AUGUSTA, Maine — It’s no big secret that Gov. Paul LePage wants to shrink state government, but he took that idea a step further on Thursday by maligning an entire block of state workers as “corrupt.”
According to press accounts of the event, LePage was asked a question about fees at the latest town hall forum in Newport. Here’s how he responded:
“Believe me, there is a lot of good and hardworking people that work for the state. They are not the problem,” he said, according to press accounts of the event in Newport. “The problem is the middle management of the state is about as corrupt as you can be. Believe me, we’re trying every day to get them to go to work, but it’s hard.”
He offered no proof of corruption, no data to back his case that these managers don’t work and he didn’t identify a specific department. He did go on to talk about how most of these employees are not appointed by him and are protected through union contracts.
For the better part of a year, the LePage administration has sparred with the state’s largest union, the Maine State Employees Association, over a new collective bargaining agreement. That protracted fight is likely to be settled through court proceedings.
The MSEA was the first group to take exception to LePage’s latest comments.
“All Mainers can take great pride in the men and women who work for the state of Maine,” Ginette Rivard, the union’s president, said in a statement. “These public workers do important work for all Maine people. For Gov. LePage to call them ‘corrupt’ is baseless and insulting to every public worker who has dedicated their lives to making Maine a great place to live, work and raise a family.”
“In the 16 months since taking office, Gov. LePage has met with just about every business owner willing to meet with him. We invite him to start spending some time with his own employees.”
LePage often has talked about shrinking government and that push is part of a national narrative by the Republican Party. But this is the first time LePage has targeted state workers specifically.
Since he took office, LePage has tried to push what’s known as right-to-work or fair-share legislation that would make union fees voluntary for nonunion members. So far, the Legislature hasn’t passed those bills.
Two bills did pass this past session that took away union rights from two groups: independent childcare providers and employees of the former Decoster Egg Farm in Turner.
In the past, LePage has said he has no problem with unions, just doesn’t like union bosses, but Thursday’s comments seemed to suggest otherwise.
Sen. Dawn Hill, D-Cape Neddick, said Mainers deserve leaders who work for them, not against them.
“The governor’s negative name calling is unacceptable and unprofessional,” Hill said. “He is making unfounded accusations against hard working Mainers. His divisive rhetoric must end and the conversation must return to a place of civility.”
Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, called the comments “out of line” and said the governor should apologize.
Late Friday, the governor sent a letter to all state employees to “ensure that the full meaning of my remarks were clear.”
“When my administration came into office, we promised Maine people we would not settle for the status quo. The culture of state government needed to change from ‘no’ to ‘can do!’ Many of you have taken this to heart and are doing great things for the people of Maine,” Gov. LePage wrote.
“However, for whatever reason, some employees have not come on board. … Those employees want to keep doing the same thing because it was always done that way. Quite frankly, that attitude is unacceptable. In my opinion, it shows that they have been corrupted by the bureaucracy.
“When the union bosses tell employees they should not participate in the administration’s initiatives and instead just ‘ride it out,’ we are dealing with a lack of integrity. In other words, we are dealing with corruption,” the governor wrote in his letter.
Corrupt, in dictionary terms, is used synonymously with spoiled, rotten or contaminated. In most cases, though, corruption refers to unethical, inscrutable or illegal behavior.
In less than 16 months as governor, LePage has earned a reputation for talking bluntly. Even before he was elected, LePage caused a stir when he told a crowd that he would tell President Barack Obama to “go to hell.”
Two weeks after taking office, he stirred up a controversy when he called the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People a special-interest group and told critics to “kiss my butt” over his decision to not attend the NAACP’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations.
He later raised eyebrows when he dismissed the dangers of a chemical additive used in some plastic bottles by saying the worst that could happen was “some women may have little beards.”
A year ago, he riled labor groups, artists and others by removing a huge mural depicting the state’s labor history from the Labor Department headquarters. When asked what he’d do if anybody tried to block the mural from being taken down, he said, “I’d laugh at them, the idiots.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story. Follow BDN writer Eric Russell on Twitter @BDNPolitics.
You stay classy, Paul LePage.
You have a pretty deranged idea of class if you think insults are classy.
No, LePage merely called out some state employees for their lack of cooperativeness. You can’t play Mr. Nice guy with these types of intransigent employees who are against change and spurn authority while enjoying the protection of their union. They have been sticking their tongues at the governor for far too long.
What I find disturbing in this instance is this paper’s tendency to exaggerate the governor’s behavior. To state that the governor maligned an entire block of state workers as “corrupt”‘ is false besides unfair. The governor made it clear he was not criticizing all state workers but only certain workers in middle management. He also gave an excellent example of their misconduct, which, if true, deserves to be condemned:
“When my administration came into office, we promised Maine people we
would not settle for the status quo. The culture of state government
needed to change from ‘no’ to ‘can do!’ Many of you have taken this to
heart and are doing great things for the people of Maine,” Gov. LePage
wrote.
“However, for whatever reason, some employees have not come on board.
… Those employees want to keep doing the same thing because it was
always done that way. Quite frankly, that attitude is unacceptable. In
my opinion, it shows that they have been corrupted by the bureaucracy.
“When the union bosses tell employees they should not participate in
the administration’s initiatives and instead just ‘ride it out,’ we are
dealing with a lack of integrity. In other words, we are dealing with
corruption,”
This is an entirely proper and appropriate defense by the governor. To cast the governor as being blunt and reminding the reader of his past spat the NAACP instigated, the contrived mural controversy with a political group that was looking for a fight, and his comment on the campaign trail about the President that was taken out of context only shows this newspaper’s bias against him.
This governor for the most part is doing exactly what he said he would do when he ran for governor. He needs to be applauded for that.
The problem arises when what he says is a fairy tale without an ounce of truth in it. These called middle management you believe he is referring to are covered not by the union contract so how can”union bosses” tell them anything? If he has proof, why hasn’t he gotten rid of them like everyone else with any historical knowledge of anything in state government. He makes it up as he goes. He has absolutely no respect for state employess like he hadnone for Marden’s employees. Very sad.
I think that you are so wasting your time. It does zero good to tit for tat with an ideolog who is willing to defend tooth and nail the indefensible. Simply for the sake of being a rigid, unthinking ideolog. Your points are right on. But I can’t help but think of the parable where we are warned not to waste our seeds sowing them in unfertile ground. Save your powder for the election where we show this insignificant, small minded minority what Maine really stands for.
Thank you. Sometimes I just have to respond to some of the ridiculous crap some of these people say. It is so absurd and makes my blood boil. Believe me, I am already actively involved in getting rid of them all!!
You’re welcome, and good to hear. I enjoy the perspective that you bring to your posts. But I hear ya, sometimes I can’t resist answering myself. But when they try to engage in mindless tit for tat, I check out.
Paul’s the kind of a guy who lights up a room just by flicking a switch.
Just another Eric Russell weekend hit piece .. after all is said and done.
This is written as an opinion piece to get you folks worked up !
A fish rots from the head down.
His remarks are unbelievable!!!
His Remarks are believable ,
after all he IS a Bloomin Ediot!
ALL I CAN SAY MAINE AGAIN
“Nothing is often a wise thing to do, and a clever thing to say.” – Will Durant
Maybe he has a point. Aren’t his brother in law and daughter state employees.
His brother might even be termed “middle management”. ;)
Yes, his brother in law also owns a hammer:)
I love our Great Governor Paul LePage!!!! Keep up the good work..
Unlike JB he doesn’t need to pander to them to make friends..
After he gets out of politics I would chum with our Great Governor Paul LePage . Now I can’t imagine ever wanting to chum with John Baldacci.
Yeah, but he probably wouldn’t like you. At least not for long. It seems like it’s pretty easy to get on his crap list.
I think you used the word ‘chum’ two times too many.
I agree. Along with LePage, DavidvGoliath are “chumming” the water’s. What happens when you do that?…………….Sharks!
If I were them, I’d watch out from getting bit by my own political party.
chum … isn’t that the stuff they feed to the sharks?
You are delirious, or a senior member of the gestapo within ALEC.
http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
ALEC and Maine’s 125th Legislature:
http://www.newmainetimes.org/articles/2012/04/25/alec-and-maines-125th-legislature/
Birds of a feather …
Instead of brown-nosing the Governor, tell us why you think it is okay for him to paint an entire group of state workers as not only corrupt but, ” as corrupt as can be”.
There is no justification for that whatsoever, chum.
ONCE AGAIN GOOD OLD MAINE
What’s up with the concentration and negativity on Maine. Everyone of your comments are negative towards the state in general. If you don’t like Maine………don’t visit this newspaper or these forums. GET OFF IT!
DHHS computer system. How’s that for justification?
No good at all …
and if you can’t understand why it’s no good at all I feel sorry for you.
Answer this. Now that competent people have come in, which the managers and the union’s didn’t want…. we haven’t heard much about the computers problems any more. Feel sorry for the taxpayers of the State of Maine why don’t you..
Ahhh, now I get it. The computer problems were part of a conspiracy theory! No wonder! Now, please tell us who was manipulating the “managers and the union’s” (sic) – was it the Masons, David Rockefeller, the Rothschilds, or the Bilderbergers?
He didn’t call them incompetent, he called them “corrupt” Look it up.
Exactly!!! Blocking the State from bringing in competent people to resolve the issues with the system.
Baloney, you and LePage have no evidence of such.
He called them corrupt because these are the same folks who have been refusing to accept the change that Maine Government needs. These folks have done things the way Democrats have done for years and think the status quo is acceptable. The Problem is the hammer should come down on these folks. They should get pink slipped if they don’t want to follow directions. Maine Working Folks and Maine Taxpayers deserve a Government they can afford.
Sure they should, and there’s a process for accomplishing that. I know because I manage in a union environment. I’ve yet to have a union try to fight a competently documented performance issue.
The problem is, it requires competent people, and unfortunately we have an imbecile for a governor. The last place Competence will be found is in the Governor’s Mansion.
No they should not. They are working for the Maine people not the Maine Democrat Party or the State Employees Union. The Maine people spoke loud and clear in the last election when they wanted Republicans in power. They wanted change from the absymal 40+ years of Democrat/Democrat-Independent Governors and Democrat Legislature. They want to have the same opportunities that other states have. Democrats weren’t giving them that far from it. Democrats were turning Maine into a Socialist Welfare Haven with a Communist Nanny State thrown in. Democrats claim they were for Working Folks and for Free Rights. When infact they were doing the opposite hurting Working Mainers paychecks and taking away their Rights with the Nanny State. So to say we should continue the status quo is laughable. LePage needs to fire these folks as soon as possible stop being nice to these useless employees. He is trying to save the state money and get Maine out of the economic crisis its in but Democrat refuse to help.
