I have listened repeatedly to my father while he has railed against the complexities of the modern automobile. “It’s so a man can’t work on his own car anymore,” I’ve often heard him growl. My father, who was a crew chief on the Air Force F-100 Super Sabre during the Vietnam War, routinely expresses his frustration at the fact seemingly simple maintenance work on modern vehicles turn inevitably into a nightmarish, convoluted, inoperable mess. It is confusing, to the average man, why Detroit would take a simple trustworthy engine, easily fixed by the everyday backyard mechanic, and turn it into the computer driven, glitch prone, gadget laden monstrosity of today, that can only be serviced by an elite group of highly trained technicians. Cars used to run forever. Now they run for the duration of the warranty….hmmm….I’m sure that’s just an ironic coincidence.
Now let’s draw the comparison. We have the best functioning healthcare system in the world, but now, instead of tweaking the imperfections, our President wants to completely change the look, function and purpose of healthcare. He wants to overburden the system with gadgets, choke out its effectiveness with over-regulation and completely redirect the focus of health care. Lets have a look.
Under ObamaCare, citizens will have to show and attach proof of insurance to their tax return. You will be required by law to buy health insurance. That, in its self, is enough reason to repeal ObamaCare. It is a violation of the Constitution to force any American to purchase anything, but not only are we forced by law, we will be fined for failure to comply. Yes, fined!!! Individual fines up to $695, families up to $2,085, or….or 2.5% of your adjusted gross income, the Government will choose the greater fine (their so accommodating).
In a brilliant move to encourage job and business growth, employers who cannot afford to provide health insurance for their employees will be penalized, under ObamaCare, $2,000 per employee. Hey, now there’s a great incentive to start up a small business and provide jobs to the community. What would the government do if it didn’t have hardworking businessmen and women to pickpocket? But wait there’s more, you and your employer will not have the opportunity to decide what kind of health care you would you would like. Oh no, only the government can decide that. You ask why? I don’t know! Haven’t you heard the old adage “Those who steal the money know how to spend it best?” No, you haven’t? Well, neither have I, but the President thinks he has.
If you want to buy your own insurance, you have to buy it from your government. Do you notice a theme here? What word do I keep repeating? With the government proving itself so adept at running things like Fannie Mae, which was a huge hit, we should feel comfortable with all our everything in government control, right??? What, no takers? Yeah, so we can all buy insurance through a government regulated exchange that sells insurance that meets governmental requirements. In other words, different insurance companies, same policy. Ah, nostalgia sweeps over me. Remember the days when the word choice was still part of the English language.
You know, this columnist uses sarcastic humor a lot. To be truthful, it is a way to moderate the rage that is felt when our essential liberties are stood up and executed by political thugs. As I continue to investigate this bill. It becomes more and more scary, more and more intrusive. Americans were baited with the tempting treat of an all-encompassing, all-knowing healthcare system. Now they are ensnared in a horrible nightmare of entanglements that will literally destroy the engine of this great Nation. Next, we will peel back more layers of this smelly rotten onion and see the violations of liberties that are being perpetrated to protect it. Let us all pray that the November 2nd Revolution will signal the rise of Patriots who will reverse this tyranny.

While listening to the pious, self-indulgent concession speech of one Democrat Eliot Cutler, I was reminded of an old Clint Eastwood movie in which the actor Donald Sutherland plays the part of a rogue tank commander.  The commander routinely berates his tank gunner sidekick, and anyone else who disagrees with him, to, “Stop with the negatuf waves!”  This has been the campaign strategy of Democrats for some time now.

It’s really quite an effective strategy especially in an Oprah/Dr. Phil age that demands constant positive reinforcement.  Nobody who is anybody wants to be known by somebody as a busybody that had the crass dispassionate vindictive nature to call a spade a spade.   It’s comparable to every father’s worst nightmare.

His beautiful young innocent daughter brings home the town sleazebag and exclaims that she is in love.  When her father explains that this scoundrel has worked hard to firmly establish his reputation as a man who exploits young naïve girls and then, after he is through with them, sells what is left to be traded up and down the Las Vegas strip, his daughter petulantly flounces back that her Daddy is so mean, out of touch, and doesn’t want her to have any fun.  Faced with the uncomfortable task of being so negative, a father may began to think that his little princess is the one girl who could help this slave trader mend his ways.  Perhaps his daughter is the one woman this lizard has been waiting for to change his spots, settle down to raise a family, be a positive member of society, and there is no reason to expect that his daughter will be sold to some Arabian Sheik on the backside desert of Uzbekistan.  Hopefully, no one is that stupid.

