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12/4/08
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30 comments
Maine women to lead Legislature
Pingree elected House speaker, Mitchell Senate president
By Glenn Adams AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s glass ceiling developed a few more cracks Wednesday as women were sworn in as Senate president and House speaker. And in one of its first acts, the newly seated Legislature elected Maine’s first female attorney general. “It’s so good to see things moving ahead,” said Janet Mills, a Democrat who won bipartisan support to become the state’s 55th attorney general. “Just because there are a lot of firsts doesn’t mean there can’t be a lot of seconds, thirds and fourths along the way. Maine men and women are sharing responsibilities more than in many other states, most other states.” Also Wednesday after the formal swearing-in of the Democratic-controlled Legislature, Sen. Elizabeth “Libby” Mitchell of Vassalboro was elected the chamber’s president and Rep. Hannah Pingree of North Haven was elected House speaker. Both were elected unanimously after minority Republicans, in a gesture of bipartisanship at the start of what’s expected to be a difficult session, threw their support behind the two Democrats. It’s the first time both of Maine’s legislative chambers are being headed by women at the same time. And Mitchell is the first woman to have served as presiding officer in both the Maine House and Senate. Maine has a history of electing and appointing women to lofty positions, although never a governor. The chief justice of the state supreme court, Leigh Ingalls Saufley, is a woman. Maine’s two U.S. senators, Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, soon will be joined in Washington by Democratic Rep.-elect Chellie Pingree, who was in Augusta Wednesday to see her daughter ascend to the House rostrum. The 32-year-old Hannah Pingree noted that while she’s the second woman to serve as speaker, she’s not the youngest person to hold the title. In her acceptance speech, Pingree pointed to Hannibal Hamlin, who at age 27 wielded the Maine House gavel. Hamlin went on to serve as governor and in the U.S. House and Senate be-fore serving as Abraham Lincoln’s first vice president. In her address to the Senate, Mitchell made reference to Maine’s record electing women. “I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to reflect on how unremarkable an accomplishment it is to elect a woman president of the Senate,” Mitchell said. “I am proud that in Maine, this is not a big news story. In Maine a young woman can not only dream of becoming anything she wants to be, but she can actually achieve it.” Mills, of Farmington, who was a western Maine district attorney for 15 years, must give up her House seat to which she was just re-elected in order to serve as attorney general. The mother of five stepdaughters, Mills is a former assistant attorney general who has practiced law for three decades. She comes from a family with a history of political activism, including a brother, Peter Mills, serving as a Republican senator from Cornville and a sister, Dr. Dora Anne Mills, who is director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Three other prominent state offices also were filled Wednesday as Democrats were joined by Republicans in re-electing Matthew Dunlap as secretary of state, David Lemoine as treasurer and Neria Douglass as auditor. The secretary and treasurer serve two-year terms, and the auditor serves a four-year term. Republican Rep. Kenneth Fletcher of Winslow said his party considers each of the Democratic candidates qualified and saw no gain in placing token candidates’ names in nomination. “Don’t pick a fight that serves no purpose,” said Fletcher. “Why be contrary just to be contrary?” Lawmakers were sworn in by Gov. John Baldacci, who had a sobering but optimistic message a day after he and the nation’s other governors met with President-elect Barack Obama in Philadelphia. In the State House, Baldacci reiterated Obama’s message that government must adopt the best ideas regardless of which side of the political aisle they come from. “These are very difficult times facing our state and the nation,” said Baldacci. “In Maine, we put people above politics. We will need all our talents combined to ensure that Maine successfully weathers this economic storm and comes out stronger.”
Comments
We have many more brilliant hard working women serving in state government. Too many to mention really, but I'll throw out one name Deb Simpson. Deb Dimpson barely won over Lois Snowe-Mello. Lois was a responsible voice for the working class in her district. Deb Simpson represents a victory for those that feel government should pay their way if they choose not to work for a living and become part of what the democrats love to refer to as Maine's "most vulnerable". Pingree and Mitchell will work hard for that group as well, since they have done so in the past. We are in deep trouble with this crowd..best advice for Mainers is don't get yourself in a position where you need goverment to help..If you ar a hardworking taxpaying person, don't expect any of these people to speak for you.. Senator Libby "lets raise taxes" Mitchell doesn't get it and will only drive use deeper into both financial hell and socialism...just look at her personal expense habits on http://www.maineopengov.org
Hey Libby, stop wasting our tax dollars!
Senator "let's just raise taxes" Mitchell should stop wasting tax dollars, and you can see examples of what I mean within her personal expenses/habits over at this great new resource http://www.maineopengov.org
Fabulous, another child of privlidge (Pingree) to lead us to the promised land. We are a bunch of sheeple, blindly follwing these blowhards. We elect these kids who were making more a month in stock dividends the day after they were born than any of us make in a year. People who have never been in a public school giving us a lesson on how to make ends meet. We deserve the government we elect. 5forfightin, you should be happy then that President-elect Obama is not a child of privilege. Yes your man is the agent of real change, HR Clinton, WJ Clinton, W Richardson. This is going to be good
"We are a bunch of sheeple, blindly follwing these blowhards"
BRILLIANT!!!!! right from the Michael Savage playbook.
