Yet another outrageous statement by Gov. Paul LePage has the state buzzing. Can the governor close schools on May 1 if his plan for cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services isn’t adopted by the Legislature, as he threatened at a Lewiston town hall meeting Thursday night? No, but he could cut funding.
Other questions follow the initial shock. Was he serious? Was it a calculated political ploy? Is it part of a weird negotiating strategy? A way of distracting opponents from the subject at hand? Or was it yet another ill-considered crack, one to add to that long list that began a year ago with telling the NAACP to kiss his butt and ending most recently with asking former legislator Judy Paradis “What planet are you on?” at a meeting in Fort Kent.
There’s no divining his motives or his modus operandi. But the governor has a year under his belt in the Blaine House and a clear pattern has emerged. He either refuses to accept the nuance and diplomacy of governing, or he is unable to learn it.
It’s time for the governor to get more serious about his job and the problems the state faces.
When he emerged against all odds as his party’s nominee last June, and when he prevailed in a five-way race for the Blaine House, most observers understood Paul LePage’s agenda. It echoed that of his hero, Ronald Reagan — get government off the backs of business by cutting taxes and regulations, shrink the size of the state’s social service bill and implement common-sense and practical reforms to education.
That agenda is overly simplistic. And that may explain why the governor grows so angry when the clear but unrealistic benchmarks he sets aren’t easily achieved.
And what he has achieved, such as cutting the top income tax rate and the estate tax, he fails to understand in context. The tax cuts must be understood as part of the problem of the $120 million shortfall in the DHHS budget. Isolating MaineCare costs as a single problem and not acknowledging the connection to cuts in the state revenue stream is a ham-handed way to manage.
Dragging education into this fight, which the governor understands is the most important thing the state can do to help people out of poverty, is nonsensical. It also undercut an interesting plan Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen is rolling out around the state, including at the Lewiston meeting.
For some reason, Gov. LePage sees his proposed cuts to DHHS — cuts that would dump 65,000 Mainers of health insurance rolls — as his goal-line stand. He took the unprecedented step of sitting in on discussions of the cuts the Appropriations Committee had with DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew, then belittling legislators’ questions of her.
Again, a year into his term, the governor should have a more sophisticated understanding of how state government works.
There are important debates to be had about Maine’s social service spending. And some of what the governor wants to accomplish is reasonable. But he must acknowledge there are a lot of moving parts in this complex department.
With absurd threats like closing schools added to that long list of inflammatory statements, the governor only weakens his position in the give-and-take that is state government. And a weakened governor is not what we need in these times.
Waking up a complacent electorate long used to accounting gimmicks, borrowing forward, shifting operational expenses into bonded debt was needed to come to grips with the yawning gap between revenue being poured into health, welfare and public education and collecting more to pay for every service and subsidy lobbyists want.
The governor has said what do you want to keep and what can you either do without or with less of, cause we don’t have the revenue and the Federal government is reducing our allocation.
And he did it bluntly and forcefully.
And if you won’t reduce K-12 spending to reflect falling enrollments in K-12 and USM and reallocate it to health & welfare programs; whose taxes are you going to raise?
So BND which are you going to recommend; cause chastising the Governor’s style and stance is not only avoiding the inevitable, but fueling partisan rancor and hate speech, and making you look impotent.
Let’s not forget that the governor you are championing here has consistently acted as if he is beholden to ALEC and not to the people of Maine.
Every “crisis” that LePage has faced has been created by LePage himself. A time of economic downturn and high unemployment is not a time to cut the social safety net or close the door on projects that would put people to work and build infrastructure. It is not a time to cut taxes on those who can afford to pay them. As for reduced federal allocations, reducing Maine’s contribution to MaineCare will itself result in a huge reduction in federal allocations. Plus the burden to take care of these people will still be on hospitals and local communities.
It may be true that the last few “site managers” didn’t do a good job of keeping costs under control. So now you go out and hire a guy who is hard of hearing, who doesn’t take no for ans answer, and whose only skill is driving a bulldozer.
“Accounting gimmicks, … debt”?
Do you think that only government does this? Businesses engage is the same tactics all the time and accounting / budget gimmicks are what created the DHHS budget mess.
LePage is using tricks and gimmicks to try and force his way, but it’s not going to work. He does not understand how to govern and wants everyone to see the world in simple terms to push his agenda. But, that’s the problem. The world (even in Maine) is not simple and his “solutions” will only make things worse.
As a businessman, LePage understands that results are due to cost and revenue. You cannot take one side of the equation out of the mix. Likewise, you cannot cut revenue (for the wealthy) and then say “we’re broke”! That is just a lie.
I do believe that a reasonable judge could conclude that Governor Lepage and all the Legislatures that signed the Grover Norquist Tax Pledge are engaging in a Conspiracy to Derail the State of Maine Government by way of defunding it.
This is Contrary to Article (9) Section (9) of the Maine State Constitution which says,
{The Legislature shall never in any manner suspend or surrender the power of Taxation.}
List of possible conspirators
http://s3.amazonaws.com/atrfiles/files/files/State%20Taxpayer%20Protection%20Pledge%20List_CURRENT_2012.pdf
Its time for someone to contest the pledge as unconstitutional!
The pledge is stupid, but that’s all it is. It’s not legally binding and so it does not prevent anyone from raising taxes or imply that they have given up the power to do so.
And beyond stupid, it’s cowardly and it boggles the mind that anyone would allow themselves to bullied into signing it.
The fact that legislators sign on to a pledge that co-opts their required diligence to act in the best interests of the State and to act as ideologues with forgone positions, this is telling of their moral, ethical and intellectual stature.
