AUGUSTA, Maine — Lawmakers sparred Thursday over Gov. Paul LePage’s plan to close an estimated $220 million budget gap at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Some Republicans lamented what they called an unwillingness by Democrats to nail down savings, while Democrats bristled at the prospect of cutting services for the needy while tax cuts are on the table.
“We have to start looking for how we’re going to pay for this,” said Rep. Kenneth Fredette, R-Newport. “Quite frankly, I think it’s time you step up to the table to address that.”
Fredette, a member of the Appropriations Committee, directed his comments at Democrats on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, who opposed a vote earlier this week by their Republican counterparts supporting several of LePage’s proposed cuts. The two committees met Thursday to discuss the preliminary vote, which Appropriations will consider in its final deliberations on the DHHS budget.
Rep. Peter Stuckey, D-Portland, a member of the Health and Human Services Committee, questioned the wisdom of addressing DHHS’ financial problems outside the context of the overall state budget, which includes major tax cuts.
“To try to resolve them without looking at the entire state budget doesn’t work for me, I’m sorry,” he said.
LePage has proposed closing the DHHS shortfall by overhauling MaineCare, the state’s version of the federal Medicaid program, to bring it closer to national averages for public health benefits. His plan would drop 65,000 people from coverage, tighten eligibility requirements and cut services.
On Wednesday, the Health and Human Services Committee voted along party lines, with the Republican majority supporting LePage’s plan to slash $30 million from the Fund for a Healthy Maine, which administers a variety of health initiatives including smoking cessation programs. Democrats on the panel said LePage’s MaineCare proposal was shortsighted, urging the budget committee to find savings through payment reforms and better management of recipients’ care.
The Appropriations Committee also touched on initiatives in the MaineCare proposal that violate a provision of the federal health reform law. LePage’s plans for tighter eligibility in a prescription drug program, stricter income limits for some parents and dropping 19- and 20-year-olds from the MaineCare rolls would require a waiver from the federal government.
The governor has proposed seeking greater authority to set the DHHS budget if the waiver is denied. That prospect made some Democrats uneasy about the loss of legislative authority.
Sen. Roger Katz, Augusta, said legislators must act on the MaineCare proposal soon, with the fiscal year ending on June 30.
“The Patriots were still losing football games when we started this discussion,” he said. “We’ve got to wrap this up.”
The Appropriations Committee plans to meet again Friday.
Yeah, the repubs want to “wrap this up”, because come November they’re gone.
We’re all with you there oldboy3. With Mr. LePage, Mary Mayhew, Robert Nutting, two Crazy Charlies, Mr. Bowen and Bruce Poliquin in leadership roles, I’d sure hate to be a Republican/Tea Party candidate in the upcoming 2012 elections. Lack of intelligence, incompetence, dishonesty, nepotism and outright theft isn’t much of a foundation on which to plunk one’s own candidacy. Maybe they’ll all run as independents instead?
They don’t know how to govern and are abusing their power.
Reporting Fraud in Maine
Allegations of fraud or attempted fraud involving funds, including Food Stamps,
administered by the Department of Health and Human Services should be sent to:
Fraud, Investigation and Recovery
11 State House Station
Whitten Road
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
Phone numbers for DHHS Fraud office are:
1-207-287-2409 and 1-800-442-6003
Further questions and suspicions can also be submitted by e-mail.
Fraud.Dhhs@maine.gov
Contact the Office of the Attorney General
Phone: 207-626-8800
Mailing Address:
Office of the Attorney General
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
http://www.maine.gov/ag/contact.html
Do All three, Phone, E-mail and send a Letter.
Follow-up in 30 days with a Certified letter if no response.
Send a letter Directly to the Governor’s Office, that should get their attention.
Keep a written log of actions and attempts to notify.
Hold them Responsible!
Turn in your nieghbor,
It’s the Nazi Way!
http://recessionreadyamerica.com/2009/08/nazi-programs-showing-up/
I’m sorry but, you are wrong on this one. I think like you on most things. If we are ever going to get people to shut-up about fraud, then they need to be given the info to turn people in. Half the time people think, they know what’s going on when they don’t. Let them turn people in, it won’t hurt a thing.
You are correct. In fact , a $50 or $100 bonus incentive for the conviction or disqualification of people committing fraud might get the small amount of fraud out of the system more quickly. I think the GOP crybabies will realize that there is very little actual fraud going on.
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Fools like you believe only Dems are getting welfare and that Dems believe everyone should get freebies. JUST ISN’t SO. Dems look out for the poor and elderly because the Republicans certainly don’t give a damn.
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Yep.. all true. While cutting vital services and aid for Maine’s disadvantaged to survive .. they all continue to fund the Maine Maritime Academy to the tune of $9,000,000 for a student body of which nearly 1/2 of the 900+ are from out of state who graduate and never return. That’s $10,000 per imported student jock each year to maintain this country club spa and sports facility. All this state house talk about successful business models is.. well .. just feel good newspeak aimed at the mis-informed.
