Gov. Paul LePage would like to change Maine’s public records laws to shield vast amounts of information from public scrutiny.
Through the state’s Right to Know Advisory Committee, the governor has proposed legislation that would deny public access to mountains of information in his office, including proposals for legislation, working papers and interoffice and intraoffice memos.
The list of exempted information applies not only to records created by the governor himself but also to those created by any employee of the governor’s office.
The language of the bill, LD 1805, is broad and would give great latitude to this governor — and future governors — to undermine public access to important information. That information could include everything from information about the state budget to performance reviews for government programs and activities.
Maine’s Freedom of Access laws are essential to the proper functioning of government. They protect the rights of residents to attend public meetings, to review records of government’s activities and to hold elected and appointed officials accountable for their actions.
Under current law, the working papers of legislators used to craft bills are exempted as public records. The LePage administration has argued that it’s reasonable to extend the same exemption to the governor and his staff.
We disagree. In fact, if any change in the law is appropriate, it would be to remove the exemption for legislators. More sunshine, not less, is the path to good government.
The unitary power of the state’s chief executive and his ability to drive the legislative agenda require that his activities be conducted in the full light of day. That standard applies to current and future governors just as it has applied to governors in the past.
We understand that Maine’s freedom of access laws place an increasing burden on the governor’s office and all of state government. And we are willing to concede that the access laws can be abused and used as a weapon to slow government’s work or intimidate the people trying to carry it out.
But we also believe that the public has an absolute right to understand how the governor’s legislative agenda is developed, how his ideas are formed and who has influenced them.
While the proposal suggests that newly exempted information will eventually become public after the Legislature has acted on the governor’s agenda, that’s not good enough. Even here the bill is so vague as to make it possible to hide documents for years at a time.
As lawmakers — and the public — consider whether a bill should be enacted, they should have access to information that will help them understand how the idea came to be.
Republican, Democratic and independent governors all have managed to comply with Maine’s public records laws. The law works. This change is unnecessary and dangerous.
Government in Maine remains close to the people. Whether it’s our tradition of high voter turnout or participation in town meetings, our government remains accountable. We should tread lightly when building new walls that separate the people from their government and its leaders. This proposal would do just that and is unacceptable in its current form.
If this bill were to pass, I hope every person who opposes less transparency in state government keeps in mind to which party the Governor belongs: the Republicans. Because I predict that 3, 5 or 10 years from now there will be a Democratic governor and someone from the GOP will complain loudly that that individual isn’t letting the sun shine on her ” proposals for legislation, working papers and interoffice and intraoffice memos.”
Who would want to see his coloring books?
For once BDN has it exactly right. LePage’s ‘sudden’ deciding that he needs to hide the paper trail that is all but certain to used in the upcoming election cycle should not a huge surprise. Mitt Romney used his discretionary account’s as Mass.’s Governor to buy every hard drive from the Governor’s Office in Boston he could right after he left office in order to hide what he had done as Governor. Massachussetts has since learned that there was a very large amount of information on those drive’s that should have been archived under Massachussets law that were directly relevant to every piece of legislation originating from Romney’s office. That LePage is trying to do the same thing, thru legislative manipulation, is identical to what Romney did. And that should give both Party’s a reason to stop and start asking question’s, even the ugly one’s that no one really wants to ask.
It also tells me that there is a whole lot more in those papers than Executive privilege material, which is no doubt what LePage is going to claim at some point. He should know better. Given Romney’s antic’s, and that they have now been seen for what they are, LePage’s cloning of Romney’s antics is all but certain to have now concentrated both the voter’s, and more importantly the Court’s, attention on these paper’s content’s. LePage might make the arguement that the paper’s are Official Working Document’s to try and stall their archiving. Try is about all he’s gonna’ get. Working paper’s, of any kind, that are generated by ANY GOVERNMENT WORKER, are subject to Official Archiving and disclosure except under the most rigid of exceptions. The Fed’s Privacy Act has only 3 exceptions and they are, for better or worse, very tightly interpreted. Try and get a sitting U.S. District Court judge to withold records soley on the basis that the records sought are exempt under anyone of these exceptions is like waving a flag at a unhappy bull with an attitude. The U.S. Gov’t tried to do that in the 9-11 trial of Misoussi Trial by hiding relevant Discovery material from the defense. The Judge almost tossed out the entire case because the DoJ had a mass attack of stupid and arrogant. The material was released anyway and Misoussi is now doing time despite the arrogance of the Justice Dept. The only exception to the Privacy Act, either Federal as noted, or State is the Kissinger Exception or an extension of it as applicable under Maine law. And the Federal exception was VERY NARROWLY INTERPRETED by the Supreme Court. And Kissinger’s exception was tied to the Nixon Tape’s. They’ve now out. The historians are now the decider’s. But in Paulie’s case it gonna be the Maine Courts and the voter’s. One is sure to be less than forgiving than the other. They always are.
