Tag Archives: MIke Michaud

Sep 3 2014

What He Said

Sometimes it’s just nice to get an “atta boy” when you’ve been working hard at something, isn’t it? Moments of affirmation have a way of easing the toil required for accomplishments to materialize. I’m sure it was a special moment for Governor LePage when Eliot Cutler issued a press release this past week just to show his approval of all the hard work the Governor has put in to reforming the welfare system.

Ah, the proverbial olive branch. Heartwarming, ‘tis true, but a little surprising, you say, to give up positive endorsements of your opponent’s policies while trying to oust him from the Blaine House? Yes, it does seem like a fruitless endeavor, or does it?

You see, Eliot Cutler, in the heat and desperation of battle, is reverting to one of the basic mantras of the Democrat Party, which is, “Make a mess of things, Blame the Republicans, Wait for the Republicans to clean it up, Then take the credit for it”. This should not be confused with the better-known Democrat mantra, “Lie like a thick shag rug.” So this week, in revealing his plan on reforming welfare, Cutler announced, in so many words, that everything Governor LePage has done, he will do, and everything Governor LePage wanted to do, he will do, and if you elect him as Governor he will take the credit for everything that Governor LePage has done to reform welfare, because, well, they’re just plain good ideas. And we wouldn’t want a Republican to get credit for that, would we?

He’s such a good little Democrat and stealthy, too! No, Eliot is no independent. He is the stealth Democrat to be sure.

Ohh, some of you are fuming! You are so cynical, you Maine Conservative Voice….guy. Well, let’s take a closer look at Eliot Cutler’s “Plan”. Oh, you wonder what Mike Michaud’s plan is? Well…he…doesn’t have….one. He’s been too distracted asking the CBO for ways to slash veterans health benefits and too confused wondering whether it’s Nancy Pelosi or John Martin who’s supposed to tell him what to say on this issue.

So here is some of the LePage/Cutler welfare reform plan, or the “What He Said” Plan.

Prohibit Purchases of Alcohol, Tobacco, Lottery Tickets, and Posting Bail.   Yes, Governor LePage introduced this first (LD 1822), but Democrats opposed it. Governor LePage also prohibited the use of EBT cards at liquor stores, gambling facilities, and adult venues. He’s such a grumpy killjoy!

Promote a Tiered Reduction in Welfare. If this sounds familiar, you are right. Paul LePage campaigned on this his first time around. Eliot heard so much of it on the campaign trail; it must have grown on him. This was one major point of the Governor’s campaign and was also introduced as bills by two Republicans, Ken Fredette and Mel Newendyke. The Democrats killed both bills.

TurboCharge TANF Assessments. The Lepage Administration has already been issuing assessments to TANF, moving recipients into the workforce, much to the chagrin of Democrats.

Make Education Pay. LePage made Maine the 44th State to put a 5-year cap on TANF. This cut the TANF rolls in half and a portion of the savings was used to increase funding for the Departments of Labor and Education.

Link Public Assistance to Family Responsibility. In 2011, Republican lawmakers and the Governor imposed strict sanctions for rule violations. This included loss of adult benefits for a first offense, and full family sanction for a second. Recently, the Governor has required that able-bodied recipients volunteer, work, or go to school as a condition for benefits, as well as drug testing.

Improve Accountability at DHHS. The Governor has already cut unnecessary staff positions and hired eight new welfare fraud investigators. He has implemented a new policy that insures private insurance is used before Medicaid, consolidated offices within the Department, and made welfare fraud a Class D crime. Maine now conforms to the Federal law in suspension of payments to MaineCare providers who commit fraud, and the list goes on.

Recent polling shows that an overwhelming number of Maine residents are demanding welfare reform, which is probably the reason for Eliot Cutler’s “Plan”. While he must be commended for copying and pasting many of the Governor’s ideas, he is a little late to the party. Perhaps, we’d better let the man who is already fixing the problem continue his work, not a Johnny Come Lately.

Aug 4 2014

Crude or Crud

 

 

Some weeks ago, I had a rather pointed conversation with an individual who could no longer abide by what he characterized was the “crude” behavior of the Governor and, as a consequence, was determined to vote a straight Democrat Party line. While I was not convinced that this bluster was necessarily a true deviation from past behavior, it provided a study in contrasts that demands a public exposition across our fair State. So, just in case there are any more individuals who are more than a little flummoxed by the juxtaposition of the, at times, grouchy Governor, who figures if he has the title, he might as well govern and fix some things, against the quiet, pliable and placid forklift-driving doormat, who has spent most of his time in Washington in the shadow of Nancy Pelosi, pinned beneath the sharp point of her high heel, let’s compare the two, shall we?