Delay or repeal the unnecessary estate tax cut for millionaires and delay or repeal the unnecessary income tax cut for millionaires, and then let’s see how much of a “crisis” we still have. Geez, if LePage and the GOP actually could create some jobs and put people to work, instead of catering to special interests pushing to restrict voting rights and to curtail union rights, our temporary welfare problem might go away and we might actually get some increased income tax revenue!
They want to restrict voting right so they can hang on to the slim grasp they have on office. They know what is happening, they know they have to make good on all of their cuts for the rich quick, because they KNOW they wont be around for long. Unfortunately for them as well as the FEDERAL government there are a LOT more of us POOR than there is of the RICH AND ALMIGHTY
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Good observation Billie, but the liberal “welfare is a good thing” mentality does not like the kick in the pants it takes to get people to work and actually pay taxes.
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I have to admit Billie, your right…yep, everyone just needs to go to thier local McDonalds, Burger King, and Dunkin Donuts, get a 7.50 an hour job while gas prices, food prices and living expenses spiral to the moon and everything will be all better and the RIch and Infamous can hang on to thier millions, billions, and mansions. Wow, you figured it out. All of those minimum wage jobs that are available out there for 20 hours a week will fix everything…Ok everyone, Billie and Bonny have it all figured out so we can all stop complaining about nothing……Geesh.
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McDonalds had a nationwide hiring day last year and averaged nearly 50 applicants for every job.So where would you suggest those other 40+ applicants get a job at?McD is already the bottom of the ladder-that’s why they’re called McJobs.I worked at one as a teenager since it was what I could get without a car(and back then,the work hours for teens were ignored as well as the safety rules)I hated it and couldn’t imagine going back there now.But one never knows what life will bring.I’m sure of the thousands of applicants they had degreed people and people struggling for anything.
There is a lot of literature in libraries and bookstores on job search techniques, many web sites also. Anything is better than sitting and waiting for someone to hold your hand and lead you around. Taking a minimum wage job is good start, and then look for other jobs.
Certainly there is nothing wrong with a minimum wage job.I worked for $2.15 an hour as a machine operator.But that still doesn’t answer what those other people are going to do for work.Entire industries are being decimated(for one example,data entry and filing)and for someone without a four year degree,things are nearly impossible.Add to that,employers can now subtly discriminate since it is their market and things are near impossible.
What about those that already have a PT job at McDonalds and another one PT one at Walmart and still can’t afford to take care of their family. Are they supposed to find another parttime job at Marden’s to survive???? How can you exempt the tax on a rich kids inheritance, but allow people to not meet basic needs? The rich kid is not providing jobs he’s living high off the hog on Daddy’s money. If you can make assumptions about the poor, I can make assumptions about the rich,
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You are making some pretty broad assumptions about me considering you know absolutely nothing about me. Those assumptions could not be farther from the truth. I know what being poor is about. I know about raising a family on not much. It’s not about what I make or don’t make. It’s about having compassion for people and I’m not talking about those scamming the sysytem. They deserve to be investigated and prosecuted. I’m talking about the person who is trying and is playing by the rules and through not fault of their own find themselves struggling everyday just to make it through. They live within their means because they have no other choice. They learn to get by on not much. It’s when the rich kid who hasn’t worked a day in his life and lives off his inheritance is told you shouldn’t have to pay your fair share that my compassion stops. There is no more middle class. It’s the haves and the have not. Unfortunately most of us live as have nots. As a note, most of those people camping out in parks were retired people, working people, students and anyone else who is sick of being a second class citizen. Unlike you, they are not willing to just sit back and take what crumbs the Tea Party and the Koch brothers throw their way. This country was built on protest. The Boston Tea Party was based on taxation without representation. Well, I’m being taxed because my representatives care more about the rich getting richer than the average American surviving. That is wrong.
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Representative Fredette: always in a rush to run blindly into the dark woods without a flashlight, never knowing if the direction he is heading is straight into a tree.
Ready set go!!!!!
“it’s time you step up to the table to address that”
LOL…like they’re even capable of cleaning up their own mess…give me a break
This is somebody else’s problem don’t cha know, it’s the democrat way!
The Penguin administration is so consistently dishonest that it’s easy to understand what legislators (many of whom happen to be Republican) are unwilling to accept these cuts without some supporting evidence and some adult oversight.
Unfortunately, the easiest way for a politician to get re-elected is to give away the public treasury to people who want to sit on their butts and get a check. It costs the politician nothing. So many people fail to grasp the simple concept that government can give away nothing until after they have extracted it from the hides of those who work and produce and pay taxes. This ‘scam’ really got rolling back in the 60s, as the leftists came into power. Tell me, what is better today than it was in the 60s? We have spent multiple TRILLIONS of dollars, at an ever increasing rate, and we have pretty much ZIP to show for it. MORE ignorance, MORE illegitimacy, MORE violence, MORE illegal aliens… if it is bad, we’ve bought it and subsidized it with public funds. The liberals have HAD their day. Their bag of tricks is EMPTY. Their credibility is GONE. Enough already!