brief mike brief
Sir, with all respect, being brief in defense of the protecting the public’s liberty and responsible government is either nothing less than deliberate stupidity or active surrender of one’s personal freedom’s and responsibility’s as a citizen to The State. Either way, that is nothing less than moral and political cowardice. The public’s freedom requires every arguement to be made, no matter how much arguement has to be made. That LePage is so concerned about his Cabinet’s action’s being questioned as to motive and benefit tells me, and I’m betting a bunch of other’s, that he is actively trying to hide their actions, and responsibilities. This alone makes me more than a little scared of just what he’s been up to that we don’t know about yet. The really scary, and sad part when you think about it, is that given the recent Penguin issue, the AG’s office is no where to be seen in any of this makes me wonder just how much legal manipulation has occured to date that was done to set the stage for Lepage’s antic’s. There is a whole lot of smoke being seen here. The really big question is where’s the fire that the smoke is coming from ? Someone, somewhere has those answer’s. If I were Paulie I’d be thinking very hard right now as to who he’s ‘stuck in the back’ on his climb to Augusta. Someone’s gonna start talking. They always do. Just look at Wisconsin. ‘Stuck’ by a Admin. Ass’t. who got greedy. And let’s not forget the poster boy of North Carolina. ‘Stuck’ is so mild a word as to be almost obscene, given the situation.
Sorry did not realize you were saving us from our own cowardice.Where were you for the last 40 yrs while the dems have been leading this state down the joy filled road to socialism.Or is your disdain only directed at repubs.
How long are you going to blame Democracts? Republicans are in power now.
Smells fishy.
Fishy? Bait Fish!
Stalinism come to Maine. Secret police will be next.
If you squint, you can see Larry, Moe, and Curley in that pic.
I would rather not squint and just see the three crooked B@$+@+)$
Your post speaks highly of your maturity and intelligence.
Thank you so much, it’s nice to be recognized.
As does your own of your ability to ignore the truth, oh Big Pretender.
I was liberal when I was 17 too.
Did Obama ever release his grades?
Get over it !
Its petty!
He’d run circles around you, grades unseen. You want to see his grades? Go dig em up. Yer just too plain lazy to do the work.
This thread reminds me of this post:
Isn’t it amazing that, within only one week of Tiger Woods crashing his Escalade, the press found every woman with whom Tiger has had an affair during the last few years?
And, they even uncovered photos, text messages, recorded phone calls, etc.!
Furthermore, they not only know the cause of the family fight, but they even know it was a 9 …iron from his golf bag that his wife used to break out the windows in the Escalade.
And, each & every day, they were able to continue to provide America with updates on Tiger’s sex rehab stay, his wife’s divorce settlement figures, as well as the dates & tournaments in which he will play.
Now, Obama has been in office for almost three years, yet this very same press:
Cannot find any of his childhood friends or neighbors;
Or find any of Obama’s high school or college classmates;
Or locate any of his college papers or grades;
Or determine how he paid for both a Columbia & a Harvard education;
Or discover which country issued his visa to travel to Pakistan in the 1980’s;
Or even find Michelle Obama’s Princeton thesis on racism.
They just can’t seem to uncover any of this.
Yet, the public still trusts that same press to give them the whole truth!
Don’t you find that totally amazing?
You cannot get the water to clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek.
Yes they have. Were are you looking?
Well he went to Columbia University and Harvard Law School. At Harvard he graduated cum laude, which means that was in the top 10 % of his class, not an easy thing to do. He was also a law professor, so he must have some really good grades.