You cannot ask that question until you yourself have been a State Worker, and why so many State Workers have gotten done, because of the middle management….sitting on their butts, doing nothing while the little person did the work. In years past it was always the little state worker like myself that got the bad end of the stick. We are the ones who got the biggest cuts, our pay was low but the “Middle Management” made good money. Shut down days didn’t hurt them it hurt us. Who invented those and who kept them going??? The last one I remember is the spagetti slinger that Gov. Lepage took over. Lets stop all the nonsense!!! Where does this money come from to pay for all of these programs? If you have more people on the so called programs that are working, then how are these programs going to get paid for? Like I said its the little people like myself who works 3 jobs and go to school full time, that gets hurt. Who can afford workers, or good pay if you have to pay outragious taxes to pay for all of those programs?
OH the stories. I could tell.
Just that, stories without a facts.
OH the stories you DO tell…
Those stories start with the words “once upon a time”.
—–
Get a clue!
LIKE I SAID GOOD OLD MAINE REP GREAT JOB MAINE
LePage has no use for you and would love to slap you in the face.
I think “punch” you in the face is how he expressed himself to A.J. Higgins. With those ham fists.
Yeah, the Green Shirts have spoken, stay inside:)
I dont think I’d wanna chum with LePage, he’d probly cloud the water and scare off all the fish.
Bwahahahahaha…Oh ya, just keep up that love. LeBUFFOON is a disgrace to the Blaine House and an ignorant low class arrogant bully. I don’t say this lightly. He has PROVEN it time and time and time again. Your DISASTER of a GOP TeaParty is going get CRUSHED at the voting booth come November. Make no mistake about that.
LePage is the typical Tea Party politician
Bi-partisanship? Un-American!
Compromise? Never!
Tolerance for another viewpoint? Forget it!
Civility? Oh come on!
Confrontation and name calling is what Lepage is about.
And that’s all he’s about.
That is weird that description is a Liberal Democrat. I was going to say all Dems, that would be too severre.
If you reworded that comment into actual sentences we might have a clue what you are talking about.
It certainly does not take a college education to figure it out.
Since you apparently do not have the clue.
Stringah said:
LePage is the typical Tea Party politician
Bi-partisanship? Un-American!
Compromise? Never!
Tolerance for another viewpoint? Forget it!
Civility? Oh come on!
Confrontation and name calling is what Lepage is about.
And that’s all he’s about.”
This description sounds like Liberal Democrats, for the most part.
brucefl56, I was talking to you.
“That is weird that description is a Liberal Democrat. I was going to say all Dems, that would be too severre.” Not sentences. Not my opinion, just fact. Who doesn’t have a clue?
LePage and the rest of the right-wing extremists don’t believe in democracy. They have nothing but anger and hatred in their hearts. Typical of many so-called Christians.
oh come on.. i’m an atheist but even i find your comment offensive and no better than our not-so-great leader.
Well said, Mike. I am Christian and also found it offensive. Thank you.
YW.. unfortunately many more seem to revel in the same hate the poster decries!
Alright BDN, open the floodgates. :-)
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies. -Groucho Marx
Big winds come from empty caves.
Corrupt, Paul what about you daughter making more than the typical college grad working for her Daddy in state gov. with no prior experience. Now I call that CORRUPT!
There is something seriously wrong with that guy!
In his book,
Everyone is corrupt but “him”!
Truth hurts.
……ring, ring…..”Governor LePage’s office..ok one minute I’ll see if daddy isn’t busy beating someone down at the moment……please hold”…………click!
You Maine people elected him great for you
—–
Here we go again , the 38% silliness.
Yes, rocky, it was probably closer to 19%. I’d say that probably half that voted for him did so thinking that they didn’t want Libby, and didn’t trust Cutler.
The 38% was hardly an enthusiastic 38%. He will be lucky to be re-nominated. In fact, if he wants the GOP to hold the governorship in 2014, he’d be best advised not to run.
The Dems actually GOT 19%. The voters do not want more of the failed policies of the Dems.
They didn’t want Libby, for sure. But if Libby was so terrible, and Cutler would just be more of the same, then someone as great as you believe Mr. Lepage is, should have done much, much better, wouldn’t one think?
Given all of those sucking off the government teat in Maine it’s a small wonder we moved ever so slightly to the center.
They hate to lose…
Baldacci numbers please Buddy…….
They are irrelevant. He was a minority governor, and the numbers were about the same. No one wanted him, either, really.
Does that somehow give Paul a mandate?
He tapped into the voter anger the best. That is why he is governor.
He became Gov because of the track record for the last 40 yrs in Maine
There were 13 GOP candidates. LePage did the best job tapping into the voter anger, so he got the nomination. Most of the GOP did not have him as first choice. I voted for a different conservative in the primary.
I did not vote for him in the general election, because he appeared to be too high a risk as a demagogue. I thought about it, but couldn’t do it.
Many that voted for him took that risk, but regret it. He has no chance next time. I would not be shocked if he does not finish this term, either.
You go ahead and live in fantasy land. It’s OK.
Awwwwe…Thank you Buddy
” I would not be shocked if he does not finish this term”. I am interested in hearing the scenario in which you think this might come to be. I’m not trying to be flippant here, I really am wondering what you think might stand some chance of making this so.
I am not saying that I haven’t heard this before, I have,often in fact. But it’s talked of by my more wacky Liberal friends and not something I hear spoken of seriously , by serious folks. If I am also to belive that you are a registered Republican who voted for Cutler or Libby ,or didn’t vote at all ,in the last primary , then you can see my interst in your answer on this.
I think he may get very frustrated by the gridlock. The next legislature will be very difficult for him to work with. I also could see him resigning due to health concerns. He is not young, and he has a low boiling point, and that is hard on the body.
I voted for Cutler. I wasn’t crazy about it, but I saw LePage as very high risk, although some potential for high reward. If he were plain-spoken without coming across as Benito Mussolini, I think he could have done well.
I see the health thing as a possibility but I’m not so sure about the other, frustration idea. I hate to underestimate the lengths the far Left will go to ,or the culpability of the “media ” in what ever that might be, but I just don’t see him screwing up bad enough to allow for his removal.
As for Cutler, he just put more effort into the appearance that he is different then the rest of the Lib’s,in my opinion. So I didn’t see a choice there. I saw this as a one time opportunity to get a fiscal conservative in the office, the only opportunity for at least for a few cycles. I didn’t see the motivation of the “Tea Party’s folks as being sustainable at a level to over come the Liberals and the normally apathetic voting block we have here in Maine. To me it looked like a one time shot, no matter the veneer of the candidate. I do see it as that ,by the way, a veneer. Paul’s feelings and beliefs are no less controversial than the Progressive liberals of today, they just trick the moderates into thinking they are reasonable, they are far more mean spirited than Paul, they just hide it when you are facing them. So, for me it was the only option I could see. I guess I’m less optimistic than you seem to be.
And **morbidly obese** (cardiac time bomb).
Hardly a “model” for healthcare, either!
Just sayin’.
Do a basic cursory keyword Google search on LeRage.
He’s gone viral, and it’s the weekend news cycle (not just in Maine, by any stretch of the imagination).
*Global* news spin cycle.
Great for luring tourists to Maine, huh?
</sarcasm
You were very wise to vote for Cutler.
You are a very wise conservative not to have voted for this man.
47 then 37 the second time.
——
What’s silly is that 62% of the people did not vote for him, and the 62% (probably more now) don’t have any means of getting rid of him………..yet.
——
Well 53% didn’t vote for Baldacci in 2002, 62% didn’t vote for Baldy in his re-election in 2006. 65% didn’t vote for King Angus in 1994 and the only reason why King won in a landslide he ran against a bunch of fourth rate candidates that wasn’t household names to folks. If Angus ran against Susan Collins, Snowe or someone that people knew he would have got his butt kicked in a landslide. So what is your point ??. The Liberals shouldn’t be celebrating either their hero’s aren’t that popular either. Both of these folks left office with huge unpopularity, massive budget shortfalls and headaches for the current occupant of the Blaine House and the current Legislature now.
History has shown that nothing unites humanity faster than a hateful dictator with a dim mind and loose mouth. Thanks to Democrats and opened eyed Republicans, when the GOP/Tea Party majorities are gone in November and Paul in 2014 we’ll all at least have “that” to thank Mr. Lepage for. This guy is a one man wrecking crew against conservatism. He’s making even bad liberals look like geniuses! People now long for the days when their leaders didn’t call them lazy leeches, corrupt, union scum, butt kissers, or mustached ladies. Wouldn’t we all like to hear what Paul really thinks? I’d love to see Paul LePage give a real journalist a half hour interview filled with impromptu questions. Just let Paul’s free flowing thoughts roll from his lips. It would be the interview of the decade and studied in Political science classes for century’s. Eventually filed under, “The day Radical Conservatism/Tea Party Died.”
Whenever you can’t find a pertinent point DK, you always revert back to former governors? I can’t recall once when any of those governors acted as maliciously, untruthful, condescending and disrespectful towards many; to include a multitude of working people and even the state legislature as a whole, as well as specific legislators.
His behavior is not going to be excused by your petty remembrances of past administrations.
I call the focus on a percentage , that is only a problem if the Lib’s are on the loosing end of it,silly. I heard no mention of the situation when it was Baldacci’s “Landslide Victory” , and I’m sure I will not hear of it the next time the Lib’s win by that margin. Conservatives/Republicans/the fiscally sane have been living as the political minority in this State for decades and could rightfully claim some grievance for being “ruled” over as a clear minority. But, it is when the Royal Families become so distracted scheming and fighting
over which will sit atop the throne that they fail to notice the Peasants uprising til the pitchforks have been firmly planted in their little royal arses, and then the crying and whining begins.
This 62% nonsense is the intellectual equivalent of a temper tantrum, and an incredibly fun one to watch. So ,though this is most likely just a respite from Maine’s march down the path of Socialism(Progressivism) , it will have some lasting affects and the entertainment value has been marvelous.
So you keep working on that recall thing you have your heart so set on, should keep a few of you busy and out of the way for while.
Oh, no Rock, The entertainment value lies squarely watching this governor stumble, falsify, rant and squeal his inept and moronic administration blow itself and what little the majority the republicans have in the legislature right to hell.
If providing, even the current DHHS shortfall of 82.5 million, that the Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Rosen says “…are based on numbers we know are wrong”
I wouldn’t be claiming to be too awfully “fiscally sane”
There will be recall legislation or a proposal in the future, you can count on that. I’m gonna love watching this poor excuse for a leader squirm and scream after the next election. Now there’s MORE entertainment to enjoy!
There is absolutely no chance for a recall of this Governor ,zilch. And any attempt to put the process on the books will die as well, at least in the near term. Any schmuck can make a show boat of a proposal, so I don’t discount that the attempt will be made.
As for the “shortfall” ,you and you lib buddies seem to forget that the whole thing is counter to the argument you attempt to make. The libs were crying for “real numbers” to prove there wasnt a problem,no need to cut services, everything was fine. Well, that didnt work out to be the case, so now they run around screaming about the problem that wasn’t a problem but now is a problem but if they scream loud enough ad throw a tantrum, they might confuse and distract folks from the problem that they created.
