AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s proposal to create a new Office of Policy and Management, with expanded investigatory powers, is generating bipartisan concern among lawmakers.
“This is a big difference and maybe there should be [concern],” said Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta. “Very few entities or individuals are allowed to issue subpoenas without court permission.”
The new OPM would take over some of the responsibilities of the State Planning Office, which would be abolished under the governor’s proposal. The planning office has the authority to seek a subpoena to get information it needs, but only with the approval of a judge. The OPM proposal would allow that new agency to issue subpoenas, and if a person or entity failed to respond to the subpoena, the OPM would have to go to a judge to enforce it.
“That is a pretty sweeping authority,” Katz said. “I am not sure I want to give that authority to someone without a judge being involved.”
Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, agreed with Katz and said he first raised his concerns about the investigatory powers of the new agency in January when he saw a draft of the legislation. He agrees a judge should be involved before a subpoena can be issued.
“In terms of protecting state government and individuals, I think it makes more sense,” he said.
Fredette said if the subpoena request is reasonable, he does not foresee a judge rejecting a request from the OPM. He said there needs to be a proper balance to protect from improper use of a powerful tool for investigation.
“This is really a fundamental change in the process that is being proposed,” he said.
Gubernatorial aide Jonathan Nass is the principal architect of the OPM legislation and he defended the subpoena proposal in the legislation.
“It seems logical that if we are asking this entity to have an ability to look across government and look at a broad spectrum of issues, if you have an uncooperative element you have the ability to investigate,” he said. But, he said, the subpoena issue is “not a big part of the bill” and that the administration is willing to work with lawmakers to draft acceptable legislation.
Rep. David Webster, D-Freeport, said he sees the bill as proposed to be “overreaching” and hopes the administration can work out language with members of the Judiciary Committee that is acceptable to the Legislature.
“I for one would be more comfortable just going back to what the State Planning Office has now,” he said.
Nass said there are several types of subpoenas in state law used by various agencies.
“There are a number of different breeds of subpoenas,” he said. “In civil litigation as part of discovery, a subpoena can be issued by an attorney, there are a number of subpoenas in use.”
Nass said LePage’s vision for the new office is one that can look at issues and problems across state government and provide him with an analysis of how to address those problems. He said it would be similar to the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President, except it would focus on the management aspects of government, with budget issues left to the Budget Office in the Department of Finance and Administration.
Rep. Joan Nass, R-Acton, the co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, said Friday her committee spent time last week discussing the issue at the request of the Appropriations Committee. She said committee staff found 122 instances in state law where agencies are given the right to issue subpoenas.
“Our staff is working with the governor’s office to come up with the right subpoena language. We expect to review that and make recommendations to the Appropriations Committee next week,” she said.
The legislation establishing the new OPM is included in LePage’s proposed supplemental budget, along with language that abolishes the State Planning Office and parcels out its responsibilities to other state agencies. The Appropriations Committee hopes to finish work on the budget in early April.
“… if a person or entity failed to respond to the subpoena, the OPM would have to go to a judge to enforce it.”
So it’s not really a subpoena? I’m glad it’s not, frankly, but again: is THIS what we need to be wasting time and dwindling political capital on?
It would still be a subpoena and anyone failing to respond would be guilty of a crime.
They would just have to go to a judge to issue an arrest warrant for the person.
Federal House and Senate committees do this all the time. People are not forced to do anything unless the subpoena is enforced by a judge.
it takes the focus off all the other corrupt plans of his
First Paul loses Darryl Brown from taking a leadership role in his plans to develop his own little Gestapo (Secret State Police/Office of Policy and Management) and now a bipartisan coalition is gathering together to take away his dreams to at least be able to issue subpoenas without court permission to anyone he pleases. Golly what’s a dictator to do?
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Idea, is that what you want to call this move by Mr. LePage? Really? Ya know, (Or perhaps you really don‘t) as ideas go this one isn’t all that original. World history is replete with despots that have asked for and often to the detriment of their citizens, been given such powers. This won’t happen here. All bringing it up has done is clarify for the public that this man and this administration doesn’t deserve to be given the time of day, much less our votes.
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And those beautiful, beautiful people will be kicking your extreme keister’s back to the outhouse crapper where they rightly belong.
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And while they’re in said “crapper,” perhaps you can take a moment, meneer, to learn the difference between plural and possessive — ja?
And as the grammar cop on this page exactly what value do you add to this conversation, because I already know I can’t spell.
Authority issues in all aspects of your life, eh Barstje?
one would have to have a walnut size brain to assume they know someone from a few lines of text
WalMart supports China, so does Big Oil. I bet you do too.
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Where is you real home….DUMBBY?
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Interesting that dis has removed all of his/her posts from this string. Sobered up perhaps? ;)
I’m guessing the pro-liberal BDN is removing all his posts…
Funny how everyone claims Lepage is some kind of evil dictator….he is attempting to change the state so that we won’t end up like California. On the other hand, Obama is attempting to turn our country into Europe.
Lepage is bringing the “Change” that Obama promised to Maine and now all your lefties think it’s wrong??
And before of any of you moonbats say “by what, removing a mural??” get a life and a better concept of the complex world we live in..
There is no need to guess. It clearly states “comment removed by poster.” In another post he/she also offers up a poor excuse for tucking tail and running. As for the rest of your post, I’m sorry I have no comment to add. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
You missed that poster’s post about drinking scotch it was no BDN anything
I am sure that Governor LePage was just thinking of all of the hard earned tea party taxpayer’s dollars when he came up with the idea of not having to bother a judge. Just think of all the valuable court time that will be saved. Judges won’t have to spend all kinds of time reading those pesky applications for a subpoena. And you have to admit the name of the new organization is kind of benign “Office of Policy and Management”. Of course there was at one time another government that had an agency with a rather benign sounding name that didn’t have to bother judges to get what they wanted , “The Committee for State Security” the acronym for that was KGB.
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There is a difference between Nazis and what we have being going
on in this country currently. LePage and many other extreme governors act as
water boys for corporate interests. ALEC and the likes pass their wingnut
legislation to the extreme water boys. This legislation passes into law and is written
to serve corporate interests only not the interests of We the People ….. That’s a
form of fascism. So like it or lump it many people are realizing the fact that this
group of goons are fascists. Those who criticize are only calling a spade a spade
or a corporatist a fascist.
We dont need no Stinkin King!
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There may yet be a glimmer of hope for this legislature. It is a relief to learn that at least some of our republicans would rather set policy formulated in Augusta by Mainers than out of the office of the Koch brothers down south somewhere. To insinuate this attempted power grab is a result of the governor’s “vision” is laughable. Just as his assault on collective bargaining is his “vision.” No, it’s straight out of the Koch brothers playbook. It would seem prudent to question whether or not this latest “vision” is even legal under the Maine constitution. Cudos to Katz and Fredette.
Oh yes, the Koch dynasty must be proud of their clone. Just when you think you’re as outraged as you can be–bingo.
I think he has another mentor:
“The truth is that men are tired of liberty.” Mussolini
I don’t think Florida is far enough and he could continue his dastardly deeds further under the radar. I hope he’s considering Jamaica–permanently.