What were your grades? I went to UMO and mine was a mere ….???
Soooo boring, another racist
Easy. Libs are touchy about this.
A conservative is a liberal who got mugged the night before.
what does that, have to do with this. rusjan’s right, he graduated cum laude, enough said! I know you guys like it better if our Presidents, graduate at the bottom of their classes, but really now.
They weren’t paid for by the state nor are they anyone’s business. Would you please post an official copy of yours for the world to see. What, no college? A ha!
This thread reminds me of this post:
Isn’t it amazing that,
within only one week of Tiger Woods crashing his Escalade, the press
found every woman with whom Tiger has had an affair during the last few
years?
And, they even uncovered photos, text messages, recorded phone calls, etc.!
Furthermore,
they not only know the cause of the family fight, but they even know it
was a 9 …iron from his golf bag that his wife used to break out the
windows in the Escalade.
And, each & every day, they were
able to continue to provide America with updates on Tiger’s sex rehab
stay, his wife’s divorce settlement figures, as well as the dates &
tournaments in which he will play.
Now, Obama has been in office for almost three years, yet this very same press:
Cannot find any of his childhood friends or neighbors;
Or find any of Obama’s high school or college classmates;
Or locate any of his college papers or grades;
Or determine how he paid for both a Columbia & a Harvard education;
Or discover which country issued his visa to travel to Pakistan in the 1980’s;
Or even find Michelle Obama’s Princeton thesis on racism.
They just can’t seem to uncover any of this.
Yet, the public still trusts that same press to give them the whole truth!
Don’t you find that totally amazing?
You cannot get the water to clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek.
We need a citezens referendum to recall CROOKS!
Amazing. The BDN wore saddle shoes, pom poms, and sweaters with a big B on them as they led the cheers while Baldacci was in office. Now they try to put their big boy pants on and they find out they’ve grown fat and lazy and they just look stupid trying to be a government watchdog.
Now, did that governor, or any other governor propose such a thing? No.
Should we concern ourselves what this governor is proposing? yes.
Prejudiced much? Is that why you are blaming the BDN because you are the one with the agenda? They are reporting the truth. What is your governor hiding that he can’t be transparent?
Funny how thye’re concerned with the truth now. When Baldacci in office they were the least curious bucnh of “reporters” to be found this side of a high school newspaper. Hundreds of millions “lost” at DHHS? 80 million Mainecare billing debacle? Late to the party reporting anything about these, and forget about any investigative reporting. Someody redecorates a room in Augusta and takes down a painting and they’re all over it like white on rice.
We just went through the biggest recession since the great depression. I’m not sure if you’re aware of that or not. It seems you aren’t. ” Someody redecorates a room in Augusta and takes down a painting and they’re all over it like white on rice.” It wasn’t just ‘a painting.’ It was a mural depicting the history of the common working man: you know, forty hour weeks, vascation time etc. All rights that had to be fought for because business men would work employees litteraly to death, seven days a week. Removing that was a symbolic gesture from a business man who doesn’t pay his Marden employees enough that some are on food stamps. (That means you and I subsidize his business) It was declaring war on working men and women in this state. If you can’t see that, don’t be blamming the BDN. Not reporting the truth does not make it go away.
He had to do it, he was being “leaned” on by an anonymous little girl named David Koch! lol.
Somebody better tell Dale McCormick about this recession thing. She’s been spending money like a drunken sailor at MSHA on massages and gift cards while crying that people would DIE from a lack of heating assistance. Like a Maine beech nut she has a lot of different faces.
Where on earth was the BDN when Baldacci, King and the Democrats were getting away with their unethical and criminal like behavior. Using their office to make millions at the expense of the Maine people. The BDN was always out to lunch everytime they did something wrong. Now that a different party is in charge , The BDN sure wants to be everywhere LePage and Republicans goes to get the dirt they can find to do their witch hunt against them. The BDN is just like what the Pingree Herald , Pingree Journal, Pingree Sentinel is to Southern and Central Maine. A Biased Liberal Tabloid Rag that is an extension of the Maine Democrat Party. They will give Liberals free campaign advertising when election time comes. If your not a Democrat your the enemy.