If after the first time one of our Progressive Law makers stood in front of a camera or Mic and said we cant make a decision on this , we need “real numbers”, If what eventually came out had been shown to them, at that moment the argument being made by the Lib’s would have been destroyed. Now we have cries of a cover up, a cover up that would only benefit Liberals,our previous Governor and the bloated system they created, Oh, and would have made Mayhew and Lepage’s argument for the cuts they were proposing. Good luck with pushing this theory and tricking the citizens of Maine, it is entertaining to watch.
By the time you get a Maine Constitutional amendment for recall of a governor, LePage will be done with his second term, and back to life in the private sector.
Good luck.
Methinks thou art a dreamer.
Has either one of you thought, that a citizen’s initiative can force the legislature to act, and force a referendum ballot in November? Have either of you thought that Maine, is the only state that requires it’s state legislators to propose a bill on behalf of a constituent? Irregardless if that representative agrees with it or not. If a constituent submits the “By Request” to legislative leadership, a bill will be printed, and his or her representative will be considered the sponsor.
I certainly hope that LePage keeps ONE campaign promise; and that’s to only serve one term. Oh, and it’s not that hard to amend the state’s constitution,,if it’s a citizens initiative, the legislature and the secretary of state really don’t have a choice but to put it on the ballot. If I were doing it, I would start the initiative now, and have a “By Request” ( I don’t think that you would have to request one either) bill, one way or another asking the same thing two different ways and in two different methods.
See how government really works!!, it’s centered around people!, not business and special interest.
We need to work on Maine’s having a recall process.
50 % didn’t vote for Clinton
50% didn’t vote for Bush in either election.
Actually, in the 2000 election, the Gore ticket got 500,000 more votes than the Bush ticket. When the Supreme Court handed Bush the election, it gave the victory to a candidate (Bush) who lost the popular vote. But, hey, when you are a Republican, you do what you have to to win.
It is the electoral vote that counts. But you are correct – the Court never should have intervened in a Florida election. There are no national elections in the USA.
And guess who was Governor of Florida when all of this crap was going on? Amazing!!! it was Junior’s brother….Jeb!!! Simply amazing how that works isn’t it?
truth is truth
Yep. It sure is silly that someone can become governor with a 38% non-majority of the vote.
Clinton became President with less than 50 %
So did Bush and he finish second in votes both nationwide and in Florida.
I was just making a comparison of the three way race of Clinton’s election to our election here in Maine.
The President isn’t elected by popular vote. Delegates to the Electoral College are.
1992 Clinton was elected with 68%
1996 Clinton was elected with 70%
2000 Bush was elected with 50.4%
2004 Bush was elected with 53%
2008 Obama was elected with 68%
Until Maine has run off elections expect this current trend of under 40% to occur. Liberals on here think that once Democrats come back into power they will be popular. Only problem with polls done on LePage , Democrats polled even worse in some of the polls done. So neither side is actually popular with Maine people.
One problem with a run off election and in regards to LePage, is that he would have to appeal to a much larger and broad spectrum of interest and voters in order to win more than 50% of the vote, something that LePage is simply not capable of doing. .Elliot Cutler would have been governor, not LePage if the standard was a two round system.
Secondly, if the standard was a run off election, the Cianchette’s would have had to to donate much more than allowed, for essentially 3 elections; the primary, the initial and then the run off. Good luck with the costs of that.
However, I do not necessarily dislike the theory; it requires compromise, another attribute that LePage does not pursue nor even think about.
Yeah, we’re still paying for that screw up when we elected Baldacci. How many health care workers lost their jobs so that more union thugs could keep their no work jobs thanks to the failed Baldacci administration?
It was actually 39%. Baldy got even less than that in a three Horse Race in 2006
It’s 62% didn’t vote for hm
That’s what happens when you have three candidates. Ask Bill Clinton.
You could also ask Ronald Reagan.
Reagan was very fortunate that John Anderson ran as an independent.
Otherwise Carter would have won.
And 50 % voted for him
—–
LePage won with 38% of the vote. That’s the same as Baldacci, and he was the incumbent in his second election, which was a pitiful indictment of his incompetency.
—–
I’m not even gonna bother….
I did not vote for him so therefore I did not elect him.
As an individual, you didn’t vote for him. You are part of a larger community that did elect him. I’m in the same boat.
He tapped into the voter anger. There were other conservative candidates who would have sense enough not to make the kind of comments that he makes.
It is a disgrace.
Who are you calling “you Maine people?” Most of us didn’t vote for this guy.
I Didn’t!!!!!
i didnt vote for him
This kind of fluke could only happen in politics. Sadly we’ve all seen or read throughout our history about what happens when stupid or ignorant people are given seats of power. All we can do now is put up as many roadblocks as possible in front of this buffoon in hopes of curtailing his hatefulness, anger and ignorance against the people he serves (Wait I’m thinking rationally here) DICTATES over as much as possible. Never thought I’d live to see the day when someone like this was given the reins of power over me or my family. Just plain sad and brutally embarrassing.
I can’t wait to vote for him again, he is the best!!
LOL!! you are uneducated.
Well i can tell you that lapenguin did not get my vote or any of the people i know. I say we should ask for impeachment for nepatism.
I and many others did not vote for LePage.
LePage is a tea partier.
OMG! Where was Mrs. Bennett today? Clearly Mr. LePage needs 24/7 handling of what comes out of his mouth. Can you imagine what he might actually be thinking and holding back! YIKES!!! Have we had enough yet? Do we really want to give this character continuing superior House and Senate majorities in November? I don’t think so. He needs to become irrelevant as soon as possible. Vote every GOP/Tea Party member running for office out, cripple this goofball and replace him with someone of at least moderate intelligence in 2014. PLEASE!!!
Adrienne ought to put him on a 5-second delay.
She was busy writing the letter that carries LePage’s signature and nothing else.
OMG!!
the desperation is sooooooo comical….LOL
And living in the governor’s home on the taxpayers’ dole. We subsidize her room and board, her utility bills, and probably even her food. Of course, for everyone else that’s called “welfare”.
What’s the problem? We haven’t heard a peep from her Director about any screw-ups she may have made? The problem is middle management and lack of qualified staff in DHHS and the Accounting Department. Lepage has hit the nail on the head … and many of you can’t think outrside the box! How do we get qualified state employees when we can’t get rid of those that are sitting at their desks reading paperback mystery novels or knitting scarves while they wait out their last few years to grab retirement. Documentation means nothing when you are UNION! It’s not just a Republican snaffu. All parties should be blamed. This problem has been covered up for the last 5-7 yrs. Ever since they installed the first accounting software program. It’s tough to teach “old daugs” new techniques!!!!
Your right Guvnah, a big part of the state employees don’t work and steal money from taxpayers with the help of the democrats who in turn get help from the unions to get elected. A terrible circle of corruption.
Why would you say that? If she is doing the job so what? Look at our president…
I think he the Governor was talking about Nutting, Poliquin, Timberlake and most of his staff, if so sounds like he hit the nail on the head.
What does the typical,ok we can go with Average, full time State employee make these day’s and how does it size up to your ” typical college grad”? I know the answer to this by the way , just wondered if you did.
Paul LePage is nothing more than a bully,like a lot of republican governors.
Isn’t nepotism grounds for IMPEACHMENT ?
If it was, Baldacci would have been history after his first year in the Blaine House.
I guess the level of insult in that remark depends on just how corrupt you feel workers can be.
The level of insult of that remark comes from the most Blatant Perpertraitor of Corruption calling the rest of us corrupt!
that sounds a lot like someone who said…. ” that depends upon what the definition of is is”
It’s always an interesting feeling not to just dislike your elected officials, but to be embarrassed by them. I don’t think we would want our employees or children or students acting in such a way he does. He is like the chubby, insecure bully who causes trouble to make sure the attention isn’t solely focused on him and his lacks.
I didn’t like Baldacci, but I wasn’t, at every level, and weekly, embarrassed by him. This buffoon is terrifyingly moronic.
I’m still embarrassed by Baldacci. We’re still paying for many of his blunders.
It is amazing how his sycophants cheer him on. They’d be the first ones out in these forums griping about how rudely they have been treated by some clerk in a state office, and yet they love it when their top employee displays his boorishness and contempt for Maine citizens.
The electorate needs to start thinking with the brain again. We’ve just seen what voter anger accomplishes.
Now you understand how others felt during the failed Baldacci administration
Amen to that.
After 17 yrs in state government, Paul you are dead on.
Obviously you are not middle management.
13+ years. Until we Scott Walker the unions, no significant change will come for the tax payers of this state. The Governor is on track. Good for him and Maine!
It’s a very sad state of affairs you find yourself in. Unions are alive and well thank you and they are poised to save the middle class once again from the likes of you and Paul LePage. Sorry to hear that you are corrupt and have been called out by your hero. Very sad for you indeed. Did you frame the insulting letter he sent you, after insulting you with his “strong words?” I haven’t heard of you before. I would think you would be proudly in the front of the line, expsosing your corrupt colleagues before your hero so he can get rid of them for you. Shouldn’t we know you as a savior? Why do you put up with the corruption that is rampant all around you? Why are you hiding behind a psuedonym?
Good to hear the truth from someone within the walls of state government who can attest to the Governor’s concern. The truth hurts, especially when it comes from Gov. LePage.
He is unravelling and exposing what the liberals have enjoyed for the last 40 years.
Times are a changing for the better.
All of them are corrupt? Grow up!
No need for death threats.
Just vote the Teabillies out of the Legislature in November and hobble the Governor till he’s gone in 2014.
After 31 years as middle managment in state government, Paul, you don’t know what you are talking about!! You are dead wrong!!!
You support LePage and his policies. I understand and respect your views.
What I do not understand is you condoning his behavior.
You must want him to be re-elected, yet you are tolerant of behavior that will almost certainly assure that he won’t be.
I would submit that you can agree with his conservative views ( or whatever views one has ), while still calling for a certain level of civility.
With his objectionable behavior, LePage is probably digging his political grave, while his supporters cheer him on.
Perhaps you feel his crude behavior is more important than getting re-elected?
Yes Paul would know.. starts at the top
I’d have to say there’s more corruption at the top level of state government than at any other level.
We have seen them and what they have done in the past.
In my classroom, we work very hard to adhere to the one word at the top of my bulletin board: respect. It saddens me that our governor is willing to go on record with such a sweeping indictment of a group of people he governs. The tone in our current political landscape is frightening. Our governor (and he IS our governor, though 61% of us didn’t vote for him) might benefit from the lessons my students have mastered about the ways to speak to and about people. But to be clear, he’s not the only one who needs this lesson, and I hope that when we finally hit bottom with this vitriolic thread in our society, we can all just step back and recognize that we can disagree with someone without demonizing that person, or worse, an entire group of people.
It’s “our” classroom.
Seriously? You step into HER office when you enter that classroom. If you so desparately want that job, then You apply for it, so long as you have the creditials. She is doing what She was hired to do, not you. You just feed the Golden Goose that makes sure she can do her job and teach our kids.