Nah……I hear his home in Florida is sweet. I was told he can watch the P-3 Orion AntiSub planes take off from his backyard. You know……..the squadron that Dubya sent down to brother Jeb from Brunswick a few years ago to punish us “Lib’rals” for not voting for him. Closed our base and screwed the local economy. Take that, Lib’rals!!
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How much will it cost us to find out?
It depends on the route we take. If we are proactive before it is enacted, not much. If we wait until it is law and then challenged in the courts, plenty.
“When a long train of abuses and usurpations evinces a design to reduce them [the people] under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government.” Thomas Jefferson, US Declaration of Independence
So first he puts his wife’s brother-in-law in charge of the SPO, and now that will become the OPM with more power over the people and less protection. It’s like he thinks he’s Sadam Hussein or something. He’s really trying to stack the deck in his favor.
Sounds like the a better name for Paulie’s new department would have been the “Ministry of Love.”
Double plus ungood
yessah
Subtle word usage. I agree.
Sounds like this change would bring about more witch hunts
I guess the new Office of Policy and Management will start by investigating the Office of the Governor.
Why doesn’t LePage just coronate himself “Supreme Being/Lifelong King of Maine” and be done with it. Castro, Chairman Mao, Idi Amin, Lennin, General Franco, Mussolini, Stalin, Hitler, and LePage.
We could succeed to Jamaica Mon!
He’s beginning to remind me of Idi Amin Dada, Field Marshal General, Ruler for Life.
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don’t forget Koch dynasty and their offspring ALEC
How could anybody ever forget the Koch Bros! The anti-american, corporate crooks with the money “shepherding” the “tea party” sheep
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I am not a liberal are you a nazi ?
I though he did!
http://www.ericgooch.com/weblogs/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/frog_king.jpg
I wonder how did they ever get him to sit up so straight ?
Yet another oversight agency, but this one will be under the direction of the Governor. I just don’t believe in adding more agencies to state government. And, I really am weary of giving this Governor additional powers.
I would not want LePage trying to catch my dog, let alone deciding who gets summoned to court. He is not competant to hold office.
Bravo!
What exactly is this oversight agency supposed to do? I really don’t understand it’s purpose and would love for someone to inform me.
To give jobs to friends and family !
This is outrageous.
Conservatives should be incensed.
This is a dangerous expansion of government power
and an attack on individual liberty.
Why do conservatives support this stuff?
Because if you can’t fit it on a bumper sticker they can’t comprehend it…hence, Sarah Palin.
Both of the main political parties don’t care much for liberty. While, ironically, liberals take their name from “liberty”, they have a tendency to want to control nearly ever aspect of everyones lives. Conservatives tout liberty but have a tendency to intrude on our privacy, infringe on the liberties of those in foreign lands and want to be able to tell people who they can or cannot marry. The governments of this country have been getting bigger and bigger since the early 20th century, it has been an effort set forth by both main political parties.
The Tea Party, not to be confused with the GOP, was a movement that attempted to revive the idea of liberty, unfortunately the media seemed to be obsessed with the radical idiots of the group that were attempting to spread ideas that were unrelated with the Tea Party, giving most everyone a false negative perception of the Tea Party.
Then you have the occupy movement which is about as far away from liberty as you can get. Despite some pretty insane views, they were portrayed by the media as the greatest thing since the internet.The only group of people left who actually believe in liberty are the libertarians, and they by far a minority in the political arena.
The bigger the government, and the more centralized it becomes, the smaller the people and less influence they have in the political process. Yet for whatever reason people don’t seem to care.
The reason isn’t that people don’t care, many have realized that this party was hijacked by the neo-cons. We know as well that many good patriotic folks were snookered into believing the tea party was about liberty. As it turns out the liberty they bring to the table involves letting corporate interests write legislation that is self-serving. Call that anything you like, but liberty it is not.
Here are the ten items of the Tea Party platform since you seem to be unfamiliar with it:
1. Eliminate Excessive Taxes2. Eliminate the National Debt3. Eliminate Deficit Spending4. Protect Free Markets5. Abide by the Constitution of the United States6. Promote Civic Responsibility7. Reduce the Overall Size of Government8. Believe in the People9. Avoid the pitfalls of politics10. Maintain Local Independence
Now, as far as “letting corporate interests write legislation that is self-serving.” I am guessing you might be referring to number four, protect free markets. All they mean by that is to not have excessive laws/rules/regulations that strain business activity. The Tea Party actually protested the TARP bailouts under both Bush and Obama. They are also opposed to corporate influence on the political process.
Compared to the mixed views of the occupy movement which (from what I have seen) could be taken right out of the pages of the Communist Manifesto.
Please note that I am not a “tea-partier”.
Regardless of their platform all one has to do is look at the states with extreme governors, Wisconsin, Arizona, Michigan, Maine, Florida and the likes and it becomes very clear that we have two governments not two parties competing for the same domain. The 2010 extremists have little in common with the platform you outlined. They oppose our President who took office with 10 million + vote landslide. That was the will of the Majority. Those extremist have now created a form of government that is the rule of the minority. Furthermore McConnell has said that the objective of the extremists is to defeat Obama not further the betterment of our country ….. They are traitors to their constituents and our Constitution.
Please explain how restricting voter rights, women’s rights, school closing, union busting, denying health insurance and on and on is part of the platform you outlined?
People do such a good job at twisting things that I have to really work at interpreting the issues you are referring to.
By restricting voter rights I will assume you are referring to the effort set forth to require ID for voters. That being said, I would think that ensuring that every one who votes is both a legal US citizen, of legal voting age, and who they say that are is in fact protecting the rights of voters. By ensuring this we can be sure that our vote isn’t washed out by millions of others who shouldn’t be voting in the first place. I guess I don’t understand how requiring an ID is restricting voters rights.
By restricting womens rights, I will assume that you are referring to the whole birth control issue. I cold be wrong in my interpretation, but again, people are so good at twisting things it is hard to tell. The rights argument regarding insurance companies to cover birth control for women has absolutely nothing to do with the rights of women and everything to do with religious freedom. I don’t necessarily agree with the religious freedom argument, but I also do not believe it is some sort of attempt to restrict womens rights.
Schools closing, I don’t even know what you’re talking about here. The schools closing under the consolidation set forth by governor Baldacci?
Union busting, again, the lefts ability to twist things is fascinating in of itself. In Wisconsin, the governor wanted the state to be a “right to work” state, all this meant is that people had the choice to not be a part of a union if they wanted to. If you work somewhere, and you do not feel benefited by the union or do not believe in what they do, then why should you be forced to join it and pay your union dues? I don’t see how this is union busting. Please explain.
As for denying health insurance, I tried to figure out what you were referring to with this one, but I guess it is just too distorted for me to tell.
The government is not the only human institution that individuals need to be worried about. History shows otherwise. There have been many eras in history when government was weak and ineffectual, and the church and various dynasties and yes, business and capital, were intrusive and abusive to individuals and still are, in many places. The tea party conveniently ignores this fact, to the point where most sensible people regard them as just a front for plain old fashioned partisan Republican stooges.
