Tag Archives: maine democrats

Nov 21 2013

The Red County Firewall

The people of Maine endured a political firestorm in this past legislative session from the Democrats.  From the moment they took their majority, they embarked on a partisan mission to undo every legislative accomplishment of the Republican Party.  This narrow minded approach to governing was best exemplified recently as Maine Democrats voted down party lines against a bill to aid victims of sex trafficking, but then passed a Justin Alfond bill to promote wine tasting.

This “blind leading the blind” mantra practiced by the Alfond/Eaves Democrats is simply a parrot of the “my way or the highway” dogma preached by the Reid/Pelosi Democrats at the national level, where reaching across the aisle simply means to reach and pull Republicans to their side.  All must obey.  All must march in lockstep to the stamp of Nancy Pelosi’s stiletto heel or feel its sharp point in the back of their neck.  One can then understand why Maine’s own whimpering Mike Michaud, Pelosi’s Puppy, meekly obeyed and voted against his own people, preventing them from keeping their health insurance.

The Alfond “subvert the people at all costs” tactics left the Governor sharpening and resharpening the quill on his veto pen.  Governor LePage set a record for vetoes sustained.  He would not have been able to defend the people of Maine with such tenacity had it not been for the strength of conservatives in the legislature who worked hard to sustain those vetoes.

In a recent conversation with an influential political operative and good friend, Jason Savage, I asked him what percentage of those vetoes sustained had been sustained by two or less votes.  He didn’t have exact numbers with him but acknowledged that the percentage was pretty high.  I further pressed him by asking which County was the most consistent in their votes to stop the overreach of the Alfond Democrats.  Jason smiled because he knew where my questions were leading.  He replied with this simple answer, “This is why we call Piscataquis County, ‘The Red County Firewall’.”

Paul Davis (R-Sangerville) and Pete Johnson (R-Greenville) are the two representatives from Piscataquis County.  Their two votes have made up what has become know in political circles as “The Red County Firewall”.  Their votes have been about more than sustaining the Governor’s vetoes; they have been about defending the common sense of Maine people.  It has been about demanding that our State government pay its bills just like Maine residents do.  With the support of “The Red County Firewall”, Governor LePage was able to pay the hospitals the money due them, something the Alfond led Democrats fought desperately to block.  If you see Paul Davis or Pete Johnson, thank them for having the courage to hold the line against the firestorm of big government and selfish politicians.  Thank them for being “The Red County Firewall” for the people of Maine!

Jul 3 2013

Pride and Accomplishment

 

 

When much ado and public pomposity ensues, there is usually a liberal behind it.  So has been the case in the resurrection of the remnants of Roger Katz and the Pretentious Eight.  Senator Katz has made his name and call to fame by publicly disparaging the Governor and undermining the efforts of the Republican Party to protect the people of Maine from burdensome tax increases.  It seems the “Honorable” Senator from Augusta gets the shivers every time the Governor gets grumpy.

Yes, the Governor’s words were uncalled for.  We know that.  He knows that.  But lets compare the records of these two men – their accomplishments and what they take pride in:

It is well documented that the Governor has a street fighter’s mentality.  He has a tenacity and rough edge that is born from the sidewalks and alleys of Waterville and Lewiston.  It has served him well as he has scrapped his way up through the business ranks to now be the Executive of the State of Maine.

When he held the majority, he passed many sweeping reforms in Maine.  He enacted the largest tax cut in Maine’s history, cutting $150 million in the first 2 years and $500 million over 4 years.  He removed 70, 000 of Maine’s lowest income families from the tax rolls, increased the death tax exemption, and allotted $31 million to relieve the tax burden on job creators.

He paid $248 million to the hospitals on the huge debt owed them by the State.  He passed LD 1 and reformed Maine’s dysfunctional regulatory system.  He reformed health care insurance, allowing competition across state lines.

Now with a minority, he has held the line on tax increases and government overreaches by sustaining some 18 vetoes of the Democrats.  He has stood his ground against Justin Alfond and the Democrat majority and forced them to pay the hospital debt.