Now, back the bulletin board, Show Some R-e-s-p-e-c-t.
It’s “our” classroom. You sure read a lot into 3 words. Respect.
—-
unions protect her job, no matter how poorly a job she does.. Who does she respect.
Apparently, according to you and the Tea Party, any sect of labor that organizes it’s members is to be beaten into the ground. But, it’s certainly ok for government to cater to the needs of certain business interest, such as energy and banking. If government is going to work with business, then it damned well better be listening to the needs of labor as well. If not, then the government (the executive and legislature) will simply be replaced.
WHETHER YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT UNIONS ARE NECESARY , WITHOUT THEM EVERYONE WOULD BE WORKING FOR MINIMUM WAGES. THE ONLY REASON A LOT OF COMPANIES PAY WELL IS TO KEEP UNIONS OUT SO GO AHEAD FINNISH WHAT REAGON STARTED THEN YOU WILL BE SORRY.
Really now? Go hop in a State Trooper’s car, drive away with it, and see how much it is “yours”.
Taking a car is stealing. I can go on a ride along with a State Trooper in our car…. wonder if I can go sit in our classroom for a day or would the union have something to say about that.
Parents are always welcome to observe, as long as they can adhere to the same rules as their children.
I’m a teacher and you are more than welcome to sit in our classroom any time you want. I will expect you to participate though.
Make sure he passes the quiz, or no recess for him.
It is not the fault of the “Worst” Governor ever elected in Maine history. You see – his Dendrites have failed firing a long time ago when he hit his own head while with his brother-in-laws hammer in an effort to demonstrate how one uses a hammer. Sad to report the confidential matter now but I had no other choice as after speaking with Laurel she asked me to speak and Laurel being my friend I mention this matter:)
The vote was split three ways so regardless of the fact that less than 50% voted for him, he won by having MORE votes or is math not your area of expertise? As for Maine public schools and their classrooms, ick. I have worked in school systems and seen many poor behaving teachers making fun of disabled children, egging on student bullies or turning a blind eye. Or worse, shunning parents who truly want to be informed. I for one found LePage’s honesty a bit grating at first. Now I celebrate it and say, “It’s about time someone says it out loud.” Maine is NOT an ideal place to raise children, it is bereft of proximity to good health care and the hatred of Mainers for one another based on one or two differences is disgusting. Thank God I’ve lived elsewhere and know the difference. I’ll continue to vote against anyone running who wants to take more money to give to others who may be capable but refuse to work or are too busy drugging up to bother. If state employees refuse to carry out their duties they should suffer the same consequences other employees face, firing. Maine is not ideal, it’s an oppressively limited state and the loud cries of pride over an economically challenged and restrictive state where Methadone clinics are easier to find than a decent health care professional are laughable at best.
Actually, the vote was split five ways, but let’s not let facts get in the way. And 61% of the vote did NOT go to our governor, so why insult my math acumen? I never said he didn’t receive more votes than the other four candidates, for Pete’s sake.
I don’t respect everyone I know or meet and I will not pretend I do.
And I’m certain that everyone you know and meet feels likewise regarding you.
Unfortunately, the PC brigade is everywhere. All smiles, while they spend you into bankruptcy.
John Baldacci won both times with less votes then Our Great Governor Paul Lepage got.
68% voted against John Baldacci the Second Time. 66% voted against him the first time. I never hear libs complain about Johns numbers.
I complain about both. Didn’t think Baldacci was effective, but at least when he was a petty tyrant, he did it with his own staff and the cabinet. LePage thinks he is the reincarnation of XXXXX (pick a dictator).
Boorishness knows no party.
You’re the type of person who would throw the lifeboat captain overboard, because you don’t like the way he talks. Meanwhile, the lifeboat captain had the boat’s repair kit in his pocket, and there’s a big rock straight ahead.
Oops.
You sound like an “end justifies the means” type to me.
Baldacci got 47% of the vote in 2002, Cianchette got 41%. Both winner and loser got more votes than LePage did which was 38% and that was a 4 WAY race! Let me see, let’s do some math; Baldacci got 47%, Jonathan Carter got 9% and John Michael got 2%, all added up thats 58% of the people voting against Cianchette. A family who has a member now working for LePage, and who’s family contributed heavily to his campaign. They did so by each member, and there’s alot of Cianchette’s , who “independently” contributed the maximum amount allowed by a private individual, $750.
Did you skip math class? Where are you getting the 66%!!! You should work for DHHS, seems that they forgot math as well.
The only corruption that exists is LePage.
No, you just gotta include the rest, it’s inherrant in politics but the magnitude of blatant corruption with one group,Nutting, Poloquin ect, Its a Political Party Thing of Pride!
All people are good / there is no evil. Nobody would ever
commit voter fraud. Nobody ever steals. Nobody would ever hurt a child because we ALL love children.
All workers are equal in their goodness. There is no
corruption…not now, never has been before and there never, ever will be.
There! That said, the whole issue is solved.
How about getting on the next plan to Syria and fixing that problem for us.
I have a better idea – how about we get the updated report from Mayhew that she stated she would get to the legislature weeks ago. She did have time to travel this week for the dog and dog show with Big Paulie. I think it might have been a better use of her time to stay on her job and get her mess corrected and them maybe the conclusion would be that their is no shortfall , just a failure to perform. Respectively submitted.
You’re silly.
Mr. LePage, at times you make it very difficult to defend you. Sir, this is one of those times. Please display a little more class and professionalism than to cast the net of accusation in such a wide swath. If any State employee is found to be corrupt (we know there are some), deal with it on a case by case basis, not by insinuating that “middle management of the state is about as corrupt as can be.” it is not true and insulting to the employees as a whole.
OMG I “liked” your comment. For ONCE, I hear something from a republican that is a realist and obviously understands the brevity of his party’s situation. Thumbs up for showing qualities of the republicans that I know.
It isn’t just democrats and liberals that are seeing this guy for what he is. He is going to end up costing the State a fortune.
“He is going to end up costing the State a fortune.” No he is trying to save this state money but the LIBERALS & RINO’S in Augusta, along with all of those who living off the state (Subsidies and Welfare) can’t accept the fact that Maine Working People have had enough of the status quo. These folks want to protect the Welfare Haven and Nanny State we have had for decades. These folks along with their supporters are against job growth and prosperity for Maine Working Citizen’s. The fact is LePage is the best thing to happen to the Working Maine Citizen and Taxpayer and he is the right man to start peeling off the Welfare Haven and Nanny State here in Maine. These whiners who are always complaining about him hurting Welfare Cases need to get a grip with reality. Until we remove these folks who are mooching off of the Working Folks tax dollars Maine isn’t going to Move Foward (Baldacci and Dems favorite slogan from 2006). So the Libs can attack all they want. But the bottom line if we return to Democrats old song and dance with the failed status quo Maine will go totally bankrupt and you will see the rest of the Maine Working Folks and retirees leave Maine for better opporunties. You will only have those mooching off of Government dollars be the only ones supporting Maine Government good luck with that.
I’m not liberal, nor a so-called RINO (nor do I rant like an anonymous ignoramus – if the shoe fits, darkcat, what can I say?), but….
The man works for all of us and he needs to learn to express himself like an adult, not like a child.
Of course, you do not mind being a laughingstock, since no one knows who you are.
We have had more than 40 years of laughingstocks here in Maine. It is called the Maine Democrat Party and Democrats who call themselves Independents. These folks have destroyed our state with their abysmal economic policies, their radical social agenda including passing Special Rights for Gays and Lesbains , and keeping Gay Marriage alive till voters finally get tired of seeing it all the time and passing it. As an Independent and angry Maine Citizen I am in the long line of Mainers who are fed up with having the status quo. I am tired of having my pockets picked so Lazy Deadbeat Dads, Lazy Welfare Mamas keep getting pregnant so they can get even more in Welfare Benefits. I am also tired for paying for folks who claim to be disabled that can’t get away from the couch and tv but can go chase and rundown the mailman/woman and get their Welfare Benefits and SSI/SSDI checks. As it was pointed out in an article in yesterday’s Maine newspapers we are now hearing about Mainers who get Welfare are now getting WELFARE to fix their cars. When is enough enough. When is Democrats in Augusta including their supporters going to throw their arms up in the air and have a spine and say we can’t continue these policies. How about trying fiscal sanity for once. How about requiring Workfare to those able to work then when they are stable we end their benefits. How about tax cuts continuing to spur growth. How about having the private sector be in control of building roads and bridges with new highways. How about legalizing more Casinos/Horsetrack Casinos and other forms of Gambling and use the revenue to help get the state and it citizen’s out of the hole. What a concept trying something different not trying the same old failed ideas but doing it differently hoping to get a different result but it doesn’t happen. We need to go in a different direction not the same direction Democrats want to go back with that has failed for over 40 years.
So your idea of fixing 40 years of mismanagement is to elect a loose cannon? We don’t know what he is going to say next — because he himself doesn’t know.
If he wants to change Augusta, great. I agree that much needs to change. How on earth does one change a large enterprise, if one alienates and insults just about everyone he needs to get on his team to make the change?
He has made his own party angry. He has ensured that the opposition party is angry. He has made the whole bureaucracy angry.
I suppose if you and his other half-dozen sycophants are happy, than your small group can get the job done.
If you want to help him, encourage him to build a team.
He already has a team, which has been working hard to repair 30 years of Democratic-induced chaos and bankruptcy in Augusta.
You just don’t like the methods, nor the results, even though he’s managed to pay down $248M to Maine’s hospitals in his first year, along with making progress on reforming our education systems and other state departments, and paying down the state’s massive pension debts.
I suspect you have pals who still work in state government, and your comments support keeping the union status quo intact.
He needs more than a few cabinet members.
I am not going to argue with you, Naran, because I doubt if it will do any good. You are bound and determined to support his boorish behavior. That is your right, but you are harming the conservative cause far more than you are helping it. That really bugs me. It is a display of willful ignorance.
Post that in the Kennebunk News, and feel free to quote me.
I’m a conservative and I have met the enemy. It is us.
There are many people in this state who are tired of giving their hard earned money to those who don’t want to work. Take a really close look at Bangor. When I retire I won’t stay in this state to have my money taken and given to someone who doesn’t deserve it.
I got news for you, seven years ago when i got hurt and ended up liveing on SSDI i thought i would be smart and sell my home in maine taxationland and go where the grass was greener. So i took my money and ran to sunny florida. well let me tell you i soon learned what tax’s and fee’s were realy like. Oh yah and crime, you ain’t seen nothing untill you live in the dirty south for three years . Drug crimes down there make maine look crime free, so go ahead take your money and run. I for one would rather live where i don’t have to go to bed holding a firearm.
We did our research before we decided where we would go next and it won’t be Florida. And, Maine won’t get my money.
Well i can’t imagine where you will go, maybe alaska, idaho or the dakota’s but you will find that no matter where you go you will be taxed one way or another be it property or sales tax your gonna pay so hurry up and abandon ship. Maybe we can get a few more greedy republicans to follow you, and by the way i don’t hide behind a pen name like most!