It is silly. It is stupid. It is not legally binding. It is, however, absolutely destroying us and the country as this is not just a Maine problem.
We must build our own future. You cannot cut your way to improved employment opportunities. It takes hard work and investment. That is what we need and what we are sorely missing.
First of all the statute says to surrender (In any Manor)
2nd Protection Rackets arent legalally binding either but they are very effective and Illegal!
And third these people that signed it take it very serious.
Let me guess, if this were an OPINION article about how wonderful LePage is, you wouldn’t have a problem that it was published by the BDN. Personally, I think the governor himself does a more than adequate job of “fueling partison rancor and hate speech”. The only “impotence” I see, is in the governor’s inability to address his own people with the respect and dignity citizens of Maine deserve.
Yeah you’re right…if he only yelled more…or perhaps strangled a puppy on live tv…all our problems would be solved in the wink of a tax break to the wealthiest 3,000 Mainers…
No Apathy for Austerity!
Resist LePage Shock Therapy!
Closing the schools May 1 is a reasonable solution to the funding problem. Anyone with children already knows that all learning stops after the return from April vacation. The teachers are just marking time with field trips and other wastes of time for which they don’t bother with a lesson plan.
That’s a great attitude. Why not go one better, and just ditch the schools completely? The kids are all just going to drop out and go on welfare anyhow.
Because the liberals chased the paper mills out of state so there are no more union jobs for the illiterate.
That’s right, I forgot – cheaper manufacturing overseas had nothing to do with the economic downturn here.
You are terribly informed.
What you don’t know about what happens in the schools througout the ENTIRE year is a LOT.
The staffs and the students arguably work their HARDEST toward the end of the year as they work to complete their curriculum units.
There is no need to chuck out such foolish statements based on an utter and obvious lack of knowledge and understanding.
yes but those days still count, so if he closes the schools will the children have to repeat the grade or go to summer school because they lost all those days? summer school isn’t free.
so says a 6th grade graduate
LOL!
I disagree with your statement, I’ve worked in the school and the teachers and students work hard into June. When you start using snow days, yes we have lost them to the summer vacation. Closing schools is no solution….unless he his plans are for kids to give up on school to go work for Mardens!! No BA needed there!!
Field trips?! During the past three years, my son has been on ONE field trip….stop talking out your rear end like our dear governor.
Why not really save the economy and knock off in December…..
Are you kidding me? We need better skilled graduates, less will not yield better outcomes.
Your mistake is to associate education with the public schools. One is a desirable and necessary commodity, the other is a jobs program for the lame and the lazy.
You better take that up with the Constitution. They are enshrined. Sorry you didn’t have a better experience. I went to all public schools and out test the best private school kids. Guess they vary considerably. I am proud of what our teachers do, from my experience.
Landslide LePage is a good example of why businessmen have a difficult time in politics. You just can’t order people to do things and have them fall in line. It takes cooperation to achieve anything in politics and you have to take into consideration other people. Landslide LePage would get a lot more done if he toned down the rhetoric and looked for occasions to compromise.
Kudos to the Govenor!
Again, a year into his term, the governor should have a more sophisticated understanding of how state government works.
I would say he has a VERY good understanding of how the state government works! They overspend and do not have any idea where the money is coming from. In our house when we are out of money we CUT SPENDING!
Chances are good that your house is not a democracy, but more of a monarchy. LePage needs to learn (and you would do well to learn) that government in Maine is not run like a monarchy. Compromise, and paying attention to what the other side has to say, is how things get done. Not by threatening, cursing, and holding his breath until his face turns blue.
WHAT!! Cutting spending in my home has nothing to do with democracy or monarchy! It has to do with the fact that when there isn’t any money……………………THEN YOU DON’T SPEND ANY I think you would do well to learn about good ole’ fashioned economics! I am not really happy with his “bedside manner” but he sure seems to get my feeling on spending.
yet he doesnt mind giving 200 million in tax breaks to the wealthy- there was money for that i guess—. How about good old fashioned economics versus some trickle down absurdity that he and apparently you subscribe to
Who creates jobs? I’ll wait for your answer… Ok.. Don’t want to wait all day..
Business OWNERS!!!!!!!!!!!! Not the government…. So when he gives the business OWNER’S the tax breaks, who does that immediately impact?
Ok, no more riddles, as I see it’s a slow day for the left…
The workers and business see the impact. Why? Because more tax incentives for hiring and credits for improving productivity result in higher efficiency and more business moving to our state.. I guess in your mind the “jobs” should probably come from government, right? So by donating more of our income through taxes to support another 200 “jobs” in gov’t is better than providing private industry the chance and incentives to help grow our LOCAL economy by increasing our reliance on goods and services and JOBS provided by those business owners?
Why can’t you all just see that employment through our gov’t was not the idea that the founding fathers had to keep us economically sound.. Private industry should drive our economy before the gov’t… but I guess we couldn’t rely on the welfare programs if we all had productive and financially positive incomes……
Don’t worry, I’m sure there will be some left-leaning imposter that will get elected in a couple of years… Then we can scream about the “61%” or whatever that didn’t elect LePage.. But if you look real hard at those numbers.. that 61% didn’t cohesively elect a Dem either… Too bad you guys couldn’t team up for the spot, huh?
ya mean like the bush tax cuts created jobs? it seems to be a VERY slow day for the right
just a typical conservative , bleats about welfare but ignores corporate welfare.
From Forbes–hardly a liberal rag
”
“It’s a mainstay of conservative orthodoxy that tax cuts create jobs. In fact, the complexity of the tax code does create jobs for high-priced tax attorneys and accountants. But do tax cuts create “real” jobs?
