protect the Constitution and therefore the people not the other way around.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Medicare is better managed than private insurance by a wide margin according to those who rate them. The problem with medicare is medical costs that increase by double digits when the inflation rate is 2 or 3%. Kathie Leonard's experience is the same as ours here where I work. We have experienced 15-20% premium increases yearly for our employer sponsored health care insurance. We have no choice and there is no competition in Maine. They can charge anything they want. The only thing that will end the health care monopolies and restore American Businesses worldwide competitiveness is a public insurance option or better yet expansion of Medicare to all US residents.
Shows Republicans for what they really are - self-consumered egotists prepared to sacrifice the whole world for their own pleasure. Sanford should be impeached and then indicted.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Excuse me but all our representatives are on a Federally run government health insurance plan. You can't have it both ways. Most conservatives complain that representatives have a super rich federal insurance plan and now we have a complaint that they don't want to go on a federally run plan. Make up your minds which lie you want to tell. Please. We can't keep up with your RNC talking points.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Nice to see that Charlie Webster admits that Snowe-Mello got her false information from the Maine Republican Party. Disappointing to read that he tries to shift the blame to the famous "staffer". Charlie that staffer was directed by someone in the Maine Republican Office probably you to prepare that misinformation. Aren't you as head of the party responsibile for everything the party office does?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If the MRS is right, Fed up with Taxes is wrong. The repeal effort is a purely partisan misinformation campaign. MRS has the facts. Fed up with Taxes is a Republican front. Quess who's wrong.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Senator says this isn't an organized campaign to mislead the people of maine. He says Fed up with Taxes has issued columns and press releases disputing what their supporters are saying. Well Senator where are these press releases. Where are the front page stories telling your supporters to stop lying. Not on their web site. All their web site says is that the majority Democrats are wrong on all the positive goals achieved by LD1495. But those are the conclusions after detailed and exhausting analysis by the MRS not the democrats. So their web site is lying too and its charges are false just like Snowe-Mello's are. I call that an organized campaign of misinformation.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Lil, as usual the conservatives offer no evidence they just make groundless and false assumptions or like Snowe-Mello try to shift the blame when they are caught lying.
Just listen to robert61: "If anyone thinks the democratic majority in Augusta would ever truly lower your taxes, then you need to have your head examined." Clearly a case of unfounded bias. Because they did and even some of the Republicans have to admit that the MRS figures are correct. Or horsefeathers: "With all the lies, mis- information and corruption generated out of Augusta and Washington DC grabbing this for front page news is ludicrous". They offer nothing but their personal bile. No one can use what they write to make any kind of a decision.
What this article exposes is that an organized mis-information campaign lead by the Republicans is lying to the people of Maine. Lying, Republicans isn't that redundant. Same thing they are doing in Washington on Health Care Reform.
By the way another lie being spread this time in a letter to the editor of Twin City.com is that even though the tax rate is lower you will pay more taxes because deductions are abolished thus raising your taxable income. The lies they just keep on coming.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Shows unthinking bias - "The government can't run an outhouse efficiently!" Medicare, Tricare, Medicaid are far superior to private insurance plans and even better run than some health care providers. Mr. Lowell is simply out of touch with reality.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Most people are not on welfare in Maine. About 12% receive some form of assistance. I don't know that anyone can measure other forms of assistance.
No, the VA system Tricare is rated above all private insurance plans. And the VA actually provides care not just insurance.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The current economic mess is not all George Bush's fault . He had a great deal of help. Phil Gramm removed most of the Great Depression financial controls and regulations from the books by 2000. His method was to add a rider to a must pass bill in conference. One sentence is difficult to find in 1000 page bills when you have a few hours to find it before a final vote. His wife, Wendy, on the board of Enron helped. She passed to Phil what Enron thought were the regulations holding them back (from backrupty I guess). George Bush put into office a legion of people who did not believe in enforcing existing law. The head of OMB was specifically charged with making certain that no new regulations became law or government policy. So enforcement ended. The SEC was warned from early in 2003 about Madoff's ponzi scheme. They did nothing (just an example). Then you can add all those corporate criminals who once they knew the cops were asleep, began to create fraudulent financial instruments, bribed appraisers, originators, mortgage companies, and never forget the banks, etc. One was just convicted in Alaska for $2.5 million fraud after those associated with his gang were sentenced over the last year.
They gave you the worst recession since the great depression.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well sometimes the lunacy is just unbearable. "Mr. Obama has spent more in those 8 months than all previous presidents have before him in two centuries." Completely false, but then Republicans can't count. In 1981 Ronald Reagan came to the WH with a Federal Debt of $900 bn. Republicans have been President for 21 of the 29 years between now and then. Bill Clinton ran a surplus. So all the Federal debt accumulated in the 29 years came on Republican President's watch. We were at $12 tn when Obama took office. The last Bush deficit was $1.3 tn through january to which Obama added less than $787 bn from the stimulus law (not all the money is spent this fiscal year. Estimates are that we will end the year run a $1.8 tn deficit. So Obama gets $500 bn. The last three Republican Presidents added $11.1 tn and all the other Presidents get $900 bn. Now don't whine that Congresses passed the appropriation bills. Presidents sign them and Presidents send proposed bills to Congress. If you add up all the Presidents' proposals they are slightly more than the debt that was incurred. We also have committments to the financial services industry made by Mr. Paulsen of $12.8 tn. We may not have to pay all of that, but the Paulsen committments will add to the deficit for years to come.
Obama has spent nothing compared to Bush I or II or Reagan.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
And a good opinion too. Problems abound in any complex system like health care and the Canadians aren't perfect. But compared to the US, they have no problems.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
$57,000,000 tax cut. Nice.
LD 1495 is the best gift working folks have seen in years. Don't believe these Republican promoters like jojolou. They are consistently saying that the law is a huge tax increase. They say that deductions are abolished and because of this your taxable income will go up and even if your rate goes down, you will still pay more. Completely false. Deductions are not abolished. They are replaced by tax credits. Because of that change 87% of Mainers will participate in a huge tax cut in the middle of a recession. Where other states are raising sales tax rates to 11%, cutting services through the bone, letting prison go free early, Maine has not raised taxes and while making severe cuts has not yet cut so deeply that people will suffer greatly. If given a chance to sign their petition, laugh.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Navy needs to keep BIW open and profitable. So don't count was Susan does as very important. She just makes the announcements. Snowe is respected more and much more influential.
First, a town hall forum is not a town meeting. Second, they are conducted in the same manner. If nut cases tried to shout down opponents, they would quickly be shown the door.
Susan and Olympia don't want to conduct either because it would be peaceful and quiet exposing the fact that the town hall disruptions are a partisan strategy of the Republican Party.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If we do nothing insurance premiums will double to almost $30,000/yr in the next decade.
Gil, the private insurers have the numbers you want. Guess what. They aren't telling. If they were telling, its because they only release numbers that make their case like last weeks AHIP report on out-of-network costs.
Yes, in theory the government could run at below cost and drive private insurers out-of-business. Why would they or should they. Most government managed health care systems run quite nicely with a private system in the same country. One of those countries is the US. 50% of Health care is insured through government programs - Medicare, Medicaid, VA, and Federal employees system. Medicare reimburses providers at 80% of what the private insurers do. That will not drive and has not driven private insurers out.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Maine's health insurance market, for example, is oft-criticized for being over-regulated, which drove away the competition among insurers. "
Meaningful competition does not exist in 47 of the 50 states. The insurers left Maine because they and their "competitors" carved up the US market so that they don't face competition. nothing frightens a businessman more than competition. regulation had nothing to do with it, but if you blame regulation and have a problem you fix it by doing away with regulation. Desperately necessary regulation. We saw that with the financial services industry which just plunged us into the worst recession since the Great Depression because necessary regulation had been repealed or unenforced.
No, let's keep the regulation but let's make it as effiecient as it can be.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
CharlieBrown,
Vets rate their health care as far superior to private insurance. If you think its tough for vets use my insurance. Prescriptions are expensive for patented drugs and the list of drugs that can not be prescribed is a mile long.
While no one can say what form the public option will take if any, the current discussions are to model it after the Federal Government employee health insurance. I believe that some differences will exist because employees have different status (labor contracts) than people buying insurance. Still needs to be a lot of discussion on the public option. The hope of everyone who supports Obama is that it will be as close to the federal programs as legally possible.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
skippy,
Everything you say you want except debtor's prison which we haven't had for 100's of years, is in the Congress' bill. Why would you oppose it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Obama derangement syndrome much in evidence today.
The elderly have to die because he wants to insure illegals???? This conclusion is simply a lie. No provision requires the elderly to die. The provision that required Medicare to pay for patient requested living will and other end of life consultations has been removed from the bill. The provision was authored by you guessed it a conservative Republican. Illegals are barred from this bill although current Federal law requires that US residents(legal or not) must be cared for. I have been unable to find any references to illegal in the bill. But that's the point there is no change here. illegals are get care now they may get care under the new bill. No additional cost.
"Obama is giving all our money to other countries." Again another completely ridiculous conclusion. The neo fascist right is complaining that he is spending too much in the US. Fact remains only the $787 stimulous bill which is just now kicking in and has stopped the depression is Obama's. The $700 bank bailout was Bushes as well as the $12.8 trillion financial system bailout.
The only thing that susan2 wrote that made sense is the things that everyone agrees to. With the exception of Tort Reform *no one agrees to this) but its necessary and should be part of the health care reform package. Otherwise everything susan2 lists is in the Health Care Reform package of Congress. Does it make sense to so ridiculously attack the President and then write that you agree with his goals on his highest priority? I don't think you understand what's going on.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The people who want Town Hall's just want to ambush Sen Snowe so their faces can go on TV. They have no interest in a discuss. No interest in presenting their problems. There only desire is to create the false impression that there is opposition to health care reform. They want to prevent discussion.
Why yell at Snowe? She has and is doing all she can to protect the Health Care industries profits and billion dollar salary packages. I'm sure Govt2big wants his share.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Many believe that legalizing homosexual marriage is bad for the state, for families, and especially for children". They do? I have been asking for years for a single instance of the social harm that marriage equality will bring to anyone in the state. We have tens of thousands of same-sex married couples and not one example of social harm. We have thousands of children cared for in long term same-sex relationships and no examples of social harm. So Reverend if you would care to enlighten us with the specifics behind you unsuppoted and reckless charge.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
These calls are standard practice for most campaigns that have national implications including national political campaigns. Democrats announce who they are and where they are calling from. Republicans and especially their front groups are not very consistent.
Civil unions do not provide the same rights and benefits as marriage. They are not equal to marriage. Therefore, they should be opposed.
The good Rev. wants people to be forewarned. Why? Might it be that he thinks that if the callers announce that they are from a "homosexual organization" (whatever that is) they will be frightened. If this were true do you think supporters would be that stupid. The callers' sexual orientation has nothing to do with the questions being asked. This just exposes the Reverend's bias and fear.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
By the way, no one should be throughing Nazi around in these blogs. A few exist but you have combine nationalism, racism, militarism, and authoritarianism before you have a Nazi point of view. Many Americans are fascist though.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Rights come from our consciousness, our evolution as human beings and from our superiority to other creatures (as we see it and for the time being as we see it)
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Frostproof,
"Rights come from God". You may believe that but nothing in the founding documents supports such a conclusion. The Declaration of Independence says "creator, not god". Thomas Jefferson was a pure enlightenment rationalist. He believed in nothing supernatural much less a "god". In fact, he wrote the Jefferson bible by removing all supernatural references. His creator was nature pure and simple. No one challenged his reference to creator. Had they they would not be referring to the "Christian" undeerstanding of god today. A "Christian Church" as we mean it today did not exist. You have to go through the changes in dogma brought about by the 2nd Great Awakening and 209 years of religious change which was a reaction to enlightenment rationalism to come to a Christian Church today.
The Constitution includes no reference to god except the legalistic formalism in the date. A Constitutional Amendment was proposed almost from day one praising the debt owe to God. Never been passed. A midwest society still promotes it. No documents appear that place a "Christian" God in the center of politics until the mid- 1820's long after the death of most of the founders.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Publikwerks is almost right about the IX Amendment. Madison's great fear was that by enumerating (listing) specific rights people would think there are no other rights. He was afraid that people would say, if its not listed in the Constitution, it is not a right. And they did. But the right to life does not come from the Declaration. It comes from the inherent powers of government. The whole point of collective governance is to protect life and to make it better. The people would never form a government for any other reason.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Declaration of Independence was approved by the first Continential Congress. No Constitutional government existed at all. It can be best characterized as a "Dear John" letter to the world explaining why we as a people were leaving British control. The Articles of Confederation for Perpetual Union of the States, our first government, was adopted March 1, 1781 five years after the Declaration. The Declaration had no relationship to the Articles which as you see was a confederation between state governments not the people. The Constitution was adopted in 1787 and ratified in 1788. None of the procedures, powers, or principles of the Constitution have any relationship to the Declaration. The Constitution was a government formed by the people of the US (We the People). The Articles granted no implied powers to the Federal Government. The Consitution defined implied powers clearly giving the government wide ranging authority to fix the problems that beset the people. So while the Declaration is an important historic document, it is a deadend politically and it never had any legal worth.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tort Reform if limited just to judements and settlements between the parties will have no impact. But tort reform is needed. We know our legal system is perhaps a worse mess than health care. DNA is proving in the toughest cases with the strongest protections a high percentage (25-50%) of innoncent people are convicted. And that's just one scientific piece of evidence. In many cases, DNA is not available.
Why should we believe tort cases are handled better. Just as we need civilian review boards on criminal cases. We need review boards and arbitrators in tort cases. Reviews that can work with the two sides but also test the validity of their cases.
The real need in health care is not limited to competition although that will help. We need government regulators who can investigate waste, fraud, and abuse. Its estimated to add more than $600 bn to the cost of health care. Private administration, waste, fraud, and abuse adds an equal and perhaps greater amount. That's one half health care costs which is how much more we pay that the rest of the industrized countries. Competition can help eliminate much of this but not all.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Oh! I forgot to mention that this was Susan Collins' idea. Now she rarely does anything worthwhile so we should congradulate her when she finally does something good.
So far the program has taken 250,000 low mileage cars off the road. That's a huge savings in gasoline (250,000 cars x 10 mpg X 20000 miles/year is 1/2 billion gallons of gas saved), that reduces the trade deficit, reduces air pollution, reduces global warming. The advantages of this program will be with us for decades.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
These invented stories of problems in the CARS program are not facts. They are barely rumors. Name the dealership. Let the papers go visit and document the problems or not. But whatever trivial problems may be occurring doesn't change the fact that the CARS program has increased the GDP by .5% (a major increase), put people back to work, caused Ford and GM to increase production by 190,000 cars per quarter. That's as successful a stimulus program as you can get.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
As usual the right wingers have their pat answers. If you don't have health care insurance you are stupid, lazy, ignorant, whatever. They ignore because it doesn't fit with their world-view the well established fact that insurance companies deny coverage to those that get sick, those with pre-existing conditions, and those others they expect will cost them money. Health Care Insurance is about making profit not making people well. A public option is essential to restoring competition in the market.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Don't be hard on Bob Stone. Being wrong all the time and being a right-winger has to be a burden. Public financing of elections is the only way to keep special interests (corporations) from corrupting the democractic process. Whatever is wrong about public financing should be fixed, but we should never go back to a system where a corporation can buy the governorship as they did in the past.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Normally, comments on this kind of story produce the silly, foolish, or just insane nonsense. Well today is no different. We are not overtaxed. The Governor and legislature have done a great job in controlling the budget given what has happenned throughout the country. In the mist of the worst recession (actually depression) since Hoover they have reduced the budget without causing permanent harm to the people of Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Bob, I can be very specific on why the Republican Party has been facist since 1933. I think I've already commented on this more than once but I'll try again. In 1932 the J.P. Morgan bank sent a representative to Europe to research the facist parties there. The representative reported back to a group of manufacturers assembled by the bank, that the French model was best for America because the German and Italian parties were controlled by individuals who could threaten business interests. They agreed, pledged $300 million to overthrow the US government, formed the Liberty League which was to recruit 500,000 former WWI soldiers, march on Washington, arrest Roosevelt, and install Major General Smedley Darlington Butler as dictator. Gen Butler exposed the plot. The McCormick Committee investigated and reported that Gen. Butler's testimony was truthful. The Republican Party has followed the principles of French Facism ever since.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well, Bob then you share something with me. The Webster definition like most definitions of facists is biased by WWII and Nazism. In Europe in the 1920's 4 facist movements arose - in Britian, France, Italy, and Germany (there were more but the followed these 4 models). American facists rejected the german and italian models because they were based on cults of personality that allowed the dictator to pretty must do as he pleased including attacking fellow facists. Britian's model was too weak and worshipped Hitler too much. So America's facists - the owners of Singer Sewing Machine, Dupont & Co, Morgan Bank and many others - adopted the French model in which the facist party made pseudo-democratic decisions within the party and implemented them through a dictatorship externally.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Pauline has hit the nail right on the head.
As I have described here before the Republican Party has been a facist party since 1933 modelled on French facism. It's well documented. No one should be surprised that as their power is threatened they should show their hatred for democracy and the United States.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I've re-read the Bill HR 3200 from page 45-55. I find no reference to undocumented aliens. Now I may be looking at a different version (I'm using the pdf from the library of congress.) It may be buried in a reference. But I see nothing. Therefore existing law applies. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Gagnon, apparently you don't know what a fact is. All your points are assertions without support or conclusions. You apparently consider a fact your reading the minds of moderate Republican Congress people.
The undeniable facts are that George Bush's policies through this country into the worst recession in 80 years. That his treasury under his direction took actions to bailout the Financial Industry to the tune of $12.8 trillion. We were in freefall when Obama took the reins of government (January was the worst month of the recession for economic activity). In less than 6 months he has stopped the freefall and we are now at the start of what may be a weak recovery. Now that last one is a conclusion but backed up by dozens of statistical changes in the economy.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Health Care Reform proposals do not discuss illegal aliens. Federal Law has been for many years that all who apply must be serviced by health care providers. That is not part of this debate at all. Only the right wing fear mongers are bring up the subject.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Bravosixalpha, Check it out preference for Federal Jobs is American Citizens who are Veterans. Its surprisingly called the Veterans preference.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil,
Stop reading into the Constitution what you want to be there and read what really is. The Constituion does not say "provide for the common defense and general welfare of the states" it says "general welfare of the United States". United States is the name of the country. The phrase has nothing to do with welfare programs or the poor at least not directly. What it means is Congress has the responsibility to maintain the United States as a strong powerful nation and to that end maintain the people's general welfare not an individual's welfare. They meant under this purpose for example money backed by gold. Both these purposes allow for the implied power to do what can be done to see that all people are healthy and fit because that is in the interests of all the peoples general welfare. But you don't even have to go there. Every nation by the fact that it is a nation has inherent powers. And the first of those is to protect the lives of its people. Therefore, national health care, or insurance is fully Constitutional.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
There is no advantage to ending the Veterans or the Congressional health Care Plan neither would provide the money for the new plan. The new plan is not a universal plan. The new plan only provides insurance if you can't get private insurance. The combination of the new plan, private plans, Medicaid, Medicare, and VA would cover everyone.
Congressmen and woman are not average people. They should have perks. They work extaordinary hours, travel extensively, and are frequently away from family. Plus we need perks to attract the best and the brightest to congress. All congress people do not have to read every bill. That's the job of the committees. They need to know what's in the bill that's all.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Confirms what we already knew. The current Health Care system is unsustainable. The average cost in ten years will be $28,000. In Maine that's cost to the median income and far excedes it if you talk about disposable income. Would force hundreds of thousands of Maines off insurance.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Democrats have fought socialists for more than 100 years. They pursue policies which are absolutely consistent with capitalism. So decribing Democrats as socialists is simply a lie. On the other hand the same can not be said for the Republicans. In 1932 & 33 an agent for J. P. Morgan Bank went to Europe to investigate Facism. The agent reported to a group of manufacturers assembled by the bank that French Facism was best for the US and provided a detail analysis of German and Italian facism. The group agreed, committed $300 million to arm and raise 500,000 former WWI soldiers in a group called the Liberty League whose mission would be to arrest Roosevelt and install Major General Smedley as dictator. The plot was prevented. But the Republican party has followed the principles of French facism to this day. All the facts are included in the investigative report of the Mccormick Committee.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Frostproof and Bobby "I have rocks in my head" Stone are true believers. Fact, commonsense, moral principle shall never interfere with their Republican lunacy. That's why discussion with them is impossible, but for the sake of others we should point out the many errors they have made. Bob challenged the idea that Republicans bankrupted federal and state governments by pointing to Maine and accusing the Democrats in charge there of doing the bankrupting. Bob you missed 49 other states and the Federal government in your attempted mis-direct people with your little slight of hand. Want to talk about the whole country and the worst depression since the Great one (also created by Republicans the last time they were in charge).
Frost proof missed that as major investors in GM & AIG the US government does have appointees on the board and has appointed CEO's as any major investor should. But no one has nationalized the financial system which would be entirely consistent with the Constitution should they decide to do it. We blame Bush for everything because he was President when it happenned and he approved the government actions. Bush bought AIG, invested in GM, crashed Lehman Brothers, gave guarantees of $12.8 trillion to the financial industry. Obama passed a recovery package and now just 6 months in office the economy is starting to come around. May take a decade to get employment back to responsible levels (4%), but at least we avoided the 25% Bushes policies would have produced.
Bob, you need to go back to school. Tax cutting is not a macroeconomic tool. Tax cutting has no macroeconomic effects (outside of some very minor fringe considerations). Tax policy has no macroeconomic effects. Tax cutting hurts the country while benefitting in this case a few very wealthy people. If half the country pays no taxes and 1% pays the same taxes as the rest - good. That's almost the way it should be. Only it is misleading because Bob's only talking about income taxes. Truth is in Maine the lowest 20% income earners pay at twice the rate of the top 20% (because of sale, property, income taxes and fees). An analysis of other states would show similiar results.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Nice to see a rational well thoughtout editorial on Health Care considering the organized lunacy of the Republicans. Having done everything the could think of over the last 8 years to destroy the nation now they are trying their best to wreck the Obama administration for purely partisan political purposes (they want another opportunity to loot the treasury).
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"A patient in Illinois was charged $12,712 for cataract surgery. Medicare pays $675 for the same procedure. In California, a patient was charged $20,120 for a knee operation that Medicare pays $584 for. And a New Jersey patient was charged $72,000 for a spinal fusion procedure that Medicare covers for $1,629."
This is from a NY Times article today based on a survey by the insurance industry (America's Health Insurance Plans). They used Medicare for a comparison because its pricing is well known and because it is about 80% of private plans. The article describes this as "irrational pricing" and one health care economist describes this as "lunacy". The AMA responds that this is just what happens when patients have to go outside the group of doctors contracted by the insurance plan.
Truth is this is consumer fraud.
Mr. Chick,
Don't you think that's an unrealistic goal. At a minimum you have to have catastrophic
insurance because many diseases cost in the millions. Median income in the US is $50,000. Disposable income is much less. I'll guess at $20,000. Food, housing, transportation, and other essentials about $18,000 less. So say 50% of the US population has $2000 or less to spend on health care. Over their working lives thats just $80,000. That's one heart bypass per family. You would have to cut health care costs by 80% just to get a small proportion of the population paying for their own health care. 1million personnel bankruptcies per year seem to suggest that thats a good estimate. Or you'd have to quadruple the median income. Neither is likely to happen. Although breaking the health care monopolies would help.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Republicans are distributing throughout the country a list of 48 lies on Health Care Legislation. They are appearing in newspapers throughout the south as if they were facts. You all heard or read them - the hospice portion requires seniors to commit euthanasia (Laura Ingram show a few days ago), plan requires rationing care to the youngest, etc. First there is no plan yet. 4 proposals are making their way through congress. None speak to euthanasia. One includes the payment for end-of-life consulting for those who choose the consulting. Now I've been in the hospital three times for major surgery in the last 15 years. Each time a nurse, doctor, or minister discussed a living will and other options with me. No one suggested or offerred to kill me. The Republicans are spreading this lie to frighten seniors. Their actions are dispicable.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Do we really need another inefficient, costly, government program that will come between us and our health care system?" No. And that's not what we are going to get. The current government programs cost up to 30% less than private insurance, provide better and faster service, and better outcomes. That's what we expect to get.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"public option, which is scary at best" Why. We have three public options now - Medicaid, Medicare, and the Veterans health care system. All are rated by their patients better than private insurance. The private insurance system has failed completely. Whether you believe WHO and our 37th rated health care system in the world doesn't much matter. The US is rated at best 18th by the groups that rate health care systems. To be 18th we pay twice as much as the next guy. That's failure for the richest nation in the world.
"we are guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". We are? Not by the Constitution. As the author points out our elected officials take an oath to protect the Constitution. And they are. The first duty of any Government is to protect the lives of its citizens. Not just from foreign invasion, or domestic disturbance, but also from disease. How to accomplish that is the responsibibility of our elected Representatives. A public option given that the private system has failed is now essential.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Good piece, but you left so much out.
No food inspections. We can count on the corporations to not kill more soldier with food borne disease than the enemy kills with weapons. They wouldn't go back to their practices in the Spanish American War.
We can count on the corporations not to manipulate the price of gasoline or murder their own employees as they did in Colorado in the 1880's.
Yep, free markets just what we need to make certain that all those dumb, lazy small business people can be driven into poverty like their working brothers by bigger criminal organizations.
Fact is, why don't we get rid of all government regulations. No criminal laws. Disband those bloated state and local government who are so eaily controlled by special corporate interests. Have the CMP state. Turn Exxon/Mobil into Exxon/Mob. Make the world safer - give everyone a small nuclear weapon. No government regulation what a wonderful world it would be.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wayne's letter is full of the usual "hate government" nonsense. Social Security is the most successful Government program this planet has ever seen. For 80 years, it has saved countless millions of Americans from poverty and early death. Medicare has only been here for 40 or so years and it has saved millions of lives. "Soon be out of money" If we do nothing, soon is 30+ years. Not very soon. And Obama is trying to do something about it. Heath Care Reform if it follows his principles will save Medicare trillions of dollars. Even minor tweeks to Social Security extends its solvency out 70 years. Soon? Not soon.
Second, only the Republicans are advocating "free" health care. Obama has asked for budget neutral Health Care Reform not free. Well you see "free" is the Republicans way of demeaning Health Care Reform and the people who advocate for it. No one advocates "free" health care. We do advocate affordable, accessible, high quality health care. Something we are not getting now. 1 million bankruptcies due to health care costs. Proper treatment denied by the insurance companies. Insurance denied for pre-existing conditions. Payments delayed or denied until the patient dies. In 10 years a family of 4 will pay $25,000/year for insurance and Medicare will be bankrupt.
You would think that being pro-life the Republicans would be all over Health Care Reform. Depending on source the US has the 18th or 37th worse quality of health care of all the industrialized nations of the world. The first duty of government is to protect from foreign armies or disease the lives of its citizens. But they aren't. They have put out a plan that is a $700 bn bailout of the insurance companies. Does nothing to contain costs, doesn't restore competition, doesn't improve quality.
The 787 bn stimulus package is already successful. The free-fall into depression which everyone felt in January has been halted. The 700,000 new unemployed (we saw earlier in the year has slowed to about 300,000 (we still have a problem in that no one is yet hiring). After a recession employment is the last thing to be fixed. After the first Bush recession in 1991-92 unemployment rose to 8+%. It took Bill Clinton 8 years to get that down to a reasonable 4.3%. It will take years to get this unemployment solved assuming we keep electing democrats because Republicans think unemployment isn't a problem. They think its a solution for their many bad decisions.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Govt2big, do you have examples of those lies. All I hear are the 48 specific lies that the Republican party is spreading about health care reform and ficticous enemies lists. Laura Ingram was just on saying that the Health Care Reform was designed intentionally to euthanize senior citizen through its hospice provisions. There is no Health Care Reform Hospice law. The house has passed H. R. 3200 but its never going to become law. No one has seen the bills being worked on and none are in their final form. So there are no hospice provisions to be discussed. Its pure invention on Ingram's part to frighten senior citizens. She's lying through her teeth.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I doubt that gun control was Hitler's first directive so someone will have to show me some proof of that. Mr. Fixit001 thinks we should have the means and right to overthrow our government. In 1776, the government was armed with muskets very similiar to the civilian rifles of the day. So it was practical to think that you could hold your own. But it took the French Navy, Dutch money, British incompetence, and freed slaves to win our freedom then. Today the means Fixit describes are nuclear weapons, satellites, laser weapons, F-35 jets, and air craft carriers. Popular revolution in the USA not only is unnecessary (at least until another Cheney gets in the white house) its impractical. So lets throw that fantasy out.
Confiscating the firearms in private hands, all 300 million of them, is also unnecessary and impractical as well as being unconstitutional. For this is the reason the 2nd amendment was created. The first 9 amendments are responses to specific acts of the British between 1764 and 1781. The revolutionary war was triggered by the confiscation of American firearms by the British first in Boston and then in Lexington and Concord.
Registration of firearms is also unnecessary and impractical although constitutional as long as it is not an unreasonable impediment to ownership. Government does many things very well and some very poorly. One thing it does poorly is building computer systems. Based on the Canadian experience of a few years ago, a registration system in the US would cost $100 bn per year, be 70% inaccurate, and add an immense and unpreditible burden on the court system.
Controlling the private sale of firearms requires a registration system that starts with the manufacturer creating the weapons initial record. Then each transfer of the weapon must be recorded. How many firearms are transferred each year?
We need no new gun control laws.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. DiMillo's has discussed his interpretation with Piotti and his errors and incorrect assumptions were explained to him. He, of course, refused to believe what he was told. Not surprising because he is one of the people who has extremely high deductions and because of that he is one of the 13% who will pay more in taxes. His whole argument is wrong and he knows it. As are the arguments made by the Republicans who can't get elected so they organize "people's vetos" on taxes and mobs of rioters to attack and assault our congresspeople supposedly over health care. Clearly the Republicans want minority rule. It suits their principles better.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Pirate you are just regurgitating your bias against government. You offer no facts.
How they found out is the MRS went through the tax returns using the new bill and calculated the tax that would be owed and compared that to what was owed under the old law. You see they have the real numbers not your fantasies to work with. And yes I know that Mainers pay 70% of the meals and lodging taxes (I wrote that earlier). But that means they don't pay 30%.
What's wrong with keeping the old tax system. No a lot. We just will get less businesses moving into the state. The most important tax issue that businesses use in deciding to move is the rate the CEO pays. Many states this summer have raised their income tax rate to over 10% others have increased their sales taxes. lowering our top rate, as the wall street journal editorialized was a miracle that will bring business to Maine.
What else is wrong with the old tax system is that in recessions the income tax and sales tax revenues decrease quickly. I think we've seen that. By shifting some of the taxes to the tourists the revenue will be more stable (still won't be good in a recession just less bad). And there are other advantages. Its a good law.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Hulk, your ignorant and prejudiced. Why should anyone listen to you.
Everything Watson wrote in his letter are true. This legislation is some form has been discussed in Maine since before I came here 27 years ago.
The people in Augusta do understand that 70% of sales taxes and meals taxes are paid by Maine residents. But 30% are paid by tourists. That's why we get a $57,000,000 tax break. If you want to pay lower taxes defeat this Republican lie.
The census report found at the link suggested by Bob Stone does not support former Republican Rep. Shields' letter. For example, Mr. Shield states, "
"Many are criminals or illegal aliens and don't want to be identified." And they we're not. So no one knows how many are criminals whether they are citizens of not. The report includes no such data and draws no such conclusions. Any press release based on it can not come to conclusions not found in the data of the report.
Or "Up to 14 million people are eligible for existing medical care programs (VA, Medicaid, Medicare, SCHIP, etc.), but have not enrolled. This is irresponsibility." This is all conclusion with no supporting facts. The Report states incomes, age distributions, poverty status and there is no way to draw this conclusion from the information in the report. That's why the letter uses "Up to 14 million". Could be zero; could be 10, could be a million. By saying "up to" you are really saying, I don't know how many. There are many reasons why people are not insured. Some responsible and some not.
This letter is just another of Shield's conclusions unsupported by any facts.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Health Care Industry is filling tea baggers heads with every lie they can. The true source of the following list is not known, but it clearly demonstrates the Health Care Industry's desperation to defeat health care reform legislation:
Page 29 (of the Health Care Reform Bill. House version which has no chance of passage)
Lie: Admission: Your health Care will be rationed
Truth: continues to define an "essential benefits package" and limits how much you will have to pay for this package. No mention of rationing, but would limit the rationing insurance companies already do by setting up a mimimum plan.
Page 425
Lie: More bureaucracy: Advanced Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia (and much more). Mandatory.
Truth: All the wild accusations here have been debunked publically. The consultation is voluntary and the patient must initiate it. Patients makes all decisions. This section only reguires that insurance plans must pay for the consultation.
These are just 2 of the 48 lies the health care industry is spreading about the current legislation. If you want to see more go to: http://www.barnesville.com/archives/1048-highlights-from-the-1st-500-pag... for the unchallenged accusations and http://healthcareforamericanow.org/ for the facts
or if you want to read the bill goto: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/text
Mike Michaud has received $40,000 from the health care industry! He had best explain that or he will not get my support in 2010.
"They don't donate to move opinion; they donate money so that this person that already agrees with them stays in office," he (Brewer) said. This is the most ridiculous, unbelievably naive statement I've ever read. The Health Care Industry has spent $263 million in the first 6 months of this year on lobbying. They expect a return. The has disproportionately contributed to small rural state Senators and Reps because the contribution is a bigger percentage of the congressman's total contributions. Bigger bribe.
First there is no free market in health insurance. In 47 states one and only one health insurance company operates. Health insurance companies make a profit by denying those they insure needed medical services (rationing), denying services already provided, and by waiting until those they insure die. Their profits have increased 428% in 6 years. Why, because they have divied up the country through collusion. Isn't that anti-trust violation? They aren't subject to anti-trust laws. Why does it cost so much for drugs? Because drug companies have a 19 year monopoly granted. Why. Because they claim that their high research costs need protection. Medicare is barred by law from negiotiating price. IBM and other high tech companies have no such monopolies. So drug companies can charge anything the want. That $132/mo drug today could be a $532/mo drug tonight.
We spend $2.4 trillion on health care in this country. In ten years at present growth rates, a family of four with insurance will pay $25,000 year for health care. We can't afford these corporate monopolies.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Deimos,
Can't prove fraud in military expeditures. Have you had your head in the sand for the last 10 years. Rep. Cunningham went to prison for accpting bribes from military contractors. KBR is killing our troops in Iraq because uninspected shower facilities are not grounded electrocuting the troops that use them. The Inspector General has issued several reports indicating fraud and abuse has cost the US government in excess of $30 bn in just the first years of the illegal war in Iraq. The list is as long as your arm and the companies involved have agreed to fines and settlements. That's proof.
The right-wing apologists for the health care insurance industry, health care instrument manufacturers, and hospitals and long term care facilities want you to believe the lies they are tell because they don't want quality health care in America. Gil's Sec 1233 does not say that government workers will force seriors to accept euthanasia as the insurance companies are saying. Read the section. The insurance company will pay the cost of consultations. If you request a consultation no decisions are made except by you. These the the types of lies the advocates of the existing system are spreading.
Why would they lie. Health insurance companies profits have risen 428% in 6 years. Wouldn't you like to get that kind of a pay raise. In 47 of 50 states one health insurance provider operates. That's why the profits have grown this much. The companies have colluded to divy up the market. Isn't that anti-trust. They are not covered by the anti-trust laws. They fear a public insurance option because it will restore competition to the market.
The Boston Herald is probably referring to the case recently concluded where guns were sold to gang members from Boston who then used them in crimes there. DR has a good point. BATF must have those numbers. The police certainly do. But they have to include not only sales through Uncle Henry's but all private sales because the guns traced don't just come from Uncle Henry sales.
No cigarette is ever desirable. The difference of course is guns are desirable. We should not be sending the message that guns aren't desirable.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Marriage is not an institution. It was not ordained by god. If it were then plural marriage, biblical marriage, would be the way of the world. Oh! that's right it is.
Marriage was ordained by the Priests as a way to control family life; their main source of income. The laws on civil marriage have been changed frequently. The last time interracial marriage was allowed.
It amazes that those same small government conservatives want to override state laws and use the Federal Government to impose their religious views on the rest of us. Hypocrits.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Race isn't the cause of these crimes; a social system put in place by liberal Democrats is to blame". We've always understood that conservatives have a darwinian failure to adapt to social progress. They believe quite wrongly that the more you torture, deprive, and punish a person the more likely they are to do good. The more smiles you see the worse society is in their minds. The accusations Thomas makes are all unfounded, unattributed, unsupported, and intentionally misleading.
Sqt Crowley who I believe was and is a good man and officer had to arrest Professor Gates because Crowley's pride, his sense of organizational loyalty, his honor was wounded in public by an out-of-control and out-of-my-tribe man. Professor Gates was out of control because he was challenged and not respected in his own home. Perhaps this is not properly racism, but if it isn't its pretty close.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Recent Comments
Independent, hell!
Sawin Millet has been a career Washington and Augusta, Republican politician since at least 1968. He hasn't had an independent thought since he was born. Paul LePage has neither the experience, temperament, or knowledge to run anything beyond a junk cart. What are these independent values that Len Greaney shares with them.
He says he wants to move the state forward after "30 years of decline". Well its true the shoe companies have disappeared along with many of the jobs in the forest products industry, but Maine's per capita income has risen faster in those 30 years than the national average. The whys are obvious. The Party Mr. Greansey is now going to support came back in power 30 years ago with the philosophy it now holds - destroy the middle class. That's you and I if you didn't notice. George Bush 41 called it voodoo economics or soak the working people. Just last week, Republicans in Washington prevented the repeal of tax incentives corporations use to move jobs overseas. Mr. LePage who has proved himself a liar, cheat, and tax evader and many of us suspect a draft dodger would continue this Republican tradition.
Wind companies speak
First, Dr. Aniel may have called Rumford "cancer valley". What I remember is Dr. Martin called it cancer valley. I also remember a "preliminary" study was done that showed an epidemic of cancer in the Rumford Valley. Not to surprisingly the sample was declared too small so the study was expanded to include up-wind towns like Andover and miraculously cancer all but disappeared. That is not to suggest that Dr. Aniel is credible. He isn't. But he should be listened to and his ideas analyzed with a critical eye.
Second, to Commonsense a "special interest" is anyone he disagrees with. To me a special interest is one that will financially gain by lobbying for some governmental action. That fits First Wind not private citizens. Private citizens are protecting their property rights.
Third, when someone proposes a significant change like building a new industrial plant, they are responsible to prove that either no harm will be done or that the affected people are compensated for the harm done. We have heard nothing from First Wind and others. They haven't participated in meetings. They haven't offered any answers. They have not shown that their actions are safe. Only vague claims of wonderful tax cuts (bribes) cross their lips and even less specific "its only noise".
Until we have scientifically valid answers and proof that these industrial wind farms are perfectly safe, the only sane vote is NO on November 2nd.
ignorance
Too bad that some people are this ignorant. LePage as Major of Waterville had a ceremonial position. He's an expert in one thing only - Marden's. He expressed his ignorance on road repair by answering a reporters question about the backlog of road repairs by saying that the problems were solely caused by "bloated bureaucracy". The bloated bureaucracy disappeared years ago with the Republican recession.
Wishful thinking
People are undecided in this race? Mike Michaud Has done a great job in Augusta and Washington. Mr. Levesque is slavishly devoted to a false ideology that will land America as a third world country. Free us from the Angle, O'donnells, and Levesques, vote for sound responsible leadership - Mike Michaud.
Press release from the RNC. Forgot, that's a republican
organization headed by a black man so it must be ignored. Press release from the Republican Governors Association.
The tax hike is a republican tax hike. They put the language into the law sunsetting the Bush tax cuts. The Obama administration has proposed extending the cuts up to $250,000 a year in income. I don't know many retirees and seniors making more than $250,000/yr. Do you? Since the Republican voodoo economic theories hold that a zero tax rate is best, I can't be surprised by this press release. But for the rest of us who aren't wall street bankers we must ask why are the Republicans now opposed to extending their own policy.
LePage will represent self-made men only
LePage opposes abortion apparently without exception. We don't know if he opposes birth control as well, but that may be behind his platform plank that parents and only parents make medical decisions for their children.
Do you believe this?
"A self-made man whose word is his bond". Do you believe that. He's spent most of this campaign lying. 6 days 6 different explanations for why his wife falsely claimed permanent residency in Florida and not a mention of the roughly $64,000 he saved in tuition and costs at FSU (no explanation of why he moved all his assets to his wife).
"....his views on welfare, education, energy and the economy would be a positive change of direction for Maine." Mr. Matthews may agree with LePage's bizarre beliefs, but they certainly won't take Maine in a positive direction. Well, maybe a positively awful direction. He wants to end general purpose aid to education which will raise taxes in rural Maine by 300+% and cut taxes in cities like Waterville; drill for oil in the Gulf of Maine, build nuclear power plants, eliminate the Bureau of Environmental Protection, eliminate business regulation. Read his platform on the GOP website.
So!
what. A hundred in westbrook. That must be significant.
Cutler is taking votes from Mitchell
I've been calling folks for weeks on this election. If they are undecided, many say its between Libby and Cutler.
LePage is far tooooo extreme. Death Penalty, Off-shore oil drilling, Nuclear power, eliminate the Department of Education, go back to local control of education as defined in the Maine State Constitution (no state aide), go back to traditional family (no government "intervention" meaning child abuse will increase, no "In Loco Parentis"), the list just gets longer. His program helps the cities in Maine like Waterville and hurts rural Maine.
Cutler, I don't know how a lobbyist for the Chinese Communist Goverment can help Maine. Rich, Cape Elizabeth lawyer, who apparently wants a trophy for his mantle. A vote for Cutler is a vote for LePage according to the New York times.
Moody, no experience. Why does every businessman who has made a little money think they can buy an election. How does anyone really know his views. No record.
Mitchell. Experience. Great record. Long service to Maine. Fresh ideas. She identifies with the average working Mainer. She doesn't live in Cape Elizabeth. She doesn't exaggerate she record.
You have to understand the causes of a problem to solve it
Bush prevented enforcement of US regulations. The failure to enforce those regulations be they at the SEC that ignored the Madoff ponsi scheme or the failure to clean up the MMS scandal that let BP ignore the to follow minimal safety at its wells in the gulf were the direct cause of the gulf disaster and belong to the Bush Administration.
Fantasy is a wonderful thing
but not a basis for public policy.
Some people
are easy to defraud and banks are the primary criminals.
Well George you obviously buy the lies
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have problems not because they caused the financial meltdown but as a result of the financial meltdown. Given that you buy Republican lies its hopeless to try and educate you. The rest of us know that you just buy propaganda and can't think for yourself.
