Tag Archives: Maine politics

Feb 10 2015

News Flash from Washington

As per my posting last night, the office of Congressman Poliquin has sent out a presser announcing that he is co-sponsoring H.R. 143, the Patient Freedom Act, this morning.  Here is a copy of the email I received this morning.

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Bruce Poliquin agreed to become a cosponsor of H.R. 143, the Patient Freedom Act. This bill will repeal ObamaCare’s individual mandate. Congressman Poliquin released the following statement:

“I’m proud to help repeal ObamaCare’s penalizing individual mandate. Our hard-working families should not be fined for opting not to purchase a health insurance plan that does not fit their budget or health care needs.

“I will closely monitor this bill as it makes its way to the House floor. As with previous bills which I have already supported or cosponsored, such as the repeal of the ObamaCare 30-hour work week rule and the medical device tax, I will continue to fight to eliminate the parts of ObamaCare that are limiting choices for our families and killing jobs in our Second Congressional District and throughout America.

“In the meantime, I will continue to push for the best solution to remove big government from our health insurance industry and encourage the free-market to provide our families with the health care choices they want at costs they can afford. We must fix the mess that ObamaCare has created for our families and small businesses.”

 

Feb 9 2015

Rocky Start?

This past election, Bruce Poliquin pulled off a stunning victory.  Most of the political pundits, both here in the State and nationwide, did not offer much hope of the former State Treasurer defeating Emily Cain and her running mate, Blaine Richardson.  Yet despite their combined efforts, Bruce Poliquin emerged victorious in impressive fashion.  But now he must legislate.

From a Conservative standpoint, Representative Poliquin has had a good start.  With a Pro-Life vote, a very public grilling of the Head of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and several strong statements in between, he has been developing a very strong conservative resume at the Federal level.  Still many of us were more than dismayed last week when Poliquin voted no on a test vote to repeal ObamaCare.

The news has caused an instant furor here in the State of Maine. Many are calling for his head, decrying his betrayal of the voters.  Blaine Richardson is one of the loudest voices reminding everyone that they could have voted for the Cain/Richardson ticket…because we all know that repealing ObamaCare would be first on Emily Cain’s list of things to do in Washington.  Bruce Poliquin has offered his explanation and, frankly, I believe him, at least for now, and here’s why.

First, there were numerous occasions on the campaign trail that I witnessed the then candidate Poliquin say that he would vote to repeal ObamaCare if there was a quality plan to remove it; in other words, an exit strategy. Any good businessman will tell you that to make a major change in business philosophy or direction, you better have a good exit plan.

Any decisions made in haste, passion, and in a vacuum with no strategy to control the damages of the possible repercussions will be disastrous.  Like it or not, this President committed us to a monstrosity of a health plan in hopes that if it stayed in existence long enough, the Nation could not function without it. Poliquin simply wants to make sure we have the right exit strategy in place that does not damage hardworking Americans any further.

Grandstand politics has always bothered me and both Parties are guilty of this.  Speeches and votes to gain political points, to garner public opinion and yet with no true solutions to back them up are so prevalent in modern day politics. The Republicans must show they are capable of providing a solution that will not only end this travesty of ObamaCare but also heal the damage it has done to our Nation.  It takes courage to challenge the grandstanding of your own Party and call for a true solution.

Secondly, Bruce Poliquin is willing to face the music.  He has come back to Maine to answer the people and explain his vote.  I can assure you, if he was pulling a fast one on Mainers, he wouldn’t be traveling all over this great State, looking people in the eye, and answering their questions.  He’d be hiding in the shadows of Washington like his predecessor, Mike Michaud, was fond of doing.

Imagine my surprise, when I received a phone call from Representative Poliquin.  Imagine my further surprise when he did not ask me to write on his behalf or try to help him, through my column, to persuade any that might be disparaging his integrity at this point.  He simply wanted my opinion and an opportunity to answer any questions I had.

I was very direct and frank.  I expressed my concern that his comments on “repeal and replace” sounded uncomfortably like just another Republican version of government run healthcare.  I told him I was not in favor of that and believed the right solution is a free-market solution.  Bruce Poliquin assured me in the strongest of terms that he absolutely believes that the solution to healthcare is in the free-market and not the government.

He also agreed with me when I told him he must continue to be open and transparent with the people of Maine on the why and how of his votes in Washington.  Nancy Pelosi has already indicated that Emily Cain is her pick to challenge Bruce in the next election. It is still unclear whether Pelosi has tapped Blaine Richardson to be Cain’s running mate again.  At any rate, Poliquin must maintain this open dialogue he has established with the voters of Maine, as it is inevitable he will be under a steady barrage of negative press from the Maine media.

While some are trying to say that Poliquin has gotten off to a rocky start in Washington, I am convinced to the contrary.  I believe he has kept his word.  Bruce Poliquin hates ObamaCare and its effect on our Nation. He will vote to end this sad chapter in our Nation’s history when the right course of repeal is presented in Washington.