{Unfortunately, the easiest way for a politician to get re-elected is to give away the public treasury to people who want to sit on their butts and get a check. It costs the politician nothing}
You mean like the Bush Capital Gains Tax Breaks for whealthy Vulture Capitalist who get their income sitting on their butts from investments destroying jobs and get Taxed at 15 % instead of the 30+ % that workers pay?
Welfare for the Disabled is Paled by this Atrosity!
See Jim that is the real problem. The ones truly sitting on thier backsides and getting NOTHING done are the politicians themselves. I say a 50% paycut to all of them just to start and then eliminations of free medical, health club memberships, golf memberships, free clothing expenses, free trips around the world would be a great way to get the ball rolling. Then go the to rest of the millionaires and billionaires that pay half the percentage as the hard working American because of all of the tax cuts for the RICH…even Romney said he only pays 15%, and eliminate all of those loopholes, breaks and make them pay the same rate acrossed the board. Then we can tackle all of the so-called free money to the poor….I mean we should be far more concerned that a family of four gets 200.00 a month in foodstamps than someone driving a lexus eating at 4 star restaurants every night.
“we have spent multiple trillions of dollars with pretty much ZIP to show for it”
You mean like the two wars?Oh wait,let’s not forget the nearly 5,000 US military lives lost and the tens of thousands injured who ae looking at half a century of care in many cases.There’s your budget buster.
Democrats spent this State into bankruptcy and democrats complain when the grownups come along to fix the mess made by a bunch of incompetent democrats hell bent on taking money from the taxpayers and giving it to the non taxpayers. There are now more takers than givers and its only a matter of time before the ponzi scheme busts and then what??
Seems the legislature is more concerned of representing their party than their constituents.
I think it’s quite ironic, that Ken Fredette is a voting member on the Maine Human Rights Commission.
Ken Fredette is a Josh Tardy wanna be. He says what he says because he wants his name in the paper. That, and he doesn’t have the nerve to stand up for his constituents and tell the Governor, Look we need more information!
Ken Fredette is a lawyer, he defends the accused! No thanks, I know two face when I see it.
I know Josh, he used to call all the time. His Dad was my boss, his dad was the Chairman of the JS Committee on Agriculture, and his dad was, and is, a democrat.
Ken Fredette will tell anyone, anything….to get his name in the paper, neither one of the Tardy’s have done so purposefully. Obviously Josh had to, he was involved with leadership in the House. Ken Fredette has never been involved with leadership? Why’s that?….because he is unpredictable.
I will be so glad when Ken Fredette stops taking the taxpayers money. He does it as a court appointed attorney, he does it as a member of the Me. Human Rights Commission. He does it as a legislator. When is it that Rep. Fredette is actually going to represent?
” …. seeking greater authority to set the DHHS budget … ” Does this sound a little Napoleanistic to anyone besides me ? What happened to the divisions of government I learned about as a child ? The security of checks and balances to prevent dictatorships ? Perhaps Mr LePage needs a civics lesson that he apparently did not get in school
” Maine people before politics ” Got to love those campaign slogans.
Every day it is becoming more and more apparent, based solely on what he says, that Mr. LePage does not in fact believe in the Maine Constitution . He wants to run not only the executive branch of government but also the legislature. That is not the way our government is set up, that isn’t the way things are done in Maine or in the United States of America. By trying to take over the duties given to the legislature by our Constitution Mr. LePage is acting as if he wants to become a dictator.
Would you move a little bit to the side, please? I’m trying to see who that is behind you… Oh, it’s Obama; making “recess” appointments, ignoring and bypassing Congress, appointing “czars” who are not responsible to the people, beavering away there in Washington, trying to dismantle the republic. Sorry, what were you saying…?
Where did the term “czar” develop in America? oh yea that’s right, with the Republican Demi-God Ronald Reagan and his drug “Czars.” Who was it that illegally sent a military strike team into a sovereign foreign nation to get Noriega ignoring not only Congress, but the sovereignty of a nation? Read your history, recess appointments have been used by both Dems and Republicans for decades. You sound like Newt did last night. He was whining about the media focusing on his marriage(s). Seems to me Newt gained a lot of power a few years ago doing that very thing to Clinton, and spent $10 million of tax payer dollars doing it. Those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Both sides do it, and both sides complain about it.
Actually, it was Nixon that created the first “Czar”. Right Party, wrong pew.
Lol, yea i know, but Nixon didn’t take it half as serious as Reagan, I mean the man made Elvis an agent…
And Nixon along with Reuther(head of the UAW)who came close to universal health care when the US was still far and away #1 in manufacturing.Reuther died in a suspicious plane crash and the legislation never went to Congress.
Jim, Barack Obama, has passed 32, “recess” appointments, in 3 years. GW Bush made about 60, in that same time frame. Please, if your going to make it seem that the President is doing something wrong, try using something that will hold a little more water.
Also is the damn Republicans, would work on something other that making, Obama look bad, we’d all be better off!
Isn’t it amazing that the repbulican presidents of the past five administrations have done more per year in recess appointments than either Obama or Clinton.