Because they don’t really support liberty no matter what they say. This is beyond a bad idea. It’s a step toward a police state and no-one should be fooled.
Imagine LePage having this authority and the awful things he’ll do. His motivation is to put this into place before the November elections so he’ll have the ability to control things. But, November cannot come soon enough and he’ll be a lame duck.
If any government agency – under direct control of the executive branch – is seeking subpoena power, one can easily and assuredly know that the agency will be used for political purposes.
Gonna be nice come November when Humpty Dumpty here is relegated to screaming his head off until he’s blue while everyone just ignores him.
He is going to win, and win big.
Don’t you mean 2014?
ssshhhh
No, after the election this November LePage will be a complete lame duck because the legislature will flip to the Democrats.
The Governor of Maine has very little actual power to do anything that is not approved by the legislature (Angus King once said the only authority he had without legislative approval was to set the Herring catch limit!)
Lepage cnm huff and puff all he wants but a Democratic controlled legislature (or either house alone would be enough) will not approve any more of his obnoxious bull.
Thanks for explaining, I was going to get there but you did
a fabulous job of it, as always.
Wish I had a nickel for every time a bagger makes reference to Obama when the topic is LePudge. Nice comeback. How original.
heh, heh…..good one.
Well if you are going to complain about the State, why not complain about the mess in the State of the Union.
The only funny thing about all of this is, that a French man would want to adapt some of Hitlers tactics. Maybe the Frenchman is ignorant enough to believe what he says but the rest of us with a brain will not.
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Why are you yelling?
that’s all they got, the rest is insanity.
That is what the tea party supporters of Paul Richard LePage do best. Yell, wear pajamas made out of American Flags, carry signs claiming to be REAL PATRIOTS, moan and groan as if they were the only ones paying taxes, constantly put down those less fortunate then they are, claim to love America but hate Americans who do not share their flawed ideology. And on top of all that they are just plain mean spirited, self-centered people who care only about themselves and could give a tinkers damn about anyone else.
Excellent, and well said.
No worries my friend. Come November, the TeaNuts are going to get a major league pink slip at the voting booth. And then we are going to place a serious check and balance on this BUFFOON we have disgracing the Blaine House.
I bet you like it when John Elias Baldacci passed that Failed Dirigo Health Program. A program that costs several hundred million dollars and only covered 10,000 people instead of the 180,000+ it covered. I bet you think the Dirigo/Soda Tax increases Baldy and the Legislature passed that voters overwhelmingly repealed was great policy. Oh I bet you like that Tax Increase Law disguised as Tax Reform that created over 100 new taxes from things like Car Repairs, Movies, Entertainment, taxes on Clowns, Strippers etc. , while also increasing the Meals and Lodging Tax, complex taxes on Candy, Increasing other taxes to 5.5 cents while giving a small tax cut to people. We know Liberals want handouts they don’t want to earn it like the rest of us. That is why all of you want Republicans out. Let’s go back to the last 40 years of Failure with us being dead last in everything while putting everyone on Welfare. That’s what Democrats think Maine the way life should be is to them.
40+ years of failure throughout a range of administrations… think that Maine’s lack of long-term economic growth might be due to factors OTHER than the GOP party affiliation?
DC have I ever said anything to personally insult you? If so please point it out to me. However it seems that you feel , in most of your replies, the need to insult me in some way or other. You try to make it sound as if someone who is not marching in lockstep to your ideological position is somehow a bad person. I am sorry you feel that way DC because it just is not the case. In almost every reply you make you try to make it sound, as you have in this one, like I have been sucking on the public teat for most of my 65 years. DC that is just not true. Starting at age 12 I had a paper route with the BDN and all through both high school and college I worked. The only time I have ever received money from any government agency was the 4 year period I spent in the U. S. Marine Corps. DC I know you have very strong feelings concerning those who you describe as liberals, but I respectfully ask that you stop falsely accusing me of things that just are not true.
You mean people like you who use my tax money to make use of publicly funded streets?
I don’t live off anyone’s back, and I promiss you, I’m sick of it along with many, many others who are self-sufficient.
Same here …but we won’t be self – sufficient for long if LePage is allowed to stay in office. Get your property tax bill yet ? I did. Recall LePage !!! Scourge of Maine homeowners !!!
A drift to Fascism and a police state? Hey, at least we won’t have to think anymore, except how to find some freedom from Big Government.
Shades of North Korea. That could be the real destination of all the junkets. As time goes by his term strikes one as increasingly bizarro.
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The Center for Public Integrity has Maine ranked 46th for risk of political corruption > Overall grade: F (56%)> Public access to information: F> Legislative accountability: F> Political financing: D+> Ethics enforcement agencies: F
Maine received F grades in nine of the 14 measured categories, including legislative accountability, lobbying disclosure and public access to information. The State Integrity Investigation identifies the existence of possible conflicts of interest and corruption. According to the report, there is no law in place, for example, to force Democratic State Senator Jim Brannigan to disclose that the organization that he was a director of received $98 million in Maine government contracts. On February 1, Republican State Representative David Burns was arrested for violating campaign finance laws such as falsifying records and misusing funds.
yep if the state of Maine was a ship …… it would Arizona’s and Wisconsin’s
tender.
And yet the good people of Maine just keep on putting the SAME ol ——— in office time and time again ! If the people of Maine,and this great country REALLY want things to improve only the PEOPLE can do that…..get rid of the bums that keep lining thier pockets at OUR expense and elect NEW “leaders” that actually CARE about the people they represent. So far the only jobs created by that clown in Augusta are for members of his family…..and left to his own devices will have jack boots in the streets.
Therein lies the problem, where do we find and “elect NEW “leaders” that actually CARE about the people they represent”
What if we tried NOT voting for one of the pols. that spent the most money running for office ? Seems to me that if they are so free to spend that much money to sling mud and all the other things that go with it….what makes people think that it wont just be more of the same thing if we put them in office ? Stop listening to “lip service” and remember that WE are the ones that give THEM their jobs ! Bad job= FIRED-New guy doing that job…..and then you have change. Do that enough that are in office now and more of them will start doing the job WE gave THEM. And this problem is too big to get fixed quick…..
RECALL NOW !
Can’t recall. Petition was introduced to Legislature last year by Cynthia Dill and it was squashed by Repubs. This State has no recall procedure!
I’m completely sick of the leaches of society who are living off our backs too! Trust me. Unfortunately, though I agree with some of LePage’s ideas, he is taking it so far. He is going to ruin our elderly and truly disabled population. There should be happy medium, but he sure hasn’t been able to find it.
Most of the Country supports Obama.
Why?
Because he is Bush-light and that reminds them of Beer.
You have no idea what your talking about or to whom.
Or how to contract “you” + “are” correctly, even.
sounds to me like you’re one who enjoys picking fly crap out of the pepper.
Mr. “From the Right” [van de rechts]:
In the English language, we capitalize the first letter of the first word of a sentence, no matter how ignorantly ad hominem that sentence may be.
Good luck with it all, pal.
it’s Fissure of the Right …. LOL
I smell another victory for the Lepage camp coming up.
ill be your huckleberry
It’s most likely that what you smell is not victory but rotting pork, that’s what fascism smells like.