The answer appears to be no for companies big and small. After all, U.S. public companies pay well-below the official 35% tax rate while 13.5 million American workers search unsuccessfully for jobs And start ups tell me that tax cuts don’t affect whether they’ll create new jobs. In short, the tax cut rhetoric, while effective politics, is lousy economics.”
So tax cuts have not spurred big companies to create jobs. But what about start ups? Based on my October 2010 interviews with 17 start up CEOs, my conclusion is that not a single one of them would create a job based on tax cuts. All of them told me that their decision to create a new job would be based on whether the long-term cost of that new job would be offset by higher revenues and profits.”
read the rest http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2011/05/03/do-tax-cuts-create-jobs/
i dont hold out much hope for comprehension
care for some more showing your idea tax cuts create jobs is wrong?
btw – if you have ever read the constitution?,, have you ever noticed capitalism mentioned? or corporation?
wonder why the founding fathers never mentioned either of those if they thought it was so important
I liked this comment but just wanted to say!!!! oh yea!! You go!!
well, when a BUSINESS magazine like Forbes says tax cuts for business doesnt create jobs, i guess we all know they understand economics better than some faux news parrot
you know about Forbes, don’t you? thats the magazine that called lepage a liar when he lied when quoting them
You’ve got to be kidding me. You think a single earner making $19,500 is wealthy. I suppose you think a couple filing jointly who make $39,000 are also wealthy. These are the people who benefited the most from the LePage tax cuts. How dare you say they are wealthy?
When there’s no money you don’t give tax breaks to your wealthy friends. Do you do that at your house?
Who are his wealthy friends, little dirty secret the middle class in Maine gets plenty of tax breaks too.
Ooooohhhh, no they don’t.
It is a proven fact that tax cuts create jobs. You absolutely CANNOT continue to take money from people that legitimately earn it and GIVE it to people who do nothing. It is not a system that can maintain itself. Sorry.
simply not true, tax cuts do not create jobs–neither do right wing talking points
It is a proven fact tax cuts do not create jobs. If you doubt the facts open your eyes and take a look around! Do you believe republican propaganda before your own senses? Sad sad : (
The point is, the way the governor is going about it would be like your husband stomping around your house and declaring there is plenty of money for beer and cable, but you’d better cut back on your grocery bill.
But I’ll bet you don’t reduce your income and then complain when you can’t pay the bills
Taxes are TAKEN not Earned so I would not classify them as INCOME.
Our unfortunate governor has not a clue about how a governor should behave or how the process of governing works. The administration of Mr LePage has made two things very clear:
The skills of running a discount store do not prepare one for running a state.
Those approving Mr. LePage are not lauding his political accomplishments. They are enjoying the spectacle of Mr. LePage’s bullying, because it validates and legitimizes their hate.
Actually I think if the the state of Maine was run a little more like a business instead of a welfare office, then we would be in much better shape. This state is one of the worst for business.
you mean like all the businesses that our tax dollars bailed out? or the ones that get TIF’s and other forms of corporate welfare? you want the state run more like those kinds of businesses?
I wish people would stop reacting as a result of emotions.
uh-huh. Show us a business that thinks it’s a good idea to improve their bottom line by reducing revenue. How many business people would think THAT was a good idea?
….
“All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions.” ~Adlai E. Stevenson
Progress results when intelligent people take wise positions that are not popular with the general population. This is not the case with Mr. LePage. The stupidity and rancor of his positions makes them justifiably unpopular.
Or you get a second job, hold a yard sale or get a better paying job. Life is not simple and simple solutions sound great, but they rarely work.
Sadly, all LePage can offer are simple solutions. Solutions that will only cause more problems.
Do you, in your house, like the State, CUT SPENDING by cutting back on food, heat or meds for your grandparent that may be living with you or the child that is sick because they have the least income? You or your husband get to keep all of your heat, medical care and food because you earn more money.
But are we really “out of money”? By cutting the estate tax for those fortunate enough to inherit wealth, for example, the governor eliminated some income for the state. In your analogy, it’s as if you quit the part-time job you had, then found yourself unable to pay all your bills.
That tax cut has not even taken effect yet, so it has no bearing on this budget right now. You can’t take back what you haven’t even given out yet.
The inheritance tax is not just about inheriting wealth. Lots of times it is being applied to a small family business.If that family business is taxed punitively when it is handed on to beneficiaries, then it is a very real possibility that that business will have to close, thus eliminating jobs.
untrue, look at some actual data and dont parrot right wing talking points/lies
Myth 3: Many small, family-owned farms and businesses must be liquidated to pay estate
taxes.
Reality: The number of small, family-owned farms and businesses that owe
any estate tax at all is tiny, and virtually no such farms and businesses have to
be liquidated to pay the tax.
Myth 9: The estate tax is best characterized as the “death tax.”Reality: The estates of nearly all people who die are tax free
Myth 10: The United States taxes estates highly compared to other countries
Reality: U.S. estate tax revenues as a share of GDP are below the international
average for taxes on wealth read the rest–http://www.cbpp.org/files/estatetaxmyths.pdf
In *my* house I don’t give away money (reduce taxes on the upper income folks) when I know that I’ve got a lot of heavy expenses (recession & related unemployment etc) coming up…..
