Feb 19 2013

Stating The Obvious: A Shot In The Dark

 

 

Last week, we started a series on the lies by silence, the sins of omission, which runs rampant through the media of this State.  Right on cue, the Bangor Daily News was found embroiled in an information and misinformation campaign this past week.  The revelations that came from an over reach of freedoms came under the glaring light of public scrutiny when Maine residents became enraged at the revelations Bangor Daily News had abused the Freedom of Information Act.

The Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) is legislation, which allows any American to request information that is in the public record.  The caveat being that if the information is deemed to pose a threat to the well being of the citizenry the public entity can refuse on those grounds.  Often times when documents are released under FOIA, they will have portions blotted out because the information is too dangerous to be released.

This past week Bangor Daily News, citing FOIA, sent a letter to the Maine State Police and all the local town and city precincts demanding the names and addresses of all individuals who have Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) permits be sent to their newspaper.  This ignited a firestorm of protest within the State and within two days Bangor Daily had rescinded their request.  Readers will recall a similar situation in New York where a paper posted a list and map of gun owners in their readership area.  Subsequently, robberies began to happen at the homes from the map targeting their guns.  The perpetrators were caught with the list and map in hand.

What is most curious is the explanation Bangor Daily gave for the inquiry into the CCW’s.  The editor attempted to calm the situation by citing the reasons as the pending legislation by Representative Cory Wilson (R), which would block access to the CCW list, and their ongoing investigation into sex offenders and drug dealers.  This leads this columnist to wonder how the paper expects the residents of Maine to have their anger pacified by the knowledge that those employed by the Bangor Daily equate gun ownership   with sex offenders, drug dealers or are at least trying to establish a connection and quickly before Rep. Wilson’s bill passes, most curious indeed.

As stated, Bangor Daily News has rescinded its request.  But a new group has issued a request immediately after Bangor Daily pulled its request, a group called CelebrationsConnect.  They are rumored to have ties to the Portland Press Herald.  A shadow group?  Plausible deniability? Just a shot in the dark but it smells.  At any rate, the battle against your privacy and safety is far from over.  The Governor has put forth emergency legislation that would block the media or any other organizations from getting to the CCW lists.  The roll call vote is set for the 19th of February.  Be assured that this columnist will let you know who votes for and who votes against your right to privacy and safety.

To this point, all the Republicans are on board in support of the Governor. The only statement from Democrats is one Seth Berry acknowledging Mainers are angry…..cue sound of crickets.  So I guess we know where this is going.

The Portland Press Herald made a clumsy attempt at a distraction from the issue by trying to attack the Governor for a $32,000 expense bill for the meals at the Blaine House.  What they forgot to include is this Governor has made it a point to entertain many of the military veterans, business people, and just plain hard working people in Maine making this the most accessible Blaine House perhaps in the history of the State of Maine.  Now the Portland Press Herald is hastily trying to wipe the proverbial egg off of their collective faces.  And, yes, they also forgot to mention that Governor Baldacci had at least eight aides who did…well, nobody knows what they did, but they did whatever they did to the tune of a $100,000 a year.  I can guarantee the Blaine House was not so accessible to the taxpayers footing that bill during that administration.  Stay tuned!  More to come!

Feb 13 2013

Stating the Obvious

The truth has to be told. The truth deserves an audience. Much has been made of the Governor’s recent comments referring to newspapers as his greatest fear. While most in the media have mocked this statement with much derision, it would be wise for us as citizens to pause and take stock in the message the Governor is trying to convey to the State. The media has a vested interest in their disdain for the Governor but the residents should take a much more unfiltered and less prejudice view of his words.
Even a grade school study of history renders many stories of such great civilizations that have fallen by the manipulation of knowledge. Oftentimes what is told to the populace is not so dangerous as what is not. There is a great ideological battle waging for the freedom of information we take for granted. Truth and knowledge is the pivot on which this battle turns.
The 1960’s and 1970’s saw rise to great social turmoil. The “establishment” was questioned and reviled at every level. Our capitalistic society was demonized by the youth on many of America’s college campuses. Many of those youth now hold the power in our country. Many now control the print and visual media of our Nation. Much of their intent in legislative work and through the media is to tear down the capitalist framework of our nation. It is a framework most of us hold dear, but something that the “me generation” despises.
So, ironically, these that now hold power over information have become guilty of committing the very sins against their fellow man that they accused the so-called establishment of during riotous 60’s and 70’s. The media blocks anything in print and in video that could cause disruption to an established agenda set by the Democrat Party. There is much evidence to prove this, too much in fact, to fit into one column.
This is simply the introduction into what will be a several week series on the many blatant omissions by the major media outlets in Maine and nationally. The Governor was merely stating the obvious and soon it will be clear to any that read these subsequent columns, that many in the media have put their own political interests above the futures of the people of Maine. And, yes, Mr. Governor, that is indeed something to fear, not what we do know, what we don’t know.

