AUGUSTA, Maine — The chairmen of the Legislature’s budget-writing committee presented Gov. Paul LePage on Thursday with a compromise proposal to address an estimated $220 million shortfall in the Department of Health and Human Services biennial budget.
LePage addressed that alternative proposal at an impromptu press conference later in the day but did not indicate whether he supported it. He also didn’t offer any specifics other than that the new proposal allows the state to pays its bill through June.
Republicans and Democrats on the Appropriations Committee also declined to offer specifics on the new proposal Thursday, indicating that they are in negotiations and hope to strike a deal soon.
A few details of the alternative proposal were confirmed.
The panel has identified $120 million in DHHS cuts within the 2012 portion of the budget. That is expected to be combined with another proposal for $25 million in savings identified by a streamlining task force last fall.
The bulk of the 2013 portion of the DHHS budget then would be addressed with a separate bill later this session, although some 2013 cuts would be addressed in the 2012 budget, according to lawmakers.
The goal is to deal with the 2012 budget as soon as possible so the state can pay its MaineCare bills. The governor has said many times that if the Legislature does nothing, the program will run out of money in April, and he reiterated that again on Thursday.
“If the cash don’t flow, welfare checks don’t go,” he said.
The governor’s initial proposal, released last December, would cut $220 million in MaineCare spending over the next year and a half by tightening eligibility guidelines, eliminating services and repealing coverage for an estimated 65,000 recipients.
The Appropriations Committee has been working on a proposal for several weeks. At least one major item — a plan to cut about $60 million from private nonmedical institutions — has been rejected.
Additionally, three areas of LePage’s proposal appear to violate provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act: tighter eligibility for a program that helps seniors pay for prescription drugs; stricter income limits for some parents; and dropping 19- and 20-year-olds, or noncategoricals, from the MaineCare rolls.
Those three elements account for about $37 million.
The federal Department of Health and Human Services has said that the waivers needed to enact these changes are not likely to be approved. But LePage and some Republicans on the Appropriations Committee continue to seek the waivers.
LePage said he understands that the Democrats don’t like his plan and he said he doesn’t really like his plan either because he doesn’t relish making such deep cuts.
But he said Democrats need to bring another option.
“Democrats have been stalling since Day One,” LePage said. “They have not done one thing to help Maine people.”
Rep. Peggy Rotundo of Lewiston, the lead Democrat on Appropriations, called the governor’s charge “untrue and unfair.”
“I’ll remind the governor that Democrats are in the minority,” she said. “The Republicans have control of both the State House and Senate, and if he had their support for his dangerous, irresponsible and illegal cuts, they could pass the budget without us.
“We believe we will have agreement in the coming days to resolve the immediate shortfall.”
Senate Minority Leader Barry Hobbins of Saco said it’s unusual for the governor to keep inserting himself into the budget process.
“Unfortunately, the governor has been very public in his disruption to the process,” Hobbins said. “Democrats and Republicans have been and continue to work very hard to resolve the budget problems and the governor needs to let them continue negotiating in good faith.”
House Speaker Robert Nutting of Oakland said the governor didn’t say anything Thursday that he hasn’t said already. Nutting said he was confident Appropriations Committee members were working hard to pass a budget.
Support the Governor and CUT THE DHHS budget.
Yea, let’s kick all those mentally ill, handicapped, and sickly old out onto the street in the middle of winter, so we can get our tax cuts! Go Lepage!
(please understand Poe’s Law)
Typical liberal scare tactic. Nobody will be kicked out into the streets if LePage’s proposal is passed. What a ridiculous statement.
What other cuts do you propose to maintain a Medicaid Entitlement program that is 35% ABOVE the national average? Do you favor cutting education, public transportation, and public safety? This is what Martin and Rotundo favor. How are these cuts going to grow jobs?
….
learn the language
….
….
Maine is NOT the Average State!
Tax cuts DONT grow jobs!
“Tax cuts DONT grow jobs!” … nor balance the budget.
The fraudsters think it’s just fine. Honest people Don’t!
Save the funds for those that Truly need it.
Report 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!
blah, blah, blah………I’m surprise that you didn’t go on the Obituaries and place a post.
…..
Thats what the Nazis Did!
They do over the long term.
Higher taxes will do nothing but provide more money for this government to waste.
“Tax cuts Don’t grow jobs. If Tax Cuts don’t grow jobs Extreme Left Wing Policies does LOL. How does high taxes, out of control unsustainable spending, business killing regulations, awful health care policies, worker’s comp. laws, massive borrowing , and unsustainable amount of folks on Welfare and Unemployment. How is that working for us. I will give you the answer DEAD LAST !!! (50th) economically. In some cases Maine is doing worse than Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam. The Maine Democrat Party and their agenda is bad for Maine and it’s people.
How FAT are these state agencies when a task force can identify $25 million savings just by “streamlining”?
50th in population dont forget, 50th is where we will always be!!
50th in population? I’m sure the folks in Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota, Alaska, South Dakota, Delaware, Montana, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire would differ with you. Check the 2010 census data.
If The Bush Tax Cuts created jobs we wouldn’t have experianced the Great Recession!
Come out of the Dark!
If anyone should be kicked out on the street, it’s the nearly 1/2 of the student body of the Maine Maritime Academy that are from out of state who each receive $10,000 per year subsidy for four years, then graduate.. and then leave and never look back.
Hey Your Back!
We missed your foolish diatribe. How was your vacation in the Cayman’s? I’m surprised that you are back in Castine before summer. Watch out for those Academy kids walking on your lawn!
I think you have me mixed up with the MMA students from 35 states and several foreign countries that cruised the Mediterranean free of charge last spring thanks to the charity of the Maine taxpayer. A $10,000 per student per year stipend .. plus a free cruise. Meanwhile back at the nursing homes, they are turning down the heat and laying off emplyees. LePage.. you can’t afford the MMA .. it’s time to privitize this sports and spa facility.
You keep parroting this $10,000 per year stipend. Where are you getting your information? I know that when I attended MMA in the early 90’s the only stipend available was to those of us who choose to go in the USN Reserve program. Please provide some facts to back up your outlandish claims.
As far as the cadet cruise goes, all of that money (fuel, dockage, pilotage etc.) is provided by MARAD (National Maritime Administration). The USCG mandates that midshipmen aqcuire actual sea service aboard a ship prior to taking the USCG licensing exam, and the T/V State of maine is a ready reserve ship, kept up by the labor of the students and crew. It was used as a floating hotel in New Orleans after Katrina, and is ready to be called up for service at any time. You obviously have some personal issue with MMA, I think you need to take a step back and look at what an economic engine MMA is for our state. All of us who graduated from MMA and are shipping are in the upper tax bracket for Maine income tax, and although we work outside of the state as a job requirement all of our disposable income gets spent right here at home in Maine.
Fewer and fewer workers supporting more and more non-workers is not a viable situation.
Taxes get spent on workers, who in turn spend and pay Taxes!
28% of the economy is the public sector.
Shut that down and you will have another depression.
Thats a myth created by the republican money grubbers. Only demand creates jobs…tax cuts do not.
Hey!
Someone else gets it!
I was begining to think that I was on an Island!
Show us where Rep. Martin or Rep. Rotundo have proposed cutting education? And don’t you realize that cutting Mainecare will cost jobs in the healthcare industry? None of that money goes to individuals, it is all paid directly to healthcare providers.
AND the Governor’s budget proposal would have resulted in the defunding and closure of all Private Non Medical Institutions which would have left thousands of elderly and developmentally disabled homeless. That is a cold hard fact, not a scare tactic.
maineminority doesn’t care. He’s a LePage clone or should I say clown.
How is that different than bilking us for a billion dollars to fund Solyndra?
Skimming money from taxpayers to provide jobs (in healthcare, wind energy or auto manufacturing) is not right. But it does buy votes!
The fact of the matter is, it’s not their position to propose alternate bills during the short session. The short session is reserved for emergency bills, and a suppelmental budget, this is a short session that will always be on the minds of the voters.
Representative Martin was the first to question the governor’s numbers, and they were concentrating on DHHS, it was only this governor that brought, constantly brought deception and the education funds into play, hence….political blackmail. What he was doing was gambling with the Maine people’s best interest. He Lost. l
If you knew anything at all about how the legislature operates, then you would have known that only “emergency” bills, as passed by the Legislative Council, and budget (supplimental) considerations are considered, as well as hold over bills, which are rudimentary, ought not to pass or go on to a study.
To answer your question, neither Rep. Martin nor Rep. Rotundi could propose active and alternative legislation,….it’s not allowed. If they were to do anything, it would be in the form of an amendment to the governor’s bill.
Which is what they , the whole committee did.
Let me know when you have spent more than a day at the State House. I’ll show you the moose and explain how to get to the house or senate galleries, take the stairs, it’s much more orderly, the elvator can be crowded with lobbyist, legislators, and the press. They always follow each other.
