Tag Archives: Governor LePage

May 29 2013

No Honor Great Enough

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It was a beautiful evening, the smell of lilacs in the air, as local dignitaries and native sons of Dexter met on the grounds of The Blaine House to join Maine’s First Lady and the Governor in honoring Maine’s only married World War II veteran couple, Guy and Nancy Ellms.  After Rep. Paul Davis, Rep. Ray Wallace and their spouses greeted and exchanged pleasantries with the Ellms and their lovely daughter, Linda, who was visiting from Chicago, the group made their way into the Governor’s Mansion.  Soon after the group was seated, First Lady Ann LePage appeared to greet the veterans and express her excitement and pleasure on having the opportunity to honor them at The Blaine House.

Ann LePage fairly glows with energy when she enters a room and, with her genuine infectious personality, it is easy to see why she has become a favorite with veterans throughout the State of Maine.  The Governor’s wife immediately focused on making the Ellms, along with all the guests, feel right at home and relaxed in the Executive residence.    It wasn’t long into the conversations around the sitting area that the Governor and the First Daughter arrived.

Governor LePage and his Daughter, Lauren, made sure to impress upon the Guests of Honor how grateful they were for the service and sacrifice the Ellms had given to this Country and the State in World War II.  After a short time of drinks and conversation, the call was given for dinner.  The Governor made sure that Guy and Nancy and daughter were seated next to him at the table and that they were treated to a unforgettable night of good food, good friends and great conversation in their honor.

Guy and Nancy Ellms are both War World II Veterans.  Guy was born March 13th, 1919 in Dexter.  Nancy was born July 8th, 1925 in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Guy was drafted right after Pearl Harbor and served in the 433rd Anti-Aircraft and Supply Battalion as a truck driver.  He landed in Casablanca in the North Africa campaign and saw action throughout Italy in Anzio, Monte Cassino, Naples and Rome.  Then over to France helping to drive the Nazis back up into Germany, where he witnessed many defeated and ragged Germans surrendering in droves to their convoys alongside the roads.

His wife Nancy enlisted at the age of 20 near the end of the war and was stationed stateside in Washington, D.C. as a Navy WAVE.  She contends she was a “favorite” to the soldiers, as her duties were to handle and send the many discharge papers to the soldiers who were coming home.  Nancy and Guy Ellms have been married for 65 years and have two daughters.  When asked the secret to their success, they smile and say, “Well, we just like each other.”

On a personal note, I had the opportunity to meet Guy Ellms and then his wife Nancy, when Guy introduced himself on one of my jobsites in Dexter.  I was impressed with his wit and captivated by the stories of his time at war.  I was further impressed when he introduced me to his lovely wife Nancy.  I mentioned the couple to First Lady Ann LePage and she expressed an interest in meeting them.  I talked with Rep. Paul Davis and Rep. Ray Wallace and they agreed that it would be nice to recognize this great couple.

The Ellms were willing to have dinner with the Governor on the one condition that we show honor to all veterans.  Guy and Nancy did not want to be seen as something different than their fellow warriors.  This seems to be the sentiment I hear from every veteran.

I had the privilege to drive the Ellms to Augusta.  All through the evening this wonderful couple asked, “Why are you doing this for us?”  Even at the end of the evening as we shook hands at his home in Dexter, Guy Ellms asked again, “Why?”  What I said to him I would say to every veteran in this Great State of Maine and across this Nation; there is no parade, dinner, award or honor so great that it could ever repay the magnitude of the sacrifice and service our veterans have given to this Country, The United States of America.  For this they have my undying love, honor and respect.  May God Almighty Bless all the Veterans of this Nation.

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From left to right- Rep. Paul Davis, Rep. Ray Wallace, Governor Paul LePage, Nancy Ellms, Guy Ellms, First Lady Ann LePage, Andy Torbett

May 20 2013

Gestapo, Who’s Laughing Now?

 

 

The Democrats are maneuvering to shut down the State government.  Realizing that there is a very real and likely chance that this action will be tied to the litany of clownish, lazy, arrogant and disinterested behavior which has typified the Alfond and Eves legislative session, Democrats have called on their attack dogs, namely the Maine Media, to try and pin this on the Governor.  Sadly for the Democrats, the circulation numbers for the major newspapers of Maine have been spiraling down somewhere near non-existent and continue to dive.  This will have very little effect on the Governor.

When the Democrats held a hearing on the shutdown, the Governor attended.  He attempted to speak before the hearing on the matter.  The Chief Executive of the State of Maine was cut off and shut out of the debate by Democrats concerning the shut down of the State of Maine, of which he is the duly elected Governor.  This is starting to have a familiar ring to it, or should we say stomp, as in a tantrum stomp.