Republicans are wrong all the time every time.
SonofTron asked the question is the economy better under Obama or Bush. The answer is an unequivocal - Obama. In 2008 the economy was headed for depression. Job losses were accelerating toward a million a month, credit was frozen, bankruptcies, and foreclosures were increasing, profits were down, deflation loomed as a real possibility. Had Bush continued in the Presidentcy into 2009 50,000,000 million Americans would have been unemployed, tent cities would have sprouted up across the country, my company would have gone into bankruptcy. Obama stopped the slide into the abyss and stablized the economy.
Now as you know employment is a trailing economic indictator. It took the economy at excellent growth rates under Clinton 8 years to reduce unemployment from the first Bush recession from 8+ to 4.3%. It will take 8 years or more to bring unemployment down from this Bush Great Recession.
Of course, Republicans don't want a solution. They want to extend the recession as long as they can to blame democrats for what they, the Republican Party, caused. They are willing to sacrifice America, its standing in the world, and our future to gain 10 seats in the house of representatives. Pathetic losers.
Wish I had know about it, I would have been there
This pell mell development of wind power town by town makes no sense.
I have no Republican side
they knew their visa status. They knew when it would expire. There's much more to this story than this letter.
And the bias of the author is obvious in this statement: "...12 million illegal immigrants in this country, sucking the schools and hospitals and the welfare coffers of many cities and states dry." That's not true at all. Illegal immigrants pay taxes too.
Same old story
Please cut welfare for the poor but give it to a $4 billion corporation.
The failure of federal regulation resulted in the 2007 Bush Recession that has put 8.4 million people out of work and the Gusher in the Gulf of Mexico. Now is the time to increase regulation, end the revolving door between regulatory agencies and the corporations they regulate, and to collect taxes from corporations like Exxon-Mobil that pay none.
Doing well????
The governor of NJ has a $20 billion budget gap in next years budget and is more likely to be impeached than re-elected. The only states doing well are N & S Dakota and Texas (until next year when its $20+ budget gap opens up). All are oil or gas producing states. Now if you have discovered oil or gas under commerce street in Portland then our problem is solved. Source: Stateline.org
Republican debts need to be reduced, but when?
When the Chamber of Commerce corporations start spending some of the $1.8 tillion slush fund they so far have refused to spend because it would help democratic prospects in November.
Republican Debts needs to be reduced, but when?
Republican presidents have generated 12 of the $13+ trillion national debt largely to prevent Democratic Presidents from meeting the nation's needs. $6 trillion by George Bush alone. Now Republican legislators are playing Russian roullete with the national recovery all so a confused and inattentive public will give them a few more seats in the House so they can wreck the economy again.
Is LePage a dangerous radical?
Will LePage slash social spending. Well here's what is says. "My three top reform prioritites are general assisteance (welfare), government regulations, and education." "Our entire welfare system is designed to breed dependency." Source: Mr. LePage's campaign website. Oh it is. Then we have nothing to fear because welfare is a monumental failure because people rarely stay on welfare for a year unless they are permanently disabled or children.
Most disturbing is this comment from Mr. LePage's positions website - "recipients with disabilities would be required to perform community services within the scope of their respective abilities." I visited Mississippi some years back and got a very good view of what Republicans mean by "respective abilities". I visited "workshops", public run businesses (apparently not socialism), that contract work with for-profit companies where disabled folks are forced to work to get public assistance. All disabled people. Those missing one or more limbs; mentally unstable, can't walk, even quadripelgics. Have you ever watched a quadripelgic try to screw two metal plates together holding the screwdriver in his teeth. I did. It was within his respective abilities.
spiking Trees?
I've read these stories accusing Earth First of spiking trees. It would totally contradict their methods and philosophy. I've agree with queenhoneeybee. I've never read of ayone ever being hurt by a "spiked" tree. All I've seen is lumbermen showing reporters spike trees and then blaming Earth First. I doubt they are involved.
That said, they are radicals. That is they believe that their passion should supercede reason. Trees are not more important than people. The Earth is not first. People are.
We have one of these every year
Politics confronts us everyday in many different ways. We get one of these ignorant letters every year from someone ignorant of politics and their responsibilities. I congradulate anyone even supporters of LePage who venture out to inform and educate their neighbors to the issues at hand.
Very good letter
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LePage
The last thing this state needs is a businessman leading it. Screw the consumer will become screw the poor and middle class.
And this businessman has very perculiar ideas like encouraging child abuse, giving parents absolute, sole and unrestricted authority over their children who will have no rights and government no authority to intervene in cases of abuse. He wants to teach students that 6000 years ago children rode on the backs of dinosaurs. He wants to close the Federal Reserve, the Department of Education, the Deptment of Commerce and he wants to make the 2007 recession permanent by following the principles of the Austrian School of economics. That will all help us a lot.
candiceanne
Had a good idea. Been a long wait.
thinkingman???
Your comments would make more sense if they weren't contradicted by the facts every time you write one. If fiscal responsibility is your issue then you have to vote democratic this year. What' the factual record. Baldacci did not pay lip service to listen to the people on budget issues. Every budget since the defeat of TABOR I has met all the criterion of TABOR I. Every budget including those before the Bush recession of 2007. What's the Republican record. Well in Maine they have none other than opposing a $55,000,000 tax cut. So nationally, Bush added $6 trillion to the deficit. He promoted and did not pay for $2.1 trillion in tax cuts that provided not a penny of additional federal revenue or economic growth. Two wars both off-budget and not paid for. Medicare Part D, $800 billion not paid for. You can go on and on because he heard Cheney's mantra "The deficit doesn't matter". Now that's real fiscal responsibility.
So if the Democrats are fiscally responsible and the are and if Republicans are fiscally irresponsible and they have been during my life time. And fiscal responsibility is your issue then there must be some other hidden reason why you turned against our constitution and joined the party of political lunacy.
I bet you went down to the town hall to change you registration whispering "me, Its all about me"
By the way, investigations into ACORN have all found that the allegations against them were all false. Three investigations into the so called ClimateGate found all the allegations false. Republicans and truth can't appear in the same sentence.
ajg1959. You are just wrong
Sexual development is very complex. The interactions of chemicals is sometimes random. So it is easy to understand that such a process running for 10-16 years does not produce one result. Rather it produces a range of results. Genetics now confirms that homosexuals are the natural result of that process just as heterosexuals with a wide range of orientations, transsexuals, and other orientations.
Sooner out of Maine, the cleaner we'll feel
Like the KKK rally in Rumford some years back.
No wind turbines in Dixfield
In the 1700's Immanuel Kant proposed a procedure for determining if an action was ethical or not. He wrote - imagine that everyone took the action you intend. If the result would be good, then take your action. If the results are bad, the action is unethical. Would a 400 ft wind turbine on every hill in Maine have good results or bad. I conclude that the result would be bad for tourism, forests, mountains, birds, wildlife, and people who make a living from any of the above or people living near the turbines. This unconstrained wind development is bad for Maine. But well planned development in limited areas where the downside is minimal and the upside significant might be possible. But that can't be done town by town. Has to be done statewide. And if its not going to be done, then no wind turbines in Dixfield.
Insurance Companies
All these projections about what will happen are like the editorial says based on faulty premises. But this much is clear. Single-payer remains the only solution that can cut costs. Insurance companies with anti-trust protecction can charge anything. The problem is not government; its insurance, drug, and hospital companies.
sorry tron
This is not correct - "First is the requirement to get health insurance, it's not an option, either enroll or pay at tax time." The Commissioner of the IRS testified before Congress that the IRS has no authority and no mechanism to collect fines from people who do not enroll.
Oh Frostproof
Both of my comments are absolutely consistent. You small governmen types can't explain to anyone where this notion came from. As you guys are quite happy to say its not in the Constitution. Well I can. It came from Thomas Jefferson, an anti-federalist that had nothing good to say about the Constittion (He wrote Madison that the Constitution was a mistake, that they only had to add 3 or 4 lines to the Articles of Confederation and it would have been good.). If small government was the goal then why did the founders explicitly state that they had to re-write the Articles to allow the new government to collect taxes, provide for the national defense, and provide for the national economy.
Bizarre
This has to be the most bizarre letter to appear in the Sun-Journal.
"Concerning blasphemy and swearing — I doubt the original Constitution OK'd such bad behavior.
I believe people make up their own constitution to mean what they want, for their convenience."
People, conservatives, do make up their own constitution just as Gabrielle has.
The orginial Constitution did not deal with nor can it be interpreted as dealing with blasphemy and swearing. Only the 1st Amendment is at all relevant and it permits all speach except threatening speech under which blasphemy does not fall. So she has no reason to doubt. The Constitution permits blasphemy.
But this letter illustrates how religious folks make up their own Constitution, how they have not respect for the Constitution, and how they know nothing about it.
Fessenden
is a very famous name in Maine's history.
I can almost buy Lenny's comment except he to wanders off into very fuzzy territory. Patriotism has many ethical problems. By its nature it implies a selective ethical preference for people from one's country. Patriotism is often conflated with nationalism even exceptionalism. Giving a country the idea that it can attack other countries to "civilize them", to bring them the benefits of the attacker's superiority. or because it is the attacker's "manifest destiny".
I would suggest this formula - Patriotism is a love and devotion to one's country based on its Constition and laws while committed to making it better for all those who live in the country. Patiotism should be inward looking.
Now if we could only agree on what the Constitution and Laws are or what the founding documents are?
I'll take a shot. Founding documents are the Constitution, minutes of the ratification Conventions, The Federalist and anti-federalist papers (but it must be acknowledged that these are political arguments that may not reflect the authors true views), articles and letters written about the Constitution or ratification, amendments to the Constitution, SCOTUS decisions and dissents throughout our history.
Protecting the Oceans
I like the idea, but I would have to be assured that not one penny of taxpayer money went correct problems like an oil spill that is caused by the actions of any corporation.
Constitution
A wise Federal Judge taking the only action the law and the Constitution dictates. That DOMA violates the equal protection amendment is obvious. That prohibitions against same-sex marriage violates the equal protection amendment is equally obvious. No rational justification exists to deny same-sex marriages. Nothing supports the continued denial of equal rights for gays except prejudice as the courts have repeatedly found.
AJG1959
Excellent post
go from 138 to half
First, the 138 is a very meaningful number. But I do not favor abolition of the Death Sentence. I would though reserve it for only the most extreme crimes.
But the 138 means nothing in this discussion. George Bush was proud to say that no innocent person had ever been executed while he was governor of Texas. Well the reason is Texas doesn't allow new DNA tests post-conviction. Doesn't really allow appeals. So the number in Texas should be very low or zero even though groups like the Innocents Project have identified many guestionable convictions.
Just because 138 people have been proved to be innocent doesn't mean they have identified all the innocent people among those 3,000+
Story today that a new law was signed by the Govenor of Illinois requiring police to test all rape kits within 6 months of receiving them. Human Rights Watch reported that since 1995 about 20% of rape kits in possession of the police had been tested. Meaning that people were tried based on eye witness identification which is notoriously unreliable and other physical evidence in 80% of these cases. Undoubtedly many innocent people were convicted and many guilty people were found innocent. Source: Stateline.org which is where I get most of my imformation on current issues.
Sources
News reports from Indiana may have been Illinois where the Governor ordered a halt to executions because DNA tests proved that a prisoner on Death Row was innocent. After all death row inmates were tested (where DNA was available and would have been material to the case), half of the inmates tested were found to be innocent.
1988, the FBI Director Sessions ordered that DNA tests be run on suspects (these were people who had been arrested and indicted for the crimes but not tried) in capital crimes. More than a third were proved to be innocent.
News reports from Texas. The San Antonio police department announced that they were changing their identification procedures because they found that a majority of the eye witness identifications of perpetrators were wrong.
I forget the year, but the FBI Forensic Lab admitted that they had knowing;y given false testimony in over 3000 criminal cases.
I could go on and on.
Misrepresentation
Candiceanne is at it again. "Boarded up condemd building after builing, houses falling down around the occupants, about the highest unemployment in the country." Where did you get this doom and gloom stuff. I know your a Maine-hater, but gees you could at least try to make your arguments somewhat plausible. Maine's unemployment rate is 8.4% well below the national average of 9.4%. I've seen a lot worse communities in Philadelphia where some districts do have building after building condemed and falling apart.
Mandatory sentences aren't the answer
But yes the court system is a failure not just in Maine but natioally. Roughly half of death row imates are proven to be innocent. If they are, a much higher percentage of none capital criminals are also innocent. The whole system based on competition is dysfunctional and must be rebuilt on some other basis.
Right on
Best letter on this subject so far. Why are we making a few promoters rich while destroying our "brand" in a orgy of development?
Most of this discussion is poppycock
"Indeed, self defense is about as basic a right as we have in this country, enshrined by the founders in the Second Amendment to the Constitution." No it isn't. During the ratifying conventions many of these arguments were brought up to support the right to bear arms. All the amendments that used these arguments including self-defense were defeated. The 2nd Amendment specifically refers to the attempt by the British to confiscate colonial arms in Boston and Lexington and Concord. Nothing else.
But self-defense is an inherent human right. To exercise that right one must have access to the means to protect one self. The right to bear arms is now definitively an individual right. That the two should be merged is all to the good. The observations of this editorial are meaningless
Look at it another way
People come to Maine for many reasons. Perhaps the answer is that while here fishing, hunting, skiing, etc they will add a trip to the casino.
Marriage is 1300 special rights for heterosexuals.
As the Iowa Supreme Court documented only bigotry motivates opposition to same-sex marriage. So it can't be debated. Only one side will participate in the debate. We saw with the recent anti-human rights campaign which argued that same-sex marriage would let gays into the schools. Same-sex marriage had nothing to do with schools. The Maine Human Rights Act years ago allowed gays in the schools.
The LePage brought up social issues
The 2010 Republican Platform was written by LePage aides. Its his platform. But instead of talking about his beliefs and where he wants to take the state he instead wants to hide his positions and views. Sharron Angle, Rand Paul and a host of other tea party candidates are doing the same thing. They are stealth candidates. Their strategy was developed and most promenently used by the Christian Conservatives who ran for the Dover,Pa school board claiming to be mainstream candidates and denying that they had any agenda. Then they tried to get creationism taught in science class.
His opponents who know him by his works have every right to expose his real beliefs and the real views. Paul LePage is Chadler Woodcock's Chandler Woodcock.
DWilson and folks
You can't sell this "Republicans are better for the economy nonsense". Every modern recession has occurred under the Republican's watch except 2000 and that was caused by the Republican Fed policies followed by Alan Greenspan devotee of Ayn Rand. Every recession except 1973-75 was caused by Republican policies of small federal government, low taxes, low spending, weak regulation, and balanced budget. I was reading over the weekend, Empire of Liberty by Gordon Wood. The 1819 recession and the depression of 1837 were caused by those very same policies. And they were before the rise of capitalism. Republican economics has never worked for the "general welfare" of the country.
Destruction of the Middle Class.
Barb you can't sell that foolishness. The recovery effort from 1933-1937 pulled the US out of depression and restored growth and productivity. Then Roosevelt made the biggest mistake of his Presidency (he was after all a rich old wealthy conservative). He cut back on the recovey programs (some becaue of the decisions of the pro-business anti-people SCOTUS) which produced the 1937-38 recession. Obama on the other hand had to accept a stimulus package less than 1/2 the size required. Leading economists said at the time that such a small stimulus package would make a double-dip recession a real possibility. Well we may be facing that now. The cost of the recession was some $47 trillion in assets' value. What would spending 1/2 trillion now matter is it saved us from losing many trillions more next year. This recession proves that increased federal spending in times of recession stops developing depressions and that cuts in Federal spending aggravates depressions. So you as ususal have it backwards.
Coral, thumbs up
Glad to see such a well written and thoughtout letter from obviously a very talented young woman.
It ain't so simple
The Editorial board makes it sound so simple. Little real scientific information is out there. What is makes it almost clear that wind power in the western mountains of Maine will have very little positive impact on energy generation. But wind power development in western Maine will have a huge impact on the environment, wildlife, human populations, and tourism. If Wind Power in the Western Mountains were economically feasible, then why does it require huge Federal and state Government subsidies and TIF's.
Most of all I object to the anarchy out there. Any and every mountain can become the target of this development with little regulation. Who decides which ones - the promoters. Towns are ill equiped to challenge these projects. Where is the planning?
Voisine
I too disagree with your numbers. Its much worse than you represent. Reagen, Bush I, and Bush II account for over $12 trillion on new debt out of the $13.1 total (You didn't include the 8.4 million jobs lost in the Bush II recession also). Every recession since the second world war has been caused by Republicans' economic policies and occurred under Republican Presidents. One exception 1973 can't be blamed on Nixon's policies except in a very indirect way. 1981 was intentional caused by Paul Volker in the FED but might have been the best policy option. But your arguments are right on the money. Five minutes in the 2010 Almanac or a few more on google. Proves that the Republicans are the party of job destuction, slow growth, recession, and economic failure. Every Democratic President after Roosevelt has created more economic growth than every Republican President. Exception JFK whose term began in the 1959 Eisenhower Recession and ended too shortly.
Democrats are the real fiscal conservatives and Republicans the spend thifts. But the Republicans can re-claim their title. All they have to do is implement the cuts they have proposed. Have them cost them out. 50%, 40% of the Federal budget. I want to see them sell that.
Nancy1 thumbs up
As usual here we have Conservatives telling us the exact opposite of the truth. Some years ago, communities members asked a School Board, I was a member of, to bar pregnant girls from school and after they had the children to bar the children from school. A board member formerly from Conn. proposed that we facilitate bringing those girls and their babies into the School. She said that an infant in a girls arms was the best birth control device they had ever encountered. Births to girls in her district in Conn. fell by 95% after the program was implemented.
I commend Diane Brown for her great work.
Now Frostproof
The issue is timimg and yes Obama wanted a 20% cut in debt. Until we are securely out of the recession you want to increase government spending, but when is secure. The Obama Administration announce today that they believe that private spending will begin to increase and that Federal spending can start to be cut. I disagree. Its too soon. We should wait until next year when unemployment begins to fall. We don't want to create another recession by cut spending now. But the Obama administration has started cutting spending even before the debt commission report.
You guys can't stand it that Democrats are the fiscal conservatives. But the Tea Partiers know it although they also can't admit it. They left the Republican Party because of Bush's orgy of spending that created $6 tillion in new debt.
Frostproof
Ok. You have proved that you are a Conservative. You will not admit you are wrong nor will you answer a question. So I'll try one more time. Didn't the framers of the Constitution build a strong central government with authority to control the economy and defend the nation as its primary responsibilities? Yes or No. Didn't the supporters of the Constitution known as Federalist defeat the opponents known as anti-federalists and ratify said Constitution? And aren't your pretentions about a weak central government not the views of the founders but your personal views?
Wind power is worthy of R&D
but not implementation with huge subsidies that provide a profit before the turbines are installed. Wind has huge problems.
But shale oil is a joke not a solution. Extraction of shale oil is as environmentally destructive as extracting coal. In the water starve west, extraction of shale oil will turn a partched landscape into a desert. No technology exists to extract it. Technologies that have been tried have failed. This is a hope promoted by the far right so they can prevent research into real solutions.
Dangerous
Expect to be flooded with the "me,me,me" crowd as they drive us back into another depression. The G-20 and the Obama administration have committed to cut spending and reduce the deficit to sustainable levels. As the NYT article this morning warns that has never been successfully done. The Roosevelt administration tried it in 1937 and the only result was another recession. I have more confidence in the Obama administration but that's not much. I would prefer to see another year of deficits than additional 10% unemployed another 5 or 10 million homeless.
This is a very dangerous period. The rich increased their wealth in 2008. They and their mouthpieces the Republicans will want to cause another recession or better yet a new depression where they can re-distribute wealth from the working class to themselves. Democrats must be strong and demand economic growth until all chance of another downturn has passed.
jalbrecht1blows
LOL
What to bet they are Republicans
Republicans know who comes first - themselves.
Bush's fault
You are right the natural result of unregulated markets is economic collapse. And you can't just blame Bush. He had lots of help. But as Truman said the back stops at his desk. So does the blame. In addition Bush specifically can be tied to decisions he made that made the recession inevitable. But then again he has to share that blame with many. Conservative economics demands economic collapse. They like them. They want them. Because millionaires gain wealth in recession and labor costs fall. Millionaires it was reported recently increased in number and in their share of the national wealth once again in 2008.
well regulated markets produce small recession but primarily stable growth. Look at the productivity curve from 1945 to 2008. Look at economic growth in th same period. Nice and stable until 1981. That's our choice frequent economic collapse with the huge social costs or stable growth with social benefits.
lewistonauburnsucks?
All you have to do is google federal debt and remember that the last budget year over laps the next Presidential term. But man you live in a world of delusion. It was an R that order our troops to break of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora. It was an R who attacked Iraq - a state with one Al Qeada member in it and he was in the hospital, but because of our attack Al Qeada grew by thousands. D's love God. They hate people who try to force their god on the rest of us and against our laws.
Corporate welfare has to be
at least 1 trillion in the Federal budget. Florida just bribed Jackson labs with $260 million. Goes on everyday. The corporatists call it incentives. What it is is a transfer of income from working people to the rich.
lewistonaubursucks?
Thought so. You had nothing to say except to vent. I can count - $12.1 trillion is a lot bigger than $1 trillion. But you would rather bathe in you baseless conclusion and factless assumptions. Hopes it makes you feel good.
Where's the lie
$12 trillion in debt under three Republican Presidents. Budgets they created; and they approved. All other Presidents a little over $1 trillion. Now I grant you that that will change under Obama. But he came into the Presidency still in Bush's last budget year which had a $1.3 trillion deficit. Obama created a Debt Commission. Bush didn't. Obama has cut $20 billion from the Federal IT Budget, Bush didn't.
How else do you measure fiscal responsibility in our present situation other than planning and reducing Federal spending until we are at sustainable debt levels. And don't tell be he hasn't done it yet. 18 months. Took the Republicans 30 years to ruin the economy, Democrats will need time to heal the wounds.
Oh! Matt
GM by itself would not have tanked our economy. But then no one thought that Lehman Bros.' collapse would tank the financial system, but it did. And yes if we had waited 5 or 10 years everything would have been all right assuming no Republican presidents in that time. But 3 million jobs would have been lost in every state. Lower state revenue a deeper federal deficit millions more homeless. The social costs of letting GM fail in the middle of the worst recession since the Second World War rightly is unthinkable.
ajg1959
The only people who says there will be an enforcement provisions are Republicans and then only for campaign propaganda. While I may be able to project trends, I've never been very successful on reading the minds of our House, Senate, President, and SCOTUS. I have to proceed on the facts and situation as they are.
Sorry Frostproof
You need to read the Constitution because you are flat out wrong. What's that phrase at the beginning "to form a more perfect union". Now why would they do that. Because we were united under the Articles of Confederation that had a weak central government, couldn't tax, couldn't defend the country, and couldn't control the economy. So how did they fix that. They adopted a Constitution of a strong national government that could do those things.
Democrats are the party of fiscal responsibility
$13.1 trillion in debt. Roughly $12 trillion racked up in the administrations of Reagen, Bush I, and Bush II. The only balanced budgets since 1980 racked up by President Clinton 4 times.
Today President Obama announced that $20 billion in Federal IT programs will not be spent and all Federal IT programs will be reviewed with an eye to killing them. While I don't agree now is the time to curtail Federal spending with the economy facing the European debt crisis and the BP oil gusher. Recent reporting suggests these programs are either complete failures (some wasting up to $850 million) or inefficient or have little ROI. If this is true they have a modest impact on economic growth and the money could be better spent on unemployment compensation and education and training.
This years budget will end up in the black. They are talking about the next budget. A budget is a planning document. They were told to plan on the money and its not coming. So they'll make cuts unless the improving economy generates more revenues. In which case this budget "gap" is just pointless speculation.
And nobody wants government ownership
Obama said he didn't want it. But you just had these private companies drive us to economic collapse often by breaking the law. It was an emergency. It demanded immediate action. Temporary Government ownership protected the national interest. Most of the companies involved are no longer goverment owned and we made a profit on each of these investments. So far its worked out very well even if it was a Republican program.
No they aren't
The IRS might have been authorized to enforce it had early versions of Health Care Reform been passed. Enforcement was stripped out of the bill very early on. Enforcement did not pass. Although a lot of people are confused on this because the Republicans continued to use it as a talking point long after it was removed.
Again with selective interpretations
private enterprise is never mentioned in the Constitution. private property is mentioned twice once in the 5th and again in the 14th amendments. The 5th restricts the Federal Government and the 14th the state governments. They both allow government to take private property as long as the taking follows the law. The idea that private enterprise is somehow above the Constitution arose in the last half of the 19th century when the Robber Barons controlled the Federal and almost all state governments. The idea has no basis in the Constitution. Its being brought up again by the economic anarchists. Corporations have no special place in our system. They began and still are chartered government enties. Go to the Secretary of States office and ask for the Corporations office. Go fill out your incorporation papers. Its a government license (not liberty) to conduct some business.
Obama is a Constitutional scholar
Government ownership of private enterprise is not un-constitutional if only because if its government owned it isn't private enterprise. Nothing bars the government from creating government enterprises. And nothing bars the government, bondholders, and other parties from making contracts. Private property is not absolute as the SCOTUS has found many times. And the bond holders were pleased. It was that or nothing.
No one is forcing anyone to buy anything although if they did it would be the right thing to do and has been done many times in the past (car insurance). There is a provision in the Health Care Reform legislation that reguires people to have health insurance coverage, but there is no enforcement mechanism, no force.
Czar is a word. Presidents for several hundred years have appointed people in the executive to handle specific issues. No transparency lost. President's from Washington to Bush have denied Congress access to executive processes and information. Do we forget the famous Bush Energy Summit. We couldn't even get a list of the attendees much less decisions.
Conservatives have no clue
The Constitution was written and America was founded as a secular, rationalist society. The Second Great Awakening transformed American into a christian reformist society. The Civil War converted America into an individualistic, capitalist, greed driven culture. And the Cold War projected capitalism into a false religion merging it with christianity. Conservatives haven't a clue what they are talking about when they say "restore America to what its founders envisioned". What they really want to restore is the 1950's. But to gain authority for their false ideas they want to hijack the Constitution and its founders. They have no right to re-write our history.
restore this country back to what the Founding Fathers
envisioned." This is the line we get from every right-winger who wants to trash our Constitution to replace it with his personal vision. LePage is no different. His platform is one continuous assault on what they Founding Fathers envisioned - a strong national government that controlled both national defense and the welfare of the country as a whole. Instead the LePage followers believe in isolationism (rejection of UN treaties that we negiotiated) and economic anarchy (austrian school of economics). None of the Founding Fathers envisioned any such thing. Don't let LePage hijack our Constitution and destroy our way of life.
Republican talking points.
Watch out David Gagnon has pulled out the Republican talking point " biggest boobs in House using Fanny and Freddie as their tool" Fact is in 2006 the Republicans passed a bill that allowed Frannie and Freddy to buy sub-prime mortgages. Without this they could not participate with the bubble that Countrywide started in 2001. The list of responsible parties in long - Greenspan, Rubin (Democrat by the way), Countrywide, Republican Congress, Bush as sole decider, Democrats in Congress who went aong with the Republicans, and then the Banks who invented the securities that almost destroyed the US. Let's not forget, the mortgage originaltors who knowingly wrote fraudulent mortgages, the apprasiers who took bribnes to inflate home values.
The difference guys
is that when the Republicans blame everything on Obama and Clinton before him none of it was true. When we blame Bush we have the documentation to prove he was responsible. For example, MMS regulated no one because Bush didn't want them to. What's' the proof. One of Bush's first appointments was a Harvard Professor to head up OMB. The Professor ran a company that provided risk management i.e biased reports showing why it was always better to deregulate. First, thing he does is issue a order that any new regulations must be cost justified and retire two existing regulations. MMS stopped regulating and started taking bribes.
1%ers
I'm saying the Republicans can not talk out of both sides of their mouths and expect us to believe them.
Your incentives are in fact corporate welfare. A re-distribution of wealth based not on what has been earn. I don't buy your assumptions that 1%ers create jobs nor that giving them incentives grows the economy. Some years back a gentleman approached the Missouri legislature with a proposal to built a huge hog feed lot along the Mississippi. He needed a new road, waivers on environment regulations, a place to load hogs into refrigerated railway cars. All total he wanted 10's of millions of dollars. Passed the Missouri House. When the Senate took it up, a staffer estimated that the feed lot would each day produce enough manure to cover the State of Missouri to a height of 3 feet. The proposal died; the promoter disappeared.
Incentives given to working people do grow the economy. For every dollar in unemployment benefits spent $1.93 in economic growth is produced. Economic grow is a function of productivity growth. If your 1%ers invest 5% of their re-distributed welfare, that will increase productivity if spent wisely. 60% of major private computer projects fail. That doesn't help productivity. It all depends on how the money is used.
I prefer that it trickles up not down and I think our economic history justifies that conclusion.
Jim McCarthy, I'm confused
The Republican Party says that the top 1% of wage earners are overtaxed by Federal Income taxes and that the working man is getting a almost free ride. Didn't I just see that half of Americans are paying no federal income taxes at all. Then how could it be that the era of taking from the working man is about to end. You at least should agree with the Republicas daily talking points.
Jim, you are joking right
"allowing Mainer's to purchase health insurance outside of the state." What's extreme about that. Is it legal in any state?. Why would ayone want to do that. You lose regulatory control, you make civil suits more difficult. The Insurance companies not subject to anti-trust laws would simply move to the state with the least regulation, agree amongst themselfs what to charge for what, and no one could do anything about it. Why would allowing this increase competition when the insurance companies aren't reguired to compete. A single payer health insurance fund is extreme? Mass. has it. The Federal Government almost passed it. Paying for the health insurance fund is extreme by taxing things that contribute to the need for the fund? Libby Micheal sounds very mainstream.
2010 Republican Platform is LePage's.
Everyone should read it. Written by two key LePage operatives and then passed through the Knox Chairman to cover its origins so LePage would have "deniability", the platform is a collection of just about every extremist rant for the last 30 years. But we don't even have to pin this where it belongs. The Republican Party in Convention assembled adopted this platform by majority vote. And they are representative of the party as a whole aren't they? Besides my favorite of encouraging child abuse, the platform rejects such favorite targets of the extreme right-wingers as "the global warming myth", participation in "one world government", and the UN Rights of the Child treaty. By the way the platform has almost nothing to say about specific Maine problems.
Now LePage is running away from his Party's platform, but not its positions nor their supporters.
momof4
And your opinoin is that how and what Mr. LePage thinks is not germane to his candidacy. Not surprising. but I do apologize for the misspelling. I have only a few seconds to write these comments and a keyboard that sometimes decides it knows better how to spell then I do. And sometimes its right.
child abuse
What kind of family do you want to raise. The 2010 Maine Republican Platform, Mr. LePage's platform, envisions a family headed by a dictatorial father free to abuse his right-less children and the state powerless to act. The platform envisions that a mother who cooks her child in a microwave as happenned some years ago (to drive the devil out of the child) should be praised not condemned. The platform envisions that DHHS child protective services department would no longer be necessary.
The Republicans, of course, are saying "that's not what we meant". But bloggers on Republican blogs say the platform is simple and clear needing no interpretation and I agree.
nit-picking?
How is looking into the next Governor's thinking processes - how he thinks, How he solves problems, what criterion he uses in making decisions - nit-picking. I'd call it fundamental to how he's going to do his job. Here we have a candidate so ignorant of fundamental principles of science that he thinks creationism is just another scientific theory. A position that every court in the land that has dealt with the problem of religious infiltration of our schools has rejected forcefully.
The Govenatorial candidate's platform reflects this view. It contains just about every crackpot idea that's been floating around the fringes of the extreme right wing for the last 50 years. The platform clearly shows that decision-making in a LePage administration would defy logic and facts. Voo-doo economics would be merged with magical social policies that would make Maine the laughingstock of the nation. I think that's germane.
This is the chairman of the Republican Party isn't it.
Just look at his party's platform if you want to see an anti-working class party. Charlie the Fool Webster is at it again. Charlie your mother taught you it wasn't right to lie.
The Republicans had an easy time lying to the public that this was a tax increase when it wasn't. The saving weren't just in the first year. Have you looked at the inflation rate. Have you seen how few republican employers are giving raises the past few years. The savings would have been permanent. People were fooled into believe this was a tax increase by the same folks who didn't want to collect the sales tax on new items and services. This was business vs the people and the people lost.
Conservative bias in the media
I too read and heard this reported all over the place, but I guess if you only listen to FraudNews you might miss it on CBS, MSNBC, CNN and all the other places its been reported.
We are a democratic republic
These undemocratic Senate rules need to end.
Bad doctrine corrupts everything
"A straight man without the companionship of a woman doesn't suddenly turn to young boys out of frustration." Yes, they do. Ever heard of prison life.
Celibacy is a perverted doctrine that perverts the whole church.
Wind power or wind scam
"but the long term effects of non-renewable resources far outweigh temporary destruction to the land and surroundings." The non-renewable resources are a generality. The destruction to the land and surroundings a permanent specific fact. I too think this country must abandon the oil economy and move on to types of energy including wind. That transition will be very painful and no alternative option is without its downsides. Putting wind turbines on the tops of Western Maine's mountains destroys much more. It destroys Maine's brand, Maine sense of self, what makes Maine unique, what draws people to Maine. Just a few years ago Maine adopted the Brookings Report's conclusion that Maine's brand was its economic future not wind turbines.
I'm glad the Conservatives don't know what they are talking
about, again. LD 1495 was revenue neutral. So said the Maine Revenue Service which has the data to prove it. What do the Conservatives here have - nothing. They simply wanted to cut their nose off their face to spite the democrats who are working very hard to improve this state.
I'll sign
tonight
By the way
paintmainered has removed the 2010 Maine Republican Platform from its website. Guess hiding is catching on.
2010 Maine Republica Platform
"Oppose any and all treaties with the UN or any other organization or country which surrenders US sovereignty." This seems simple enough and as one poster on paintmainered wrote there is not room for interpretation (of the platform). But this plank betrays the paranoid delusions and the ignorance that are at the heart of the Tea Party movement.
All treaties the US signs must comply with the US Constitution (not the Tea Party's Constitution). Sovereignty is inherent in nationhood. A treaty that violated our sovereignty would be null and void. So why bring the subject even up. Because the Tea Party is motivated by ultra-nationalism and its mirror isolationism and its complement American exceptionalism. They see any relationship with other countries good or bad as a threat to those views.
Today the Tea Party is a democratic fascist movement funded by big business and for now peaceful. But soon we may have to drop the "peaceful". All the elements are there specifically ultra-nationalism for this movement to become a real threat to the Constitution.
Repudiate
When LePage repudiates the 2010 Maine Republican Platform, I stop writing about it.
Coverup
Normally platforms don't matter. The platform is written by one group and candidates elected by another. Rarely do the two meet and the platform is discarded within minutes of being approved. But not this one. The radical 2010 Maine Republican Platform was authored by two LePage staffers and then sent to the Knox County Chairman to coverup its origins.
Whats wrong, thinkingman. Its not a theory. Creationism is an assertion with no scientific validity at all. Probably the most recent case was Dover, Pa. Where creationist hid their views from the public as Rand Paul, Sharron Angle, and Paul LePage are doing now. They got elected and soon tried to bring creationism into the classroom. The case went to court and they lost. The judge found that creationism isn't science and that books used to teach it were direct copies of religious textbooks.
This election will be about jobs. Republican job killers who have caused every recession in modern times in our country against Democrats who create jobs and a working economy.
But its also going to be about the radical views of the extremists who have taken over the Republican Party.
Nell
if you believe this - "socialist agenda which Washington is trying to cram down our throats" - you demonstrate the lack of political judgement that makes LePage and the Tea Partiers a threat to our Constitution and sound government for the better part of 220 years. There is no socialist agenda. There is no attempt to implement any such thing. I know what socialists believe and want and it has nothing to do with what is going on in Washington.
LePage
First, LePage staffers wrote the platform adopted by the extremists in the Republican Party. These are his views. They reflect what he wants to do. They are very germane to his conduct as Governor and should be the center of this campaign.
Second, these views are so extreme as this editorial points out that its not concievable that they would be implemented. But many people have said that before about other candidates here and in other countries.
Third, extremism must always be fought.
Fourth, even if we are mistaken and LePage really doesn't agree with the party's platform and his staffers involvement in writing it, those staffers and other extremists will come into office with LePage. That represents a material threat to the children of Maine.
Fifth, we do need to save this state and its people from folks who will not believe their own eyes, who reject objective facts, who believe themselves always right and the rest of the world always wrong.
Sixth, Maine needs jobs; it needs businesses; it needs economic development. But we are not so desperate that we will turn over the state to a junk dealer.
Defeat LePage. Center this campaign on Republican extremism.
Concerned KD
You were wrong; you know that you were wrong so in typical conservative style you change the subject because you can't admit that you were wrong.
But I'll asnwer some of irrelevent questions. Obama came in office with a $12.9 trillion debt, worst recession since the Second World War, 750,000 workers being unemployed each month, hundreds of thousands stopped looking for work each month and in a little over a year employment is up and unemployment down (although not by nearly enough. But it took Clinton 8 years to get unemployment down after the first Bush recession), the recession appears over, and soon we can start talking about reducing the debt without starting a new recession.
"You cannot convince me he is not bought and payed for by special interests." Of course he like every politician is bought and payed for, but "special interests" refers only to corporations. This is another phrase that has been compromised by the right to mask their true meaning. He has supporters and works to meet their needs like all politicians. He's their advocate and he should be. But the pay Obama takes is knowing that he has done the best for the country while doing the best for his supporters
Obama has done a great job in mobilizing the federal government to respond to the BP mess. Let's be clear here. BP and its subcontractors are solely responsible for the Gulf of Mexico gusher. Solely. As such they and only they should be judged on the cleanup. Obama can not dive 5000 ft into the gulf and plug this thing. Obama should be judged on how well he reforms MMS, how other deepwater rigs are regulated in fact, and how well the federal government responds to the perhaps 1,000,000 people put out of work by BP's criminal acts.
Tea Partiers
By the way, where are they? Angle of Nevada - hiding, her website purged of all of her freakish positions. LePage Maine - hiding. Rand Paul Kentucky isn't it - hiding. Tea Partiers hve no understanding or respect for the Constitution. Apparantly when people learn what these folks actually believe they don't do well like Sue "a chicken for a checkup" Lowden learned.
Once again Conservatives can't count
I believe you will find these figures correct - 2001 $2.61 billion last budget $2.69 billion. I believe those figures have been widely reported. The Democrats could have raised general taxes; they didn't they cut them. They could have used some irresponsible method like across the board spending cuts. They didn't. They used targetted cuts which while painful were focused. You simply can't deny that the budget as adopted by the governor and modified as falling revenues required spends the least amount since 2001. And no help in doing this from the Republicans.
Concerned KD
I love how you Conservatives so freely confirm my points.
Where do I find that Republicans are encouraging child abuse. I read their platform. One plank urges the rejection of the Rights of the Child treaty which has protocols to protect children from sexual and physical exploitation. Another says that government should have no role in protecting children - no child protective services. And there are others that place children at risk.
But you were most kind, to demonstrate your total ignorance of the Constitution. "General welfare" is not an 1789 social program. Has nothing to do with modern "welfare". It means the overall well being of the country. The Federal Government is charged with creating the conditions under which the economy can grow and prosper. Under this Section (I.8) are enumerated powers to accomplish this goal. For instance, regulating the value of money - that means a banking system that sets the price of money. Why because all businesses need a stable currency.
The fact that tea partiers are so ignorant of their own government, their own laws, and their own traditions is why we can't let them hijack our Constitution. They don't understand it at all. Now I haven't counted up all their obviously unconstitutional and anti-constitutional proposals found in the 2010 Republican Party Platform. Almost everything in the platform would be unconstitional. Just one example the platform calls for a Congressional Term Limits Act to be passed. The qualifications for Congress are set out in the Constitution and can not be changed except by Constitutional Amendment not a law.
Republican lies
$800,000,000 read it and weep. Maine's budget today is almost the same as Maine's budget in 2001. Is your's. Democrats have cut the budget. I repeat Democrats with no help from the Republicans cut the budget by $800,000,000 and proposed a tax cut of $55,000,000 which the Republicans also rejected. Talk about phonies.
If want some laughs read the 2010 Maine Republican Party Platform. The party of spend, spend, spend wrote a platform which is crazy, crazy, crazy. From wanting to restore the family of the 50's with its incest, child abuse, domestic violence they want to restore cultish austrian economics which brings economic ruin every few years. But they say they want to follow the Constitution. Must be a different Constitution. Maybe its the Marian Constitution because for some reason they can't find the second primary responsibility of Government - "provide ... for the general welfare" that is declared in the Constitution.
Shields liar
Fact remains, for all their bluster Shields lied. Republicans have to lie. Their policies have and will continue to destroy the US economy and environment to benefit them. They are short sellers of the American dream.
Coliins
Until we ban campign contributions by corporations, weak politicians like Collins will do their bidding and apologists for her will continue writing silly comments on blogs.
Conservative don't have a clue
Great that this lady is teaching these children what changes life will bring.
For those idiots who think this has something to do with politics, get a life.
No conservative believes in the Constitution. Like the bible, they misuse it to provide authority to their cherry picked political positions which have no support in our political traditions. They are the worst of self-serving ego maniacal perverts.
Jindal now there's a recommendation
The same Jindal who said that we must cut down Federal Government and stop wasteful programs like volcano monitoring in Alaska. I don't know if he was denied anything nor the circumstanes under which it occurred if it did. But the last thing BP and the people of the Gulf Coast need is a politician looking for a photo op at their expense.
Regulate Now!
How many other corporations - protected by their virtual personhood delivered by an activist conservative Supreme Court, legions of former Congressional aides and Congressman, and not just their wealth but by the numbers of their employees, customers, and vendors - are now taking cost cutting risks or or gambling with our money that will threaten this Nation in the future.
To protect America we need many new regulations and we need them now.
Public financing of all election and referendums.
End the revolving door between regulator and regulated.
Fire not promote any regulator that allows a regulated company or its employees to prepare official agency reports, proposals, or regulatory actions.
That would be a start.
Gary52 name some
Can't, can you.
Ron, its not very interesting because its already law. Called workfare. Been in place since 1996.
I wish some of you "silver-bullet, everybody but me is lazy and gaming the system" guys would come south with me to Mississippi. They have workshops there where people on welfare have to work or lose benefits. Have you ever seen a quadruplegic (got that wrong) trying to screw in a screw while he holds the screwdriver in his teeth. I have. Or a pregnant woman with two screaming children clutching her dress trying to operate a press.