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Paulie is just keeping his campaign promise of a more transparent government. This is such a transparent play for authoritarian power that it’s laughable. LePage as the dictator , Ledoux as his enforcer. And who was it that dared to tell me that the Tea Party wasn’t a bunch of fascists?!
Think this is bad? Take a look at the Federal Government as it is now!
Take a look at local regimes.
Yeah, and you are right on that one! Can we say that the entire population of government is corrupt and full of nimbos? I think so. But the main point is either we don’t know just who we are voting for or the people put and installed in power by the voting public are uninformed and brainwashed to the point there is no end to this problem.
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Is that the best you’ve got Len44? Sounds pretty weak.
freak out much? ….. have you ever heard of due process? Only a court of law has the powers of supbponea, NOT A QUASI EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, run by a person that is popularly elected. There’s this little thing in the constitution that separates powers……..you should read it.
It’s a good read. Maybe you will stumble onto the fact that the State Treasurer can’t conduct private business while serving…….perhaps you will find out that only the legislature, as a body upon vote, can issue one, and that’s only to testify on an inquiry, not to determine accusation.
Sounds like the wheels are falling off Maine’s clown car.
Gosh since the age of 18 I haven’t lived off the backs of anyone. Neither did my parents, nor have any of my children. We were and are all taxpaying citizens. Having said that, I am sick of not only LePage but his tea party supporters.
omg….I can’t believe that they could even support this. !!! How could anyone support Paul LePage snooping around in Maine’s citizens affairs?
What’s the count now? he wants to re-structure around 3, perhaps 4 state bureaus? Hasn’t asked for an audit of one of them, and wants to protect “his papers”?…………puhleez!
The tea party republicans just don’t care what LePage does. They have bought into the entire LePage program. What gets me is that these are the same people who tell us they are for liberty and freedom and open government and then turn around and blindly support someone who does not think laws apply to him or the way he conducts government. If a democrat had proposed hiding his working papers the radical right would have hit heaven, but when LePage does it there is hardly a peep out of them. I guess if you tell the tea party what they want to hear then you can do anything and they will support it, even to the extent of government operating behind pulled shades and secret police agencies.
It really makes me wonder if they’re smoking that tea rather than drinking it. Maybe it’s a “special Vermont Blend” of tea.
Maybe even Jamaican, could be the reason it was so important that Lapage leave his work behind and do his family vacation..
I seem to remember that happening once before….hmmm…..oh yeah ! Late 30’s in Germany…..
Tea Party is nothing more than the same standard issue reactionary right wing power-worshiping authoritarian militant hippie hating crewcut wearing fascists that have been polluting our national debates ever since the days of the Vietnam war. We’re now being treated to the second and third generation of this mutant strain, and don’t look for an end to them anytime soon. They now have the entire national media structured around their preservation.
It’s called stupidity. There is a group of Maine citizens that have been brainwashed into believing that the poor are the cause of ALL their problems. What’s really funny is how they STILL believe it even after watching their Governor hand out free jobs to his family, work contracts to his GOP buddies, evade his OWN Maine property taxes, and even spend more than ANY Governor in the USA on food for the blessed Blaine House. Let’s not leave out vacations in Jamaica at a time when he is supposed to be working. All this he does while taking the basic needs from 65,000 poor adults and kids in Maine. He’s a great Governor isn’t he ? The stupidity of the masses is ….well……stupifying.
Here here ! I can say the same ! Hopefully soon I can also share in your name….4MER Mainer….lol. Problem is that real estate is near impossible to get rid of in this GOP run dump.
GOP = corrupt, incompetent abusers of power liars club.
Do you honestly think Baldacci, King and Democrats are good for Maine. Because alot of us think they did an awful job. Alot of us are sick of their agenda as well.
They are ten times better than the GOP, the party who only care about the top 10%, who care nothing about the rest of us…other than trying to fool us into voting for their corrupt liars club agenda and candidates. People in the know, including leaders in the Republican Party, have told me that Baldacci actually did a very good job of governing and dealing with our budget problems.
DC nice to hear from you once again. I see you have been having some really warm weather up there lately. You have missed my point about politicians entirely. As far as I am concerned it isn’t about left or right, liberal or conservative, Democrat, Republican, Independent or Green. It is about doing the peoples business and not special interest’s business. You have never heard me defend either Baldacci or King. Now back to the discussion at hand. Are you really in favor of the Governor of the State of Maine having a secret police agency in his office?
I agree with a lot of the below comments (newest first lineup) but this LePage administration sure beats the living heck out of that former Baldacci traincrash Maine had before.
All I see is people posting nasty, rude, and childish remarks against LePage. You Democrats should be ashamed of yourselves. You are not and never will be better than the person you disagree with.
ill be your huckleberry
Guess I read a different article than you….
“Gov. Paul LePage’s proposal to create a new Office of Policy and Management, with expanded investigatory powers, is generating BIPARTISAN concern among lawmakers. ” (emphasis added)
I would not call two Republicans voicing a little concern bipartisan.
http://pinetreewatchdog.org/2011/02/21/legislature-may-use-subpoena-powers-on-turnpike-spending/
I looked up the link, and it seems to be an ultra Liberal rag. All you have to to is see who the staff is.
I thought the info in article that was worth reading.
Being a patriot MEANS EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING HERE WHEN THEY VOICE THEIR OPINION ABOUT ELECTED OFFICIALS. It doesn’t mean flying a flag and having a red white and blue car magnet. If you don’t like the comments…don’t read them. “un patriotic” you couldn’t be more wrong or misguided.
Sorry, wrong word, I was thinking about something else when I wrote that post.
Sounds like your trying to stifle meplyydog’s speech. Maybe if you don’t like comments don’t read or respond to them. Let the attacks begin!!!
When does Paulie start wearing a swastika pin ?
It’s not going to be that way …… they will be wearing Adidas sneakers and a tee shirt with a smiley face on it.
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I’m sick of it and I don’t live off the back of anyone. There you go again making assumptons you have no facts for.
Well we are sick of Liberals, Environmentalists, Liberal Special Interest, Former Democrat Politicians and Blood Sucking Mooching Welfare Bums who want to continue to take money from those who earn it. It’s time these folks start pulling their weight and stop living off of the taxpayer like they have the last 40 years. Democrats suffer from TUNNEL VISION they are in deep denial about Maine’s problems. They can’t accept the blame for creating the mess we are in , they want to blame everyone else from Working Folks, to Business People, to now Lepage and Republicans. Accept the blame you folks are the reason why we are DEAD LAST IN EVERYTHING. They think their stupid Park and Gay Marriage is our savior LOL LOL. That it’s going to save us Give Me A Break, God Help Us All. The Democrats don’t have a clue about building an economy because none of them have ever held a private sector job. They have all come from the Social Program Sector (WELFARE), that is why Welfare Programs are a priority to them. Take the budget what makes up more than 80% of it now WELFARE AND EDUCATION. Every other Department from Infrastructure to Job Creation is suffering because the Democrats took all the money from these departments to expand the bureaucracy at DHHS AND EDUCATION. That is why Maine is in the top 3 of states in Welfare. That is why Maine is falling fast in education 27th and dropping like a rock. Maine needs to move in another direction which LePage is trying to take it but taking apart 40 years of failure is going to take awhile.