It’s an extreme example laced with a heavy dose of sarcasm, but, through the mockery, there is an analogy.  The Democrats want us, the citizens, to sit quietly while they do and say whatever they want.  They don’t want to be confronted.  They don’t want to be exposed.  Only the voices of approval are acceptable and any dissent must be squelched.  In the past, this has been effective in the State of Maine.  The Republican Party has been more than willing to play the conciliatory patsy to the Democrat Party.  Not so anymore!

There is a young crop of Republicans who have moved into the battle ranks.  These young soldiers have absolutely no interest in placating Democrats.  They have one goal and that one goal is the demise of socialism here in our beloved State.  For them, November 3^rd marked the beginning of a new battle, new targets, with new victories on the horizon.  This battle is not for the faint of heart and, for those Democrats who have gotten used to foot massages from Peter Mills’ style Republicans, the battle is coming to you.  The days of pale, pasty, lackluster Republicans are over.  For those Democrats who do not want to be confronted, they can find a place under the porch next to the Demblicans.  This is an ideological war for the future of our children.

So, the Democrats are tired of “negative campaigns”.  Remember, that’s code for “Please don’t speak”.  It’s very difficult to run a positive campaign when Democrats have nothing positive to offer.  The President declared that the Constitution was a negative document.  Why?  Because it inhibits and constrains government, that’s why.  The Democrats don’t like being told no.  They don’t like to have their bad behavior confronted, much like a spoiled teenager.

We have a job to do.  We have to clean up Maine and set it free.  It will get ugly before it gets pretty.  The Democrats excesses will have to be confronted.  Call it negative if you want, but the job has to be done.  If the Democrats want to see positive campaigning, they need to do something positive for a change.

This last week I came across an old article I had wrote that may or may not ever have been printed.  I thought it appropriate to this time in our State’s history.  Whatever the result of the election, we as the people of Maine will have to remain vigilent in our responsibility to hold our leaders accountable.  Kennebec Fever has been known to infect even the hardiest of Conservative souls.  It is our job as residents to continue to inoculate the residents of the Blaine House and the Capital Building by our incessant, persistent demanding of behavior that is representative of the people.  In other words, we need to be a pain in the butt.

It is the same scenario played out in every restoration project that I can recollect being a part of.  Should we or should we not pull the doors, hinges, and other obstructive hardware in the room before we paint?  The correct answer is yes!!  Now be honest…. How often do you use the correct approach… Come on, be honest… I know, because I’m the poor sap how has to come behind you and fix that STICKING PAINTED IN DOOR!!! (phew! I feel better now.)

Sooo… last week my friend I work for (who wishes to remain anonymous) and I were renovating two rooms in one of the older homes here in Dover.  When it came time to “paint out” the rooms, I proceeded to begin removing doors and hardware.  The transom windows above the doors intrigued me.  My attempts to work the window linkage quickly produced frustration, as the windows were painted shut.

I became somewhat obsessed with repairing these windows to working order; possibly, in retrospect, to the chagrin of my friend who still wishes to remain anonymous and who pays the labor budget for the project. (Ahem, he writes my check.)  This old house still used registers for heat, which were in the hallway.  The transoms were necessary for heat transfer if the doors needed to be closed.  That’s my excuse.

I was soon reminded how difficult it is to extract screws from hinges that have a gazillion layers of paint which, I am sure, can be carbon dated back to the fall of the Roman Empire.  As my hands fairly shook with the effort to maintain my composure, I was reminded of your friends and mine…. Liberal Democrats/Republicans or “Demblicans”.

The “Demblicans” in Maine have been using the same “justpaintoverthehinges” approach to fiscal policy for years.  As the years of socialist paint began to accumulate, doors ceased to operate, sticking and rubbing.  Windows began to bind in their tracks and linkages refused to work.  Now, across our State, the hinges of our economy are moving stubbornly or not functioning at all.

The “Demblicans” answer to all this is another coat of fresh paint.  The same tax burden…. or more!  It just looks a little different.  As more of the windows and doors of opportunity in this State are painted shut, I ask my fellow Mainers, “When will we fight back?!”.  If we wait too long, all the doors, windows, and their hardware might not even be worth salvaging!

