Mar 5 2016

The Red County Caucus Endorses Ted Cruz

In light of Ted Cruz’s rally in Maine yesterday and the fact caucus is today, I thought it  a good idea to repost The Red County Caucus endorsement of Senator Ted Cruz this morning.

The Red County Caucus Endorses Ted Cruz

 

The members of “The Red County Caucus” announce their endorsement for the Republican nomination in the 2016 Presidential election.

 

In 2008, it was Piscataquis County’s singular status as the only Red County in all of New England that caused then Representative Paul Davis to begin thinking of forming an activist group that was indicative of this unique achievement. After finding three other Conservatives who shared a commonality and saw the potential of his idea, Davis forged ahead and formed “The Red County Caucus”. The RCC, as some have called the Red Caucus, is made up of those same four members: now Senator Paul Davis (R- Sangerville), former Senator Doug Smith (R-Dover-Foxcroft), former Representative Pete Johnson (R-Greenville), and Andy Torbett, a local Conservative activist and columnist.

 

In 2010, The Red County Caucus made its first impact upon the Maine political landscape with its endorsement of then candidate Paul R. LePage. The RCC endorsement is viewed by many as a pivotal moment in the 2010 primary race that helped to propel the Mayor of Waterville to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination and eventually the Governorship. To this day, those who claim to stand for conservative principles must pass the litmus test of the Red County.

 

It is with these principles in mind, that The Red County Caucus unanimously endorses Senator Ted Cruz to be the Republican nominee for President of the United States in 2016. We find that Mr. Cruz is a man of strong moral fiber, a man of steadfast conviction, honest, unashamed of his God, his faith, and his family. He has proven that it these things that he treasures above all and, therefore, we stand convinced that he would tirelessly defend those selfsame treasures that we also hold so dear.

 

He has defended the precepts of the Constitution and our Free Republic before the Supreme Court with tenacity, prevailing against all odds. Then in the United States Senate, despite a barrage of criticism from the media and members of his own Party, he has continued to defend the God-given Constitutional rights of all Americans.

 

Furthermore, We, The Red County Caucus, believe firmly that the solutions for a return to greatness in our beloved Nation are not found in one man. Those solutions are found in the citizens of this great Republic whose only impediment to success is a government that restricts our freedom and does not honor our rights. We believe that Senator Ted Cruz, as the next President of the United States of America, will work to lessen the power of government and return that power where it belongs, with “We The People.”

 

The Honorable Paul Davis-Maine State Senator District 4

The Honorable Peter Johnson- former Maine State Representative

The Honorable Doug Smith- former Maine State Senator

Andy Torbett-The Maine Conservative Voice

Special thanks to Renee K. Trust for the use of the Ted Cruz rally photo. Please use these links to view more photos of the rally and check out her other work.

https://plus.google.com/photos/114667200244588708855/albums/6258393972928751633

http://www.reneegrafix.com/

 

 

 

Mar 4 2016

ITC Votes Unanimously in Favor of Maine Manufacturer after Letter from Collins, King, Pingree, and Poliquin Supports Investigation

ITC Votes Unanimously in Favor of Maine Manufacturer after Letter from Collins, King, Pingree, and Poliquin Supports Investigation

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The International Trade Commission (ITC) voted unanimously today to continue its investigations on certain amorphous silica fabric (ASF) from China that are allegedly being subsidized and sold in the United States at unfair prices, which is harming the hard-working men and women at Auburn Manufacturing, Inc. (AMI). Last month, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin sent a letter to the ITC in support of the investigation.

 

“This unanimous decision by the ITC is extremely encouraging for AMI and hard-working men and women employed there,” said Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Poliquin. “U.S. trade laws are designed to protect American workers against the type of unfair competition alleged in this case.  We will continue to monitor the investigations at the ITC and the Department of Commerce and stand with Maine workers against all unfair trade.”

 

As noted in the Senators’ and Representatives’ letter to the ITC, according to AMI, its profitability and growth potential have been negatively affected by Chinese trading practices, which allow producers to sell ASF at artificially low prices.  AMI asserts that the illegally subsidized ASF from China caused the volume of imports of Chinese ASF to increase by more than 150 percent between 2012 and 2014.

 

Today’s decision from the ITC will permit the U.S. Department of Commerce to continue its investigations on imports of ASF from China.  The preliminary countervailing duty ruling is due on or about April 14, 2016, and the preliminary antidumping duty rulings are due on or about June 28, 2016.
A copy of the letter is available HERE.

Mar 3 2016

Attorney General files Deceptive Trade Practice action against Barry Somes and associated businesses

03/03/2016 02:56 PM EST

 

AUGUSTA – Attorney General Janet T. Mills announced today that she has filed an Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act complaint against Barry Somes of Cumberland Center. The complaint alleges that Somes operated under numerous business names and failed to deliver on promised vacation tours after taking advanced payments and failing to provide refunds to affected consumers.

