In recent weeks, the State of Maine has been pummeled by a series of late winter or early spring storms that wreaked havoc on the vegetation, the flora and fauna if you will, of our fair State.  Trees, in particular, seemed to have taken the brunt of the carnage.  It seems that an ice storm followed by a snowstorm with wet snow compounded by high winds was a too much for more than a few trees.  After emerging from multiple power outages, a drive down many of our back roads invoked images of war zones with trees strewn across roads, snapped in half or bent completely over, most of them still covered in glistening ice.

This columnist was surprised to see the amount of large trees, which succumbed to the weather barrage.  Ice storms usually take their toll on the smaller white birch, poplar and soft maple.  It was surprising and a little sad to see so many large stately rock and sugar maple, fir and spruce fallen over.  A closer inspection, although, yields evidence to their untimely demise.

Lying on their side, these giants showed the fatal flaw in their constitution.  While standing, these tall timbers showed a convincing façade of an impressive thick girthed tree able to withstand any tempest, but, at the very core, these trees were rotten, empty.  At last, there came a storm whose concentrated force was potent enough to expose the lie hidden beneath the well-formed images of tranquil natural strength and beauty.

Center rot is phenomena that happens throughout the forest.  Nothing is more frustrating to logger (I know, I’ve been there) than to approach a beautiful straight tree which has veneer prices jingling in his head and to drop it only to find that its barely worth pulp on the market due to the rot in the center of the tree.  This columnist does not pretend to be a horticulturalist but my years in the logging industry have given a general understanding to what causes center rot.  Disease to which some species are more vulnerable, damage or trauma that may have caused the core to cease producing growth and too much water, yes, too much water are all reasons for center rot.

This past political cycle the Democrat Party in Maine was pummeled by the perfect storm.  A voting electorate that was energized and furious, a Republican Party that was surprisingly focused and a President that had exposed to the Nation the true nature and intent of Democrat socialist policy all caused what was unthinkable in political circles. The Nation watched as forty years of Democrat Party rule in Maine came crashing down.

The inner core of the Maine Democrat Party now lies open and exposed.  The disease of corruption is there readily available for any who would care to see.  Leader after leader is either resigning or under investigation in light of revelations of corruption.  For years Mainers have wondered how the revenues from the turnpike were being spent.  Well, now we know and it is not a pretty picture.  It is amazing what truths we find when the government truly audits their books.

The recently formed Maine People Before Politics has released a detailed report showing the direct connection between the MSEA, MEA, the Democrat Party and the fiscal damage this State has endured.  It is these organizations that are now protesting the loudest against the Governor’s budget proposal, but it is their hands, which have caused the damage stopping the growth in the core of Maine.  I applaud the work of MPBP and encourage all of my readers to research their website at www.mainepeoplebeforepolitics.com.

The most appalling of all revelations is the fact that the Democrat Party has been hoarding and hiding Maine’s tax dollars for their own indulgence in a perverted cycle of drunken fiscal revelry daring the Maine people to rebuke them.  Not once did any member of the Democrat Party call their own to an accounting.  Not once did a Democrat stand in defense of the sacred trust of the represented, instead, they all chose to wallow in the swampland of their own slush fund where the disease of corruption festers and the demise of fiscal growth is accelerated.  For this, the proverbial shoe has dropped.  The severe storm of voter disdain is the Democrats to weather and the impending demise is their just due.

But Republicans beware.  History has shown that your Party is not immune to these maladies.  It will take the continued great work of MPBP and the diligence of you the voter to maintain the corrective course we are on.  There is hope that we are finally in the process to Set Maine Free!