Oh, but wait, that doesn’t matter, they play for your team so their dictator like movements are a-ok. No need to step aside, your blind fellowship is easy to see through.
Nice post…….”seeking greater authority to set the DHHS budget”…… Says it all doesn’t it? He wants to control: the legislature (particularly it’s committee’s membership), he wants control of energy expenditures, especially the federal money involved, he wants to control alternative energy , he wants , and wants, and wants.
Yet he’s willing to obligate us to Dolby (a landfill, environmental lawsut nightmare), he’s willing to cough up a million to start a mill in Millinocket, that uses said landfill. (all total about 46 million, excluding any clean up which is due within the next decade). He also supports a bill by Herb Clark that will exonerate the Town of East Millinocket from any liability for the spectacular price of $52,000!! Now that is generous, considering that this town is and has been obligated to the preservation of the west branch, like….forever! Umm no. Just because your mill went south, and a new buyer of the mill and landfill (us) mean that you get years and years of clean up relief. If you guys signed a TIFF, then talk to your new mill to help, otherwise…NO.
I had to get that off my chest, I apologize. I do think that people are saying that the wind energy program is “subsidized”. Those wind programs are using the same method that this governor wants to utilize for company’s like KVGAS, a TIFF. He simply wants the property tax rebates to go to gas, and only gas. (TIFF= Temporary Increment Financing Formula) for those that don’t konw. It means that you get a property tax rebate. But you don’t get it. And when the work is all done, more than likely, your property taxes will increase.
Not so much with wind, because wind power is exclusive (it’s in open areas), gas, on the other hand, will need upkeep. Every time you need a new sewer line?, it will cost you more, because you have to dance around the gas line. If you have a gas line going to a new home? add at least 2000 bucks for insurance. And there is no competitive market in Maine, yet for gas. In otherwords, without competitors, they can charge what they want, where they want and not be accountable to anyone other than the PUC. Have you ever heard of the PUC not giving a price hike?
Then who should set the budget?
Everyone here tosses around all these wonderfull socialist ideas but the reality is where do we come up with 220 million? And, none of you are interested in stopping the fraud that is going on with the Maincare sytstem? I know a couple that both work. Between then they probably make 50-70k a year. Why are they on Maincare? They are.
Then report them as an above poster gave addresses and contact info. You can also contact the AG’s office.
The other part of the system that nobody talks about is all the people under 40 who are getting paid for some “mental disability”EVERY ONE of those cases should be investigated. SSDI was originally designed for people who worked hard physical jobs and whose bodies had broken down and who had paid in for many years.It’s not like that now.
some of the people you are referring to probably get SSI. SSI is a welfare program. People are not required to have any quarters to qualify for SSI. It is administrated by Social Security but is a different program from SSDI. people on SSI can get up to about $700 monthly.
You should make a fraud report on these people. You don’t have to give your name
How about we reduce the total number of “Lawmakers” in Augusta by 20 %?
I have a suggestion: negative actions on LePage’s cuts until tax cuts are cut. That’s the “action” that’s needed.
No doubt. I dont think people realize how expensive those tax cuts were from 8.5% to 7.95%. $200 million yearly in lost revenues. And I have a hunch they didnt budget for the gap in revenues…….makes for a good excuse to cut services……look we’re broke….
Classic Shock Doctrine…….
Last night he said these tax cuts have nothing to do with the short fall. According to him they benefit the low income tax payer the most and will help the richcreat jobs!!!! I guess that $117 less taxesI will pay will pay for about 25 gallons of heating oil!!! Wow, I can’t wait!! That willsure help my budget!
Does anyone else see the urgency being placed upon this Committee?
Let me see, he gave the group (the committee ) this swamp shortly before the New Year, probably close to the 2nd or 3rd week of December.
Let’s think here, he would have known about this shortfall in or around October. His own Commissioner has stated, that “they have known about it since November”, but yet; there was no call for them to convene, by the legislative leadership, and, admittedly, the Commissioner stated that “she wasn’t ready”
Now, she and the administration is publicly stating that “they have all the numbers that they need”..
It’s not about the numbers they need, according to the Administration, it’s about the numbers that these individual lawmakers need to get re-elected. They, (the administration) just….don’t …get …it! This Appropriation Committee, with members that are facing re-election, want….all of the numbers. All of the members have said as such, with the exception of Fredette, who wants his name in the paper.
This Committee can vote when they wish, I know that as a fact. Anything, that this session does will not come into effect until April 1st.,
Emergency bills are different, but not really, they are treated as any bill should be treated. Many of these bills that they are considering were held over, others were submitted to the Legislative Council, in which of course the majority party gets it’s bills accepted and a courtesy to the other. If the Governor signs the bill, it becomes law immediate upon his signature, yet again, and this governor has done so, he can opt not to veto it, nor sign it. If he or she does not sign it, it will become law 90 days after. (the governor decided that he wouldn’t veto, nor sign Maine’s Whoppie Pie bill!, I would have reserved that for something else, but….whatever_
He wants this to be voted on quickly because the later he signs it, the more implication it has on the upcoming elections. In other words, if he signs it in March, people are more apt to remember it in November. If he signs it at the end of January, then he has 8 months for people to forget.