You really need to see a counselor to deal with your anger problem.
Cmon fool. It was Bush and the GOP leading this country that caused every state to suffer from their incompetent handling of the economy. It started at the top, but GOP fools like to forget that their votes for Bush caused the mess we are in. Remember we actually had a surplus under Clinton going forward, but the corrupt tax cuts for the rich, war mongering GOP turned that all around….and now you want everyone to forget who actually got us into the mess we are in.
CAT are you really so stupid to think that all or even most Dems are welfare recipients?
Sadly, he does!!!!
I think he’s actually LePage. He seemsto hate everyone who’s not himself!!!
First of all, what’s your beef with education? If there is any place that Maine should be investing its money, it is in improving our chances that we will raise capable citizens who can steer through this mess.
Second, don’t you realize that the comments on “tunnel vision” make you seem pretty hypocritical when you are ranting about welfare and welfare only (oh yeah, and education which makes little sense) being the cause of the multitude of economic problems that Maine faces? Our number one barrier to economic prosperity is location, not welfare. I don’t disagree that we could take better steps to reduce state-wide dependence on social programs–trust me, I walk through downtown Bangor during the day and I see all those people who could and should, in my opinion, be working for a living. But I don’t blame them for all of Maine’s economic woes: a lot of it has to do with the expense of building and maintaining our poorly planned, sprawling rural infrastructure that isn’t supported by a large tax base. Many of those supposedly ruinous social programs are matched by federal dollars, too. So open that feline mind of yours, darkcat. Lots of blame to spread around, and there are lots of ways to address any given problem.
Thought it was just I that noticed that. Watch how many like’s there are in two minutes.
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Gotta find someplace for the henchmen!!
Give him some credit, at least he is creating jobs…
I also have not lived off the backs of others but am very worried when goose-stepping morons following a bullying dogmatist attempt to tear a way a piece of the Constitution they supposedly are defending. What’s next, water-boarding at black shirt central? Extraordinary rendition to a gitmo of the frozen north? For a “get rid of big gov’ment” type, Big Paulie sure likes to intrude with a very heavy hand in matters that he chooses.
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Rendition to Gitmo’ not likely. But rendition to Bald Mountain might not be such a stretch when you look at where Paulie is headed. The more he keeps going this way toward big gov’t in the name of efficiency, the more he’s feeding both the GOP, the Democrat’s, and a growing number of Independent’s, as far as the next election goes. Add in his current HUA approach to the DHHS mess and HIS refusal to have the Fed’s come in, with Mayhew asking the Fed’s to provide a neutral picture of both good and bad, and the time is fast approaching when the Legislature, Nutting and Raye notwithstanding, are gonna’ be the one’s managing Maine on a daily basis since Paulie has obviously taken a high dive into an empty pool. This grab for power is proof of that beyond any doubt.
And the subpoena power is gonna be shot down as well. Even the Court’s are not about to allow such a gross abuse of the Seperation of Powers provision’s as Paulie want’s. The minute that this nonsense reach’s the Federal Court’s, and the Judicial vs. Executive Power’s issue is examined, one can bet the farm that LePage’s grab for power is not only gonna’ be ruled illegal but is also, under Maine law, a legitimate Cause of Impeachment and Removal under an Abuse of Authority charge. Were the current GOP State Chairman (hey, Webster. You out there listening ?) smart, he’ed be on the phone to, if not on the front door of, Blaine House and ‘throttle’ Paulie about putting the Governership at risk simply to satisfy some sick ego-driven power grab. The longer this crap keeps going on the more the next election cycle is being determined. And the longer that the State GOP keeps silent, the more that cycle is going to be pushed by both media and GOP apathy toward a complete reversal of the GOP position’s. Given the current GOP Primary ‘circular firing squad’ show, that all but insures Augusta is gonna’ go either Democrat or Independent.
here, here!
This screams of MHPC/ALEC influence.
is there any other kind when it comes to this crew?
Doesn’t everything he proposes?
Well written Mike.
Has he watched too many re-runs of Good Fellas?
really? you actually think this????? Dont get out much do ya!
When will the Republican Party split from the Tea party terrorists and bring back the party of Lincoln? How many more times does some lead Republican state Senator or Representative have to drop LePage’s idea like a prom dress before the GW Bush (aka The Shrub), Cheney, Rove, and now Big Paulie are made to take over the libertine party, where they belong.
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I think we need a new law, anyone going into politics needs to have psychological testing. This is scary, what will this state look like when LePage is done? That new office of policy and management – lets make a bet these are all his buddies or more family members looking for work.
Cutler isn’t the governor. Your comments are irrelevant at best.
I disagree about the relevance. The article is about the sort of anxiety that some people that the Cutler Daily News was able to drum up who don’t like governor LePage or anything he does. The Cutler Daily News is an official arm of the Cutler for Governor campaign. StillRelaxin posts on every article about Mr. LePage in a negative way within minutes of its posting. Kinda like he is given warning when they will be posted Kinda like he is a paid operative for Mr. Cutler, if not Mr. Cutler himself. Maybe me not so dummy.
Comment removed by poster in protest of the BDN’s censorship policy of removing comments that violate no posting rules, but do not promote their liberal causes, especially the coming Eliot Cutler campaign against Paul LePage.
The big problem is that there is so much wrongdoing from local government on up to the State, with ever-changing rules, policies, departments, scandals etc., that it becomes impossible to take any one or two of them on; each subsequent announcement is worse than the last.
This is good for those who want absolute control. They know we aren’t organized – -haven’t delegated who might deal with what. And, because of that, they will all continue to have their way.
Yet another way to save me money and give libs heartburn .
Can you say happy Lepage voter?
http://pinetreewatchdog.org/2011/02/21/legislature-may-use-subpoena-powers-on-turnpike-spending/ HMMMMM!!!!!!! WOW
The governor would never abuse power ! pause …pause…pause…..NOT !
welcome to the soviet states of america.
What don’t you like about the Tea Party?
Gee, where do we begin ? Smaller Government while Paulie is doing everything he can to expand it. Mainecare being gutted while the Tea Party’s Governor does everything he can to prevent any type of reform, even when that help costs NOTHING. Economic development, i.e. Bald Mountain, being pushed to the extent that public health and safety is now THE LAST ITEM ON THE CHECK-OFF LIST. And the most favorite one of all, that being the Governor’s Secretary of State trying, and getting caught with his ‘short’s down’, to deny Maine voter’s the right to vote as provided for in the U.S Constitution using nationalistic scare tactics as a basis for spreading fear and chickensXXit. The only difference between LePage’s right-wing Tea Party bunch and Joe McCarthy’s HUAC bunch are the rim’s they have on their eyeglasses. Past that they both have the collective understanding of The Constitution of a brick thru a plate glass window. And the last time that was seen was in Los Angeles in the Watts Riots and in Germany in 1936 just before the Nuremburg Laws were passed. Now, any one see a similiarity ? If so, then you should make your voice heard. If not, well, you get what you vote for.