It was there, I remember reading about it. You say things like where were they? Well they were there. You just conveniently forget.
You know you are screwed when you try and change the subject.
What’s he afraid of? We’ll find out where the mural is hidden?
Why couldn’t an investigative reporter find out where it is?
LePage is transparent even in his obfuscation. Of course he doesn’t want us to know who the out of state special interests are that are calling the shots while wanting to extract all our wealth. We didn’t elect a coal company to represent us in Augusta and will rightfully be very upset when we learn the truth.
Love the photo of the Three Stooges.
Patrick, SpongeBob’s best friend is not the brightest. But your clueless ideas regarding special interest influences surpass the silliness of any cartoon character. When it comes to personal freedoms fear socialist and liberals. LePage ROCKs
This is not a cartoon. This is not a conspiracy theory. This is the reality of how our laws, our democracy and our freedom are being subverted by a handful of nefarious billionaires. Please read, study and understand the seriousness of this attack–
http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._Chamber_of_Commerce
http://portland.thephoenix.com/news/126378-lepages-koch-brothers-connection-revealed/
LePage is one of many cartoon puppets on our national stage and as we stand transfixed by the drama of it all, the puppeteers are robbing us of all that made America great and all that we hold dear.
Yeah….. like check this out DUDE
http://www.stopliberallies.com…
I know darn well that he wants to hide the memo’s between him, the nazi’s, the kremlin,chairman Mao, and Britney Spears! We demand all emails!
SCARY
LePage is wrong to seek this in my view. As public servants, all their activity should be available to the citizenry. Not that the BDN reporters will ever get around to reporting relevant facts, but it’s nice to know they are out there for someone with gumption to access.
Especially after the MTA and the current uncertainty about procedures at MSHA, advocating for more government secrecy is wrong.
Public Servant?
Maybe an Alec Servant!
I vote to RECALL Paul LePage. He’s trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the entire state…Republican and Democrat….He will do unspeakable damage to this state if he is allowed to continue…..
There is no provision in the Maine Constitution for the recall of a governor.
No but there is a mechanism for impeachment. The only big question is at what point is LePage going to cross the threshold for that to start the process. Given his current behavior and action’s, that threshold may be closer than anyone realizes. And more importantly, given both House’s recent agreement on the Budget, the very real possibility of a House hearing being any type of friendly to LePage is rapidy diminishing. Tick tock folks, tick tock………
What has he done that he should be impeached over. He has done nothing that calls for impeachement. The Liberals on the other hand should be voted out because they are obstructionists, complainers, cheap shot artists, and people who support wealth redistribution and legalized theft for Welfare Bums.
You forgot to mention that they are also the party of “No”.
How? They voted down the Bill because amendments were added late and they didn’t have time to go over them. They needed more time, and will most likely vote yes on tuesday. They wanted more time to go over the new material before voting for something they didn’t read.
I agree with the first two sentences.
DC, look below. The minute he seizes the State Budget, and declares he won’t release it unless he get’s his way, in clear violation of the Maine Revised Statute’s, he’s in violation of State Law. That alone is Cause for Action. Even the AG and the SOS can’t help him then. And if Paulie is looking for the State GOP to help out, I would suggest that he seriously re-think that, real quick. Charlie Brewer’s running of the GOP Caucus, if that’s what you want to call it, shows that the State GOP Leadership has some serious issues that they need to work out. Having to work with a Governor under review for possible impeachment isin’t going to help them a lot. And given the GOP’s ‘collective’ positions being seen from the Caucus voting, I don’t see the GOP in any position to help without their own positions being weakened. No, what’s needed now is the Democrat’s, and Independent’s, to start coming together to field and vet both their position’s and Candidate’s for the upcoming elections. Given Paulie’s current position’s, and where they are leading, I don’t see the GOP doing anything miraculous. The time for their miracles are long since gone.
What on earth would the legislature charge LePage with in order to impeach him? Please, make something up and tell us.