Just wondering…do you pay taxes?
Yes i pay tax’s in maine and florida and i live on a small pension but still would rather die than support a member of the GOP or as i call them the GREEDY OLE PR–kS.
I must say as a disabled mainah i worked from the age of 15 untill i got injured at 51, Paid my tax’s and concider myself to be a rare concervitive democrat . I don’t have a problem with getting able bodied people off welfare and back to work. But i take exception when you categorise those of us on SSDI as welfare bums some of us hell a majority of us would rather be back at work instead of trying to get by on what we get. The last year i worked i made allmost 70k, do you really think i live like a king on SSDI. That’s the problem i have with republicans they don;t care about anyone but themselves. At least the dem’s will share a little piece of the pie.
You can rant on with your right wing talking points all you want. The Maine GOP and LeBUFFOON are a ridiculous DISASTER, and beneath your Fox News ranting, you know it. And you know that your joke of a party is going get pounded out of sight come November.
No I am talking Independent talking points. You fail to realize Independents are the reason Democrats got booted from control in Augusta. Democrats need to start getting their act together because trust me we will help to keep the status quo in November. I think Democrats need to stop going on tv and stop complaining about LePage and start finding out why they are in the minority. Because most of us support LePage in cutting the welfare state apart, most of us want his tax policies, and economic policies. We don’t want anything the Democrats are currently selling not now not ever.
I don’t want to see another politically correct politician – democrat or republican. It is time we stopped being the birdfeeder state. Come here…we will give you free food, free housing, free methadone, a free ride to get your methadone, free healthcare, free education…oh wait…it is not really free…people who have jobs and pay taxes are paying for it. Until this stops our state will continue to lose its most promising college graduates, its retirees and some that are in between.
It would be nice to see him stop scapegoating to cover up his own inadequateness. Sit down with people to try and build consensus, not spew anger and hate and expect people to tremble before the mighty LePage.There’s a cost to be had in that , and he’ll see it in November. I can’t imagine how bad it will be once he loses his majority in one or both houses. The voters will get his invectives big time.
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There is basis for the Governor’s description of some state
government employees as being corrupt.
Just for example, look at the Maine DEP middle management
handling of wind power projects.
Once operational the Mars Hill wind project exceeded DEP
specified noise levels of 45dba nighttime.
Did DEP force corrective action?
NO! To the detriment of affected Mars Hill citizens DEP
granted a waiver to First Wind.
Did DEP investigate turbine noise complaints from 17 separate
homeowners down wind of Mars Hill turbines?
Again, NO! Those homeowners were left to find their own
solutions, hence 17 lawsuits against First Wind.
True to form the wind turbines at Vinalhaven also exceeded the
45 dba noise limit.
Did DEP taken forceful corrective action against the Fox
Island wind developers at Vinalhaven like it would with other Maine rule
offenders?
Again, NO!
After obvious Mars Hill and Vinalhaven turbine noise problems
did DEP assess their siting criteria and make changes in their permitting
procedures?
Were preconstruction noise modeling procedures adjusted to
account for previous failures?
Were lower noise limits adapted for the upcoming 50 turbine
Oakfield project?
The answers are NO, NO and NO!
It may be unfair to lay the blame fully on the state employees
because their instructions came from their political handlers of the Baldacci
administration, but corruption is the end result.
Funny that you admit that you’re own argument is flawed, that is, the corruption comes from the top, not from middle management.
This man is a pathetic and poor example of executive leadership. He is an embarrassment to Maine and it’s citizens. He belligerently name calls, and stereotypes; he belittle’s and creates chaos and confusion. This man is the reason why Maine cannot any longer go without recall remedies and the equitable laws for the voting citizens of Maine.
He doesn’t realize it seems that HE and HIS daughter, along with his brother in law and many of his friends are technically state employees (workers).
The more he does this, the fewer and fewer seats his party will win. I can’t see any republican running for Olympia’s seat, really wanting his endorsement, honest! And the liklihood of a republican winning that seat, in my opinion, is slim.
If he keeps up, his party won’t even have the votes to prevent overriding a veto. Keep yapping Paul, the door is slamming shut soon.
It’s not like members of his party of the backbone to override his vetoes to begin with.
Really!?? I seem to recall a certain party caucus poll that, according to it’s leaders, didn’t want to convene to take up 2 line item VETOS! And, in defiance of their own constitutional obligations, they just shrugged and implied “well, too bad”
He should hope that what you are posting is even a smidgen of the truth.
Try to keep up
You have to understand that this buffoon is working on keep his earned reputation in front of the people of Maine, that is why he is recognized as the “Worst” Governor ever voted in office by only the Green Shirt people of Maine. respectively submitted.
…………..and we want the mural back..not
lame, lame, lame………….try harder next time.
Apparently, telling someone it is none of their business where the wife pays taxes; requesting your emails and mail be exempt from the transparency rule, putting your inexperienced daughter in a distinguished position of employment with state government and paying an exhorbitant salary; telling little white lies about budgets to get what you want……..yadda, yadda, yadda……is not in any way, shape or form CORRUPT…….OH, I see! The Governor is the only non-corrupt person in our Maine government….because HE SAYS SO….it is SO! :O)
I was at a dinner not to long ago where Gov. Lepage was a speaker. Afterwards I got the chance to speak with his wife for a moment and I said to her don’t ever let him change. What I mean’t by that is that he calls it the way he see’s it, and I might add the way that the majority of people in this State see it as well. My hat is off to you Governor Paul Lepage you are truly a breath of fresh air in Augusta!! I say keep cleaning house and keep up the good work!
The only way you’ll get another dinner inviationis to keep cozying up.
I think we have all forgotten so soon who was the head of some Dept in the State who just got five years for stealing from us (The Taxpayers) So for the Gov to say management is State Govt is currupt would be right on. You can’t argue with proof and a conviction.
Because the turnpike Director was corrupt, that makes every other state employee corrupt??? If that’s the way you think, not wonder you like LePage. I feel sorryfor you.
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Now Now, Poliquin has not been convicted yet:)
Or Nutting (he owes Maine’s taxpayers over 1.3 million smackers)!
No, he doesn’t. As has been repeatedly pointed out to you, the state settled with Nutting years ago, and no criminal charges were filed. He paid what he could, and he owes the state nothing.
Making stuff up doesn’t help your arguments.
I can’t argue with proof, but I can argue with you. Yes, Violette was guilty of corruption and was convicted. There are several thousand state employees. Does that also make them guilty of corruption?
By your reasoning, you must be guilty of murder. After all, citizens in every State have been found guilty of murder, and have been convicted.
Good grief. Uncle. This has to be a bad dream.
The Turnpike Director was not “middle management”. He was an executive, as is the Governor.. now what does that say?
So all of them are? Seriously, that is just foolish and juvenile! So if someone who is similar in employ to you is convicted of something you are going to jail too, ahhh such brillance in Maine!
Instead of brown-nosing the Governor, tell us why you think it is okay for him to paint an entire group of state workers as not only corrupt but, ” as corrupt as can be”.
There is no justification for that whatsoever,
What makes you think you can speak this phrase ” the majority of people in this State see it as well.” with any justification. Take a head count of the people posting remarks in this forum and see how many really support this buffoon! A majority? Hardly!!
I smell somethng but it definitely is not fresh air!
I hope that his personal chef (state employee) takes note!
Paulie must be high on Koch !
http://www.kochbrothersexposed.com/
Yup, Daddy Fred was one of the John Birch Society founders. How hard is it to connect all the dots to see the ugly picture ?
Here’s what he really said, just for comparison’s sake.
“Believe me, there is a lot of good and hard-working people that work
for the state. They are not the problem,” he said. “The problem is the
middle management of the state is about as corrupt as you can be.
Believe me, we’re trying everyday to get them to go to work, but it’s
hard.”
Full context is a good thing.
Agree. However, full blown obnoxious rudeness is never a good thing.
Context doesn’t help with this sentence:
(quote) “The problem is the
middle management of the state is about as corrupt as you can be. (end quote)
It should not have been said that way. Period.
You folks that cheer him on and defend every stupid thing that he says do more harm to the cause than just about anything else. You should give him a whack upside the head.
I’m pretty conservative myself. And I cringe every time he says something like this, because the end result will be a backlash that will return the other end of the political spectrum to power.
I’m not sure why you cheer him on so. Maybe you just want to be the party of protest.
As a former”middle management” employee of the state, I think his comment was disgusting. He doesn’t even talk anyone he didn’t appoint so how does he know if anyone is corrupt. The only corruption is the damage he’s doing to the citizens of the stateof Maine.
Accountability is such a foreign concept to our public “servants” that someone calling on them to actually be held accountable is unbelievable to them.
Based on your posts over time, I’d say its good that you’re no longer there to hold up progress.
Problem is I never “upheld any progress”. In fact,I was involved in making some pretty progressive changes which saved the “taxpayers” a lot of money. I was also able to do that without disrespecting employees.I guess it’s easy to insult people when you know nothing about who they are or what they do. My parents taught me better than that.
Though I truly am trying to find the greater context to this whole story, this one line the governor uses with such an inflammatory broad accusation of corruption doesn’t look any ‘better’ even in the “full context”, Naran. It’s still an insult to hard working Maine people. The broad paintbrush the governor took is still a broad paint brush and these people DO “go to work”. Every day. And are every day Grateful for the jobs they do have. A multitude of them have two jobs, and I’m not including raising a family. This statement, even in a larger context, does not in any way lesson the blow of insult the governor made to his immense staff.
With such broad strokes of the net, even the “good” fish get caught up. This man is constantly using inflammatory words for a broad base of description. Fine if you defend him. It doesn’t make the “un-corrupt” managers feel any less completely insulted. Would you if he used it against you?
Agreed. But I don’t believe one sound bite paragraph gives us context. The full transcript would. He also said that not only middle managers but unionized employees were out of his control. I am curious to understand what he was really driving at.
He could use a good English lesson as well as civility brushing up.
Paul Lepage, How dare you speak the truth!
Paul channels Mussolini – a chest-beating, blowhard of a buffoon.
I can’t wait to vote against you, Paul, and I’m a conservative. You’re just smart enough to start a fire, and never smart enough to put it out.
You are to be congratulated.
Yeah, sure your a conservative, I can tell by the nasty comments you have to lower yourself to. NOT
I would be a conservative by anyone’s definition.
Paul is bringing it on himself. He is our employee. He needs to either say things differently, or he needs to keep his mouth shut.
Or would you prefer that he keep on working 24/7/365 to bring you a Democratic majority in 2012, and perhaps Hannah Pingree in 2014?
He deserves every slap he is getting out here.
Facts please. Blind accusations are hurtful and petty. I am so sick of this guy. Throw him and his tea party friends out in the street. As corrupt as they can be? Paul, you’re disgusting!
Paul, is your justice department investigating? Let’s have some facts about what you’re doing about this corruption, because if you are not acting, then you are part of the corruption.
——
Thats the Pot calling the Kettle black!