Office of Policy and Management — this sounds like an attempt to establish a State funded staff that a governor could use for their personnel witch hunts on departments of our government or people they have some dislike for — aka the Salem Witch Hunts.
If there is any question in your mind what might happen take a look at what Mr LePage achieved by stacking the board of directors for Maine State Housing Authority. Mr LePage could not simply fire Ms McCormick or dismantle the housing authority so he stacked the director’s board to carry on his witch hunt.
I do not think we as a State need a department that Mr LePage or any other governor can load up with thugs to carry on their dirty work. And I certainly do not want they to have subpoena rights. This would clearly where we need the seperation of powers. Leave the right of subpoena where it belongs — leave it with the courts beyond the easy reach of the governors. If they have dirty work to be done let them do it on their own not from behind smoke screen called the Office of Policy and Management.
Oh the humanity
Even his own guys are getting mistrustful. Poor Governor. I’ll bet we’ll see some arm-crossing and glaring now. He better skip Jamaica and get into the hearing room!!
hmmmmmmm, I remember when I USED to be a republican
you made a wise choice, congrats to you.
I started my adult life as a Republican from a Republican family. This is not that party. I am looking for some strong “others.”
Instead of OPM, they could call it SS. Gotta love micro-managing! Time for the legislature to stop this fool.
They will have to drag me out of a fox hole to get me to answer a subpoena from a draft dodging traitor like Paul Lepage.
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What does this have to do with a citizen protected by the Constitution being forced to buy a government mandated insurance policy that BH Odrama has decided is good for him.
Oh.
He would like to be like hitler. give him and inch and he will take 100 miles. His party will support him on this one. They too have turned into a bunch of thugs who can’t be trusted.
OK right wingers, defend this one. Or end the hypocrisy and actually be the party of “small, less intrusive government” and tell your GOP legislators and LePage to NOT do this. (While we are at it, stop being concerned about what contraception women use, what women decide to do with regard to their own reproductive decisions, what people decide to watch, smoke, whom they decide to marry, and also keep our tax dollars away from church schools and leave churching out of public venues. Do this, and then you can actually call yourselves people who oppose intrusive government and people who actually value freedom.)
It makes me want it more, when I read all the comments. LePage is doing a good job, and if he can get another term” maby” we can turn this State around.
And say bye bye to the Republican legislative majorities come November in a big way. People are done with their nonsense and are ready to return to reason.
Oh so that’s what “reason” is. The 40 years of backwards policies.
Yeah…let’s jump right back to the way things were before….
Sounds great judging by how they are now.
It is said that we live in a ‘free’ country…I say we would be freer living like communists. LaPage is just butchering our ‘freedoms’ with what seems like a new law everyday. Would it not be easier for him to make a list of what we CAN do. Why not have a good ole Constitution burning party. And one of the offices that he was looking at to close down makes me wonder if there is a LaPage graduating high school this June….
Right is that why Maine was know as the Welfare Haven and Restrictive Nanny State under Democrats for 40 years. You can’t do anything under Democrats because they think we are too incapable of taking care of ourselves. That is why everyone is leaving only to be replaced by those too lazy to work looking for everyone to “take care” of them. I think I will take what I have now its not perfect but its sure a heck of alot better than the King-Dennis Bailey-Baldacci era with Democrat Legislature.
so far there have been no real changes to welfare under LePage. some changes are supposed to be coming but the advocates may change all that.
DC I can’t believe even you would favor giving one man, Repub or Dem., and his family all this power over the people of Maine. This is an affront to our basic rights as free citizens. His wife’s brother-in-law was recently appointed by Lepage to be Director of the SPO, which will become the OPM. That’s too much of a coincidence for me.
You got that right friend !
Tom Sawyer should follow up on why his comment has been flagged for review. This seems to happen often with anyone who opposes Mr. LePage’s “Dealings” and happens to have been rewarded by many others with tons of “Likes.” If you contact BDN and ask they’re usually surprisingly quick to fix flags that were done out of spite rather than reason.
Questions about why a comment was — or wasn’t — deleted? E-mail BDN at web@bangordailynews.com and let them know your username and where you posted or saw the comment.
Good luck Tom.
We can’t wait til November..we have to “out” and turn back every single one of these corporate backed corporate initiated agenda items through which our entire legislative process has been hijacked.
This latest trick is a nation wide legsilative agenda of the Koch Brothers and major rela estate development interests to weaken landuse and planning in oaricular but also to weaken all regulations and regulatory agencies while strengthening the executive. Christie tried to get away with thi s in New Jersey and was stopped by the courts who fund that a governor cannot simply disembowel a statutorily created entity ( as our State Planning Office is) and reassign its powers to the executive and rob its bduget to fund an executive budget.
This is about further insualting the Governor’s office from the public and adding to that police powers.
My question?? Why do the joint committtees go along with this stuff..don’t we have any legal experience on nay of our committee? This should not have gotten this far. Doesn’t anyone have the legal know how and courage to simply refuse to allow this stuff?
It is so clear that this governor is literally a puppet of outo f state corporate interests. We have to stand up and stop lettng him give away our lives, our futures, our prosperity to big corporations.
Too much harm in wating!!! We have to stop them in their tracks at every single step and name those like Joan Nass who abuse the public trust by facilitating the Governors puppet agenda of big corporations.
This latest trick is a nation wide legislative agenda of the Koch Brothers and major real estate development interests to weaken land use and planning in particular but also to weaken all regulations and regulatory agencies while strengthening the executive. What the Goveror is trying to do here is simply reallocate the subpoena power of a statutorily mandated agency to a non mandated executive office.
It’s not about smaller government or better government or less costly government to taxpayers, it’s about centralizing power in the Governor’s office..well insulated from you and me, well insulated from accountability to “we the people”.
Christie tried to get away with this in New Jersey and was stopped by the courts who fund that a governor cannot simply disembowel a statutorily created entity ( as our State Planning Office is) and reassign its powers to the executive and rob its budget to fund an executive budget.
This should not have gotten this far. Doesn’t anyone have the legal know how and courage to simply refuse to allow this stuff?
It is so clear that this governor is literally a puppet of out of state corporate interests. We have to stand up and stop lettng him give away our lives, our futures, our prosperity to big corporations
Maine has allowed itself to become a banana republic..and you know what happens to fair wages and good working conditions in a banana republic….wake up and demand more!!!
Here is Some of what Christopher Hitchens has lsired as characteristics of a Banana Republic
“…the chief principle of banana-ism is that of kleptocracy, whereby those in positions of influence use their time in office to maximize their own gains, always ensuring that any shortfall is made up by those unfortunates whose daily life involves earning money rather than making it. At all costs, therefore, the one principle that must not operate is the principle of accountability. In fact, if possible, even the similar-sounding term (deriving from the same root) of accountancy must be jettisoned as well”
FIREWORKS
the first fireworks injury in maine, to a juvenile, while “very high” …has occurred:
RAW VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7J6WEMhRdI
You mean like LePage giving GOVERNMENT SOCIALIST jobs to his own kid and his brother in law so they can live off the backs of others?
