Category Politics

Mar 31 2011

Center Rot

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!

 

Mar 15 2011

THE COLLECTIVE SETS SAIL

A ship once set sail

From the Harbor of Truth

A ship once sleek and proud

/

Sailors stout, lithe and hale

Though some held aloof

Watched the cheering crowd

/

Soon they cast off

A voyage of hope

Who knew what lay ahead?

/

Winds freedom aloft

A song in their throats

And nary a cross word was said

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Or so it seemed

But beneath the beams

Of the ships bulwarks a meeting was held

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A collective was formed

‘Twas out of the norm

A sailors and officers guild

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A storm soon arose

Though weather was calm

The collective demands must be met

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For the sake of all those

To repair and tempers to balm

Drills they must hastily get

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Sharp bits they must have

To save on hand salve

To make the repairs on the ship

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The officers with a laugh

Gave the whole not the half

To ensure the crew would not split

/

So with shiny new drills

And newfound skills

The collective went to work about the ship

/

Then with dismay

Amidst the fray

Came a shout, “The ships about to tip!”

/

The captain now could see

The sailors should not drill

Those holes there in the hull

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How now to plea

Against collective will

The captain these thoughts to mull

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“Perhaps,” the captain sighed,

“Negotiate with me?

The hull is not a place to drill a hole.”

/

“You dare,” the collective cried,

You can’t see

To drill, my right, my soul!”

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“Standing in this swill

Trade a bucket for a drill?”

The captain with them tried to reason

/

“We are not dull!

You are hiding more hull!

To drill, our right, our time, our season!

/

So the ship sank

Every rail, mast and plank

With holes drilled through and through

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The collective was blind

To reason and rhyme

It wanted what it thought it was due

/

But sadly that day

Some had no say

The passengers died with no voice

/

Their ship went down

Their voices drowned

They silently died with no voice

/

This poem is through

The moral is true

This allegorical device

/

If unions negotiate

They must let participate

Those who pay the price

/

A ship once set sail

From the Harbor of Truth

A ship once sleek and proud

Sep 17 2010

HEALTHCARE: Solutions, The Missing Legislation

I recently had a “conversation” with a liberal masquerading as a Republican, who more aptly should be called a Demblican.  When asked about the health care mess, this man seemed almost gleeful about the rat’s nest the Democrats have created here in Maine.  When he asked me what government programs I thought were needed to strengthen the private sector, the light went on.

It took me awhile to catch on, but I soon realized that I had been, momentarily, duped.  This man was no more conservative than I have need of maternity leave.  He was to the point of almost giddy that his beliefs had created such a quagmire that, in his estimation, there were no easy solutions.

You see, that’s the Democrat catch phrase…there are no easy solutions.  It makes great punditry for television.  They all sit around an overly polished set table, stare at each other, and sigh a great “lookatmeI’msobrilliantbecauseI’mliberal” sigh.  After they sigh that sigh, Democrats will always say there are no easy solutions.

Weeeelll, actually there are.  The problem for liberals is that they are categorized under the heading of common sense and that drives the Left absolutely bonkers!!!   The solution that a simple carpenter/mason like myself would present is this:  all those things that are not working, all those policies that are driving us to bankruptcy, and all those tired, archaic socialist European ideas that even Europe is finally discarding….DON’T DO THEM ANYMORE!!!

That is way to simple, I know, for some.  So, I have unearthed, some long lost legislation Republicans tried to pass but Democrats killed and buried.  First of all, for all the talk of Republicans being obstructionist not having any solutions, I went on Maine.gov. and with just a quick digging with my little investigative spade I found so many attempted reform bills by Republicans blocked by Democrats that it would take weeks to cover them all.  I don’t have that much time.  We have to take out the trash November 2nd.

First is a bill proposed by Sarah “Sally” Lewin, ranking minority member on the Health and Human Services Committee, title LD 1003 “Resolve, Directing the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability to Perform a Performance Evaluation and Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Dirigo Health Program”.  Sounds like a good idea to me!  Why wouldn’t the office of evaluation and accounting want to do some evaluating and accounting of their programs to which they are expending lots and lots of money in?  Why not?  Please somebody in Augusta tell me why?  Please?  (cue sound of  cri…what? We are out of crickets?!  Man, the liberals are taking everything!)

Okay, meanwhile back in Atkinson, all you guys and gals who are contractors know that, after every job, we do our own cost-benefit analysis.  Yes, after every job!  Why?  Because, if we have problems with our bids, job expenditures, or labor, we don’t want to repeat them, that’s why.  This bill was gaveled dead by the Democrats before it could even be debated.  The Democrats don’t seem to care to know if there is a problem.  Maybe, they don’t want to know about it.  Perhaps it is not an issue to them because it’s not their money.  The shortfalls don’t effect them.  It is our money.  So, from a businessman’s standpoint, from a common sense standpoint, it is always a good idea to check the cost-benefit ratio and eliminate problems as you go.

