Jun 25 2010

A Good Time Had By All

If I told you sitting in the blazing son with an 80 plus degree heat index somewhere near 100 percent humidity was “ a good time had by all”, you might call me crazy.  Crazy enough that is exactly what happened Saturday at the Tea Party in Dover-Foxcroft.  Those attending seemed impervious to the sweltering temperatures and sat attentively through two hours of speeches, shouting and cheering the speakers on.

The leadership for the Tea Party that I met, Gene Goodine, Dwight Patterson, and Amy Hale, had expressed a hope for at least 50 for the kick-off event.  In true Piscataquis County fashion, we doubled expectations.  It truly was a great start and I am so proud of my fellow County residents for coming out and showing their true Conservative colors.  It was great to see people from neighboring Counties coming to be a support.

In the past I was told, the Tea Party has had difficulty getting a gathering organized in the Red County.  After some meditation on that point, I think there is a simple explanation.  Much of what the Tea Party stands for, and is fighting for, has been part of the Piscataquis fabric for many years.  Since Barack Obama was elected, much of the Nation has begun to revolt against him.  Let’s remember that, before he was elected, Piscataquis County revolted against him.  It is fun now to see the rest of the Nation, even the rest of New England, join the revolution.

Those at the gathering were enthusiastically supportive of Jason Levesque, who I really believe will be our next Representative from the 2nd District.  The way Mike Michaud keeps avoiding this guy is a good indication that Nancy Pelosi’s favorite puppy is shaking on his leash at the thought of having to take on a real Republican Conservative who will expose Mr. Michaud’s cowardice and hypocrisy.

For the Conservatives of the Tea Party and the Red County Caucus, the excitement of the day was the opportunity to hear the next Governor of the State of Maine, Paul LePage.  He addressed the enthusiastic crowd and reminded them of the importance of electing Republicans to the House and Senate to help him in November, to change the tax and spend culture in Augusta.  At the end of his speech, Mayor LePage encouraged everyone to meet him at the Legion Hall for a fundraising supper and auction.

Paul Davis, who emceed the Tea Party, was the auctioneer at the fundraiser.  Paul is always entertaining and certainly did his best to play to a full house at the Legion Hall.  Everyone had a fun-filled evening and, thanks to the generosity of the residents of Piscataquis County, and also neighboring counties, the coffers of the Piscataquis County Republican Party have a little more to work with.  Patty Davis and her crew of ladies put on a spectacular meal.  If I tried to list all those amazing women, I’d miss one and be in trouble.  Just know, that I, the Chairman of Piscataquis County, appreciate your hard work so much.

As I said last week, the folks from the Tea Party movement were too kind to invite “yours truly” to speak.  I must admit I was more than a little nervous, as I have not spoken publicly in some time.  Everyone was so patient and encouraging that it made it easy to get over the jitters.

So many have come forward to encourage this columnist with words, letters and warm handshakes, that I feel compelled to, in this weeks column, take some time to express my gratitude.  I have always felt since 2008 that my wife and I are a part of, what I have called, “The Palin Proclamation.”  This is ordinary people proclaiming to the political establishment, who has made such a mess, that it is time for “We the People” to clean house.  I began to write op-eds for local papers just as a way to vent and express myself.  Soon, this paper offered a column space.  I then established a blog web site.  Many of you have shaken my hand and said that, “The Maine Conservative Voice” indeed gives them a voice. That has been my hope and continues to be my goal.  I have long said that Conservatism was not dead in Maine.  It was just suffering from a severe case of apathy.  As I watched so many Saturday speak of a resolute desire to bring a Conservative Revolution to Maine, I was relieved that perhaps I was not crazy as some had thought I was.  If you keep reading, I’ll keep writing!

Jun 25 2010

A Busted Level

We know the tactics.  We’ve seen them before, and now that they are cornered, we will be treated to another election cycle of mind numbing redundancy with a bit more vitriol to spice it up.  If the Democrats are anything, they are consistent.  I say that… kindly.

My friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, and I were working on a camp in the far reaches of North Schoodic Lake.   While crawling beneath the camp in the mud between broken bottles of Dr. Zhivago’s famous elixir and carcasses of various rodents of unusual size, we discussed Augusta’s arrogant disregard for the residents of Maine.  What… what do you mean you don’t believe we were… we were too!!  You mean to tell me, when you are crawling around in the mud with about four inches clearance for your head between broken bottles of Dr. Zhivago’s famous elixir and rodents of unusual size, you don’t discuss politics.  Well, I’m sorry, I don’t use that kind of language.  Rehashing the various and sundry ways the Democrats preen and primp their blind self-absorbed detachment from reality is the closest this preacher’s kid will ever come to swearing.

So anyway… as we lay, slowly settling into the dark muddy underworld of Schoodic Lake, I asked my friend, who is still anonymous, wet and muddy, but anonymous, what would happen to us as sopping wet businessmen if we were to repeat the same catastrophic mistake over and over again?  What if I, a carpenter, found that one of my levels was faulty giving me false readings?  How would I be viewed in the world of the trades if I were so attached to that little four-foot level that I continued to use it, despite all the evidence that it was wrong?  (i.e., leaning walls, fellow tradesmen wanting to wring my neck and employers wishing to fire me.)  It all seems rather ridiculous to average Mainers, doesn’t it?  Yet, Democrats continue to do this very thing.