Democrats have developed an alarming penchant for thuggish tactics in their political maneuverings around Augusta.  From this latest insult to the office of the Governor, to repeatedly shutting off debate in committee rooms, blocking public notification of hearings, and donning clown noses for hearings on the elderly and infirmed, the Democrats have proven that the Alfond legacy will be one that completely shut out any dissenting voice from having its rightful expression in the legislative chamber and blocking it out into the hallways; in other words, my way or the hallway.  Democrats refused to be questioned, scrutinized or examined.  If one dares, then one will be subjected to insults, mockery and complete isolation from the political process.

This wise guy approach to governing has shown itself to be a systemic problem within the Democrat Party from the 1600 Pennsylvania Ave right down to the chambers of Augusta.  The brutish assault on all those who disagree with their agenda, criminalizing dissent, dumpster diving in hopes of incriminating law abiding citizens, and using IRS and character assassinations to silence critics were behavior we envisioned as happening elsewhere, not in our Nation, not in our State.  But it is here, right here in Maine.  Justin Alfond has made sure his Democrats are in lockstep with everything their leader in Washington commands.

Maine Democrats have spent so much time fixated on discrediting the Governor they have failed to legislate.  They have mocked his intellect; yet, they have not the mental fortitude to withstand the heat of public debate.  Remember when they roared in mockery when the Governor called the IRS the Gestapo?  Well, Justin Alfond, who is laughing now?  Sadly, no one.

May 2 2013

Bozo Politics

 

 

The Justin Alfond led three ring circus continues to produce logic defying acts in full view of the people of Maine.  Just when the audience felt they could be confounded no more, the Democrats raise the ante.  And a new wave of consternation sweeps across the State of Maine.

Maine constituents waited for six hours for an opportunity to testify in a hearing on keeping beds available in nursing homes for the elderly.  When voters finally had the chance to speak, Democrat Senators Colleen Lachowicz and Margaret Craven donned clown noses in the face of those who were trying to testify.  The audience was not amused by the slapstick antics of the Democrats and, justifiably, outrage has erupted from the captive onlookers.

Both sides of the aisle have called for an investigation into the dance of the buffoons foisted upon the taxpayers of Maine.  But into the melee strides the ringmaster, Justin Alfond, who has denied the request for an investigation.  Evidently he likes having clowns masquerading as Senators or vice versa.  He wants a captive audience to give a front row seat to his little side shows and novelty acts.

Mr. Alfond would be wise to heed the growing angst Maine people are expressing against his campaign of false advertising.  You see people believed the sign entitled “Legislative Hearing” Alfond had taped over “Alfond’s Vaudeville and Hijinks Bazaar” and were expecting adults that would listen to the concerns other adults on issues concerning our most vulnerable; instead, they were treated to a revue of comediennes battling it out for juvenile attention.

Justin Alfond has presided over what may be the worst and most poorly managed legislative session in the history of the State of Maine.  He has refused to allow debate, fixated on attacking the Governor, embarrassed the people of Maine, and passed laws on the petty and nonsensical.  Democrats should expect to see a precipitous drop in ticket sales to these novelty acts they parade as legislation come next election.  The only question left for Maine people is when will the ringmaster Justin Alfond lead out the bearded lady and the three-headed snake?

Apr 24 2013

Sucker Punch

The Maine people were lulled to sleep and then awakened to a startling barrage of attacks, which now has proven to be a distraction.  We the people of Maine watched the Democrats in Augusta with perplexed looks of consternation.  We scratched our heads in confusion as they passed bills on beer, tanning and sent bills to ban flea collars to committee.  It seemed for a while that Justin Alfond was content with political tiddly winks and spinning his fiscal wheels deeper in to ruin.

Then tragedy, horror at the Boston Marathon, a crisis to be exploited and suddenly we as Maine residents were awakened from our Alfond induced stupor to the heavy artillery of Democrats, a bevy of legislative bills to limit and rescind our 2nd amendment rights. Bi-partisan uproar has ensued, with Republican and Democrat voters up in arms over this assault.  But was this the true intent of the Democrat Party?

While Maine voters have been busily defending the 2nd Amendment, Maine Democrats have introduced tax increases that are across the board, and especially hurtful to the middle class.  Yes, it is a collective sucker punch into the gut of a Maine economy that was struggling to recover and now has hit a stall, threatening a free fall.

To further compound the impending fiscal doom, the Alfond Democrats have enacted LD 405, which will increase motor vehicle registration costs by 50 to 67% costing Maine taxpayers an additional 3 million dollars every year.  Obviously Justin Alfond and his merry band of “Demotaxers” feel that you have too much extra cash lying around and they want it, to stimulate their economies by devastating yours.

Perhaps it is time to ask Maine Democrats what they have against the residents of Maine?  How can an economy grow if it has less and less private capital to invest in it? When did the security of political interests start to supersede the security of people they purport to represent?

Governor Lepage will now have to draw a line in the sand in order to protect the interests of Maine people.  And Maine people should line up in support of him now and then at voting booth.