Good to see that even other Republicans are getting sick of this rhetoric and rediculous man who calls himself Governor. Mr. Lepage(I refuse to call him Governor) has proven again and again that he is trying to turn Maine into his own personal business and run it like Gotti ran the mob…he even sounds and acts in that manner. What is next? When will someone who talks too much be silenced or someone found in the river with a pair of cement shoes. Excuse me sir, but his is not the 60’s or 70’s, you dont own Maine, and the citizens of Maine are not about to sit on thier rears and watch you take over. Your days will be numbered until the next election and at that time i am sure that Mainers will make thier opinion known that we will not stand for this type of Dictatorship role.
This is intrusive. I thought private citizens have rights. Government powers will be too great.
I voted for LePage….FACEPALM* I’m a libertarian, not a tea party guy, not far left or far right. I attempt to look at things with the Constitution and Common Sense in mind. This guy we have now, not what I envisioned when I put the X next to his name but then again I’m finding none of them seem to be. D’s, while I don’t care for the Progressive side of your party any more than I can for the Neo-Conservative side of the R’s, you’re definitely going to have a change to retake the Gov office in the next election. Man this is getting uglier and uglier by the day.
“All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those toward whom it is directed will understand it… Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise.” Adolf Hitler
I thought I was the only one quoting Hitler, thanks!!!!!
What is the connection between Rep. Joan Nass and Jonathan Nass, LePage’s advisor? Are they related? It is not a very common name and both are from York County. Just curious.
from what I have found on that, her husband is a judge, and his name is Richard. Perhaps Jonathan is a brother in law.
The way that I see it ,its the Tea Party and Tax Grumps that are looking for a Free Ride.
People that own up to the fact that this Civilised Society that we live in comes at a price and are willing to pay for it are sick of the whiners looking for a Tax Free ride.
What a bunch of whiners and cry babies posting here. For once a Governor is trying to pull Maine out of the drug infested welfare ghetto years of Baldacci-isc leadership has put us into and you cry and whine. You are pathetic. Grow up and read something. But I’m betting most of you don’t even know where the “libery” is do you?
in 1969, government welfare was born in this country
almost immediately, tens of thousands of mainers hopped on the welfare programs as well as having welfare babies as fast as possible
people in this state of maine LOVE…i said LOVE welfare, they LOVE drugs
wake up: mainers DO NOT want welfare stopped or drugs stopped.. Have you not figured that out yet?
crybaby !
…….
…………..
Has anyone else noticed Poor Paul having to hold his right hand down with his left? Dr. Strangelove had the same problem.
Why do you abolish an office, only to create a newer, bigger, more powerful one?
(I’m assuming it doesn’t self destruct when the next governor/party takes over and this crowd would be okay with whomever is in control.)
What will this (new) office do the old doesn’t?
And just which parts are being farmed out to other departments?
(press releases dating back years relate to buying flood insurance and recycling?)
From the website:
About the Maine State Planning Office
The State Planning Office is part of the Executive
Department that provides planning assistance, policy development,
program management, and technical assistance to build a sustainable
future for Maine’s communities, businesses, and residents.
Created in 1968, the office provides independent analysis
to the Governor and Legislature on the development of the state’s
economy and conservation of its natural resources.
The Maine State Planning Office
strives to integrate the development of the State’s economy with the
conservation of its natural resources. This involves coordinating a
long-range view of state policies; including the development of
economic, natural resource, energy, land use, and fiscal and regulatory
policy. The State Planning Office identifies and assists with issues
of long-term significance to the State, particularly those that involve
multiple agencies. The State Planning Office also provides a wide
range of technical and financial assistance to Maine communities.
Our Mission:
To help build a sustainable future for Maine communities,
businesses, and residents, the State Planning Office: 1) advises the
Governor on developing and implementing policy; 2) assists the
Legislature with information and analyses; and 3) provides local and
regional financial and technical assistance.
Our Statutory Duties:
State law assigns four core duties to the State Planning Office that include:
Providing technical assistance to towns and regions;Coordinating the development of the State’s economy and energy resources with the conservation of its natural resources;Conducting continuing economic analysis, including economic forecasting; and Providing technical assistance to the Governor and
Legislature by undertaking special studies and plans and preparing
policy alternative.
http://www.maine.gov/spo/about/index.htm
Do the words McCarthyism or HUAC sound familiar? My husband and I have spent the last 32 years working in this state. We are probably going to have to work at least another ten before we will have to retire in our 70’s. WE ARE NOT BIG FANS OF THE GOVERNOR. Don’t assume that anyone who disagrees with the governor and his extreme policies is on welfare.
This reminds me of the movie “The Dead Zone”, you know….Martin Sheen’s character as the Senator with ambitions that would lead us to destruction.
Maine has become a Dead Zone with LePage taking us down to the Abyss.
Life imitates art….
Make NO mistake about it!
Democracy is under Attack!
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/maddow-republican-michigan-governor-thinks-d
It IS a Concerted effort!
I so agree and have been saying for over a year on the BDN that all of this will boil down to;
Corporatism vs. Democracy
LePage is not acting a Governor concerned about his State and the people but more like a Tyrant and a Dictator!! He would be better suited for somewhere like Pakistan etc.
Whats the difference the Maine attorney generals office can subpeona records or information on any person they are investigating without a judge involved when it comes to an alledged investigation of childabuse ….we need to stop that too! And I am a supporter of lepage but not this idea! Lepage is wrong here
Creeping fascism? Big Brother from the right? Fourth branch of gov’t…or just a loyal elected official doing what’s best for the people who b(r)ought him? Maybe it’s all just a tempest in a tea pot(ty). Can the answer be seen in the narrowed eyes beneath the baseball cap?
Instead of OPM, they should call it SS ! Why don’t we just let LeOage rewrite the Constitution? He’s the epitome of micromanaging.
I suppose you support Obama though…
Benito Lepage !
I don’t see the logic in this new proposal. What we all see, is a dicator in the making, The time has come for all democrates and republicans to come together as a “team” and do what needs to be done for the state of Maine. Creat Jobs, finding solutions how to get people off Maine care, how to better the education. And leave all the Governors controversy to himself. What Gov LePage is doing, he is deflecting the real issues in this state. Any politician going along with any controversy plan, come election time I hope your looking for another job. We want solutions not controversy.
How utterly amusing to see all you party hacks and state employees howl with outrage and scurry for cover like rats in a grain silo when the light is turned on.
Paul, the more of these criminals you put behind bars the more we love you.
I wonder if the OPM will have it’s own Schutzstaffel uniforms. Next thing on the agenda is getting that LePage Youth thing running at all the holier than thou schools !
I like Black. They are sharp uniforms.
Here we go he saves money in one place but spends it in another place how is this saving money it’s nothing but a shell game .
What about creating a transparent governor?
Worse governor in Maine’s history.
this is a great idea we abolish one entity and make a bigger one to do the same thing with more power and more friends on the payroll this is becoming a runaway train it appears we are not streamlining gov.we are making it bigger and more hungry with all the payroll additions when is the people of maine going to see this fact and decide enough is enough.
Has anyone explained the difference between inauguration and coronation to him? I realize he doesn’t know the difference between state and federal, he already proved that. What has he done so far? NOTTA just running his mouth with a bunch of loony ideas.