 

Governor LePage has been criticized by the media and the Democrats for being pushy and demanding. He wants things accomplished. He says so in no uncertain terms. His forward ways may offend some, but the accomplishments speak for themselves.

 

The Governor demanded that the hospitals be paid and, after a long, bitter fight with Democrats, he was able to pay the hospitals. There may be some other organizations that would like some of that uncouth behavior in their ledger books. Yet, the Democrats, with their delicate constitutions in tow, would like to send our hospitals back to the days of trying to administer care under a mountain of mandated debt.

 

In his rough and caustic way, the Governor has ordered that the welfare system of Maine be reformed so that our seniors and most needy will not be left vulnerable. His quiet congenial opponent, Mike Michaud, once voted in the Maine State Senate for a bill that would have raised taxes on seniors’ social security benefits to fund tax breaks for State employees. The bill was so egregious that even liberal Governor Angus King vetoed it. When asked why he voted for such a thing, the pasty politician just walked back into the shadows and ineffectively mumbled that he basically didn’t know why.

 

In 2003, Michaud voted against Medicare Part D, voting, again, against Maine seniors who have used that benefit to afford costly medications. In 2009, he voted for ObamaCare, which has cost seniors $716 billion of Medicare funding in order to fund able-bodied adults. What does Mike Michaud have against senior citizens? At least he speaks quietly and kindly, while he takes benefits from them.

 

While we are on the subject of crude, Mike Michaud has on his staff a man who specializes in crude tweets about women and talks repeatedly about the elimination of Christians. Yet, Mike Michaud has not found the intestinal fortitude within his meek and placid persona to fire this vile person. Hmmm, I wonder how the Governor would handle that? He might just say something crude to him while he was kicking his perverted behind out the door.

 

The contrast goes on. The brash temperament of the Governor stands alongside his passion to reform the State of Maine to a prosperous economy once again. Maine continues to add jobs, in spite of the obstruction of the Democrats, because of the Governor’s tenacity. Do you want strong leaders with the boldness to stand for change, or puppets clothed in temerity; willing to sacrifice brave men in Benghazi, secretly spying on you, and who leave our brave veterans to die in waiting rooms? If you are willing to embrace such failures in leadership simply because the Governor’s rough exterior offends, then there is no nice way to say it; that’s just plain crud!

Oct 29 2012

Stand Down!

 

For seven hours two Navy Seals held off the terrorists in Benghazi, waiting for the support to arrive.  One hour away, marines were stationed and ready to assist.  General Ham, Commander of AFRICOM, wanted to send his troops to the aid of those in the Embassy, who were calling for aid, when he was told by his Commander-and-Chief to “Stand Down”.  When General Ham ignored the order, he was apprehended by his second in command and relieved of duty.

While two Navy Seals heroically held off a compound over run with terrorists, the President held off their military support, watched in the situation room of the White House until the two men were dead, and then jetted off to Vegas for a fund raising event.  Yes, the two Seals ignored the “Stand Down” order and chose, instead, to hold to the oaths they had taken to the citizens of the United States.  They died waiting for the President to uphold his.

What has followed in the aftermath is myriad of lies and cover-ups, even at first trying to blame the “incident” on an obscure filmmaker and promising to arrest him, violating his freedom of speech.  The media has been working overtime trying to cover this mess up for the President.  It isn’t working and some in the media are starting to see the folly of their ways and abandon the sinking ship.

The Democrat brand has the mark of deceit seared onto every package it presents to the people. It is apparent throughout the liberal ticket that lies is the campaign strategy of choice.  What is most disturbing is the disdain the Democrat ticket has for the basic unalienable rights for Americans-life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Angus King has told so many whoppers in this campaign that the word count in this column couldn’t contain them.  He has put the Maine Democrat Party in the awkward position of trying to support his campaign, neutralize their own candidate, and still try to make King seem independent.  And remember when he said that those who supported traditional marriage needed to be “educated”.  He never said how he was going to do that….  Maybe the hum from his windmills is sending out subliminal messages to all Maine residents, besides the toxic waste they are dripping all over our mountains.

Mike Michaud, not so affectionately known as Pelosi’s Puppy, has a unique approach to representative government.  When the district he represents votes over 65% against gay marriage, he thumbs his nose at those he represents and instead represents his own interests on this issue.  Those incessant tugs on his leash from Washington way may be causing him to hallucinate, perhaps.  At last telling, he believes the Kevin Raye is moonlighting as a high-end designer, building exorbitant kitchens on the taxpayer’s dime.  This prompted Maine newspapers to categorize Michaud’s deception, as the biggest lie of the campaign.