Roger Katz comes from an entrenched Democrat political family in Augusta.  He has gained some notoriety from publicly criticizing the Governor’s crusty personality.  Perhaps Mr. Katz operates a finishing school that he would like the Governor to attend.

Senator Katz is known in Augusta as the one Republican that the Democrats can rely on to help circumvent Republican tax reform attempts.  His latest accomplishment is organizing a betrayal of Maine residents by helping to pass a Democrat purposed budget that increases taxes on Maine people, despite the veto of the Governor, then writing an editorial touting it as a victory, while railing against the Governor, again.  Roger Katz is consistent if nothing else.

What Mr. Katz has done is deepen the divide between the Northern and Southern Maine interests.  Rural Maine can no longer sustain the “marginal” tax increases that Mr. Katz advocates.  It’s just a matter of time before its small businesses and its tenuous fiscal structure become insolvent.

But it doesn’t matter to the “Honorable” Mr. Katz.  He has a political coup for his resume and he lives in Augusta, buried in the political machine.  There he will stay, sipping the nectar of the tax revenue his maneuverings have procured.

Their perspectives are completely the opposite.  Their accomplishments speak for themselves.  The Governor believes in the people.  The Senator believes in government.  Each takes pride in defending their beliefs.  Still, in the end, it is We The People who pay the price and who must decide whose accomplishments we take pride in.

Jun 17 2013

Perception and Truth: The Curve of Knowledge

 

 

 

The tales of irony that have proceeded out of the not-so-hallowed halls of the Augusta legislature are enough to bring even the most stalwart of Mainers to tears.  The only semblance of bi-partisan agreement in Augusta is that Justin Alfond will go down in the annals of Maine history as the most inept and incompetent Senate President that has ever tripped through the corridors of the Maine State legislative chambers.  The complete and unabashed abdication of common sense by the Alfond Democrats is shocking even for the subterranean standards normally accommodated by the liberal left.

The Republican Party brought forward a bill, which would have required minors to inform their parents if they intend to get an abortion.  Democrats killed the bill, contending that a minor is capable of making such decisions in life on their own without parental input.  In the very same legislative day, the Democrats passed a bill that will require minors to have parental consent before purchasing an energy drink…  Did I mention irony, sad irony?   But this shows the perception and value that those in Augusta place on life.  Yes, to our legislators, a beverage product has more value than the question of life.

The Curve of Knowledge has three layers for the purpose of this article.  There is the top layer of fact and proven science.  The next layer is public perception, which is effected to varying degrees by the first.  The final layer is the Puppets of Perception: politicians who are completely governed by perception.

The science on the abortion issue, day by day, is steadily and continually proving that life begins at conception.  Slowly, public perception is turning to align itself with proven science.  Many of the public polls are beginning to prove that out, even as polls are usually slow to pick up the change in public feeling.

Politicians will always stay behind the Curve of Knowledge because they base their decisions on public perception rather than fact and proven science.  Therefore it is easy to see why these puppets can still remain in the dark ages of the 60’s and 70’s, believing nothing is sacred and parental control is dysfunctional.  This explains the ludicrous distinction between a beverage and human life.  Liberals are floundering because they have no mooring.  Public perception is changing and they are not sure where it is going.  They refuse to acknowledge fact and proven science because it now, with new advances, refutes their agenda.  So, they are left with only the ragged hope that public perception will swing back their way.  Old propaganda is dusted off and tired mantras are once again invoked.

This is why our Founding Fathers so wisely advocated for a small limited government as indicated by this quote.  “ The truth is, that, even with the most secure tenure of office, during good behavior, the danger is not, that the judges will be too firm in resisting public opinion, and in defense of private rights or public liberties; but, that they will be ready to yield themselves to the passions, and politics, and prejudices of the day.” –Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833.

The historical and contemporary evidence is staggering.  Government is inherently incompetent.  That is why its influence must be limited.

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.