This one is simple. The minute he seizes the DOE’s budget and closes the school’s and tells the State Legislature that he won’t release it until he get’s his way, he is now abusing his authority, and refusing to follow the democratic practices and principles that the State of Maine operates under and that he swore, UNDER OATH, to follow. By seizing absolute power he is now practicing a dictatorship type of gov’t. That alone is cause for impeachment. It is also cause for the Fed’s to hold any type of money back until the Federal Court’s, not Congress, determine that the money that the Federal Gov’t both sends, and spend’s, in Maine is going to go or be spent where it was directed. Mis-appropriation (and that’s what LePage is out right calling for, no matter how pretty he tries to dress it up) is something that the Fed’s take an almost Capital Punishment-type view of. Louisiana’s Governor got caught doing this and wound up doing almost 10 years in the lock-up. Given the current public attitude toward public official’s abusing their authority under the guise of ‘protecting the State from itself’ I for one would not like to be Paulie’s attorney. This one is gonna be a loser, right outta’ the gate. And the AG’s not going to be doing him any good either. That this mess has reached this level of public exposure shows a great many of us that Paulie’s crowd is both outta’ control and working to an agenda that no one but some select few are privy to. Secret government’s operating are never a good thing. That Paulie is moving Maine toward that should give everyone, Democrat, Republican and Independent a serious case of the ‘Who is in charge ?’ headscratching’s.
I completly agress, I don’t like the man and hope he gets voted out, but calling for impeachment is just foolishness.
Just waiting for ONE legislator with the courage to step up and do his/her duty by starting the impeachment procedure. For starters, Mainers have lost confidence in his ability to govern. In addition, he’s violated the oath of office that he took.
Current legislators who’ve been turning a blind eye to his offenses and doing nothing about them can count on not seeing themselves reelected.
Agreed Madam. 100 %. Being an elected official means not being part of the aftereffect when everything is wonderful. It’s about being responsible when things are going to crap. Leading when things are going well is easy. Real leadership is being responsible when things are going down the tube and figuring out how to stop it and get things back on an even keel. Good for you and by any chance have you thought of running for office ?
http://www.stopliberallies.com/category/big-government
Sorry, dude……there’s no recall protocol or law in this state. We have never needed one, until now. Obviously, change is progressive and obvious, but it is indeed a shame that this governor proposes this……while you and I post on recall provisions and potential referendum options?
Since this governor would not sign such a bill, or even a dhhs bill, it would, and needs to go to referendum. Which requires either the legislature putting it out, (this or next session) or by a citizen’s initiative.
The earliest you could get a recall referendum passed is 2013 because the 2012 referendum is passed. Then if the law was to go into effect in 2014 it would be useless to Liberals because re-election campaign would be going on with the Democrat Party debates going on. Why waste taxpayers time and money when LePage would be up for re-election it makes no sense period. Maine Democrat Party should be worried about trying to get the legislature back. Even though they won a Special election they had a really bad week with the MSHA spending debacle and the Senate Dems voting down the supplemental budget.
Not only is it unacceptable in it’s current form, it’s unacceptable in any form! From William King to John Baldacci there have been 73 individuals to serve in the office, not a one of them ever hinted to, alluded to, or suggested this. Le Page is as about as transparent as lead sheathing.
Could you fit more scumbags into one photo???? Nope
You Vill do zaz I zay…und zere vill be no peeking zinto my versonal papers… Yup, gotta love all that transparency LIEpage and his ilk brought in.
{Could you fit more scumbags into one photo???? }
It makes my Eyes Burn!
To borrow your words, Governor–“the Maine people deserve to know.”
( stolen off the net somewhere, but it truly says it all does it not?)
How about a compromise? We require LePage to reveal ALL his papers to inspection by the citizens of Maine, but give him, say, a 2-week delay before the rule goes into effect–so he can white-out the “ALEC” and “Heritage Foundation” and “Koch Brothers” letterheads on all his supposedly original political thinking?
very well written
This is a guy that ran on a “more government transparency ” platform :(
Hey I’m all for transparency, but all you people leaving comments are taking this way overboard. From what the article is saying, he is looking to have the same transparency as members of the legislature. Did anyone happen to ask him why he wants this? Everyone is automatically assuming he wants to break off from the U.S. now and form a communist country of some kind. Even this article gives somewhat of a reason to do it, to cut down on the abuse, but the underlying implication here seems to be that he’s trying to cover something up in the future for something he hasn’t done yet. I think he’s doing it for a reason, and if the legislature doesn’t like the way its structured they can go back to the drawing board and redo it, it’s as simple as that. Surely I disagree with completely covering everything up, but there has to be a happy medium somewhere right? Otherwise you are just spinning your wheels trying to keep perfect documentation on everything for everyone, and less time doing what you were elected to office to do. I think the writer of this article should have included more information about why the governor is doing this, straight from the source.