Neither do I, but in “my” house I do expect the able bodied people to carry some of the weight. :-)
Paul Richard LePage is rapidly becoming the best friend democrats ever had. His antics and the way he goes about trying to get his proposals passed is leaving a very bad taste in the mouths of Mainers. For over a year we have watched as the Chief Executive of The State of Maine has done practically everything, I’m sure he has more tricks up his sleeve, to embarrass Maine and her people He spent a good part of 2010 going around the State telling anyone who would listen that he was the man who could bring jobs to Maine. Where are they? By some accounts we have 4500 less jobs now then when he took office. Mainers have long had a reputation for a strong work ethic. To hear LePage tell it Maine is made up almost entirely of lazy lay abouts who do nothing but wallow at the public troth. I have yet to hear Maine’s number one cheerleader say one positive thing about our State or her people. When he doesn’t get his way he acts like a spoiled child and pouts and then makes threats. He is on record as saying that Maine kids don’t need a BA degree and with his threat to close the schools he is taking a step towards proving it. While the rest of the world is doing its best to improve their education systems Paul Richard LePage is using it as a bargaining chip. Paul Richard LePage by doing the things he does will put an end to republican majorities in both houses of the legislature. That is the best news democrats could hear.
Maine is made up of a bunch a lazy folk. The hard work ethic you speak of was replaced by a sense of entitlements. As an example, Mainers are very lazy compared to people in NYC. How many in this state get assistance?
laugh out loud flat_lander-I have some recommendations for you, but I will keep this discussion civilized. What we need from you is real data, facts not speculation or Fox news talking points. Generally, people are not lazy, but some are and some aren’t-and if you do some research that requires real work, you will discover this to be true in every corner of the country-regardless of government programs or entitlements. What Maine needs is its lawmakers to work together-“Real Work” that includes compromise and respect for others’ opinions. It is a lazy man’s approach to criticize those whom they do not agree with. It is a lazy man’s approach to employ a “Divide and Conquer” negotiating tactic such as the one used by Maine’s governor, Paul LePage. “Real Work” requires compassion, respect, the ability to self evaluate, the ability to think long-term, the ability to understand short-term consequences, and the ability to persuade those who feel differently with truth not rhetoric-Good Luck my friend with your attitude, you are going to need it! Peace and Love
Do Not lump all people that live in Maine in this ignorant remark that you made here!!I can speak for myself that I have Never had a really lazy day in my entire life, unless I was really ill—I have worked my entire life, and will until I can no longer get around!!—I can suggest a nice warm place where you can put this remark!
Ever been lobstering?
How do you figure Mainers are “very lazy compared to people in NYC”? What an odd statement. Facts, please.
As long as Lepage keeps the pressure on people such as yourself, I’m going to continue supporting him.
Aint that the truth!
I guess the Maine People’s Alliance contacted their comrades again.
no,it started before he was governor when he said,”if I become governor,I’m going to Washington and kick Obama’s butt”.That began a long string of him shooting off his mouth.When will it end?? When SOMEBODY stands up to his bullying,and tell him to shut his mouth unless he has something productive to say…
People will not tell the governor to shut up because most people have something Mr. LePage lacks; dignity, courtesy, and respect for the office of governor. We will, however, continue to think it.
I agree with you. Several weeks ago I was a guest at a small state function and found myself quite startled to have Mr. LePage approach me with his hand extended to shake. I automatically shook his hand, though my heart said, “This guy needs a punch in the gut!” Then, I must admit, I reflexively wiped my hand on my skirt–and felt embarrassed, because that was rude.
He’s somewhat of an educated dummy, with a very smart mouth that pushes ALL his weight around, because so far he can, no one put him in his proper place yet, which is out the door on his duff….
Thank GOD for the good Maine people, you all voted for him great job Maine now live with you vote some one in Maine should wake up hint hint recall recall
You need to be very careful when you’re using direct quotations. You must make sure that what is in the quotation marks is exactly what the person said. He did not say that he was going to kick Obama’s butt. He said he was going to tell him to “go to Hell.”
Right…like that’s any better.
Freedom of speech.
LePage never said that he would “kick Obama’s butt.” Candidate LePage promised to tell President Obama to “Go to Hell.”
Video here:
http://www.dirigoblue.com/2010/09/lepage-promises-to-tell-president-obama-to-go-to-hell/
,..Excuse myself, I did not notice that it was an editorial,.. still, though poor timing, I have witnessed bias from multiple news media. Human: Check, thanks for pointing out my error everyone,.. kudo’s to the editor for his opinion, and the opportunity to share my own.
It’s an editorial! What happened to the adage, “think before you speak”?
and it will be a dark day in journalism if Fox News “fair and balanced” reporting takes the place of reporting the facts. Asking a left wing extremist what they think, then a right wing extremist what they think, then quoting them both is not unbiased reporting. Good gravy.
You do understand the difference between a news article and an editorial? Don’t you?
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=define+editorial
The editor has a right to say whatever they like but the BDN has repeatedly shown that it is no more than a Democratic party shill willing to demolish any chance that LePage has of turning the state around. Therefore you can just take everything the BDN says and drop it in the hopper and flush.
and you continue not only to read it, but to comment endlessly on it.
Which is my right as well. OR are you suggesting I have don’t have the same rights you do? Normal left wing response to anyone who disagrees is denial of the same liberties. I would never say that to you. That defines the basic left right split.
You appear to have completely ignored the possibility that LePage’s style and comments do hurt his chances for gaining consensus, passing legislation and increasing job opportunities.
I think the facts are certainly there…sorry if you disagree with the rhetoric…
I do believe that a reasonable judge could conclude that Governor Lapage and all the Legislatures that signed the Grover Norquist Tax Pledge are engaging in a Conspiracy to Derail the State of Maine by way of defunding it.