Pie in the sky. I just thunk it up stupidity.
David A Gagnon
Its hard competing against yourself and thinkingman for most uninformed man of the year. "lock on the turbines used for wind mills" Nope the chinese do not GE. But then you invent this classic smear - "The Gulf crisis could have been avoided, the technology and the know how was there, but he intentionally refused the aid and allowed it to get out of hand, in order to make his push for Cap and Trade." Only 7 words of truth in this conspiracy theory, "The Gulf crisis could have been avoided". Yes it could have had only BP followed their own procedures and not cut costs the gusher in the Gulf would have been a successful oil well. Obama never refused any request for aid from BP. In fact none was made because BP was trying to hide the gusher. He did not "allow" it to get out of hand BP did. Why bother hatred and thinking are incompatible.
Educate yourself.
"When a tax is levied on a business of industry, the money to pay the tax does not come out of thin air or some other miraculous pocket, we pay it in the form of higher prices for the goods and services that company is selling." Only if they are an illegal monopoly or a health insurer. According to even Republican false-economic theory in a free market profits are reduced.
Republica lies
When a Democrat is President and republicans control Congress, the President makes all the decisions. When the reverse Congress is in control and makes all th decisions. At least according to the "we never accept blame or apologize for anything" Republicans.
Well we have 2000-2006. Republicans in control of the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. What did we get. More than $6 trillion in debt, one legal and one illegal war not paid for, a Prescription Drug program not paid for, $2.1 trillion tax cut for the very wealthiest Americans not paid for, illegal wiretapping, the torture of innocent prisoners of war, the destruction of New Orleans which because the residents were black got little help from the administration, the Mineral Management Service sex & bribery scandal, the Madoff scandal, and by the way the worst recession since the Second World War.
Republicans are perfectly capable of ruining the US all by themselves.
Conservatives don't learn and they can't count
This is an empty letter. Not a single fact, just opinoin based on nothing.
The people who figured it out Roger are the non-partisan Maine Revenue Service. You know the people with all the tax returns, sales taxes, and all the other little taxes we pay. They also hav computers (its not pencils anymore Roger) and reaaly good modelling programs that can estimate what effect a tax change would make on revenues. You know the numbers Republicans hve used for years until Democrats fixed the tax system.
People didn't see through the deceit. The deceit was republicans falsely claiming that LD 1495 would create 102 new taxes. People didn't see through the lies.
cranky yankee
Where did you come from. I spend my time trying to get these looney conservatives to examine their failed formulas and along comes you. Sane, rational, factual. I'm shocked.
Conservatives learn something
I know its against your principles at least since the death of Russel Kirk to learn anything, but read the Republican platform. No sane Mainer can support such lunacy. Its not conservative; its crazy.
Conservatives facts two words that can't be used in the same
sentence. Yes, selling junk for cheap is the Republican motto. With the Gulf of Mexico destroyed by cost-cutting at BP ad the complete failure of the Federal Government to regulate them, we should believe they have our best interests at heart. Give us a break. Success at Mardens; we should applaud that. LePage has oversold is ceremonial position of Mayor of Waterville.
Let's stop the lies. Maine is not doing poorly because of 35 years of Democratic control of the legislature. That's just Republicans pointing fingers at any one other than themselves. For 100 years Republicans contolled Maine. Poor worthless farms dotted every road and village while huge corporations prevented businesses from opening so that they would control the labor market.
A LePage vistory means poverty for Maine, the ruination of our scenic landscape, and the health of Maine's citizens.
Cranky Yankee, thumbs up
Great comment and entirely true. Parents point at teachers because they won't point at themselves or their children. Some years ago, I attended a conference of school boards where the firing process was laid out and documented. As cranky yankee wrote, the process is simple. I also was on a school board and attended all of our district's history offerrings (in the main they were pathetic). One teacher stood out. This teacher did nothing in class (AP History) and when the teacher started to teach something it is was pathetic, dumbed down to the point of nonsense. The teacher assigned grades not on student performance, but on the gender of the student and admitted it, was proud of it in fact. Was this teacher fired. No! The super took the Navy way - the teacher was promoted to a non-teaching position which should have gotten the super fired but didn't.
We should stop blaming teachers in general and become involved in our children's education at every level.
unisex bathrooms?
Good idea. 2 of the 5 business I've worked for have had unisex bathrooms and as one might expect never had a problem.
WH not in the drilling business
Let's be very clear. BP (and its subcontractors) and BP alone are solely responsibile for the gusher now polluting the Gulf of Mexico. The WH has no drill rigs. Has no experts on drilling. And if it did those complaining now that the WH is doing nothing would complain that they are wasting our money because there hasn't been a failure like this in history. But praying will do about as much good has listening to BP spokepeople.
Good letter
Graham is obviously obsessed with one issue to the point that she confuses all other issues with it. I won't be surprised to see her blame global warning or tooth decay on gays.
"people are leaving and not
"people are leaving and not coming to Maine because of taxes." Nonsense. People are leaving for jobs. That's why for every one person who comes into the state while on welfare 6 leave. All one has to do is go through the Rumford voter list to know what's wrong. 90, 80, 70, 60 and no 30's or 20's. Its the 30's and 20's who have young children. Why no jobs? We are an end-of-road state whose natural resource based economy is fading away leaving the workers from those natural resource based jobs in retirement with nothing to replace them. We are in transition. The next governor must continue the transition that the Brookings Report so clearly documented.
Betrayed again
How often do Snowe and Collins have to betray the people of Maine before we get the picture that they are in Congress to protect big business. Congress has no business trying to control science. We know that the Bush administration repeatedly re-wrote the conclusions of scientific investigations to match their policy choices which always favored big business. Happily, looks like the crazies in the Republican Party are going to fire these two next time around. Happy days are here again.
Bad business climate???
Surely the right-wing complains because they want to use government to steal our money.
This article is crazy
The first sentence is backwards. Dugray statement makes no sense since he introduced the referendum question and he wrote an letter appearing in this paper supporting an appointed position not an elected one. Who wrote this thing the commissioners. Jackson statement also makes no sense. We did have it in an off-year primary.
Good Job Joseph
Please read the 2010 Maine Republican Platform. Then see if you can define yourself as a Republican. The Republican Party has always had a completely loonny minority. I left the Republican Party in 1964 after reading their featured literature in the Goldwater campaign. Completely insane stuff. Now the same stuff is back but as the Republican Platform. Ultra-nationalistic isolationism, children have no rights, government is the enemy, allow business to dominate society, end any government regulation, no checks and balances on anyone, economic anarchy, greed is good, and no one owes anything to his/her society. Ego-maniacal madness.
Proves once again that Republicans are hypocrits
Republicans just defeated lower taxes and a better business climate proving once again that they will sacrifice the interests of the people of Maine for their special interest groups so nicely provided by Govt2big. Please do call them and thank them for higher taxes and no economic growth.
And Foxnews I suppose is news?
WSJ has no credibility. But that doesn't matter since when is a 5% cut not a cut. Bush never cut anything.
World economy on the brink??
It is. But Obama is the possible solution. He's not part of the problem.
The problem was the Bush Recession which started in 2007 due to deregulation and outrageous Republican spending. Because of financial deregulation and financial globalization that recession has spread to Europe. Helped by irresponsible spending in some coutries (Greece for one) that's now become a crisis. The result is a shift in world power to the Chinese temporarily. They too may soon see economic crisis (or at least some economists so predict). But the start was de-regulation. The recession is a product of that de-regulation and so is the oil gusher dstroying the Gulf of Mexico.
Matt now you are joking
Obama has a debt commission. He's asked department head to cut their budgets. When did Bush to either. No, Bush kept the wars - off budget. He lied to his own party about the cost of his prescription drug plan and then didn't pay for it. He left us $12.9 trillion in debt and a $1.3 trillion yearly budget deficit. Obama is a major improvement fiscally over Bush. And remember Cheney declared that the deficit no longer matters.
Matt has it right
Start with welfare reform.
Let's not look at corporate welfare. Forget the $75,000,000 cap on oil companies' criminal acts.
No, the Republicans want the poor to starve. Their children to go without an education. Builds character (as long as its not their own). So that they can buy that new 500 horsepower sports car.
Tax ad spend???
Maine government under the Democrats and with no coorperation from Republicans has cut state spending by $800,000,000. The Federal Government under the Republicans in 7 of the same 8 years increased spending hugely and added $7 trillion to the national debt. Time to vote out the spend and spend Republican hypocrits.
Huge Victory for Democrats
The LePage win means that we can pin the 2010 Maine Republican Platform to their candidate and it will stick. The Republican Party is now the party of extremism and will not have Les Otten's millions to cover it up. Their platform calls for the destuction of the Federal Government, the ripping up of the US Constitution, and economic anarchy. Boy will fall be fun.
Wind power makes some sense
in deepwaters off the coast. But growing evidence suggests that land based turbines in New England is a bad idea.
Andrea has done a great service for Maine
As usual Elaine is way over the top. We're adults. I suspect that some of us have seen women topless. I also suspect that some of us aren't impressed. Andrea, go girl. Equality is coming if slowly. Nothing about nudity has anything to do with debauchery.
Rev. Douglas Taylor
is being treated unfairly here. He has a problem. If people come to admire sorcery, they may dispense with the bible and all its magic. Sorcery and christianity are direct competitors. Christianity is selling a tin hat story cleverily structured so if a part is irrational they suspend the laws of nature (God's intervention) to make it believable. That's what Harry does except he uses magic. That's why Christianity has burned so many witches and heretics over the centuries. They want a monopoly on magic otherwise their story is not believable. So burn your books Rev. T. I suspect more will be printed.
Bizarre
lewistonauburnsucks, a communist concept. Now I've read a lot of political books and I never once saw the Fairness Doctrine in any communist publication. Its a private property issue. The public owns the airwaves. Always had. All stations are licensed. They are expected to fulfill their responsibilities or lose their license to operate. Therefore, the public (owners) have the right to regulate how their property is used. The Fairness Doctrine limits no speech; it encourages additional speech. If Limp declares that Obama is a martian; then a rebutter should get equal time to present what he believes to be the truth. The public is served by encouraging a free flow of ideas even crazy ones like the 2010 Maine Republican Platform. Right wingers have never presented any evidence that the 1st Amendment disaster that they claim will happen is even possible.
Lil is right as usual the only folks pushing the Fairness Doctrine are right wing wacko commentators like Limp.
Fantasy
Only goes to prove that people on the right willingly would let their friends and neighbors suffer so that they can have a steak tonight instead of a hamburger.
Just remember Republicans don't think
Its all emotion on the right. Mind games without any factual support. Maine is doing great. Average income has grown more quickly that the national average in spite of the fact that our population is older than average.
Reduce county tax burden???
OK, we know that Republicans will say anything to get their way. Re-visit this issue in 5 years. I bet you an appoint ad county commissioner controlled treasurer will add to the county tax burden. An elected treasurer is running for election out of a sense of public duty. They spend thousands of hours above their treasurer's duties to meet with the people of Oxford County and to explain what they have done and what they will do. That's all free to the taxpayer. An appointed treasurer only has to speak to the commissioners.
Power grab by county commissioners
Of course Dave supports this power grab by the county commissioners. Its his idea. It has nothing to do with part-time, full-time, on-line banking. It has to do with power. The voter elected treasurer is a check on the commissioner's power. So they want someone who is under their thumb.
Now there's a thoughtful analysis
of our problem. I can see Jimmy stamping his feet now.
How can fiscal conservative be so dumb
Even some fiscal conservatives make the distinction between operating expenses and capital investments. Capital investments like building a railroad increase economic growth both in the short-term by funding consumer spending and in the long term by increasing productivity. The return on investment in these projects is much better than any business would expect.
Federal matching funds are paid for by every Federal revenue source. Mainers pay a tiny fraction of those revenues. So for all practical purposes this is free money.
We aren't going to pay this back with higher taxes. We are retiring more debt than we are creating and we have done so for some time. This new debt will be paid for from the economic growth this investment will produce.
Its the height of irresponsibility to oppose these bonds.
Precisely!
Yes, since I came from a dysfunctional family (along with about 30% of the US population). I was never socialized into the many myths and value systems of society. So I could dispassionately test them against reality and discard what obviously wasn't real - the vast majority of what passes for the "conventional wisdom". I value nothing that can not be proved through rational investigation. And to someone socialized into the social system of myths that makes be a nutjob. Thanks.
Please just let me make decisions based on myth.
"innocence of another young child". Myth. "live with the nightmare for the rest of their lives" Myth. "punished for the rest of their days" Myth. When you make decisions based on a series of myths, you can't arrive at good decisions. Sex is only a "nightmare" and children are only "punished" when society makes it such. A christian counseler on the 700 Club some years back said that if you don't tell children about sex they won't do it. A child raised in this way will suffer for life if abused. Suffer from memories of the powerlessness, victimization, and the guilt of doing what obviously the parents thought wrong. Children are sexually active in the womb, none are "innocent" and that whole idea stems from perverse religious myths. Given that, sex inappropriate to the level of a person's psychosexual development, whatever their age, is a crime and should punished. The rare sexual predator - those who actively seek out victims that they can force ( through physical force or psychological manipulation) into sexual activity - yes should be isolated for life because they do not change. But they represent a tiny fraction of those convicted of sex crimes. The usual victim of sex crimes is the 18 year old who has sex with his 15 year old girlfriend (43% of people aged 15-19 have had intercourse at least once, 30% have had multiple partners, 6% of 10 year olds have had multiple types of intercourse and half of that activity is a crime in most states) or as recently happenned a 6 year-old who touched a 5 year-old. Or the series of child care cases some years back which later proved to be cases of social workers implanting their memories of abuse into children after the investigation began when in fact no abuse had ever occurred. The issue is to make distinctions based on fact not myth.
momof4
Well there is 4 more lost souls.
No that's not what I wrote and you know it. I was referring to the society wide hatred of sexuality based on the perverted teachings of fundamentalist christianity.
Drill, baby, drill
Now we know what this Republican slogan from 2008 really meant - kill, baby, kill. Goes along well with the Republican's ode to the middle class - starve, baby, starve.
But this is unconstitutional
"arizona's new law is just an enforcement of federal law" Conservatives like the constitution as long as it complies with their point of view. When it doesn't well then its just a meaningless rag. A state can not constitutionally enforce federal law. The Supreme Court recently ruled on this in a gun case saying that state law enforcement officers could to enforce features of a Federal Gun Control law.
Arizona Law
As reported today, the Arizona law was written and promoted by FAIR an organization identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a racist hate group. Not at all odd that Mary Jane would support the law and this hate group.
"Mental health experts agree
"Mental health experts agree that pedophiles are not changed or "cured" by treatment or incarceration. They simply repeat their hideous behavior once released from jail." This statement is absolutely false. It reflects the unreasoning hatred some people feel toward sexuality. It is a solely modern attitude reflecting the perverted teachings of fundamentalist christians.
Unconstitutional?
Hardly. The Maine Tax Cut Bill is according to the Wall Street Journal a "miracle" because in a recession Maine's political leadership found the political will to improve the revenue system without a tax increase inspite of the fact that more than 35 states have had to increase taxes. Opposition to this tax cut was organized by the Republican Party and financed by huge out-of-state special interests like the realators purely for partisan advantage. That it will benefit 95% of Mainers meant nothing to them. Given their outrageous, radical, anti-constitutional and anti-government platform and their partisan games with the Tax Cut Bill no Republican is qualified for any elective office.
Hypocrisy on the Right
They tell you they are for smaller goverment and lower taxes. But when you cut spending by $800,000,000 and cut taxes by $55,000,000 well that's just bad. What do they do when they are in charge. More than double the federal deficit. Not once but 2 out of the 3 times in recent history that they have been in charge. Republicans want smaller government and lower taxes when Democrats are in charge and bigger government and greater deficits when they are in charge (gotta' pay back the donors).
To the DHS well document facts
the Republican present fantasies. "Why do welfare recipients come to Maine, because I say they do. Where are my facts, well I don't have any but I know its true. Why is it true, because I'm an emotional basket case jealous of everyone else and blames everyone else for my failures." Yes, that's the Republican case on welfare.
Democratic Candiates
All good candidates only Rosa Scarcelli doesn't have a wealth of experience solving Maine's problems.
The contrast with the Republican candidates is very striking. The 2010 Republican Platform indicates that the party has been taken over by the most exteme elements of the far right - christian theocrats, libertarians, and ultra-nationalists. The Department of Homeland security warned last year that radical fringe elements of the far right were a potential breeding ground for home grown terrorists. The Air Force Academy and the Pentagon have been reported to be infiltrated by some of these radical groups in the recent past. In 6 days we will find out whether the Maine Republican Party has completely lost its way.
Susan
She talks funny for anyone.
But this time see did good.
Worry more about the 40% of teenage girls who have or who have had an STP many of which are incurable.
When McCain talks
about effectiveness and morale what he really means is that the bigots in the military will continue to bash gays. Time to let JD Hayworth beat him and then beat JD with a responsible person.
Yes, they are wrong
All business groups. Not a single public organization. No teachers, No nurses, no PTA's, no lawyers, No Doctors, No average citizen groups. Only business groups. Can they all be wrong. You bet your life. If you vote Yes on 1 you are voting for every boss who fired you, every boss who gave your raise to his girlfriend, every boss that forced you to work overtime so he could play golf.
Yes, they are wrong
thinkingman, OK, I'll try but I know I'll fail to get you to think. "less will come to our state". What makes you think this. Do you have a fact? Did you conduct a marketing survey? Did you talk to anyone who visits this state regularly? Thought not. Maine's meals and lodging tax after the Maine Tax Cut Bill goes into affect will remain the lowest in New England. Maine will still have a cometitive advantage over all of New England. If people decide to come here solely based on the tax rate (no one does of course this is just more PR from the tourist industry) they still will come to Maine.
Is anyone in Maine going to drive 100 miles to buy stuff in NH? They have to save $44 in taxes just to break even. No, the folks who go to NH now and break the law will still go but few if anyone new will start making the trip to become a criminal to avoid paying $3.25 on a car repair.
"The “No on Question 1” group
"The “No on Question 1” group continues to use deceitful language to try to shift the tax burden away from their overpaid buddies onto the lower class, while claiming to create jobs. Their claims are totally false."
As usual the "Yes on Question 1" folks present not a single fact to justify their bizarre and false conclusions. LD 1495 means a $55,000,000 tax cut shared by 95% of Mainers. The "no" folks know they can't fight the facts. So they just lie. They never mention the progressive tax credits that make LD 1495 progressive and a boon to poor folks. They don't mention that expanding the sales tax will help in future recession prevent headlines we see today about cutting teachers, reducing programs, throwing the mentaly ill out on the streets without medical care. They don't mention that the 6.5% highest income tax bracket will make Maine competitive with other New England states and attract new businesses.
We have cut $800,000,000 out of the state budget with a $55,000,000 tax cut and the Republicans say no no no. Democrats just can't be fiscally responsible. LD 1495 is according to the Wall Street Journal a "miracle". We can't let the Republicans sabotage Maine's future for political gain.
As usual
Mac antSaior doesn't know what he's talking about. A shift in where taxes are collected is not a tax increase. That's obvious. Vote No on 1 and save yourself $55,000,000. Vote No on the repeal of Maine's tax cut Bill.
Fixing blame is important
You just can't say that everyone's to blame. Leads to no solution. You have to indentify the problem before you can decide on a course of action that will prevent it in the future.
The Republicans have proposed Fannie Mae and Freddie Max as the problem. But we know that they did not engage in risky and irresponsible lending under Congress authoritized it after 2006. Far too late to contribute to the 2007 recession.
Independent economists have pointed to the de-regulation of the banks and the decisions of Countrywide that followed to create worthless mortgages and to then convert them into worthless derivatives which were then overvalued by bribed ratings companies and sold to unsuspecting investors.
This chain of criminality was the root cause of the recent recession. Recent regulator reform appears to be too weak to break this chain. A bribed congress appears unwilling to do what is necessary to protect the American people. A bribed republican party is the problem. So kicking the incumbants out is not the solution. Public action is the only answer to the very corrupt corporatist system we now have.
To the right?
thinkingman, no Republican candidate for govenor, not Beardsley the religious wacko nor LePage the Tea Partier, are to the right of you. So I expect this is a put-on.
OH momof4
Its not misinformation. I have handed out the platform to close to a dozen non-democrats. Let them read it and asked them to explain what those to planks mean. So far after explaining the contents of the Rights of the Child treaty they have all agreed that these planks describe a family structure that rejects childrens' rights and will encourage child abuse. One is re-registering as a Democrat (she was a republican) because "that's just crazy".
I read the Democratic platform the afternoon before the convention. Great document. Speaks to the hopes ad dreams of Maine people. The Republican platform speaks to the fears and hatred of people, but barely mentions Maine.
"Tired" You may be tired, but everyone in Maine needs to see what Republicans really believe. Before this election is over they will.
Liberals afraid?
Doubt it. Not when the Republicans act like jerks and show to the whole state how really irresponsible and out of touch they are. Republicans have a reverse midas touch. Let them play with the economy and you get recession. Let them play with the schools and performance dives. Let them play with ideas and we get paranoia, hate, and conspiracy theories or the 2010 Republican Platform. Everyone should read the Republican Platform. Then ask these candidates whether they endorse it or not. If they say yes, then ask them how they can agree with a platform that encourages child abuse, child prostitution, and child pornography by oppposing the Treaty on the Rights of the Child and by encouraging a model of the family that rejects the rights of children and gives parents the unfetterred right to abuse them.
xyz
you got it. These false sterotypes. All legals are good and all illegals are bad. Its a new story for conservatives. They are trying to improve their image after running an overtly racist campaign against Mexican immigrants several years ago.
The John Birch Society to which Mr. Acheson belongs has no political credibility. Its morphed from an anti-communist extremist and conspiracy group (of the "there's a communist under every bed variety") to selling vitamins. The fact that it is now invited to spread its hate among Republicans only demonstrates that Republican after years of failure and betrayal of their own beliefs the Republican Party must now rely on the lunatic fringe. Read the Republic Platform. It states the parties core and very crazy beliefs. Everett Dirksen and Dwight Eisenhower must be rolling over in their graves.
It's started.
The Tea Party is the Republican Party witness Maine's Republican Party's crazy platform. And true to Tea Party principles this guy is a real freak. But he won the nomination showing that the rest of the Republicans agree with him. So the Republican elite tries character assassination which is what they did to McCain in 2000. Watch them eat their own.
post-WWII recessions
insert please
Republicans
the economy has expanded more under all Democratic Presidents than Republicans since WWII. Every post-WWII has been caused by Republican policies under Republican Presidents. If you want slow growth, high unemployment, expanding poverty just let them have a few years in the WH.
Republicans
Tron SSDD veritas. Republicans have no respect for facts no matter how well documented. They are blinded by their partisanship, misinformation, and self-centered greed and envy.
Just look at this lie. "IRS is reportedly adding 16,500 new agents to enforce Obamacare." Reported by whom. What's your source. Well let me tell you. The Congressional Republican Caucus based on calculations not one even the congressmen could defend. Truth, the IRS estimates that it may take a few hundred. "if you fail to prove to the IRS's satisfaction that you are insured, you will face a federal fine of as much as $2,250". Truth, you may face it, but the IRS has no authority to collect the fine nor can they subtract it from a refund. "Steve Forbes mentioned that this year the federal government will have to borrow 50 cents for every dollar it will spend". He might be right. He's one Republican that can count. But the Truth is very different than the impression. Of the 1.5 trillion dollar deficit in 2009 1.3 trillion was in Bush's final budget. Obama added less than $200 billion and that was to rescue the country from the worst recession since WWII, an absolutely necessary spending. If you hate the Republican deficit, please tell us which unfunded Republican program you would cut. "If the U.S. is not yet a socialist country, then surely, it is on the way." Truth, The ownership of the auto companies is now down to GM and that will soon be ended. The ownership of most of the banks has been ended. Those we still own will be ended shortly. When all government ownship ends, will the author applaud Obama' return to capitalism. Doubt it. These steps were necessary to save the auto industry and the banks which had they failed would have put many millions out of work and destroyed American as an industry power. Fact is on all these rescue programs the US Taxpayer will make a profit. Its very clear how out of touch with reality these critics are.
Regulatory Reform
needs to start with barring the revolving door between industry and government. No employee of a regulated company or of the regulatory agency of government should be allowed to be employed by the other or for any lobbying firm with regulated companies as clients for a period of ten years.
next step pubic financing of all federal elections and barring corporate spending on elections.
Power Grab by Commissioners
The Oxford County Commissioners couldn't recruit a candidate for this office, so they proposed changing it from elected to appointed. Now we have to vote either to maintain this check on the commissioners or to surrender it. The voters are far better off protecting their authority.
Maine Tax Cut Bill
"102 new taxes on the way!" Classic Republican spin. There are not 102 new taxes. There is one tax the sales tax applied to 102 new items or services. After this passes Maine will be taxing fewer categories of goods and services than most other states. 95% of Mainers will pay lower taxes in 2011. This is a tax cut bill. Don't be fooled by the Republicans.
Maine's Tax Cut Bill
LD 1495 is a very good bill that will cut taxes for the poor and increase economic development while maintaining progressivity and stabilizing state revenues. Every recession in modern times has been caused by Republican policies. Republicans think recessions are morally good ("cleans out the deadwood). They are wrong as their record shows and as the comments above reveal. Veritas has stated the situation very well.
bias ignores the facts.
Maine's sales taxes are paid on fewer items and services than most states. Adding 102 again leaves us near the bottom of the list. A tourist coming here from almost any state will go home shaking their head wondering why taxes are so low. And they still will after LD 1495 passes.
Doesn't defy logic at all
"How taxing tourists more will make them want to come back defies all logic."
Maine's a cheap date. We have the lowest meals and lodging taxes in New England. Even after LD 1495 goes into effect, we still will have some of the lowest taxes. The Tourism industry wants to frighten people not inform them.
Vote NO on question 1 June 8th
tax cheats
if there is "no proof that any of us specifically cheated", what good would it do to go after tax cheats as you propose. You must have some proof that their are tax cheats. Have you turned them in to MRS? I think you get a reward.
Now that the right has lied. Lets get some truth.
The increased sales tax items and service still leaves Maine taxing fewer items and services than most states. The increased meals and lodging tax is the lowest in New England and after passage of the Maine Tax Cut bill will still be among te lowest. 95% of Mainers will share in a $54,000,000 tax cut in 2011 if this bill goes into affect.
nothing new about this blood
Same tired old views with the same failed policy perscriptions. Can't the republicans come up with someone that's not a retread.
smedley, are you really a smedley.
NH
"oh wait NH has the same population and NO sales tax and no income tax...go figure" but huge proverty taxes. You can't figure if you are comparing apples to oranges. Maine 35,385 sq. miles in size. NH 9,350. The means more roads, longer school bus rides, more police patrols, more maintenance etc. NH has 146 people/ sq. mile. Maine 43. You can deliver service much more easily in NH.
Maine has 485 municialities; NH 235 that means more governments, more duplication of services. Our biggest town has a population of 64,247; NH has two towns consideraby bigger at 87K and 109K. NH has been a bedroom suburb of Boston for decades. Maine has only recently started to become that. And those are just the beginning of the differences.
Maine isn't 15th anymore.
Maine was 15th before the recession. That was before 35 states raised general taxes and Maine cut their. That also includes taxes paid in Alaska by Alaskan companies under Alaska's laws that are pro-rated to states based on the use of oil. Given Maine's heavy use of heating oil this misreprsents Maine's tax laws. We in fact are in the high 20's headed for 35th.
unfounded bias
Hardly. You will notice I dated that to the 1990's. The NYT counted the violations of federal regulations and laws for a period of one year and the results. If memory serves me and at this age it sometimes doesn't, a few dozen fortune 500 companies had no violations.
CEO's
Govenor King ran business forums in Maine. He brought in experts on locating sites for New or expanding companies. They only pointed to the maximum state income tax rate as a problem in attracting companies. Maine's Tax Cut Bill addresses that problem by reducing the maximum rate while all across the country states are increasing their maximum rate.
What BS
What happenned when the state of Maine took over 55% of the costs of education?2/3rds of Maine's municipalities cut their property taxes.
Thinkingman, I'm talking about policy not a few isolated examples. in the 1990's virtually all US fortune 500 companies cheated on their taxes, most broke federal law, most agreed to consent decrees to get off the hook. I've worked for 5 companies in my working life. 2 broke the law. One cheated the IRS and one de-frauded a company buying them. Both were intentional. The most corrupt segment of our population are business owners.
You guys just repeat your unfounded bias and self-deluded opinoins. But I don't expect you to research for the facts. That would be too much to ask.
McGowan best
Pat McGowan is the class of the Democratic candidates for Governor. He knows small business. He knows rural Maine and its problems. He knows the Maine forests. He knows the economy. He is the best prepared of all the candidates.
And most important he can win in November.
Vote McGowan June 8th
by the way
that's can't face facts.
Encouraging Tax cheats
Isn't it a shame that thinkingman and the Republicans encourage tax cheats. While you and I pay our fair share of taxes and support our government and country these folks are flying off to the cayman inslands to hide their income. Then they come home and boast about what great patriots they are.
Again the fear mongering right can face facts
The Maine Tax Cut Bill does not favor the rich and hurt the poor. What the right ignores is the new bill's tax credits. These progressive tax credits more than compensate for the increase in the tax rate at the lower income levels. Declining at higher income levels maintains the progressivity of the tax code.
The Maine Tax Cut Bill does not expand the sales tax to include everything but air. Fact remains Maine will after implementation of this tax cut tax few items and services than most states.
The Maine Tax Cut Bill does increase the Meals and Lodging tax. But the meals and lodging tax will still be below the rest of New England. So the increase should have little or no impact other than to increase state revenue and reduce taxes for Maine residents.
Don't believe this republican propaganda. None of it is true.
We certainly won't duplicate the Republicans
The Democratic Platform will be sane and rational based on true facts not unfounded conspiracy theories, false economics, and hate. The thing is so badly written or thought out that it encourages child abuse, prostitution, and pornography. Amazing, but that's only the good part. Half of it is unconstitutional like Congressional term limits and these are folks claiming that they support and understand the Constitution. I read today their secret. They support and understand the Confederate Constitution of 1861.
DIRIGO
Great idea. Proves Maine is doing what's in the best interests of its people. But its an experiment that as soon as Baldacci is gone probably won't survive. But our debt and debt rating show that the state has been conservatively managed over the long-term. Maine Tax Cut Bill,a miracle according to WSJ, the lack of tax increases in either income or sales during this recession prove we are conservatively managed. TIF's, compliance with TABOR. The list of conservative policy decisions just goes on and on
102,000
I would have thought with the decline in the forest based businesses in Maine and with the worst recession since WWII in the last 3 years, I'm surprised we are doing that well.
DHHS
They publish a lot of information on their website. And if you believe the 102,000 then you have to believe the 6 to 1.
Maine cut taxes which the WSJ wrote was a "miracle" while 35 states raised their income or sales taxes or both in the last few years. Maine has a revenue gap in the hundreds of millions one of the smallest in the US. Only 3 had surpluses and they are all oil producing states. We have cut the budget by $800,000,000 during the recession. We are the only state that has met the TABOR provisions every year since its defeat. That's conservative. We have the lowest welfare benefits in New England only NH is close. That's conservative. Maine's debt is low and manageable and our debt rating is high. That's conservative.
See they can't handle the truth
facts in their supernatural world are banned.
Conservatives just are not in touch with reality
All taxes in the US (Federal, state, local) have declined to the lowest point since 1950. They are not increasing. We now pay a little less than 9% of income on average. So when you read someone writing that they are being taxed to death, it either untrue or they have a unique situation.
And when you read something like stop borrowing our way out of debt. Why it works. When government spends on infrastructure and education, the economy grows which increases government revenue which can pay down the debt.
But Conservatives can read tea leaves. They commune with the dead. They personally know ghosts and gobblins, and spirits of all sorts. So they can see the future. They know that legislation won't work before its tried. Not only do they know the future, they know how elected officials will react.
Fair Share
hypocrisy is running amok. Maine has been a very conservatively managed state for most of the last 35 years. Republicans oppose the Maine Tax Cut bill and quite franking they oppose anything that would improve our state. They don't like our towns, our Mountains, our seashore. They just don't like Maine.
Because of that they just can't stop making things up like people move here to enjoy our wonderful welfare state. Truth is 6 people on welfare leave Maine for every one that comes in. Maine's benefits are lower than any of the other New England states. Only the waiver on the 5 year rule would make Maine attractive, but those who exceed the 5 year limit are 100% disabled or children not visitors from away.
Republica Platform
While it doesn't intend to, the Republican Platform encourages incest, child abuse, prostitution, and pornography. The platform would place children under the unrestricted control of bad parents and deny any government intervention to protect the children. Any candidate running under that platform should be soundly defeated.
Rowe's a good candidate
Ignoring what Pirate and thinkingman write because you must. Maine has been a very conservatively managed state. The Baldacci Administration has met the provisions of TABOR even though it was defeated. They are living proof that you can't agree with them. If you do they will change their position. Like Sen. Grassley they would never negiotiate in good faith. Read the Republican platform. Could you be proud to live in a state that abided by those extremist, irresponsible provisions?
Try Roy not rot
Try Roy not rot
Great Guy
Rot's a great guy and hard worker. We need more people like him in country government.
These Bonds will pass
People in Maine are responsible and understand that Maine's finances have been very conservatively managed. While most other states have budget gaps up to $26 billion, Maine's is in the millions. While most states have increased income taxes (up to 11%) or sales taxes or both and many others have increased fees of every sort, Maine in what the WSJ described as a "miracle", cut the income tax rate from 8.5% to 6.5% saving Mainers $55,000,000. Maine has cut $800,000,000 from the budget and has met all the provisions of TABOR even though it was defeated.
Why the Right is all wet on the Constitution
Someone elsewhere wrote today that the Constitution was written in plain simple English so people could understand without a degree. True but wrong. The words used in 1787 had different meanings than they do today. For example, "establishment" in 1780's meant a public building not "to create". So the 1st Amendment refers to a church. They couldn't use church because it didn't fit with the free exercise clause that followed. "provide for the general welfare" in Article I Section 8 doesn't mean 20th century welfare it meant in 1787 the "general well being of all the people". That is the second duty of the Federal Government and it grants very broad powers - control of the foundation of the economy some of which are enumerated below it. Things like education, weights and measures, money supply, the banking system and many more.
The right wants to misrepresent the Constitution because the more local power is the more easily they can corruptly control it which was Madison's point. The right spends a great deal of time wandering around in Federalist No. 10 trying to justify small government. But the Federalist Papers were political articles trying to convince people to ratify the Constitution akin to today's political advertisement. Not the founder's viewpoints. Madison's real feelings were on display when he submitted his 12 admendments in the Bill of Rights to Congress in 1791. One of those was an admendment to give the Federal Goverment the power to veto any and all State laws. It was defeat as was in original proposal in the Constitutional Convention. It took the Civil War to implement it.
So no the Constitution is not plain simple English.
Reasons to support Platform
1. Constitutional litmus test. We already have three parts of government - the president, Congress, and the Courts - that apply a constitutional litmus test. So this provision is meaningless or poorly written.
2. Return of States Rights under the 10th Amendment. When written this amendment had very little meaning. Federal legal supremacy made it pretty much a feel good tip of the hat to the States. By the way it protects States' power not rights. People have rights not states. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments make the 10th amendment very close to mute. There are no powers the Federal government can't override. Federal Law and US Treaties superceed all state law. Its in the Constitution.
3. It upholds the 2nd Amendment. Again unnecessary. The Supreme Court already has. But this provision is one of three in the platform that are not absurd, dumb, patently false, unconstitutional, or dangerous or impossible to implement without turning America back into the stone ages.
4. Term limits for Congress. When its put into a bill by our Governor. OH drat. This is a State platform not a national one so this is another misplaced, unconstitutional proposal. It also should be called the Corporate takeover of the Federal Government. Term Limits haven't worked in Maine. Sen. Martin is still in office. Only the staff and lobbyists have benefitted from it.
5. You have to understand the Constitution before you make it a litmus test. Folks who make obviously unconstitutional proposals obviously don't understand it.
Because there are good and bad parents
Children have rights too. Parents don't own them.
Simple
The platform calls for the Rejection of the Rights of the Child treaty that attempts to control child abuse, prostitution, and pornography. The platform includes a plank that states, "Parents, not government, are responsible for making decisions in the best interest of their children, whether disciplinary, educational, or medical." The parents get to define what is in the best interests of the child. A few parents thought that meant putting them in a microwave and cooking them was in their best interests. Taking last first, If the parents decide that prayer is better than medical care they can do it without DHS' interference even if the child dies as several have over the recent past. Parent not school boards can decide what children learn or don't. To implement this DHS' authority to remove children from abusive homes has to be repealed. Parents can beat their kids all they want and government can't interfere. Now we know what the drafters meant to say. The want the law that allows teanage girls to get birth control pills without parental consent repealed. But they didn't say that. They made an absolute overly broad generalization whose implications are horrifying.
Austrian Economics
The only people who support Austrian economic are those that know nothing about economics, but a lot about the supernatural, ghosts, magic potions. They believe they can pray us into recovery.
Beautiful non-defense of the platform
I'm not surprised. As usual the wacko-right can offer no reason to support this most dangerous and irresponsible major party platform. I urge all Mainers to read the thing. This platform encourages child abuse, prostitution, and pornography. The platform encourages withholding medical care of sick and injured children. It encourages keeping children in ignorance. The Republican Party has now become a religous cult and has no political credibility..
Ah a little racism is wonderful
MMS must be dissolved. Some of its management team need to go to jail. The Bush administration needs to be investigated and those responsible need to join MMS management in jail. The Bush administration's successes can be summarized simply - deregulate the economy and create a depression, deregulate industry and bring on the worst economic and environment disasters in history, and invade and destroy a peaceful country. Time for them to pay for their crimes.
RedWhiteBlue
Yes, because the minorities have been and are oppressed by the actions of the white majority based solely on their national origin or the race of their victims. But since you agree with that opression you can't see it.
No candidate who does not renounce
the Republican Party platform is qualified to be governor. The platform is a wish list of unfounded conspiracy theories, wacko political extremism, lies, and false unfounded political theories.
For example, the platform calls for a restoration of Austrian Economics. You can't restore what has never been implemented. No credible economist and no nation has ever implemented this obscure and fundamentally unsound and unscientific theory. Its a theory that guarantees depressions every few years and those depressions are guaranteed to last for many years. Its a formula for permanent poverty. It proposes that economic activity can not be quantified and can only be understood by "mind games" i.e. personal prejudice. Enspousing Austrian Economists is very similiar to being part of a cult that believes aliens are go to come to earth and transform the choosen few into "new beings".
Republican candidates either reject this extremism or disqualify themselves.
Republican Platform
Don't take my word, read it at: http://paintmainered.ning.com/
Republican Platform has made Maine
a laughing stock throughout the country. While the whole document almost without exception is lunacy. Some points just leap out and knock you down. "h.i. Reject the UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child." The US is one of two countries (Somalia being the other which has no government) that has not yet signed this critical treaty which prohibits using children in war, child pornography, prostitution, and other abuses. This is a huge embarrassment for the US and patently immoral. "III. a. ii. Parents, not government, are responsible for making decisions in the best interests of their children, whether disciplinary, educational, or medical." So how is this implemented. Under this DHS can't remove abused children from their abusing parents. Parents can pray for the recovery of their child until the child dies without government recourse. Teachers can't add a teaching technique that improves a childs learning or give children detention without parental permission. Courts can't enforce decisions in divorce that affect a child's education, medical care, or discipline. Think of the mountains of good law that has to be repealed to implement this provision. Think of how many children will suffer at the hands of bad parents.
The illegal phrase is used to cover up
the real motivations of the anti-immigrant right. Veritas is completely correct. crossing the border without proper permission is a violation of administrative law with no criminal penalty only deportation. The only real reason to oppose illegal immigration is the economic impacts it has on US workers and those are hard to justify today. A case can be made against fraudulent H1-B workers and has been by the PPH. But every time you make that case, the real criminals are the companies that encourage, recruit, and pay for illegal or fraudulent workers to come here. A company that knowingly hires illegal aliens like Wal-Mart should be criminally charged and if found guilty forced into bankruptcy and liquidated.
Why repeal a tax cut???
Why would anyone in Maine repeal a $55,000,000 tax cut?
Tron ignore them
One look at the platform adopted by the 2010 Republican Convention confirms that the Republican party is now controlled by bigots, homophobes, and nativists. Not a single rational policy proposal is included in the platform. Its made national news for its comical declarations of stupidity.
As usual half the truth.
The author intentionally doesn't mention that you can't deduct your mortgage interest because a new tax credit more than makes up for the benefit of deducting interest. That's why 87% of Mainers will pay less in taxes if this bill is adopted. The 30% of taxes paid by out of staters means that Mainers will not have to pay $55,000,000 in additional taxes. $55,000,000 tax cut in a recession when 31 states have sharply increased taxes and just today two more increased sales and income taxes. Sounds like a great deal. Vote to implement the Maine Tax Cut Law June 8th.
Protecting the megaBanks again
When will they submit an amendment to protect the middle class?
Mow
Please explain how a 6 month-old baby or a parapelgic can mow the cities parks. Because that's what most people on welfare are.
Republican Platform
Just check out the Republican Platform. Its a combination of conspiratorial fantasy, bad history, and complete ignorance of the US Constitution. In other words, Tea Party philosophy. Bought and paid for by the power elites in the Republican Party, its a collection of ignorant, racist, wealth, over-educated, Republicans who need care.
Steve Rowe is a fine candidate.
But as even he knows, he is not charismatic. Maine needs a strong and charismatic leader who can unite the state. Former Atty. Gen. Rowe will do a great job as Governor. But others can do a better job.
Mr. Powell
is against wind power generation that is improperly sited and subsidized by the public. If its profitable, then let the businessmen pay the bill. No TIF's. No Federal subsidies
Tron
Don't let them get to you. You are right most of the time and they haven't got a clue. On way or the other they believe in magic, the supernatural, Reganomics and similar fantasies.
Pretty
The only metrix for a woman's qualifications to the far right is if she is pretty enough to make and raise babies. How pathetic this is.
seven centers of power????
This is precisely why this event should not be sanctioned by the President. Seven centers of power my butt. The national director of this pathetic demonstration, Mrs Dobson, declared that this nation was founded on biblical values. That's demonstratively false. The country was founded on purely secular vaues after full research on the workings of pagan republics and first nations' governments. The country was transformed by christian propaganda between 1800 and 1825. Now fanatics like Mrs. Dobson wish to rewrite history in support of her worldview. The President should not allow himself to be used in this was by these crackpots.
Hard to believe
Sarah's comments are hard to believe. They display an anti-sexual prejudice that is common in America and very perverted.