It should be quite clear “why” anyone wold propose it!
Maybe you should ask Emily Cain , John Martin, Justin Alfond, Cynthia Dill, Meaghan Maloney, Peggy Rotundo and the rest of the Liberals in Augusta to release their documents from their offices as well. Because their documents are protected under Maine law. If this passes LePage would have his papers protected under a similar system to what Legislators have now. If the Legislators can be protected , LePage should be allowed the same too
ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW REALLY??? HMMMMMMM…………………………
I can admit I am no genius in any stretch of the word! But when the laws were made they did so to keep the big business available. To the taxpayers. They did indeed pay for the local land and gov. spending. I think its shady as hell ok!! CAN YOU SAY WATERGATE! Nixon tried to pull that and look what it got him? I’m just sayin it is the civilians paying and yet hes hiding behind a twist in the damm armor (for the lack of a better term). No you cant keep what you want on your desk private Mr. Govenor I’m sorry and mean no disrespect. But the common people see everything that goes across your desk… oh yes it does and the people pay and live here . That paperwork is as much theirs as your own medical records in your doctors possession. This Mr. Govenor is the PEOPLES DESK…. YOUR JUST KEEPIN IT WARM. Like it or dont thats how I feel. I am definitely no one special but that crap hes pullin is criminal and it should probably be a good topic to talk about amending that law so no one else tries this crap again?? THATS WHAT ID DO ………just sayin thanks for reading. HAVE A NICE DAY
This guy is a real gem…if this article surprises anyone they have been living under a rock.
We the people own every piece of paper, email and recording that came from or entered into the Governors office….. It is ours and we should see it.
We can handle the truth..
From the LePage 2010 campaign website:
Every Maine citizen has a right to know what government is up to and how it spends our tax dollars. Paul will require all state spending to be posted online, and he will fight for stronger laws to protect and expand Maine citizens’ right to access information from state and local government. When Paul is Governor, open government will be a reality, not a talking point.
While Paul is Governor, he will:
Strengthen Maine’s Freedom of Access Law. Any roadblocks Mainers face in the pursuit of public information from a governmental entity must be torn down. Paul will fight for a timelier, more inclusive Freedom of Access law, and require each governmental entity to designate an officer to oversee all requests for public information.
http://www.lepage2010.com/solutions/your-right-to-know/
We can believe one of three things–
LePage is a hypocrite.
LePage is a liar.
LePage is a liar and a hypocrite.
Looks like the third choice is the most plausible.
Once again, the individual who the State party allowed to be our candidate is completely tone deaf. Now he not only makes the party look bad by doing precisely what the Ds expect of us, but he does so while cheapening the state and the office.
For the umpteenth time I ask: where is his staff in all these brilliant decisions?
His staff is at the MHPC and ALEC secret hideaway’s getting the instructions and strategy instructions for this legislative session.
The staff is either resigning or related.
So “open government” was really just a talking point ? Any surprise here ? No, I didn’t think so.
So perhaps folks should mail him a copy to remind him of his campaign pledge … and mail it to the legislators that will vote on it as well.
I assume that Obama is your God so a review of his promises is also in order:
Obama’s promises:
1) Guantanamo Bay
As a candidate, Barack Obama repeatedly stated his intentions to
close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, calling the facility a
recruitment tool for al Qaeda. With Monday’s announcement by Attorney
General Eric Holder that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other alleged
plotters in the September 11 attacks would be tried in military courts,
it has become even more obvious that Gitmo will not be shutting down
anytime soon.
However, some Obama supporters say they don’t see Guantanamo Bay shaping up as a huge problem for the president in 2012.
“President Obama is still trying to shut down Gitmo as soon as
possible, it’s just turning out that it’s not possible,” said Democratic
strategist Joe Trippi. “But I don’t see that promise really hurting him
in 2012, his base probably won’t abandon him over that.”