This is Contrary to Article (9) Section (9) of the Maine State Constitution which says,
{The Legislature shall never in any manner suspend or surrender the power of Taxation.}
List of possible conspirators
http://s3.amazonaws.com/atrfiles/files/files/State%20Taxpayer%20Protection%20Pledge%20List_CURRENT_2012.pdf
Its time for someone to contest the pledge as unconstitutional!
I’ve signed my own pledge. I will never vote for any politician of any party who signs a pledge to some outside party that handcuffs them from serving the people in their constituancy to the best of their ability.
Grover Norquist is not elected by anyone. He holds no position in the tree of government. There fore I relegate him to my own personal negative pile along with ALEC/MHPC.
Thank You, for your reasonable position.
The Power of Taxation is a tool to faciltate government.
Taking it away is like going to your local Auto Mechanic and expecting that he repair your car without spending any of your Money!
Consider it a union pledge, patom. A taxpayer’s union. You of all people should be able to understand Solidarity Forever.
MAINE
Gov. Paul R. LePage
4 Senators of 35
Nichi Farnham (S-32)
Lois Snowe-Mello (S-15)
Doug Thomas (S-27)
David Trahan (S-20)
31 House members of 151
Bruce Bickford (H-70)
David Burns (H-32)
Richard M. Cebra (H-101)
Mike Celli (H-21)
Kathleen Chase (H-147)
Dale Crafts (H-104)
Dean A. Cray (H-28)
Jarrod S. Crockett (H-91)
Philip A. Curtis (H-86)
Andre Cushing (H-39)
Dana L. Dow (H-50)
Peter Edgecomb (H-4)
Stacey A. Fitts (H-29)
Leslie Fossel (H-53)
Jeffery Gifford (H-12)
Peter Johnson (H-27)
Dennis Keschl (H-83)
L. Gary Knight (H-81)
Ricky Long (H-9)
Michael D. McClellan (H-103)
Jonathan McKane (H-51)
Susan Morissette (H-54)
Robert Nutting (H-78)
Beth A. O’Connor (H-145)
Wayne Parry (H-140)
John Picchiotti (H-84)
Wesley E. Richardson (H-49)
Deborah Sanderson (S-52)
Ralph Sarty Jr. (H-99) Heather Sirocki (H-128)
G. Paul Waterhouse (H-98) The above Maine politicians have sworn fielty to Grover Norquist.
What Maine citizens need from their leaders is a serious, thoughtful, and respectful approach to the challenges that we face. I acknowledge that the ability to emerge from our current situation will require courageous — and really hard — decisions, some of which may be difficult for me personally to swallow.
We need a productive conversation around the issues confronting our state and the alternatives will that allow us to survive — and thrive. The BDN has hit the nail on the head with regard to Governor LePage’s actions. Inflammatory — and ill-informed — soundbites don’t lead to productive conversations and real solutions. Instead, they deflect our attention from the pressing matters of true governance, from those difficult decisions…and serve to increase the divide rather than bridge the gap.
Mainers deserve better than we’re getting from our leaders. We deserve a reasonable debate about the very real problems here today and looming in the future. And we deserve a governor that can articulate and lead a plan of attack rather than stabbing wildly in the dark.
He is a loud mouth an needs to be thrown out of office
Me thinkem him use of english not good sometime but him get job done me vote for paleface again him no speak with forked tongue like the liberals do
I agree knowitall! And last time I checked, being a loud mouth was not a valid reason for being thrown out of office.
I find it odd as well (and often overlooked) many of these ALEC governors GAVE out tax breaks that total the deficit of the state budget which must be balanced. They create the very constricting they seek. Probably to help Norquist in his plan of drowning the government (you know, teachers, firefighters, sanitation, police, justice, et al) in a bath tub.
Governor LePage increased education funding by 63 million dollars. Does this sound like a man who wants to cut education? Of course not. What I see is a very liberal and inaccurate press who takes everything he says out of context, simply to destroy the LePage agenda of government accountability. Shame on the press for continually lying to the Maine people. If we look back, it was Baldacci who kept robbing money from the education budget to fund his ever increasing Medicaid budget. LePage knows that Maine needs a good educational system and refuses to steal money from the education budget to fund a Medicaid program that is 35% above the national average.
Baldacci left the State of Maine is financial shambles and there was no investigative reporting from the press. Does this sound like an unbiased press? The media is totally sickening and it’s no wonder they’re having such financial difficulties!!
Go Governor LePage, you’ve got the support of thousands of Mainers!
In 2008, spending on education was 28% of the budget. In 2011, it was 26%. http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/statelocal_spending_2011MErn Your unsupported numbers are suspect.
That is only because the budget was less in 2008 than it is in 2011. So, as a percentage, more was spent, but as an actual dollar amount, less was spent.
Your point is? Do you understand that the most illuminating way of looking at how spending is prioritized is to look at the relative values? Am I wasting time with an anonymous poster that is not interested in critical analysis, but simply a shill for the governor?
Relative values may give you ammuntion to contend that an administration takes one thing more seriously than another–such as our national defense budget vs. our national education budget. But it does not mean we spent more one year versus another on the one item.
The truth is that LePage’s budget increased funding to education. His budget also spends more that Baldacci’s last budget spent.
Is accusing one of being a shill–now, is that critical analysis? I don’t know you from Stan Tupper, so even if you do use your real name, you are just as anonymous to me as I am to you. Except that I really am thegreatwandini.
You completely missed Stan’s point and just parroted your own starting point as if he didn’t say what he did??? This doesn’t win the debate. You need to restate his position and then break it down with logic… .