How do you forget being hungry and cold ? Or having to rely on Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez for heating oil ? Or having to ration or pass up your prescriptions ? We’ll forget the current national comedian Newt Gingrich as soon as he becomes history but we won’t forget the current majority in the legislature. That is, if we are still able to get to the polls.
Very interesting post…..I love it. Your metaphors are realistic, and your insight is truthful.
With a heavy heart, it looks like massive cuts are coming down the pike. I hope that the Democrats will be able stop some of these draconian cuts, or atleast smooth out some rough edges….. but as we saw with the new healthcare law LD 1333, the Republicans are good at getting inline and ram-rodding legislation through when they want to.
But hey Republicans…….how about softening the landing of Maine people that your about to cast aside?
Your about to cut tens of thousands of people from MaineCare, your sharpening your scissors to get ready to cut the social safefy nets….
And as Mainers are getting ready to face their new cold, dark, grim reality,
You Republicans can provide a new glimmer of hope….a rising sun…..
You will declare that Medical Marijuana will now become available to any Mainer (21yrs and over) that wants it. Medical Marijuana will now be considered preventive medicine.
Good for what ails ya. Relieves your suffering, prevents tumors from growning, improves overall wellbeing…..
Cant afford private insurance? I bet you can afford a five dollar pot brownie…..
And with a wider pool of people being allowed to purchase medical marijuana from dispensaries, it would increase sales tax revenues to help balance the budget.
Because of increased demand, more dispensaries / grow ops would need to be opened, thus spurring economic activity and creating hundreds of new jobs.
And Republicans…..creating alternatives for people’s medical needs will not be enough for you….for your also going to be cutting welfare right? No more free rides…..Mainers are going to be expected to work. But where are the jobs going to come from?
And you’ll have an answer…..Besides unleashing the burgeoning Medical Marijuna Industry that will no doubt create hundreds jobs and spinoff jobs,
You will also free the shackles of Industrial Hemp! Industrial Hemp will be allowed to grow unfettered, North to South, East to West.
25,000 green products can be made from Industrial Hemp. And thousands of jobs could be created from the growing, harvesting, processing, and manufactoring of Industrial Hemp.
Here’s a chance to revitalize Maine Manufactoring while simultaneously having a neutral and even benefical impact on the environment.
Going to cut weatherization funds for Mainers? Allow Mainers to grow Industrial Hemp that can be made into insulation! Going to cut heating funds? Industrial Hemp can be used as a biomass fuel! No funds for housing? Allow people to made Hemp Houses!
Need to cut prison costs? Free them non-violent pot heads!
So come on Republicans before it’s too late. It’s not going to play out well for your party to make these drastic cuts without providing an alternative for people to pick themselves up by.
Dont risk becoming a minority party for another 3-4 decades.
For speaking as a Maine Millennial,
these two legislative sessions will be seared in my brain, along with the thousands of other Maine people that are paying attention, to what happens when we allow Republicans to have the governorship and majoritites in both houses.
Here’s your chance to extend an olive branch, to leave a diffent legacy and lasting impression on Mainers.
People will say yes, those Republicans were tough making those DHHS cuts, but they were fair…..because they provided alternatives and opportunities by declaring Medical Marijuana a preventive medicine and accessible to all (21yrs and over), and unleashing new Industrial Hemp Industries that helped to provide new jobs to anyone willing to work hard.
medical marijuana is not on the republican negotiating table….the vote was conducted before the republicans and the current czar came into power. It was a done deal, Referendums, when they are quantitative, express the will of the populace.
I agree, people need to seer these sessions into their brains, they need to remember, did my representative or senator vote the way that the district wished? or did he or she vote the way the administration demanded?
Term limits definately increase the power of the lobby. It takes, at the very least, 2 terms for a freshman lawmaker to understand what the hell is going to happen next. After that, they have 2 more terms to make a difference.
I’ve seen this thousands of times; there is no difference between $500.00 suits. Either it’s a lobby lawyer, a special interest lawyer, or an administrion lawyer…..they all wear they same wall street, tiny pinstripe, red tie shiny shoe friggin suit.
You have to ask yourself one thing? and I’ve seen Legislator’s cry over this, how can I protect my district and vote with my party? I worked there for 8 years, and there was only two that I know of that didn’t fold. One was Harry Vose, and the other was Mike Michaud, our offices were right next to each other. Honestly, I’ve seen them come to tears. What is asked of them from their district, is nothing compared to what is required of them when it comes to majority or minority. I don’t intend this to be a political statement or nor is it a democrat v. republican thing. Actually, Don Collins, the uncle of Senator Susan Collins, was very much the same, although, I never had the pleasure of him being on one of my committee’s, if he was, it would have certainly been a pleasure. Don was a wonderful person, and had the best dirty jokes of anyone in the Senate Chamber, I miss him.
Not a one of them ever took the invitation for a lunch, or “gathering” or a banquet. Whenever they were given gifts, such as potatoes, lobsters, clams or cranberries, all three of them would give it away, they didn’t want to be compromised, THAT is the essence of representation.