I feel another class action law suit coming on. Will someone please fill this bozo’s mouth with concrete before he has the entire State in bankruptcy court.
NOT IN MAINE
that would not stop him from speaking as i think he would use another outlet:)
This is what I’ve been commenting about. Yeah, that’s what we do now, just lawyer up, give up more control to the lawyers. We are now being held hostage by letting this group control our lives. Can’t make any changes, gotta lawyer up and sue. Just wonderful!
He is so right I hear stories every day about how lazy middle management is not to mention about 10% of the general employees. Just because they’re not stealing in the embezzlement sort of way they steal from us all when we pay them salaries to do next to nothing.
Your statement is just like LePage’s. Too broad to be believable.
You heard those stories from LePage.
And I hear that people who use Skidoo in any part of their poster names are fools.
That sounds fair enough to me, how about you?
What does that say about you? What does this guys username have anything to do with the story? Your just on this forum to make nasty comments about someone you don’t even know. Nice.
Skidoo posted hearsay. You had no problem with that. I posted more hearsay as a counter-example. You somehow have a problem with that.
I made no nasty comments.
Hearsay collapses valid argument everytime. Feel free to make an argument that it does not.
Maybe you should walk a day in their shoes. Remember they have to be pleasant to people like you!
NOT THE GOOD OLD MAINE REP
We all know that we do have problems with some state workers. To say they are all corrupt is just so wrong they are doing the work of a system that has failed. It dose not mean they are bad people. We need you to go Lepage . Talk to much about issues you know nothing about or how to fix .
Lepage is corrupt. Destroy’s any decent paying jobs and replace them with lower wage ones.
Well, maybe wages that the taxpayer in this state can afford.
I love this guy. He’s not afraid to hit the nail on the head. He ruffles peoples feathers because he’s a “BOSS”. You don’t have to like him but you should respect him.
I could Respect Him if he DID Something about it. Not just run the mouth. He IS THE BOSS of them.
He has no respect for anyone. He ruffles people’s feathers because he is either unwittingly, or willfully, obnoxious. I’m not sure which is worse. Being too stupid to know that he is a jerk? Or, knowing, and choosing to be one?
Ronald Reagan had an agenda that made a lot of people angry, and so did FDR. They did not succeed in implementing their respective agendas by being jerks.
Stop defending this stupid behavior, if you really want to help him succeed.
I not only don’t like him but I don’t respect him. A politician like any public figure gains respect by his or her actions toward others and by the consideration they show to their constituents. All LePage has shown us is what an ignorant ass he really is! He’s an embarrassment.
Respect is earned.
that is wonderful of you to stand up for your Father:)
I have worked for many bosses. All of them were better than he is. No, I did not like all of them. They were there for me to work for/with, not to like.
Wow! These words from thier Boss. If He thought that was True; He’s Corrupt for not replacing them. The Buck stops at the Govoner’s Desk.
The moment he took the oath of office, he did too much damage.
The Center for Public Integrity released a report detailing the risk of corruption and lack of accountability in all 50 states.
States were graded on 330 separate metrics . Maine was one of the worst in the country at number five. That is forty-five states are less corrupt than Maine. LaPage has it right!!!!!
HERE’S the website, please show us where you are quoting. All I see is Maine ranks 46 out of 50 states.
http://www.stateintegrity.org/maine
That is not true. I went to the web site and studied the report. It says we are at risk for corrruption, not that we are corrupt. You jumped to a wrong conclusion.
Thank you for your report Karl:)
I know it is wrong of me to dislike someone because they are stupid. I just can not seem to help myself with this guy. The funny part is I respect his backbone, just disagree with much of what he does
I respect his backbone, too, AND what comes out of his mouth.
You probably loved the women with beards comment.
——
Completely insulting, Mr. Governor. As a former employee of MaineDOT, I categorically refute your absurd and untruthful statement. I know most of the current management of MaineDOT personally, and knew their predecessors personally.
Are they perfect people? I know no one who fits that description. Are they honest people? I believe so, from Commissioner Bernhardt on down through the lower levels of management. They do their best, for the most part, in a culture where everyone has a different idea of what the best course of action is. Obviously they cannot please everyone at times, and probably not anyone all the time. Neither can you please everyone (except your anonymous sycophants who cheer you on from these forums).
If you want to change the culture, I would suggest *leading* them in the direction where you think they should go. Making these kind of absurd and inflammatory statements only shows you to be small.
Apologies would be welcomed. You’ve insulted them publicly. A public apology would be appropriate.
I am very glad I got out before you got in. Not because I am corrupt, but because I don’t need your style of “leadership.”
How often does Lepage get an apology from all the people that insult him?
LePage works for us. He is our top employee. We are his boss.
We do not have a right to treat him badly, but he deserves every sharp slap that he is getting out here today. This is not the first time he has made this kind of stupid blunder, and he needs to learn, and learn fast.
Buddy – you may have defined the problem succinctly: “They do their best, for the most part, in a culture where everyone has a different idea of what the best course of action is.”
Too many little chiefs .. .. .. That’s middle management.. Took you a while, but maybe you can join and help LePage !
By “culture”, I mean the political culture in the State of Maine, not the internal culture at MaineDOT.
Would the governor like things done differently at MaineDOT? I would be surprised if he did not want that. Every governor does, and it is his/her prerogative. MaineDOT is not a perfect organization, and it never will be, but it is a good one.
The “little chiefs” will go the direction in which they are led. They are good people as a group. The governor is not leading when he makes these kind of comments.
One thing the electorate forgets is that no governor can completely change how an agency works. One reason why this is not possible is because the American federal system of government is not a “layer cake”, where the federal level lies neatly above the state level, which in turn lies above the local layer. No, the system is more like a marble cake, with the different flavors intermingled. This is partly because of funding, but is is partly because of politics, both federal and local.
In some ways, states are very strong in our system, but in other ways, they are not. The procedures used by state agencies sometimes are not ideal, but sometimes they are beyond the control of the state, too. MaineDOT must comply with rules and procedures of multiple Federal partners, such as Federal Highway Admin, Federal Aviation Admin, Federal Rail Admin, and so forth — not to mention all the permitting agencies, the requirements of the Uniform Act (right-of-way), civil rights, etc. In addition, local governments in Maine are more powerful than in most states, not by law as much as by custom — but very powerful, nonetheless.
To make things even more difficult, state government itself makes its own life difficult, and the public supports the state without really realizing that things are worse, not better. I am referring to the control exercised by the controller, budget director, IT, and others, on what an agency can and cannot do. As Osborne and Gaebeler pointed out in “Re-inventing Government”, government is so controlled by the administrative and financial departments that an agency head really has difficulty managing effectively.
Veterans of state government have seen time and time again where some politician comes in, does not really understand how complex the environment is, and tries to completely change things that cannot easily be changed.
The best way for Governor LePage to effect real change would be to learn what is realistic, see if he can make a significant improvement, and build a coalition that will endure after he is gone. He can try swinging an axe, the way Longley did, but if he wants more than three more years and then everyone forgets him and his program, he’d be better off getting incremental improvements and leaving a coalition to carry on. Thinking he will “fix everything” in four years is naive. His environment is very complex.
He is not helping build that coalition by alienating the folks that he needs to make his agenda work. I’m not saying he has to coddle them, but he has to lead them, not vilify them. Otherwise, they will wait him out.
Gee we agreed on defining the problem, then you had to go and make it all complicated. I saw it for years, from simple tasks to intricate systems, folks don;t like to change at all levels but will at some point by force or by understanding. Most people want to do their best and job satisfaction usually beats out salary. Maine is a tough state, low density, old industries, etc but even if you’re on target about how issues are interwoven, there comes a point where a bomb is appropriate – not good for the short term but necessary for the long term.
Disagree on the long term, because there really is a lot to fix, but it took a long time to get the way we are, and in a democratic republic, it also takes a lot of time, trust, and a loyal opposition to make changes on a large scale. That will take a lot of the right kind of work. Maybe you see LePage as doing that kind of work, but I’d say he is working against his own long term goals.
Buddy, my husband also worked, in mid management at the DOT. He said about the same thing you have, he also said there’s always some corruption, no matter where you go to work. For the most part the people he worked with, worked hard giving the best they had to the people of Maine. He retired after 31 years of service, he worked in Bangor, Ellsworth, and was the health and safety trainer for the whole state.
Oh, I am pretty sure I know him. Thanks for your post.
I am a retired State worker and LePage is RIGHT! Middle management is lining their pockets with tax payers money. They do not listen to the people who are doing the work and don’t give a damn about the services they are supposed to be providing or saving money. The workers that do care are not listened to and are rarely promoted.
How are they lining their pockets? Are they stealing? Did you file a complaint and ask for an investigation? It’s never too late.
I’ll bet there has been a run on paper shredders in the Augusta area since Violette and McCormick were exposed.
Not sure how far you live from Augusta. Why don’t you run down and take a look?
Middle management is lining their pockets? Would you please explain how this is occurring and give some evidence?
Until you do, your comment is as absurd as the Governor’s. And that is going some.
Nothing like jumping the gun. Ok, he made this statement, maybe you could give him some time and he’ll come out with it. Oh yeah the lawyers and the unions and the cost, shouldn’t say anything, keep your mouth shut and hand it over to the next do nothings /:(
You’re making no sense at all.
I asked him for some kind of evidence that middle management is lining their pockets. If he says it, he’s gotta back it up.
Or maybe you are just a troll — in which case, there are other toys you can play with….
See Violette and McCormick as examples of two of the most egregious Dem hacks to line their pockets. Surely you must have seen it. It was in all of the newspapers.
They’re not middle management. And McCormick hasn’t been proved guilty of anything.
I suppose there is never Republican corruption?
Note: I am a Republican.
The Republicans have had little chance at corruption since the Dems have been in power for 35 years. Give them time.
If you think McCormick is blameless then you haven’t been keeping up. When the crooks makes the laws then theft becomes legal.
Human nature is human nature. If you really are an oldmainer, you should know that.
Thank YOU.
He had a chance to bring people together but once again is dividing his own supporters.
Can his handlers please advise him to read from a script or count to 10 before responding?
It is hard to support him anymore.
Agree. He has done more damage to the conservative cause than he can even imagine.
That’s because his “cause” is “LePage” and nothing more.
How can he even attempt to bring people together that have no interest whatsoever in working with him? They just want to continue with doing the same thing over and over, there was so many ridiculous laws that where put out during Baldacci’s reign, sorry I can’t name them, but I would hear about them in the news on the radio in the morning. I was thinking, holy cow, want more control over our lives?!
Charlie Webster’s his handler. ‘Nuff said!
Over the years there have been many corrupt politicians. However before lepage’s term is finished I have a feeling his name will be at the top of the list.
I doubt that.
What I cannot understand is — he was asked about FEES??? And he comes up with the fact that no one works and he is having a hard time making them work???? What does that have to do with fees???