Michaud’s close friend, Herbert Clark, has a similar approach to campaign strategy.  Work to co-sponsor a bill with the Senator you will be running against in the next election.  Then blame the whole thing on him, cry that you were hoodwinked and had no idea what you were doing.  Finally, assure everyone that if they vote for you, from now on, you will be aware of what you are sponsoring when you sponsor a bill, and, oh, please keep screaming about the bill that I sponsored but I wish I hadn’t sponsored because its all I’ve got to campaign on. I think he needs some cheese with that whine.

Finally, the Piscataquis County Commissioner races are of great importance.  Roxanne Quimby has been on a crusade to gate off the people of Maine from any access to the wilderness that we love so much.  The Democrats have been her allies in this crusade. Recently, she attempted to block access to the Little Wilson Falls by gating a County road.  The Piscataquis Republican Party answered the call of the people to rectify this travesty and, with Paul Davis, Doug Thomas, Pete Johnson, Fred Trask, and Jim Annis leading the charge, the Commissioners voted to demand Quimby remove the gate.  It was Fred Trask who forced the vote on the Commission to remove the gate. Silence, at best, from the Democrats.

Make no mistake; a vote for Sue Mackey Andrews and Donald Crossman for County Commissioner is a vote to give Roxanne Quimby control over the Maine Highlands and the 100-mile wilderness.  This is an important vote not only for Piscataquis residents but for the precedent it sets for the State of Maine as a whole.  Vote for Fred Trask and Jim Annis as Piscataquis County Commissioners.

It seems the leaders of the Democrat Party have telling Americans to “Stand Down” for far too long.  Perhaps, it is time for Americans to tell the Democrat Party to “Stand Down”.  Vote for Liberty November 6th!

Oct 15 2012

Vacationland

 

It’s called “Vacationland”.  What many consider an advertising slogan for the State of Maine has now become a call to action for gay rights activists.  Three years ago the people of Maine delivered their verdict on the issue of gay marriage.  Since that vote, the gay rights movement has been working non-stop behind the scenes to circumvent the will of the people here in this State.

One of the tactics has been a project these groups have dubbed “Vacationland”.  They call on out-of-State activists to come and “vacation” in Maine around the time of the election.  They are instructed, behind the scenes, to take advantage of Maine’s lax voter id laws and register to vote in Maine on Election Day.  This is a concerted effort to flood the electorate in our State with votes favorable to the gay rights agenda, hoping to tip the balance in their favor against the people of Maine.

One of the most destructive ideologies of the liberal progressive movement is its utter disregard and disdain for the will of the people.  This political movement is predicated upon the belief that the will of government is the means to bend and break the will of the people.  The majority should not rule.  Those who hold the power of government should rule and enforce its agenda.  In truth, this is tyranny.  Those in this movement care little for democracy but rather for the implementation of their agenda.  Unfortunately, many in government have chosen the progressive forms of governing rather than the representation of the people, which is their sacred oath.

Mike Michaud represents the Second District.  The Second District voted overwhelmingly against the redefinition of marriage at a rate of 65-70%.  This is a tally of both Democrat and Republican voters.  Representative Mike Michaud has chosen to sneer, the Democrat tact as of late, at the collective will of his constituents.  In essence, by showing a public preference for his own personal beliefs over the very strong personal beliefs of the majority of those he represents, Mike Michaud is arrogantly asserting that he knows better than those he serves.

The Bangor City Council took this arrogance one step further by voting to accept gay marriage.  The city council has no authority on these matters. This was purely a symbolic vote in an effort to affect the outcome in November.  These council members have become so impressed with their self-proclaimed importance that perhaps they feel they can intimidate the electorate into agreeing with their “statement”.  This is all in an effort to create some feeling of inevitability in the vote and discourage the people, whom they serve, from voting contrary to the council’s “vaunted” opinion.

For a group of people who are not shy about promoting themselves as the intellectual elite, many politicians seem to struggle with the definition and assimilation of the word “representation” as it pertains to our representative form of government.  While the out-of-state activists and our local politicians are demanding that we knuckle under to their progressive world-view, I would remind my fellow Maine residents that our common sense values are nothing to be ashamed of and we need not back away from them.  It’s really not that confusing.  Marriage is not a right. It is a responsibility to raise and protect the next generations of our society.  It is the bedrock that has built civilization after civilization, including ours.  We The People of Maine should never let politicians bully us into following their will.  Vote “No” on Question 1.