Nudist Colony?
Veritas has tis right, except he/she didn't mention the primary point he/she was making - the women were fully clothed when being abused just as sexual hrassment in the workplace involved fully cothed women much of the time. Nudity has nothing to do with sex crimes. Hopefully children by 6 have seen their parents naked and if they are good their play partners.
Meghan's real argument is that society must control people's sexuality and one way is modesty. That's the same argument the Islamic Clerics make. Immodesty causes earthquakes (i.e. the destruction of society). The premise is fundamentally wrong.
So is Maine's indecency law. Philadelphia has a fully nude bike ride I believe to raise money for breast cancer. Other states permit fully nude folks to ride bikes, hikes, just do about anything. It should be encouraged.
Do you mean Bush-Cheney
they didn't fight in any wars.
Religion is a question not an answer
SSDD,
I have to disagree with you a little bit. I've made the same agrument as you. But really its very weak. Yes more people have been killed in the name of religion than anything else. But religion is just a mask covering people's identifies and culture. They may say its for God, but usually its for their greed or their sense of themselves as a people. And there is more to religion than just the evil it has done. 85% of Americans self-identify themselves as religious. People's have created religions for tens of thousands of years. Religion must supply some valuable trait that benefits our social evolution or it would not survive. It is a self-delusion but it must be an important one.
GOP failure
Let us not forget that the GOP's failures are not just 2001-2009. They gave us the Great Depression and the Great Recession. If we let them back, the economy will tank again.
Fantasy
The economy is recovering. While there are many possible bumps in the future like greece, we can make it happen.
Great job Andrea
Now that the homophobes and prudes have had their chance to write of their insanity, we should turn our attention to Heath.
How do you make this connection. Mr. Heath won't say. Because there is none. So Mr. Heath is using the event as a means to attack UMF. He's hoping the College which has nothing to do with the event will stop it.
I hope the College fights the FOAA request.
Fannie and Freddie
Fannie May and Freddy Mac were small players in the subprime mortgage market. Less that 3% of the questionable mortgages were issued by them. The argument that they were the primary cause of the economic collapse is nothing more than propaganda invented by the Republicans to misdirect people. No reputable economist even of the most partisan strip supports this invention. The economic collapse was caused by de-regulation which allowed companies to engage in unethical or illegal acts that overvalued assets, increased profits, and bonuses and when properly valued caused the collapse of the financial services industry.
drill baby drill
Safe. The oil industry tells us that drilling offshore is now safe. The Coal Industry tells us that coal is clean once you wipe the blood off. When will we learn that self-interested groups, simply lie.
Amazing but not surprising conclusions
Matt says te Republicans are against "a $50 billion slush fund for future bailouts". The characterization is just false. The $50 Billion industry funded fund is to cover the administrative cost of liquidating failing banks. That means the stockholders, boldholders, bank CEO are wiped out. Now the US has been doing this for decades. When a bank under the regulation of the FDIC fails, it is closed and money in the industry-funded liquidation fund are used to make dpositers whole. Works great. FDIC has not gone bankrupt yet although it came close).
Then Matt cncludes that the monies paid to the fund are tax free. If they are its not because of this legislation. Democrats are not give new tax-breaks. The banks may benefit from previous tax breaks.
If its good enough for the FDIC, then why isn't it good enough for big banks.
Oh! If we could only run other peoples lives
Income redistribution goes on every day. Everyday that a bank, financial advisory, corporation defrauds, misrepresents, or deceives the working people of this country. Virtually all US corporations have violated regularly Federal, state, and local laws. Payday Loan sharks collect up to 400% interest. The people of the US sufferred a recession that cost them more than $27 trillion resulting from the financial services corporations's fraud and disceptive practises. And you're worried that a welfare receiptant got what he deserved.
If this woman does in fact live on $50/wk then she qualifies for every form of state support and she should seek it. Welfare is hardly the problem.
Rev. Douglas Taylor
Shows the bias that confuses him to the point of irrationality. He says who cares if a judge rules the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional. If Taylor is an American, he should care. The Judge has properly defended our system of laws. On the other hand Taylor is right, no one can stop a person from praying. They also are defending our system of laws - the free exercise of religion. But you can't be a American and "be Christian, pray in the name of Jesus and observe the National Day of Prayer." The NDP is a state imposed religious exercise which threatens our system of laws for all the reasons Rev. Taylor points out and more. No one should need or accept government sanctioned religious services.
Moody
Moody reportedly said "recessions are a fact of life". No they aren't. What he meant to say but can't is recessions are good for the economy particularly when they result in the reduction of middle income jobs and wealth. Since the Great Depression, every recession has been caused by conservative economic policies and every Democratic President has produced greater job growth than any Republican President. Conservative policies = recession every 10 years or so now. If they could get away with everything they want, it would be more like every 2 or 3 years. For example, Ron Paul wants to go back on the Gold Standard which would make South Africa, Russia, and some others world powers while crashing the US economy. But Sue Lowden, Republican Senatorial candidate in NV, has gone him one better. Don't just change our currency; eliminate it. Pay for everything you need with barter; pay your doctor with chickens. Clueless.
"unique provision
The Editor's Note implies by using the phrase "unique provision" that this is something limited to GNP and its union employees. Its not. The Rumford Mill had a similiar provision for union and supervisory personnel until it was sold. This provision is parrallel to owners of businesses which can still own and operate their businesses while being state senators and reps. I'd be interested if state employees and in particular teachers have similiar provisions. The whole idea in Maine is to have a part-time legislature so this kind of provision seems very useful.
TIF
If a TIF is required to make a wind project economically viable given the huge Federal subsidies for wind projects, then the project is not feasible.
Tyne has found it.
Every time a Christian extremist goes out and exterminates a few or a few hundred folks just say well he's not Christian. Just one example, Tim our good old agnostic spent the last week before he killed 168 people at a Christian compound in Missouri soaking up all those positive waves. But this is a good technique. Since Christian fundamentalists believe the Mormons and Catholics are non-christian cults, when a Mormon and or Catholic goes out and slaughters a few people you can say they are not Christians. The Mormons can say that a baptist killer is not a christian. When we are done nobody who commits an act of terror is a Christian. Great spin. If you are a fool. These folks were motivated by extremist religious views.
Small Federal Government is Unconstitutional
We had a small federal government under the Articles of Confederation. It failed. We adopted the Constitution to have a strong, vital, national government. Small federal government is just a cover for segregation, nativism, and corporate control of our lives.
Lots of comments
First you can pick the haters out and they are on the right.
The Republicans have no constitutional arguments. Everything Obama has done is constitutional and backed by years of court decisions. 90% of what Obama has done is to continue Bush's policies.
Thinkingman needs to start thinking. Congress is not solely responsible for the budget. The President Proposes the budget. Congress approves it with changes. The President then signs it into law or not as he sees fit. What the President proposes is rarely changed to any significant degree. The President gets two shots at this and his/her control of one of the major parties gives him huge influence in Congress. Thus the President is primarily responsible for the budget and the deficit.
Republicans want the country destroyed?
Yes, they do. Every economic downturn since the great depression has occurred while a Republican controlled the White House. Russ told you he wanted America to fail. Why, becaue they have changed the rules so that exporting businesses and jobs is more profitable then keeping them here. They oppose all immigrantion because they plan on moving the jobs out that would support the immigrants. Fact is they have the opposite ideas to Kotkin.
This is a very good idea.
If its to tell the real Revolutionary War story. People are so ignorant of the Revolution they accept the Tea Party or the NRA's ideologic driven agenda or the pro-gun rally scheduled for today. Pro-gun groups are closer to the truth but they so often mix their message with small government positions. The purpose of the Constitution was the defeat of the small federal government anti-federalists by creating a strong activitist government which could defend the country and establish an economic system a non-mercantile trade system. The Federalists saw nothing good in small government policies. Their principles were manifest destiny - the expansion of the US to cover the entire continent, strong national defense with a standing army and navy, and economic growth through the development of our industrial base.
Jim Koch
SSDD,
I think you'll find that Charles Koch owns Koch Industries not Jim Koch the brewer.
Brillant comment
Vinny, couldn't have been better. As we now know tea partiers are rich, old, republicans who want to control our lives. They are irrelevant pigs.
Perversity
We have to understand that some people like Mr. Yates have a perverse and twisted sense of morality. This demostration is not for shock value; its educational. Every child over the age of 6 should be required to attend. Those under 6 should already have seen their mothers nude and there is absolutely nothing wrong or improper about it.
Would you applaud Hitler on the ballot?
Heath is a hater who wants to use the police power of the state to harm a segment of its citizens. His defeat is certain, but as his friend says this is about press coverage not an election. I hope the Sun-Journal and the rest of Maine's media refuses to be used by this dispicable bigot.
Constitution
Well we can be certain that RedWhiteBlue and marooned don't support the Constitution, don't like America, and don't even like beautiful Maine. How can you pretend to be a patriot when you don't like the country you live in.
double standard
"if you go thru with this march you are not only putting yourself at risk, but you will also be putting all the other women at risk for stalkers and perverts." This is why Andrea needs to march.
it's too little
In a recession you should spend. When the economy is growing you should cut government. Repubs just don't understand economics.
Thanks to Sen. Hastings.
Andrea is right on
The idea that women can't go topless in public is purely social prejudice. Its irrational and a double standard. If I can make it from work, I will be happy to join her.
anti-democrat
Maybe you do need some ideas to be elected to Congress. That's why we have Mr. Levesque. Republican economic policy is anti-growth. They have been responsible for every recession in US history starting with the great Depression. That community organizer began office with 700,000 people a month being thrown out of work and now with have the start of hiring. The economy had crashed under Bush and now under Obama grows. If you want to destroy the middle class, vote republican.
Are more guns less safe?
All social scientists who have studied this question have come to the conclusion that we are safer with more guns. Conservatives like John Lott say by a lot; Liberals say by a little.
tron's wrong here
Tron the 2nd amendment is clear. Its history is clear. But all those folks saying that we have the second amendment so they can defend themselves is flat out wrong. At the Constitutional ratification conventions amendments were offerred that allowed people the ownership of firearms for the purposes of hunting, self-defence, and several others. All were defeated.
The second amendment was specifically adopted to prevent any government from confiscating firearms as the British tried in Lexington and Concord. That confiscation was the trigger that started the Revolution.
But I think a very good case can be made for self-defence based on government's fundamental duty to protect the lives of its citizens failing to do so the individual inherently has that right. We just have to recognize that this is a change in our Constitution (a change from a national defence to a personal defence rational means a very differnet understanding of what the public can do with firearms)required by the changing needs of our people and our situation without an amendment. Self-defence as a reason for the second amendment is one of the clearest example of how the Constitution must grow with the country and often outside formal procedures.
Parents
Great education is the product of motivated students. Parents, teachers, or the students themselves can provide the motivation. If a student is lucky they will find one or two teachers that can light the fire of inquiry in them. So don't blame teachers. Blame the students first; its their lives. Blame the parents next; they provide the funding and we hope guidance. If the first two don't do it, then trust to luck because education is an interpersonal experience.
Joke
She voted against Health Care Reform stabbing every senior citizen in the back.
Republicans are professional liars
thinkingman continues to prove that someone esle is doing his thinking. The 16,5000 new agents is an invention based on complete false and knowingly false assumptions made by the Republicans. They, first, assumed that maximum IRS estimated implementation costs. They then assumed all that money would be spent on new employees. Lastly they assumed that new hires would be paid the same as trained experienced agents. The CBO and IRS agree at most a few hundred new employees will be required.
This is just like the Republicans estimate of 159 new departments. They assumed that every new grant program will require a new department and all new empoyees. The non-Republican consensus is that at most less than a dozen new departments will be needed and most will get their employees from transfers from other departments.
Death panels. The Republicans most have modelled this fantasy after the insurance industries' death panels.
The hits they just keep a comin'
empoverishment
The "free enterprise model" does work in very limited circumstances. Replacing a feudal or mercantile system will grow the middle class. Replacing a fascist system (a feudal capitalist model) will grow the middle class. In general replacing any highly centralized tyrannical economic system will increase growth and benefit the middle class. But the same is true with a loosely managed or mixed economy. And the mixed economy can continue growth for centuries whereas a free enterprise model is designed to collapse after a decade or so.
Myopia?
Charles you have it right. But perhaps its too little. Employing 7% of the unemployed while admirable it doesn't nearly deal with the problem of the failed "free enterprise system". Now if you need a good example of a failed economic model that's it. Also its a fantasy model. No country anywhere has ever used a free enterprise system. Everytime they try (because it benefits a very small minority of the people and a completely corrupt system) the system collapses. Just go to the web site that lists US recesssions. Identify the political parties that control the country immediately before. 1929 - Republican. 1957 - Republican. 1973 - Republican. 1982 - Republican. 1987 - Republican. 1992 - Republican. 2001 - Democrat. 2007 - Republican. 1937 - Democrat. 1937 and 2001 are due to the Democrats implementing the Republican policies of under-regulation, soak the poor, and promote foreign aggression or Republicans in Congress controlled the political agenda. Now that's a failed economic model. In fact, the Republican Party has been following an economic model that says we need no numbers. We can make it up as we go along for some 30 years. What did that produce. Flat wages (decreasing wages for the middle class and rapidly increasing wages for the rich) while productivity about doubled i.e. the rich gained all the benefits while empoverishing the middle class.
Indexing minimum wage is necessary
But the use of the CPI alone doesn't fully reflect business conditions. When the economy is growing 4 or 5% minimum wage employees should share in the benefits. When the economy is contracting by 3 or 4 % they should shoulder some of the burden. Business should not be limited to choices of just hiring or firing.
Republican Lies are news??
The Republicans are making this all up. And its all lies. That's why the President has to come to Maine. He needs to get the truth out. No death panels. No government official will be making health care decisions. No government takeover of health care. Republicans claim the law creates 159 new departments. It does no such thing. The Republicans assumed that every grant program, every demonstration project would require a new department and new employees. They don't. All but a handful will be handled by existing employees in existing departments.
No 15,000 new IRS agents and certainly no agents coming to your door. The Republicans divided the average salary of an IRS employee into their estimate for what the IRS will need to manage the program and assumed that all that would go to new employees. Well, its not. No one can estimate what it will cost or how many employees will be required.
The IRS under the legislation as passed does not have any enforcement authority at all. They can access the penalty for not getting insurance, but if you don't pay they have no criminal, civil, or administrative power to collect the penalty.
All Republican lies to scare the uninformed, those who casually look at politics, and the simply ignorant.
Republican Displeasure????
Nothing but lies. That's what the Republicans have to offer and that's why the President has to come to Maine. He needs to get the truth out. No death panels. No government official will be making health care decisions. No government takeover of health care. No 159 new departments of government (but there will be a few. The Republicans added all the grant and demonstration programs with the new departments to come up with 159. All but a handful will be handled by existing employees in existing departments. No 15,000 new IRS agents and certainly no agents coming to your door. The IRS under the legislation as passed does not have any enforcement authority at all. They can access the penalty for not getting insurance, but if you don't pay they have no criminal, civil, or administrative power to collect the penalty. All Republican lies to scare and abuse mainly serior citizens.
I'll be there
I will live in the shadow of the Turbines. I don't mind how they look. I don't mind the noise they make. I do mind that they will be built solely to make some people rich at our expense. And no they are not democrats.
You can if you bake another one
The editorial is right on and should stand on its own merits.
What happens when you don't think
Typical uninformed letter compounded by the "we are victims" whimperings of the completely off base right.
First, Maine does not have "some of the highest taxes in the nation" and never has had. Maine was rated second by the Tax Foundation, an extreme right-wing group which then admitted that they had mis-calculated and Maine was really 22nd. Then they couldn't explain why they included taxes paid to the state of Alaska by oil companies on production in Alaska were included in taxes paid by Maine citizens.
Second, the recession has forced 37 states to raise taxes and fees, and cut programs. Maine has increased some fees, but raised no taxes. Maine has proposed a $55,000,000 tax cut which the Republicans have prevented Mainers from getting.
Third, when the ratings come out for last year Maine will have fallen into the 30's range being one of the least taxed states in the country.
Fourth, Being critical of business when they break the law or operate unethically or just simply do the wrong thing is our civic duty. To suggest that we slavishly defend business is simply morally wrong.
And to suggest that business is the source of all money and therefore we should bow down to their awesome power is disgusting.
Both Sides?
Cathy,
You write as if there is moral equivalency between the two sides. One side wants children to get high quality health care. The other side doesn't. One side wants women to be viewed as a patient. The other side as a pre-existing condition. One side wants doctors, especially those in rural areas, to get fully reimbursed for the care they provide. The other side want doctors to receive as little as possible so that their care will be seen as a failure. One side wants bad doctors and hospitals to be held accountable for their actions. The other side wants bad doctors and hospitals to get a free ride. One side is interested in the results of Health Care Reform. The other side is more concerned about the process.
These bills has been debated for more than a year (many months before there was either bill). It needs no more debate. It needs to be implemented. And because it is implemented over the course of time the Congress can correct the law if necessary without disrupting the hundreds of changes made by this law.
church and state
First, church employees are free to discuss anything within their church without risking the church's tax-exempt status except they can not endorse a candidate for election and they can not run a political campaign out of the church.
Second, church employees should use their free speech rights to comment on social issues of the day just like anyone else and to try to mold the political environment.
Third, and we, their audience, are free to ignore everything they say. For surely anyone who believes in the supernatural, magic, and 6-foot tall bunny rabbits is not, by definition, in touch with reality.
Who is responsible for the mess we are in?
"The three stooges Obama,Polosi and Reid are responsible for the mess we are in..." What planet to you live on. Surely not this one.
Our current recession began in December 2007. 11 months before the election. Most economists admit that the recession bottomed-out in March 2009. Geo. Bush entered office with a $50 billion fiscal surplus and a very minor and isolated recession caused by the dot com bubble. Obama entered with a $1.3 trillion deficit and the worst recession since WWII, 15 million people out of work, a frozen financial system, a million families going bankrupt each year because of medical cost. Yes, this mess must be all Obama, Pelosi, and Reid's fault.
Libertarians
Libertarians argue that we need a radically smaller federal government. We tried that and it failed miserably. From 1781 to March 4, 1789 our federal government had no president, couldn't levy taxes or control commerce among its many failings. We, the people of the United States, not the states themselves agreed to be governed by a strong, vital national government in order "to create a more perfect union" of the people. That's why the Constitution begins "We, the people".
Vote Libertarian
All those who wish to repeal the Constitution; vote libertarian. The libertarian Party stands for the rejection of everything that the Constitution was created to do. Fact is that the Libertarian Party is the Republican Party of my great uncle's day say 1940 when he died. Isolationist, luddites who fear economic progress and international cooperation.
Slight of hand
No deficit??? A Surplus. Do you see the slight of hand used by David Gagnon. Clinton cut the fiscal deficit and achieved four years of fiscal surpluses. So David directs you to the debt web page. Not the fiscal deficit which comes from the budget (revenue - expenditures) which is what we are talking about because that's what a President controls. Debt includes many items most of which the President doesn't control. Republican Presidents have added $12.0 of the $12.9 trillion to the fiscal deficit and that's a fact.
Debt
"...there was no reficit reduction, no surplus, no savings under clinton...The far-right fanatics can't even accepted well documented facts. 4 straight years of federal fiscal deficit reductions and budget surpluses using the same formula that for decades have shown the Republicans' wasteful spending that has created $12 trillion of fiscal debt of the $12.9 trillion that has been created in over 220 years.
The worst of the Health Care Reform bill that passed the house Sunday is better than anything the Republicans proposed under their new campaign slogan - Don't get sick, and when you do die quickly.
silly arguments
Not only are these lawsuits frivolous and their arguments are unconstitutional. Being forced to buy insurance has been tested in the courts before and found constitutional.
"....there would have been overwhelming bi-partisan support." No. The Republicans decided long before the health care debate in congress to destroy the Obama administration by every means at their disposal. Killing the Health Care bill was in their warped little minds the same as killing the administration. Well they lost in November and they lost in March.
They challenged the reconciliation bill last night and got two meaningless provisions removed requiring a new vote in the house. Smart move. Not really, because now the Senate can make any change they want in the reconciliation bill that is budget related. They can add a public option. They can extend Medicare to everyone. And only need 50 votes.
Please Republicans run on repealing health care for disabled children. Pretty Please. Or your motto - Don't get sick; if you do die quickly.
Even the unsavory deals were specific fixes for specific problems where more Federal dollars should have been available a long time ago or will help make sick people well. The worst in the bill is better than anything the Republicans proposed.
History Day
Great that Dirigo kids participated.
History and politics are the two least taught subjects. Americans' ignorance of history is such a shame.
Voluntary policing?
"Let gun owners police themselves." Let Wall Street police itself. Left Enron police itself. Let business voluntarily regulate themselves. Has voluntary policing ever worked anywhere at anytime. No. If its a big enough problem to be discussed it needs independent regulation.
But that doesn't make SSDD right in this case. "handguns which serve no purpose but to kill people.." only means "which serve no purpose I recognize, but to kill people".
275,000,000 guns in private hands can not be regulated without such burdensome measures that they would be politically impossible to attain. Banning the sale and possession of handguns is a fantasy that prevents real solutions from being discussed or implemented. Let's get real.
Republicans
SSDD, aren't you a little hard on the Republicans. They are doing what their coalition wants. The racists want Obama destroyed. The homophobes and fundamentalists want the liberals destroyed. The Corporate lobbyists want their clients to be able to loot the Federal Treasury and to lift our wallets as required. The military wants to practice on living subjects. You may notice that the "national interest" is not in their agenda. "National Defense" is a hollow debating point. Good of, help, solve problems, unite the nation these are all foreign concepts. I know 8 year old boys that have better social skills, composure, and judgement than the typical Republican congressman.
Delusions
Republican delusions and paranoid misinformation intended to frighten senior citizens and the poor are not policy. Republicans have committed themselves to wrecking the US. 8 years and 8.4 million jobs lost. 27 trillion dollars in asset values lost. The dollar weakened. The Debt more than doubled. Destroy Obama at any costs even the vitality of the country. Their technique - spread racist and homophobic irrational fears - as was demonstrated over the weekend. How can they have any credibility when their only policy proposals are temper tantrums that would embarass an 8 year old.
"And there may be another billion or two to be saved by rooting out waste and fraud." Sorry its not a billion or so; its 60 billion dollars per year. The cost of the whole health care reform bill is just 95 billion per year and its paid for by this bill.
But much remains to be done. A public option or a single-payer system or regulations that will strangle the health care insurance industry.
tron got it right as usual
Any one in management knows the Deming approach that holds that 85% of the problems in an organization are caused by top management. Schools are no different. You simply can't change the facts. Management makes the decisions that make organizations strong or poor performers not workers. No one should regret that after years of failure a principle is asked to leave.
Wind power
"Where do the wind power companies expect to sell their output?" They don't. At least the land based wind farms (oceans might be different) will make money solely from the Federal and State subsidies. Wind farms do not reduce our demand for oil or natural gas based energy generation. Wind Farms do not reduce our balance of payments deficits. Wind Farms do nothing but sacrifice the quality of life in Maine for private profits.
Schools failing
With one exception this editorial and the comments associated are proof that Maine schools are failing.
Not a Priest
Being a dues-paying member of the League of the South, being associated with a secessionist group in Vermont, being a bit of a survivalist, and being an internet priest, suggests that this man's love of guns may present risks.
League of the South
The League of the South has been identified by the Southern Proverty Law Center as a white supremist neo-confederate organization. "The Alabama-based group is against interracial marriage, believes the old Confederacy never surrendered, and wants to reestablish "the cultural dominance of the Anglo-Celtic people and their institutions". You "just" don't belong to the League of the South. You don't "just" believe in some of its views.
In 2005 the white supremist SVR, which argues for Vermont to secede from the Union, joined with the League of the South in hopes of breaking America up into pure ethnic republics.
This man's background suggests that he may be very dangerous.
League of the South
The League of the South has been identified by the Southern Proverty Law Center as a white supremist neo-confederate organization. "The Alabama-based group is against interracial marriage, believes the old Confederacy never surrendered, and wants to reestablish "the cultural dominance of the Anglo-Celtic people and their institutions". You "just" don't belong to the League of the South. You don't "just" believe in some of its views.
In 2005 the white supremist SVR, which argues for Vermont to secede from the Union, joined with the League of the South in hopes of breaking America up into pure ethnic republics.
This man's background suggests that he may be very dangerous.
Joy
I believe Henry has been proposing this for decades. Quess its the only way he can be elected Govenor of anything.
Open Carry
veritas,
Go to Vermont. Many people do carry their guns into restaurants/coffee shops, grocery stores, banks. No problems in decades.
Hitler?
"Gun control IS the NEXT THING OUR GOVERMENT WILL ENACT JUST LIKE HITLER BEFORE WWII !!!!" Another groudless rural legend with no rational support. The situation in Germany before WWII has no bearing on our situation now. Before being elected you ranted and raved about how Obama was going to take away your guns. What's really happenned. Obama has signed laws extending the use of guns to our national parks. You can only yell the "sky is falling" for so long before people figure out you have nothing to contribute.
By the way the next thing the government will enact is National Health Care Reform. Gun Control isn't on the radar.
Quotes
Wonderful quotes. I hope some of them are true. The first two don't apply because they are pre-Constitution. The Jefferson quote cares little weight because he was an anti-federalist (opposed the adoption of the Constitution. He also took no part in the debates about the Consitution. Did not attend the Constitutional Convention nor the Virginia Ratification Convention and was no part of the group working to adopt the Constitution. He was in France during this entire period. ). Jefferson's Constitutional principles were nationally rejected by 1824. His party dissolved and was replaced by the Jacksonians in 1832.
Open Carry
"Have Liberals ever heard of the Bill of Rights or the Constitution?" Yes!
"People do not trust this incompetent government of Obama's (and Maines too,) and they are showing it by arming themselves like no other time." Why? If self-defense is the reason to arm and crime control is primarily a local (municapal, town, city) responsibility then no one has any reason to arm because of what state or national government does.
"when the people are armed the crime goes down. Look up NY crime stats!" No scientific proof of this exists. The only thing that we can be certain of is that armed citizens do not significantly worsen the statistics. NY city has made handguns illegal for many years. If the their stats have gone down its for other reasons or you weren't specific enough and meant NY state. Crime stats generally are unaffect by the number of guns but are affected by economics. We just had a huge recession which could explain any change in crime stats.
What we need is to protect ourselves from these self-serving, unsupported urban/rural legends. First the right to own a gun is an individual right as stated by the Washington DC case and soon to be re-stated in the Chicago case. That does not give anyone the unrestricted right to use their gun in any way they see fit. The Supreme Court is expected by all sides to support this conclusion in the Chicago decision. The problems this editorial presents are equally unfounded. Lastly, no question remains that banning, registering, or greatly restricting the use of guns in this country where we have 275,000,000 in private hands is impossible without tryanny and that will not work.
As the NRA says, guns don't kill, people do. If we are to address the problems that weapons cause we must do so by changing people not by artificial unenforcable laws. In other words, training, training, training.
Its not the R's fault
Republicans once were a loyal opposition now they are no more than the lunatic fringe whose activities are funded by the Corporate elite that owns them (FreedomWorks and the Tea Parties as a some example). But make no mistake about it, The Corporate elite rents the Democrats (Blanche Lincoln, Joe Lieberman, Kent Conrad). They have influence because they contribute money, supply campaign workers, and influence voters who work in their industries. The fault is with the corporate elite who are the enemy of every working person.
Robert Soucy
"Free trade" is just another name for how to wreck an economy. Some of the things Mr. Soucy writes are right on the money, but he leaps to false conclusions. Protective tarriffs and no international trade agreements will also wreck our economy and put most of us out of work. NAFTA traded away some American industries to get American export industries working. Trouble is its a bad deal. A few very rich people in American became richer and 3 million Americans lost their jobs along with millions more in Mexico and Canada.
Let's end NAFTA but the right way with fair trade agreements.
Truth
Conservatives on this page claim that they are not bigots; that that is just liberal name calling. Then they lie about the definition of bigotry not make their position plausible. Sorry, bigots we can't let you get away with it.
Bigotry is the irrational hatred or prejudice against a group of people that results in intolerance. The key is "irrational". Conservatives have taken political positions for hundreds of years that they can be rationally defend. Buckley was great at that. He through the bigots out of the conservative movement because he understood that bigots (racists, homophobes, nativists) would discredit the movement. Well he's dead. The John Birch Society is back co-sponsoring CPAC. The League of the South is welcomed in conservative circles (Joe Wilson is a Republican representative and member of the league of the south). Our first black president is being attacked for positions he does not support and are completely invented by the whacko wing of the conservative movement out of their racist hatred. The birthers have rejected all credible evidence that Obama was born in the US and have even tried to pawned off a fraudulent Kenyan birth certificate because they can't accept that a black man was duly elected President. Three court decisions have shown that no rational argument supports opposing same-sex marriage and the US Constitution requires allowing same-sex marriage. Michael Savage has coined the phrase that is nativism - Language, Borders, and Culture. Now these irrational purveyors of hatred have taken over the Republican Party. That is not intolerance; it is bigotry.
French health care
Please show me where anyone is proposing adopting the French Health Care system in the US.
Fact remains we can save up to 30% of health insurance costs with any public option. Government workers get better insurance than we do because insurance companies are required to compete against each other. In 47 of 50 states there is no competition because health care insurers are not covered by anti-trust laws.
Graft
Some folks like Rep. Cunningham and Jefferson took graft. But we are gullable to think that most of the rest are honest and certainly its paranoid delusions to think all of them are dishonest.
Public Option
Since no bill before congress right now has a public option no one can say what it is or isn't. Public option could be an extention of Medicare - the most successful health insurance plan ever created. Could be private insurance pools regulated by government. Both could save up to 30% of the insurance dollar.
Webster
Webster's opposition to the bill is not based on anything in the bill; its based on what isn't in the bill and Webster fantazing about what might be added in the future. Classic Republican misinformation campaign. This bill is good for 87% of Mainers. It will cut taxes by about $55,000,000. The Wall Street Journal called the legislation a "miracle".
thinkingman
How do you end the partisan strife in Washington. 70% of the American people believed that Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11. Why, because their President told them so. When truth becomes more valuable to a politician than lies then partisanship will end.
Republicans
Sen. Snowe didn't show because she wants to be vice-president some day. The Republicnas have been taken over by their lunatic-fringe. Nothing could be clearer than their fund raising powerpoint presentation that made the news yesterday. It demeaned their donors as driven by fear and ego-maniacs. It demeaned the president and leaders of the Senate and House. It showed contempt for the American polity.
Collins went over to the dark side long ago. Should we be surprised that Snowe has followed.
Bigotry
"Also, where is the attempt to direct students who have issues in these areas to the proper medical specialties that can help them?"
Transgender people have no medical problems other than the cosmetic changes needed to align their body with their minds. I doubt that is a school's responsibility.
The Maine Human Rights Commission position is correct. Where now we stereotype people and segegrate them by sex, the MHRC is saying protect the privacy of each individual. A locker room does nothing to protect someone's privacy. Its designed that way to save money at the expense of privacy.
Its an old scam.
This has nothing to do with Democrats or Republicans. First its too much work for Republicans and its not imaginative enough for Democrats.
KFmaine is right on the money.
Schools
All bad ideas. "autonomous innovation school" isn't that just code for non-union. I've never belonged to any union but after "No child left behind" its obvious every teacher should be a member.
Sun and fun
Tomorrow its going to be sunny and warm. A great break from winter.
Armymom will of course complain that skiing will shortly end, flowers will soon bloom, and the Red Sox will soon begin their quest for another World Campionship.
Nonsense
Comphrensive Health Reform is wildly popular. Polling is 2-1 in favor.
What's not popular is the Senate Bill. Its not popular with progressives, health care workers, and the general public because it does not include the public option or Medicare expansion that are supported again by wide majorities. Its not popular with populists because every special interest got their little (multi-billion dollar) bribe to not publicly oppose the bill. Its unpopular with conservatives because even with its many defects it would still save 44,870 lives each year. Its unpopular with Republicans because it would go a long way to solving a major American problem, cut the deficit they created, and credit would have to go to the Democrats.
A bill most pass. Just lets hope is way different than the Senate Bill.
Wind Power
Anna, your assumptions are wrong. Wind power does produce clean power, but it does not increase our energy security or cut our use of fossil fuel. Your comparison is wrong not Dwight's.
Debt
"A Moody's Investor Service report written in late January said Maine had "below average debt levels" and praised the state's "management of spending levels."
All the loonies need to re-read that sentence. This bond will not add to Maine's tax burden nor does it reflect a irresponsible attitude toward spending. Maine has done the best job of any state in the last 4 or so years in controlling spending.
This bond is important for economic development and for jobs now.
Food
Wish I had known about this.
I learned the truth of this message last fall when I took high fructose corn syrup out of my diet and cured my gout.
I went to one of the Ag Fairs Sunday. I plan on doing just what Kingsolver did but in Maine
Who cares
I don't.
I do care about Tiger Woods support for organizations that use slave labor. Would he please explain who is working on his golf course in Dubai.
Welfare
This letter isn't just petty and judgemental. It's wrong on every count.
People do not move to Maine to get welfare benefits. Maine's benefits are lower than the rest of the Northeast. In fact, 6 people on welfare in Maine move out of state for each person on welfare elsewhere moves in to Maine. Many of those moving to Maine has social security numbers issued in Maine. So they are returning home.
Having babies is a sin? Doubt it. Sorry I don't think the state should control a women's genitals.
So if Bert has no facts then I suggest he can not draw any conclusions. But he does. So this must be a lot like a temper tantrum.
Transgender
Bigots 2 sane 1. So far.
kj has it right. This is only an issue for the parents not the kids. We can expect a few students to act out to get their parents approval by harassing or harming trans kids. Immediate action by administrators should end this.
So now its tied. 2-2
Priate, I realize you can't
Priate, I realize you can't keep on target with your comments. How well they have managed Social Security and Medicare? First Social security isn't a health insurance or health care program so that's off target; but Social Security is the most successful public program in history. Scial Security has kept many millions of Americans out of poverty for over 70 years. Medicare is wildly popular. More popular, providing better service, and at lower cost than any insurance company. And look at health insurance companies. Not subject to antitrust laws, they can increase their prices in 27 states without review by anyone. They operate as monopolies in 47 of 50 states. Repeal these advantages and many would go out of business because they are incompetently managed. They are primarily vehicles to loot money from the public and transfer it to an undeserving elite.
Demonstrates why we need a
Demonstrates why we need a national public option that will contain the premium costs demanded by monopoly insurance companies.
the partisan bias is obvious
the partisan bias is obvious from these comments.
While I can't justify county government at all, if we must have it then we need elected officials accountable to the voters not appointed "yes" men from the old boys network.
Wind power does not displace
Wind power does not displace oil. It might displace coal, but because wind power is inconsistent backup generation facilities which are coal, natural gas, and occassionally oil fired are need to be in place ready to run when the wind generation fails. So for a practical matter, wind may displace nothing.
"Maine is not the highest
"Maine is not the highest taxed state in the nation, but it’s close" In an otherwise, factual and important editorial this sentence sticks out as very wrong out-of-date idea and perpetuates the myth that Maine is highly taxed.
The Tax Foundation (a right wing organizations which uses its tax burden ratings to justify its policy choices) has written that Maine is 2nd in the nation a few years ago. Then they admitted that their method miscalculated the tax burden and they changed Maine from 2nd to 15th. Then Maine cut its budget and harmed its citizens in so doing on the wrong assumption that we were highly taxed. By last year Maine had fallen to 22th. Since then 35 states have raised taxes and fees some very significantly. Maine will surely fall once again probably to the mid-30's. Even this is wrong. The Tax Foundation pro-rates taxes paid in other states for commodity production based on commodity usage. So Maine gets charged with taxes paid in Alaska for oil produced in Alaska under Alaska state law disproportionately because we are a cold winter state. Remove this and Maine will fall to the low 40's.
Maine is no where near to the top in tax burden.
$7.50/hr times 2080 hours per
$7.50/hr times 2080 hours per year that's $15,600 per year well below the poverty level for a family of four. Isn't that terrible that unlike average real wages that have decreased for middle class workers by 20% over the last 30 years some one is proposing that minimum wage employees over the next 30 years earn no real wage increase while the top 1% who have more than duobled their income in the last 30 years can expect a continuation of this. How about a tax credit for business owners equivalent to 10 times the increase in the minimum wage. That's fair isn't it. It just continues what's been happenning for the last few decades.
tron, Remember the
tron,
Remember the republican campaign strategy. "If Obama walks on water, claim he can't swim."
suelt1973, Health care costs
suelt1973,
Health care costs went up 6% last year. Insurance premiums in Maine 16-25% (30-39% in California, Nebraska, and many other states, 80% in Alaska.). Health care costs have obviously no relationship to insurance costs because insurance companies are monopolies and can set prices wherever they want. Insurance companies can refuse insurance to sick people before or after they pay their premiums.
The problem is not health care costs.
"know that we already have
"know that we already have the best health care on the planet." Like Armymom the search for ignorance goes on unabated. No certifying body; no medical authority; no agency of government anywhere reports that the US has the "best health care on the planet". That on person whatever their status comes to the US for specialized care proves nothing or if you prefer as little as a snow storm in Washington proves about climate change.
This claim is self delusion so that the author can defend the status quo. A status quo from which they most likely earn their living. For the rest of us, we need to re-double our efforts to save the lives of the 45,000 people who die each year because they don't have insurance, the 1 million a year who die because of medical malpractice, and the many millions who are injured because of rationing by the health insurance industry.
Armymom has descended into
Armymom has descended into nonsense. She refuses to listen or learn of facts. Froget the 1000+ FBI investigations into fraud by mortagage orginiators. Forget the now well documented regulator failures either because of repealed legal authority or because the regulators turned a blind eye to reported criminal activity. Forge the testimony before Congress by Alan Greenspan that he was wrong throughout his whole career in pursuing an expansive monetary policy. Forget all this so Armymom can feel morally superior for her alleged austerity. She like George prefer emotional temper tantrums which have nothing to do with the situation rather than solutions. Its all about Armymom. Pathetic.
She prefers to blame the victim rather than the criminal. Please explain Armymom how investors in Madoff's ponzi scheme could have protected themselves without assistance from law enforcement.
George named everything
George named everything except the weather for causes of our current economic disaster. He only needed to list de-regulation, fraud by mortagage originators and banks, and expansive monetary policies that created investment bubbles. Guess George doesn't know that. George used a TV commercial for his facts!!!! He guessed at the number of local taxpayers who can't pay their property taxes.
How did this letter get published? Why did it get published?
less than 10 percent of the
less than 10 percent of the scientists? Fact is only one out of thousands. "Climategate" is another right-wing manufactured smear financed by the coal and coal-fired energy industry.
Robert Bruce Acheson is or
Robert Bruce Acheson is or was a member of the looney cold war anti-communist conspiracy jokester of the John Birch Society, a group wrong about everything. Weren't they selling vitamin supplements a few years back.
We can see their insanity with his statement, "Jobs never started to get out-sourced to China until President George Bush pushed the North American Free Trade Agreement..." NAFTA which was negiotiated by Bush I was never signed by Clinton. Clinton signed a must-sign Omnibus Military Appropriations bill to which NAFTA had been attached. Since Clinton did not have a line-item veto, he had to sign the appropriations bill with NAFTA which he opposed. Jobs have been out sourced since the 1970's long before NAFTA and NAFTA has nothing to do with out-sourcing jobs to China or anywhere else for that matter. The effect of NAFTA has been to decrease employment in the US, Mexico, and Canada. Its one of the worst foreign trade agreements ever signed while increasing the profits of America's uber-rich.
But Mr. Acheson grows his paranoia when saying, "the Federal Reserve is a cartel of foreign bankers, such as the Bilderburgers and the Rothschilds... Poor Rothschilds. They have been blamed by every anti-semitic group for 200 years for everything that's gone wrong in the world including the weather. The Federal Reserve is a cartel of American privately held banks. Its critical to the functioning of the economy.
The national debt is not primarily the result of interest paid to Foreign Banks. Under George Bush 43 the debt more than doubled. All the monies added to the debt can be accounted for in new programs initiated by Bush - the $2.3 trillion tax cuts for the rich, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - $1 trillion, the Medicare Part D - $725 billion, and the financial services bailout - $2 trillion. That's 6 trillion of the $7 trillion Bush added to the deficit. No interest included.
over 300 "terrorists" have
over 300 "terrorists" have been tried in federal court, largely found guilty, and imprisoned or given the death penalty.
New information is that the Christmas bomber is signing like a bird to intelligence agencies.
Looks like it worked well. Like the DHS director said, everything has worked out well AFTER the EVENT.
Collins has no right to be in the Senate. She allowed Halliburton to kill American soldiers by not holding hearings on its failure to ground shower facities. She's the terrorist.
I came to the debate hoping
I came to the debate hoping to get some information on which to base my support or opposition to the proposal to build a wind farm on Holman Mountain in Dixfield.
Dr. Jennings made a powerful impression. He argued that the people of the Common Road should be willing to sacrifice their health and homes so that his grandchildren (whom he couldn't name and he tried) can enjoy the benefits of an end to Global Warming. He dismissed the health and other complaints of residents near other wind farms as "exaggerated" and unimportant. I don't think the people of the Common Road are expendable. I don't think they should be asked to sacrifice their health and homes for the profits of a Wind Co which primarily comes from Federal subsidies - our tax dollars.
Pirate, Libertarian ideas???
Pirate,
Libertarian ideas??? No. Many fine organizations in America exist that believe in magic, worshipping the sun, and similiar follies. Libertarians have no ideas becuase ideas require a degree of rationality. Libertarians are believers in a false almost religion that never let actual experience intrude on their dreams.
Well Tommy
Well Tommy "same-tried-old-follies" Shields is at it again presenting a mix and match of long ago discredited bad ideas. Tommy how about a fresh idea like attacking Mexico so we can steal California. Let's take these ideas one at a time:
1. Balanced Budget Amendment - terrible idea. Means the federal government can not respond to the business cycle. Violates Article 1 Section 8's stated purpose of the Congress and its powers.
2. Congressional Term limits - correctly known as the lobbyist empowerment act. Would turn over control of the Congress to the corporation elite. The people's voice would be silenced.
3. Line-item veto. Finally we almost have a winner. But another violation of the Constitution. Moves us toward a dictator and away from a President. With this the President might as well ignore the Congress entirely and just write his own budget that's more like what you do at home isn't that a good idea.
4. English as an official language. Well we could do that. But if we did why stop there. How about caucasian as the offical race. Why not bar immigration. We haven't needed this in 223 years, we don't need it now. Its also backwards, the government is to serve the people, not the people serve the government.