Martin makes a ton of money from DHHS. Why is he involved in any discussion regarding this? Conflict of interest?
Martin doesn’t choose which committee he is assigned to. That’s up to the SPEAKER!!
I beleive one could recuse themselves if a conflict or an impropriety exists.
That’s not how the legislature is run. According to your theory, a teacher, (who receives state money) shouldn’t be on and voting as a member of the Education Committee. You don’t get on the Appropriations Committee without some tenure. You want to have your most experienced legislators on the committee, people that can take the heat and not get emotional.
But you don’t want crooks on committees. And don’t go down the tenure road. Remember the Term Limit bill? He just switches seats with that sleeping Senator, Jackson. Completely against the spirit of the law. But again, they wrote the law. We should have been rid of this crooked politician years ago.
He owns I don’t know how many Waiver homes with state dollars, on the board of NMG which is also run solely on tax dollars, yet you think it’s proper for him to sit on a commitee that oversees and funds the very homes and businesses that he owns?
Sorry, but I disagree. That has impropriety written all over it.
While you are at it, maybe you could show the governor where his office is. After he stormed Appropriations last week, he said he was going down stairs and call the DHHS Secretary. Last time I was in the SOB, his office was just around the corner from Appropriations on the second floor, not downstairs!!!
LOL, You are correct, storm outta Appropriations and bang a left. Maybe his tantrum was so intense he bumped into Percival Baxter’s bust and richochetted off the State St. balcony and decided to call from the Hall of Flags? Which is where one of my offices was located, hope he didn’t use my old phone, I have it bugged, it’s rodent proof.
I also had an office at the SOB, have they fixed the tunnel yet?
UUUMMM it is not paid directly to the Healthcare Providers… and that has been the ongoing problem… the healthcare providers are not getting paid! The state owes MILLIONS of $$$$ to all Healthcare providers reimbursements for Medicare …
Medicaid/MaineCare, Medicare is federal
Where were you when the failed Baldacci administration was simply not paying hundreds of millions of dollars to the hospitals? You don’t think that cost jobs? The last time I looked requiring people to work and not paying them was called slavery. But I guess you were OK with that since it was a left wing Dem who never held a real job that did it.
Like it or not, Baldacci was and isn’t a left wing democrat. 7 times out of 10 he would vote with the republicans when he was a senator.
he was never a Senator in Washington, DC, he was a Congressman
You are wrong. Lots of disabled will be kicked out into the street if the governor gets his way.
Where did you read that?
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It isn’t even the young, able-bodied WITH children that will be cut. It is the ones without children. Why do I have to go to work to support them? I am willing to support the needy, but not the merely wanty.
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why give Medicaid/MaineCare to those with children? Put children on the program and let the parents fend for themselves.
Amen, I wish the state would stop paying additional money in TANF when a woman has another baby. Other states have done it. It wouldn’t be taken away anyone’s right to have a child, just make it so the taxpayers don’t have to pay for the child.
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hang on i must say, jobs in maine?? huh and what planet are you from?? I can say in the last 50 years there is way fewer jobs in maine, open your eyes your neighbors have moved on to greener pastures!! So i say cut everything , in 50 years there will be no one left in maine………………..!
Not only are there fewer jobs , the jobs we have pay less than they use to 25 years ago if you compare them with the cost of living ! I work longer hours at the age of 50 than i did when i was raising 2 children, at the age of 25 ; just to meet everyday costs in this state. I dont waste money and have nothing in excess in my life. The welfare problems and other financial issues this state has will not change until jobs are grown and the people of this state can make decent wages !
some people on welfare could make as much money working at McDonalds but that would mean working and they don’t want to work. having to get up early, get dressed, oh come on, too tough when one can stay in bed all day.
Lepage has already threatened to close the schools…
he isn’t going to close the schools and he isn’t going to close DHHS April 1. It’s just LePage blowing hot air again.
Yes, let’s strive to be like Mississippi! That’s a real goal worth achieving.
Even though I agree with LaPage’s cuts “in theory” I too fear that this may inadvertently and/or intentionally effect people (negatively) that truly need the DHHS for help and support.
So where so you think that those disbaled individuals living in PNMIs will go? If they do not meet nursing care level, but still need 24 hour care due to mental illness or development disability, there is nothing in the proposed cuts as to where they will go, just that their homes will lose funding. If there is no plan for these folks, yes, they will be essentially left out in the cold.
The push was to get people out of places like what was then called BMHI, now they live in a group home. Many were better off at BMHI. However, we will never see these people returned to places like BMHI, so where will they go?
You need to be careful, Martin and Rotundo didn’t propose the cuts, Penguin did. Perhaps you should ask him about creating jobs.
They will be kicked out of their homes, and into nursing homes- which is not the place for adults with developmental disabilities.
Tax cuts grow jobs! Isn’t this better than welfare?
Tax Cuts Dont grow Jobs!
They Grow Net Profit!
You have been duped!
Profit grows entrepreneurship, which grows jobs. Take your lame argument to the failed Soviet Union. Remember why it collapsed? Because nobody wanted to work because there was no profit and therefore no work incentive. And to think, this is what the DEMS want to bring to Maine.
Your rich pals have had vast federal tax cuts for ten years. What did we get? Flat wages, zero net job growth, more jobs lost overseas, fatcats like your man Romney hiding their money in the Cayman Islands, and the Great Recession. Your “trickled-on” theory is a bogus scheme designed to destroy the middle class and enrich your already-rich fatcat plutocrats. If you want a bad economy, elect Republicans. They are economic failures in the biggest way.
You claim that lower taxes have lead to all of these things, but tell me how does high taxes reduce outsourcing overseas, and increases in wages? How exactly has lowering taxes increased outsourcing and kept wages flat?
A lot of very interesting things happened once the rates were lowered back to something approaching reasonable in the 1980s, tax revenues remained about the same, the number of wealthy people increased dramatically, the GDP grew tremendously, the standard of living amongst all classes of people was raised, and the overall tax burden was shifted upwards to the wealthy by a lot. All of these effects were concluded to be the result of lower income tax rates, and corporate rates, and as a result countries all around the world followed suite and saw very similar results. So, since you disagree, please explain to me what you feel lead to these results?
So when you have low taxes on the wealthy, there suddenly are more wealthy people and the tax burden is lifted off of the poor and middle class. When you raise taxes on the wealthy, there are suddenly less wealthy people, and now the poor and middle class have to make up the decrease in revenue lost from the decrease in wealthy people.
Now, this may disagree with intuition, but it is what the data shows. But the point is, we need to have as low of taxes as possible without decreasing revenue (Think Laffer curve)
What I find so comical is how the GOP seem to miss the “good old days” of the 1950’s when only one parent had to work to support their family…but they refuse to acknowledge that the wealthy were taxed and a VERY high rate back then.
So what you are suggesting is that the boom of the 1950s had everything to do with the (up to) 92% tax rate? How about prior to the 1950’s? How about during the great depression? Tax rates were just as high. You are incorrectly concluding a cause and effect of the relationship between tax rates and the economic prosperity of the 1950s.
Most people attribute the prosperity of the 1950s due to two things. During World War II, a lot of goods were rationed, and even a lot of basic products were not available to purchase. That coupled with all of the people suddenly being able to work producing goods for the war, meanwhile not being able to spend any money due to the limited availability. After the war ended, and the troops came home, all of a sudden people could start buying stuff again, and because everyone had been working for years but had not been able to really buy a lot, a lot of people had a lot of money. This lead to massive economic expansion.
Now you might argue that the government wouldn’t have been able to spend all of that money on the war if it weren’t for the 92% tax rate. The problem with that is that history has shown us that weather the tax rate is 92% or 35% tax revenues are always right around 20% of the GDP. So in any case, had tax rates been lower, revenue would have been the same.
We didnt have welfare in the 50’s
No welfare in the 50’s but people survived. They did what they had to do to get by. Start a cleaning service, babysit, bake food to sell, cut wood, detail vehicles for
dealers. FIND SOMETHING TO DO besides just sitting and whining about
being out of work.
Without MaineCare people won’t be running into the Doctor’s office for every little thing like a hangnail. Time for healthy individuals who have it to get off it. They will be no worse off than the people who are working that don’t have insurance. (And many businesses don’t offer it anymore)
Many people out of work still have internet services, cell phones, tattoos, pedicures/manicures, smoke, etc.
sure there was welfare in the 1950’s. My mom is 86 and tells about people who received what was then called “mother’s aid.” (Mostly for women whose husbands died and they had no source of income, not for people popping out babies born out of wedlock)
In the 1920s the rates were lowered to just 25%, it took a whole decade to bring on the Great Depression in 1929. Yes, GDP rose tremendously for the US and a VERY few did well because of it, the rest of the nation was suffering…..so then the government had to raise taxes in the 1930’s to pay for all the services to help people get back on their feet, which is what we are having to do again after a decade of some of the lowest tax rates….