Feb 5 2013

A Fickle Farthing and Promiscuous Priorities

A recent newspaper article cites studies showing the test scores of Maine students are unchanged and, in some locals, getting worse. Many Maine students and their families are bound into underachieving educational institutions and cannot choose better alternatives. Sadly, the results of public education bear out the statement of former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, who said she could “look at your zip code and tell whether your going to get a good education…. The crisis of K-12 education is a threat to the fabric of who we are.” Yet, the first act of the new Democrat majority in Maine was to cut education funding. This after the Republicans in the last legislature increased funding for education. Democrats seem blindly attached to the status quo in the defense of their own special interests.
So what of priorities and what of choice? Is education to be bound to a rigid one-size fits all mandate governed by the few and the outdated? Should the first goal of the Democrat majority be to cut funding to schools and deny choice to Mainers?
They have already disparaged the most vulnerable of Maine by attempting to block payment to the hospitals, which tend to our sick and needy. Our hospitals are financially strapped as a result of Democrat passed legislative mandates. These financial agreements made between hospitals and State was made with a certain expectation of fidelity and honesty in the relationship. It was expected that restitution and payment would be made for services rendered. But Democrats have found other more enticing endeavors to fund with monies bound by contract and law. As usual, the dutiful partner is left holding the bill for the harlotries of the promiscuous other half.
The Democrats have regained the majority and have quickly showed the true intent of their soul by the revelation of their first and foremost of priorities. They have first cut funding to our schools, then are attempting to block the payment to hospitals, attempting to cut funding to charter schools, blocking school choice and, of course, a myriad of legislation to ban guns. Do you feel represented or repressed here in the new Democrat majority?

Jan 30 2013

LePage Makes Statement on Independent Contractors

Three years ago, local businesses were reeling under the audits being carried out by the Baldacci administration and Democrats, who were in the majority. The outcry from independent contractors in rural Maine was great, as many faced crippling fines. It was soon apparent that the multiple and, at times, contradictory regulatory definitions of Independent Contractors within bureaucracies was the primary culprit responsible for the devastating confusion. The lack of uniformity in the compliance laws for Independent Contractors left them confused and vulnerable to the punishing fines that were inflicted.
Then local business people and local activists, such as The Maine Conservative Voice, made candidate Paul LePage aware of this travesty against local business during his campaign. He promised to do something about it. He has made good on his promise.
After the election, the newly elected majority of Republicans convened a hearing led by Senator Mike Thibedeau, to address and hear the needs of local business. The Maine Conservative Voice addressed the assembly and strongly urged them to institute one simply definition that applied to all labor bureaucracies. The Republicans listened to the people.
Representative Paul Davis (R-Sangerville) introduced legislation to provide one definition for Independent Contractors. It was soon coupled with a similar bill that had been introduced by Senator Mike Thibedeau. One of the first actions of Governor LePage was to issue an Executive Order halting all audits of Independent Contractors until a clear uniform definition could be established.
The Republican legislature passed a new law concerning Independent Contractors, which has just recently gone into effect. It establishes one simple uniform set of rules that apply to all the labor boards. These requirements can be found at this web address, http://maine.gov/wcb/departments/Coverage/ICFAQ.htm.
At the request of The Maine Conservative Voice, the Governor has released a statement concerning this new law. It was released through John Butera from the Governor’s office as follows: “Our goal was to put into place common sense legislation that minimizes confusion for both employers and workers. Simplicity and clarity in the new employment standard will help both employers and workers understand the implications of their employment choices.”