Category Marriage

Aug 14 2012

ClubMaine

 

Traveling southbound, headed towards Bangor from Dover-Foxcroft, if one looks close and is aware, there is a crude wooden sign, partially obscured by the undergrowth, which spells a surprising admonishment to those proponents of the East-West Highway.  It questions why anyone who supports the building of a highway should live in the State of Maine.  This columnist is admittedly paraphrasing the words on the sign, but the theme is accurate to be sure.  What is startling is how little effort the author of this placard exerted to conceal his or her disdain for those who hold a difference of opinion.  The hypocrisy flaunted between the waving blades of grass in the field is not unique to the liberal movement.  It is at its core and essential to its function.

These sentences painted on slabs of wood are prompting travelers to agree that any who view the great resources of Maine as anything other than a pretty painting or fine piece of china merely to be observed in admiration from afar, untouched by human hand, are not fit to live in Maine.  Those who view Maine’s working resources as a bounty of blessing to be handled and utilized to the benefit and prosperity of all those who reside within its shadow are surprisingly encouraged to leave the State.  This is a curious request indeed from those who have long clamored that the wilds of Maine should be here for all to enjoy.  It seems that is true only if you resign yourself to be shuttered, isolated and cut off from the rest of the Nation, who would pay handsomely for the riches and bounty of these resources.  So there is a litmus test, in some minds, for those who can be allowed to enjoy Maine’s beauty.

In the coming months, studies concerning the highway in question will be researched and information will come forward.  This will be presented to the people and the legislature.  We all will have an opportunity to make, hopefully, a reasoned and thoughtful decision.  But this writer takes great exception to those on either side of the issue who would state or otherwise imply that those that disagree with their opinion should leave the State.

But, sadly, hypocrisy seems to be the norm for my friends on the left.  The head of the new stealth-Democrats, Angus King, has told Maine people that the huge budget shortfall he left Maine was merely a “theoretical” one.  Those on the left decry the ownership of guns, unless they can use them to call for the murder of Olympian markswoman, Corey Cogdell and her family.  The left has already screamed many times that the Republican budget would destroy MediCare and MediCaid, when it is, in fact, a plan to save it.  The fact that the President has already, through ObamaCare, cut 700 billion dollars from MediCare is somehow kept quiet.  The President has accused Governor Romney of indirectly causing the death of a woman through a company the Governor was no longer was part of, while Mr. Obama takes no responsibility for the death of border agent Brian Terry and the thousands of innocent Mexicans, who have been murdered as a direct result of the guns his administration gave to Mexican drug cartels.

Those of us who believe in traditional marriage are often labeled as hateful, but standing for our beliefs is not hate. It is our right.  We work side by side throughout this Nation with those of alternate lifestyles without any threat of violence. Young Bristol Palin has been brutalized in the media for her Christian beliefs. When snidely asked by a reporter if she would dance with a man if he were gay, she calmly answered to the affirmative.  But then she asked in return, would the gay man dance with her even though she is Christian and will not compromise her beliefs?  That really is the question, isn’t it?  Is the left really comfortable with an open debate on the facts?  Or, does it prefer to establish an exclusive club only for those that parrot their teachings and all other voices that dissent are excluded, exiled or eliminated?  What is your view of freedom?  Is it the freedom that denies all other dissenting expression or is it the freedom that allows all expression on the platform of decent debate without repression for the majority to decide?  Where is freedom in Maine?

Jun 9 2012

Breitbart Sets the Record Straight.

“Governor Paul LePage, who is the most overt Tea Party governor in the country and ran against Poliquin in the primary race for governor, urged the Maine State Legislature to elect Poliquin as treasurer. LePage wanted Poliquin because he thought Poliquin could clean up the state’s biggest fiscal problem, its unfunded pension liabilities. Poliquin worked hard to accomplish that goal; last year he helped reduce the liabilities by 40% by tirelessly explaining the problem and his solution via appearances in town halls across the state. You can find the powerful argument he made here.”
To view piece on Breitbart.com, click here.
POLIQUIN THE REAL DEAL IN MAINE

Bruce Poliquin’s race for the Senate seat in Maine is tight – and there are some who have criticized flaws in his record – but there’s no doubt he’s a solid conservative. Major conservative groups have endorsed him, including Freedom Works, Concerned Women for America, and Senator Mike Lee of Utah. Americans for Prosperity Maine Chapter 2011 gave him a hero to the taxpayers award, as well.

Governor Paul LePage, who is the most overt Tea Party governor in the country and ran against Poliquin in the primary race for governor, urged the Maine State Legislature to elect Poliquin as treasurer. LePage wanted Poliquin because he thought Poliquin could clean up the state’s biggest fiscal problem, its unfunded pension liabilities. Poliquin worked hard to accomplish that goal; last year he helped reduce the liabilities by 40% by tirelessly explaining the problem and his solution via appearances in town halls across the state. You can find the powerful argument he made here.