Correlation is not causation. I can honestly say that I have ever heard anyone say that the great depression was caused because tax rates were too low.
And in fact, generally one of the primary causes that many people attribute to causing the great depression is that when Hoover was elected in 1928 he dramatically raised taxes. And it was in fact FDR who ran on lowering taxes as he claimed that the excessive taxation under Hoover was a leading cause of putting the great in depression.
Funny, the facts don’t go with your statements….it 1920s they fell from 77% in the early part of the decade to 25% by 1928, Hoover then lowered taxes in 1929 to 24% which would be when the Great Depression started with the crash of the stock market…by 1932 Hoover had raised them to 63% to combat the loss of tax revenue and then FDR raised them again to 79% in 1936, by 1943 FDR had tax rates at 88% and 91% in 1945. They remained there until 1964.
So through the whole 1950s taxes were at 91% and we had some of our best economic years, funny how high taxes didn’t harm our GDP in any way.
Funny how after Kennedy cuts the taxes that we again have a recession, after Reagan cuts them in the early 1980s we have a recession in the mid to late 80s and again now with Bush’s tax cuts we have yet another recession.
So how many times do we have to have recessions after deep tax cuts for it make sense that tax cuts only benefit the top earners in the country.
Recessions are part of the economic cycle, we have had plenty of recessions during high tax times as well. Correlation is not causation..
From what I can tell, tax rates seem to have absolutely no effect on the economy. At least when you are talking about an entire country. If you are talking about single communities, then typically higher taxes will cripple a community, because people will simply move.
However, there is also a rate at which maximum revenue will be achieved, I believe those rates are Clinton era rates. Granted there are many factors involved, but when you look at tax rates vs. tax revenues, Clinton era rates are among the best returns throughout history.
If I had it my way no one would pay income taxes at all, but since the government needs to function we obviously cannot do that. But at the same time I do not believe rich people should be paying 96% income tax rates. I feel that the middle class and poor should have little to no taxes at all, this is what I am defending. But between federal income tax, state income tax, community income tax, property tax, sales tax, excise tax, FICA, and whatever I am forgetting the middle class are giving more of their money to the government than they are allowed to keep for themselves, that is not right. I am not exactly sure why you are defending excessive taxation, including the middle class and poor….but to each his own I guess.
I might be more inclined to want to pay taxes, or higher taxes if the government wasn’t so screwed up, and can’t manage to do even the simplest of things right.
You got it!
Tax and spend puts money in the hands of the consumers instead of the investors.
To much Investing and not enough consumption is what caused the great depression !
a lot of people had a lot of money. This lead to massive economic expansion.
BINGO!
The key is ALOT not just the 1 %
You’re right (as was I), in general all I am arguing for is fair and reasonable tax rates for all. However, that comment was targeted specifically at the claim that the boom of the 1950s was a result of high taxes, which it was not.
Pssst Tinserblic
Your man Bubba Clinton was the one who passed NAFTA and started moving the Manufacturing jobs out of the country. Please get your facts straight
http://articles.latimes.com/1993-11-18/news/mn-58150_1_trade-pact
He then signed us up for the WTO. It has been down hill ever since.
As they say, Democrats; no freind of the working man!
Right, because we hadn’t been having global trade for centuries? Reagan didn’t lower any tariffs right….oh wait, that is right, he did lower a lot of them and then scores of manufacturing started moving overseas, oh, that’s right….
No they didn’t. They were created there by their own Govt.s, not moved there as you said
I mentioned companies moved there in droves during the 1980’s which they did, so I am unsure what your comments reference….
I was in Germany when Reagan was elected and I recalled how all the NATO aligned countrys’ economies increased steadily for years because ours did. Again they created their own jobs more than us moving jobs there.
Egg..check your facts..NAFTA was passed by Congress and yes signed into law by Clinton. It was conceived and initiated during the Regan administations and railroaded through Congress by the GHW Bush administrations. One of his biggest regrets of being President was not being able to getNAFTA pushed through Congress in time for him to sign it into law before leaving office. Ross Perot was warning America about NAFTA before Clinton even had won the Democratic nomination. NAFTA was a Republican concept and push to break the unions and maximize profits for American companies to move jobs off shore.
The Republicans sure aren’t a friend of the working man. Romney (earns $57,000 daily from his investments), Gingrich (received $10,000,000 from 1 couple who want him in the White House). Romney-concerned about the middle class, he doesn’t have a clue.
I like your handle “mainemajority”. The Maine Majority crushed you with YES ON ONE last fall, and just wait until this November. You’ll have to change your handle because the Maine Majority is going to send the RichPublicCons back to private life where they belong.
We are the 81%!
haha, pants on fire.
I think us 81% ers support the Governor on these cuts. We should support him if he was to go ahead with a partial or full state government shutdown as well. Time for the Working People of Maine to win. Reject this proposal Gov. LePage and shut the state down do the the right thing.
Come on darkcat he can’t even get a majority of the republicans to support him any more.
If the Legislature won’t work with him. He should do the right thing for the working people of Maine by shutting the state down till Memorial Day or go even further shut it down until January 1, 2013. The working Maine people shouldn’t have to support these unaffordable programs that don’t work. He should stop all DHHS business and Welfare payments until that time period as well. It is time to send the Liberal Maine Democrat Party a message that he is taking no more BS from anyone either. They either do it his way or else if it means him blowing his temper in front of everyone to prove a point.
DC now I know you are a reasonable individual and that when given the proper information you can make a rational decision. So let me try once again. It is not the democrats that are not approving LePage’s supplemental budget. IT IS THE REPUBLICANS that aren’t supporting it. If the republicans wanted it to pass they have the majority and could do it without one democratic vote. If you need to send a message you need to address it to the REPUBLICANS.
Really who was the republicans waiting for the last 2+ months when the proposal was already put on the table. The Minority Party (Democrats) that’s who. It was the Democrats who were going on tv and making all kinds of excuses. The even brought in that Goofy Mayor of Portland, the Mayor of Westbrook who had a press conference in Portland with him, and hospital officials from a hospital in Portland. All crying over the cuts waah if you are afraid of losing taxpayer money go get real jobs. Mrs. Sussman had to bring her ugly mug into it as well. They are worried that if Liberals kicked thier voting block off that it would be the end of them in office. I say reject this compromise and shut everything down till people come to where LePage wants them to do and that is start booting everyone off these programs.
….
The mayor is not goofy. He was pointing out to LePage that the people who lose benefits thru DHHS will be going to the cities for assistance. 90% of the money the cities will be paying out to these people is reimbursed by the state so will the State of ME be any better off?
By “REPUBLICANS” do you mean the Republican establishment, that supports both higher taxes and bigger government, or those new Republicans that support downsizing government so that the middle class can really prosper again?
Rep. Peggy Rotundo of Lewiston, the lead Democrat on Appropriations, called the governor’s charge “untrue and unfair.”
“I’ll remind the governor that Democrats are in the minority,” she
said. “The Republicans have control of both the State House and Senate,
and if he had their support for his dangerous, irresponsible and illegal
cuts, they could pass the budget without us.”
Her last sentence doesn’t really sound like the Democrats are behind the gov.
….
It can’t pass without Democrats because they need a 2/3 vote and the Republicans don’t have 2/3 without a large number of Democrats. So yes, the Democrats are holding the entire state hostage right now by opposing everything.
….
The shill posters nearly always have some Maine reference in them and they change them frequently to give the appearance of being more numerous than they are. It’s only a handful of posters that tow the party line and use the same phrases, arguments and red-herrings. It’s easy to spot them…approximately the same length, (they get paid by the post–yes and no answers don’t count) the same pseudo-economic commentary, and the same negativity towards those who do not agree with their rhetoric.
Tomorrow, the same poster will have a different handle, but not a different hand to deal.
It’s here every day……..
Yawn!!
Here’s an example from one company’s website:
Does it matter how much you post?
Yes. Wired Flame has a lot of different forums for you to choose from, and some of them have specific rules regarding how many posts or threads you can create there in a given day. If there are no rules listed for a forum, you are supposed to try not to start more than two threads per day or create more than six posts per day per forum.
How hard is it to apply?
To apply you create an account, fill out the Wired Flame application form, and then just pick and choose what forums you want to participate in and get started earning money.Is forum posting as easy as it sounds?You need to do more than just write a few uninteresting, generic sentences on the posts or threads you decide to create. Wired Flame may delete your posts or threads if they have bad English or grammar, do not add anything of value to existing conversations, or are off topic. Also, if you start threads, they may be deleted if they do not provoke conversation. You will not be paid for threads or posts that get deleted.
Payola…..