5. Curb the deficit. Great idea. When was the last time you heard of a military procurement program stopped dead in its tracks? Hint last year when the F-22 boondoogle was stopped. Its good to know that Republicans are concerned about the deficit crisis that they created. Bush II more than doubled the federal debt entirely with new programs that Republicans in Congress supported completely. Obama on the other hand has introduced a budget which will cut these huge Republican deficits in half. Not enough but a place to begin. Also the timing of the cuts in deficits is important; can't take effect until the economy has recovered.
6. Give tax incentives for businesses to employ more people. Another good idea. Its already in Obama's budget and he is promoting it all over.
7. Affirm the foreign terrorists don't have the legal rights of US citizens. Here Shields disagress with his own party. The numbers vary but the Bush administration gave foreign terrorists legal rights under our Constitution - over 200 in 119 trials depending on how you look at it. Our Constitution and international treaties require that foreign "terrorists" have the same rights in our courts as our citizens. The Shoe Bomber was given his rights under Bush in 5 minutes and before any interrogation.
Given all the ideas that Shields promotes that violate our Constitution and not just bad policy, maybe Shields needs to go back to school.
Whose name is on the order -
Whose name is on the order - G. W. Bush. All the bank bailout funds were committed ($12.9 trillion) by Paulsen under Bush's orders by November of 2008. Obama was able to modify the auto bailout so that the US people had some role in deciding how those funds were used. At $5 billion for GM it hardly made a dent.
To fix a problem you have to
To fix a problem you have to know the real cause.
Let's take for the most recent example, Rep. Hensarling R-TX. Obama slapped him down at the Republican House Conference Friday. Well he appeared on Hardball last night and said that the deficit was caused by the Democratic Congress because they passed the budget. Partisan, disingenuous, false conclusion, and a misrepresentation of how our government works. The President proposes the budget. Congress modifies his proposal. The President approves the budget or vetoes it. Congress can override the veto. Congress is only responsible and then only partially for the changes they made. The President is responsible for the rest.
Since the President is primarily responsible for the budget lets look at G. W. Bush's performance. He did not propose paying for new programs which added $4 trillion to the deficit - $2.3 trillion in tax cuts, $1 trillion in war costs, $725 billion in Medicare Part D. The Congressional Republican Party voted for these new programs. The President proposed spending of about $3 trillion to bailout the financial services sector of the economy and guarantee and additional $9 trillion in spending if necessary. The deficit under Bush's proposals which were not paid for increased the deficit from $5.7 trillion to $12.9 trillion and the Congressional Republicans supported every one of these proposals. Bush did not veto any bill passed by the Republican Congress. Now the Republicans and Rep. Hensarling admit that they want the poor and middle class to pay for all of this by either privatizing Social Security and Medicare or by reducing benefits for those under 55. The wealthy will not pay a penny under the Republican plan.
Now that's the truth and the whole truth. The Federal Government can balance the budget. It did for four years under Bill Clinton. No commission can or should replace the Congress's Constitutional duty. If the American people are being irrational that's their right under the Constitution. They will remain irrational until someone has the courage to tell the whole truth and it won't be any Republican.
The headline is
The headline is wrong. Normally when Democrats President, caucus attendence is lower than when Republicans are President and lower in off years than in Presidential years. This year's attendence exceeded both 2002 and 2006 off years.
I believe the better than expected attendence is a sign that Obama has energized the Democratic Party. His sparkling and unprecendented performance at the Republican House Conference Friday and his handling of the economic emergency strengthens people in there resolve to get through this mess.
I believe the obstructionism of the Republican Party and the emergence of Susan Collins as one of the wingnuts who control this party of NO validates Democrats in their view that the Republicans are not interested in governing this Nation only in looting its treasury.
What's new about a Republican
What's new about a Republican lying to gain political advantage? Old as Joe McCathy, Richard Nixon, and George W. Bush or James O'Keefe the young Republican, employee of ultra-right wing web master Andrew Beitbart, and master of dirty tricks and disciple of Liddy who was recently arrested for attempting to bug the democratic Louisiana Senator's office. Republican and liar are synonyms.
Having wrecked the economy
Having wrecked the economy in the last 8+ years through false economic policies, the Republicans again are demanding that we do the wrong things - reduce the deficit now being one. They drove 8 million people out of work while spending billions and committing trillions to save Wall Street corporations. You would think they would have some shame. But no.
The President's plan is appropriate, sensible, and can give us some hope that next year a few million people will be back at work.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Old Bill, your Jefferson
Old Bill, your Jefferson quote is a phony. It was likely first printed in 1986 in John Galt, Dreams Come Due: Government and Economics as if Freedom Mattered] (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1986), 312. You can verify that at: http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/The_democracy_will_cease_...
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Yale situation is much
The Yale situation is much different. The story didn't state, but I'm assuming the University and the Author had a contract and it should govern this situation. I'd be amazed if the University isn't wrong.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Barfoot's gallant
Mr. Barfoot's gallant service is not a factor here. Should we look the other way every time a veteran breaks a rule or a law simply because he was a veteran (truthfully we should make every accommodation possible to Mr. Barfoot). My understanding is that the Homeowners Association owns the land where Mr. Barfoot placed the flag pole. Its their decision to make and they have choosen not to accommodate him.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This report is biased. The
This report is biased. The inclusion of properties more than 5 miles from the wind farm
where everyone would expect no impact waters down the data. The author did say that there were impacts just too few for a statistical conclusion.
Remember the Health Study in Rumford. Preliminary report found a statistical association with soft tissue cancers so people upwind of the mill were added to the study and surprise surprise the association disappeared.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Democrats from cutting
"Democrats from cutting vital Medicare coverage for our seniors.", so says John McCain. You know the guy who lost the Presidential election last year and the Senator who campaigned on making these same cuts. Imagine "small-government" Republicans opposing cutting out waste, fraud, and abuse from a government program. The sweet, pungent smell of hypocrisy is everywhere.
The Democrats bill does not cut medicare coverage much less "vital" medicare coverage. Just more Republican lies to frighten senior citizens. You would have thought we had learned not to listen to these folks after Bush lied to invade Iraq.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Something has to be done and
Something has to be done and done soon. More than 7 million people lost their jobs. We are unlikely to get all 7 million back after recovery. Took 8 years of very robust economic growth under Bill Clinton to reduce the unemployment rate by 4%. That's far too long for many people to wait.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Jobs must be the top
Jobs must be the top priority of our next Democrat Govenor.
Having wrecked the US economy, Republicans continue their long held goal of destroying the middle class and by doing so enrich the super-rich. Since 1980, wages have remained stagnant while productivity has doubled. In other words all our economic activity have benefitted the rich while the middle class has been destroyed. Before 1980 productivity and wages moved up together with 60% of the gain in productivity going to workers. What changed in 1980? Ronald Reagan was elected President and immediately set to breaking the unions, out sourcing our jobs, and giving tax breaks to companies that moved overseas.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Apparently Mr. Sabine runs a
Apparently Mr. Sabine runs a business and Pietar sells gas. As someone who does neither the most burdensome Maine tax is on property where the bottom 20% of wage earners pay 6.5% of their income in property taxes and the top 1% of wage earners pay 0.7%. So let's compromise. End all property and sales taxes. Adopt LD 1495 and then increase the refundable tax credits on the 40% of low and moderate income taxpayers. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I don't think that the SCLC
I don't think that the SCLC ever congradulated Bull Connors nor do I think they should have.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well its nice to know that
Well its nice to know that America still raises bizarre bigots.
The attack, Mr. Bechard, has never happenned. The ACLU and CAIR are both strong supporters of religion in general and Christianity in particular. The one who hates religion is Mr. Bechard.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Sammie, as always pure
Sammie, as always pure nuts.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The banks are making money
The banks are making money again but not providing loans to the economy which is their job.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Obama is driving him crazy.
Obama is driving him crazy. Doubt it. Seems from his letter that it is a pre-existing condition.
the stimulus (Obama's and it saved the economy at least for now), TARP (Bush's), financial takeovers and bonuses (Bush's), auto industry takeovers (Bush's with added Obama conditions to protect the american tax payer), cash for clunkers (Susan Collins' only good thing she has ever done. Added .8% to economic growth), government-run health care (No one's. there is no such proposal) , cap and tax (Under current proposals American taxpayers will not pay one penny in either higher taxes or rates), the cabinet (best in memory) and czars being avowed Marxists (Good, gives Obama a range of opinions from Republican mid-westerners to California activists, to New York financial experts) and tax cheats (didn't get the jobs), his affinity for our sworn enemies (he has not such affinity) and his deference to terrorists (he has none), his apologies for America (when we are wrong and for the past 8 years we were very wrong and arrogant, we should), and his complete ineptness in serving as commander in chief (what ineptness. His speech last night showed him to be a calm, deliberate, thoughtful leader who takes the advice of his suborrdinates) , to name just some (that Obama isn't or didn't do).
Proves one thing. If Obama walked on water, the Republicans would say he can't swim.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Great letter. The current
Great letter. The current Senate bill being debated this week is simply the insurance industry bailout bill. Far too conservative. The only feature worthy of passage is the public option and that has been watered down to the point that it just barely useful. H.R. 676 - expand Medicare to every resident of the US. fully fund it. Will make US business competive with the rest of the world. Will move doctors back to being doctors. Will end a lot of these family destructions.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Conservatives are so easily
Conservatives are so easily duped. So far the story is that a hacker stole 20,000 documents. Well no one's seen them. The hacker quoted a few indicating that one researcher may have destroyed some data that couldn't be explained by his hypothesis. He should not have done that, but its not uncommon. In fact, real scientific fraud goes on everyday. We see that almost daily now with the Coal industry advertising their "clean" coal technology which does not exist using data no one has ever been allowed to see. Or the tobacco industry proving by scientific tests that cigarettes are as good for you as milk.
Or the ACORN "scandal" manufactured by the Republican Party. What are the charges so far. Having millions of dollars embezzled from them. Drawing out important information from two frauds so they could report them to the police. Reporting to election officials that some of their temporarily hired voter registration collectors were completing fraudulent cards so they could collect more money. What's missing here. Any illegal activities by the ACORN organization. If ACORN registered only rich white folks, none of these charges would have been publicly raised.
The common thread here, is that without any evidence, no trials (innocent until proven guilty), these poor conservatives who lack critical thinking skills and are accustomed to taking orders jump on the bandwagon of invented scandal. Some do it because they have a financial interest in misleading the public, some because they have an ideologic interest in misleading the public, some because they simply lack to skills to not be fooled.
Then there are the birthers, etc, etc.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Medicare, Social Security,
"Medicare, Social Security, Amtrak, USPS,....all enterprises "successfully" managed by government. Glad you now understand that. The government als prvides 50%+ of all health insurance and their programs are better rated by the inured than private insurance.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
fixit001, obviously has some
fixit001, obviously has some problems. His anaysis of national politics is almost completely wrong. NAFTA didn't violate the Constitution. Its a bad treaty, but its very constitutional. Clinton never committed a crime in office. I don't know the President he's referring to about the bailout money, but let's hope its Bush because Obama continued the Bush bailouts with many added restrictions. "We" have made billions of dollars in profits from those bailouts.
And that's the problem with Rep. Bickford's letter. Where's the truth. He says, "This new tax scheme from the majority party will hit low-income and elderly Mainers the hardest..."
Primarily this comes from Mr. Albert Dimillio (one of the 13% of Mainers who will pay more until the new tax reform.). Rep. Bickford doesn't write that Mr. Dimillo's analysis was refuted months ago. He does'nt mention the refundable tax credits which replace deductions and will give low-income and enderly Mainers a check much larger than any sales tax increases. 6 out of 7 Mainers will pay lower taxes - $55,000,000 less under this bill. That's a tax cut.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
An all-volunteer military is
An all-volunteer military is a growingly bad idea. As you mentioned it isolates the military from the political process.
Our military has been infiltrated by extremist religious groups in the military academies and the pentagon (the 2006 fundraising video shot by "Christian Embassy" in the Pentagon using 7 general officers being one of the worst examples. 34 "Christian Embassy" volunteers without security clearances were given free rein to access the Pentagon including restricted areas.)
We should bring back the draft and make the military look like the people of the USA.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
the_poorman, good
the_poorman, good observation. Since 1980, working people's income has declined while the rich have doubled their money (some like CEO's hae increased their incomes by 1000%. Its embarrassing and political and needs to change.
While I'd like to donate, giving to a church makes me very uncomfotable. Too bad there isn't a secular food bank.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Oh! here comes the
Oh! here comes the supernatural Von Mises who went no further than his imagination to construction an economic system for OZ. Well our early settlers never used socialism (would have been diffcult since socialism requires an industrial economy which they never had and didn't exist for another 200 years). But that's Mises' thinking for you. IF its not true well just make it up.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Jabba, "But a government run
Jabba, "But a government run plan is NOT the answer" No one has proposed a governmnt run plan" that's a Republican invention like "death panels" and all the other lies they tell in their frustration. The Party of NO NO No. They sound like 8 year-olds.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Sirmel, there is no proposal
Sirmel, there is no proposal for "government controlled health care". The bills before Congress all call for a private insurance system with a public option for those denied coverage by the insurance industry. The nation is split down the middle on abortion, but your numbers on health care are a fantay.
Diana, great letter. I agree 100%.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The $400 billion is coming
The $400 billion is coming from waste, fraud, and abuse not from benefits and that's very realistic. A single-payer system would save up to $800 billion in just administative overhead. Th currently proposed public option won't be that successful but it will bring competition to the 47 states with insurance companies monopolies. And as the Republicans so often say a free competitive market will drive down costs.
Mostly you can't say that you favor health care reform, acknowledge that the system is broken, then call all the current proposals reckless and unrealistic and not offer your own solutions.
I say expand Medicare to cover everyone (H.R. 676). Save $800 billion. Use that to fund the uninsured and still provide more funding for the current Medicare system. Some oter positives are no health care insurance companies, no worries abou their abuses.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Dave, great idea. Jon
Dave, great idea.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Maine Leads is one of many
Maine Leads is one of many Republican front groups (MHPC another). They don't want to reveal funding because the funding will prove this. The Republican Party,itself, has illegally failed to make its FEC reports for the same reason. The fine was much too small. $100,000 would have been much better for those who deceive Maine voters.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
First, CAIR is following our
First, CAIR is following our laws and our Constitution. Second, Christians have never faced discrimination in public schools since organized, state sponsored pray was removed. Third, obviously a problem exists between the super and the parents. Various court decisions require that governmental organizations make reasonable accommodations to allow people to exercise their Constitutional rights. Lastly, its not a question of Muslims becoming Americans. Its a question of Americans changing to accept new Americans and new Americans learning to live among us.
The racism, religious intolerance, and dowright bigotry in these comments unfortunately doesn't amaze, but it will give Lewiston a bad name.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Frostproof, get a life. The
Frostproof, get a life. The insurance companies are not subject to anti-trust laws. Theefore they can demand any prices they wish and we are forced to pay. Has nothing to do with illegal immigrants, socialism, welfare, o immoral bottom feeders and racist such a yourself.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"people comprehend the
"people comprehend the meaning of the words in the Pledge of Allegiance" Peple should. The Pledge as now written is a committment to voluntarily be a slave to an all powerful collective - the Republican fascist state. Instead use the oath of office from the Constitution. Pledge to serve and protect the constitution. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"The Catholic Church does
"The Catholic Church does not strive to win popularity contests. It has a mission, mandated by Jesus Christ, to lead people to salvation. Bishop Malone was not merely taking a personal stand on the gay marriage issue; he was doing what was required of him by God."
What BS. I suppose protecting pedophiles is required of him by God too.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No one should critize
No one should critize individual catholics. They have every right to vote yes on 1 and to do so based on their personal religious beliefs. But Bishop Richard "Bull Conners" Malone has no right to use Church resources and facilities to organize opposition to a public vote. The church is now being investigated for violations of its tax exempt status over a number of interventions in secular political issues across the country. Politico reports that the Catholic Bishops believe they have a new lobbying strategy that will legally allow them to do this. I hope they are wrong as the Catholic leadership is wrong on so many issues.
Boycott the Catholic Church. Work to end all funding for the Catholic Church and any agency they re related to.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
tax raises wihtout voter
tax raises wihtout voter approval are not illegal.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Taxes are not going to be
Taxes are not going to be raised 572 bil. This is a phony number used the the US Chamber of Commerce to frighten people.
Susan Collins is well aware that the Lewin group is owned by an insurance company and that its so called nonpartisan studies are absolutely false. She knows because every Republican uses these false studies and has done so for months and whenever they do the Democrats call them on it. She has to have heard it a 100 times. She knows they are lying. Shows she and her fellow republicans think health care reform is freeing health insurance companies to steal more from the system.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
That's exactly the right
That's exactly the right way. Civil rights and fundamntal human rights should never be decided by popular vote. The passage of Question 1 was akin to a lynching. Mob rule by ballot. The Courts on the other hand have to consider the law and legal traditions of the State or Country. They should not be guided by hatred or fear. The Iowa Supreme Court decision destroys any claim by anti-gay bigots that gay marriage should not be accepted.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Pirate, no it doesn't. But
Pirate, no it doesn't. But some were. Some still are like the birther movement.
But the gay marriage debate over the last year showed that there was no rational reason to vote yes. And when challenged the Yeson1 folks could not supply a reason. The advertising was designed solely to inflame anti-gay hostility. ProConserv and other writers in various forums explicitly stated any number of false and irrational anti-gay sterotypes. In that case, the overwhelming majority of Yes on 1 voters are and were bigots. Some because of institutional bigotry, some religious bigotry, and some personal bigotry. In the end though its just bigotry.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
It's none of his
It's none of his business.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
veritas, as you note Teddy
veritas, as you note Teddy Roosevelt was a Progressive Party member. Today the Republicans would disown him as they are so many of their party.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"The people spoke and that's
"The people spoke and that's that". No its not. The bigots spoke. Either by court ruling or a new vote, this one will be overturned soon. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"If you like the way the
"If you like the way the government is handling the distribution and rationing of H1N1 vaccine". The government can not distribute what private industry has not made. As to their priority sytem, its wonderful. Makes all the sense in the world to give the vaccine first to those most likely to catch the disease and to suffer the worst cnsequences. I expect you would give the vaccine to those who can pay the most for it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"why do a lot of people from
"why do a lot of people from around the (socialist) world come here to use it." Because they don't. This is pure myth. Yes, a few isolated indivduals do come here for specialized teatment, but its very few and almost all with very special problems. They also don't have US insurance so they have to be rich to have the time and money to come here.
"...profit driven capitalist system works..." It doesn't. Every 8 years on average it fails. This past year it cost people $27 trillion world wide. In baseball a player who gets 3 hits in 10 attempts is considered great. I think most people expect more of a economy. I think they like to eat more often than 3 times in 10 tries.
"Health INSURANCE costs are a REACTION to health CARE costs." No they aren't. Health Insurance companies are not subject to anti-trust laws. They can and do sit down together to set prices in 47 of the 50 states. Their prices have nothing to do with health care costs.
Most Jefferson quotes are phonies. Maineexile, care to provide a source. Yours in particular sounds modern not 18th century. Many Jefferson quotes come from the Texas Republican VP and his books whch had to be re-written because he invented the quotes, he used only secondary sources which he did not check, and many of his stories are bizarre. For example, he stated in a letter to the Kennebec Journal that John Quincy Adams was a founding father because he fought in the Revolutionary War. President Adam's war record consistented of marching with minutemen from one end of the white picket fence in front of his home to the other end carrying his wooden rifle and leaving for Europe when he was 10.
9.8%. Private insurance premiums went up at twice that rate this year and in some states Blue Cross/Blue Shield asked for 80% premium rate increases.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
undocumented immigrants
undocumented immigrants provide much more in benefits than they cost and they are bankrupting no one. At least that's the conclusion of the study the Bush (that's right big business wants undocumented workers in fact they go to Latin America to recruit them.)administration did after the Heritage Foundation put together a phony report that listed only the costs of undocumented immigrants.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
First, violations of the
First, violations of the immigration laws are not crimes; they are not included in the criminal code. So they are undocumented not illegals. Undocuments do not go to a criminal court nor do they see a judge. They go to an administrative hearing and see and administrative judge. The only penalty is deporation (if no other crime is involved).
Second, Opposition to undocumented immigrants comes from two sources. The Michael savage and Lou Dobbs "border, language, and culture" crowd or nazis for short and the "they are taking our jobs". Conservatives inhabit the first group; the second can have anyone. Its tough but necessary to separate the two motivations.
Third, The author is correct. We must fix the immigration system. The recession has helped forcing millions to leave the US because they can find no jobs here. Health Care and Education should be recognized as basic human rights and all residents (which is how the Constitution refers to census taking probably because they didn't want to refer to slaves) of the US should have access to each. New immigration legislation should be going through Congress shortly. Republicans oppose it some because they are nazis, but we need a system that will be easy enough that no one needs to sneek into the country and so that we can document everyone here.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Government is prohibited
"Government is prohibited from establishing a "State" religion and from making laws that prevent people from exercising their religious beliefs. It DOES NOT prevent religious people from participating in government." Strawman alert. jchick is at it again. Now no one will convince him/her to use reason as the author of the letter suggests. No one including jefferson has ever argued that religious people should not participate in government except religious people. Some religious groups think that participation in government is to worldly. But chick is trying to sell what only the extreme far-right religious groups try to sell. That government should follow religious law whether it be sharia or old testament. Rev. Emrich, Republican Senate Chief of Staff, Jeramiah Project leader, and Pastor is such a theocrat as jchick is. They wish to imprison all of us in an out-dated, dysfunctional, irrational set of eternally true and immutable laws which they are right no in the process of changing (see Conservapedia project to re-write the bible by removing "liberal" concepts like charity).
No respectable politician or lawyer has every supported jchick's mis-interpretation of the 1st Amendment. This is strictly an invention of a right wing nut who has spent his career inventing quotes from Jefferson and writing books that have to be re-written because fact-checking the book discovers that almost nothing in the book is true. First of all "establishment" here means building (the definition in 1759 and usage then referred to a tavern or building) not "to create" which gives the clause much wider meaning than just create a state religion.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No surprising that someone
No surprising that someone would challenge when the Republicans' could only get 1020 signatures more than needed. Given their long record of voter fraud, dishonesty, and incompetence, finding another few thousand phony signatures should be easy.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Very serious. Many people
Very serious. Many people are being hurt by these cuts. But Maine is in better shape than most states that are increasing taxes and cutting programs. Pew has identified 11 states in serious trouble and Maine isn't one of them.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Obama is not offering Joe
"Obama is not offering Joe the Plumber, Shaws, Victoria's Secret or Ruby Tuesday's any stimulus or bailout money." The Obama administration has any number of programs to help small business. This is just flat out wrong. Ever hear of the Family Leave Act.
This is a great idea. Better one is to require documentation and a reason when firing someone. Better still is passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Best is requiring all employees to join/create a bargaining unit in every business and organization including non-profits. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"President Obama took over
"President Obama took over the Office of the President in November in what is considered to be one of many unconstitutional acts..." Utter nonsense. In fact Obama spent November through January 20th staying out of the President's way. He did not comment on many of the issues of the day and he did not criticize the President. More conspiracy nonsense. Get over it. A black man is President.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil, Obama derangement
Gil, Obama derangement syndrome? Get in touch with your inner self. Wait. Don't to scary.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Ah! the sillies are out in
Ah! the sillies are out in force. "It can't even supply citizens with much-needed vaccine for the H1N1 swine flu virus...." The government isn't manufacturing H1N1 vaccine, private industry is. Government is just coordinating distribution and it can't distribute what hasn't been made.
How can a private health insurance company compete with the government? First they don't have to. The Public option as defined in all the bills being discussed in congress is only available to people that all insurance companies have already denied health insurance. Health insurance companies are exempt from anti-trust laws so they don't even have to compete with each other.
We will be at the mercy of the Federal Government? Oh! let it be true. Today, health insurance companies kill 44,870+ Americans. They ration care in 20% of cases. Please leave me at the mercy of the Federal Government at least there I have a vote and representatives fighting for my interests.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Donald now you are being
Donald now you are being silly.
Because of this and several other efforts by the Catholic Church leadership to interfere in secular, political matters their tax exempt status is being investigated by the IRS. I hope its revoked. There must be consequences when folks violate the law.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Great man. A role model for
Great man. A role model for all that follow him.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wish this kind of common
Wish this kind of common sense had been around 60 years ago.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The bishop closed churches
The bishop closed churches to finance his interference in the gay marriage referendum. You can make all the excuses you want for him, but that seems to be the fact. The IRS appears to be investigating the churches interferences in political matters which could bring about the denial of their tax exempt status. The bishops have threatened Washington D.C. with a denial of contracted services; wrote the Stupak anti-abortion amendment that would deny women insurance coverage for abortions, and interferred in Maine's referendum all of which suggest that the 501 c(3) status of the church is being ignored by the bishops. Nothing should be done that that interferes with parisoners excericing their faith; everything should be done to prevent the church leadership from interferring in secular, political affairs.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Parties matter. The
Parties matter. The Republicans policies have just wrecked the national economy and severely crippled the State of Maine revenue stream. They will do the same in Maine because they believe wrecking the economy is best for the wealthy.
"Taxes are always a central issue, specially seeing as Maine is one of the highest taxed states." Maine is not one of the highest taxed states. The Tax Foundation, a very conservative group, rated Maine 2nd for a while and then admitted that they had miscalculated and changed Maine's rating to 15th. They included in their calculation of Maine's tax burden taxes paid in other states by the residents of those states for example they pro-rate oil taxes paid in Alaska to Maine based on the amount of oil we use. This obviously biases the rating. Removing these amounts, Maine rates somewhere in the mid-20's. Other groups have calculaated 22nd. But these figures do not include the changes in 2009. While Maine has proposed cutting taxes by $55,000,000 (called the Maine Miracle by WSJ) many other states have increased sales or income taxes or both. When all the figures are in Maine will fall to mid-30's in the ratings.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Skippy, look at it this way.
Skippy, look at it this way. If they are not credible and you agree with their positions then you are not credible and your postions are likely wrong too. Don't you want known factual support for your positons.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Skippy, 44870 Americans die
Skippy, 44870 Americans die each year because they do not have health insurance. The US is rated 15th to 37th among industrialized countries in the quality of its health care.
So much for "taking care" of people without insurance.
The American people have a right to know who is pitching what propaganda. It speaks directly to the credibility of the source. The only reason to operate in secret is because knowing who they are will hurt their message. Given that I would ignore these folks.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wackoism taken to its
Wackoism taken to its logical conclusion "Liberalism equals socialism equals communism". Words mean nothing. Radically different things are the same things. An anti-communist uses a failed communist as authority for her point of view. If we needed anymore proof of the incapacity of the right to think this surely is it. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Isn't it interesting that
Isn't it interesting that the fundamentalists deny that God could make a new relevation and that the Constitution exists ahistorically and without any context.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Centarie2000 you ask a very
Centarie2000 you ask a very good question. How long. Until all American citizens enjoy equal rights.
Can't people compromise? On what basis. To compromise you have to have a common language and a common set of rules for debate. On one side you have people who have a secular, rational, and fact (the laws of nature are fixed and unchangeable if imperfectly discovered) based worldview governed by the Constitution (the rules for debate). On the other you have a supernatural, irrational, and subjective worldview governed by the bible (as the fixed tradition which it of course is not since its been re-written so often but there I go being rational). On one side words mean something or the other the laws of nature are relative. They can be changed to anything else they want through their subjective power (prayer). The sun can stop in the sky for example. One side want the private realm of religion and the public realm of policy separated; the other wants to impose their brand of religion on everyone else through government's police power.
This will end when the demographics change with more of the first and less of the second
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil, words have meaning. I
Gil, words have meaning. I know in your supernatural worldview that's an unnecessary restriction. Words also have an author and a context and a history. True the words "the seperation of church and state" are not specifically in the constitution and they don't have to be because the policy is. In 1791 when James Madison wrote the 1st Amendment the word "establishment" was a noun that meant tavern or building. So the establishment clause means quite plainly that Congress can not make a law related to the organization, structure, dogma of a church. The free exercise clause clearly states that Congress can not limit how people choose to exercise their religion. But that's not the end of the 1st Amendment. In addition there is the freedom of speech, press, and assembly, and petitioning of Government. Why are all of these seemingly very different subjects under one amendment. To that you have to look to the author and the debates in Congress to find out their intent. Madison is very clear in the debates in the house, works that he authored like the Remontance, and in his letters. Jefferson expressed it best that he would oppose all tryanny over the mind of man. Madison was equally clear if not so elegent. He wanted government strictly out of conscience or man. Government can not be used to impose one man's conscience on anothers .i.e conscience is private, religion is private and the two spheres private and public shall never touch. The separation of church and state. Jefferson understood that and articulated it best in his 1802 letter to the Baptists where the phrase was first used. That letter was a letter of state that set a precedent in defining the role of government and churches and as such has been referred to by the Supreme Court often. The letter is as binding as any Presidential action by tradition.
There are many good books on Constitutional Law, biographies of Madison and Jefferson, and the journal of the House (no record was kept of the debates in the Senate just a recording of the actions taken). You might want to get out of your bible and back into the real world.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jchick, you finaling got
jchick, you finaling got something right - "Our system of government is based on the Constitution of The United States." The Declaration has nothing to do with our founding. It is not a founding document and it has no legal standing. Great prose and nothing more. Written 11 years prior and two governments prior to our Founding by men who mostly didn't participate in our founding. Its chief author did not prticipate in writting the Constitution, attend the radification convention, and publicly condemned the constitution.
The separation of church and state - First Amendment. It is in the Constitution.
"It does NOT mean "if one can do it, everyone can do it." It depends on what "IT" is." Wrong again. That's exactly what it means
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Guess you don't like the
Guess you don't like the Constitution. Thought not. The libertarians hate the document.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
50% of health insurace today
50% of health insurace today is a public option. Try to close down Medicare, Medicaid, Military , and Federal Health insurance. Just try. The polls are pretty damn close. And out west. I refer to my second sentance. Not enough in the Republican South is there support for ending public options.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Health Care Reform
The Health Care Reform national debate is a perfect example of this. The vast majority of Americans want a check and balance placed on insurance companies by establishing a robust public option and repeal of the anti-trust exemption for them. Yet it appears that both will fail. Why? because of the exterordinary power that 50 years of anti-trust exemptions have given the insurance companies, their great wealth, their large number of often wealthy employees, their concentration of employees, their associated companies and other factors.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Denison's letter is
Mr. Denison's letter is inspired by a thory current in the libertarian circles that government must become corrupt as it intervenes in the marketplace. This theory has no fact to support it only the mind games of a dysfunctional economist. We can easily point to specific individuals who have been corrupt - Cunningham who extorted $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors and Jefferson just convicted of accepting $478,000 in bribes from companiesthat want to do business in Africa. But the venality of a few corrupt men does not establish that "government is corrupt" or that government intervention produces by the laws of nature corruption"
What is really going on here is people don't understand our government, how it works, how it should work, and their proper role in all of that. They don't understand our Constitution or our history. Mr. Denison exposes his real feelings in his last sentence - "we have so much control of government." It is his powerlessness that motivates his frustration. Power in a republic is asymetric - some people have great deal of power some little. That is caused by the unregulated growth of business and the accumulation of wealth not just of individuals but of corporations. The concentratin of wealth without proper check and balances leaves people like Denison and myself and most of the people of Maine with little opportunity to "control government". The solution is not to look toward "corruption" but applying the very successful principles of our Constitution to our economic lives.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Civil Unions are a dead
Civil Unions are a dead issue.
I agree that the state should not recognize matrimony (the church rite), but the state must recognize marriage (the secular contract between two people that defines the civil rights and privileges tht the state provides to committed couples.) Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Yes on 1 capaign was not
The Yes on 1 capaign was not a campaign to repeal Marriage Equality; its was as its supporters so frequently said and wrote a campaign to force gays back in the closet.
They want to discourage gay Mainers from living here by making Maine "gay unfriendly". They hope gay Mainers will move to Mass. or elsewhere that they can get their full civil rights. If that doesn't work they want to return to the pre-US Supreme Court decision on sodomy when they could imprison or kill gay with impunity. Won't work. We, those who believe in equal rights, will stop you. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Since the purpose of the Yes
Since the purpose of the Yes on 1 campaign is to force gays back into the closet and to return Maine to the situation prior to the US Supreme Courts decision on sodomy when gays could be imprisoned and killed with impunity, is any one suprised that they might make false charges to the press without first informing the police.
So this matter must be fully investigated first.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
lobster, A few problems with
lobster,
A few problems with your constitutional amendment. First, economists should be non-partisan number crunchers. Making them run for office, will change their conclusions. Second, no voter knows enough about the people or the science to rationally vote the best economists into office. Third, economists are reverse indicators of economic activity i.e. the majority are almost always wrong about the direction of the economy. Fourth, never be passed.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well lobster presents some
Well lobster presents some old Republican partisan slanders. Current National debt about $11.6 trillion (as of 7/22/09) National debt as of Ronald Reagen's election < $ 1 trillion. Debt accumulated by all Republican administrations from Reagan to now $9.4 trillion. All debt accumulated by all other Presidents in the nations's history $2.2 trillion. Now who grows government most.
After winning the 1994 election and taking over Congress Dick Armey, now the lobbyist for all right wing causes and leader of the Tea Party movement, said ,when asked why federal spending had shifted from the cities to the suburbs, "...to the winner goes the spoils". So much for Democrats increasing spending to buy votes.
As to borrowing from China. This began many years ago as the Republicans accumulated debt. Democrats have done very little until forced to by the huge $1.0+ trillion deficit left by George Bush.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Another thing you might
Another thing you might consider is that 1/4 of private corporate IT projects are later abandoned often at terrible cost. Now if I was a right-winger I end my comments their. The rest of the story is we have no way of telling how successful government is. We know of some projects, the FBI case file project, that proved to be huge failures, but much of governments work is hidden we really have no way to know how many failures they have had. But these failures have increased corporate overhead.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
the_poorman, I've seen
the_poorman, I've seen estimates that medicare administrative overhead runs between 1 1/2% to 3% with the 3% most quoted. Private insurance companies administrative overhead runs from 15% to 33% with something over 30% the most quoted. This is easily explained because the private insurance companies have been increasing premiums (double digit for a decade), increasing profits 428% in last 6 years, and increasing rationing care, about 1/5 of medical decisions are reversed by private insurance companies and they have reduced the % of premiums that go to pay for medical care from 95% to 80% just in the last decade. Medicare is rated higher than all private insurance plans by the insured. The US government runs 50% of all health insurance in the US and runs it much more efficiently than any corporation.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"...eternally true,
"...eternally true, transcendent normative standards....." Mr. Tassel. How can that be true when conservatives (Conservapedia) are right now re-writting the Bible removing anything they think is "liberal" like charity. Or are those eternally true, transcendent values only eternal for as long as you believe them.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Rinolast, you need to
Rinolast, you need to understand that this was the third opportunity that bigots in Maine got to harm gays and their children. The issue was never marriage to them. Its always been their way to eliminate gays.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well the Yes on 1 crowd
Well the Yes on 1 crowd continues to prove that they are motivated by hate, bigotry, and institutionalized fear. They have never provided a single reason to vote yes on 1. But they are right on one thing. The Gay/straight movement for human rights will be back again. Blacks finally won their freedom more than one hundred years after the civil war. So the human rights movement isn't about to be discouraged by a few bigots.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The cash for clunker program
The cash for clunker program was very successful. It increased the GDP growth rate from 1.9% to 3.5%. That was its primary goal. It replaced car/trucks with new ones with 10 miles/gal better gas mileage.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Its a serious mistake to
Its a serious mistake to think that because some part of the stimulus packaged worked for a few quarters that they can be abandoned. Roosevelt did that in 1937 and produced a serious recession 4 years after the many New Deal stimulus programs were begun. We do not know right now that the housing market is self-sustaining or that the economy in general can continue to grow. At its current rate of growth (3.5%) it will take more than a decade to reduce unemployment to anything near acceptable levels (see the Clinton years at 3.7% average growth over 8 years unemployment was reduced from over 8 to 4.3%. That's too long at 10+%). Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Both should be
Both should be congradulated. Rep. Mike Michaud had the much tougher vote. Many people (some on this page) have been fooled and mislead by industry propaganda but the fact remains that low Medicare reimbursement rates weaken health care in rural Maine. Rep. Michaud has fought hard to make those concerns heard. This historic bill had to pass and in the end Rep. Michaud listen to his constituents.
Now we need the Senate to pass it or something similiar and then take it to conference and make it better. Watch. Collins and Snowe will vote to protect insurance company profits not the people of Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"...this interpretation
"...this interpretation would mean a majority of Mainers hold hatred in higher esteem than human rights, which is unfair and callous." BS pure an simple. This is the same percentage of voters who voted to discriminate against gays a few years ago. Accepted Mainers are a bigoted lot.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Vacationland, not anymore.
Vacationland, not anymore. Now its bigotsland.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Now to the Supreme Court
Now to the Supreme Court where queston 1 will be overturned and the Constitution re-affirmed. Each year more bigots die and more supporters of human rights are born so even without the Suprme Court of Maine its only a matter of time.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Trying to defend Republicans
Trying to defend Republicans is a pretty pointless task. They have no credibility left. Whether its political indiscretion (like the party of small government and balanced budgets growing government faster than any other administration in history and running up the deficit a dozen times larger than all Democrats and Republican administrrations in history) or outright crime, the Republicans have an unmatched recorded. Cunningham went to jail, but he stayed in office until the last minute. Democrats have Murtha, Cunningham's counterpart which suggests the military procurement is seriously broken, but he has not been charged with anything not even an ethics violation. Bush and company saw contractors in Iraq steal $20 billion and if you throw in waste may be as high as triple that. Susan Collins held not one hearing and the Bush administration did nothing. The list of Republicans convicted of corruption is as long as your arm. Democrats on the other hand can now prove that federal prosecutions were directed by the Bush political office with Rove in charge not by DOJ.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Executive and legislative
Executive and legislative restrictions are important. How about also restricting employees from regulative agency from moving into the industries they were involved in regulating and employees of companies in a regulated industry from moving to the regulative agency for say 5 years. Its clear that their is too much fraternization. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"...even to those who are
"...even to those who are fully committed to granting the full range of legal rights to same sex couples under any other name but "marriage,".. No such people exist. The Yes folks are just throwing that out now to create the false impression that they now support civil unions. The don't. They opposed the domestic registry. They opposed civil unions. And now they oppose Marriage Equality. Read Mrs McG posts. This is about legitimizing gays in her eyes. Not about marriage at all. Read the other similiar posts. Look at Yon1 advertizing. Nothing they have to say has anything to do with marriage. What they want is to eliminate gays. There is no positive Yes on 1 message. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil, you are a conservative
Gil, you are a conservative so you don't believe words have meanings and even if you did words are just there to allow you to manipulate people who don't understand. Bigot has a meaning and when someone writes like a bigot, thinks like a bigot, and proposes to take actions that only a bigot would take. Well then he's a bigot.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mrs. McG, Saving western
Mrs. McG,
Saving western civilization is not involved in this law. "....is confirmed by the near-universal history of civilization." Hardly. Polygamy is the form of family that has near-universal support thoughtout history. Nor does it have anything to do with education. As you point out they have taught sex education before and they will again. They didn't need this law to do it either. Marriage Equality neither helps nor hurts teaching sex to 14 year olds.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Yes, the catholic church
Yes, the catholic church will endure because ignorance and superstitution are in charge. Remember these are the folks that burned witches for the better part of 2000 years, opposed the freedom to think, and helped Hilter murder tens of millions of people. If thsat weren't enough they have organized the brutalization of millions of children all over the world. Yep, the church will endure.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Natural law is simply
Natural law is simply ignorance and superstition institutionalized. Its an attempt to "secularize" the bible. Doesn't work. Marriage is a purely secular contracted created by government to organize marriage. The bible does not apply. And if it did its been re-written so often no one knows what it means. The bible is not authoritative.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"In 1999, Bill Clinton
"In 1999, Bill Clinton signed the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, a bank deregulation bill that swept away a Depression-era law known as Glass-Steagall." This is classic Republican propaganda. Bill Clinton never signed the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Clinton signed an appropriations bill to which Gramm had added his act as a rider in conference committee. The appropriations bill had to be signed. Clinton did not have a line item veto so he could not remove GLB. GLB was a purely Republican bill bought and paid for by the banking industry and opposed by democrats everywhere.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"....offering policies
"....offering policies across state lines which allows for more competition and better pricing." How is that? Health Insurance Companies are not covered by anti-monopoly laws. If they were allowed, and they are now, to sell insurance in all the states, they would not do it. They have sat together and divided up the insurance market so that each of them maximizes their profits which have grown by 428% in 6 years. They are not going to mess that up.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"She's also concerned that
"She's also concerned that creating a taxpayer-subsidized, government-run health insurance company would ultimately lead to fewer choices and higher costs." 47 of 50 states are now monopolized by 1 or 2 health insurance companies. Profits have risen 428% in 6 years because of their monopoly control. Those monopolies were created by the insurance companies because they are not covered under anti-monopoly laws. Sen. Collins does not support any effort including a public option to break up these monopolies and therefore lower costs and create more options. Simply she's lying.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Yes, Gil it is a slanted
Yes, Gil it is a slanted article, but then its tough these days to find a bigot when you want one.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well we'll know wednesday;
Well we'll know wednesday; maybe tomorrow. Either way I expect it to go to the Maine Supreme Court where the issue always belonged. Like Iowa the MSC will find for marriage equality.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Bob is the reason we have
Bob is the reason we have representatives.
NO on 1 Protect Maine's Families and Children from Bob
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Government should not be run
Government should not be run like a business. Businesses and Government have different structures, different purposes and goals, and most importantly different governance. But if you would like to run it like a business you have to vote NO on 4. What business has an inflexible budget process that does not respond to business cycles.
But Maine tries. Government has adopted the Harvard Business school model of management by headcount - outsource, insource with contractors, temporary employees. Its a disaster because their is little institutional knowledge.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Cecillia, great letter. Just
Cecillia, great letter. Just because bigotry has been institutionalized by the Catholic Church of Maine is no reason not to call them on it.
Vote NO on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Conservative derangement
Conservative derangement syndrome at work. First, the re-writing of the Bible for political purposes is routine. Its been going on for almost 2000 years. That Conserpedia is now re-writing it to remove anything "liberal" like charity is no surprise. But you have to ask, if conservatives believe the current Bible is literally true exactly as written then isn't it hypocritical to re-write it.
As for jojolou loving Fox News, we can't be surprised from his/her comments. Unfortunately most of what they carry that isn't on other channels are lies, distortions, or just plain garbage intended for the weak minded who can't do the basic research or have never learned to think critically. Ms. Dunn's comment was that student should develop their life's plan themselves. An individual plan and they should stick to it. Referencing Mao and Mother Therasa may have been poor choices. But promoting individualism seems very consistent with US principles.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Don't be amazed that those
Don't be amazed that those who preach the glories of the free market and competition are now like Lowry preaching monpoly. They desire only whatever will benefit the rich and if today that is competition and tomorrow that is monopoly so be it. Its not hypocrisy. Its a hidden agenda.