Somes operated businesses including TourBUSters, Club Impac, and Lids For Kids, among others. These businesses purported to offer motor coach tours to destinations around the Northeast United States and Canada. Somes also advertised that net profits from the tours would be donated to benefit children; the complaint alleges that that did not happen. Numerous consumers complained that after they made deposits, Somes would contact them saying that the tour had been cancelled. When the consumer requested a refund on their deposit, Somes would attempt to convince the consumer that for various reasons he could not give the refund or charge them a cancellation fee. Somes has exhibited this pattern over numerous years, prompting this action from the Attorney General to enjoin him from future similar business ventures. In the last several years the Attorney General’s Office has received 54 complaints from consumers seeking refunds of deposits paid to Somes. Of these 54, Somes has paid refunds to only 17 consumers.

“Mr. Somes took money from many elderly people who were looking forward to what might be their only vacation of the year,” said Attorney General Mills. “He pulled the rug out from under them by not only cancelling their plans, but also failing to provide timely refunds so they could make alternate arrangements. This is not how a reputable business operates. By bringing this action, we hope to discourage others from trying to do the same.”

The Attorney General is also seeking an accounting of how the consumers’ deposits were used and a disgorgement of any ill-gotten gains by Mr. Somes. Should the court find that his actions were intentional, the court could impose a $10,000 civil penalty for each violation. The civil complaint brought under Maine’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act was filed in Kennebec County Superior Court on February 29, 2016.

The Maine Office of the Attorney General is interested in hearing from any other consumers who may have had similar dealings with Mr. Somes. They are encouraged to contact the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Division State House Station 6 Augusta, ME 04333-0006Consumer.mediation@maine.gov Tel: 1-800-436-2131

Mar 3 2016

Poliquin Sends Letter to Entire Republican Conference, Suggests 14 Reforms to Improve Health Care System

Poliquin Sends Letter to Entire Republican Conference, Suggests 14 Reforms to Improve Health Care System

Congressman Poliquin highlights needed health care improvements as GOP Task Force begins its work

 

WASHINGTON – This week, Maine’s Second District Congressman, Bruce Poliquin, delivered a letter to the entire Republican Conference highlighting important reforms to the Affordable Care Act, known as ObamaCare.

 

Poliquin attached his letter from May 2015 to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Ways and Means, Education and the Workforce, and Energy and Commerce, which outlines 14 suggested reforms to the health care law.

 

Poliquin delivered his reforms to the Republican Conference in light of the newly created Task Force on Health Care Reform’s launch last week.

 

In his letter to his colleagues, Congressman Poliquin writes:

 

“I strongly advocate for these changes based on many conversations with Maine residents and small business owners, who have described their experiences with the job-killing mandates and smothering costs of a government-run health insurance market.

 

“As our Conference engages in thoughtful debate on a replacement for ObamaCare, I ask that we seize this opportunity to institute common sense and free market health care policy for American Families.”

 

 

In May 2015, Congressman Poliquin sent a letter to then-Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Chairmen Fred Upton (R-MI) and John Kline (R-MN) expressing his concerns with ObamaCare and offering 14 free-market solutions to the President’s health care law.  Congressman Poliquin’s  reforms include:

  • Require hospitals and doctors to provide patients with the estimated costs of health care services and procedures so they can shop for the best care at the lowest price. This will reduce monthly health insurance premiums by driving down the underlying cost of health care.
  • Allow insurance companies to share savings with patients when services and procedures of comparable quality are purchased outside of the health care plan’s network at below average costs.
  • Allow individuals, families, and businesses to shop across state lines for the health insurance plans that fit their needs and pocketbooks.
  • Remove the mandates for unnecessary and expensive health care services and procedures to be covered by all health insurance plans.
  • Allow affordable high-deductible and low- premium health care policies to be offered by insurance companies.
  • Allow small businesses and other organizations to band together while negotiating the purchase of the health insurance plans that best meets their needs at costs they can afford.
  • Allow insurance companies to charge much less for health care plans sold to younger individuals and those who make healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Require insurance companies to provide coverage to individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
  • Require health insurance plans to be portable when workers change jobs.
  • Allow states to establish reinsurance pools that provide affordable health insurance to those who need high levels of health care services.
  • Allow health insurance policies to be purchased with pre-tax dollars.
  • Expand the use of tax-free health saving accounts by allowing the funds to pay for monthly premiums as well as out-of-pocket expenses.
  • Allow families to buy primary health care services directly from their doctors of choice, and then purchase inexpensive high-deductible policies to insure against catastrophic illness.
  • Do not allow the IRS to fine or penalize individuals who choose not to purchase health insurance.

 

This year, Speaker Ryan announced the creation of six committee-led task forces within the Republican Conference to focus on and develop an agenda for major priorities for Congress.

 

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Click HERE to see a PDF version of Congressman Poliquin’s letter to the Republican Conference.

Click HERE to see a PDF version of Congressman Poliquin’s May 2015 letter to Chairmen Ryan, Kline and Upton.