Jobs are all about supply and demand, not about tax cuts. The wealthiest corporations are bleeding jobs not because they can’t afford to provide them but because they don’t NEED more workers. Companies will only employ as many people as they NEED to employ in order to meet the demands of their customers. The people of Maine can’t afford to buy those services and products because they don’t have the money to do so. If all those people are cut from Mainecare it WILL cost hundreds of health care jobs. That just adds a bigger burden on unemployment and state assistance. The Tea Party people are SO short sighted and don’t ever look at the consequences and fallout from the things they want to do. The level of stupidy is really quite astounding.
Funny how you weren’t whining about people losing jobs when the failed Baldacci administration was not paying the hospitals hundreds of millions of dollars. Do you suppose that cost any jobs? As long as the welfare industrial class (DHHS and the drones in government) get theirs people like you are happy.
Nobody wants to work in America, they all seem to believe the fairy tale that if they vote Republican that some day they can be a 1% er by association and lay around the pool and drink margaritas for a living!
And where do you suppose the extra net profits go? Do they burn it?
Increased net income = increased capital, increased capital = increased investments, increased investments = more jobs and it also means an increase in wealth and the GDP.
The government is like a fire pit when it comes to money, when money goes to the government it is very ineffective, they destroy wealth. When it remains in the private sector it is much more effective, and wealth is created.
No one has been duped, the public just needs to have a better understanding of finance, and economics.
Koch style economics is just a mythology.
The profits are building businesses in countries with cheaper labor and fewer safety and environmental laws.
Tax cuts help move American jobs to China.
What is the record of the US economy since the Bush Tax Cuts.
Do you have any schooling or other experience in economics? Or are you simply repeating what you hear? I am guessing the second since you are referring to them as “Koch” economics.
Please explain to me how tax cuts have helped move jobs to China? And if higher taxes keep jobs here then why not tax at 100%?
I have schooling in economics, and I can honestly say that I have never been taught this “higher taxes creates jobs” theory. I am curious to learn more about it.
Low taxes do not move jobs overseas, even Obama agrees. But he must have been paid off by the Koch brothers….
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/business/obama-seeks-tax-breaks-to-return-jobs-from-abroad.html
I have over 3 decades of experience in business and economics and two advanced degrees.
You are falling for right wing talking points being pushed by the Koch brothers. They have funded several “think tanks” to produce bogus research papers that, if implemented, would reap them make more billions.
Well you know what, my opinions change all of the time. But to this point, no one has been able to explain to me how tax cuts move jobs to China. I have tried to look into it, but no one seems to be able to actually explain it.
Since income tax and corporate tax rates have more to do with the Koch brothers, let me say this.
The 1950s was very prosperous, top tax rates were as high as 92%. The great depression was not prosperous (obviously) and tax rates were as high. The 1980s, 1990s were very prosperous and tax rates were mid 20%-40%. The second half of the 2000’s to now were not very prosperous and top tax rates are at about 35%. So if you simply look at tax rates, and prosperity, what will it tell you? Nothing. So the point is, tax rates and prosperity are arguable at best. So please stop simply stating that fiscal conservative-ism is a result of the Koch brothers, when as you can see, concluding two separate conclusions from the same data is not hard to do.
But of course, that still leaves me asking, how does lower corporate taxes lead to outsourcing?
I have 8 decades of experience in business and economics and 17 advanced degrees. I also have a well control certificate.
Those who can do,,, Those who can’t teach!
“Tax cuts help move American jobs to China. ”
No that is what Elliot Cutler does for a living.
“Koch”. You Libs always complain about Koch but its ok for the Libs to have Donnie Sussman (Pingree’s multi-billionaire husband who took bailouts) throwing his money into state politics. It is ok for these Unions, MCEP, NRCM, Equality Maine, ACLU of Maine, AARP, NAACP, George Soros throwing money into Maine so they can buy politicians in our state. The fact is these folks have been controlling Maine for 40+ years now that they are having their agenda rejected you Libs are up in arms.
We don’t need wealth; we need jobs. And a progressive tax rate needs to be cleared of all the loopholes that allow the wealth not to pay in accordance with their earnings. Sanctions should be imposed on those corporations that have been given tax breaks and still move jobs overseas for more profits.
No…profits is not what creates jobs. The rest of us having enough money to BUY their goods and services raises the demand and lowers the supply…and THAT is what leads to job creation.
You are right. Our money leads to corporate profits which leads to reinvestment and thus job creation.
Corporations create jobs with capital that (can) come from profits, but not all capital comes from “the little guy.” So, we buy a companies products, they pay all the bills, and some of what is left over the government takes, and the rest is used for future needs, such as expanding the company. So the more the government takes, the less they will have.
But you are right. You just didn’t say all of that stuff.
Many large corporations are making higher profits now than they ever have…but still keep cutting jobs. Ultimately…those corporations WILL fail and fall apart because their greed is harming everything. The economy will only be strong when ALL Americans are doing better financially. The quickest way to make that happen is to invest in the infrastructure because it provides jobs and income that people can spend on more than just what they absolutely need. It is all inter-related. Maine, for the most part, only has two thriving job markets…health care and retail. LePage wants to do something (the cuts) that will devastate BOTH of those job markets. Health care jobs will be cut all over the state and A LOT of them. When they have less money to spend it hurts retail and some of those jobs are lost. LePage has ZERO long term vision and is incapable of looking ahead or even caring about what the fallout will be for his actions. That level of idiocy is dangerous to Maine. As a moderate I have NEVER been so against a conservative politician before. I USED to vote for many Republicans. Whoever is the most moderate is usually my choice. These Tea Party politicians need to be sent packing. They are going to cause severe damage we may never be able to repair because they are so careless and extreme.
They are not creating jobs because economic conditions are not favorable. It is making investments risky.
Just like many people are cutting back their personal finances, because economic conditions are not favorable.
What exactly has he done that is just so terrible?
Please explain what, in your mind, does grow jobs.
No more outsourcing – bring American manufacturing back to life just as one example. What would also be a tremendous help would be our government stepping in and capping off the price of necessary items such as fuel and groceries. Nobody can create new businesses without the cash to back it up and if we are constantly spending outrageous amounts of money for necessities it’s never going to happen.
How do you suggest that we force companies to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US?
We tried to establish price control under Carter in the early 70’s, t was a disaster. I don’t think we should try it again.
Tax cuts make rich people richer and guess where they invest their money? Hint: it’s not Maine.
Get a clue. You got the tax cut. Where are the jobs?
Businesses do not hire if they don’t have demand for their product and taxes are the last thing they think about. I have been in business and know many who are in business and none have ever said if they cut my taxes I will hire more people.
Tax cuts DO NOT GROW JOBS, no matter what the politicians tell you, it is all bull to line pockets of the 1%.
And this makes the opposite true? increased taxes creates jobs?
I once heard a story about horse trading.
A farmer sold his sorry looking horse to a neighbor for $100 and the neighbor combed and curried the horse and sold the horse back to its original owner for $150. The original owner polished the harness on the same horse and braided the horse’s mane and tail and sold it back to the same neighbor for $200, who proceded to add bells and flourshes to the harness and sell the horse to another neighbor for $250.
When the original owner heard that the horse had been sold to someone else he he berated his neighbor for selling the horse to someone else saying, “what is wrong with you, we were both making a good living on that horse and now you have sold it”.
That is in essence what is done when the government taxes us to support others. Having the government between the source of money and the spending of that money causes the money to have less buying power.
I re-read my post and did not see any thing about increasing taxes, did I miss something?
So many companies wont even restart a business much less start one unless they get a BIG fat TIF.
Sadly, that rhetoric does not fit well with the business data of the last 30 years. I don’t blame you, just want to let you know your being lied to if you believe that.
We must or the schools will close in April .
Stop with the scare tactics and class warfare. LePage should reject this proposal and shut the state down through Memorial Day because the Obstructionist Liberals are stalling holding working Maine Taxpayers hostage. Then after Memorial Day come back and resume the session and see if the obstructionist Liberals accept his proposals. If not shut it down through the rest of the year. No more taking the Liberals BS shut it down until they agree with what he wants. Let those who collect handouts have the pain and suffering from no more freebies for that time period.
DC the republicans hold majorities in both the Maine House and Senate. There is no filibuster in Maine. The republicans could pass anything they wanted with a simple majority. It isn’t the democrats that are stopping LePage it is the REPUBLICANS
The Democrats have been the ones stalling for awhile now. They have done everything they can to keep their voting block from having to get out and get jobs. Well hopefully LePage does the right thing and reject their proposal period. Let these folks suffer they should find new sugar daddies to mooch off of.
If there were no democrats on the committee it would not matter. The REPUBLICANS ARE THE MAJORITY AND CONTROL BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE. They can pass anything without one democratic vote.
They wanted to get Democrats on board that way to prove what everyone knows that Democrat Politicians only care about getting back into power. They don’t care about anybody but themselves.
Do you have any idea how lame that post was?? The committee’s own republican’s have expressed how “extreme” the proposal was. The committee did exactly what was and is expected of them, the governor did not, and he failed miserably.