Sad that morons like you are actually attracted to his venoumsly hateful rantings. Please, do us all a favor, since you're so concerned about the democratically elected legislature that put these people in power, move to one of those crappy states that elects republicans, you know, one of those crapholes like Kansas or Lousisiana. Send us a postcard, please.
"We elect these kids "
Nothing like a bitter old person! Your generation is done, step aside and let smartness take over. Some of the greatest teachings I have gotten over the years have come from Grandparents and those that lived thru World Wars, the great depression and financial devastations....They simpley say that you cannot depend on Gov't to meet your needs and if you invest in "things" (stocks, banks,business, etc.) then your money is subject to the decisions of others and you have no control or say over it. Basically, my grandparents taught me to fend for myself, keep the home shelves stocked with dry goods, work hard 6 days a week and rest on the 7th. and help your family and neighbor whenevery you can.......The old saying that "the best time to hay is when the sun is shinning" is still true today....We live in a darkened world and we can only hope these young minds can handle the crisis' and make reasonable decisions...BUT, don't forget the older minds of our time that have seen such times come and go and survived the trial because they were prepared and never gave up the fight! What these stupid arguments about youth forget is that the old foggies who surivived tough times (the dpereesion, ww2) did so WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG!!!!!
Look at theoretical physics and math, both of which reuire a high degree of cognition. All the great discoveries in math and physics were made by scientists under 35. Yes Einstein and Feynmann stuck around for ages afterwatrds, but their seminal work was done in their 20s. As we age, our brains don't work as well. This is no opinion, but neurologic fact (look it up). May not be kkind, but its true. Chemaine, who the hell is Michael Savage? What kind of moron are you? We've been taxed back to the stone age by the Maine legislature. You know, all your friends who tell us how to live from their trust fund compounds. Hit you close to home? ''let smartness take over'' -- and how long have the 'smartness' crowd been running Maine.
'chemane' displays the grace and understanding that we have come to expect from the majority party.
----:as to what can be done Re: suggestions from the aforementioned-- it is currently 55 in AZ. and we will see 73 before the day is over----low taxes/pro business and unlike the 'chemanes' of the world you are welcome.
"grace and understanding that we have come to expect from the majority party"
And yet they remain the most popular choice! What does that tell you?'
"it is currently 55 in AZ. and we will see 73 before the day is over----low taxes/pro business"
I've been to AZ. The north of the state is fantastic. The rest of the state is pretty close to America's armpit (NM and southwest TX). Glad you're there. Enjoy July! Thank you 'chemane'.
However July I am in Maine maintaining my property -- that it might be [over] taxed in order to promote your party's agenda.
That said: obviously you have never been to N.M.--- 'armpit' -- . What is your assessment of Maine --the frozen --?
I do wish you [your new leaders] fiscal insight and a vision that is not exclusive.
Unremarkable to say the least. As long as mom and dad have paved the way for them....There are no men left to take the positions. They have been killed off in WARS....for centuries. We only have the meek and the sheep and our 'children' left here to lead us. How sick is that? Really don't like the idea of the Mill's 'Family' all having high positions. Don't really want to be legislatured by ONE families view points! Who voted that one in??? Duh to the legislatures themselves for not covering their backs. Does uranium bring in a good tax base for Arizona??? All those UFO's flying overhead monitoring the situations? PS: women didn't live long in those days... the homefront killed them off early! Apparently it's more important to the BDN what's between a leader's legs than what's between their ears. 'mariahstorm'--- well said.
F.Y.I. Nevada is storing Nuke waste and New Mexico is [in] famous for U.F.O. sightings. ----AZ. [especially the S.E.] is one of 'our' best kept secrets---.
Suffice it to say the culture is a balance of Old West self reliance, hands off Gov., and a medical system that has a true safety net---remember --'sort of' like ME. 40 years ago.
But as 'chemane' aptly pointed out --you keep electing a party with a far different agenda.
You know -- I did see a something in the sky last night -------- ???? It was just Santa doing a trial run! It was just Santa doing a trial run! It was just Santa doing a trial run! It was just Santa doing a trial run! Since when does our democratic voting matter. We can still get the crap shoved down our throats even when we vote against it, i.e. the gay rights,marrigage, civil union bulloney) IMPEACH BALDACCI should be the first thing they do "Since when does our democratic voting matter. We can still get the crap shoved down our throats even when we vote against it, i.e. the gay rights,marrigage, civil union bulloney) "
The hate-filled morons who tried to reintroduce discrimination against gays FAILED in a vote in 2006!!!!!
HA HA We're screwed now. Any bets that Libby and Hannah will try to raise-our-taxes again?
Duh, gee Govt2big, is the cost of living going up? When have your taxes ever, ever been lowered, regardless of who's in office? Chemaine if you are this rotten and bitter when you win I cant imagine what its like when you lose. Your party one. You guys again control everything. If you think this state is headed in the right direction you need to take your blinders off, but your childish ranting day after day on this site offers nothing constructive to the discussion. Your insults and name calling only reflect poorly on you and undermine any credible arguments you may offer. The BDN should review your posts, they are way out of bounds with regard to the conduct guidelines of this site. |
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