Premiums and profits have increased as the percentage of the premium dollar that goes for paying for health care has decreased from 95% to 80% this century. Shows that Frostproof's explanation is just another of many Republican distractions - a plausible but false explanation to protect their rich friends.
The public option is absolutely necessary and without it there is no health care reform.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Jabba, yes we can deny that
Jabba, yes we can deny that state government is bloated. The Brookings Report that fairly analyzed state government found only two areas of what you might call bloat. Too many school districts with too many administrators and managers throughout state government but particularly DOT and MRS. Many of these positions are long gone.
State workers are not over-compensated. They generally have lower pay but better benefits than private businesses. Unfortunately, irresponsible anlaysis done be groups like the MHPC create this false conclusion that state employees are over-compensated. A position by position analysis like those done by payroll companies will show differences mainly in benefits.
Can we do more, of course and we should.
But the mindless attempt to reduce government and sacrifice essential public services is unacceptable to all but a few irresponsible, self-serving, greedy, folks like Mr. Heutz. He is right in one area. Far too much of the tax burden is on the poor who pay at twice the rate that all other Mainers pay. After the tax reform package is implemented, we need to find a way to reduce the property tax from 44% of all taxes collected to something around 30% which will go a long way relieving the burden on the poor.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This is the only citizen
This is the only citizen initiative that is reasonable and should pass. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
the YES on 1 folks are
the YES on 1 folks are making one simple argument - deny gays in our society equal status because they are disgusting people.
We need to vote NO on 1 to tell our fellow citizens that we not only accept them we will try our best to honor and protect them as I hope we do with all our fellow citizens.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
sammie demands rational
sammie demands rational replys to his incoherent comments. Sammie is worried about the "obscene promiscuity" of gay men. What discourages promiscuity, why marriage which sammie's against. Sammie's concerned about huge increases in STD's among gays. But his sources are 11 to 17 years old. 40% of teenage girls mostly heterosexual have or have had an STD. STD's are spread by promiscuous sexual activity. Homosexual sexual activities are the same a heterosexual. Heterosexuals engage in them at the same rates as Homosexuals. What discourages the spread of STD's. Marriage which sammie opposes.
Sammie why do we have to be rational when you aren't.
Vote NO on 1 Help reduce the spread of STD's and promiscuity
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
While it will take many
While it will take many years to work out the process that takes place to create sexual orientation. It will occur. But based on what we know now almost no chance exists that sexual orientation is a choice any more than eye, hair, or skin color. Although I will admit that sexual behavior is a choice. And I will admit that under extreme trama like brutal rape or Christian indoctrination sexul behavior may be different than sexual orientation. It would be a serious violation of human rights if the state dictated sexual behavior except where they have compelling reasons like incest.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
That's Send not sen Jon
That's Send not sen
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
TABOR II, is bad maagement,
TABOR II, is bad maagement, bad budgeting, and makes no sense. Mr. Gilbert has hit the nail aquarely on the head. Sen the MHPC back to its billionaire supporters in Washington. Let's defeat TABOR again.
on Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, Ms Snowe-Mello is a
Tron, Ms Snowe-Mello is a Republican. enough said.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Her letters are written by
Her letters are written by the Republican staff in Augusta not by her. She just signs them. I expect without reading them. Of course, I assume she can read and that is also debatable.
TABOR was a disaster in Colorado and its cousin Prop 13 was worse in California.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Marston is correct.
Mr. Marston is correct. Increase in property taxes or a cut in town employees. You get your choice.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Bob Emlich is the pleasant
Bob Emlich is the pleasant face of the neo-nazi hate groups while Madore is the ugly himmler face. But they both subscribe to the final solution.
Vote NO on 1. Let all Maiers enjoy the rights nd priveleges of bein citizens.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I concur. My taxes have gne
I concur. My taxes have gne down by $600 in part because of school consolidation. Vote No on 3
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jojolou hypocrisy is
jojolou hypocrisy is amazing. a little over 300 contributions to the spread hatred campaign and 20,000 to fight hatred and jojolou complains about out-of-state campaign workers for civil rights. Get a life jojolou; stop hating your neighbors.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Excellent letter clearly
Excellent letter clearly shows the hypocrisy and hatred exhibited by the Yes on 1 people.
Vote No on 1 Nov 3rd
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
iangol, that's a stupid
iangol, that's a stupid remark. Because 1 gay couple split all gay couples don't stay together longer than heterosexual couples. One can never accuse the Yes on 1 crowd of being rational.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
concerned KD, The law
concerned KD,
The law specifically protects religious faiths. Its passage will not discriminate against them at all.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Concerned KD, natural law is
Concerned KD, natural law is not scientific fact. natural law is a system of belief based on supernatural processes. Natural law was developed centuries before there was science or a scientific method. While its true reproduction requires at least up until now a egg and sperm, The product of reproduction is not 100% heterosexual. Human reproduction normally and naturally produces a wide range of sexual orientations.
Saying that bigotry is OK because its traditional is stupid. And exposed by saying that marriage is "a social institution". If its a social institution and therefore secular it can be changed at any time.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Placing prejudice into
Placing prejudice into something else like the Bible or moral beliefs so that it seems ok is called institutional prejudice. Its providing cover for irrational hatred. That's all we have heard from the Yes on 1 side. They never give a concrete reason why discrimination against gays makes sense. They always hide behind some ridiculous biblical quote while ignoring the weight of the rest of the bible. Or they say its a matter of morals. Morals is learned behavior. Sexual oreintation is not. Adam and Eve is a fairy tale. Let's write our laws to make them consistent with Grimm's Fairy tales. It would make as much sense.
No on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
rogor, Apparently along with
rogor,
Apparently along with not being able to think you also can't read. Sen. Simpson quoted the Declaration of Independence not the Constitution. But nothing in either document supports a pro-life position. Once again that is a religious not a secular position. The point of Sen. Simpson's letter is that secular not religious considerations should determine our vote on question 1. And the only rational vote on 1 is NOOOOOOO.
jojolou,
Another nonsensical comment. Would you find the time to stay on subject. Come to think of it don't try.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Its not about redefining
Its not about redefining marriage. Natural law is simply ignorance called traditional.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Only complete idiots believe
Only complete idiots believe TABOR will make Maine better. They just don't want to pay their fair share of taxes. Simple solution. Prevent our elected officials who represent the majority of Mainers from doing their jobs. The supporters of TABOR favor minority rule. They are using the recession and low voter turnout to get their way. Don't let them. Support constitutional government.
Vote No on 4
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Once again we have hatred of
Once again we have hatred of gays. Marriage to the Yes on 1 folks is not the issue. Elimination of gays is. Stoke up the ovens these people want to eliminate gays, destroy them, not because gays do any harm to society or anyone but because the Yes on 1 folks can't tolerate them
Vote No on 1. Protect children from hate.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Once again we have proof
Once again we have proof that Republicans don't understand economics, can't count, and can't tell the truth. From Bruce Bartlett - a Reagan Treasury official and supply sider who remains conservative :
"According to the Congressional Budget Office's January 2009 estimate for fiscal year 2009, outlays were projected to be $3,543 billion and revenues were projected to be $2,357 billion, leaving a deficit of $1,186 billion. Keep in mind that these estimates were made before Obama took office, based on existing law and the Bush budget, and did not take into account any actions that Obama might implement. ...
Now let's fast forward to the end of fiscal year 2009, which ended on September 30. According to CBO, it ended with spending at $3,515 billion and revenues of $2,106 billion for a deficit of $1,409 billion.
To recap, the deficit came in $223 billion higher than projected, but spending was $28 billion and revenues were $251 billion less than expected. Thus we can conclude that more than 100 percent of the increase in the deficit since January is accounted for by lower revenues. Not one penny is due to higher spending."
That proves that the Republican myth - cutting federal taxes increases Federal Revenues - is false and that Federal spending is not out-of-control.
They are wrong on TABOR; they are wrong on the excise tax, they are on tax reform.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Once again we have proof
Once again we have proof that Republicans don't understand economic, can't count, and can't tell the truth. From Bruce Bartlett - a Reagan Treasury official and supply sider who remains conservative :
"According to the Congressional Budget Office's January 2009 estimate for fiscal year 2009, outlays were projected to be $3,543 billion and revenues were projected to be $2,357 billion, leaving a deficit of $1,186 billion. Keep in mind that these estimates were made before Obama took office, based on existing law and the Bush budget, and did not take into account any actions that Obama might implement. ...
Now let's fast forward to the end of fiscal year 2009, which ended on September 30. According to CBO, it ended with spending at $3,515 billion and revenues of $2,106 billion for a deficit of $1,409 billion.
To recap, the deficit came in $223 billion higher than projected, but spending was $28 billion and revenues were $251 billion less than expected. Thus we can conclude that more than 100 percent of the increase in the deficit since January is accounted for by lower revenues. Not one penny is due to higher spending."
That proves that the Republican myth - cutting federal taxes increases Federal Revenues - is false and that Federal spending is not out-of-control.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Traditional marriage is one
"Traditional marriage is one man and one woman in a committed and loving relationship from the days of the Torah to the days of Jesus' coming." But the bible says this is not true. Polygamy was the typical jewish marriage and certainly the jewish aristocracy's preferred marriage. Adam and Eve were never married. If by marriage you mean a sacred rite of the church. Was no Church. Was no priest. Was no rite. Marriage isn't mentioned unit long after Adam and Eve left Eden. Like the wives of the Children of Adam and Eve these thing are missing from the Bible.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
TABOR hurts kids because it
TABOR hurts kids because it reduces needed spending for education. Prop 13 did it in California sending their education rating from first to worst in just a few years. The result was a huge migration of highly educated people from California to Colorado. Where they passed TABOR. Once again Colorado's ranking went from very high to below Maine's inspite of having a much higher percentage of people with college degrees which is one of the best indicators of educational results.
Pass TABOR and we will be the third strike. And our kids, our economy, and the people of Maine will suffer.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Yes Vote Yes on 6. Needed.
Yes Vote Yes on 6. Needed. Should be bigger.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Precisely the type of
Precisely the type of spending the Federal Government should be engaged in during a recession. Also shows how dumb TABOR is. In a recession government should spend more than it takes in at all levels. State and Local governments can't do that because they are required to balance the budget. They can though sell bonds. TABOR will stop that in most circumstances.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil can stamp his foot and
Gil can stamp his foot and jump up and do all he wants. Emotional rants aren't an argument. Anyone who would treat others differently without a rational compelling reason is yes a bigot. The YES on 1 folks have never provided any such reason. That's why in the end they lose.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Programs have already been
Programs have already been drasticly cut - close to a billion dollars at the state level. TABOR will make those cuts permanent.
TABOR in Colorado avoided drastic harm because increases in population because of a one-of-a-kind migration out of California hid the fact that the use of CPI to inflate spending has no relationship to government spending and will strangle state and local governments. Is Maine's population increasing rapidedly. Is Maine's economy growing by double digits each year.
TABOR did seriously harm education in Colorado. In a state with a highly educated workforce, one of the best indicators of education performance, (because educated people moved out of California because of Prop 13), education results are worse than Maine's with a not well educated workforce. Because of this Colorado voted to suspend TABOR.
TABOR II is unneeded because spending is not out of control. Since TABOR I failed, state spending has been consistent with TABOR I's requirements.
If Questions 2 and 4 are passed together, about 2000 jobs in Maine will be lost ($88,000,000) unless governments send their budgets to a popular vote allowing an increase in property taxes. What do you think are the chances of that and what do you think it will cost.
TABOR bad idea in 2004 and 2006 worse idea in 2009.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
TABOR never has worked and
TABOR never has worked and is even worse when state government has cut spending to the bone in these recessionary times.
Virtually everything in Warren's letter is false. State spending since the failure of TABOR has gone down or been consistent with TABOR I as promised. Spending is not out of control. Rumford's 20% increase is regettable, but its not due to spending. Its due to the revaluation of the Mill. Rumford has for more the 100 years gotten a free ride because of the taxes paid to the town while paying Mexico very little. Maine didn't become a welfare state in the last 3 years.
The TABOR formula is wrong. Using CPI instead of a basket of goods and services government actually purchases results in artificially low growth in spending. TABOR will strangle public services. California passed Prop13 many years ago starting a huge migration to Colorado of better educated people. Now TABOR has passed in Colorado devastating education as Prop 13 did in California. Even now that population growth has cushioned the bad effects of TABOR there, but they still had to suspend it for the last 5 years. Maine doesn't have a cushion. We don't have double digit population growth. We don't have thousands moving in and bringing their businesses with them.
Old Bill - check your Jefferson quotes looks to be a fraud.
Vote NO on 4
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Why don't the Churches keep
Why don't the Churches keep matrimony and civil society gets marriage. Now I buy that Holy Matrimony has a purely religious and therefore untouchable meaning. Where as marriage has a purely civil meaning. It is after all a marriage license issued by the state.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Samual, excellent piece. The
Samual, excellent piece.
The excise tax is just stupid. The construction is poor. The legislature should do many things to correct it like the MSRP. But let's keep it.
Vote NO on 2
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No one can prove anything
No one can prove anything with the Bible. It's a completely unreliable source. I don't think much more than a couple of sentences can be verified. Most of whats in it a fairy tales that can be proved untrue or self-contradictory or very incomplete.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The kind of good spirit that
The kind of good spirit that the Catholic faith needs. Will they let Rita be Bishop if Malone quits.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Homosexuality is perfectly
Homosexuality is perfectly normal.
And no this is not nor ever was a "christian nation". And no our founding fathers have never decreed any such thing. And freedom OF religion includes freedom FROM religion. No subtle difference at all.
The first Amendment includes 6 separate ideas including religion, speech, assembling, and petitioning government. Why? Because James Madison thought they all were related to conscience. He wanted no man to be able to corrupt/force another's opinion. The cute games people play with language like FROM v OF. Are just that games of deception.
Vote NO on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Not sure I believed the
Not sure I believed the first one. This one makes much more sense.
Vote NO on all the referendum questions except 5. Vote YES on the bond.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
joojolou, Did you ever go to
joojolou,
Did you ever go to school. "The constitution was based on the Bible, look into your history books." This statement is totally false and please do read your history books. They will make it very clear that jojolou doesn't know what he's talking about.
James Madison was the author of the "Virginia Plan" which is the core of the Constitution and because of that named the father of the Constitution. James Madison was religious, but not Christian as far as anyone can tell (He would not tell people where he went to church if he did). Certainly not a Christian in any modern sense of that term. He developed his plan by reading something in the neighborhood of 200 books many sent to him by Thomas Jefferson while in France. Jefferson was then and should be now considered a athetist. He wrote his own bible by removing anything supernatural like Jesus' divinity (there goes Christianity), miracles, etc. The books covered ancient Greek and Roman Republican history, modern political theory, American history, and Native American political science. No bible. The concepts he employed like check and balance and using ambition to counter ambition are completely foreign to the bible.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
D wilson, So you want to
D wilson, So you want to overthrow our system of government and replace it with an artificial and wrong mathematical formula. You want to replace judgement and flexibility with a bad one-size-fits-all non-solution that does not take into consideration economic growth, increasing governmental costs, new laws, or changes in revenue to a almost non-existent problem. You want to exchange the safety and education of our communities for more vacation time for billionaires (those really backing this proposal).
I think not. Vote NO on 4
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
D Wilson, All true and I've
D Wilson,
All true and I've seen it since I moved here is 1982, but those facts don't support voting for TABOR. In fact they confirm what a dumb idea it is.
Police department workload is not a function of the number of people in town. Its a function of the laws they must enforce, the economy of the community (the worse the economy the more police protection is needed), and all the other factors that lead people to commit crimes. So if you will compare the police logs from 1980 to today and then add in all the time required to meet lawful requirements, I might listen. Otherwise TABOR is a terrible idea.
First, it replaces our representative form of government, you know where who wins the election governs, with a formula.
Second, the formula is stupid. It uses CPI to inflate spending when governments do not buy what consumers do. Government spending is therefore not related to the CPI.
Third, we are now spending a recessionary low levels. These are emergency levels. TABOR will force us to spend at these artificially low levels forever costing us thousands of jobs.
Fourth, TABOR does not respond to economic cycles. Should the Rumford mill be purchased by someone who wants to exploit its potential and they invest millions and hire thousands unless those workers move into town TABOR will not allow the spending to increase. It doesn't allow for increased revenue, spending, economic growth or anything that a rational group of townspeople would take into concideration in changing times. Instead they have to live with a artificial and wrong formula.
Vote NO o 4
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Great letter. And Arse's
Great letter. And Arse's comment shows what the supporters of TABOR are really after. They want taxes cut no matter what damage it does to the state or to their communities. Apparently they can't get better jobs or stop their wasteful spending habits so they want to force everyone else to cut back so they pay less in taxes and can use the savings on their SUV, 4-wheeler, or trips to florida. TABOR will cost thousands of jobs especially if Question 2 passes. Its sets the baseline at recession reduced spending levels. It uses the CPI to calculate spending growth when government do not buy the basket of goods and services that the CPI is derived from. Its nonsensical to use CPI.
The only people who will benefit from TABOR are the super-rich.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
As long as wind turbines
As long as wind turbines meet certain conditions, we should welcome them. If we permit wind turbines into our communities then no harm should be done to abutters or their property without compensation that is reasonable. Any associated expense like building new transmission lines should be born by those benefitting from the energy produced by the turbines. If these conditions make the project unprofitable, so be it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Treehiggarrr, No the
Treehiggarrr, No the Republicans have that territory well staked out.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Arse69, you are a full
Arse69, you are a full citizen when you receive all the rights and privilegies that everyone else has. You know "equal protect of the law" and other ideas you hold meaningless. Homosexuals in Maine are denied over 1300 rights and privilegies that heterosexuals enjoy through civil marriage.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Arse69, "Its seems to me
Arse69,
"Its seems to me that the more educated people get, the less common sense they have." What you call common sense is ignorance not sense. But that's a wonderful summary of America's anti-intellectualism. Couple books on that you might want to read. Oops! books, read just forgot myself.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
When you have no facts, no
When you have no facts, no logic argument, no reason to believe harm will come to society,and your true feelings are unacceptable to that society, how do you oppose a perfectly constitutional law. You LIE!
All you need to do to understand this is to read some of these comments.
The supporters of 1 have provided no reason to vote yes and many good reasons to vote NO.
Vote NO on 1 Protect Maine's Families and Children
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Shellby, this issue has
Shellby, this issue has never come up before in Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
We have a representative
We have a representative form of government. You know a Republic. "How can the Maine Legislature vote such a law without bringing this to the people." This is no argument in favor of Question 1. The "people" have no right to vote on a matter of rights. They didn't vote on the Bill of Rights. Why should they vote on marriage equality.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Let's be clear on the issue
Let's be clear on the issue to be decided Nov 3rd on Question 1. The Question voids a law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor that grants to any two persons the opportunity to be married should they meet current requirements. It redefines marriage in the same sense that the Loving decision of the SCOTUS redefines Marriage. It means that those partners who now can not get married will enjoy the same rights and benefits that those who now can get married enjoyed.
So far and confirmed by the leader of the opposition to marriage equality Rev. Emrich last night on channel 5, no argument has been advanced by opponents of marriage equality to overturn this perfectly constitutional law. Lacking any reason acceptable to the people they have made up a series of lies to first mislead people but really just to provide an excuse so they can vent their hatred of gays and lesbians on Nov 3rd.
Vote NO on 1 Nov 3rd
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Fox News fair. That's a
Fox News fair. That's a joke. Balanced ridiculous. I agree with Scotty_O. Don't like it don't watch it. I don't like it. I never watch it. If I want opinoin I'll get it from Maddow and friends where the opinoins are based on facts that I can document not based on RNC propaganda.
But I do think that the RNC should be required to report the costs of Fox programming as an in-kind contribution.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
taxpoor, Your inferiority
taxpoor,
Your inferiority complex is peek out from under your skirt.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Let's be clear on this. No
Let's be clear on this. No consensual sexual activity that man can conceive of is unnatural, wrong, a sin, a problem, or disgusting. Those who believe otherwise are disgusting.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Dostie, stop blaming
Mr. Dostie, stop blaming this on God. If God exists and if mankind was made in his image (a truely arrogant belief) and God is perfect. Then God created homosexuals. He intended them to live full and happy lives. God is gay. As he is also male and female, black and white, etc. The blame rests with those whose false beliefs based on their own hatred have misrepresented God to lend credibility to their hate.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
In one sense we could have
In one sense we could have avoided this problem centuries ago had the government prohibited religions from conducting "marriage" ceremonies. Instead they could have used "holy matrimony" or some other words. But government can't interfere in the rites and dogma of a church. So they could have ignored the prohibition. So there is nothing to be done. Religion has kidnapped the word marriage and we have the right as has been done many times in the past to re-define it at our whim.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"If our government wishes to
"If our government wishes to extend these to unmarried heterosexual and homosexual couples, they could easily do so". They could. You and people who believe like you have fought against granting those rights and benefits at every turn. You false believe in the definitiion of marriage compels you to continue to oppose equal rights for homosexuals. You have convinced those who support human rights that the only way left to us to grant homosexuals equal rights is to include them in civil marriage.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
lobster, LD 1020 changes no
lobster,
LD 1020 changes no definition of these words you mention. That change comes from your head not the law. The law grants equal rights as required by the Constitution. We are not bound by your concepts of societal customs. We are bound by the Constitution.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jchick, You need to go back
jchick, You need to go back to school. Re-read the state and federal constitutions, the federalist and anti-federalist papers (remembering that these are political propaganda not truths), notes of the Conventions both Constitutional and Ratification.
Your libertarian comments have no basis whatsoever in American history. Marriage is a contract. Contracts are a civil not a religious agreement between two people. Any interaction between two people can rise to be a civil matter. The enforcement of contracts is entirely a civil matter. All of this is in our Constitutions in various ways. The US Constitution specifically says that just because some human rights are enumerated in the Constitution (both in the original text and in the bill of rights) that does not mean that there are not other rights of equal or greater importance that are not enumerated (9th Amendment). One of those is privacy. You see the enumerated rights were those that the British Government violated in the run up to the revolution and therefore of particular notice to the founding fathers.
So privacy dictates that government have nothing to do with the consensual sexual interaction between two people. We don't and shouldn't care. But marriage is much more than sex and we should care. Because we should, all citizen should in conformance with the Constitution be treated equality with respect to the laws.
Vote No on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Isn't phoney funny. Jon
Isn't phoney funny.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Normally Scotty_O is wrong
Normally Scotty_O is wrong about everything, but in this case he/she is right. There is no hate in this letter. Its an excellent letter. A bipartisan letter. We should tip our hats to the author. And then go back to fighting for full citizenship for gays and other opposed people's in America.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jojolou, So!. Mass laws are
jojolou,
So!. Mass laws are not Maine laws. Whether LD 1020 goes into effect or not. Maine schools can begin teaching gay marriage today. Nothing prevents it. Defeat of question 1 will not make teaching gay marriage any more likely.
The fundamental problem here is the false belief by bigots that homosexuality is a decision, a choice. Well all of us who are straight know that being straight is not a choice. We were for all practical purposes born straight. Well if our sexual orientation is fixed then so is the sexual orientation of gays. But by believing that homosexuality is a choice, bigots' belief in religion is preserved, the belief that God is a male chauvinist is preserved, their worldview is preserved. So they must reject the obvious. They must punish those that threaten their worldview.
The idea that parents not teachers should be talking to children about homosexuality is an obvious ploy. Let the parents brainwash their children rather than have them learn objective truths provided without passion or prejudice. The fact is that both parents and teachers should be talking to children at all ages about the realities of sexual activity. But they don't. We have a class of parents who hate sex. They do it. But they hate it. They want their children to grow up as they did. Sick and preverse.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Economic development in
Economic development in western Maine means a highway that replaces Rte 26 and an east-west highway that replaces rte 2. Rail services implies heavy freight but with the mills closing or reducing production that seems an unproductive investment. Has anyone done a study to determine if the freight in LA could be profitably moved by rail? I see passenger traffic as the more likely profitable investment long term. If true, then lines to bethel and Farmington would make the most sense.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Another Republican federal
Another Republican federal mandate that is completely wrong headed because its based on ideology not experience. Drop the thing and save us a lot of money.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
So! Another jerk with all
So!
Another jerk with all the wrong ideas wishes to hurt Mainers. I should be impressed.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
leaddog, I have a suggestion
leaddog,
I have a suggestion let's pass a law that no corporation in Maine can spend more than their current years expenses allowing for CPI inflation and any growth in sales. That will force the board of directors to be fiscally responsible.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
leaddog, you are correct. I
leaddog, you are correct. I was over excited. That doesn't change the fact that during the 1980 and 90's huge numbers of Californian moved to Nevada and Colorado. Nor the fact that these people brought their businesses with them and contributed significantly to Colorado's growth.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
There goes Denny1 again with
There goes Denny1 again with his unfounded conclusions. How has Obama changed from a campaigning moderate to a far left liberal? Never happenned. He has continued most of Bush's programs. Now that's radical. He hasn't even proposed a budget. His foreign policies have been consistent with post-WWII American policies which only Bush deviated from in radical ways. What's far let liberal about Obama.
Its a mistake to think the Hannity, Russ, and Beck are morons. They are not. They are very sofisticated propagandists. They do their job very well. Just read Denny1's post and you can see why. He can't name a far left liberal policy Obama has adopted but he is certain that he is because the propagandists told him so. Who's the moron.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Great letter. If you have to
Great letter. If you have to understand the issue in such an innocent way that's as good as it comes.
Vote No on 1.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No you didn't Robert61
No you didn't Robert61 because you want to deceive people. Make what changes in how they do business? Do you have any suggestions. Of course not. These mythical changes don't exist because most towns at least those with town halls run on a shoe string now. They have cut everything there is to cut. You just don't want to meet your responsibilities.
or pay your fair share of taxes.
Question is a dumb proposal which benefits the rich and well-to-do while putting at risk the safety of the poor and middle class.
Vote NO on 2
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Les Otten; place the
Les Otten; place the emphasis on Les.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Maine can't be compared to
Maine can't be compared to Colorado or New Hampshire for that matter. Maine is an end-of-the-road state. New Hampshire borders Mass. and specifically the Boston market. Colorado borders California. Both have seen a huge migration of workers from these population centers. Maine has only recently seen a similiar migration and that limited to the south west corner of the state.
TABOR hurt Colorado; just as TABOR will hurt Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Obviously, the ranking is
Obviously, the ranking is consistent with the Northeast being ranked low. That suggests that the criteria were biased. This is fairly typical. The Tax Foundation ranked Maine 2nd in Tax Burden then admitted its calculations were wrong and changed Maine's ranking to 15th. But it still included pro-rated taxes from Alaska for oil consumed in Maine. This biases their results for all Northeastern States. Without the out of state taxes Maine would rank in the mid-30's in tax burden. Another ranking placed Maine very low in business climate (I believe 48th). Come to find out that they ignored Maine's real tax climate and used only Maine's maximum income tax rate. They did not include the many targetted tax programs because they disagreed with that approach politically. Correcting for actual taxes paid moved Maine up again into the 30's. Looks like something very similiar is happenning here. But we have no details from this story.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
mad dad, Politicians are
mad dad,
Politicians are also taxpayers. The problem with Maine taxes is the property tax on poor people. We are property rich and income poor. Federal income taxes have fallen from 90% to 35%. The last two tax changes to federal income taxes were reductions. The state income tax was just reduced from 8.5% to 6.5%. The state sales tax was reduced last time from 6% to 5%. The rate of property taxes has dropped greatly with the homestead exemption, increase school subsidies, and increased revenue sharing. Taxes are going down everywhere. But that said, increased assessments and at best stagnant and at worst falling wages have increased the property tax burden on the poor and middle class.
Because TABOR mis-calculates spending needs it will burden the poor with increasingly worse public services. With TABOR we will get the worst of all world, poor public services, high property taxes, low income. TABOR solves nothing.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Brooktrout, I don't think
Brooktrout, I don't think anyone has said that gay marriage CAN'T be taught in the schools. What they've said is that it isn't now. Nothing in LD 1020 allows it or denies it. Therefore it is irrelevent to the issue at hand.
Could someone put together a different law, or add it to learning results and then go to each of the 218 school districts promoting the teaching of gay marriage. Of course. Is anyone? No. Will LD 1020 help them in their efforts if they ever do take it into mind to make this change? No.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
About time. Now
About time. Now de-criminalization because this can be changed by the next administration.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"By bringing the issue of
"By bringing the issue of gay marriage to public vote, you are asking that either religious persons not be allowed to vote or that they only be able to give assent and approbation to a *public act* of marriage between same sex couples. Further, you are asking that they recognize these marriages as real and valuable to society."
Mrs McG, that is precisely what you are not asked to do. LD 1020 states clearly that religions do not have to acknowledge or perform gay marriages. So your argument is completely false.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Shields doesn't mention that
Shields doesn't mention that the TABOR II proposal controls spending based on consumer inflation. When was the last time a consumer bought a school district or a bridge, or a few hundred PhD's.? Do you pave the road outside your house? Do you patrol your neighborhood. Consumer inflation has nothing to do with government inflation or spending. Its a false measure. Therefore, it does not correctly provide for needed spending. Formulas don't do that people with judgement do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Property Taxes are set by
Property Taxes are set by local governments not by the state (although the state does reduces them through the Homestead exemption, school subsidies, and municipal revenue sharing. We need TABOR like a whole in the head.
What a combo Shields and Mello both supporting 4. Surprising surprise. The two worst legislators in Maine's recent history.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The letter perpetuates the
The letter perpetuates the Heritage Centers misinformation. Colorado grew because businesses moved out of California because of overcrowding, crime, water restrictions and dought, and budgetary chaos brought about by California's version of TABOR Prop 13. California went from first to worst in education in the Nation before the people began to move to Colorado with their children. So the Heritage Center moved to Colorado and passed TABOR with the help of their Billionaire donors. Colorado has suspended TABOR for the last 5 years because it was doing to Colorado what it has already done to California - wrecked public services.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Both these measures make no
Both these measures make no sense and neither is necessary.
Since TABOR I defeat, state budgets including prior to the recession have conformed to TABOR I requirements. So TABOR II is unnecessary.
We also need to know that Maine is being used by the Hertiage Center in Washington as national guinea pig. They have already stated that if TABOR II passes in Maine they will start campaigns in other states.
The excise tax changes if passed will have 3 effects. 1. The guy who bought the Mercedes will pay a lot less in excise taxes. 2. A lot of police and fireman will be fired across Maine or 3. Your property taxes will shoot up or a combination of the two.
Makes so sense to give the rich a huge tax break at the risk of losing a poor retired couple's home to fires we can no longer contain or contain quickly enough.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil, You joke. I think we
Gil, You joke. I think we all know she's intelligent and she's created a great job for her attacking good government and liberals. Now why is that. She knows the right will buy any nonsesical lie so the more she lies she tells the more money she makes. Russ is up to $400 million. Right.
Louise, everything you want in the Health Care Reform legislation is there. Requiring everyone to have some form of insurance makes the same sense that requiring car insurance does.
Why does it do it now? Because the insurance co stated that they would oppose reform unless everyone was required to have insurance. Now that they have revealed their two-faced dealings on the issue. I hope we can get back to a robust, voluntary, public option or extended Medicare to all with tiered premiums.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Great letter. Religion is
Great letter. Religion is immaterial to question 1. Its just being used to justify personal hatreds
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
During a recession this bad
During a recession this bad idea becomes even worse. Promoted by Washington Billionaires and their front groups like The Heritage Center, the dire predictions of opponents are likely very moderate and even conservative. Since TABOR I failed, State Government has reduced spending but every budget conformed to TABOR I provisions. This radical experiment in oversimplified goveranced, one size fits all budgeting is not only dangerous its unnecessary.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Bangor Daily News this
The Bangor Daily News this morning endorsed NO on 1. The reasons are obvious and have been written in this blog endlessly.
1. Yes on 1 has provided not a single reason to vote yes. Their campaign is completely false. Not surprising since its lead by Rev. Bob Emrich who couldn't find honesty with a stick. I could go to my local school board and ask that gay marriage, gay sex, anything be included in the curriculum. The decision is entirely theirs. LD 1020 doesn't matter one way or the other.
2. Religious institutions are entirely protected by LD 1020. No religion must preform or acknowledge gay marriages. So religious comments are immaterial.
Gil, taxpoor, and Sammie add nothing to the conversation. They are just wrong.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Cow, pig, and House ____ Its
Cow, pig, and House ____
Its not unusual to find a politician who has sold out for a few pieces of silver.
His party has increased the natioanl debt from < 1 trillion dollars to 12 trillion most in just the last 8 years. Please explain to us your cost concerns Mr. Steele! What he really is concerned about is that someone might finally get the insurance companies' hands out of our pockets. Only they and major league baseball are exempt from anti-trust laws. Only they don't have to play by the rules.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Traylblazer, No! and that's
Traylblazer,
No! and that's the point.
Vote NO on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Nutty again confirms that
Nutty again confirms that the Yes on 1 folks are motivated by their hatred not by what is good for Maine. He failed to present a single rational, secular reason to vote yes on 1.
Here's another NO on 1.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
jclick, you mean that the
jclick, you mean that the Bible doesn't NOW endorse polygamy. Obviously polygamy is the biblical tradition of the jewish faith. To be practiced by jews it had to be endorsed by the jewish faith. Just because that endorsement has been removed from the Bible by sex hating monks in the middle ages does not at all mean that the christian tradition of marriage is not rooted in polygamy. In fact the Mormons among others have defended polygamy as biblical.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
So much of the discussion is
So much of the discussion is about religion is because after years of discussion the Yes side has produced not one rational reason to vote yes. All they have is their violent distorted misinterpretations of the Bible. If God is who they say he is then he is gay, straight, man, woman, black, and white.
God would vote NO.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I am totally comitted to
I am totally comitted to single payer health care reform. I will if necessary accept a robust public option. I even will accept a "triggerred" public option if the affordability conditions for low and median income people are tough enough. Won't like it; but I will accept it. But $500 billion in subsidies for the insurance industry that's not health care reform.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The family is not the
The family is not the foundation of society; its the foundation of the church. Its also hiding place of male supremacy which is sanctified in the church and its dogmas. Male supremacy like white supremacy is a cancer in society and needs to be exorcised.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The public option is the
The public option is the only tool that will bring some checks and balances to the health care insurance industry. Snowe's remarks make clear that there are no free markets in insurance. Increasing premiums by 138% when inflation is 28% and income growth 31% (and no income growth among 60% of the population) is not sustainable and can only be the explained by active monopolies which by law the insurance companies have been allowed to create. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
But what made all these
But what made all these action possible was the false "free market" propaganda from Ayn Rand, Ron Paul, and all the libertarian nonsense in between. This is the intellectual capital spawned over the last 80 years that has lead us to financial disaster.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Scotty_O, its not hating
Scotty_O, its not hating Bush to recognize that the recession of 2007 was primarily caused by a failure of regulation - regulation that largely worked until 2000. A combination of repealing those rgulations and a failure to enforce those or new regulations caused the failure. That failure can be seen in the Madoff scandal. The SEC was warned about his criminal activity many times. Many times they failed to take actions their regulations demanded. Combine that with the repeal of various Great Depression laws and decisions to reduce liquidity requirements and you produce an asset bubble every time. Bush gets credit because he approved or should have approved many of the decision and it occurred on his watch. He let the bankers, the mortgage brokers, the assessors, and the consumers exercise their greed. He let the evil out of panadora's box. Not only did he let the evil out; he advocated that it was good. He bought into the Gecko lie "Greed is Good". He promoted it.
Now we must put the evil back in the box by creating a system of checks and balances which will one prevent regulators from ignoring their jobs and which will force accountability on everyone involved in these transaction and restore the Great Depression laws which protected the system for so long.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wind Power may turn out to
Wind Power may turn out to be a major source of power, but not in Maine. All the power will be shipped out of the state, but the transmission lines needed to take it out-of-state will be paid for by Mainers. We get the costs; people elsewhere get the benefits. Now does that make sense.
Anything Dr. Aniel comments on has no credibility. In politics he's a joke.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mikeda78, "Obviously your
Mikeda78, "Obviously your wires are wrong". Not wrong. different and if there is a God, then God did it. Religion has nothing to say on this issue. Religious marriage is protected by LD 1020. Those who vote yes because of religious belief are irrational and paranoid. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
So many defects were in that
So many defects were in that editorial that the editorial board should write a correction stating that the editorial was wrong from beginning to end.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Yes, the state should have
Yes, the state should have allowed Holy Matrimony in churches when it used marriage. But the state can not regulate what words a or all religions use. So the church could have taken the word marriage back and used it. So the state had no choice. Churches could use civil unions instead of marriages if they wanted to.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
LD 1020 protects religious
LD 1020 protects religious marriage. It will have the same meaning after LD 1020 is implemented as it did in 1969. Did the Loving Decision in 1967 change the meaning of marriage from previous years. Yes it did. It made the meaning better because more people could enjoy it; move children could be protected in loving homes. So too will enforcement of LD 1020 open civil marriage to more couples and more children. But it will not change religious marriage at all.
The religious argument has been taken away by the law so any religious argument is irration and a cover-up for the real reason. What's Monika's.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"it is the truth as God
"it is the truth as God revealed it." The Bible "God's revealed word" is in fact a political document developed over the last 1800 years. Its been written and re-written. Its being re-written as we speak to remove "liberal" ideas like charity by conservatives. The Bible has no credibility much less truth.
LD 1020 protects religious marriage and says so quite explicitly. No church is required to change anything in their dogma. So even if marriage between one man and one woman was the revealed word of God that would not be a rational reason to vote yes on 1. On the assumption that Debra is rational (I know she believes in the supernatural, magic, suspending the laws of nature so that assumption may prove false), then this is not the reason Debra is voting yes on 1. I wonder what is?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This idea has no merit at
This idea has no merit at all and shows a lack of understanding the legislative process. Quite simply, committees develop legislation. Individual legislators certainly submitted bills but in the end only committee members where the bill is assigned, staff, and the author and then any interested legislators ever reads the final bill. Were legislator required to read every bill through all its changes in the legislative process nothing would ever get done. Now that may be to some people's liking, but I prefer as efficient a legislature as we can have.
All legislation should be posted on the web by the responsibile clerk, indexed for a word search, and its status changed and amendmentd listed. Which I believe is being done now.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
denny1, from your post we
denny1, from your post we know that you don't know anything about politics or english.
Obama is a moderate pragmatist, free market supporter, moderate to conservative democrat. Just take two programs Obama has been involved in Financial Services and the Auto bailouts. Both programs fascist in nature. Both negoiated by the Bush Administration. The Financial Services Bailout was implemented by the Bush Administration. And even though the people of the US have profitted by $10,000,000,000 by doing it. The whole program was a rescue of criminals who are going to walk off with trillions in ill gotten gains and we get nothing for our efforts. The Auto Bailout was completely different because the Bush Administration did not have time to finalize an agreement. The Obama Administration negoitated a much tougher deal and again we will profit from it financially because the Obama Administration got back something for our money - ownership of the co.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This was a deft political
This was a deft political move. The vote for Republicans was a throwaway vote. The bill was going to pass if every Republican voted against it. Keeps Snowe in the game. Keeps her face above the fold in newspapers and on all the TV talk shows.
Her position of course is ridiculous. A "Trigger" to be fired if the health insurance co. fails to meet expectations. They have failed to meet expectations for 50 years and their new report says that they control pricing in the insurance market and they will set those prices where ever they want. The trigger should have been pulled several decades ago. By the way, won't a "trigger" require more legislation to fire it. More delay; more millions spent lobbying and if the Republicans gain some seats back the trigger will be gone. and 30 million Americans will be forced to buy insurance at prices approaching $40,000 per year by 2019.
The Bush Recession of 2007 demonstrates that Republican economic principles and policies are wrong. And every time they have been in power from 1928 on the same principles lead to the same recessions and depressions. They are wrong on the economy. They are wrong on "free Markets" they are wrong on Health Care.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
dunna, you can't elected
dunna, you can't elected your "true" Republican in Maine. Our votes are usually well informed and rational in most things. Your "true" R's are about 20-25% of the voters. That won't elect anyone except by luck. But kick her out. Please do. It will be the announcement of the Republican Party's demise.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
What's there to debate. The
What's there to debate. The "Stand for Marriage" crowd has yet to present any social harm that would befall us if this legislation goes into effect. Their whole photoshop campaign has been dishonest from beginning to end. I still ask them to give me a single rational reason to vote yes so far no one has taken me up on this.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The tea baggers are now
The tea baggers are now running ultra-conservative canditates against Republicans who voted for the Bush Bailouts. See Politico
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
RpsNoMore, well written and
RpsNoMore, well written and oh so true.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
They left out ".....if the
They left out ".....if the population crisis became sufficiently severe to endanger the society." and they left out "Indeed, it has been concluded that compulsory population-control laws,...." and they left out "....could be sustained under the existing Constitution"
What was Mr. Holden advocating. He was standing that a population crisis could become so damaging to society that it would risk the destruction of civilization then compulsory population control laws might be Constitutional. He is not advocating such laws. And he's perfectly correct. If society was about to be destroyed as in war the government does have the right under our Constitution and commonsense to adopt very painful laws. Laws that would not be constitutional in the normal course of events like the next four years.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Barb, just went on an
Barb, just went on an anti-Holden site which proports to have direct quotes from the book. They then translate what was written. Its is the websites' translation that you are stating as if it were a fact and that translation is taken out of context (they don't acknowledge that they used only part of the sentence) and then misrepresented.
Why would anyone believe anything on Beck, or Limpbaugh, or Hannity?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Jefferson's is a good
Jefferson's is a good choice. Wait a while and you can get the new Conservative Bible. Conservepedia is now working on a project to remove everything liberal in the Bible. You know ideas like charity. If we removed every similiar politically motivated word, phrase, or verse that was put their by some slimy church politician the 4 Gospels would be the 4 sentences. Even so nothing in the Bible calls homosexuality a sin. And I know all the verses that are taken out of context and misrepresented.
Vote NO on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If its all fine and dandy,
If its all fine and dandy, why did Colorado suspend the law specifically stating that the law had dramatically forced cuts in services and schools?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
dr. dosh, I think you are
dr. dosh,
I think you are low balling it. 250 million guns were in private hands decades ago. I suspect that its now over 300 million. As it should be.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"The president hasn't done
"The president hasn't done anything specific to earn the prize." Yes he has. He was elected. This is the anti-Bush Prize awarded to any President who does not appeal to unilateralism, pre-emptive war, or government sponsored terrorism and torture.