I would have love to have bet on the waiver’s……..there was and is no way it’s going to happen. And he knows it, what his intention was, I’ll explain later. But, that wouldn’t have worked, and his idea just crashed and burned. (his idea was to use “emergency powers”, but that only occurs on an un-budgeted shortfall. not an anticipated budget shortfall), Such a loser.:
The budget can be passed by a simple majority and Baldacci rammed one of those down our throats while he held office but in recent memory, that is the only one. So while you are correct in your assertion, the democrats have plenty to say about the budget and should include themselves and be willing to compromise. That’s what the minority does, compromise.
Did you attend the LePage school of Bullying???? “Shut it down until they agree with what he wants”!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, is that where all of that money goes? Well then, forget cutting the budget. Maine has 250,000 mentally ill, handicapped and sickly old according to Tom Harvell.
If you read the same article I did it is mostly based upon controlling fraud and not giving Maincare to those who can provide their own.
That is not the ones who will be removed. It is the young, childless couples who do not belong on the dole.
….
The problem is Lepage’s rhetoric is different from the budget he is trying to force down the throats of legislators with crazy threats. You seem to think he is wielding a scalpel and selectively cutting out the people you and him think are un-deserving. His budget does not do this. He attacks the problem swinging wildly with a hatchet until he meets some arbitrary $200m that is in part caused by the tax cuts he imposed as one of his first acts of entering office.
Just control the fantacy drugs that are paid for by the medicare card for peanuts and resold to the peddlers and you will save a pile of money
Well, the majority party on the Appropriations Committee certainly didn’t support him, now we are supposed to as well?
Sounds like the Republican Party is as spineless as the DEMS. Shame on them too. If the Republicans do not support these proposals, good luck getting volunteers for your re-election. You will lose!!
Rejecting Lepage’s ignorant proposals is the only way they can get reelected.
Legislators who go along with him will lose in November.
Well you better hope LePage doesn’t reject this compromise proposal. If he does the Libs are in trouble. Then he could bring up his original proposal again or better yet shut the state down entirely. Which he should do in my opinion through at least Memorial Day. He should prove a point to the libs and let those who get the handouts suffer.
EXACTLY!!! oh my word he’s logging on . Don’t you think it’s kinda late? The Legislative leaders should have put a leash on him, but they didn’t, time to pay the piper.
The Tea Party is not by any stretch of the imagination a majority. But they want it their way or else. The smart republicans are gravitating away from them and back to reality.
We are supporting the Governor, every trip to Florida, we pay for! And his shiny new sun glasses and car.
Very true. How about a cut in pay for our supposed “leaders”??? Now THAT would be nice to see!
Get on it! Lower their pay, after all..they work for US!
I think that is why both establishment Democrats and establishment Republicans are afraid to allow the voters to have a real choice.
If the majority of the Occupy people, and the majority of the Tea Party people could get together and have a rational discussion, I believe that they would find they have much in common.
Show us the facts rusjan. Oh, you mean what you said was a lie? No surprises there, its all you do here.
Don’t forget the awesome hair cut and all the good food that’s making him bust out of his suits!!
Calling yourself “mainemajority” doesn’t make you one. Change your username to “maineminority”, it’s a better fit. The old guv doesn’t look like he’s having to choose between food and medication. He should take more meds and less food.
Support this state and its people, and COMPROMISE.
Support the working poor citizens of Maine and increase taxs on those making over a quarter of a million dollars a year. Maine workers known as some of the most productive in America,have been exploited by Maine business leaders for too long as productivity has gone off the chart,and wages of the 70’s are still passed off as a fair market wage.
I would like to think that this compromise proposal would be disclosed, and available to the public. If the Governor can constantly interrupt legislative procedure, then citizens, who participated during the hearings and did not interrupt the legislative process are owed at the very least, that. I know, that once the governor came into a committee work session, I would have asked what he wants, not let him sit there and listen to deliberations, it must have been frustrating.
The Governor has not been forthright, he has not been honest. He has told the Maine people, and the legislative committee many, many things and actually attempted to threaten and intimidate the process in which each and every bill must undergo, this bill is no different than any other. What ever the outcome, he doesn’t have the confidence of the majority party, and they are welcome and I urge them to question each and every bill his office proposes. IT IS NICE TO KNOW that at least one group of people care about this state.
I would like to thank the Appropriations Committee, who are the group that listened and reasoned. Without their work and patience, this may have and could have been much worse. God bless all of them lord knows the pressures and I appreciate that you have perseverance and have done the best that you can, with what you were provided. Thank you for your work, it’s appreciated.
I’d sure like to know what the detials are, wouldn’t you. Guess I’ll have to call my friends in high places and find out!!!
Oh, I could find out. One phone call and I could find out, but that’s not the way to go. It’s political, and it’s also protocol.
I agree with you . That’s why I haven’t made my call. I’ll wai tto get one.
I’m wondering if they even know the process. You never , ever, obstruct protocol. It’s based out of respect of the process, that we all expect and has worked since 1820. If there is a deviation, then it compromises our principles.
I have never seen a more partisan issue, yet the legislature is doing it bests for a non-partisan solution. Kudos to the legislature, Lepage gets raspberries.
lol I agree, Junker, I wouldn’t have want to be a member of that committee.
I smell gimmicks and can kicking!
Get your veto pen tuned up Gov and shame on any GOP reps who are caving in.
What’s the alternative? Hope for a waiver? Gimmicks and kicking? The article has a tenured democrat thanking the majority for it’s spirit of compromise and understanding that the proposal was just simply not based upon real numbers? Gimicks and kicking would have to include the republicans on the committee, or else it would have been ALOT longer before they reported out. His veto pen is out of ink on this one.
Yes, little boys (LePage) don’t like to be challenged, especially by the “Democrats”.
Then, if I were were you “little boys”, I would be worried about my own party nominating me. He never had legitimacy, he came out demanding, and, now all of a sudden he is frantically trying to get his profile through the legislature because he knows that he gets one shot.
Little boys? we will see. Maine is inherently independent. Live with that realization.
I don’t think you understood what I wrote.
sorry, I did understand what you wrote . It’s hard knowing what I have witnessed for many years, ( I am a former committee clerk), and to watch how this is playing out. This process is not the best interest of maine, this process reeks of “getting what we can while we got it”, and that is no way to govern. If that were the case, then it would be anarchy.
Anything less than the Governor’s proposal warrants a VETO!
If it’s a compromise bill, and he veto’s the bill, and with everyone of these legislator’s up for re-election?…..guess who loses?
The citizens of Maine.
great answer!! you are so correct. Because that means we are not being represented, that means that they are playing politics with people’s lives.
You better believe I will be voting for him again if he can’t get it done this time around.
You will lose…….I won’t be surprised if doesn’t win a primary. You gotta admit…….he’s not doing things “the maine way” he’s just not.
Because having over half the state on welfare is “The Maine Way”? What IS the Maine way?
….
I’m old (over 60) and every person my age and older that I know resolutely supports Lepage.
….
Not me and I know many over 60 who would not vote for him if he was the only one running!!!
Over half the state on welfare!?? You need to upgrade your banana peels for your smoking habit. Tell me when you decide whether or not trees dream.
Half the state on welfare, if that’s the case, how are all of those business’s staying in business, without any labor? That’s ridiculous.
It is a bipartisan agreement. They would override the buffoon’s veto.
“Anything less than the Governor’s proposal warrants a VETO!”
I gave that a “like” because it is an honest expression of what is wrong in Augusta,
and with you people .
Yes, and why isn’t Mayhew involved?
she’s a robot……she does as she is told.
A mouthpiece for a big mouth. She has his back. I wonder what her salary is.
…
Maybe if they had some correct numbers with meaning, they would have done something sooner.
…..
COMPROMISE! These folks must still be under the impression that they are dealing with a normal person. Mr. LePage doesn’t even know the meaning of compromise. The only way he possibly could be trained in this regard would be if he looses his slim House and Senate majorities next November. Which as WE all know is what often happens with pigheaded politicians who attempt to rule like Kings. Until then any compromise proposals should essentially be considered DEAD ON ARRIVAL! Please vote accordingly next November!
He needs to go back to 9th grade civics class leanr the basics…………..
There are 3 legislative bodies, legislative, executive and judicial……….
There is a reason for these checks and balances so we don’t have a dictatorship!!!
Is there a school that teaches proper and professional behavior that LePage could attend? If there is, maybe the legislative Republicans could pay for LePage to attend the school. It would be even better if it was in Florida.
What a bunch of crybabies the Democrats are. Gotta balance the budget, well boo hoo.
Oh, so balancing the budget is: giving tax breaks to business owner’s and cutting benefits for those that are not well off?
That’s lame. If that’s the way you think then I’m sorry for you.
