Category Politics

Dec 3 2012

Contrition Begets Wisdom

Last Saturday the Maine Republican Party convened its first State Committee meeting since their disastrous election this past November.  The Committee elected Richard Cebra and Beth O’Conner as State Chair and Vice-Chair respectively.  Charles Maharelis was reelected Secretary, while Ben Lombard was voted Treasurer.  This rather benign announcement belies the monumental step the Maine Republican Party has taken this past weekend.

This columnist has tried to avoid writing about the Republican Committee. First, as much of their deliberations are tactic oriented and meant to be confidential to the committee, I have made a promise to keep them as such, and I take my promises seriously. Second, the Committee for the past year and half has been in such disarray, filled with so much mudslinging, backbiting, paranoia and narcissism that not much orientation of tactics had been accomplished, which was evident in the polls.  Quite frankly, the Maine Republican State Committee was too embarrassing to write about.

The grand wizards of punditry have pontificated ad nauseum to the whys and the wherefores regarding the failures of the Maine Republican Party and its expected demise.  There is a straightforward, clear and honest explanation to the GOP failure and it is reflective of the straightforward, clear and honest Maine people that voted them out of power.  The Maine Republican Party humiliated the people of their State and the people punished them in the polls.

The Maine Conservative Voice has long held the opinion that Maine residents hold Republicans on a much shorter leash than the Democrats.  They know full well the dishonesty and deceit of Democrats and have come to expect no more and no less.  But they expect more of Republicans because we stand for more, and then… never deliver.

While Maine Republicans had great accomplishments in these past two years, it was lost in the unbridled zealotry and bickering, which exploded onto the public at the Maine Republican Convention in Augusta.  Maine residents prefer to be left to themselves, away from public scrutiny.  In short, they don’t like the national spotlight, especially when it comes wrapped in the scorn and ridicule of the nation from the public spectacle, which was the Maine Republican Party.

So now the Republicans emerge painfully from the woodshed, with, hopefully, a new perspective.  It seems perhaps they are learning at least one lesson.  Maine people prefer to see a tight and tidy ship.  A good team presents a better picture of trustworthiness, than a thousand loud and strident voices, all vying for attention.

In the race for State Chair, the campaign seemed bound for more dissent and disaster as threats and insults whirled throughout the Internet.  There was even enough deceit and deception to make the Democrats proud.  But one leader stepped forward to make a difference.  Beth O’Conner stood before the State Committee body this past Saturday, and withdrew her name from contention, imploring her fellow Republicans to be unified for the sake of our beloved State.  Then Richard Cebra, in another strong act of leadership, stepped forward to embrace his opponent and continue his own call for unity.

So the question now remains, will the Republicans follow the example of their new leaders?  Will they heed the painful reminders in the woodshed on their backsides and give the people what they want?  Will they start to become that strong cohesive team that fights for the State of Maine and is not distracted by anything else?  Time will tell and we don’t have much of it.  So let’s get back to work, as a team, and Set Maine Free!

Nov 26 2012

The Spin, Some Skin, Do Lies Still Win

In a not so shocking development, the Governor of Maine is one of four Governors nationwide that has received an “A” grade for his fiscal policies.  The Governor and his Republican majority have done yeomen’s work trying to reform the 40 years of fiscal lunacy, which typified the Democrat reign in Augusta.  The regulatory jungle and monstrous tax burden, which had become synonymous with Maine’s business climate, was draining the lifeblood of Maine’s economy, jobs.

With the advent of the LePage administration and the Republican majority, much needed regulatory reforms were implemented, with tax reductions and healthcare reform.  These were a much-needed transfusion of life into anemic, nearly lifeless economy.  This is why, while the National debt clock spins forward, whirling at blinding speeds, the Maine debt clock is spinning in the opposite direction.  But this is soon to change.

Inexplicably, the Maine people have decided they preferred the white pale and pallor of fiscal anemia, to the hard work it takes to return to a robust economy. As anyone who has done any construction work can attest, it is much easier to demolish than to build.  With the new Democrat majority, duly elected by the people of Maine, the Maine Debt Clock will soon begin to spin in unison with the national debt clock and we can all spin and spend our way into oblivion together.