Well stated. Very few people understand the workings of legislature and budgeting. In order to balance a budget difficult cuts must be made. They are lucky this mom isn’t up there cutting. I lived on grandmothers powered milk, salt pork, potato, biscuits and on a lucky day macaroni. Goodbye plastic grub cards. Hello, nutritional food voucher.(set it up just like W.I.C) They won’t dump a jars of peanutbutter and a carton of eggs. Watching water dumping and now milk dumping (because the glass jugs are worth more) makes me ill. Those foodstamps are meant to feed their children.
Interesting…I’ve never heard of being able to redeem milk jugs.
Point me to where I can buy milk in a jug. I would much rather use glass then plastic.
Could you please post sources for the governors $63,000,000 increase in educational funding. There were some much needed changes made in the educational funding formulas but I can find no reference to additional funding for a sum of this magnitude. Thanks.
We can’t put a dim wit in the Blaine house and expect smart governing. It makes us look like rubes. The voters of Maine wanted an ax man with little to no empathy for the poor to go to Augusta and swing the ax, well we got him.
Oh you mean like the dimwit that resided there the last 8 years
Yes, only much dimmer.
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The governor is not going to change. Everyone needs to accept that and understand that the legislature has to learn to govern around him. He’ll be backed into a corner. He cannot veto everything.
The leaders in the legislature can find common ground or can at least block anything he tries to do. This would be in everyone’s interest while we wait until he is Florida bound.
Why are full, real names so rare in this forum? There’s a connection between cogent, considered comments, and an identifiable avatar. Anonymity appears to coincide with extreme viewpoints.
Hey—this is my real name.
It is an interesting situation…
I have sent two letters to both major paper publishers extolling the virtues of the public forums in which we can express our views of the issues of the day. I have expressed that I feel it is important that we all use our real names, and there are many good reasons.
The most important reason to not allow the use of an anonymous persona is to remove the white sheet and the pointed hat. In the past, the white sheet allowed those that held certain beliefs to show those beliefs without fear of being exposed for who they really are.
While some would argue that they fear repercussions of speaking out in public on what might be controversial, the question might be does that weigh more int he discussion?
Are the online forums something that benefit the publishers of these sites? IS the controversy brewed up in here something that will dissipate if the forum becomes restricted? IS that a good or bad thing?
We are all here as guests, and we participate according to the rules set out by the owners of the sites…. but it makes a good discussion.
One of the reasons is there were several instances of cyber-stalking.
Yes, if the state runs out of money he could close public schools. I believe he will do everything in his power to ensure that this doesn’t happen. Not a savvy political move to watch your states schools close. Its about time Lepage and all his state senators (house) work on minimum wage until the budget is balanced. Once they get things balanced for awhile then maybe they can afford to find themselves a pay raise if they can’t find it, well that is the way the budget gets balanced in my company. I don’t get paid until my employees get paid. All my companies bills are paid including taxes then I get what is leftover.
Not only was the Reagan agenda oversimplistic, it was disasterous for the country, as our generation is now finding out.
You Republicans wanted him, now get rid of him…
He should’ve stayed at Mardens
….
He may yet salvage the state. What a terrible word to have to use when writing about the state of Maine. I allways thought that the people of this state had wide shoulders. From the comments here, it appears that most of them don’t realize that there isnt any money left in the kitty.
…
It’s not that liberals and Bangor Daily editorial writers are ignorant, its just that much of what they
know isn’t true.
At the Fort Kent meeting, LePage threatened to close schools or shut down the State government on April 1. Watch:
http://youtu.be/vDqh0y0ukHQ
So.
Hey, Gerald;
It’s nice to see someone else willing to stand behind his views.
Democrat and Democrat lite….
You have no idea. Clue: Dagny Taggart my favorite fictional heroine. Probably ought not reply to someone that goes by “Cheesecake”. Blood’s up because of uninformed commentary.
What is it with you and attacking people because of their chosen moniker? I suppose it’s to cover up your lack of debating skills.
I replied because you were wrong about my party affiliation. That was a demonstrably false statement of fact. If you choose to go by “Cheesecake1955”, you probably need some help understanding that you’ve little credibility.
By law our State’s budget must balance prohibiting us from having deficit spending.
To accomplish that, past governors have submitted a supplemental budget to the legislature on or before the start of the special session. Monies were transfered from account to account and cuts were made to attempt satisfy most of our demands.
To date Mr LePage has not submitted a supplemental budget for the legilature to look at. All that he wishes them to consider is the gutting of DHHS. Even at this he and his crew are unable or unwilling to produce real numbers and lay everything out on the table.
Is this how he is planning to handle the entire budget ? If so we may not have a completed supplemental budget until next January.
One would think it would be most helpful if Mr Lepage and crew would lay out the supplemental budget so it could be dealt with in a timely fashion. Makes one wonder if they even have a budget or the clues necessary to put one together.
The Appropriations Committee has been working on the Supplemental Budget submitted by Gov. LePage for two weeks. The bill is LD1746 sponsored by the chair of the committee, Sen. Richard Rosen.
Maybe in your mind he diminishes his power, but when it comes to getting results, LePage’s style is working. I think he understands how state government works much better than you give him credit for. The Legislature is full of party politics. The party that is out of power jockeys to attempt to make the majority look bad, while at the same time attempting to get what they can to further their agenda. Although most news outlets have taken this school comment out of context and have run with it to make a splash with their readership, I have no doubt there is an element of truth is what LePage said. I do believe that if the legislature doesn’t act to close the funding shortfall in DHHS, and the department runs out of money on April 1, LePage will write the state checks to what needs to be paid first. And that would be care for the elderly before schools.