When you do your taxes Rusjan(assuming you pay taxes) feel free to donate more to the state to protect these precious programs!
When do you EGG, think that you contribute more than anyone else (assuming that you pay)? I don’t donate anything, I pay my taxes. If you think you can pick and choose, which is what you want to do, who to help…..sorry. You don’t “donate'” anything, you pay, out of a million people paying tax dollars, .36 cents towards a dollar. 36 cents, which would add up, for you, less then 1/4 of a penny.
But, according to you, if you can get back your 3/4’s, then you get your dollar. Which will be spent elsewhere. What is exactly your point?
The point is that when you pay your taxes this year, pay extra to support the programs you believe in. If everyone who worries about the less fortunate would do so, fewer would be harmed by fixing the problems with DHHS. I know I’m going to pay a little extra – I’m thinking about $40k.
SOME people are not well off because they are lazy, continuously make bad choices, and/or are bad with money (buying the new rock band game is more important to them than paying the rent). There is a HUGE difference between people like that and the people you are claiming to defend. By cutting the DDHS budget, they are attempting to rid those people off the system.
So please tell me why should the taxpayers of the state of Maine (including yourself, presumably) have to pay for people like that? Most everyone has no problem paying taxes to help people who are actually in need and are unable to help themselves, but you are fooling yourself if you believe that people that I have described should receive any benefits at the expense of the taxpayer. And I don’t know about you, but I know a lot of people like those I have described.
I’m not even gonna begin. Taxpayers pay taxes. That’s all we are supposed to do, that’s all you and I are required to do. If you have a problem helping those that aren’t able to to make it on their own, then you have a problem with democracy. We were once the richest nation in the world, but some one sold us out, and it sure as hell wasn’t the democrats.
Why is it that whenever someone makes a claim that there are people on welfare who shouldn’t be they are immediately accused of being hateful?
But I apparently wasn’t clear enough.
I did not say that I do not want to assist those in need, nor did I say that everyone on welfare is lazy/stupid/etc.
What I said was, there are SOME people who are on welfare assistance who are abusing the system, they refuse to help themselves because they are lazy. Meanwhile there are people who truly need assistance and are unable to get it.
If someone is unable to provide for themselves for legitimate reasons, then I have no problem helping those people. However, I would much rather donate to charities that help these people than the government. As the government has shown us, they are incapable of of doing just about anything right, and therefore I do not trust them with my money.
When was the Federal Budget last balanced ?
Then what happened to it when the GOP won the White House and Congress ?
How has the US Economy fared since the Bush Tax Cuts ?
There is a record , now.
Shhhh. don’t you know? it’s all our fault. But we can’t say that because we are opportunist and just plane mean!
GOP took control of Congress in 1996. The budget was balanced in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001. In 2002 and 2003 Congress was split, 2004-2006 the Republicans held congress and and 2007 to 2010 the Democrats held congress, and now it is split again. Suffice to say, it hasn’t been balanced since 2001. A Republican congress hasn’t balanced the budget since 2001, and a Democrat controlled congress hasn’t balanced the budget since 1969.
So the GOP already had the congress when the budget was balanced, just not the White House. And the economy was fine, and steady until right around 2007 when the housing market collapsed as a result of the Community Reinvestment Act encouraging/forcing banks to people who could not afford them, this drove house prices to unnatural highs, until eventual it collapsed. When it collapsed of course, it took everything with it. None of this had anything to do with Bush, but don’t get me wrong, I am no fan of his, just stating facts.
So if you want something to blame, then blame:
War, Barney Frank and the Community Reinvestment Act. War caused our deficits early on, and the Community Reinvestment Act destroyed our economy, and resulted in massive federal deficits via stimulus spending.
One picture … graph to be more precise … is worth thousands of your words.
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
You have to remember that MHPC and the rethugs are not interested in facts, only their spin [lies]
When, does the federal budget have anything to do with Maine’s problem’s? The only federal thing that we have had to worry about is whether or not the gov is gonna get a waiver……NOT! Let’s not confuse state policy with national policy….they are two entirely different things. Just for information sake, not towards you.
It has to with the philosophy not working.
Who said to connect the dots ?
you did
LePage is rhyming about welfare, how not cute.
for some reason – he seems to think this rhyming is ‘cute’ – he’s used this technique in the past as well – what a buffoon!
He’ll go down as imfamous.
“Republicans and Democrats on the Appropriations Committee also declined to offer specifics on the new proposal Thursday, indicating that they are in negotiations and hope to strike a deal soon.” I think it sucks that the people we elect to represent us think that we the people, their boss’s should be left out of the loop on information that will affect all of us one way or another. Once the deal is struck it will be ramned down our throats like it or not. I can only hope we one day will collectivley open our eyes and that change is comming for legislators like these, those who are way to comfortable in feeding us scraps off the table we set for them.. TTBO Throw The Bums Out!!!!
The reason why the denial of specifics is protocol. The Legislature follows that, the governor doesn’t. It is his office’s bill, and therefore it’s his or her responsibility to comment on it first. Protocol, is what the Legislature does : it is what makes it work, he is the one that broke it. The Legislature will not, because it has a little more class than the executive.
If the legislature has so much class, then why are we in this mess?
redact
The legislature, or the Appropriations Committee, which is, whether you like it or not is a Joint Standing Committee of the Legislature. Each and every one of their bills are treated the same as any other committee. Have you seen the governor go and sit in on an Agriculture bill?
The Legislature didn’t cause any mess, they simply consider, work on, and report out a bill. That’s it! They only work with what they have in front of them, that’s the process. Don’t blame the legislature for the executive’s inability to provide accurate and informed information. If you remember correctly, the committee asked several times for it, and then subsequently had to go to Fiscal to get SOME of the answers.
Le Page should be ashamed and embarrssed, he’s not governing. He is demanding. What do you think Le Page’s reaction would have been if the Appropriations Committee just haphazardly plunked their butts down on one of his meetings with Mayhew?
If I had been one of the chairmen, (and I’ve known many) I would have asked him politely to ……Leave.
To all you spineless Republicans on the Appropriations Committee, SHAME ON YOU! Pass a majority budget. The DEMS will never co-operate because they are controlled by the far left special interest groups, you know the same ones who will never vote for a Republican and want you defeated. If you Republicans want to get re-elected, then support the Governor’s proposal. If not, then we can say the Republicans blew their one and only chance to change Maine for the better and the Republicans also blew their chance at holding their majority power.
Wow, compromise means a Democratic vote. Keep up the good work Appropriations committee.
No worse than being controlled by the Maine Policy Heritage People. who’s facts are always wrong Actually that’s worse.
Ok D’s put your mouth where our money is
Another $25. check off to his re-election campaign.
If any thing is cut I hope its the Governor’s Job.
“If the cash don’t flow, welfare checks won’t go”. With that simple statement stolen from the late great defense attorney Johnny Cochran Mr. LePage has done what we have become so familiar with him doing, making another threat. The committee , both democrats and republicans, presented him with a compromise proposal and he, instead of considering it, did something else he has done very well in the past. Blamed democrats. I keep hearing those from the radical right who are LePage supporters telling us what a great job he is doing. Really? Who prepared the budget that we now find out is supposedly $220 million short? It was the LePage administration. It wasn’t Baldacci or King or even Obama or anyone else it was Paul Richard LePage’s budget. He can not blame democrats they are in the minority and if the republican leadership so desired they could pass anything they wanted without one single democratic vote. He can’t even blame his favorite “whipping boy” Maine’s poor. By her own admission Mary Mayhew has told us that the amount of people on Mainecare has only increased by a very small percentage, certainly not large enough to account for $220 million. We keep hearing how prior administrations have “kicked the can down the road”. According to LePage this proposal does exactly that, it “kicks the can down the road ” to June. The difference is that now instead of the democrats doing the kicking it is the republicans. Threats and blame, blame and threats seem to be the LePage stock in trade. He has finally run out of people to blame, it isn’t the democrats fault, it isn’t Obama’s fault, it isn’t Baldacci’s fault. It is Paul Richard LePage’s fault and it is time for him to become a man and admit that he is in over his head and is about to go down for the third time. The only question is how many republican legislators are willing to go to the bottom with him. “If the cash don’t flow, LePage must go. ” Thanks Johnny.
Republican legislature and Republican Governor…
And you still blame someone else?
We could blame it on the Dems who have been in control for years…..just like the Dems blame Bush for the mess we are in now. That seems fair doesn’t it
How people like mainemajority can see something not right, immoral, and counter productive, and believe it’s the only way to go.. How can these people be so gullible to believe this republican rhetoric is beyond my ability to comprehend..
….
Be smug all you like, come November the compassionate and less vocal majority is going to show the Greedy Overpaid Politicians who is really in charge of Maine. Guess what? There are a lot more people hurting right now than there are rich. Sadly enough too many of them are too ignorant to realize they are being misdirected by their idols who are experts at fostering hate for gays, minorities, and needy. I do believe that LePage and the like CAN restore Maine to what it once was. An unpopulated forest.