2) Letting Bush-Era Tax Cuts Expire
As a candidate, Barack Obama said he opposed tax cuts for the
wealthiest Americans and if elected to the highest office in the land,
he would let the Bush-era tax cuts expire. However as president, Obama
found that he had to compromise in order to avoid raising taxes for most
Americans. In the end, the only way for the president to keep the
Bush-era tax rates for couples making less than $250,000 was to also
extend current tax rates for what he called “the wealthiest two percent
of Americans.”
Once again, Democrats don’t see this as a deal breaker.
“He fought against extending the Bush tax cuts the whole way, he just
lost. But once again I don’t think his base will desert him for Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich over this,” said Trippi.
3) Foreclosure Prevention Fund
During the campaign, candidate Obama said he would create a $10
billion fund designed to come to the aid of homeowners at risk of
foreclosure. “Too many families are unable to refinance because no one
will lend to them, and they are unable to sell their homes because the
housing market has fallen,” said Obama in 2008.
The president actually tried to go above and beyond the initial
promise by creating a fund that totaled $75 billion. This money came, in
part, from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The problem is the
program, for a myriad of reasons, has failed to deliver. As of January
2011, the program had helped only about 500,000 homeowners.
4) Immigration Reform
As a candidate out on the campaign trail, Mr. Obama promised to
provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. However,
during his first two years in the White House, the president spent just
about all of his hard earned political capital on passing health care
reform and the economic stimulus. So by the time Obama went back to the
well for immigration, he was politically broke.
The DREAM act, a bill aimed to provide a path to citizenship for
immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, passed in the House but died
in the Senate during the lame duck session. With that chance missed, it
could be a long time before Democrats and immigration reform backers
have the numbers in Congress to make another run at it.
Obama called the failure to pass immigration reform “maybe my biggest
disappointment” of the lame duck session but maintains he is still
committed to the goal.
5) Restricting Former Lobbyists from Serving in Obama Administration
As a candidate, Barack Obama deplored the prevalence of lobbyists in
and around the White House. “No political appointee will be able to
lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the
remainder of the administration,” said Obama in 2008.
However, according to politifact.com, the administration has granted
waivers to several former lobbyists, allowing them to serve. The
administration also allows “recusals,” in which a former lobbyists can
recuse themselves from discussions surrounding interests they used to
lobby.
So your reply about our current Governor is to bring up Obama? This is about LaPage no Obama. Please do your research. Obama is not the Governor of Maine, He is the president on the USA. He had no decisions on LaPage wanting to do this. You know you are screwed when you want to change the subject.
Toilet paper.
Hey LePage – running a state government ain’t the same as selling second hand stuff at a chain store.
We are your boss.
We pay your salary
You work for us.
And we will supervise your work.
yerssah
All this is helping me make up my mind about for whom to vote in November. I like having close numbers of dems and repubs in Augusta but I also want completely open government. Does this mean I won’t vote for a republican for fear he/she might have to support the governor on something as dumb as this? Likely!
….
He obviously has something or wants to hide something. It is time Maine and a recall law as well!
had a recall law, I mean :)
If he has nothing to hide than don’t try to hide it.
Work generated by public servants should be available to public scrutiny. The desire for Landslide LePage to conceal his work and the work of his office, in addition to the concealment of work by the legislature is an affront to the citizens of Maine. I guess Landslide LePage doesn’t want the 60+% of the electorate who didn’t vote for him to know what he has been doing. The emperor has no clothes.
Paulie’s just keeping his promise of “Open Government”…his motives are crystal clear.
Can’t say as I blame him. With all that he’s said and done, why would he want Maine and the rest of the nation to know how he dreamed up so many zany decisions?
Did you ever see a roomful of sour faces like in the picture above, of Gov LePage and others?
You wrote: “Under current law, the working papers of legislators used to craft bills are exempted as public records. The LePage administration has argued that it’s reasonable to extend the same exemption to the governor and his staff.”
I think he’s right. The Governor is co-equal with the legislative branch. They should both be able to do their work in the same way.
The editorial argues just the opposite, which would still satisfy your point of co-equal branches of government:
In fact, if any change in the law is appropriate, it would be to remove the exemption for legislators. More sunshine, not less, is the path to good government.