How was the comment taken out of context? I watched the video and that is exactly what he said.
The context was that if DHHS is not reformed to fill the budget gap in the agency, then he would choose to “close schools” over letting nursing homes go unpaid. There was no threat at all in his tone. He was simply stating what his priorities with funding would be.
If you watched the video of that meeting, then you must have heard a lot of discussion worthy of news coverage such as plans for a 5 year high school that incorporates a year of college credits. His comments on schools closing came after a very heartfelt appeal from a hospital adminstrator about the effects of cutting MaineCare to his hospital. In response, LePage made the point again that the state cannot borrow money, and it is getting less money from the feds. He stressed the urgency of the situation at DHHS. To distill the whole exchange down to “LePage threatens to close schools” is extremely misleading and exacerbates the poisonous political dialog in this state.
Just another daily attack on our Governor.
He was making the point that if cuts are not made the checks cannot be cut. It really is that simple. The only ones politicizing the issue is the BDN.
.. then make the point without making threats. Why does he feel the need to threaten… it is behavior that is unacceptable for a man at his level. He could have EASILY avoided this by thinking a bit more about how he said what he did. He could have turned the statement simply by saying ” it is a difficult situation, as an example, to fill the gap we could close the schools on May 1, or shut down DOT for X days, or or or… IE he could have used the same example and given the choice to others .. allow them in on the decision… but he took the approach of “Do THIS or there will be PAIN for all” which just is not going to work for most people…. Most of us learned to ignore such Bully statements by the time we got halfway through high school…. so why should we listen to it now?
The Governor MUST understand that just because he is Governor does not give him the right to disrespect the intelligence of the people he is supposed to be leading. When he talks down to me, especially from what I perceive as an ignorant position, he looses all power to convince me of anything. His obvious anger at not getting his own way is not a trait suitable for effective governing.
The Governor talks down to you? Where? Are you afraid of the truth? Lots more coming.
Sigh… I will explain….the way he talks.. is as if he believes he is much more intelligent than anyone else and his approach is that of someone that is trying to teach but has not patience.
However, the reality is that I and many others do not perceive him as having these qualities and we do not perceive him as being more intelligent… and to whit, I would say that “we” detractors of LePage have a great deal of trouble accepting that he is intelligent enough to be in the office he holds.
His behavior, crudeness, his lack of tact, grace or ability to construct sentences that do not offend at every turn of the head, are all things we see as lack of control and lack of maturity that are not conducive the the effective operation of our State government.
The truth, as you call it, is not something the rest of us recognize as the truth.
What truth? by the way? That Maine has a deep seeded base of bigotry and hatred just waiting to bloom? We already know this. The shocker is the GOP’ers that feel they can act this way and not be called on it.
Many leaders in the past felt they have been full of truths, but this does not make what they say true. When inspceting what LePage says and has said, he is fulls of lies and innuendo and half truths, in fat that seems to be the mantra of the Maine GOP, to use innuendo and hearsay and accusation as the basis for passing laws in this State, and it will not happen, just as we tossed out the Voter laws of last year we will do the same with misguided legislation this year.
Care to reply intelligently or are you just going to be a mouthpiece for your parties twisted efforts.
…Not really. He’s very much on the radar nationally, and not in a good way.
The media is not exactly in love with Republicans are they? Or anyone who disagrees with them comrade.
….
BDN rarely prints a nice photo of our Governor. Consider the source.
Perhaps there isn’t one.
“”””It echoed that of his hero, Ronald Reagan — get government off the backs
of business by cutting taxes and regulations, shrink the size of the
state’s social service bill and implement common-sense and practical
reforms to education.”””
Reaganomics didn’t work then it wont work now.. This almost bankrupted us back then and it took many years to get out of it.. Now these Republicans are bringing it back..
“””””And what he has achieved, such as cutting the top income tax rate and
the estate tax, he fails to understand in context. The tax cuts must be
understood as part of the problem of the $120 million shortfall in the
DHHS budget. Isolating MaineCare costs as a single problem and not
acknowledging the connection to cuts in the state revenue stream is a
ham-handed way to manage.”””””
See give to the rich and take from the poor that is the true agenda of these republicans… Exactly what Grover Nordquist is preaching and the Tea Baggers alike.. Impeach the SOB and start over.. This Liepage charector is killing Maine!!!
He continues to make a great punchline on late-night TV, though.
Was you there to hear the Governor? Just because the BDN used the word “threatening” does not make it so, but it may sell more newspapers. Lepage cannot print money and he must balance the books, hopefully without the gimmicks used in the past. If Lepage was giving the scenario at hand, what is wrong with that, other than not wanting to hear it. We are in dire times regardless of how people spin it.
Re-Elect LePage
Frenchy has to go. Enough.
the most dangerous and vicious opponent one can face is the one who gets or feels backed into a corner or “weakened”.
Gov. LePage may soon be tempted to uncover the value in his republican colleagues brinkmanship skills and adopt it more or less as a strategy. Hey…after all, you may be able to use it successfully to get what you want.
The good news is that that type of leadership style breeds an environment where others start to get up the courage to tell him to “go to hell”. At its core, effective leadership is about credibility. The beauty or danger (depending on your point of view) is when a large block of people allow someone who is perceived to share their core values a free pass without so much as a thought for anything else. Maine has major challenges and is in need of some serious leadership. Fact is, a strong leader is exactly what Maine needs, but one that threatens, intimidates, and belittles signals that things have to get a whole lot worse before they will get any better. citation = (History, beginning of time)
In my opinion, that is the true value of what Gov. LePage represents. He is a four year wake-up call to those with solid ideas/proposals for Maine’s future to step forward. But if they can’t come up with anything and/or want to pout about how bad Gov. LePage is….maybe another four year timeout is just what we need.
