The recent victory for the State of Maine in the realm of health insurance is, perhaps, a sign of better things to come from the Republican Party.  There is a hope this momentous legislation will begin to arrest the precipitous fall from grace the Grand Old Party has been experiencing due to its sluggish and inept leadership in the legislative chambers.  What momentum the majority enjoyed when they took power quickly dissipated with an immediate return to the leadership that had kept them in the minority for 40 years.  Those voters who had shook off the shroud of apathy and distrust to come out and vote, specifically in rural Maine, with the hopes that the GOP had finally seen the error of their ways and would now represent, for a change, the true identity of Maine were quickly disappointed.  But with the passage of LD 1333, hope springs anew.

The Republican Party must come to grips with this truth; the public holds their Party on a much shorter leash than their very liberal opponents.  The people of Maine expect that Democrats will spend recklessly, live immorally and lead arrogantly.  They will not tolerate it from the Republicans.  They expect Republicans to lead the same way the people represented live, frugally.  Mainers will not stomach any more silly editorials from Senator Katz and his pretentious eight.  They cannot fathom the lack of work and accomplishment from the legislature to this point.  But we see signs of hope.

With the passing and enactment of health insurance reform, the Republican Party has taken a great leap forward but now stands at the crossroads of an issue that may very well decide who holds the majority after this next election cycle.   A law, which would abolish the Land Us Regulatory Commission, is before committee and in the midst of hearings.  In 1971, Maine established LURC and pulled the regulatory governance of landholdings out of local control giving unprecedented power to the State over private land.  It has failed and caused horrible economic destruction to rural Maine not to mention the violation of landowner rights.  It is interesting to note that no other State in the Union has an entity like LURC.  In the other 49 states, the County commissioners decide the land regulations for their own counties.  Hmmmm…sounds almost like common sense.

A contemporary of mine, Roger Ek has attended these hearings and testified eloquently before the committee.  He quoted from General Gage, who was the Governor for all English territories in America.  These are Gage’s words written in 1772, “Democracy is too prevalent in America, and claims the greatest attention to prevent its increase.  A large part of the problem arises from the vast abundance of cheap land.  The people themselves have gradually retired from the coast and are, already, almost out of reach of government.  It is in the interest of Great Britain to confine the colonists on this side of the back country.”  Roger then draws a compelling analogy and I will quote, “Ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you today that Maine has established a new unelected aristocracy to rule General Gage’s ‘back country’. That ruling class is called LURC. Their goals are the same as General Gage’s; ‘to confine the Colonists on this side of the back country.’  I have spoken to the majority of county commissioners all across Maine. They want their freedom back. Coastal counties want their islands back. The people want their freedom back and Maine needs to recover from four decades of slavery. We need the authorities in Maine to get out of the way and let Maine people prosper again. We need to pass this bill and just retire LURC to the dust bin of history.”  The full transcript of Mr. Ek’s speech will be posted on my website at www.meconservativevoice.wordpress.com.

It sounds like Roger Ek agrees with The Maine Conservative Voice theme, Let’s Set Maine Free.  It remains to be seen whether Republicans have the strength and fortitude to do what is right for all of Maine.  You can help by going to this link http://www.maine.gov/legis/house/jt_com/acf.htm, contact all the members of the committee and tell them to support LD 1534 and vote “ought to pass”.  If you believe in landowner rights, then lets fight to set our land free.