I know Mr Weinard. I don’t agree with the editorial.
How is orders from Alec, (their ) work?
Maybe Paul has forgotten, He isn;t working for Marden’s… He is in a “PUBLIC” elected position. The PUBLIC has a right to see all that takes place!!!
You know you’re in “Paul’s world when…
He thinks that stripping away the amendments to the constitution is really protecting the rights of the people.
I thought Republicans were against more government involvement. What’s up Mr. LePage -proposing new legislation seems to fly in the face of this Republican rhetoric? Why add another layer of government action or legislation? Is there something worth hiding?
Catapiller has announced it is bringing it’s manufacturing operations back to the United States and will build a new, large manufacturing plant in Georgia. Gee, why won’t they build a plant here, in Maine? We don’t need well paying jobs here?
Maine: Open for “Monkey” Business
This is no surprise to me, he is as transparent as he is crooked, why would he want to show what he does..
leave it to this dirtbag to want to hide what he is up to from the public.. anyone hear him say anything about this before his election he is just another liar in public office lets get rid of him soon
Still think legalized fireworks was a good thing for Maine communities?
Still think legalizing fireworks will not be one 1million times the controversy of the mural and Maine care combined?
Look at the–censored– nightmare the legalization of fireworks is doing already.
All these police calls are for firework complaints in ONE DAY. It is not even the summer or warm out yet:
=——————————————
Somerset County
Skowhegan
Dispatch Log for 02/17/2012
12-9665 1656 Shots Fired Complaint Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] PALMER RD
ID: GUILMETTE , STANLEY
Disp-16:58:30 Clrd-17:10:15
12-9716 1937 Shots Fired Complaint Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] WEST FRONT ST
ID: Wasiela , Kyle
Disp-19:38:40 Clrd-19:43:17
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-19:41:27 Clrd-19:48:04
12-9725 2008 Loud Noise/Music Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] EAST CHANDLER ST
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-20:14:52 Clrd-20:34:38
12-9735 2039 Loud Noise/Music Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] EAST CHANDLER ST
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-20:41:32 Arvd-20:45:16 Clrd-20:49:52
12-9768 2200 Loud Noise/Music Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] NORTH AVE
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-23:28:39
Clrd-23:28:42
12-9755 2230 Shots Fired Complaint Could Not Locate
Location/Address: [SKO] WATERVILLE RD
ID: Wasiela , Kyle
Disp-22:31:00 Clrd-22:50:14
12-9758 2239 Shots Fired Complaint
Location/Address: [SKO] WEST FRONT ST
12-9766 2325 Loud Noise/Music Investigated
Location/Address: [SKO] CEDAR ST
ID: Gayne , Jason
Disp-23:26:24 Clrd-23:26:27
http://www.somersetcounty-me.org/SSC_NewsMedia/NewsMedia/DispatchLog.cfm?Checkdate=20120217
Don’t we all wish that Gov. Baldywas still in office???
He didn’t ask to keep his papers confidential, he just did it.
We haven’t begun to see the result of his and his puppe’st shenanigans.
Of course transparency is important. But a caveat here is to have the actual verbiage reported, not the opinion of a questionably expert, or even educated reporter. I’ve listened and in the past been on boards where the next day article was one I couldn’t recognize as the reporter had taken out of context, misinterpreted the issue etc. Print it the way it is and then we, the folks can render our own judgement.
If the media actaully reported what really happened, then maybe he wouldn’t be trying to “hide” things. Instead they report it the way they want us to read it. (see Bill Nemitz of the PPH.) The liberal media loves to squash this staunch conservative. Keep flippin’ em the bird Gov. The media is nothing but a bunch of drama queens anyway.
Did I miss something? I don’t see 39% in support of the Governor. Rough guess only maybe 15% and dropping. The columns of replies on the Gov. are telling as there used to be a lot more cries to give him some time. They gave him the time and Mainers don’t like what they see.
Hey LePage – the State House and Marden’s – you cannot “run it like a business”.
We are your boss.
We pay your (and your daughter’s) salary.
You work for us.
We are your supervisors.
Show us your work.
Yessah
Recall the jackwagon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!