It's sad to see these people out of work and to have our politicians concentrating on bills and don't bring prosperity to this state.

They dispute gay marriges.

Worried about someone smoking on the beach.

They want to register our canoes.

Want to tax heating oil.

I haven't heard of a bill that would put people back to work. Who hired these idiots anyway.

Let's fire them one at a time. Next election..............

WE hired these "idiots"......

Yes, the populace did elect these idiots and I will bet that most, if not all of them, will win their respective elections the next time. Mainers get the government they deserve.

well why not do something about it instead of whining get involved in your party or become independent join something get INVOLVED,its the only way

Do something about it? Absolutely! Move to Wyoming, the only bastion of conservative values in the US. Check out their tax policies and lack of shortfalls. And if they do have a shortfall, it is dealt with by CUTTING, not taxing.

Maine is now full of liberal sissies.

Darn straight mainbad, I'll help you pack. Please, go to wyoming!

Very sad indeed about the railroads and paper mills though. I hope they make a full recovery! And yes, our government officials should be held accountable.

Frustration and dissapointment with elected officials is starting to spread around the country. the tea parties reflect: defeat all incumbents regardless of party. Recruit good common sense people to challenge those sitting on their hands. Yes, we get the kind of government we deserve, but don't those of us who still have jobs , work too hard, pay too many taxes , need to egt involved in the political process? This is not the time to be a spectator , as the risk is too high and returns are too low. P.J. O'Rourke wrote a book called" Parliament of BLEEPs " dealing with apathy. He concluded, we are the BLEEPS as we continue to re-elect people to office expecting them to change our lives for the better, when it only gets worse. Let's ask ourselves, "Why are these people still in office after all these years , but my quality of life continues to decline?"

Maine is going to the dog's with all of the Liberals that are running the State, Maine use to be a great State to live in but no more, the Liberals have taken over to bad,,,,

blueskies you are in never never land. The Railroad and the Mills are not coming back, NEVER. We are living in an electronic society now. As you can see from these comments via the Internet. Maine better wake up fast and start to build WI-FI and Cell Service for the whole state if it wants to survive.

Mainbad is right, but "Out West" folks have a different relationship with their government than "Back East." Western states don't provide the same level of service, but people don't expect it, either. They want the government out of their lives, and they accept what that means. Eastern states expect more services then complain about the taxation level and are rarely satisfied with the services or instrusiveness. It's just different.

I find no satisfaction in writing this inconsequential 'note to my former state'; I was very fortunate in that I was an employer of good Maine workers - and was among the first to be influenced by the encroachment of left coast politics.

--: after reason was trumped by agendas- I left---knowing [at some point] it would all come to this. Day after day of Maine papers reporting business shutdown/ sportsman shutdown/ a way of life shutdown----and no thinking human being is going even think about starting a business in Maine.

--:understand something; it IS too late--you have laws on the books --think R.E.S.T.O.R.E./ Sierra Club and ----. Maine has more conservation trusts than ANY state in the nation.

Is that bad? You don't think so.

Maine is what I [sadly] predicted-- a park for others to visit.

Send your children West - or start a [political] revolution.

that is true about the liberals if we let men marry men and women marry women, and allow abortions. in about 3 decades we will have no more liberals. sounds like a plan to me

problem is alot of mainers have left maine and have been replaced by retired people from mass , ny and nj. they do not want job or any developement.

You're right, maineboy. And a lot of them run for town council to keep it that way.