There is another Representative that the Democrats just love down in Augusta.  His name is Jonathan McKane.  His bill title LD209, “An Act to Allow Maine Residents to Purchase Health Insurance from Out-Of-State Insurers” would have probably solved a lot of problems, but the Democrats, the majority, said this bill “ought not to pass” and voted it down; Roll Call no. 71, yeas 82 nays 63 absent 6.  The yeas are in agreement that it “ought not to pass” in case you are wondering.

Every time I have looked at Republican bills attempting to reform HealthCare, they have been met with the same disdain and arrogance from the left.  There is, in my estimation, not one glimmer of hope the there is a willing spirit to work towards a better Maine from the Democrats; instead, Libby Mitchell proposed a bill trying to capitalize on the H1N1 swine flu virus scare that would have required all small businesses to give paid sick leave to their employees.  There is not one small business that could sustain that kind of regulatory pressure.  Even the Democrats voted that one down….but then…they picked her to be their representation to run for Governor.  Remember, she concocted this slurry of a mess that we are in.  Do you want four more years of it??

Aug 12 2010

John Martin Politics

As promised, we will delve a little deeper into the viral hatred the Democratic Party has for small independent businesses a little later in this column.  Evidence seems to point towards the trigger for the animosity as being the word independent.  As you know, the Democrats derive their power from those who are dependent upon government, rather than those who are independent of it; but for the next few paragraphs, let’s finish the third wave of taxation from the Supreme leader of the Democratic Party.

Yes, taxes will be raised on all businesses, but the attack will be more coordinated and pointed to the effect and detriment of small businesses.  Small independent businesses can usually expense up to $250,000 for equipment purchases.  This will be crushed to $25,000.  The rest must be slowly deducted or “depreciated”.  Large businesses must “depreciate” all of their equipment purchases, rather then the 50% they enjoyed in the past.  There are scores of more taxes that the President will use to bludgeon small businesses in 2011, such as, the loss of the “Research and Experimentation Tax Credit.”  So much for encouraging new ideas.  This loss of tax relief combined with the high marginal tax hikes will cost us even more jobs.  This in the light of the new job loss numbers set at another 100,000.  So, what are a few 100,000 jobs between Democrats?

The Education jobs will be attacked also.  Deductions for tuition and fees will no longer be available.  Teachers in 2011 will not be able to deduct classroom expenses.  Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will be cut.  The student loan interest deduction will be disallowed.  Finally, the crown jewel of all Democratic Taxation Pursuits, charitable contributions will not be allowed.  Yes, those with IRA’s will not be able to make charitable donations, and it’s because… Obama cares.  My opinion of the Democratic Party continues to “depreciate” by the minute.

Now back to the Liberals fixation with the destruction of small independent business.  Remember at the beginning of the President’s administration, he put a restriction on the stimulus funds so that the monies could only go to Union Contractors and Union Businesses?  This, as you might imagine, created quite a fuss.  The White House quickly covered it up and the din slowly subsided.  We thought that perhaps this President had learned his lesson and would honor the will of the people, to leave independent contractors alone.  Has he or his Party ever listened to the will of the people?

So, quietly and insidiously, the Democrats have begun, all across the United States, to audit independent contractors.  We need to address the irreparable damage the Democrats wish to inflict upon the working men and women of this country and, more specifically, here in the Great State of Maine.  To do this, I will use the example of one Representative John Martin.

The “Honorable” John Martin represents the St. John Valley.  He resides in Eagle Lake.  Every election, strangely enough, he usually runs unopposed.  Those who do, do so at their own peril.  You see, its common knowledge in Aroostook County that the “Honorable” John Martin will crush all those who oppose him.  He does so by taking away your ability to make a living.  Yes, really.  Those who run against him, end up losing their jobs and, yes, even relatives of those candidates lose their jobs.

It’s called thug politics.  It is now the marching orders for Democratic Party straight from its Commander and Chief.  This audit of independent contractors is a prime example.  John Martin, I’m sure, is beaming with pride.  The Democratic Party has been manipulating the accounts and paperwork of independent contractors in order to attack other independent contractors.  The field operatives of the State have been pressuring contractors to turn in their fellow contractors.  How do I know this is true?  I will tell you.

I am an independent contractor.  I am a carpenter and mason.  The Democratic Party has attacked my business and manipulated my accounts in order to attack my associates.  In next week’s column, I will reveal the truth about the Democrats tactics from a first hand perspective.  I will show you the heinous plan to destroy our economy.  I will show how they are trying to force contractors to knuckle under to the Unions.  I will name names.  I will not go down without a fight.  I echo the cry of my fellow independent contractors in saying, “We’d rather die than to be Union!”