Not only did Poliquin target pension liabilities, he also exposed wasteful spending by the Maine State Housing Authority.

In a interview last August, Poliquin articulated his positions on various matters, and they are quite conservative.

On the federal debt ceiling agreement:

“It’s a disgrace. They had an opportunity to really fix this thing and they dropped the ball. When you have a deal that allows the folks that got us into this mess to borrow another $900 million immediately but not implement tax cuts for another 10 years, I think it’s a disgrace and an embarrassment. I’m convinced we need a balanced budget amendment.”

On publicly referring to Maine’s pension crisis as a “monster” and the possibility that using such strong language sully the state’s reputation in the rating firms’ eyes:

“I don’t use the word ‘crisis.’ ‘Monster?’ Absolutely. It’s not a problem if you have the cash. In May, we convinced the ratings agencies to give us the benefit of the doubt, and they held our rating steady. They’ve been crunching our numbers for decades. They know more about our finances than I would ever know. I call it telling the truth.”

Before he launched his career in politics, Poliquin worked for a company that managed $5 billion in pension, endowment and foundation assets.  When he was sworn in as State Treasurer, he said, “unfettered growth in debt is dangerous,” and vowed to guard against any additional state borrowing so future taxpayers would not foot the bill. He would not“kick a fiscal can down the street.”

And as far as Poliquin’s gun record, it’s solid – he receives a high rating from the NRA.

There is little doubt that Poliquin is a strong conservative. Whatever flaws he has do not diminish that central and most compelling fact.

Oct 10 2009

Stand for Marriage in ME

stand

THE ESSENCE OF DESPERATION

This past Sunday I was “chauffeuring” my wife to the various shopping locals in Bangor.  As I drove around the city, I noticed a lot of “No on 1” signs were out, but the “Yes on 1” were non-existent.  I notified those in charge of the Bangor area, expressing my frustration to their lack of vigilance.  I was appalled to learn that many “Yes on 1” signs have been placed next to “No on 1”; but, amazingly, by the next morning all the “Yes on 1” signs  had mysteriously “disappeared”.  Now, unless there is portal specifically designed to suck “Yes on 1” signs into the political correctness nether, I think we can use good old fashioned Mainer common sense to figure out what happened to those signs.

Sadly, this points to a deeper more troubling issue within the gay marriage movement.  It is about power acquired through any means including circumventing the will of the people.

No state populace has ever voted in a Gay Marriage law, not even California.  So the gay movement lobbied activist judges to overrule the people and enact laws contrary to the beliefs of the citizenry.  Here in our state, liberals have lowered themselves to stealing political signs.  Newspapers are editing out specific facts from op-eds they deem hurtful to the gay agenda.  Even the tired old accusation of “racist’ is being dredged up.  (I didn’t realize homosexuality was exclusive to a specific race.)  What does all this tell us?  Liberals are desperate.

So as we see the negative reflection of desperation, should we as concerned citizens cower in its glare?  No, fellow Mainers, we cannot afford to wallow in apathy any longer.  The political establishment is defeat able.   You may say its always been like this,; but I say, it doesn’t have to stay like this.
Let us become desperate.  Desperate to protect our families.  Desperate to rebuild our state. We can’t wait any longer.  Despite the many millions of dollars gay activists pour into this state to influence the vote, we hold the vote.  We are the final say.  Let them name call, distort and hide the truth, and , can you believe it, steal “Yes on 1” signs, we will still vote.

Don’t be ashamed to defend your children and grandchildren.  Disdain and ridicule from the media is hard to take, I know, but this issue demands citizen resolve more than any other.  This is not a popularity  contest.  This about our children’s future, our states future, our nations future.  Let us draw a line in the sand and vote.  Let  us all vote yes on 1.…we still hold the vote.

Oct 5 2009

It’s more about Todd Palin

Yea, it really is to me.  Not that I have a man crush on the guy or anything, but he certainly seems like a man my friends and I would hang with.
Anyone who has read any of my columns at any length will soon realize that my wife and I are strong supporters of Sarah Palin.  To us, she represents a hope that somehow a dose of common sense can still be injected into Washington.  But common sense is an attribute that should also be applied liberally to our support of Sarah Palin.

So what has that to do with Todd Palin?  (When I say Todd Palin, I’m also inferring the whole family.)  Todd and Sarah Palin are faced with the Herculean task of not only maintaining their family unit in this present society (which is a monster we all face) but to answer the call of a desperate nation at the same time.  Powerful forces are pulling at this couple demanding hard choices.  We have watched them make some and have been impressed.  Unfortunately for the Palins, the hard choices will not end.  They will continue to come.