Well earned.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
A church advocating for any
A church advocating for any idea under public discussion is not breaking the law and has every right to its tax exempt status. Only advocating for a specific candidate threatens their tax status.
Vote NO on 1.
Keep your kids out of the Boy Scouts. The Scouts are an institution that indoctrinates children into the world of male supremacy, upper class culture, and fascism.
I attended a meeting at a church in Wayne, Pa many years ago when Boy Scout leaders from the area wanted to introduce the idea of bringing black boys from Phila out to the suburbs. Since Wayne was almost 100% white they appeared concerned that the community would resist bringing poor black boys in. During the meeting one of the Scout leaders said, We have to bring the kids in so that we can erase their black culture and replace it with our culture. Only then can we trust them. Close the Scouts.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
How will cutting 10 or 15%
How will cutting 10 or 15% of our teachers help the economy?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Vote NO on 4 Jon Albrecht
Vote NO on 4
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
scott, you haven't learned
scott, you haven't learned anything. Taxes in this country have gone down for 45 years. The top Federal income tax rate was 90% in the 60's now its 35%. Sales taxes in Maine went down from 6 to 5% the last time they were changed. LD 1495 will reduce taxes by $55,000,000 if it goes into effect.
California passed a bill very similiar to TABOR I. Education spending and results went from 1st in the nation to last in two years. Colorado passed TABOR I then after education spending collapsed they suspended the law because of the damage it was doing to the kids. TABOR demonstratably hurts public services. Its not using the kids to document the facts.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Liberal in my mind means
Liberal in my mind means supporting and defending the Constitution and all of the Bill of Rights. Conservatives love to cherry pick the bible and the constitution to provide authority for their personal beliefs. Unfortunately some liberals follow their example. Guns are dangerous tools that should be in the hands of experienced and trained users. But its the user not the gun that is the problem.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Scotty_O, you have it right.
Scotty_O, you have it right. Until the loonies like the Conants learn who really is controlling their lives we will continue to live under corporate tyranny.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Attendees at the Tea Parties
Attendees at the Tea Parties are either fools, ignorant, or just plain dysfunctional. Taxes, in real terms, have gone down dramatically over the last 45 years. If socialism is on the rise, George Bush and the Republicans brought it to you with his rescue of the financial services industry and the auto industry. Of course socialism to these cranks just means government action. Truth be told its fascism not socialism that was exercised by George. Didn't think there was this many wack jobs in Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Vote No on 1 Jon Albrecht
Vote No on 1
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
taxpoor, you are hitting
taxpoor, you are hitting 1000. Wrong about taxes and wrong about gays. You want to try another issue to look foolish on.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This issue demonstrates the
This issue demonstrates the problems that arise when you mix church and state. But the legislation protects religion. There is no religious issue here.
Marriage has been re-defined many times. The last being the Loving decision. Almost always by the courts.
The public should not have a voice in civil rights issues. The majority is almost always wrong. We should leave this up to the constitutionally designated officials - the legislature and the courts.
Vote No on 1.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
My interpretation of one
My interpretation of one feature of the report is that Maine is property rich and income poor reflecting our age distribution and increases in property valuation over the last 20 years. Since the effective tax rate is low at 1.5%, assessment and low income (property taxes are 5.3% of income) must drive the perspection that property taxes are too high. Since neither is controllable for a large part of our population, many would fall prey to that perception. Confirms the idea that we must find another way to finance local government.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
B, TABOR doesn't allow
B, TABOR doesn't allow priority judgements; doesn't allow legislative bodies to do their job. What makes you think we have "expensive programs" or programs we can't afford. Maybe (I doubt it but maybe) all the programs we have are absolutely justified but costs that could be lower are out of control because of external factors Federal government rules for example or State policies external to the program. Programs we can't afford is just a code phrase for a low priority program whatever its cost.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
LisbonBrad, Just read
LisbonBrad,
Just read Woodbury's report. Excellent work. Confirms for me that LD 1495 must be enacted and afterwards we must deal with the problem that property taxes represent the highest revenue the state and local governments receive and that it disproportionately impacts low income earners.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The facts remain even though
The facts remain even though the pro-TABOR folks will ignore them. Since TABOR I was defeated state spending has been consistent with TABOR I guidelines. Spending has been reduced. Taxes over the last 45 years have been reduced. The top Federal income tax rate has fallen from 90 to 35%. The sales tax rate last fell from 6 to 5%. Property tax rates state-wide have fallen from 4.5 to 1.5% of assessed value over the last 23 years.
There is no need for TABOR except the delusions of its supporters.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
TABOR II like TABOR I is a
TABOR II like TABOR I is a trial balloon by national anti-government groups to find how they can package bad policy cutting government in half. Written in Washington by the Heritage Foundation, TABOR II is the same one-size fits all over-simplified and therefore disasterous policy. Its greatest fallacy is that government buys the same basket of goods and services that the average urban consumer does. We have no urban areas in Maine. Government doesn't buy what the average citizen buys. In times of recession government must spend more to stimulate the economy because the private sector has failed to do so. TABOR II doesn't allow this to happen. TABOR II places government in an inflexibile straightjacket based on false assumptions and bad math.
It has well earned its defeat.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
liberal bias - tells the
liberal bias - tells the truth. Conservative pundit - fair and balanced, he lies about everything. Fox News - publicity arm of the Republican Party. Hannity, Beck O'Reilly super rich entertainers who prey on the minds burdened with miraculous thinking (suspension of rational thought and the laws of nature)
Good, fair letter.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Some good thoughts, but
Some good thoughts, but without a public option business will still bear a cost burden that our international competitors do not. Without a public option, insurance monopolies created by the insurance companies will still be able to increase premiums by double digits as they have over the last decade. Without a public option the premium cost for an average family of 4 will exceed $32,000/year by 2019. Without a public option prevention of criminal acts by insurance companies - denial of insurance because of preexisting conditions, denial of care, and revocation of insurance when the insured becomes sick all forms of fraud - will be almost impossible.
The compromise between a single payer system and the current system is a robust public option.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
momof4, Look it up. You can
momof4,
Look it up. You can start with the Kinsey Reports wonder through Master and Johnson or go anywhere in legitimate scientific research. Heterosexuals engage in all the sex acts that homosexuals do. With the same consequences. Of course homosexual sex is a subset of Heterosexual sex.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Has any one thought of
Has any one thought of tiered consolidation. 1 superintendent and central office per county. Several districts per county with a school board for each. Several school systems per board. A public advisory council per school.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I'm voting NO on all the
I'm voting NO on all the questions. None have serious merit.
We should have in small counties 2-3 districts and in large counties 4-5. That's it. About 40 state wide.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well when you let the Church
Well when you let the Church leadership think for you sometimes you can be disappointed. That this Bishop doesn't care a wit about his flock shouldn't surprise anyone.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Civil Rights should never be
Civil Rights should never be decided by a vote of the "people". Civil Rights have already been decided by the authors of the US and State Constitutions. Passage of LD 1020 was the right thing to do but should have been unnecessary. But many here don't like representative government, don't like our constitutions. Their hatred is so violent that they say - I lost the election, I lost control of the legislature, I lost the Governorship so lets have another chance. Maybe if we do this a dozen times someone will join me in my hate.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Certainly the story should
Certainly the story should tell both sides and the complete story. You just can't say that Nuclear power plants are the best way to reduce greenhouse gases or whatever the buzz issue of the day is. There are those little problems of disposing of the radioactive waste for 200,000 years and those nasty little accidents which one day might not be so little. When the promoters of Nuclear power can get private insurance without government aid, i.e when the private sector thinks that nuclear is safe, OK.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
We also need a law that
We also need a law that defines fraudulent signature gathering and it must have jail time for those who actually commit the fraud and denial of any license for organizations that assisted the fraud.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, I will suggest that my
Tron,
I will suggest that my legislator submits a bill in the next legislative session that will require the naming of all contributors to a referendum campaign and bar "bunderlers from donating to a campaign. We have a right to know if a referendum campaign is being bought by outside billionaires.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Registering 200 even 2000
Registering 200 even 2000 new people in Maine has no impact on statewise races. Even local elections in the towns they would register in would not be effected because the 200 are split among many towns. So the registration of inprisoned felons will have no political effect. And as the article says it does benefit the community and the felon. So all you racist commentators all your rants prove is how insane you are.
But nothing can match Sammie's delusion comments.
"According to the General Psychiatry in 1999, "homosexual people are at substantially higher risk for some forms of emotional problems, including suicid(e), major depression, anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, and nicotine dependence."" Compared to whom? Homosexuals in America are an oppressed minority. They suffer from all the problems that any oppressed minority suffers from. Had you been cursed your whole life, beaten up in gym, denied a job with a snear, denied housing with a door slammed in your face. Or met Sammie. You too would suffer higher risks of emotional problems.
I'm checking with the Omega Journal to confirm the median age of death for homosexual men. Were the report from 1999 I can understand it. Gay men were in the mist of an epidemic that most heterosexual men did not experience. But the epidemic has nothing to do with being gay. The man who brought the disease to America was homosexual. In Africa where it originated entire countries both men and women have died at exceptional rates. Were you to calculate their median age at death it would be just as significant.
The comparison on STD's is equally meaningless. You can't compare two "classes" of people. Its called stereotyping and has no scientific basis. You have to compare two groups based on the causal factor in this case the number of partners and frequency of sex. The only thing these numbers mean is that homosexuals are enjoying themselves more than heterosexuals. Since they perform the same sexual acts, being gay in and of itself has nothing to do with Sammie's nonsense.
This is homophobic bigotry. Don't even know why its here.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Clearly, Rev Roy is sick.
Clearly, Rev Roy is sick. How does increasing the number of families harm families exactly. Rev. Roy must believe in James Dobson's famous quote, "Scandanavia has virtually adopted gay marriage which has cause an explosion of out-of-wedlock births". Iraational from beginning to end.
Families are in danger not because of scapegoats selected by Rev Roy, but because of divorce, poverty, the corporate attack on the middle class. You wouldn't find Rev. Roy writing about that.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No on 1; celebrate human
No on 1; celebrate human rights.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No one needs God to explain
No one needs God to explain the human body or a rainbow, or a dinosaur. Believe what you will but don't turn American citizens into second class citizens or targets of violence because you wrap you warped point-of-view in the authority of God.
As to the Pledge, God never belonged in the Pledge. It was added by Congress in 1954 because they believed according to Congressional testimony that Communists couldn't say the word God. Hysteria will do things llike that to you. The motto on money was added in 1865 by some well meaning if very sick ministers. The same ministers in the 1830' and 40's waged a campaign to prevent self touching. You know that thing we all do that will make us blind, drive us into insane asylums, cause us to slaughter our neigbors.
The core evil of Christianity is the denial of what it is to be human (the fictional fall).
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Beck never tells the truth.
Beck never tells the truth. He's an entertainer. He dishes out fiction. And many of you are too lazy to test it. Jennings did not talk to a 15 year-old-boy. He talked to a sixteen year-old-boy or so the boy says. No policy required him at the time to report anything.
Talking about Marxism and socialism. You guys don't know what the words mean. Any centralized government power constitutional or not you hate. You just substitute those titles for thinking.
Amazing that the Obama haters are real the American haters. If they can't break it they will lie about it.
Mass Public option is recognized as the nations best hope for universal converage. Of course, it doesn't meet all health care goals but at least Mass as the lowest number of uninsured folks in the country 4.1%.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Taxpoor, But you have to
Taxpoor,
But you have to admit that you think its sick because you aren't attracted to someone of the same-sex. But You never made that decision. You have always just been straight. Well so have they just always been gay. yours nor theirs was a decision, a lifestyle, or a whim; but who you are.
I think people who like vegtables are sick. Doesn't mean I'm going to penalize them. Or treat them as second class citizens.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gays have lived together and
Gays have lived together and raised families together for centuries. President Buchanan and his partner lived together for at least 20 years. More gay families will not be created by this legislation. The only change is that those gay families will be granted some of the 1300+ rights and benefits they are currently denied.
Teaching about gay marriages is perfectly OK today. This bill has nothing to do about teaching about gay marriages. Mass. and Maines laws about education are very different which is why what has happenned in Mass. has nothing to do with Maine. In Maine, if they wish, any district can teach the history of gay marriage, the literature of gay marriage, or the legalities of gay marriage and they don't need this law to do it. Nor do they have to mis-represent Christian fundamentalist teachers now employed by Christian private schools to make that point.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Sirmel, You can't argue for
Sirmel,
You can't argue for tort reform like Texas which restricts competition and then agrue for competition to cut costs. As we now see Health care reform means many different things to different people and interests. Well so does tort reform. Doctors who perform according to standards should be protected. Facilities that apply management techniques that reduce errors should be protected. But 98,000 people die because of medical errors each year. One control that provides an incentive to reduce that number is lawsuits. In this state we have a peer review board. That's a good step. We need more.
Its not state laws that have eliminated competition. The insurance companies have colluded to cut up the insurance markets into monopolies where they can control prices independent of costs. This year Anthem has increased premiums by 80%, 52%, 42% respectively in three states. In the middle of the Great Recession. Competition can only be restore by a government run program where regulated and regulator have no contact.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Universal Coverage is not
Universal Coverage is not the sole goal of health care reform. If it were only a single-payer universal health care system supplemented by private insurance would be the answer. The US health care system is rated 37th by the WHO. Others rate it differently but no one rates it better than 15th. Insurance Companies deny care for 20% of treatments order by doctors. That can only worsen care.
If we want to meet all the goals of health care reform then a robust public option that as Rep. Michaud proposes permits negiotiated reimbursements not ones pinned to Medicare is the only means that can work.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well, thank you mikec for
Well, thank you mikec for your repeating these republican myths. Fact is tax rates have gone down for 45 years. Last tax changes were all reductions. $55,000,000 tax cut in LD 1495. State sales tax rate reduced from 6% to 5%. Federal income top tax rate fell from 90% to 35%. Last significant tax increase was G H W Bush's in the late 80's.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Scotty_O, Family sized
Scotty_O,
Family sized dropped because previously you needed children as free slave labor. Since the 50's that wasn't the case although it may return. Only now do we think of children as a cost.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The author is wonderful.
The author is wonderful. Judsun seems to really understand the central issue of our times. Unfettered capitalism fails constantly. It fails on many levels. It fails to account for the needs of its workers. It fails to meet necessary social and political goals. It fails to work not once but routinely as we have seen over the last 2 years. Unfettered Capitalism is the worst economic system of all except fascism (the system we now have) where government manipulates market conditions for the benefit of the owners of commerce.
Its important that the Constitution does not include even a mention of Capitalism. We do not have to amend the constitution to develop a system of checks and balances that will make government the master of commerce as the Constitution intended not the slaves to bribery.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Yes we do deimos. We know
Yes we do deimos. We know the human misery "free trade" has caused. The millions of Mexican who had to uproot themselves and move to America because they could not get a job in Mexico and their farms went bankrupt because of NAFTA. The millions of Americans who have lost their jobs because "free trade" allows China to undercut are markets with defective, dangerous, and poisonous products.
let's dispense with the words "free trade". Doesn't exist. Its just a misleading PR phrase. NAFTA is a treaty containing thousands of trade restrictions. You want to make America's shoes? Well you can if we can make Mexico's sewer pumps. Then the treaty sets up the conditions that make that happen. The treaty was crafted by Republicans to maximize their supports profits. The American people and their health and safety were not negiotiating points.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If the editorial board
If the editorial board really thinks there is a problem with state worker salaries, then bring in unbiased professionals in salary administration to make a valid comparison and make a judgement on whether a real gap exists. Let's not use partisan propaganda.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
So Tron you support raising
So Tron you support raising the Governors salary to $250,000? Everyone else we need to pay based on market rates or they leave.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
How many Ph'd's work in
How many Ph'd's work in private firms in Maine. Jackson labs a few more here and there. Maine State government is full of them in and out of higher education. They have to be paid current market rates. To compare average state government wages to average private wages without adjusting for the vastly different occupations each employs makes the comparison useless. Several other factors are also not accounted for age, sex, education being just the top three. These number mean nothing. The report shows no gap. Only an occupation by occupation comparison which adjusts for factors taken into consideration in setting salaries can show if a gap really exists.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Check this out
"Check this out http://www.mainepolicy.org/library/resources/203.pdf" Why?
The Maine Propaganda Policy Center produces propaganda pieces. They never tell the true story.
TABOR II's one size fits all approach of mismanaging Maine's budget is unnecessary and dangerous to which this lady can speak.
Maine's story is simple. After the failure of TABOR I the Maine budget has been below TABOR I guidelines every year. $250 million was added to the budget in the first year for education by public referrendum consistent with TABOR I. In the last few years the budget has been reduced by almost $1 bn dollars because of the recession. So how can anyone say state spending is out of control.
Taxes haven't gone up; they have gone down. Federal Income top tax rate has fallen from 90% to 35% in the last 45 years. GWB cut the federal income tax rates twice in 2001 and 2003 (unfortunately a primary cause of the out of control federal deficit). The state sales tax rate was cut from 6 to 5% a few years back. The passage of LD 1495 will reduce the taxes Mainers pay by $55,000,000. Where's the tax increases? Property Taxes did increase through the 90's because of higher assessments and home price increases. Now that the housing market has fallen so have home values and property taxes. Mine fell $600 last year.
Taxpoor, I think what's poor is your attitude not how government in Maine is operating.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Taxpoor, Been a long time
Taxpoor,
Been a long time since I played with my chemistry set, but I don't believe that water will separate from ethanol. In fact, I believe very extreme measures (or other production methods) have to be taken to reduce the water content below 10%. The gas line additives that you put in your fuel tank to prevent fuel line freeze ups in winter is, you guessed it, ethanol or other alcohols because it absorps the water not separates from it. Mixtures with up to 50% water are being tested now in stoves.
If you used 100% ethanol to replace gasoline mileage will go down by 15-30%. But with a E10 and a properly tuned engine and even some suitable add-on equipment, E10 is just as efficient as gasoline.
If you enjoy sending $1 bn to our "friends" in the Middle East each day, then oppose ethanol and the other new technologies.
No one has said that E10 is the right fuel for mowers, chain saws, or farm tractors. Would you put deisel fuel in a gasoline engine?
While the debate over ethanol for fuel and its costs goes on we should look skeptically at its use but for the right reasons. The decision to use E10 for now is a good one.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Sounds like a great and
Sounds like a great and intelligent man well grounded in reality. Wish I had known he was coming, I would have attended.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Sheesh, That's how our
Sheesh,
That's how our system works. Its not the dictatorship of the bigoted. Its a Republic where respresentatives of the people make the decisions. They did. They did it right. The people's response should be to vote those representatives out if they disagree. This abusive use of people's vetos to undermine our system of government must be brought under control.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Separate but Equal"
"Separate but Equal" diminishes all of us, corrupts our culture, and weakens our society. What's to be gained - dignity
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
First, depending on which
First, depending on which cap and trade proposal becomes law costs to families could run from nothing to significant. We simply don't know what it will cost.
Second, this lame argument that the world has warmed and cooled implying that humans have no impact on the current warming is just dumb. 95% of the world scientists doing this research say humans have changed the degree to which the normal earth's cycles are warming and cooling the planet.
Third, the last ten years numbers are a tiny fraction of the hundreds of thousands of year that have been studied. They do not change the conclusion.
These are all arguments to make our grand children pay for our irresponsibility in not controlling our effect on the planet now.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
crimeless your conclusions
crimeless your conclusions are without merit. Maine is the 15th most taxed state, but if you remove the taxes that are not paid by Mainers and not legislated by the legislature, Maine drops to 22nd. If you include the 11 states that significantly raised taxes this year while maine cut taxes, Maine should fall to mid-30's. So Maine taxes are headed to the least taxed not the most. Dumbest I don't know. laziest ridiculous Maine businesses all appauld the work ethic of Maine workers. Highest used welfare. Great. Brings Federal dollars here helps business and people. That's great. That DHS has performed so well is a tribute to them.
Most people that receive welfare drop off the programs in the first year and those that don't are 100% disabled or children under 10. I don't think you suggestion will be adopted.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Isn't it nice that the
Isn't it nice that the rightwing is eager to prooof the point of the letter writer.
Being the biggest bully on the block puts a target on you back. International cooperation gets the job done.
But when someone makes claims that are clearly false. You have to respond, just not in kind. Stangi doesn't know what he is talking about. Obama is a pragmatist who has continued most of Bush's policies. Bush wasn't a communist.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, but it does for people
Tron, but it does for people who don't know and will not look for themselves.
The other fantastic misstatement although on just intended to mislead not lie is that Marriage has been defined as a union between a man and a woman for 2000 years. Only in some of the Christian world. And not even all of that. If the statement is turned around - Marriage has never been defined as the union of men and men or woman and woman well that's literally true with some minor exceptions. But Marriage was redefine twice in my lifetime (age of consent applied to marriage, and interracial marriage). Because of Polanski the pundits were talking about how several well known people were married to 13 year old girls at the same time Polanski was convicted. Polygamy of course is the prefered form of marriage throughout the non-christian world and has been for 1200+ years.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, but it does for people
Tron, but it does for people who don't know and will not look for themselves.
The other fantastic misstatement although on just intended to mislead not lie is that Marriage has been defined as a union between a man and a woman for 2000 years. Only in some of the Christian world. And not even all of that. If the statement is turned around - Marriage has never been defined as the union of men and men or woman and woman well that's literally true with some minor exceptions. But Marriage was redefine twice in my lifetime (age of consent applied to marriage, and interracial marriage). Because of Polanski the pundits were talking about how several well known people were married to 13 year old girls at the same time Polanski was convicted. Polygamy of course is the prefered form of marriage throughout the non-christian world and has been for 1200+ years.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If this editorial was
If this editorial was intended to strengthen a culture of obligation. Fine. People should pay their bills and its no excuse that others aren't. If people can afford it this is a good time to meet their obligations. But this is not the time for the nation to reduce its debt. With growth rates below 1% and the chance for double digit inflation or a double dip recession now is not the time to reduce national debt. When growth is 3% reducing the debt slowly in sync with growth is absolutely necessary. We have committed 11.6 trillion dollars. Without a program to control that debt, economic chaos may be soon to follow.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"they just keep spending the
"they just keep spending the taxpayers money and raising taxes." When went out into the labor market Federal Income Tax's top rate was 90%. Today its 35%. That doesn't sound like "they just keep .... raising rates". Maybe, just maybe something else is wrong about "mad dad" and fixit001's conclusions.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Publikwerks, I also think
Publikwerks,
I also think that labelling opposition to the President as racist is also a bad tactic. I don't. I label the organizations starting with the Republican Party as racists because they have followed for years political strategies that are racist. Southern Stategy - bring into the party white racist democrats, prevent blacks from voting, expelling illegal immigrants knowing that will force many citizens to leave the country and not vote. The Caricatures, the use of Obama's middle name, the Birther movement, these are just recent overt racist attacks. In fact, the "Joker" characture reminds me very much of Goebbel's Caricatures of Jews.
Now the right is attacking school children for singing a song favorable to the President in February. This skit was part of Black History Month. A celebration of the sucesses of Black Americans. What is more remarkable then raising to be President? And you will notice that they also sang songs describing the good works of George Washington and Abe Lincoln, but that's not mentioned. In elementary school I think we all wrote or sang or did something on President's Day to celebrate one or all of our Presidents. Why then attack Obama? He had been in office less than a month. What's different between Obama and Bush? Given that the right contains many racists we can only reasonably assume its Obama's skin that calls up this hatred.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No this is not true. It just
No this is not true. It just continues the racist rapid conservatives amnesia. Anyone hear of McCarthyism. Or Richard Nixon's Senate race where he called his opponent a communist. Or the Republican produced faked Photograph that proported to be the Sec. of State Meeting a communist agent. The conservatives began attacking civility in the US in 1932. They tried to overthrow the US government in 1934. Don't talk to me about George Bush. Everything the left said about Bush has turned out to be absolutly true. That's the difference where the right invents scandals that don't exist; the left tells the truth.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Schools are prohibited from
"Schools are prohibited from teaching things that are illegal, right?" Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Where do we get these people. If a local school board decided to instruct children on Marriage Equality they could from many points of view. The could teach the history (California Prop 8, the Mass. and Iowa Supreme Court decisions - great reading by the way). They could teach the sociology of Marriage Equality. They could teach about the religious opposition to Marriage Equality and Human Rights. They can do all of that and more right now. The schools do not need LD 1020.
LD 1020 has nothing to do with schools or children oreducation. The Yes on 1 folks are just trying to scare old ladies.
The legislature can change any law at any time. That doesn't mean they will. So that's no argument at all.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Check Cass out. Sounds like
Check Cass out. Sounds like a remarkable, talented law professor. They voted for on of the best and brightest. Good job Senators.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No money in the stimulus
No money in the stimulus package was targetted to ACORN. So far and this may change ACORN as an organization has done nothing wrong. Some employees have submitted fraudulent voter registration cards which by law ACORN was required to submit to the proper officials and whom they notified that some of the cards appeared fraudulent and they fired the employees. Some employees advised a fake prostitute and pimp on how to get housing. The employees then notified the police and special human trafficking police units. These employees were also fired. Another rightwing witch hunt.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"There is no history book
"There is no history book anywhere that has a reference to the important role that "same-sex marriage" plays in society." Well duh, Mr. Pajak. All you married folks have passed laws making it illegal and giving yourself 1300 priveleges, benefits, and rights that you deny gay people. A completely circular and meaningless point. What you really said is "Continued Discriminating against gays is justified because we have discriminated against gays in the past.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, they never do because
Tron, they never do because even their inane ads don't identify any harm to society that Marriage Equality would bring. Now here again Pajak quotes what he says is Maine Law "traditional monogamous marriage is of inestimable value to society". Even if it is its an unsupported assertion of a claim that can not be supported. 50% of "traditional" marriages end in divorce. If traditional marriage is of "inestimable value" why is that permitted. The danger to marriage is divorce not more marriages.
The history of the country is full of the dangers marriage creates for society. Incest, alcoholism, domestic violence, and crime are nicely rooted in traditional marriage.
Quite possibly society might be much better off individuals signed explicit contracts outlining their rights and responsibilities in a committed relationship rather than go through a pre-written and perhaps meaningless set of ceremonies.
What are the benefits? Well Mr. Pajak only makes assertions he doesn't present facts. They never do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Please take the Maine
Please take the Maine Bigotry Council with yoou.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Lil, correct. The Republican
Lil, correct. The Republican Party is now dominated by the League of the South (joe Wilson's social club also on the Southern Poverty Law Center's Klanwatch list of racist neo-Confederate extremist groups), Operation Rescue, and the Business Roundtable and similiar neo-fascist groups. The moderates are all gone; the Republican extremists purged them in the 60's and 70's just as they purged the NRA of hunters in 1976. Nothings left but wackos.
But Klaus is wrong or at least has a very idealized view of American history. We still have our racists, our homophobes (did you know that porn turns straights into gays or that you should explain to 11 year old boys what all those pictures mean or that gays cause out-of-wedlock births), our nativists, and our authoritarian thugs. So what's Klaus doing in the Republican Party.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
They won't. Too busy
They won't. Too busy accepting bribes from the old dirty economy.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Now let's get this straight.
Now let's get this straight. Cathy and Dan Bergeron want us to legislate all these anti-government and anti-people proposals while protecting their government run health care and income maintenance programs which since they can't be touched must be working very well. That makes sense. A rightwing revolt to save the socialist system that takes care of them. AMHI anyone.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tron, They are not dumb;
Tron, They are not dumb; they are little authoritarian thugs. Like the Republican Washington Staffers who were paid by the National Republican Party to go in 2000 to Florida and beat up election workers.
Reggie's right. The radical Groups must be stopped. The Teabaggers. The League of the South to which Rep. Joe Wilson belongs and the other Republican Front groups that want to replace the Constitution with either a theocracy or a slavocracy.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Snowe has been working in
"Snowe has been working in recent months with three Democrats and two other Republicans to form a bipartisan approach..." Who is this reporter trying to kid. The other two Republicans are not trying to form a bipartisan approach. They've said so. They simply want to delay or prevent anything from being adopted. They are negiotiating in bad faith. We don't know yet whether Snowe is also.
What we need is Medicare extended to everyone who wants it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
New word. Goody Goody. You
New word. Goody Goody. You would think they could have found a homophobe in the Maine Bigotry Council to substitute for Heath.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I agree too that on this one
I agree too that on this one issue its time to give Rep. Wilson some slack. But Ms. Hayes makes one mistake. She says the President has called his critics liars. I don't think so. Sure would like to know what she was referring too because the President and Gibbs have been very careful about their language. Now supporters of the President are not so restained and we have called his opponents liars because their unfounded conjectures like death panels, free medical care for illegals, and dozens more statements by our opponents about HR 3200 can be easily shown to be deliberate lies for political points.
Where we should not give Rep. Wilson some slack is in his membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans (a group controlled by the League of the South) groups that have been identified as racist neo-Confederate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Nor can we ignore his confirmation of sharing the views of these groups when informed that Strom Thurmond's family had confirmed that Strum had fathered a mixed race daugther. Rep. Wilson said it was a smear. What Wilson meant by that was that racist southerners charge that stories of hundreds of thousands of mulatto children in the south before the civil war was a smear on white southern gentlemen because they would not have sexual relations with an animal which is how they view black women.
Rep. Wilson is and was a racist and he has not repudiated that.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Incidentally, I've already
Incidentally, I've already said my piece on the Catholic Churches' actions. The Church has no moral authority on this issue. I hope all its members donate a note of protest.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
joeziehmer, good statement
joeziehmer, good statement of what Christian should be doing, but you lose it at Leviticus 18:12. You know that the old testiment's Leviticus sins are no longer followed. They are obsolete. Only brought out when someone wants to wrap their hatred of homosexuals in biblical cloth. You can't pick and choose the sins you want to enforce. All or nothing.
FedupMainer; "being gay is not the way nature intended things to be". You really believe that. A mountain of evidence that is building every day says you're wrong with this unsupported assertion. Simple biology says it's very unlikely that its true. People aren't the same and pure discrete genetics fails to explain the approximately 150 different mutations we each carry. Some portion of human genetics and development appears random which is consistent with all organic chemistry. If 1-3% of humans develop a variant sexual orientation that would be well within our experience. By the way, nature intends nothing; it just is
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
momof4, that's for your
momof4, that's for your comments. When George Bush lied about Iraq having nuclear weapons, 70% of Americans believed him. Many Democrats supported him. His resolution to use force passed easily. Now many Democrats after we learned that he had conned us with a scripted campaign of misinformation, misrepresentations, and straight forward lies we called him a liar. And we were proved right. But we did it in newspapers and blogs, and to our friends not in a joint session of congress. Analysts reviewing the controversey all agree that Obama was telling the truth and Wilson was wrong.
All those folks who say Obama is lying need to provide some proof. They can't and won't because they know Obama is telling the truth (like all politicians he shades it some for his benefit at times). Why should anyone hate Obama. He is managing the country like a moderate republican without Republicans false economic theories. Frustration for some and for many racism.
You have George Bush's credibility.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Susan2, Your delusions are
Susan2,
Your delusions are getting the best of you although I do understand that you are just parrotting the views of your masters. Acorn has nothing to do with Obama. Obama has nothing to do with Acorn. Acorn is not setting up Prostitution but should be appauled if they do.
Grouping Communists, Fascists, and Socialists together means you just don't understand politics.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wilson said that emotion got
Wilson said that emotion got the better of him. Why? This is the first time in history that someone has made such a charge in a joint session of Congress. Even in the run up to the civil war no such incidence occurred. We have listen to Presidents say many very bad things and occasionally lie to Congress. Why this President. We have had other Presidents who's claim to the office were much weaker, but no "birther" movements. No this President is different and treated differently for one reason. He's black. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Catholic Church support for
Catholic Church support for any political election is clearly wrong in America.
Supposedly all you have to do is read what the bible says about marriage and you'll know to oppose gay maarriage. The Catholic Church's position on sexuality is preverse to no end. Its not bible based. How can you trust the bible anyway when its been re-written so many times. In fact the version used by many evangelicals is being re-written as we write to make it more gender neutral. The bible is simply the political statement by the church at that time. After every medieval heresy, the bible was re-written by the winners to justify killing the losers. Easy to do the church had all the bibles. Worse still during the Dark Ages the church was home to every abnormal sexual practice known. So the Church had to after the Reformation clean house and at least publicaly appear homophobic. If they didn't, you would have faced the same public Church scandal as the last 20 years. The money collected by the church would have decreased. The church no longer would have been able to host married priests. Churches would have been closed. So the church invented chastity and re-wrote the bible again to proclaim that Christ was chaste.
No, the bible informs us not the least on the subject of marriage or homosexuality or any other sexual practice.
Good letter
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No public option means no
No public option means no health care reform. This bill becomes the insurance industry's license to steal and kill its customers. Anyone who supports this is misinformed or benefits from a system where the insurance companies loot the economy and prevent care for their customers.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Dr. Aniel has made public
Dr. Aniel has made public statements on other matters that calls into question his judgement and suggests a thinking process not in conformity with the scientific method. That's the fact, If I come to agree with Dr. Pierpoints' views I would still never agree to support those of Dr. Aniel.
Yes, we are as a public spending huge sums in development of non-fossil fuel energy sources. Both as a stimulous to the economy and to develop energy independence from foreign countries that seems prudent from a national security standpoint.
I've read Dr. Pierpoints web-site and she makes a pausible case for further research. She does not close the case. She presents a pausible mechanism and a number of case studies. I'll guess I have to wait for the book to see the statistics.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Our basic human needs are
Our basic human needs are enumerated in our Constitution. Among them is "general welfare" and the ninth amendment that says that just because the founders enumerated some rights doesn't mean that others don't exist (like privacy the foundation of the constitution). Among "general welfare" is some basic level of health. No, they did mention it specifically then because health care was very primitive and not generally available (they also left out a great number of things like "Corporations". The founders would have looked on GE with horror.).
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This is part of the attack
This is part of the attack on health care reform of misdirection. The government has several plans including the VA, Federal Employees, Medicare. They are all different. The public option has been discussed in terms of several coverage packages like a basic plan and an advanced plan. The basic plan would have no premium or co-pay costs to the insured and a minimum set of coverage. The plan would be targetted at young healthy people who can not get affordable private insurance. The advanced plan would have much more coverage but require a premium and/or co-pays. Why when people have different needs should we force them to accept a one size fits all plan as Mary Jane Newell's letter implies. Keep all 5 plans. I believe one of President Obama's principles is to not change Medicare's charges or coverage. Let's keep the insured's plan if they like that plan, but give them the choice of something better if they need it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
They do good Rev. The woman
They do good Rev. The woman who attacked Rep. Barney Frank and drew his famous line "and what planet do you spend your time on" is a perfect example. She is a member of the Larouche organization. In the mid-60's Larouche took over the New York labor Committee of SDS. He began attacking socialists with baseball bats declaring his organization the only true communist group in New York. His favorite tactic was to break up socialist meeting with the disruptive tactics shown in the Town Halls. Later he moved to Queen Elizabeth declaring that she was the leading drug dealer in the world. By then his group was a cult of personality. Later he ran for President several times by defrauding contributors by charging their credit cards without authorization and identity theft. So instead of making it to the white house he succeeded in making it to the big house. Now his group has joined the neo-fascist right (not surprising he was always a rightwing bully). A group without identifiable principles and leadership and very respresentative of the teabaggers.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Good letter. Jon Albrecht
Good letter.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
A company is planning to
A company is planning to build a wind farm across from my house. I will oppose it if there is concrete evidence that the farm would cause health effects which can not be mitigated.
I will support the wind farm if no credibile evidence exists. The MMA and this editorial are pretty clear that the science has not been done to base a decision on.
Dr. Aniel is a conspiracy theorist and political wacko unqualified to perform such research.
An independent scientific committee should be formed and funded through industry contributions but without any contact with the committee (perhaps all contact can be between the companies and the regulators and between the committee and the regulators). If the committee determines that mitigation is not possible, then steps need to be taken to protect the public. For example, people living too close to the wind farm should be moved at company expense.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
All generalized proppaganda.
All generalized proppaganda. Not a fact to be found in the article. Obviously the music was more entertaining. Cap and Trade legislation has not yet passed so no one knows what form it will finally take. Might increased coal costs but might not.
But you don't hear anything from these folks about the real attack they have organized on their workers. Black lung? Mine cave-ins due to mismanagement? Selenium pollution of streams and rivers and is toxic to humans. Clean coal. No such technology exists and if it did there is no proof it will work. So talking about clean coal is simply misleading the American people .i.e they are lying. The coal operators are doing what they have done for more than a 100 years - killing their workers for the operators' profits and benefitsd.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
One of many reasons why we
One of many reasons why we need national health care reform and a robust public option. How much would the Auburn School Department save if teachers' health care costs were born by a combination of private insurance and the federal government. How much would the premiums be reduced? How much would the state save?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"better train pilots on
"better train pilots on low-level interception of civilian aircraft". Wouldn't the interception of a civilian aircraft, even over the training ground, have significant economic and social effects not to mention the effects on lives. Training aircraft sometimes crash wouldn't that have economic and social impacts. Seems like this report wasn't a report at all. It was an insulting document produced by an arrogant bureaucracy who thought people would bow to their wisdom just because they mentioned 9/11. I think the Air National Guard has a lot of explaining to do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Various almanacs over the
Various almanacs over the years,
web sites:
Tax Foundation
stateline.org
Maine.gov
variety of others.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I doubt it John. I check the
I doubt it John. I check the median family income of a state in real dollars compared to the national median. Maine has out performed the nation since 1972 inspite of significant negative trends i.e. the graying of Maine - Maine has an increasing senior citizen population which is both property rich and income poor and just poor, Maine's major high income business sector, pulp and paper, has seen radical decreases in employment due to national and international factors. Both should depress median income. Employment expansion has been largely dependent on government jobs i.e. teachers who are paid less than the national average which also should depress median income. Maine is an end-of-road State which does not enjoy the advantages of many other end-of-road states - few broad open sandy beaches, no major mountains, remote from major cities, limited natural harbors. Most of the business growth has occurred in the Portland to Bangor route 95 corridor. Maine has no modern highway system. Inspite of all these disadvantages. Maine has out performed the nation. That seems pretty unexpected.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Ron, I'm a very partisan
Ron,
I'm a very partisan Democrat for many reasons some going back to Barry Goldwater. One of those reason is that I have checked out what Democrats have done in this state over the last 37 years. My review (done many years ago) was that they had everything to be proud of. So if you aren't, then I'm very willing to answer any question you care to ask.
As a matter of principle, I can source my answers; nothing comes out of my head except the overall principles and values I believe in. My conclusions, I believe, are always based on sound evidence.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Ron, I am not a legislator.
Ron,
I am not a legislator. I do, like everyone else, have assess to my local legislator who is a Democrat. I do ask questions and I do get answers not just from my legislator. I also have attended Sen. Piotti's presentation on LD 1495 as well as read the bill (before the final changes I have to admit.)
Maine State Revenues are forecasted by the Revenue Forecasting Committee not Maine Revenue Service. The members are:
Jerome Gerard, Chair, Acting State Tax Assessor
James Breece, University of Maine System
Marc Cyr, Principal Analyst, Office of Fiscal and Program Review
Grant Pennoyer, Director, Office of Fiscal and Program Review
Catherine Reilly, State Economist
Ellen Jane Schneiter, State Budget Officer
I trust the numbers from Maine Revenue Service because they have the tax returns. They can run an analysis using the real numbers. So they can come up with, if this provision of the tax law was changed to this, what would the results be for the next tax year. Then they can refine that very accurate estimate with the latest economic information. They are not making very general estimates.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wrong, Mr. Hughes. Maine
Wrong, Mr. Hughes.
Maine Democrats didn't create the heavier burden that low income people pay. They have such a burden because of property taxes which are locally determined by non-partisan municipal governments. Democrats have tried to address that with the homestead exemption, but Republicans have and still are trying to prevent tax reform. So Democrat efforts to increase the homestead exemption have been frustrated.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If the petition is defeated
If the petition is defeated and the law goes into effect, Maine's top rate will fall from 9th to 20th highest in the US (out of the 38 states with income taxes based on brackets. The other states system are not directly compareable.) Five states have top tax rates at or above 10%. Maine current tax burden is 15th. But this is a fictious number that was 5th and "re-calculated" to 15th when the method to calculate it was determined to be wrong. It also includes "taxes paid to other states". What this means is taxes paid in Alaska on Alaska oil are pro-rated to Maine based on the amount of Alaskan oil estimated to be sold in Maine. In other words, the rating is almost meaningless. Ignore the phony numbers and estimates and Maine falls into the mid-30's. Implement this law and our burden falls by $57,000,000.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I disagree with some of the
I disagree with some of the provisions of this bill too. Specifically, it does not address the fact that the lowest 20% of income earners in Maine pay twice the tax rate as all other Mainers.
But the overall impact of the bill is what counts. Its revenue neutral. It cuts taxes paid by Mainers by $57,000,000. It broadens the sales tax (we still tax fewer categories of goods and services than most states). It brings Maine closer to the rest of the Northeast States in the meals and lodging tax (we are still either the lowest or next to lowest depending on what other states do. Under the old tax we were 3.5% below the New England average meals and lodging tax.). It brings about more revenue stability in the business cycle.
Its a good bill and proof of that is that the Republicans oppose it and have organized the misinformation campaign against it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
No one is using "Reganomics
No one is using "Reganomics reasoning" here. First of all its an oxymoron.
For years at small business conference after conference, people in the company location business have listed their criteria for locating a business in a specific state or locale. Every time the top income tax rate is a consideration. The reason why is the CEO wants to know what he is going to pay in taxes. The higher the rate the less likely he will choose that state. Even if the overall tax affect on the business is lowest if the tax on the CEO is high they won't come. Lower the tax and more businesses will come into the state.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Please check
Please check out
http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16502 for a summary of the current legal situation. Maine has found it unconstitutional to ban pay-for-signature gathers and the US Supreme Court ruled in 1988 that banning paid gatherer was unconstitutional.
One of the problems here is that the courts generally don't agree that misrepresentations are fraud. Particularly the anti-gay petitions are almost always almost reversed in meaning to get signatures.
Because of the legal situation focusing on the signer is the only practical way to clean up the referendum situation. The Secretary of State should be required to issue a statement characterizing the intent of the petition and its implications (perhaps with an advisor opinion from the AG). That is statement should be distributed to all media outlets (either as paid advertisements or as public service messages).
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Many of these ideas are very
Many of these ideas are very worthwhile. The two year budget if aligned with the state budgeting process makes all kinds of sense. None of these ideas directly affect the education of the students. The regional ideas might be a problem in rural areas. Long bus rides are dangerous and might require young children to wait on dark streets in winter. But all in all very good ideas.