Nov 26 2013

Response to Ric Tyler’s Attack on Paul Davis

 

I wish that I could have responded while Paul was on the radio with Ric Tyler but I was trapped in the cab of my pickup on the way to a Dr’s appointment with no phone, no computer, left only to yell at the radio and pound the dash of my truck.  Now home, I will attempt to engage in a far more constructive means of communication and debate.  There are several things Mr. Tyler needs to be aware of:

 

First, I am one of the several individuals that Senator Thomas called immediately after his conversation with Paul Davis at the Blaine House barbecue to use our friendship and influence with Rep. Davis to ask him to run for the Senate seat.  Doug explained to me that he was tired of the demands of the Senate District, which before redistricting was the largest east of the Mississippi, and felt also that it was important that Paul stay involved in politics.  Doug Thomas also told me clearly that Doug had told Paul that he was willing to step aside if Paul wanted run for the new Senate seat, District 4.

 

I think the heated exchange between Mr. Tyler and Rep Davis on the East/West issue is in itself a flaming example to how this whole project was botched.  Because Sen. Thomas and Peter Vique brought the public sector into the equation with the feasibility bill, Conservatives are now caught in the confusing and awkward debate on whether to defend infrastructure and progress or stand against government intrusion into private business because the two have become entwined and not separated.  These heated debates are happening all over Piscataquis County right now, fracturing and weakening a very strong Republican bastion.  This mismanagement falls directly at the feet of Senator Doug Thomas.  Why was a feasibility study bill even needed when eventually the DOT would have done this very thing as a matter of course? Unless, Sen. Thomas thought this would be his own political crowning achievement; instead, it has become his political millstone.

 

Rep. Davis is right to be concerned that this project could end up on the backs of taxpayers.  Given its clumsy fumble out of the gate, the taxpayers should be wary.  The lack of transparency from the beginning has many strong republicans in the North Woods angry and distrustful of Sen. Thomas.  Paul Davis is right and wise to be running for this seat.  Simply put, the people of the 2nd district trust Paul Davis and they do not trust Doug Thomas.

 

Ric Tyler’s rebuke of Davis’ critique that Vique should have got his plan perfected in private before he went public shows a fundamental misunderstanding of good business.  I am a small businessman.  I can tell you that when I have a new business idea the first thing I am told by those I wish to present it to is that you better have all your plan in place, all your answers ready and prepared to handle the tough questions before you make your presentation.  Peter Vique broke the cardinal rule of business.  He wasn’t prepared for questions.  As a result Doug Thomas, Piscataquis County and Northern Maine are paying the price for being involved either by choice or not.

 

Presenting your plan before its complete and ready reduces the chance of transparency insomuch that as the confusion ensues from lack of information one cannot even begin to present their ideas.  All the time then is consumed by explaining and defending ill-informed attacks, putting out the constant fires of diversion, and all the truth is soon lost in the dust of contention.  This is the East/West highway failure.  Someone tried to expose the process before the product. Someones ego got ahead of common sense.

 

Finally, Ric Tyler’s foolish attack on Paul Davis that his questioning of the East/West debacle shows that Paul is anti-business is reckless at best and at worst a grotesque insult to the great conservative legacy that Paul Davis has firmly imprinted on the whole of the State of Maine.  Mr. Tyler needs to apologize to Rep. Davis for his thoughtless attack.  Spirited debate is one thing but groundless insults are another.  It should be noted that I had to enter the Dr’s office before the conclusion of the interview and perhaps Mr. Tyler composed himself and retracted those errant statements.  It should also be noted that I will be posting this email response on my website at The Maine Conservative Voice.

Nov 23 2013

MacDonald Endorses Poliquin

In a development that may well influence and decide the Republican Primary in CD2, the mayor of Lewiston, Robert MacDonald, who won his office by a 61% margin, has endorsed former State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin.  The city of Lewiston is the largest populace in the 2nd District of Maine.  Still basking in the glow of his dominating victory, the popular former police detective was quick to announce his support for his fellow Lewiston native son.

MacDonald declared emphatically his belief that Poliquin was “the best State Treasurer Maine has ever had”.  He also made reference to Poliquin’s family roots by stating, “He’s an honest and hard-working Franco-American whose grandfather was born and raised in Lewiston”.  Poliquin’s French Catholic heritage will certainly help him with the voting demographics of Lewiston.

In Lewiston’s last Republican primary, Kevin Raye defeated Blaine Richardson by a little over a hundred votes, but 14% of the remaining Republican primary voters could not bring themselves to make a choice for either candidate and opted, instead, to leave their vote blank.  MacDonald’s obvious popularity and enthusiastic endorsement bodes well for Poliquin’s campaign as they work to reignite a passion in the Republican base, which was sorely lacking in the last election cycle.

While it is a well-known fact that I am supporting the Poliquin campaign, I thought it would be interesting to filter these new political developments through our own several biases.  It would seem to me that the majority of the impact endorsements are lining up in ever increasing numbers with strong statements for the Poliquin camp.  The pattern seems to be weighted in his favor and I would wager more endorsements from conservative leaders and organizations are on the horizon. The coalition is forming and its gaining strength.