If there were more jobs that offered healthcare, people would not need Mainecare.
How could the people of Maine ever have elected such a negative personage to be their governor. He is an embarassment to us all. His tactics are juvenile and his ideas, for the most part, are regressive. He is an extremist’s extremist and not as he has claimed to be – a conservative.
I would love to see LePage close DHHS and fire every employee. Nothing but another welfare program.
More great work by our Gov. He is doing EXACTLY what he said he would, and what any good CEO is supposed to do. You ask for more than you know you can get, you push hard for what you want, the board rebuts and a comprimise is made. The CEO takes the heat, but the company is better for it in the end. Keep up the GREAT work Gov LePage. This will once again lead to a reelection in 2014.
Just like the CEO’s that took over Walmart after Sam Walton died. Sam Walton’s idea was a living wage and low prices. When the CEO’s took over, they started to elimiate fulltime jobs so the wouldn’t have to pay or offer any benefits. To them it’s about their pay and their bottom line, never mind what happens to the employee. A good manager or CEO is only as good as the employee’s.
If LePage was so great why doesn’t he look at ALL departents for cuts?
I used to work for the courthouse. One office didn’t like the toilet paper or tissues the county bought so they ordered these items from Staples or other office supply stores at 3x the cost and it was charged to the office supply budget. If all or most state funded offices do this, there are some big savings to be had. So why not look at how each department in the state spends and exactly what they are spending on?
Ok here is my rebuttle. Walmart is now the biggest chain in the world. Although they only offer part time work, it is still work for mothers, retired folks, the handicapped, school kids, college students, etc. Anyone who is looking to get full time work, with benefits, is not going to apply at Walmart.
And the DHHS budget is short 221 million dollars. Although I can appreciate your desire to look elsewhere, and do feel folks who work in government offices abuse the system, saving a few hundred bucks on toilet paper is not going to cut the mustard.
Another example; I was unemployed for a time, and one day recieved 5 (yes 5) pieces of mail involving unenjoyment. Two from one address, and three from another. Now you say it’s only .34 cents. Well I got three extra piece’s of mail, that all could have gone in the same envelope, at .34 cents, that’s $1.02. Now times that by the 50 thousand or so people on unenjoyment, and you get 50K. Now this happend about every 8 to 10 weeks, so let’s say this happened 6 times in one year to every person, that’s 300k in JUST POSTAGE wasted by the state. And there were other times during this period when I would receive two pieces of mail, on the same day, from the same office. I could conservatively say that nearly a half a million dollars in JUST postage is WASTED by the unemployment office. So I understand what you are saying. And I did e-mail the Gov office about this, but it didn’t change anything.
Take a good look around and notice how many of our residents are employed in the service industry – the Walmarts and McDonalds of the world — an the bulk of them are trying to support a household — the vast majority of their employees make between 17 and 19,000 per year with little or no benefits
This whole group of people make up the working poor — they utilize MaineCare, food stamps, assisted housing and …. to supplement their wages.
Do we continue to help them or let them sink ? In my society we still believe in compassion for our fellow man.
And you can blame your fellow man, for making folks have to work in those industries. We want cheap, you can’t make cheap in America paying someone 35K+ a year with benefits, so jobs that pay go to Asian markets, and folks making little money sell those goods to us. If you want jobs back in America, than be prepared to pay double for the trash can, or the TV, or the vacuum cleaner, or the picture frame, or, or, or….
Let the bully stew for awhile. He can start by firing his daughter and saving that money. That seems fair to me.
Do you always pay the asking price when you buy a car??? I don’t and I still get what I want.
Lets RAISE the TAXES for all the Workers and raise the Welfare checks for all the deadbeats. Thats the Democratic way. JUST RAISE THE TAXES.
Governor Paul LePage I have the solution.. Put out a 220 Million dollar Bond to fund the Welfare system and let the people vote on it.
Do us all a favor and shut the methadone clinics down! That will save a ton of money!!! Thats a big chunk of that budget deficit. Leave the elderly and the babies out of this crap!
“If the cash don’t flow, welfare checks don’t go,” he (LePage) said.
Was this supposed to be some sort of cute joke by LePage? If so, it’s not funny, it’s cruel.
Less than 10 cents of every tax dollar goes to welfare programs. The governor makes it sound like 90 cents of every dollar goes there, but people with blood flowing to both halves of their brain know the difference. Attacking welfare is good for a few warm fuzzies for the Tea Party types and not much else. We would be much better served as taxpayers if the governor were to focus on corporate welfare, that is where the real waste and fraud lie. We spend billions in this country every year carrying the under employed so big corporate America doesn’t have to. Half the people in Maine who are getting assistance go to work everyday, they just work for big corporate America for minimum wage, part time, and do not earn enough to survive without help from the tax payers, you and I. Where is all the outrage about corporate welfare? Maybe they are not as easy a target as the “bums”.
Medicaid’s enrollment has grown 42% since 2002. Medicaid expenditures
increased by 1 billion dollars (78%) since 2002. The Medicaid
entitlement program is now 35% above the national average. 1 out of 4
Mainers are on Medicaid under the mantra of elderly or disabled. The
following questions are fair questions:
1) Can the Maine taxpayer afford to fund another 78% increase in Medicaid in the next 10 years?
2) Why is Medicaid 35% above the national average?
3) Are 1 in 4 people in Maine REALLY truly needy (disabled) or has
Medicaid become a form of socialized medicine? It can’t be both.
4) The Democrats are offering a comprehensive approach. What this
means is across the board cuts in every departmental state budget, all
to fund Medicaid. Are we prepared to compromise education, public
safety, road maintenance and road repair to fund an exponentially
increasing Medicaid program?
In my opinion, the bloated state program that needs cutting is
Medicaid. The facts I mentioned above are only some of the reasons I
feel this way. I do not believe we should cut education, transportation
and public safety. Funding cuts in these areas will cheapen Maine’s
infrastructure even more. The last thing we want to do is to layoff
teachers, compromise road safety and public safety. Unfortunately,
these are our options and this is the comprehensive approach the liberal
DEMS are proposing (Martin/Rotundo/& Company.)
Governor LePage gets no pleasure with these cuts to Medicaid. However,
the other options are much worse and this is why I support the Governor
and encourage everyone else to do the same.
You position is IMMORAL in the face of the tax cuts that have created this mess. It shows the underlying greed in the republican MHPC driven drivel you try to pass as facts here.
What is immoral is to lie to the Maine people leading them to believe that 1 in 4 Mainers is disabled or has fallen onto a lifetime of hardship and cannot work because it’s easier to collect welfare. This is the LIE. What is also immoral is to expect us struggling Mainers to pay for everyone else’s Medicaid, but cannot afford our own health insurance. The next time you’re in Wal-Mart, look around and see of 1 out of 4 people appear to be physically or mentally disabled. You already know the answer to that and this is why we can no longer continue funding a Medicaid program that is 35% above the national average. This is the injustice in our system.
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Next time you are in Walmart take a good look at their employees — the vast majority of their employees make between $ 17,000 and $19,000 per year — those numbers come from their web site — the working poor — how much is this adding to the cost of MaineCare and general welfare costs ?
Then it sounds like they will benefit greatly from the LePage tax cut. Under LePage’s plan a single earner making < 19,500 and a couple making < 39,ooo pays no state income tax. Baldacci kept these employees even poorer because they were forced to pay an 8.5% state income tax.
I repeat immoral, greedy, corrupted by twisted ideology. Disgustingly so.
With Maine’s Medicaid being 35% above the national average, does that make the 49 other states immoral and greedy too? Perhaps the 49 other states figured out that they simply cannot afford CADILLAC SOCIALIZED MEDICINE.
Let’s use Mr LePage’s math — 5% of those served by MaineCare ( the sick elderly ) represent 50 % of the cost — and the costs will not affect the elderly — the math and that comment just do not fly
and that is only one of the comments he and Ms Mayhew can be attributed to
LePage should we just set over the dead bodies and if they are in the road do we have to drag them into the ditch? Will that apply to just the elderly and handicapped?
The “non-profits” are part of the problem. The community services agencies receive MaineCare reimbusrsement and own multimillion dollar properties. They don’t pay a fair wage but cry poverty all the time. The CEO’s are making six-digit figures but DHHS never sees this as a problem.
The Democrats like Barry Hobins have been in control for 42 years and finally, finally got thrown out because they have spent more than they received in tax revenue. Our state is the lowest per capita wage state in the nation because very few people with money will invest in this lousy economy. Thank you Barry and the rest of your croonies.
Do the names Longley, McKernan and King ring a bell?
The myth that Democrats have been in control for umpteen million years is a lie.
yessah
King was a Democrat before he changed to Independant
Yup they sure do ring a bill. Not sure how they controlled anything as they were governors when both the houses were controlled by the Democrats. The Democrats have turned our state into a welfare state pure and simple and true. No $ equals no jobs.