A cut of $200 million sounds more likely than $100. We shouldn't expect state revenues to improve much before 2011.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Completely wacko and
Completely wacko and ridiculous. Nothing can be accomplished by these investigations.
But.
Cemeteries are usual town maintained, public property. How do you bar individuals from going there and doing perfectly legal things? If its private, bar any one you like.
My mother used to love to stop at a cemetery and read the head stones and wonder about the lives that they respesented. Should she have been barred.
Seems to me that religious prejudice is the root of the complaints. If it is, then the action of the town manager was wrong.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
This is tax reform. The
This is tax reform. The affects Sen Craven points out will happen and the people of Maine will be much better off with that $57,000,000 in their pockets and the jobs that will be created by lowering the top tax rate. For the 27 years I've been in Maine the anti-government crowd has said the top rate inhibited economic growth. Now when they have got it; they don't accept it. A craven attempt to get political points by misleading the people of Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Whether the income tax rate
Whether the income tax rate is raised next year has nothing to do with this bill. Nonthing. I'm certain you missed it but most states are taking huge cuts in services and big increases (not decreases) sales and/or income taxes. The Wall Street Journal hardly a hot bed of big spending liberals called this bill a "miracle" because it found a way to cut income tax rates in the middle of a recession. A cut which will increase jobs in Maine and put people back to work. Just can't please some folks no matter what you do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
momof4, How so. Please find
momof4, How so. Please find one thing that has been written or said in support of this bill that is not true.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
We know from statements made
We know from statements made by Charlie Webster last week that the Republican Party has organized Fed Up With Taxes to lie and mislead the people of Maine. We know that the Republican Party distributed the e-mails mentioned in the letter that were filled with misrepresentations. We know that letters to the editor of local papers are filled with those misrepresentations. We know that signature gatherers are telling those misrepresentations to Mainers to defraud them into signing the petition. Too bad that some people want political points so bad that their honesty goes out the window.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Deductions have been
Deductions have been replaced by tax credits precisely so that people with very low incomes can get reimbursement even if they have very low taxes. Great. A very smart move.
Robert61 says that three classes of Mainers will see an immediate tax increase. But does not source all of them to the MRS. Good reason. MRS said that 13% of Mainers will see a tax increase and Robert61's numbers far exceed 13%. Scare tactics. Yep.
"Within 4 or 5 years all Mainers will be paying more taxes to the state." Again no source. Well unless you count a crystal ball or tea leaves. And letters to the editor do not count as reliable sources. More scare tactics.
Seems Robert61 wanted to prove Rep. Sirios right.
I tell you you just can't please some people. They ask for a tax cut and you give them $57,000,000 in tax cuts. But those cuts aren't real? They ask for state spending cuts and you give them massive and dangerous cuts in state spending. And still they are not pleased. Well maybe they have some other agenda and they can't be pleased by anything you do.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
It is a valid complaint.
It is a valid complaint. Worn flags should be replaced. But remember the National Anthem was written to commenorate a flag tattered in battle. A flag whther worn, new, or in tatters deserves the same respect.
But Pledge of Allegiance deserves no respect at all. The irrationality of teabaggers and their wacky friends on the right who protest how terrible the government is and then demand that everyone respect the pledge is just overwhelming. The pledge is your oath to be subservience to the government. The pledge is your oath that you surrender your sovereignty to the government. It is the government's duty to pledge to faithfully protect the Constitution and therefore the people not the other way around.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Skippy, Medicare is better
Skippy,
Medicare is better managed than private insurance by a wide margin according to those who rate them. The problem with medicare is medical costs that increase by double digits when the inflation rate is 2 or 3%. Kathie Leonard's experience is the same as ours here where I work. We have experienced 15-20% premium increases yearly for our employer sponsored health care insurance. We have no choice and there is no competition in Maine. They can charge anything they want. The only thing that will end the health care monopolies and restore American Businesses worldwide competitiveness is a public insurance option or better yet expansion of Medicare to all US residents.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Excellent letter. Jon
Excellent letter.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Shows Republicans for what
Shows Republicans for what they really are - self-consumered egotists prepared to sacrifice the whole world for their own pleasure. Sanford should be impeached and then indicted.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Excuse me but all our
Excuse me but all our representatives are on a Federally run government health insurance plan. You can't have it both ways. Most conservatives complain that representatives have a super rich federal insurance plan and now we have a complaint that they don't want to go on a federally run plan. Make up your minds which lie you want to tell. Please. We can't keep up with your RNC talking points.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Nice to see that Charlie
Nice to see that Charlie Webster admits that Snowe-Mello got her false information from the Maine Republican Party. Disappointing to read that he tries to shift the blame to the famous "staffer". Charlie that staffer was directed by someone in the Maine Republican Office probably you to prepare that misinformation. Aren't you as head of the party responsibile for everything the party office does?
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If the MRS is right, Fed up
If the MRS is right, Fed up with Taxes is wrong. The repeal effort is a purely partisan misinformation campaign. MRS has the facts. Fed up with Taxes is a Republican front. Quess who's wrong.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Senator says this isn't
The Senator says this isn't an organized campaign to mislead the people of maine. He says Fed up with Taxes has issued columns and press releases disputing what their supporters are saying. Well Senator where are these press releases. Where are the front page stories telling your supporters to stop lying. Not on their web site. All their web site says is that the majority Democrats are wrong on all the positive goals achieved by LD1495. But those are the conclusions after detailed and exhausting analysis by the MRS not the democrats. So their web site is lying too and its charges are false just like Snowe-Mello's are. I call that an organized campaign of misinformation.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Lil, as usual the
Lil, as usual the conservatives offer no evidence they just make groundless and false assumptions or like Snowe-Mello try to shift the blame when they are caught lying.
Just listen to robert61: "If anyone thinks the democratic majority in Augusta would ever truly lower your taxes, then you need to have your head examined." Clearly a case of unfounded bias. Because they did and even some of the Republicans have to admit that the MRS figures are correct. Or horsefeathers: "With all the lies, mis- information and corruption generated out of Augusta and Washington DC grabbing this for front page news is ludicrous". They offer nothing but their personal bile. No one can use what they write to make any kind of a decision.
What this article exposes is that an organized mis-information campaign lead by the Republicans is lying to the people of Maine. Lying, Republicans isn't that redundant. Same thing they are doing in Washington on Health Care Reform.
By the way another lie being spread this time in a letter to the editor of Twin City.com is that even though the tax rate is lower you will pay more taxes because deductions are abolished thus raising your taxable income. The lies they just keep on coming.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Shows unthinking bias - "The
Shows unthinking bias - "The government can't run an outhouse efficiently!" Medicare, Tricare, Medicaid are far superior to private insurance plans and even better run than some health care providers. Mr. Lowell is simply out of touch with reality.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Most people are not on
Most people are not on welfare in Maine. About 12% receive some form of assistance. I don't know that anyone can measure other forms of assistance.
No, the VA system Tricare is rated above all private insurance plans. And the VA actually provides care not just insurance.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The current economic mess is
The current economic mess is not all George Bush's fault . He had a great deal of help. Phil Gramm removed most of the Great Depression financial controls and regulations from the books by 2000. His method was to add a rider to a must pass bill in conference. One sentence is difficult to find in 1000 page bills when you have a few hours to find it before a final vote. His wife, Wendy, on the board of Enron helped. She passed to Phil what Enron thought were the regulations holding them back (from backrupty I guess). George Bush put into office a legion of people who did not believe in enforcing existing law. The head of OMB was specifically charged with making certain that no new regulations became law or government policy. So enforcement ended. The SEC was warned from early in 2003 about Madoff's ponzi scheme. They did nothing (just an example). Then you can add all those corporate criminals who once they knew the cops were asleep, began to create fraudulent financial instruments, bribed appraisers, originators, mortgage companies, and never forget the banks, etc. One was just convicted in Alaska for $2.5 million fraud after those associated with his gang were sentenced over the last year.
They gave you the worst recession since the great depression.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well sometimes the lunacy is
Well sometimes the lunacy is just unbearable. "Mr. Obama has spent more in those 8 months than all previous presidents have before him in two centuries." Completely false, but then Republicans can't count. In 1981 Ronald Reagan came to the WH with a Federal Debt of $900 bn. Republicans have been President for 21 of the 29 years between now and then. Bill Clinton ran a surplus. So all the Federal debt accumulated in the 29 years came on Republican President's watch. We were at $12 tn when Obama took office. The last Bush deficit was $1.3 tn through january to which Obama added less than $787 bn from the stimulus law (not all the money is spent this fiscal year. Estimates are that we will end the year run a $1.8 tn deficit. So Obama gets $500 bn. The last three Republican Presidents added $11.1 tn and all the other Presidents get $900 bn. Now don't whine that Congresses passed the appropriation bills. Presidents sign them and Presidents send proposed bills to Congress. If you add up all the Presidents' proposals they are slightly more than the debt that was incurred. We also have committments to the financial services industry made by Mr. Paulsen of $12.8 tn. We may not have to pay all of that, but the Paulsen committments will add to the deficit for years to come.
Obama has spent nothing compared to Bush I or II or Reagan.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
And a good opinion too.
And a good opinion too. Problems abound in any complex system like health care and the Canadians aren't perfect. But compared to the US, they have no problems.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
$57,000,000 tax cut.
$57,000,000 tax cut. Nice.
LD 1495 is the best gift working folks have seen in years. Don't believe these Republican promoters like jojolou. They are consistently saying that the law is a huge tax increase. They say that deductions are abolished and because of this your taxable income will go up and even if your rate goes down, you will still pay more. Completely false. Deductions are not abolished. They are replaced by tax credits. Because of that change 87% of Mainers will participate in a huge tax cut in the middle of a recession. Where other states are raising sales tax rates to 11%, cutting services through the bone, letting prison go free early, Maine has not raised taxes and while making severe cuts has not yet cut so deeply that people will suffer greatly. If given a chance to sign their petition, laugh.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Navy needs to keep BIW
The Navy needs to keep BIW open and profitable. So don't count was Susan does as very important. She just makes the announcements. Snowe is respected more and much more influential.
First, a town hall forum is not a town meeting. Second, they are conducted in the same manner. If nut cases tried to shout down opponents, they would quickly be shown the door.
Susan and Olympia don't want to conduct either because it would be peaceful and quiet exposing the fact that the town hall disruptions are a partisan strategy of the Republican Party.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If we do nothing insurance
If we do nothing insurance premiums will double to almost $30,000/yr in the next decade.
Gil, the private insurers have the numbers you want. Guess what. They aren't telling. If they were telling, its because they only release numbers that make their case like last weeks AHIP report on out-of-network costs.
Yes, in theory the government could run at below cost and drive private insurers out-of-business. Why would they or should they. Most government managed health care systems run quite nicely with a private system in the same country. One of those countries is the US. 50% of Health care is insured through government programs - Medicare, Medicaid, VA, and Federal employees system. Medicare reimburses providers at 80% of what the private insurers do. That will not drive and has not driven private insurers out.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Maine's health insurance
"Maine's health insurance market, for example, is oft-criticized for being over-regulated, which drove away the competition among insurers. "
Meaningful competition does not exist in 47 of the 50 states. The insurers left Maine because they and their "competitors" carved up the US market so that they don't face competition. nothing frightens a businessman more than competition. regulation had nothing to do with it, but if you blame regulation and have a problem you fix it by doing away with regulation. Desperately necessary regulation. We saw that with the financial services industry which just plunged us into the worst recession since the Great Depression because necessary regulation had been repealed or unenforced.
No, let's keep the regulation but let's make it as effiecient as it can be.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
CharlieBrown, Vets rate
CharlieBrown,
Vets rate their health care as far superior to private insurance. If you think its tough for vets use my insurance. Prescriptions are expensive for patented drugs and the list of drugs that can not be prescribed is a mile long.
While no one can say what form the public option will take if any, the current discussions are to model it after the Federal Government employee health insurance. I believe that some differences will exist because employees have different status (labor contracts) than people buying insurance. Still needs to be a lot of discussion on the public option. The hope of everyone who supports Obama is that it will be as close to the federal programs as legally possible.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
skippy, Everything you say
skippy,
Everything you say you want except debtor's prison which we haven't had for 100's of years, is in the Congress' bill. Why would you oppose it.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Obama derangement syndrome
Obama derangement syndrome much in evidence today.
The elderly have to die because he wants to insure illegals???? This conclusion is simply a lie. No provision requires the elderly to die. The provision that required Medicare to pay for patient requested living will and other end of life consultations has been removed from the bill. The provision was authored by you guessed it a conservative Republican. Illegals are barred from this bill although current Federal law requires that US residents(legal or not) must be cared for. I have been unable to find any references to illegal in the bill. But that's the point there is no change here. illegals are get care now they may get care under the new bill. No additional cost.
"Obama is giving all our money to other countries." Again another completely ridiculous conclusion. The neo fascist right is complaining that he is spending too much in the US. Fact remains only the $787 stimulous bill which is just now kicking in and has stopped the depression is Obama's. The $700 bank bailout was Bushes as well as the $12.8 trillion financial system bailout.
The only thing that susan2 wrote that made sense is the things that everyone agrees to. With the exception of Tort Reform *no one agrees to this) but its necessary and should be part of the health care reform package. Otherwise everything susan2 lists is in the Health Care Reform package of Congress. Does it make sense to so ridiculously attack the President and then write that you agree with his goals on his highest priority? I don't think you understand what's going on.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Michaud is having a
Michaud is having a telephone town hall on the 26rh I believe.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The people who want Town
The people who want Town Hall's just want to ambush Sen Snowe so their faces can go on TV. They have no interest in a discuss. No interest in presenting their problems. There only desire is to create the false impression that there is opposition to health care reform. They want to prevent discussion.
Why yell at Snowe? She has and is doing all she can to protect the Health Care industries profits and billion dollar salary packages. I'm sure Govt2big wants his share.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Many believe that
"Many believe that legalizing homosexual marriage is bad for the state, for families, and especially for children". They do? I have been asking for years for a single instance of the social harm that marriage equality will bring to anyone in the state. We have tens of thousands of same-sex married couples and not one example of social harm. We have thousands of children cared for in long term same-sex relationships and no examples of social harm. So Reverend if you would care to enlighten us with the specifics behind you unsuppoted and reckless charge.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
These calls are standard
These calls are standard practice for most campaigns that have national implications including national political campaigns. Democrats announce who they are and where they are calling from. Republicans and especially their front groups are not very consistent.
Civil unions do not provide the same rights and benefits as marriage. They are not equal to marriage. Therefore, they should be opposed.
The good Rev. wants people to be forewarned. Why? Might it be that he thinks that if the callers announce that they are from a "homosexual organization" (whatever that is) they will be frightened. If this were true do you think supporters would be that stupid. The callers' sexual orientation has nothing to do with the questions being asked. This just exposes the Reverend's bias and fear.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
By the way, no one should be
By the way, no one should be throughing Nazi around in these blogs. A few exist but you have combine nationalism, racism, militarism, and authoritarianism before you have a Nazi point of view. Many Americans are fascist though.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Rights come from our
Rights come from our consciousness, our evolution as human beings and from our superiority to other creatures (as we see it and for the time being as we see it)
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Frostproof, "Rights come
Frostproof,
"Rights come from God". You may believe that but nothing in the founding documents supports such a conclusion. The Declaration of Independence says "creator, not god". Thomas Jefferson was a pure enlightenment rationalist. He believed in nothing supernatural much less a "god". In fact, he wrote the Jefferson bible by removing all supernatural references. His creator was nature pure and simple. No one challenged his reference to creator. Had they they would not be referring to the "Christian" undeerstanding of god today. A "Christian Church" as we mean it today did not exist. You have to go through the changes in dogma brought about by the 2nd Great Awakening and 209 years of religious change which was a reaction to enlightenment rationalism to come to a Christian Church today.
The Constitution includes no reference to god except the legalistic formalism in the date. A Constitutional Amendment was proposed almost from day one praising the debt owe to God. Never been passed. A midwest society still promotes it. No documents appear that place a "Christian" God in the center of politics until the mid- 1820's long after the death of most of the founders.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Publikwerks is almost right
Publikwerks is almost right about the IX Amendment. Madison's great fear was that by enumerating (listing) specific rights people would think there are no other rights. He was afraid that people would say, if its not listed in the Constitution, it is not a right. And they did. But the right to life does not come from the Declaration. It comes from the inherent powers of government. The whole point of collective governance is to protect life and to make it better. The people would never form a government for any other reason.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Declaration of
The Declaration of Independence was approved by the first Continential Congress. No Constitutional government existed at all. It can be best characterized as a "Dear John" letter to the world explaining why we as a people were leaving British control. The Articles of Confederation for Perpetual Union of the States, our first government, was adopted March 1, 1781 five years after the Declaration. The Declaration had no relationship to the Articles which as you see was a confederation between state governments not the people. The Constitution was adopted in 1787 and ratified in 1788. None of the procedures, powers, or principles of the Constitution have any relationship to the Declaration. The Constitution was a government formed by the people of the US (We the People). The Articles granted no implied powers to the Federal Government. The Consitution defined implied powers clearly giving the government wide ranging authority to fix the problems that beset the people. So while the Declaration is an important historic document, it is a deadend politically and it never had any legal worth.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Tort Reform if limited just
Tort Reform if limited just to judements and settlements between the parties will have no impact. But tort reform is needed. We know our legal system is perhaps a worse mess than health care. DNA is proving in the toughest cases with the strongest protections a high percentage (25-50%) of innoncent people are convicted. And that's just one scientific piece of evidence. In many cases, DNA is not available.
Why should we believe tort cases are handled better. Just as we need civilian review boards on criminal cases. We need review boards and arbitrators in tort cases. Reviews that can work with the two sides but also test the validity of their cases.
The real need in health care is not limited to competition although that will help. We need government regulators who can investigate waste, fraud, and abuse. Its estimated to add more than $600 bn to the cost of health care. Private administration, waste, fraud, and abuse adds an equal and perhaps greater amount. That's one half health care costs which is how much more we pay that the rest of the industrized countries. Competition can help eliminate much of this but not all.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Oh! I forgot to mention that
Oh! I forgot to mention that this was Susan Collins' idea. Now she rarely does anything worthwhile so we should congradulate her when she finally does something good.
So far the program has taken 250,000 low mileage cars off the road. That's a huge savings in gasoline (250,000 cars x 10 mpg X 20000 miles/year is 1/2 billion gallons of gas saved), that reduces the trade deficit, reduces air pollution, reduces global warming. The advantages of this program will be with us for decades.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
These invented stories of
These invented stories of problems in the CARS program are not facts. They are barely rumors. Name the dealership. Let the papers go visit and document the problems or not. But whatever trivial problems may be occurring doesn't change the fact that the CARS program has increased the GDP by .5% (a major increase), put people back to work, caused Ford and GM to increase production by 190,000 cars per quarter. That's as successful a stimulus program as you can get.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
As usual the right wingers
As usual the right wingers have their pat answers. If you don't have health care insurance you are stupid, lazy, ignorant, whatever. They ignore because it doesn't fit with their world-view the well established fact that insurance companies deny coverage to those that get sick, those with pre-existing conditions, and those others they expect will cost them money. Health Care Insurance is about making profit not making people well. A public option is essential to restoring competition in the market.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Don't be hard on Bob Stone.
Don't be hard on Bob Stone. Being wrong all the time and being a right-winger has to be a burden. Public financing of elections is the only way to keep special interests (corporations) from corrupting the democractic process. Whatever is wrong about public financing should be fixed, but we should never go back to a system where a corporation can buy the governorship as they did in the past.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Normally, comments on this
Normally, comments on this kind of story produce the silly, foolish, or just insane nonsense. Well today is no different. We are not overtaxed. The Governor and legislature have done a great job in controlling the budget given what has happenned throughout the country. In the mist of the worst recession (actually depression) since Hoover they have reduced the budget without causing permanent harm to the people of Maine.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
You can tell from comments
You can tell from comments on the Sun-Journal that Maine has many loonies like poland67.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Bob, I can be very specific
Bob, I can be very specific on why the Republican Party has been facist since 1933. I think I've already commented on this more than once but I'll try again. In 1932 the J.P. Morgan bank sent a representative to Europe to research the facist parties there. The representative reported back to a group of manufacturers assembled by the bank, that the French model was best for America because the German and Italian parties were controlled by individuals who could threaten business interests. They agreed, pledged $300 million to overthrow the US government, formed the Liberty League which was to recruit 500,000 former WWI soldiers, march on Washington, arrest Roosevelt, and install Major General Smedley Darlington Butler as dictator. Gen Butler exposed the plot. The McCormick Committee investigated and reported that Gen. Butler's testimony was truthful. The Republican Party has followed the principles of French Facism ever since.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Well, Bob then you share
Well, Bob then you share something with me. The Webster definition like most definitions of facists is biased by WWII and Nazism. In Europe in the 1920's 4 facist movements arose - in Britian, France, Italy, and Germany (there were more but the followed these 4 models). American facists rejected the german and italian models because they were based on cults of personality that allowed the dictator to pretty must do as he pleased including attacking fellow facists. Britian's model was too weak and worshipped Hitler too much. So America's facists - the owners of Singer Sewing Machine, Dupont & Co, Morgan Bank and many others - adopted the French model in which the facist party made pseudo-democratic decisions within the party and implemented them through a dictatorship externally.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
If you are not a member of a
If you are not a member of a union you are being screwed. Simple.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Pauline has hit the nail
Pauline has hit the nail right on the head.
As I have described here before the Republican Party has been a facist party since 1933 modelled on French facism. It's well documented. No one should be surprised that as their power is threatened they should show their hatred for democracy and the United States.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I've re-read the Bill HR
I've re-read the Bill HR 3200 from page 45-55. I find no reference to undocumented aliens. Now I may be looking at a different version (I'm using the pdf from the library of congress.) It may be buried in a reference. But I see nothing. Therefore existing law applies. Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Gagnon, apparently you
Mr. Gagnon, apparently you don't know what a fact is. All your points are assertions without support or conclusions. You apparently consider a fact your reading the minds of moderate Republican Congress people.
The undeniable facts are that George Bush's policies through this country into the worst recession in 80 years. That his treasury under his direction took actions to bailout the Financial Industry to the tune of $12.8 trillion. We were in freefall when Obama took the reins of government (January was the worst month of the recession for economic activity). In less than 6 months he has stopped the freefall and we are now at the start of what may be a weak recovery. Now that last one is a conclusion but backed up by dozens of statistical changes in the economy.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
MomofTwo, You will not
MomofTwo, You will not accept and honest answer.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Old Bill, wheree did you get
Old Bill, wheree did you get the Jefferson quote. Appears to be an obvious fraud.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Health Care Reform
The Health Care Reform proposals do not discuss illegal aliens. Federal Law has been for many years that all who apply must be serviced by health care providers. That is not part of this debate at all. Only the right wing fear mongers are bring up the subject.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Bravosixalpha, Check it out
Bravosixalpha, Check it out preference for Federal Jobs is American Citizens who are Veterans. Its surprisingly called the Veterans preference.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Gil, Stop reading into the
Gil,
Stop reading into the Constitution what you want to be there and read what really is. The Constituion does not say "provide for the common defense and general welfare of the states" it says "general welfare of the United States". United States is the name of the country. The phrase has nothing to do with welfare programs or the poor at least not directly. What it means is Congress has the responsibility to maintain the United States as a strong powerful nation and to that end maintain the people's general welfare not an individual's welfare. They meant under this purpose for example money backed by gold. Both these purposes allow for the implied power to do what can be done to see that all people are healthy and fit because that is in the interests of all the peoples general welfare. But you don't even have to go there. Every nation by the fact that it is a nation has inherent powers. And the first of those is to protect the lives of its people. Therefore, national health care, or insurance is fully Constitutional.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
skippy, There is no
skippy,
There is no advantage to ending the Veterans or the Congressional health Care Plan neither would provide the money for the new plan. The new plan is not a universal plan. The new plan only provides insurance if you can't get private insurance. The combination of the new plan, private plans, Medicaid, Medicare, and VA would cover everyone.
Congressmen and woman are not average people. They should have perks. They work extaordinary hours, travel extensively, and are frequently away from family. Plus we need perks to attract the best and the brightest to congress. All congress people do not have to read every bill. That's the job of the committees. They need to know what's in the bill that's all.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Confirms what we already
Confirms what we already knew. The current Health Care system is unsustainable. The average cost in ten years will be $28,000. In Maine that's cost to the median income and far excedes it if you talk about disposable income. Would force hundreds of thousands of Maines off insurance.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Democrats have fought
Democrats have fought socialists for more than 100 years. They pursue policies which are absolutely consistent with capitalism. So decribing Democrats as socialists is simply a lie. On the other hand the same can not be said for the Republicans. In 1932 & 33 an agent for J. P. Morgan Bank went to Europe to investigate Facism. The agent reported to a group of manufacturers assembled by the bank that French Facism was best for the US and provided a detail analysis of German and Italian facism. The group agreed, committed $300 million to arm and raise 500,000 former WWI soldiers in a group called the Liberty League whose mission would be to arrest Roosevelt and install Major General Smedley as dictator. The plot was prevented. But the Republican party has followed the principles of French facism to this day. All the facts are included in the investigative report of the Mccormick Committee.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Frostproof and Bobby "I have
Frostproof and Bobby "I have rocks in my head" Stone are true believers. Fact, commonsense, moral principle shall never interfere with their Republican lunacy. That's why discussion with them is impossible, but for the sake of others we should point out the many errors they have made. Bob challenged the idea that Republicans bankrupted federal and state governments by pointing to Maine and accusing the Democrats in charge there of doing the bankrupting. Bob you missed 49 other states and the Federal government in your attempted mis-direct people with your little slight of hand. Want to talk about the whole country and the worst depression since the Great one (also created by Republicans the last time they were in charge).
Frost proof missed that as major investors in GM & AIG the US government does have appointees on the board and has appointed CEO's as any major investor should. But no one has nationalized the financial system which would be entirely consistent with the Constitution should they decide to do it. We blame Bush for everything because he was President when it happenned and he approved the government actions. Bush bought AIG, invested in GM, crashed Lehman Brothers, gave guarantees of $12.8 trillion to the financial industry. Obama passed a recovery package and now just 6 months in office the economy is starting to come around. May take a decade to get employment back to responsible levels (4%), but at least we avoided the 25% Bushes policies would have produced.
Bob, you need to go back to school. Tax cutting is not a macroeconomic tool. Tax cutting has no macroeconomic effects (outside of some very minor fringe considerations). Tax policy has no macroeconomic effects. Tax cutting hurts the country while benefitting in this case a few very wealthy people. If half the country pays no taxes and 1% pays the same taxes as the rest - good. That's almost the way it should be. Only it is misleading because Bob's only talking about income taxes. Truth is in Maine the lowest 20% income earners pay at twice the rate of the top 20% (because of sale, property, income taxes and fees). An analysis of other states would show similiar results.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Nice to see a rational well
Nice to see a rational well thoughtout editorial on Health Care considering the organized lunacy of the Republicans. Having done everything the could think of over the last 8 years to destroy the nation now they are trying their best to wreck the Obama administration for purely partisan political purposes (they want another opportunity to loot the treasury).
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"A patient in Illinois was
"A patient in Illinois was charged $12,712 for cataract surgery. Medicare pays $675 for the same procedure. In California, a patient was charged $20,120 for a knee operation that Medicare pays $584 for. And a New Jersey patient was charged $72,000 for a spinal fusion procedure that Medicare covers for $1,629."
This is from a NY Times article today based on a survey by the insurance industry (America's Health Insurance Plans). They used Medicare for a comparison because its pricing is well known and because it is about 80% of private plans. The article describes this as "irrational pricing" and one health care economist describes this as "lunacy". The AMA responds that this is just what happens when patients have to go outside the group of doctors contracted by the insurance plan.
Truth is this is consumer fraud.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. Chick, Don't you think
Mr. Chick,
Don't you think that's an unrealistic goal. At a minimum you have to have catastrophic
insurance because many diseases cost in the millions. Median income in the US is $50,000. Disposable income is much less. I'll guess at $20,000. Food, housing, transportation, and other essentials about $18,000 less. So say 50% of the US population has $2000 or less to spend on health care. Over their working lives thats just $80,000. That's one heart bypass per family. You would have to cut health care costs by 80% just to get a small proportion of the population paying for their own health care. 1million personnel bankruptcies per year seem to suggest that thats a good estimate. Or you'd have to quadruple the median income. Neither is likely to happen. Although breaking the health care monopolies would help.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Republicans are distributing
Republicans are distributing throughout the country a list of 48 lies on Health Care Legislation. They are appearing in newspapers throughout the south as if they were facts. You all heard or read them - the hospice portion requires seniors to commit euthanasia (Laura Ingram show a few days ago), plan requires rationing care to the youngest, etc. First there is no plan yet. 4 proposals are making their way through congress. None speak to euthanasia. One includes the payment for end-of-life consulting for those who choose the consulting. Now I've been in the hospital three times for major surgery in the last 15 years. Each time a nurse, doctor, or minister discussed a living will and other options with me. No one suggested or offerred to kill me. The Republicans are spreading this lie to frighten seniors. Their actions are dispicable.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Just to clarify a point. The
Just to clarify a point. The XXII Amendment was ratified in 1951 long before Ronald Reagan.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Do we really need another
"Do we really need another inefficient, costly, government program that will come between us and our health care system?" No. And that's not what we are going to get. The current government programs cost up to 30% less than private insurance, provide better and faster service, and better outcomes. That's what we expect to get.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"public option, which is
"public option, which is scary at best" Why. We have three public options now - Medicaid, Medicare, and the Veterans health care system. All are rated by their patients better than private insurance. The private insurance system has failed completely. Whether you believe WHO and our 37th rated health care system in the world doesn't much matter. The US is rated at best 18th by the groups that rate health care systems. To be 18th we pay twice as much as the next guy. That's failure for the richest nation in the world.
"we are guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". We are? Not by the Constitution. As the author points out our elected officials take an oath to protect the Constitution. And they are. The first duty of any Government is to protect the lives of its citizens. Not just from foreign invasion, or domestic disturbance, but also from disease. How to accomplish that is the responsibibility of our elected Representatives. A public option given that the private system has failed is now essential.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Jeffrey, Good piece, but you
Jeffrey,
Good piece, but you left so much out.
No food inspections. We can count on the corporations to not kill more soldier with food borne disease than the enemy kills with weapons. They wouldn't go back to their practices in the Spanish American War.
We can count on the corporations not to manipulate the price of gasoline or murder their own employees as they did in Colorado in the 1880's.
Yep, free markets just what we need to make certain that all those dumb, lazy small business people can be driven into poverty like their working brothers by bigger criminal organizations.
Fact is, why don't we get rid of all government regulations. No criminal laws. Disband those bloated state and local government who are so eaily controlled by special corporate interests. Have the CMP state. Turn Exxon/Mobil into Exxon/Mob. Make the world safer - give everyone a small nuclear weapon. No government regulation what a wonderful world it would be.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Wayne's letter is full of
Wayne's letter is full of the usual "hate government" nonsense. Social Security is the most successful Government program this planet has ever seen. For 80 years, it has saved countless millions of Americans from poverty and early death. Medicare has only been here for 40 or so years and it has saved millions of lives. "Soon be out of money" If we do nothing, soon is 30+ years. Not very soon. And Obama is trying to do something about it. Heath Care Reform if it follows his principles will save Medicare trillions of dollars. Even minor tweeks to Social Security extends its solvency out 70 years. Soon? Not soon.
Second, only the Republicans are advocating "free" health care. Obama has asked for budget neutral Health Care Reform not free. Well you see "free" is the Republicans way of demeaning Health Care Reform and the people who advocate for it. No one advocates "free" health care. We do advocate affordable, accessible, high quality health care. Something we are not getting now. 1 million bankruptcies due to health care costs. Proper treatment denied by the insurance companies. Insurance denied for pre-existing conditions. Payments delayed or denied until the patient dies. In 10 years a family of 4 will pay $25,000/year for insurance and Medicare will be bankrupt.
You would think that being pro-life the Republicans would be all over Health Care Reform. Depending on source the US has the 18th or 37th worse quality of health care of all the industrialized nations of the world. The first duty of government is to protect from foreign armies or disease the lives of its citizens. But they aren't. They have put out a plan that is a $700 bn bailout of the insurance companies. Does nothing to contain costs, doesn't restore competition, doesn't improve quality.
The 787 bn stimulus package is already successful. The free-fall into depression which everyone felt in January has been halted. The 700,000 new unemployed (we saw earlier in the year has slowed to about 300,000 (we still have a problem in that no one is yet hiring). After a recession employment is the last thing to be fixed. After the first Bush recession in 1991-92 unemployment rose to 8+%. It took Bill Clinton 8 years to get that down to a reasonable 4.3%. It will take years to get this unemployment solved assuming we keep electing democrats because Republicans think unemployment isn't a problem. They think its a solution for their many bad decisions.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Govt2big, do you have
Govt2big, do you have examples of those lies. All I hear are the 48 specific lies that the Republican party is spreading about health care reform and ficticous enemies lists. Laura Ingram was just on saying that the Health Care Reform was designed intentionally to euthanize senior citizen through its hospice provisions. There is no Health Care Reform Hospice law. The house has passed H. R. 3200 but its never going to become law. No one has seen the bills being worked on and none are in their final form. So there are no hospice provisions to be discussed. Its pure invention on Ingram's part to frighten senior citizens. She's lying through her teeth.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
I doubt that gun control was
I doubt that gun control was Hitler's first directive so someone will have to show me some proof of that. Mr. Fixit001 thinks we should have the means and right to overthrow our government. In 1776, the government was armed with muskets very similiar to the civilian rifles of the day. So it was practical to think that you could hold your own. But it took the French Navy, Dutch money, British incompetence, and freed slaves to win our freedom then. Today the means Fixit describes are nuclear weapons, satellites, laser weapons, F-35 jets, and air craft carriers. Popular revolution in the USA not only is unnecessary (at least until another Cheney gets in the white house) its impractical. So lets throw that fantasy out.
Confiscating the firearms in private hands, all 300 million of them, is also unnecessary and impractical as well as being unconstitutional. For this is the reason the 2nd amendment was created. The first 9 amendments are responses to specific acts of the British between 1764 and 1781. The revolutionary war was triggered by the confiscation of American firearms by the British first in Boston and then in Lexington and Concord.
Registration of firearms is also unnecessary and impractical although constitutional as long as it is not an unreasonable impediment to ownership. Government does many things very well and some very poorly. One thing it does poorly is building computer systems. Based on the Canadian experience of a few years ago, a registration system in the US would cost $100 bn per year, be 70% inaccurate, and add an immense and unpreditible burden on the court system.
Controlling the private sale of firearms requires a registration system that starts with the manufacturer creating the weapons initial record. Then each transfer of the weapon must be recorded. How many firearms are transferred each year?
We need no new gun control laws.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mr. DiMillo's has discussed
Mr. DiMillo's has discussed his interpretation with Piotti and his errors and incorrect assumptions were explained to him. He, of course, refused to believe what he was told. Not surprising because he is one of the people who has extremely high deductions and because of that he is one of the 13% who will pay more in taxes. His whole argument is wrong and he knows it. As are the arguments made by the Republicans who can't get elected so they organize "people's vetos" on taxes and mobs of rioters to attack and assault our congresspeople supposedly over health care. Clearly the Republicans want minority rule. It suits their principles better.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Pirate you are just
Pirate you are just regurgitating your bias against government. You offer no facts.
How they found out is the MRS went through the tax returns using the new bill and calculated the tax that would be owed and compared that to what was owed under the old law. You see they have the real numbers not your fantasies to work with. And yes I know that Mainers pay 70% of the meals and lodging taxes (I wrote that earlier). But that means they don't pay 30%.
What's wrong with keeping the old tax system. No a lot. We just will get less businesses moving into the state. The most important tax issue that businesses use in deciding to move is the rate the CEO pays. Many states this summer have raised their income tax rate to over 10% others have increased their sales taxes. lowering our top rate, as the wall street journal editorialized was a miracle that will bring business to Maine.
What else is wrong with the old tax system is that in recessions the income tax and sales tax revenues decrease quickly. I think we've seen that. By shifting some of the taxes to the tourists the revenue will be more stable (still won't be good in a recession just less bad). And there are other advantages. Its a good law.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Hulk, your ignorant and
Hulk, your ignorant and prejudiced. Why should anyone listen to you.
Everything Watson wrote in his letter are true. This legislation is some form has been discussed in Maine since before I came here 27 years ago.
The people in Augusta do understand that 70% of sales taxes and meals taxes are paid by Maine residents. But 30% are paid by tourists. That's why we get a $57,000,000 tax break. If you want to pay lower taxes defeat this Republican lie.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The census report found at
The census report found at the link suggested by Bob Stone does not support former Republican Rep. Shields' letter. For example, Mr. Shield states, "
"Many are criminals or illegal aliens and don't want to be identified." And they we're not. So no one knows how many are criminals whether they are citizens of not. The report includes no such data and draws no such conclusions. Any press release based on it can not come to conclusions not found in the data of the report.
Or "Up to 14 million people are eligible for existing medical care programs (VA, Medicaid, Medicare, SCHIP, etc.), but have not enrolled. This is irresponsibility." This is all conclusion with no supporting facts. The Report states incomes, age distributions, poverty status and there is no way to draw this conclusion from the information in the report. That's why the letter uses "Up to 14 million". Could be zero; could be 10, could be a million. By saying "up to" you are really saying, I don't know how many. There are many reasons why people are not insured. Some responsible and some not.
This letter is just another of Shield's conclusions unsupported by any facts.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Thank you Susan for proving
Thank you Susan for proving my point.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Health Care Industry is
The Health Care Industry is filling tea baggers heads with every lie they can. The true source of the following list is not known, but it clearly demonstrates the Health Care Industry's desperation to defeat health care reform legislation:
Page 29 (of the Health Care Reform Bill. House version which has no chance of passage)
Lie: Admission: Your health Care will be rationed
Truth: continues to define an "essential benefits package" and limits how much you will have to pay for this package. No mention of rationing, but would limit the rationing insurance companies already do by setting up a mimimum plan.
Page 425
Lie: More bureaucracy: Advanced Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia (and much more). Mandatory.
Truth: All the wild accusations here have been debunked publically. The consultation is voluntary and the patient must initiate it. Patients makes all decisions. This section only reguires that insurance plans must pay for the consultation.
These are just 2 of the 48 lies the health care industry is spreading about the current legislation. If you want to see more go to:
http://www.barnesville.com/archives/1048-highlights-from-the-1st-500-pag... for the unchallenged accusations and http://healthcareforamericanow.org/ for the facts
or if you want to read the bill goto:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/text
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Mike Michaud has received
Mike Michaud has received $40,000 from the health care industry! He had best explain that or he will not get my support in 2010.
"They don't donate to move opinion; they donate money so that this person that already agrees with them stays in office," he (Brewer) said. This is the most ridiculous, unbelievably naive statement I've ever read. The Health Care Industry has spent $263 million in the first 6 months of this year on lobbying. They expect a return. The has disproportionately contributed to small rural state Senators and Reps because the contribution is a bigger percentage of the congressman's total contributions. Bigger bribe.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
First there is no free
First there is no free market in health insurance. In 47 states one and only one health insurance company operates. Health insurance companies make a profit by denying those they insure needed medical services (rationing), denying services already provided, and by waiting until those they insure die. Their profits have increased 428% in 6 years. Why, because they have divied up the country through collusion. Isn't that anti-trust violation? They aren't subject to anti-trust laws. Why does it cost so much for drugs? Because drug companies have a 19 year monopoly granted. Why. Because they claim that their high research costs need protection. Medicare is barred by law from negiotiating price. IBM and other high tech companies have no such monopolies. So drug companies can charge anything the want. That $132/mo drug today could be a $532/mo drug tonight.
We spend $2.4 trillion on health care in this country. In ten years at present growth rates, a family of four with insurance will pay $25,000 year for health care. We can't afford these corporate monopolies.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Deimos, Can't prove fraud in
Deimos,
Can't prove fraud in military expeditures. Have you had your head in the sand for the last 10 years. Rep. Cunningham went to prison for accpting bribes from military contractors. KBR is killing our troops in Iraq because uninspected shower facilities are not grounded electrocuting the troops that use them. The Inspector General has issued several reports indicating fraud and abuse has cost the US government in excess of $30 bn in just the first years of the illegal war in Iraq. The list is as long as your arm and the companies involved have agreed to fines and settlements. That's proof.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The right-wing apologists
The right-wing apologists for the health care insurance industry, health care instrument manufacturers, and hospitals and long term care facilities want you to believe the lies they are tell because they don't want quality health care in America. Gil's Sec 1233 does not say that government workers will force seriors to accept euthanasia as the insurance companies are saying. Read the section. The insurance company will pay the cost of consultations. If you request a consultation no decisions are made except by you. These the the types of lies the advocates of the existing system are spreading.
Why would they lie. Health insurance companies profits have risen 428% in 6 years. Wouldn't you like to get that kind of a pay raise. In 47 of 50 states one health insurance provider operates. That's why the profits have grown this much. The companies have colluded to divy up the market. Isn't that anti-trust. They are not covered by the anti-trust laws. They fear a public insurance option because it will restore competition to the market.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
The Boston Herald is
The Boston Herald is probably referring to the case recently concluded where guns were sold to gang members from Boston who then used them in crimes there. DR has a good point. BATF must have those numbers. The police certainly do. But they have to include not only sales through Uncle Henry's but all private sales because the guns traced don't just come from Uncle Henry sales.
No cigarette is ever desirable. The difference of course is guns are desirable. We should not be sending the message that guns aren't desirable.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
Marriage is not an
Marriage is not an institution. It was not ordained by god. If it were then plural marriage, biblical marriage, would be the way of the world. Oh! that's right it is.
Marriage was ordained by the Priests as a way to control family life; their main source of income. The laws on civil marriage have been changed frequently. The last time interracial marriage was allowed.
It amazes that those same small government conservatives want to override state laws and use the Federal Government to impose their religious views on the rest of us. Hypocrits.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
"Race isn't the cause of
"Race isn't the cause of these crimes; a social system put in place by liberal Democrats is to blame". We've always understood that conservatives have a darwinian failure to adapt to social progress. They believe quite wrongly that the more you torture, deprive, and punish a person the more likely they are to do good. The more smiles you see the worse society is in their minds. The accusations Thomas makes are all unfounded, unattributed, unsupported, and intentionally misleading.
Sqt Crowley who I believe was and is a good man and officer had to arrest Professor Gates because Crowley's pride, his sense of organizational loyalty, his honor was wounded in public by an out-of-control and out-of-my-tribe man. Professor Gates was out of control because he was challenged and not respected in his own home. Perhaps this is not properly racism, but if it isn't its pretty close.
Jon Albrecht Dixfield