An overburdened, overtaxed Maine is not working.  Instead of acknowledging this and changing course, liberal Democrats like Libby Mitchell and Eliot Cutler, are pulling the same faulty tools out to fix the problem.  Now they have come up with a mileage tax.  Yes, you see, frugal Mainers in hard times don’t travel as much.  Consequently, Maine is not receiving enough toll revenue.  Now we can’t have Mainers saving money, can we?  Not when Democrats can steal it.  So, Democrats propose to tax you for every mile you drive.  Yes, the moment you crank up Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the morning, to the time she coughs to a stop at night, not only will it cost you fuel, wear and tear to try to survive in Maine’s socialist state, but now it will cost you for just rolling.

I know, I know, you are thinking it is time to buy a horse.  Well, how do you know the liberals haven’t got that covered, too?  Who’s to say taxocrats won’t implant a counter in the buttocks, I love that word, of your horse for every time it steps?  I would suspect they would also attach a laser trigger across the dairyair of your “vehicle.”  If your horse should happen to pass carbon fumes or something more substantial, this would trigger the infamous flatulence tax, increasing your transportation budget exponentially.  Heaven forbid, the poor animal should get into a batch of bad hay.  Your household could incur the kind of debt only a liberal can embrace.

So back to the mud in north Schoodic.  My friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, and I came to this conclusion.  Trust -fund Democrats have never held jobs in the real world.  They have never had to face the consequences of their own mistakes.  In my world when I screw up, I fix it.  Then I try my best not to do it again.  Democrats pass more legislation to cover up their mistakes.  Perhaps it is time to send these liberals back to the private sector on education in the real world.

Finally, I would like to announce that there will be a tea party in Dover –Foxcroft this Saturday, June 19, at the Kiwanis Park.  It will get started around two p.m. and goes to four o’clock.  Paul LePage and Jason Levesque will be speaking.  Paul Davis, the lion himself, will be the emcee.  They are even going to let me speak.  Afterwards, at five, there will be a lasagna dinner and auction for the Piscataquis County Republicans at the American Legion Hall.  I hope to see you all there.

Jun 14 2010

PRESS RELEASE
June 14, 2010                                                                                          Contact: Andy Torbett                                                                                                                        564-9071

There will be a fundraiser dinner and auction for the Piscataquis County Republican Party directly following the Tea Party in Dover-Foxcroft on June 19, 2010.  The Tea Party will be held at the gazebo in the Kiwanis Park next to the YMCA building on Park St..  Speakers to include Republican Gubernatorial nominee Paul Lepage, Jason Levesque Republican candidate for Congress, Andy Torbett local columnist and activist, Ted Cowan author of the new Republican Platform, Pete the Carpenter, Mark Kirk of TaxPayers United, and music by John Q. Public.  Representative Paul Davis will emcee the event.  This gathering will start at approximately 2 pm and run until 4 pm.  Following the festivities, attendees will be encouraged to make their way down Park St. to the American Legion Hall were at 5pm the hunger pains brought on by a day of Patriotic revelry can be quelled by a hearty plate of lasagna with fixings, drink, and desert. Cost is $5 per adult, 12 to 5 year olds are only $2, and children under 5 are free.  With the money saved on this wonderful economical meal, generous adults should have plenty of money left over to participate in the fun filled auction which will be the days finale.  Paul Davis will be the auctioneer.  All are invited to this great day to celebrate our cherished freedoms and support The Piscataquis County Republican Party.



Jun 14 2010

WHERE HAVE ALL THE CHILDREN GONE?

“Where have all my children gone?”

I heard a mother pray.

“Who came and piped the siren song

That whisked them all away?”

“I had my hopes. I had my dreams

That I would see one day

My children’s futures, hopes, and means

Would blossom here to stay.”

Alas, so many Mothers call

And wish for this to be

They gaze out through the mist and pall

They look, but cannot see

Their children are not coming back

They’ve gone away from here

To find a place that does not lack

Where work is free from fear

The fear is that the wealth you’ve earned

Is taken from your hand

And given to the ones who’ve spurned

Your home, your work, your land

They watched their parents hard at work

Sweat beaded on the brow

While leaders sneak with smile and smirk

To blunt the sharpened plow

The children know this land is rich

Yes, wealth is here to find

But who will clean the cluttered ditch

From drivers who are blind

They love this land.  Tho’ this is true!

The child must make a choice

To build a dream and see it through

They must have a voice

And so they leave with youth and strength

They say, “Goodbye” to Maine

With hopes in tow and fears at length

We smile through tears of pain

We know with dread we cannot keep

Our little ones close by

Be herded ‘round like mindless sheep

Be fed a mindless lie

The exodus of children west

It’s happened for some time

Thirty-five long years, at best

It should be called a crime

For all these years through leadership

Bold promises were made

We would be the best equipped

If more taxes just were paid

We bowed our backs.  The burdens grew

We bent beneath the lash

They could make our hopes renew

Just give them some more cash

Our children watched us toil away

Their face and thoughts were grave

They should not stay and wait to pay

To be Augusta’s slave

So they filed towards the West

Where they could earn their keep

Keep what you earn; it’s for the best

Now hear the tramping feet

The feet of children leaving us

For they refuse to pay

For addled wits that tax us plus

And multiply each day

We oft have asked with no reply

For thirty-five years or more

If the state of Maine will die

With wealth flying out the door

The politicians agree, the answer, you see

We’ve found were we are lax

The kids will come back, like honey to bee

Nothing says home like a tax

So mom and dad, decisions made

They’re moving out of here

To the place they know their children paid

With work, sweat and cheer

Mom can see her children grow

The way that she had planned

They will blossom from the seeds they sow

In a freedom land

“Where have all my children gone?”

I heard a mother pray

“I think I hear that hopeful song

And I’ll follow them today”