DESPOTISM: The Maturation of a Lie  (part two)

The civilization that believes the seeds of despotism does not or could not exist in their political leaders is doomed to be shackled beneath an ever growing burden of arrogant, indifferent leaders who cannot or will not respond to the will of the people as these leader’s senses are bound and consumed by the roots to the weed of despotism.  These roots bear fruit in the form of lies, which are foisted onto the citizens mocking the people’s ability to discern honesty from hypocrisy.  Many of the Democrat’s have become so accustomed to speaking falsehoods with little care for the consequences of a confrontational demand for validation, that they are genuinely shocked and offended by the publics demand for the truth.  Remember, fellow Mainers, the Senate President Libby Mitchell has admonished us to use the right tone when addressing political leaders, as if the ruling American citizen should strike a timid, cautious posture when approaching a public servant.  The Maine Conservative Voice believes the public is using exactly the right tone, loud and with authority.

The public is frustrated with the lies of the Democrat Party and with good reason.  It expects in its public servants accountability and, instead, has received pompous self-serving agendas.  Then, at election time, candidates further deepen the insult by misrepresenting their behavior.  The Democrats refuse to acknowledge their own deceit even in the face of the citizen’s angst.  Let us examine the lies.

Representative Mike Michaud claims to have been instrumental in legislation that raised weight limits on Maine Interstates.  In all the legislative documentation there is no record of Michaud having had any part in that bill’s negotiation, but, in fact, there are numerous records of Mr. Michaud’s failure to do so.  It was Senator Susan Collins who negotiated the bill.  Mike Michaud is flat out lying.  Furthermore, Pelosi’s favorite puppy has somehow propagated the lie that he is the ally of Veterans when, in fact, he voted to rescind funding for the troops while they are at war, in combat.  That bears repeating!  The man voted to de-fund the troops while they are in harms way!  This is the worst act of cowardice by Mike Michaud.  The Veterans of Maine should stand by their fellow brothers and sisters who are on the front lines and, this November, make Pelosi’s fawning lapdog pay for it.  As the son of a Vet, I have no tolerance for politicians who stick a knife in our soldiers back and then feign pious loyalty to them.  Mike Michaud is no friend to Veterans!

Another Democrat, Eliot Cutler, has told Mainers that he is independent.  Yes, right before the primary he donned the independent cloak to mislead voters, avoid a primary, and cover up the fact that he is smeared all over with Jimmy Carter.  Every left-wing environmental regulation that chokes out Maine’s economy is rooted in the Carter administration and Eliot Cutler.  Think EPA.  That’s Eliot Cutler.  He claims to have created jobs in Maine, when the truth is, he created jobs in China, the Country, by shipping businesses overseas.  If you want more enviro-regulation, then Eliot’s your guy.  If you want more setbacks and land grabs by the State, then Eliot’s your guy.  He is irrevocable left wing.  His environmental policies have trampled the Constitution.

In our local Senate race, Democrat Sue Macky Andrews has allowed a supporter to send out a robo-call telling voters that her opponent, Doug Thomas, blocked road repair in Piscataquis County.  That is a complete and utter fabrication!  The truth is that Rep. Doug Thomas along with Rep. Paul Davis, Rep. Pete Johnson, and Senator Doug Smith has lobbied passionately to bring road repair to Piscataquis.  Ms. Andrew’s solution to the healthcare crises was to demand we all eat better and those who do not should be penalized.  Ms. Andrews also suggests a “mystery shopper” sort of secret police that could inspect your refrigerator to insure food entitlements were spent properly, and, when asked how to solve our economic woes, Sue Macky Andrews’ replied that we all should develop relationships…wow…wow…that just about solves everything…who knew?!  Who needs facts, figures and ledgers when you can have relationships?  While we are at it, let us all gather together, form a circle and hummmm.  If we then lay on our backs, stare into space and streeeetch out our big toe far enough we may be able to intersect with the convergence of the equilibrium in the intergalactic braintrust.  This will solve everything!  Don’t you agree?

I do, however, agree with Ms. Andrews on one thing.  As I read and listen to every Democrat lie compounded by falsehood laid upon deceit, I have to concur that “It’s not about what you say, It’s all about what you do!”