Through the Looking Glass of Adversity

The primary is nearly upon us and ‘tis the season for endorsements.  The Maine Conservative Voice has decided to endorse Bruce Poliquin for United States Senate.  Here is why.

Since the Lepage administration took office, bureaucratic elites have been running for cover as accountability’s hot light of scrutiny has been scouring the landscape of Maine State government in search of every misappropriated fund.   The flippant, frivolous and spend thrifty culture of past leadership has found that a new sheriff’s in town, who views every tax dollar as a precious commodity, the charge and the carriage of which is a sacred trust.  Governor Lepage could have found no better an individual to administrate his new culture of frugality into the bureaucratic labyrinth of Augusta than Bruce Poliquin.

From the moment he was appointed to be State Treasurer, Bruce Poliquin has executed the duties of his office looking through the prism of guardianship.  Like a bloodhound on a scent, he has demanded that every penny be accounted for, not because it is his money but because it is not his money.  Unlike administrators of the past, this treasurer understands that it is an awesome and sobering responsibility to be entrusted with the guardianship of the hard earned treasure of the many fine residents of this great State.  It is no small thing.  Thankfully, for Maine, this man has not viewed tax dollars as the means to an end, as was the callous and shallow approach for the past administrations.  He views these dollars as the means of working men and women and should be used effectively not wastefully.

Treasurer Poliquin’s dogged adherence to integrity and accountability has not endeared him to some in Augusta.  There are those that have lost their jobs.  Some are facing criminal charges.  Undoubtedly, many are trying to cover their proverbial “behinder parts” anxiously as Governor Lepage’s fiscal super sleuth keeps searching through buried lockers in search of more shady dealings.  Exorbitant credit card accounts, massages, magic shows, fortunetellers, and expensive luxury suites all on the taxpayer dime.  The media has called these revelations a “witch hunt”.  The courts have called it a crime.  It seems the courts take a dimmer view of misappropriation than Governor Baldacci and Governor King.  These administrations did not commit much capital or energy towards the ferreting out this criminal activity.  Governor Lepage and Bruce Poliquin have.

But the pattern continues at the National level.  Yes, credit cards and the like, again.  From Washington D.C, conservative legislators like Mike Lee have called on Maine to send them Bruce Poliquin to help in the fight against the mountains of corruption and redundancy in the U.S.  Capital.  His strength of will in the face of adversity is sorely needed in the halls of Washington.  I have seen this strength first hand.

I was at the Republican Convention in Portland when Bruce Poliquin was running for Governor.  Bruce was the last to speak.  Most had left the Convention floor to follow then candidate LePage out to the foyer.  The din surrounding the soon to be Governor was nearly raucous, which made it, I’m sure, difficult to speak.  I had made up my mind who I was voting for.  It wasn’t Bruce, but I stayed out of respect to hear each candidate.  What I saw left a lasting impression that I shall not soon forget.  In the face of inevitable defeat, Mr. Poliquin bravely gave his speech, with the same enthusiasm had it been a full auditorium.  He never wavered.  He was determined to finish the job.  I whispered to my wife that it takes a lot of courage to stand in the face of defeat and finish what you began.              A lot can be said about a man in victory.  But much can be said in defeat.  Everything Bruce Poliquin has done since that day has only confirmed what I saw on that convention floor.  He was a man willing to be measured by adversity.  He refused to back down against all odds.  So it is with great enthusiasm that The Maine Conservative Voice endorses our State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin for United States Senate.  His tenacity and refusal to waver on matters of finance and accountability is just the antidote to a corrupt, bloated and spend-addicted Federal Government. Please vote for Bruce Poliquin to be our next United States Senator.  Let’s turn the searchlight on Washington!