Subject: [bdn] Re: Lawmakers hand LePage new DHHS budget proposal
So everybody has an opinion about who to blame.
Do any posters be they Democrat, Republican or Independent have solutions to offer the Governor?
Remember, we’re broke.
how about the idea that we ave a limited government that does not try to control every aspect of our lives. i saw a headline that some politicians are looking to cut a program that spends tax dollars advertising against junk food. why are tax dollars being spent in this way?
politicians are the problem, creating never ending lists of laws that continue to grow government. have you seen any changes in life style of the nobility in washington or the state capitals?
cut salaries of all politicians, reduce benefits, end retirement benefits. reduce support staff and expense accounts for all elected positions, limit terms. politicians are not, and should not be treated as an elite class.
look up state agencies on the maine.gov web site and pick a few useless agencies that we could do without. how about:
Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Program
Cultural Affairs Council
Dirigo Health Program
Economic & Community Development, Dept. of
Indigent Legal Services, Maine Commission on
Lottery, Maine State
MSECCA- Maine State Employees Combined Charitable Appeal
Maine Arts Commission
Massage Therapists, Board of Licensure
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Authority
I just offered a solution above. I’m an independent.
OK – repeal LePage’s tax cuts.
Increase income taxes on incomes over $250,000
Implement Single Payer Universal Health Care
Stop voting republican
problem solved
yessah
Yes, use the Medical Marijuana program tax dollars! With this growing awareness in Maine, the 5% & 7% tax will be helpful in keeping programs for seniors. I don’t see any remarks about Cobb or the missing money’s taken from the state. Investigating that would be a good start to find some of the shortfalls. You’re right, everyone is pointing fingers. Typical in America, no one takes the blame for their own actions or VOTES. Always another’s fault.
The republicans are out to bankrupt all the poor people and the working class.. Here is some good reading from the Washington post..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/how-grover-norquist-hypnotized-the-gop/2011/06/30/AGYOUlsH_story.html
This is what Mainemajority and others that feel like him want.. Lol in essence he is cutting his own throat.. He just don’t know it..
You are blind, willfully blind, He is a realist and he really wants to clean up 42 years of false intitlement, people who believe like you have created. GO GET ‘EM PAUL
End the war on drugs and the budget would be balanced. End the forty years war, please be reasonable.
More reading for you.. The republicans are really trying to kill the us financially and this is what people want..
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/01/29/grover-norquist-to-obama-extend-bush-tax-cuts-or-be-impeached/
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Some thoughts came to my mind when I read the comment about being in the minority. Our minds have gone into hibernation and will only come out when there is a restoration. Why are you asking us,we only know how to tax and spend. Including not knowing how to live witnin our means or to priortize the spending. The chance that the Dems could come up with a brilliant plan only to have it hijacked by the Republicans, when they have the BDN on speed dial to release any plan they might have to contribute. Finally, you could “give away” the Maine Turnpike or Lottery like we gave away the Liquor business.
“Irrregardless” of what the Republicans say, their actions send a misconfusing message. When Republicans are observed at the national level they appear to only be furthering their own agenda. What Republicans are calling “government,” is truly a group that controls legislation and policies because they have perfected, the Cut And Paste method of governing. Their contempt for the Democratic process is reviled by a governor who disrupts that process; proving the process to be just a show and nuisance he must contend with.
Look around the country, check out the flagship of crazy, Arizona and its tender Wisconsin where voters have had it with extreme and have started a recalled of Walker and are considering the same fate for Brewer, view Maine’s Administration in the same light. This bunch of democratic misfits knows that the jig is up and they have but a short time to put in place their extreme agenda.
Towards problem resolution…how about temporarily suspending non-life-threatening services starting immediately for a period of time, perhaps six months to a year determined by level of non-priority with the safety of all Mainers being the highest priority.
The State needs to seriously look into those that cheat the MaineCare system and those that don’t pay taxes. Huge $$ are spent that way. it’s hard times, but it’s not fair to the rest of us. Sure, we’d like to get paid “under the table”, but don’t. We’re broke, too! Infact, as a fishing family, we have to pay IN. No workers comp., no unemployment…
Nutting carrying water for his loose cannon boss. Nice show, guys… LePage is not throwing a monkey wrench into the process, he is the monkey wrench…
Nutting can pay back the $1.2 million he scammed from Mainecare.
Yessah
A solution: pass fair taxation legislation to make up for the preferential treatment the wealthiest Mainers get… it would more than cover the shortfall in the social safety net DHHS provides. But that would make too much sense… fairness, shmairness.
When we say we need a progressive tax system with far far fewer loopholes, the ones that balk and work against it call themselves conservatives. I remember when I was just young tyke asking a friend’s father if he was upset that he had to pay so much in taxes. His response was “No, I wish I could pay more, because that would mean that I was making more.” Apparently this is not how the wealthy among us feel any more. Today, their response would be “No, I am making so much now that I can take advantage of all the tax loopholes and actually pay less than when I was a working stiff.”
I wonder if any Maine governor threatened to cut off LePage’s welfare checks back in the day?
the gov. and lawmakers keep saying we are broke but i see them offering nothing to help lower the short fall how much money would be saved if they took a cut in pay just the little perks would be a huge savings like paid mileage to and from work per diem and the big health care issue that we the people pay for all year long
There is a reason the State of Maine has a Medical Marijuana Program. They’re taxing the sales so add those dollars to the “short fall”. Sorry Maine but there is no excuse to be so short and to cut programs for Seniors as a result. You have the means, USE THEM!
“He also didn’t offer any specifics other than that the new proposal allows the state to pays its bill through June.”….from LaPage. So what happens after June. The governor wants to try to fix the problem, not put a bandaid on it only to have this always be a in a crisis mode.
“You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage earner down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatered. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.” Abraham Lincoln
When 1% owns more wealth than 90%, I’d class warefare has already been waged and the bottom 99% lost.
Well, if the cuts are made, those Elderly who receive MaineCare, will either have to not pay their rent, to take care of their health needs, or pay rent and food, and forgo their health needs. That’s how they could be homeless. Either you can afford one, or two of them, or not at all. These cuts will place many on the streets. It don’t have to be written, or said by LePew.. You just need to be able to see where this is leading. Least you all forget, Le Page can’t really do anything of this, without the ok from D.C. which he won’t get. So, if by chance this is passed, it will be over turned and he will have his hands full with trying to stay in office. You can’t out trump the Fed Gov. and he’s trying to make us believe he can do it. He’s been warned that it won’t happen, yet he still believes it can be done. What will each of you do, if it’s your parents who are on Mainecare, and is in need of their meds which now that can’t get because of the high cost, and will soon be homeless because they can’t afford their rent because they have to pay for them out of pocket. You going to bring them into your home, or help them pay for the health care? It’s a reality check for you. I do agree something needs to be done, but at the cost of many lives it’s just not worth it.
Lepage has repeatedly refused to back up his big words with any numbers except the lies he vomits up from the Virginia Heritage society neo-nazi propaganda and fake video department..
And the Rs are still on a futile attempt to get waivers from ACA? And try to repeal ACA? Not even Quixotic, just … well, you know (my grandsons don’t want me to use the unwise “S” word)
And the Rs still futily pursue an exemption from ACA? Along with trying to repeal ACA? Not even Quixotic, more like, well … you know, severely unwise (my grandsons don’t like me to use the “S” word equivalent for unwise).
How can this galoot say that the democrats have been stalling since day 1? As of early January Gov. Blowhard was still being asked by lead republicans in the appropriations committee for some actual numbers to work with. They didn’t believe his Tea Party arithmetic any more than the democrats did. He was the one who was stalling on giving the committee what it had asked for. He wanted them to just take his word for it. And we all know how ludicrous his word is. Can we afford to wait 3 more years to correct the mistake we made at the polls in Nov ‘2010? More and more are thinking not. If they had $221M to give me right now… I’ll bet they could have done so if he had not given the huge rich-oriented tax cut as soon as he got in office. He showed no foresight in doing this. Or perhaps he did, which is even more disturbing because he is now using his short-sightedness as a political tool to hammer the democrats and republicans who do not share his “my way or the highway” style of governing.
Rotundo needs to be reminded herself that it was her party which created this mess. What gall the Democrats have. Lepage needs to cut and hang the problem right around the Democrats neck.
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Then Rotundo should keep her mouth shut
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Typical ditto headed thinking….cut spending on preventative care services so that our children have to pay even more down the road once someones health really goes down the crapper.. Penny wise and pound foolish. Spend a dime to save a nickle. Brilliant.
Sans ‘the winking smiley’?
Penny wise, pound foolish.
Another daily attack
Thank god, now my great aunt Polly Ester can still get help with her medications, and we can keep her out of the nursing home.