He thought they meant fleals, as he had no experience with fleals he just went into his defense mode and attacks whatever. Adrienne how do you sleep nights having to be the spoke lady for this clown? I bet you scream in your dreams each night thinking of what the next day will bring for him to attack:)
I have said again and again and again — the man does NOT have a clue!!!
Nothing.
http://1.usa.gov/JsZ5Am
LePage went on to say that “middle management of the state is about as corrupt as can be.”
At no point in this brief article did I see where Governor LePage used the word “all” but, if the shoe fits then state employees should wear it!
From the way I read this article. it was Maine State Employee Association President Ginette Rivard who used the word “all” in her statement
Maine State Employees Association President Ginette Rivard called LePage’s comments “baseless and insulting” to all public workers.
Gov. Paul LePage told the crowd that state government is too big and too costly, and that the state’s work force is part of the problem. Hopefully those who do not do their job properly will get cut. I feel alot of things that could be corrected get ignored by the people that are not doing their job! Is that not considered corruption when they look the other way?
Have a nice day Governor LePage.
OK, here is the quote, from Naran Row-Spaulding’s comment, one of his supporters:
(quote)The problem is the middle management of the state is about as corrupt as you can be. (end quote)
“Completely” means totally. He said it. Honest.
There are other ways he could have said that government is too costly. If he isn’t bright enough to think of a better way, then he is far too obtuse to be in his position.
(LePage said he has little power over protected workers in middle management or unionized state employees.)
This was in the Portland paper when he refers to unionized workers who do you think he means if not all state workers?
And once again we see our Governor go high diving off the high board into a dry pool. Who needs SNL when we have LePage to keep us all ROFLOA off ! And this guy is making statement’s about Maine’s financial status ? I think it’s about time for someone to check the Governor’s gas tank and see if it’s got anything to work with.
This public statement about the State workforce is also going to be seen as a factor when business’s start, if ever now, to look at Maine for a location. What business is going to operate when it doesn’t have the public support of it’s employee’s ? How can the citizen’s of Maine expect that their civil servant’s, which LePage is all but calling lazy bum’s, are going to be able to do the work that the State need’s to function when there Boss is tossing them under the bus ? What organization, public or private sector, can keep going with this type of ‘support’ ? This is the perfect example of why so many companies are complaining about the ‘lack of a skilled workforce’ here in Maine. It’s not the lack of a skilled workforce. It’s actually the refusal of the workforce to be subjected to repeated abuse and disrespect of their skills simply because companies are still stuck, and refuse to, quit treating their employee’s as a puppet with their manager’s hand up their you-know-what.
Government, at all levels, is suffering from this. Here in Maine, specifically Lincoln, Lincoln’s Police Chief, Bill Lawrence, has managed to stop a hemmorage of manpower and talent from running thru the PD by simply letting his people work with out the LePage ‘vulture of death’ sitting on their shoulder. LePage has, apparently, not gotten the message. Keep at it Paulie. Everytime you open your mouth and disrespect your State employee’s, you just go and make the arguement for collective barginning all the more clear. Come to think of it, we can also thank Wisconsin’s contribution to employee abuse, Scott Walker. Only difference between the 2 is that Wisconsin’s solution is gonna be seen in about 90 days. Here in Maine we gotta wait. But Maine voter memory is a bit like wine. Let too little light in and you might get wine. But let the bottle’s get moved around and exposed to the sunlight too much and you get vinegar. Anyone want to take action on the taste’s of the Maine voter’s after all of this ?
I understand Scott Walker already has reduced their states deficit by a few Billion or so. Allowed many cities to save their budgets with other actions. But the union thugs don’t like it because they won’t get the mandated union dues to curry favor for themselves on the backs of the workers.
Sorry Scott Walker is no hero: “While Wisconsin Gov, Scott Walker (R) fights to keep his job in a recall election scheduled for June, he is being forced to confront a harsh reality in his state: It lost more jobs during the past 12 months than any other state in the United States.
Wisconsin lost 23,900 jobs between March 2011 and March 2012, according to data released Tuesday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s lead in job losses is significantly greater than the rest of the 50 states: No other state lost more than 3,500 jobs.”
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/wisconsin-bleeding-jobs-gov-scott-walker-fights-his
Paul, daodjoe, thank you. It’s been a V-E-R-Y long time since anyone has openly agreed with me. It’s nice to know that I am not the only one who calls it as they see it.
I’d be really curious as to what was up with the job losses there. Could someone in the federal government or the unions have anything to do with it? Oh no, it must be Scott Walker, hmmmm
If you want Maine to be like Wisconsin maybe you should move there.
”
Wisconsin posts biggest US job loss, as Gov. Scott Walker fights for his job
Wisconsin lost 23,900 jobs between March 2011 and March 2012, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. It also lost more private-sector jobs than any other state.”http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Governors/2012/0425/Wisconsin-posts-biggest-US-job-loss-as-Gov.-Scott-Walker-fights-for-his-job
Yup here it is : “The majority of the losses in Wisconsin, 17,800, were in the public sector. However, the state lost more private-sector jobs, 6,100, than any other state.” Doesn’t sound good, except I pretty sure I read many towns saved their budgets based on his getting the unions out of the way. I’m sure you’ll find something.
That 6100 sound pretty bad for the 1st year – but what is that in a percentage of total employment? How come that figure wasn’t published? It’s never just one issue. Ccompanies have been moving from northern states to states such as Oklahoma which gained 30,000 REAL jobs after following ideas from “gasp” ALEC !!
And the Koch Brother’s are heard from ! Frank, Walker did not save 1 thin dime. All he did was accelerate the retirement’s of a lot of teacher’s, who haven’t been replaced by the way, leading to increased class size. Walker accelerated the retirement of any number of firefighter’s, cops and the Wisconsin State Patrol also. Anyone wanna guess as to what the response times are gonna be on I-94 to an accident ? No, all Walker did was to accelerate the retirement of a lot of experience that Wisconsin needs, more so now in these times when experience can cover a lot of gap’s in actual staffing, that he has now made replacing impossible. No one in their right mind is going to go anywhere near Wisconsin, or Maine for that matter, if they see that the Governor is ready to toss’em under the bus because of some temper-tantrum driven political position that has no legitimate basis. All Walker did was make Wisconsin more dangerous to live and work in. Just watch what Wisconsin homeowner’s fire insurance rates are gonna be next year. And as far as Wisconin school’s go, just wait and see the damage Walker has done to the education of the State’s schoolchildren. Next year’s State Test Score’s are gonna be a huge wake-up call to Wisconsin parent’s when they see the result’s of Walker’s budget cutting. A State full of supposedly educated kid’s that have the comprehensive literacy of a brick. I hope Walker and Co. are proud of what they did since Wisconsin is gonna have to live with this nonsense for a VERY long time. And I seriously hope that Maine voter’s take a good long look at Wisconsin as what LePage is trying to do to Maine as a preview of coming attraction’s, or horror show, depending on how you want to call it.
LOL then you must be a Soros thug !! LOL
I think Wisc gov has been way too out there for years. Contraction hurts – we’re all going to follow Wisc.
Just wait until some attorney gets the bright idea that there is money in what comes out of LePage’s mouth and starts filing individual suits against LePage by those in middle management in Maine Government. If they file against him personally and not as Governor then he has to defend the suits not the State of Maine.
I’ll use some of that tax money I saved to contribute to the legal fund! Let’s see…. how much was that?
Your doing a good job LePage keep it up
Penguin….Look in the mirror.
The majority of you on this forum, you give me the impression that your very arogant. To me, the 3 most corrupt groups are unions, lawyers and government. This is why I voted for him. But, now I see that this maliase is so integrated into the state, that any kind of changes he tries to make, he has to deal with these people throwing the lawyers at him. I read these negative comments, I truly get where all the hate and vitriol is coming from and it’s not coming from Governer Lepage.
There’s one way to find out if a man is honest – ask him. If he says, “Yes,” you know he is a crook. -Groucho Marx
There’s no worse corruption than that of the “generalization”.. used to justify all sorts of evil throughout history.
I manage in a union environment and I’ve NEVER had a problem dealing with performance issues. The unions help ensure that due process is followed.. there’s nothing wrong with that.
I come from a union back ground, my father was in a railroad union and my brother was in a paper union. My point was that any group that gets too powerful (like the ones I pointed out) end up have a high probability of corruption. I don’t believe there should be unions in our government. The democrats have been in control in this state for so long, no one before LePage has really tried to make any changes, and I think the reason for that is just what’s happening to him right now, lawsuits, the vague threat of striking from the unions and this while the common worker try’s to make a living and pay the taxes, and it never seems like enough.
You’re pretty much on target !
believe what you want.. I don’t BELIEVE that people should lose their rights just because they work for the govmn’t
The Governor’s may be reached by email:
governor@maine.gov
You might also try Paul.Lepage@maine.gov
“Baseless and Insulting” could be the motto on Governor LePage’s retail packaging, where another action figure’s box would say “Kung Fu Grip”.
I don,t always agree with Lepage, but he does have some points as far as the State wasting money, when it takes 5 State trucks and 8 or 10 transportation works, a bunch sitting in the trucks while 1 or 2 are working to sweep the dirt off the side of a bridge , that is about 30 feet at the most. there is something wrong, But not just DOT the whole system. At least if you are going to do this stuff , walk around LOOK like your doing something…
I love this man!
My puppy just helped me flag a comment as inappropriate…it was a mistake, sorry.
“According to press accounts of the event.”
Lame, lame, lame. The BDN had a reporter there. Why were the governor’s remarks not deemed worthy for publication until after they were reported by the Kennebec Journal?
“He offered no proof of corruption, no data to back his case that these managers don’t work and he didn’t identify a specific department. He did go on to talk about how most of these employees are not appointed by him and are protected through union contracts.”
Yes, those contracts ensure that employees cannot be fired without just cause. Perhaps the BDN should ask the governor when he lost the power to fire employees. There’s no contractual protection for employees who are “corrupt” or who perform badly, provided their performance are documented by management.
And the lawyers come in, and the more wasted money gets spent and he gets blamed for that.
Yeah, due process is so inconvenient.
Just look at the DOT. About as corrupt as you can get. I know not everyone, but a number of state workers are about as lazy as can be.
As corrupt as you can get? That means totally corrupt. Are you certain about that?
How about some proof, or is that too much to ask from an anonymous gunslinger like you?
Yes, Mr. Spaulding. I have a friend who worked at the DOT as a matter of fact. He used to tell me how lazy and useless most of the employees were and they have just been riding that job for years and years. For example, when they were out on job sites, some employees would leave early and the supervisor would just tell them it’s okay and put them down for eight hours of work despite them not working eight.
While Mr. Lepage certainly comes off a bit harsh and doesn’t speak for everyone, he does point to problems where half of the state’s jobs are held by people that are just soaking it all up.
So there you are Mr. Spaulding.
So you are saying a few DOT workers means all state workers?
And how many workers did your ‘friend’ tell you about? 1, 2, the whole department?
Ahhh, if there’s more than 1 employee not doing their job, one the back of a taxpayer, that’s corrupt enough for me!