Yeah, I know, medical marijuana isnt on the bargaining table, and much of my post is a long shot. Mostly just me trying to make some hard lemonade out of these sour lemon times.
Thanks for responding, cheers!
It’s going to get EXTREMELY ugly in Maine if the Republicans go along with LePage on this. I can see 65,000 Mainers bum-rushing Augusta.
Not to mention…there will be a massive Democratic sweep in November, making LePage completely irrelevant and a total lame duck. I see a recall provision being passed immediately and LePage being kicked out of office either by impeachment or through a newly enacted recall process. Either way…his days are numbered.
I think we just had an election, and LePage was put there to straighten out our economic mess. So it would appear that the majority has spoken.
elected by 39%, not by most Mainers, and it’s clear he gets his directives from ALEC and the heritage gang and represents them, not the poeple of Maine
I issue a challenge to the BDN.Since they have plenty of ink and front page photos to waste supporting the anti choice agenda,how about some investigative reporting on Kestrel?Did ALEC take that from ME to prop up Walker in WI since he’s in under recall?Sure seems convenient.
I doubt any impeachment process would apply to a current office holder in any circumstance.For example,pay raises in DC always apply to the next Congress or President,etc.Just keep working for the benefit of all Mainers.
Seems like recalling LePage would work for the benefit of all Mainers, except maybe his “special interest groups”.
No politician ever works for every one of their constituents,even if they say they will(which they all do)Their biases,even unforeseen ones,preclude that.And the ideologues like Santorum don’t even try to pretend that they don’t have an agenda.
I just read on another news site that LeBaboon is now threatening to close Maine schools on April 1st if he doesn’t get to kick those 65,000 people off Mainecare. Yet he still refuses to provide factual numbers. What a reject.
That’s what he said at the Lewiston meeting last night. I listened to it. He also said he’s not “cutting” anyone!!! Under his plan, you will be allowed one emergency room visit and the hospital will refer you to a primary care doc. If you make another ER visit, you will have to pay. If you can’t afford insurance, how can you may for ER? You and I still will through increases in our insurance. It’s simply cost shiftling. You sould listen to the tape. According to him the world is going to end April 1st if the legislature does not pass his budget. Of course, none of these figures he throws around have nothingto do with the economy. It’s all about the Democrats increasing Medicaid coverage!!!
Whether LePage realizes it or not, he’s made all but inevitable the one thing that the Republican’s and their campaign contributor’s (among them the AMA and the Insurance Carrier’s) are terrified of, namely the legally required creation and implementation of PUBLIC OPTION. The Gov’t, either State or the Federal, is obligated under their respective Constitution’s, to provide for the health of it’s citizen’s. At the rate LePage is going, Maine’s Public Option creation is going to be coming just about the time that the 2 Party’s are holding their nominating Convention’s. LePage wants to make Maine’s health care crisis, which he created, a public spectacle and a part of each National Party’s Campaign Platform ? The Democrat’s are licking their chops over this one. They couldn’t have timed this one better if Karl Rove had been in charge. And with the coming Republican ‘can kicking’ coming, courtesy of the current Republican Primary circus, the Democrat’s would be well advised to start right now to get the P/O legislation drafted and written. Having it ready to go is gonna make it’s creation and application a lot better for the country when the time comes. It’s also going to make it better for Maine as well. Given the time of year, and the time it’s going to take to get this up and running, the time to get it drafted and written up is now.
Dunno if you saw this from the last time I posted it, but it ‘s worth repeating. I suggest reading the whole article. Notice all the out of staters.
Health Care Reform is big bidness, doncha know? We’re talking multimillions – just for the computerized Payer systems and software. Nevermind the ‘consulting fees’.
For-profit Social-Services Companies and ConsultantsChipped in $143,000
Several
donors to the PAC are in the business of taking over the operation of
state services, and presumably hope the LePage administration will
consider letting them do so here.
Virginia-based MAXIMUS
(which gave $50,000) provides “operating and consulting services” for
child support, child welfare, day care, juvenile justice, Medicaid, Food
Stamps, Social Security, job training, and Aid for Families with
Dependent Children programs. K12 MANAGEMENT INC. ($19,000) is a for-profit curriculum developer for charter schools. RESCARE INC. ($25,000) specializes in home, child, and disability care services. SELLERS DORSEY
($25,000) is a health-care and Medicaid reform consulting firm whose
clients include MAXIMUS, Pfizer, and the Maine Hospital Association.
Miami-based PREFERRED CARE PARTNERS INC. ($24,000) is a Medicaid administrative subcontractor in South Florida.