How about stopping this selling property for a dollar and taxing it on that amount? They can sell it for a dollar but MUST pay taxes on bluebook or assesed value, we all know why they sell it for a dollar. Good Americans who avoid paying their taxes. I would guess their are a lot shaking in their BOOTS that hide money. Safety deposit boxes beware.
LOL, all this from the “small government” and “more transparency” conservative? He lied to us.
Every picture tells a story… There’s a novel in these two of “the gov”.
The Maine
democratic political machine responsible for over thirty years of cronyism and
wasteful spending is finally grinding to a halt. The departments exposed have
included the Turnpike Authority, the Housing Authority, DHHS, and the list will
continue.
Exactly. LePage is ensuring the stealing ends. Ensuring people learn about things like the $235 HUNDRED million dollars shuffled from DHHS.
I bet the Left is screaming. It ends NOW.
a great headline would be … LePage and Oboma meet large bomb goes off … two people missing
Congratulations on making the Secret Service watch list.
Why think it and not say it. It is Neo – Nazism.
Nass says the subpoena authority is not a big part of the bill. If this is true, then amend it out. There are things we need judges to determine. Giving a bureaucrat the authority typically reserved for a judge is very concerning. If this is not a big deal in the proposal, then strike it.
I love how the BDN looks to portray LePage as some evil dictator….but holds Obama on their shoulders….
What ever happened to reporting the news, not the views of one party against the other….?
In your above comment you’re befuddled as to why BDN isn’t posting your biblical nonsense, which isn’t relevant to the news.
Where did I say anything about the Bible or religion??
BDN doesn’t have to work very hard at pitting one party against the other because the far right does a very good job themselves.
On another BDN page: http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/03/24/politics/maine-republican-party-plans-forums-for-u-s-senate-candidates/#comment-475389685
CPPray posted and asked some very thought provoking, sensible questions which should have stimulated some meaningful discussion. Sadly, any statement posed by what you perceive as “the other side” whether it’s BDN or anywhere, brings numerous pot shots but I didn’t see any response to specific, thoughtful responses, let alone responses based on factual information rather than bumper sticker rhetoric memorized from “other media”.
As Ben Franklin said: “We better all hang together or we’ll surely all hang separately”
He is a dictator! He has shown he is willing to bully people to get what he wants. Not even his fellow Republicans are publicly supporting him. Don’t get me wrong, there are things I love that he has done but then there’s the others that just baffle me.
He acts like a Hitler.
It’s a self portrait. Give credit where it’s due. The Bangor Daily News had nothing to do with it. Let Le Page enjoy his own pathetic picture while we make comparisons to others who trod the same path to self destruction
I fully expect all my posts to be removed…..can’t put down the “Messiah” on the BDN website…
That’s because this is a news message board, not a place for fairy tales and fables
This is what you get, Maine lawmakers, when you stick your head in the sand for three decades. Look at the mess LePage has uncovered in his first year in office. Violette, McCormick and Mayhew are all hacks and Violette should be in jail.
Mayhew was hired by Lepage. So you can’t blame her on the Democrats.
Did I say anything about Democrats? These people were/are incompetent. They all held offices of trust and made some seriously dumb or evil decisions.
Yeah. Makes sense. Let’s give a stupid person extraordinary, unchecked powers.
I cannot explain our zeal to continually elect “business” people into seats of power. The structure of the organizations from which they come, are really quite undemocratic. Attempts to apply their “my way or the highway” to legislators and citizens, as if they were employees… Is it really any wonder we’re in the mess we’re in?
If a subpoena were issued to me from any other entity than a judge I would simply ignore it. Paul LePage has done nothing but attempt to establish himself as Maine’s dictator and in my opinion cannot be trusted to finish his term. I live in Maine yes…but I am an American FIRST AND FOREMOST ! I cast a vote of “no confidence” in Maine’s present administration and refuse to abide by it’s policies…..so sign away !
Maine……the 4th Reich……
Heil Dude!
Are you “The” Dude, though? That’s the REAL question…
The role of Col. Klink will be played by Charlie Webster, and Bruce( Paul Bunyan) Poliquin will embrace his inner Sgt. Shultz.
Paulie is just keeping his campaign promise of a more transparent government. This is such a transparent play for authoritarian power that it’s laughable. LePage as the dictator , Ledoux as his enforcer. And who was it that dared to tell me that the Tea Party wasn’t a fascist organization?! Another of Paulie’s campaign promises was that he would be a one-term governor – but who suspected that he actually meant to have that one term last forever?
LePage’s Government: Top 8 most corrupt in the country according to a major independent study widely reported on all of the major news channels and Fox.
Oh, please. That is based on the previous administration as much as anything!
“Transparency.” Interesting word that equates solely with the appearance of “accountability,” no matter how fogged with the rhetoric. I don’t know about you, but I would rather have all government, from local, to county, to state, to federal, tell the truth about the intentions behind any decision.
Most always now, that seems to come down to: “I want this because it will bring me more power and money.” Again, whether at the community level or beyond.
Just another daily attack on our Governor.
YOUR RIGHT! But don’t blame the BDN, I posted a comment blaming them for sowing fear and they removed it! More proof of the BDN’s sick liberal agenda, GO GET EM PAUL
who deserves every bit of it and more.
LePage is a bully. Right now he knows he will not be re-elected. So what if he puts something on the books that may be illegal. He is in office till 2014. Voters knew he was a bully back then. I did not vote for him, those of you did get to live with it. Enjoy the ride.
I think Maine should make LePage the king and stop fretting about elections and crap.
The English-American colonies were autocratic and theocratic, with a patriarchal system of justice: magistrates and religious leaders, sometimes one and the same, made the laws, and the burden of obeying them fell on the less exalted—the tradesmen, soldiers, farmers, servants, slaves, and the young. That burden could be weighty.
In l682 in Maine it cost Andrew Searle five shillings merely for “wandering from place to place” instead of “frequenting the publique worship of god.”
Colonial Williamsburg site:
http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/spring03/branks.cfm
Sounds like history will repeat itself if some people have their way.
This is the very thing Grover Nordquist has been preaching about to the Washington post.. I have been saying this over and over. Lapage is not acting on his own he is not intelligent enough to act on his own.. He is just following a script, written by a non politician named Grover Nordquist.. “”Shrinking government, grabbing all the power, then drowning it in a bathtub!!!””” Anyone who signed his pledge is up to the same thing in their own way..
LePage and his GOP cronies screamed for this country to follow the literal words found in the US Constitution. Apparently they didn’t read the parts about the balance of power.
Can’t get this guy out of office fast enough.
Am I the only one that read that there are 122 instances in state law where agencies are already given the right to issue subpoenas? Judges don’t always issue subpoenas as stated in the article. Before this article was written were you even worried about those agencies??
Have any of you noticed the controversy with LePage it keeps going up a notch? Waiting for him to say he is changing the State name
how does Wisconsin 2.0 sound?
A policy is like a law and it must be shared with the public. There is no mention of a policy even in the constitution. Someone in office can say “it is not our policy to do this or that.” It sound much like the Maine heritage policy. It would be a power grab and should be stopped.