Perhaps I’ve mentioned it before, but one of the most shocking things I found during this election cycle was the amount of people, when presented the facts of what causes a nation’s demise, replied with an apathetic, “All nations collapse sometime.”  I can’t believe that anyone could be so glib about the loss of all we hold so dear.  Perhaps it is a developed distrust of what they are told, since lying has become the method of choice for so many in the liberal politics, which controls Maine.

With so much now coming to light on the many lies and half-truths told by the President in his desperate charge to hold to power, many are now dealing with a sick, hung-over feeling that comes after a binge that has you waking up next to what you thought was beautiful the night before.  And what makes the feeling worse is the realization you’ve done the same thing again…and again.  Yes, waking up, realizing you have been shamefully used and that you have allowed it repeatedly is a very disheartening feeling.  The stark truth is telling, to be sure.

Do you remember the lie that the rich don’t pay their fair share?  Now even CNN is acknowledging that falsehood, after the election.  The economy was on the recovery, right?  Then why do businesses all over the country have to lay off workers?

And while we struggle to make ends meet, government employees want taxpayers to fund their exorbitant union demands.  As long as it’s skin off our backs, not theirs, this is how government works.  The taxpayers always foot the bill for things they had nothing to do with nor wished to.  Our Founding Fathers called this immoral.  Yet, in this failing economy, greedy union reps demand more and more.  When the companies collapse under the burden, the reps move on with no skin in the game.  Union workers are left behind once again with nothing but questions, media spin, bills and winter looming.  When will we as Americans finally learn that standing for truth and fighting for victory is not a one-time event but a lifetime of travail, a never-ending battle that we must not and cannot cease to engage.  We must Set Maine Free!

Nov 12 2012

A Few Good Quotes

Unfortunately, this column will come out too late for Veterans Day. But let me take this belated opportunity to express my profound gratitude to the many men and women who have fought for this Nation to preserve the Liberties we now possess. It is not lost on me that in many nations this columnist could not write the way I do without fear for his life. So thank you again to those great citizens, my father being one, who have sacrificed so much for the things we take for granted.
The freedoms we enjoy will now take on more intrinsic value as we watch them fade away. Yes, we have watched the erosion and did little to shore against the loss. Now, we will watch the storm come and demolish everything we hold dear, unless we stop watching, start doing and fight back.
Yes, the inevitable mockery, threats and disparaging remarks have been issued towards my person in the wake of last Tuesday’s loss, but my passion to “Set Maine Free” remains undeterred. We will fight on and never relent.
Here are some quotes that I find inspiring for very different reasons. First a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Another quote keeps my soul burning towards the battle. It is a quote from Vladimir Lenin explaining how to defeat the west. “Corrupt the young. Get them away from religion. Encourage their interest in sex. Make them superficial by focusing their attention on sports, sensual entertainments and other trivialities. Always preach true democracy, but seize power as fast and as ruthlessly as possible. Encourage government extravagance, destroy its credit. Produce fear with rising prices, inflation and general discontent. Encourage disorders and foster a lenient attitude toward disorders. By specious argument cause the breakdown of the old moral virtues: Honesty, Sobriety, Self-Restraint. Cause registration of firearms (to) leave the population defenseless.” Two days after reelection President Obama signed on to the UN Global Weapons ban, which will strip the United States of the 2nd Amendment. Lenin’s path is nearly complete.
So how do we fight back? My last quote is from Ronald Reagan, “We have to find tough, bright young men and women who are sick and tired of clichés and the pomposity and the mind numbing economic idiocy of the liberals in Washington.” So who’s with me! Let’s Set Maine Free!

Nov 7 2012

The Red County….Again!

What’s small, tough, and red all over?  Piscataquis County!  Once again this little county has held to its values and not been swayed by the populace.  Hopefully, soon others will begin to show more respect to this conservative stalwart and learn from their consistent success.  Incidentally, the report by Bangor Daily News that incumbent Republican Fred Trask had lost his race for County commissioner is erroneous.  After all the unorganized territories have been tallied, Fred Trask retains his seat.  The Red County is still Red.