Read more: http://portland.thephoenix.com/news/114354-lepages-secret-bankers/#ixzz1k0VIFKnS
It’s gonna happen no matter what. What is gonna help is that the entire system is gonna be simplified and reduced to ONE SYSTEM. That means everyone is gonna have their information on one system. That means an end to multiple billing’s,, multiple sources of costs, it’s all gonna stop. It also means that the system, as it is now, is gonna put an end to the health insurance industry’s current scam of Managed Care, which allows them to set multiple fee’s for the same procedure’s differently all over the country. A physical in Maine is gonna cost the same as a physical in Oregon. No more price manipulation. That’s what MaineCare was suppossed to do. That it didn’t is is primarily due to the fact that Maine itself let the insurance companies, namely Anthem, bully it into ‘rate adjustment’s every year under the threat of court litigation. Public Option puts a stop to this kind of crap dead in it’s track’s ! The big question then becomes will Maine stand up to Anthem ? Given LePage’s current ‘market based’ position on MaineCare, not a chance in hell. And that is one big reason why Nov. is so important.
Public Option’s also gonna put a stop to these ridiculous prices for medicine’s. How many people die every year because they can’t get the medicine they need simply because the med’s are too high priced in one State but affordable, even cheap, in a nearby State ? How many Mainer’s right now go to Canada to get their med’s since they can’t afford them here in the U.S.A. ? As much of a critic of Canada as I may be, they do have the medicine price issue under control. This is one part of Public Option that the drug compaies are gonna fight tooth and nail since it means their gravy train is gonna finally be put to a halt. The reading of the Campaign contributor’s list’s, both here in Maine and the Presidential List’s, are gonna make for awfully interesting reading. One can be almost guaranteed that when the Public Option comes around again, in what ever form it’s mentioned, you can count on a sudden burst of campaign money ‘suddenly’ appearing in the GOP Candidate’s Campaign Fund. The drug companies and the AMA both know that the days of gouging their patient’s are coming to an end. What’s going to be revealing is when someone starts talking about the Companies practices. And it’s gonna happen. It always does.
We’re basically on the same page.
I shock people when I tell them insurance companies aren’t in the ‘Claims Business’,
they’re in the ‘Premium Business’.
I also might add that when Bush added Part D to Medicare, which was unpaid for, the states were relieved of the privilege of having to negotiate prices for prescriptions drugs. It was essentially taken out of their hands.
That’s just one spoke in the deficit wheel, but it’s significant.
Not only that but Big Pharma added a part to the law that specifically prohibited negotiating for lower bulk prices as the VA can do.Thanks George and Billy Tauzin.
Read Wendell Potter’s”Deadly Spin”
I saw many buses full of old people going to Canada “for lunch” right after the 3rd of the month.Then the word came down from DC that the buses were subject to inspection for prescriptions written in the US.The buses stopped right away.Big Pharma made sure of that.
Keep in mind that a lot of the new health care law takes effect in 2013-2014-right when Paulie gets thrown out.I feel bad for whoever takes over his mess in 2014.That will make this looks like child’s play.
Yup, this is the national Republican right wing gameplan playing itself right out here in Maine. It is what they call “starve the beast”. You cut taxes especially for the highest income earners while budgets are already tight thus further shrinking revenue/projected revenue, claim a crisis, then cut and gut the budget for the neediest citizens, education, etc. They are also continuing to attack voting rights and collective bargaining rights. It is their master plan to attack the poor and the middle class while at the same time enriching the rich and their corporate masters who can afford lobbyists and give unlimited political donations. Corporate plutocracy has come to America and to Maine. Here they are attacking MaineCare outside a comprehensive budget plan, trying to just ram it through. Their corporate healthcare bill is already causing many older, rural Mainers’ insurance to go up, and many more people are applying for health insurance assistance. But oh yes, the rich need more tax breaks. And LePage is shooting for a DHHS budget power grab to boot. Well guess what GOP TeaRadicals. Come November, you’re going to find that the butt-whooping you took on Question-1 is just the beginning.
I live near a woman that keeps having kids. Every time she has one she claims not to know who the father is. Reality check. They live together in a home, WE pay for their heat. WE pay for their food. He has a job, but pays no child support. And guess what, there’s another woman down the street doing the same thing. And another down the street from her.
It’s not the needy that should loose anything. It’s the abuse of the system that has to stop. It was funny to hear about Martins stupid rant regarding the Big Bad Corporations that fail to provide healthcare to their employees. Ask Martin how many of his employees are full time and get benefits.?.
Check the facts. Don’t just be led by these carreer politicians who only look out for what they can get for themselves. How can one logically think that the same group of people who led us to economic disaster, can be the same ones to save us from it?
LePage was voted in by a majority of voters. We have all endured years of Collins and Snowe’s RINO actions, put up with Baldacci and his Dirigo fiasco, so I think you all can deal with LePage until the next election. It’s called a democracy.
Don’t tell us, tell DHHS. We need to stop the fraud that we know about, so when this fiasco is over what monies are left can help the frozen, hungry, old people.
(;
I like your point about not trusting the very people who got us into this fiscal mess to be able to get us out of it. So much for the Dems’ promises. There is a story up this morning ( http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/19/topinka-illinois-unpaid-bill-crisis-just-keeps-getting-worse/ ) about Illinois raising its income tax by 67% last year, and STILL falling behind on debt… to the tune of 8.5 billion dollars, by some accounts. People: the spending must STOP. We do NOT have the resources to continue along this mad course. Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Isn’t that where the Liberals have taken us? By getting a grip of welfare fraud, which many people suspect is rampant, we can find savings with which to help the truly needy among us. But we Must. Cut. Spending. We do not have the money. There is no responsible way to GET the money. We must save it.