I believe the governor is beginning to realize he’s bitten off more than he can chew. This ain’t Mardens he’s trying to run.
We have only two choices here either LePage is unskilled in leadership, state government, and social change (The Republicans have been hiding him for most of the last year presumably to train him) or he is simply emotionally incapable of making mature decisions. Too bad we do not have a reasonable provision to recall a Governor who’s emotional stability is so much in question.
I guess he could be more like Baldacci & King and just say pre-recorded sound bytes all the time that amount to wishy-washy warm fuzzy nonsense while the ship sinks around him. Or, like LePage has done, shake things up, save the sinking ship and be rough around the edges while doing it. For me, I’ll take rough around the edges while saving the ship any day over warm-fuzzy sound byte crap with a sinking ship.
He’s not saving anything, least of all our reputation.
The Governor can make all the nonsencical statements he wants but the fact is that he (Lepage) is at the helm and is currently the captain of that ship, and so far he hasn’t done a single thing to stop the sinking.
….
Mainers are practical and neighborly by nature. This administration is neither of these things. If you are progressive, look on the bright side. After the McKernan debacle, the GOP lost its grip on power for 16 years. The same fate awaits again. The overreach is predictable. the backlash for it is also predictable. The governor has started his drive to disenfranchizing voters early to give him a chance. It will not work. The people in this high participation state will overturn any attempt to roll back voting rights. Maine is as far from being a Jim Crow friendly state as any of the 50.
Weakness breeds desperation. I can only imagine how this will manifest by year 3.
When voting law changes come, we must repeal them if they can get passed. When right to work comes, we must do the same. Impoverishing working Mainers by destroying the ability for working people to organize will hold us back. This is America. This is Maine. Workers deserve to have a voice. They are not reducible to mere minions and pawns to big corporations. Our green, natural spaces are a vital part of what and who we are. We are better than these laws. We are better than this governor. Together we can minimize the damage, but we must unite behind this. This governor will stop at nothing to accomplish his agenda of selling Maine and its working residents to the highest bidder.
If you want to see the “future state” of Maine as LePage would have it, look no further than his good buddy, Haley Barbour and Mississippi. He is trying to make us more like them every day. God knows we are better as we find ourselves today.
Word of the day…”Sensitive”
I believe that the point our Governor was attempting to make for the umteenth time is that the state is running out of money and that a decision must be made quickly to either cease being a well fare state or stop funding other essential services such as education.
The lion’s share of the DHHS shortfall can be attributed to healthy able bodied people who just do not want to work. They have been living high off the hog for way too long.
You can’t have it both ways!
Some times “Shock Jock” tactics must be used to get the attention of those who do not want to listen or believe the mess this state is in.
Time for him to get serious? Are you serious, BDN? What do you think he has been doing the past year? Talk about hypocrisy! Where were you (BDN) the past eight years when this mess was developed under Baldacci? Your editorial certainly raises the level of gall you have.
The house cleaning our Governor is involved with will, hopefully, clean the trough slurpers out of Augusta. Violette has been exposed for who he is and MSHA is next along with DHHS. Keep tuned for the Dale McCormick updates which will be downplayed, no doubt, by the BDN. Go get ’em Lepage!
..he’s been the dog of the National ALEC movement and the willing partner of the MHPC…
The State has failed to keep it’s word for years so what’s the big deal about cutting funding. The Democrat controlled legislature has done this for so long I forget just how long it has actually been. And if schools can not survive without the State funding perhaps they should close and a completely now local board take over who is willing to cut expenditures where necessary. One thing is for certain, if the State wants to mandate anything then make them come up with the money or blow it back in their face.
There are far too many organizations who think they have special status and priority. The Governor was elected to do a job and he is not about to cower to any of them. Regardless of how much bluster and self-righteous indignation these self anointed mouthpieces seem to be able to propagate, the Governor nor most practical Mainers seem to be impressed. The Governor has a tough job to do during a tough period in our lives and he seems dedicated to doing the best job possible regardless of how many sacred cows get slaughtered along the way.
It always seems that those who cry foul the most about the governor have a personal interest, usually monetary, in protecting the particular item of the day or in protecting their own elected office of (no) consequence.
The Governor knows all too well the consequences and benefits of his proposals. It seems that more and more those who may stand to loosing the short term can’t see the forest for the trees in that a short term sacrifice will mean a long term benefit for all of Maine. People whine about the cost of energy but let a new proposal for a new type of power generation be published and BDN is first in line to publish the tears of those who are against it. A new system of importing needed fuel reserves and again BDN decries the loss of a “view”. I spoke recently with an insurance agent who lives within a very short distance from Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant. She stated that Seabrook was a very good neighbor. They provided many highly skilled and well paying jobs to the area. Provided power dependably and at a reasonable rate. There were no known problems nor have there been any within recent memory. Again another money saving system which is being denied the people of Maine by a few naysayers and the BDN carrying the banner.
It is not the Governor who needs to get a better understanding of how government works but the editorial staff of the BDN who need to get a better understanding of the needs of the people of Maine. The Governor appears to want the State to flourish with jobs and businesses which can then provide for the needs of Maine and not to tax the State into bankrupt oblivion as is happening in other “progressive” states, west of here. Hopefully the BDN will catch on before the paper becomes just another footnote in this states colorful history. But from what I have seen of recent years, I doubt it.
Did you hear the one about the frenchman that got elected Governor?