So Todd represents a litmus test for us as supporters to gauge Sarah.  Why, you ask, do we need such a test?  Sarah Palin is terrific!  She is also (brace yourself) human.  While her upbringing and faith fill me with a strong hope that she is immune to the temptation of power, I’m reminded that the path she walks is littered with the carcasses of many grounded and faithful heroes.  Like you, I am heartened to see that her speeches are few and far between so she can quickly escape back to Alaska to be with Todd and her gorgeous children…her real reality.

There are many in this arena, where Todd and Sarah do battle, that disdain their “attached at the hip” approach.  The concept of “one flesh” is repulsive to many of the elite, even those supposedly on “their side”.  The combined power of the husband and wife Palins will threaten some.  They will try to wedge them apart.  Thankfully Todd and Sarah Palin seem to be one step ahead of them by always having Todd, beaming Piper, or beautiful Willow or Bristol “attached to her hip” wherever she goes.  It’s hard to wedge people apart that are fused together.

Obviously, Sarah Palin is a beautiful powerful woman.  She now operates in a place where the beautiful and the powerful become so obsessed with those two attributes that they become hollow shells that live only for more beauty and more power.  They succumb to a vicious cycle of flattery, guile, and spousal upgrades all in search of a new rung on the power ladder.  So we are concerned that power may corrupt her, too.

The Bible describes powerful women through the portrayal of two females.  First, Abigail was a beautiful, wise woman who rose above her own negative circumstances.  She used her giftings to stop a powerful man from unjustly destroying an entire village.  Jezebel, equally powerful but treacherous, used her feminine wiles to manipulate men and nearly destroyed her country.
I think Sarah Palin has the personality of Abigail from the Bible.  I think Todd and Sarah long ago made a commitment to fidelity,  to their children, and to avoiding the “appearance of evil”.  I know that sounds Puritan, Biblical, and Victorian, but hey, it works.

With a note of caution, Sara and I continue to support the Palins.  Remember, if she fails, loses sight of Todd, and destroys her family it doesn’t change our cause.  I sound callous I know but conservatism must march on.  It is the only hope for our nation.  For those of faith, if she crumbles beneath the challenge like so many before have done, it doesn’t change God.  He is bigger than failure and can heal and restore.

The Palins are doing all the right things.  Staying close at home, using the computer as a weapon  for truth, and keeping their little ones close is their essential strength.  I’m glad to see they know how to use a computer because there are others out here, namely myself, who are having a hard time catching up.  I don’t know, but there is just something about a roomful of men standing around with cell phones  twittering…. That makes me uncomfortable…I queess I just can’t get past the lingo…ahem.
We are in a battle for this nation.  A battle of ideals…virtue against corruption.  So I fear for Todd and Sarah Palin but I believe in them.  They must not lose sight of each other.  Whatever happens, I will continue to fight for my country.  So in the words of our greatest conservative….“Trust , but verify”
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When the Palins resigned from the Governorship of Alaska rumors swirled through the media concerning the supposed demise of their marriage.  I asked my wife what she thought as we watched the Governor’s resignation speech.  My wife said, “Their fine.  I watched how they looked at each other when they kissed.  Their fine.”  I’m not sure how my wife knows all this from one split second kiss but I will trust my wife’s intuition over media reports any day.

The temptation for the Palins will be great.  The political elite will put constant pressure on them to put power above family.  The danger of becoming “elite snobs” detached from reality staring down their Chuck Schumer/Charlie Gibson noses at Americans is an unfortunate real danger.  So this really where it becomes about Todd.  No one knows Sarah Palin better than him.  So it is his inner strength  and sensitivity to his wife that demands accountability…another word confusing to elites.  Elitists believe that because of their talents and abilities  they are accountable to no one.  They sneer at those who by choice honor marriage vows and develop a system of accountability within a family unit. Those who are so self absorbed refuse to acknowledge the power of a functioning family.  The Palin family is a functioning family that is able to combat the forces coming against them because of accountability, because of their faith, yes, faith, and because above all they love each other…that is true power!

Accountability is the Palins’ strength.  It is every family’s strength.  Todd Palin must utilize the years of capital that he has earned and invested in his wife to confront, strengthen, and protect her and his family.  Family works this way.  When one is weak the other picks them up.  When one is out of line the other knocks them back in line again.

The Palins are guarding their family because they understand these things perhaps better than us all.  So, as much as I respect the individual, let us all focus on the task of combating a socialist President and his lackeys rather than falling into the trap of being enamored with a person.  Let us fight beside her rather follow her.  If we have a Spartan focus upon a goal rather than a person than the potential failure of those around us will not have a devastating effect on our battle.  I have a reasonable faith in the Palins ,but remember, blind faith belongs to God.  So pray for the Palins daily along with your country.  But remember again to always “trust but verify” .