Report them. Must be nice to have so much time on your hands that you know the intimate details of so many neighbors lives! I barely know most of my neighbors, let alone the detials of their personal lives. Do you have court orders for bugging their homes?
Nobody bugged anyone. The woman worked for me part time. Don’t jump to ridiculous conclusions. These folks where we live don’t hide it.
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I’m so glad my parents raised me right taught me not to be judgemental. Unlike you.
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And probably 6 people who wish they could afford to live somewhere decent and not have you for a landlord!!! If you hate these people so much, why don’t you rent to those who can afford it on their own instead of taking the state’s money. Probably because no one else would wan to live there. You can deny it all you want, but you are judgmental and hate people. By the way, did you collect their voter registration card so you know what party they registered under???? I’m a Democrat, I have worked all my life, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs (except prescribed ones), I have a home (motgage), a car, no Dish, but TWC, 2 kids who both have fathers(hard to have a child without one!!), 2 cats, no boyfriend at the present time (by choice), and I do hate lugging out trash but still do it. I’m guessing you just plain hate Democrats. Maybe you should hate those who put us in the financial mess with huge taxbreaks for the rich and 2 wars. I think that was the Republicans. I bet you sure “hate” that state rent money you live on. And what’s wrong with paying cash???
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I certainly don’t have rose colored glasses. I wish you had walked a few miles in my shoes, then maybe you’d have some compassion. If these people are costing you so much money, you have a simple choice. Don’t rent to them!!! It’s the woman’s fault the dad isn’t involved in the child’s life? Where’s the Dad’s responsibility here?
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yes, it is the woman’s fault that the dad isn’t involved in the child’s life. Did she consider his character before she had sex with him and made a baby? Did she have a baby with him without getting married first? I am tired of woman complaining about the good for nothing guy. isn’t she the 1 who chose to “do him?”
“Rep. Peter Stuckey, D-Portland, a member of the Health and Human Services Committee, questioned the wisdom of addressing DHHS’ financial problems outside the context of the overall state budget, which includes major tax cuts.”
LePage is thinking outside of DHHS to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest Mainers. The Penguin’s answer: simply close the schools down.
LEWISTON –Gov. Paul LePage said Thursday he will close schools on April 1 if the Legislature doesn’t act quickly to plug a $221 million hole in the Department of Health and Human Services budget. http://www.kjonline.com/news/lepage-i-will-close-schools-if-talks-do-not-move-along_2012-01-19.html
hospitals are owed over 400 miilon on democrats watch…I don’t think you moonbats can blame this in Lepage.
About time we cut programs we simply cannot afford. No economy, no jobs, no wealthy people results in no benefits.
Has LePage produced verifiable data on DHHS’s alleged $220 million shortfall?
nossuh
Is the GOP trying to ram through these cuts – which will put 4000 healthcare workers on the unemployment line – before anyone sees these numbers?
yessah
LePage
L’ Apocalypse
yessah
Comforting to know that memorializing the status of the Patriots is uppermost on some legislator’s list of priorities.
Where can I get one those t-shirts that reads:
“We’ll remember, come November’ ?
The Socialist Party (once called Dem’s) can’t make a decision because they hope to get votes from those being removed from MaineCare. OBAMA new what he was doing when he changed his party’s name to the Socialist Party. I wonder how those members will deal with that come the next election? These Socialist want to tax & tax the working class. OBAMA has basically destroyed the middle class in thisCountry and our enegy cost keep climbing. Now these Socialist want us to pay for everyone’s health care and them some when we have difficulties pauning our own way. Time to go find a job and take care of yourselves and stop looking to those who work hard to make a living and just get by. Socialist Party keeps on taking and taking and taxing and taxing until you become one of them.
The Socialist Party does a good job in following OBAMA, take from those who work and give to those who don’t and will never work. We once lived in a Country with a proud people but OBAMA has changed much of that. We have a lot of work to do in order to get rid of most of what he has done and make this Country work agaqin for all Americans. No more give me this & give me that.
Well don’t let us poor folk keep the big wigs from the Foot Game!!!
Will someone please propose a study of moving all Maine residents onto MaineCare with a premium based on a sliding scale according to income with a max of say $1,600 per month for a family. That means all employees whether state, local or private would be covered and no more employer benefits – even if mandated by a union contract. Every body pays their own and if you are very poor you are still covered. Eliminate fee for service and put all health professionals on salary. The private insurers are making obscene profits – why not let the state make the profits.
The original bill Bush signed in 2003 started with that provision.
In 2007 there was a bill introduced, that would have struck down that particilar part in order to allow the Secretary of Health to negotiate prices for Medicare. Republican Senators were successful in voting that down – on behalf of their Phrma’s and the Health Insurance Industry pals.
Obama’s Affordable Care Act will take up the mantle again. Stay tuned.