When are you running for governor?
Time to announce your candidacy!
Go get ‘ em bucko!
So there I am? Where, exactly, is that? I hope I am where I think I am.
The article is about middle management, being totally corrupt, in the Governor’s opinion. You have now expanded “middle management” to the entire Department of Transportation, based on your friend’s comments. You have also now admitted that not all employees are corrupt. Even though the Department is completely corrupt.
No doubt your friend knows the entire Department very well. I’m sure he has experience in all areas within that very large agency.
So much for evidence.
And i didn’t mean to say corrupt as you can get. But it needs reform. I’m certain there are plenty of great employees at the DOT and other state-run businesses, but there are also plenty of ones that need to be on the way out.
How many times have you been driving and seen 10 state workers leaning on shovels????
NEVER.
You mustn’t get out much.
That’s your definition of “middle management”? Um, ok. You didn’t pay attention to what the Gov said, huh?
well….. maybe 4 or 5 …
Seems Gov. Le Rage lost himself a bunch more votes. And what else is news these days?
Libs HATE hearing the truth.
If they are corrupt, indict them.
If not.
Shut up
yessah
No, libs hate lies.
Lepage’s comment was stupid and unfounded. And a lie.
Why are you defending an indefensible comment?
The governor’s spokeswoman, Adrienne Bennett, is quoted as saying: “When you have employees who insist to maintain the status quo and delay progress within an administration, it is — in the governor’s view — corruptible behavior,”
What language is this woman speaking? “employees who insist to maintain the status quo…” Correct English would be “employees who insist on (or upon) maintaining the status quo.”
“corruptible behavior”? Has anyone every heard the word “corruptible” being used in any way other than to describe a person who is likely to engage in corrupt behavior?
Corruption is illegal. Corruption is taking kickbacks, or extorting money, or embezzling public funds. Corrupt practices are illegal. This makes me wonder why, if the Governor knows about all this corruption, why oh why doesn’t he sic the Attorney General on these corrupt public employees?
This just in LePage writes stupid letter to state employees:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/91579329/LePage-Employee-Letter
I’ll bet he tries to use this letter to protect Mary Mayhew and her DHHS fiasco!
Yes, it was a very stupid letter. He took no responsibility at all.
I’m married to Naran, but I sleep on the couch a lot (j/k)
No, you most certainly aren’t “married” to me. If you were, however, it’s not the couch you’d be worried about — you’d be eating a lot of soap for telling lies.
Not to worry, Naran. I left you when you grew your beard.
And if we were married, I’d do the conservative cause a favor and keep you locked in your room.
And if I had to stay married to you, I’d take poison.
To attack corruption we must attack it at it’d roots.
“…it’d roots”? It had roots? It would roots?
It seems we must reclaim our integrity to reclaim our mountains.
Open mouth to exchange feet.
“Believe me, there is a lot of good and hardworking people that work for the state.”
Governor, there ARE a lot of good and hardworking people WHO work for the state.
It would seem that a governor truly interested in attracting businesses to this state should be stressing the positive aspects of Maine workers rather than running them down at every opportunity.
Our Gov. is not in a popularity contest, he’s calling it as he sees it, and believe me, he’s choosing his comments carefully! The truth hurts. Go Paul!!!
Obviously he is careful choosing his comments. That is very clear.
Guess we know what needs fixin’.
Unfortunately, he’s right! I worked as a social worker for the state, and have many friends and relatives (many being five) whom work for the state at if different jobs including department of labor and child protective. Some of them could be part time jobs!!!
I am trying to understand what is wrong with a citizen of the United States of America speaking his mind and exercising his constitutional right to free speech. I think most of the comments that come out of the Presidents mouth are vile and un-American and consistently show he dislikes Americans, but it is his right to say it and I don’t call him names or insult him, I work to make sure he is not re-elected. Governor LePage may say things that people don’t like but are they untrue when you read his explanation and the definition of ‘Corrupt” no I do not think so, the people he was referring to are those that are fighting the changes he is trying to create because they don’t agree. They work for the state not the union, the people of Maine not the union, so they need to change or leave and he is right if they choose not to follow the directives they are corrupt.
Please be specific with your comment accusing the President of the United States as being “vile,” “un-American,” and ” “show(s) dislikes Americans”.
There’s a number of things I disagree with the stand the President has taken, some strongly, but I can’t think of any examples you allude to of being vile, un-American, or shown a dislike of his fellow Americans. The President, or the Governor, may disagree with some of us on some issues but because someone disagrees does not make them corrupt.
If the Governor is going to make the charge he needs to back it up. He can not lead by innuendo, slurs, nor mischaracterization. If an employee is not doing his or her job there is a process to removing that employee, or employees. But, the governor has shown instances where he feels he is more of emperor than a chief executive. A just system protects the public from both an over-reaching employee or executive. That is why specifics need to be shown.
Remember, this isn’t LaPage’s government, nor Obama’s, nor the head of either political party, it’s our government…, and they all work for us, the citizens, be it Maine or the United States.
Well said.
As an aside, I think I played basketball against you. Nokomis?
thank you.
Basketball, no, my much younger cousin. Besides, I have game, he had a so so game… and size.
I played in the ’70s, and whoever he was, he was big.
59-60, MCI Freshman team
64-65 Ricker College Freshman team.
66-70, Air Force service Ball
Yes, Charlie was (is) big (but slow – but long arms)
—–
Middle management in state government consists of employees classified as “confidential”.
Those employees are not union members and they serve at the pleasure of the agency that hired them.
They can be fired at will and that is that.
The union has no involvement in it.
If the Governor or his agency heads thinks these people are a problem the fix is quite quick and easy.
Alright it’s confirmed,LePage can’t open his mouth without inserting his own foot.
He usually is changing feet……..
Can anyone say defamation of character? soooo hope he gets sued, so tired of this bully! most who include all people of a particular group in such a blanket statement are ignorant, juvenile, dangerous and perhaps unstable, notice I said MOST not ALL!
Oh, instead of the people in the government that have controllers, so they don’t say what the really mean and you don’t think that is dangerous, well, I do.
Huh?
The agency I worked for as a TEMP was definately CORRUPT!
so he said what most of us who have had to deal with the state are thinking.have you been to the dmv .
so what did he say wrong?have you been to dmv or dhs try to get a supervisor.
What ever happened to the buck stops here? I can only hope that one of these corrupt employees files a grievance and sticks with it. The most corrupt man in Maine is picking on the State employees give us a break?
LiarPage said
“When the union bosses tell employees they should not participate in the
administration’s initiatives and instead just ‘ride it out,’ we are
dealing with a lack of integrity. In other words, we are dealing with
corruption,” the governor wrote in his letter.
Is this another of those “anonymous” letters that Alec and MHPC keeps sending to Liarpage? Inquiring minds want to know.
Probably one of the employees that are too scared to be called out, because of the union thugs.
Ah yes the clown circus comes to another Maine town, blowing their horn with hot air and few facts. They really believe that if they say something, it must be true. I hope it’s clear to see that this crew of self-professed super patriots has little intent on defending democracy, in fact they’re here to tear it down.
We aren’t a democracy, or the majority would be in charge.
don’t confuse them
With the bird chopping industry in charge we are an obituary.
Brilliant, of course we’re not, we’re a Plutocracy and they own you.
Dear God, do any of you pay any attention to what our current POTUS is doing? If you’re this upset about Lepage (again) then OBVIOUSLY you must be furious with our socialist pres who is taking away rights we dont even know about…wake the eff up.
Maybe we are, but given the free wheeling corporate clowns who believe it’s ok to do anything for a buck it’s going to be a slam dunk for the POTHUS. Come next election the Republicans will witeness a once in a life time crusing defeat.
Just because the word free is in the term “free enterprise” doesn’t mean your not going to pay through the nose. Believe you me we are awake and the results will be be brutal for the self-serving Republicans.
Ahh, so we’ll be under the self-serving liberals, and we’ll have the government, unions and lawyers controlling it all instead. Be careful what you wish for, ’cause you aren’t going to like it.
Jesus was a bleeding heart, long-haired, peace loving, anti-establishment, liberal hippie freak with strange ideas. Everything Conservatives hate.
After thirty plus years of being trickled down on by wingnuts that result smells pretty damn bad. The GOP goose-stepping has brought us to this pathic place in time, not the other way around.
I don’t like what the President is doing. That doesn’t mean LePage is right.
I love this guy more and more each time I read about him.
it sounds like you support marriage deregulation
I wonder what his population rate is right now, Mr Lepage when are you going to learn to think before you speak? Than you have your spoke person speak for you, she needs to go along with you Mr Lepage, can nt wait for 2014.
I want to hear exactly what he’s thinking. I’m tired of the ‘controlled’ comments coming from people in the government.
sssssssssssssssssssssss … that’s just the problem, LePage isn’t thinking it’s all white noise. His thinking is done for him by the rightwings national agenda.
Does he have to be a boor to be candid?
“Believe me, there is a lot of good and hardworking people that work for the state. They are not the problem”
Keep up the good work Guv!!!
The segment of Maine’s people who are not leaching off government are with you all the way.
Why are the liberals so scared of the truth?
It’s what YOU call “truth” that they’re scared of.
Why are people so afraid of the truth that chopping birds, bats from Nature is NOT a great idea?
Sounds to me like the Gov is talking about all the state road workers you see leaning on their shovels as you drive by. Surely that’s the only agency in our great state that has it that good. Not!! I think the Gov. might be onto something???
A new group is made out to be criminals. When someone doesn’t agree with the Gov they are corrupt..
Well if “middle management” state employees are corrupt, why doesn’t he tell us their names, fire them, and ask the AG to charge them criminally? Or is he just blowing smoke?
Really the guy gets his kid a job and this is the bad he has done? Never mind the countless cases of nepotism gone awry in towns and gov offices all over Maine. Never mind all the state employees who make 6 digit incomes ( paid for with our tax dollars ) and do nothing. These are the folks he is speaking of. We all know they are there we have all seen or not seen them depending on the case. The state could fire half the people it employs and the only thing that would change would be the payroll.
I agree with Lepage to a point…Its a few bad eggs that make the rest of the State employees look bad. The issue I have with him is that he’s all bark and no bite.
“Believe me, we’re trying every day to get them to go to work, but it’s hard.”. Look big mouth, you are the BOSS, if you have proof to back up your mouth, then fire these workers, if you can not back up your words with proof, then shut up! Please try and show that you have a little class will you please, you take like a thug, try and sound like our governor with some common sense!
And a “ruckus” is exactly what this state has needed from its leadership for a long, long time.
Finally, someone with a backbone.
If LePage wishes to see a corrupt State employee he has to look no further then his bathroom mirror.
pee on lepage peppies
when paul is not governor what does he get paid by the maine taxpayer for his lifetime (retirement and insurance benefits) even after only serving one term?You know he falls under union benefits.
what are the governors benefits and who pays and when do they get them and for how long if you serve one term why benefits no one working in the real would i want paul to tell us
Lepage gets $26,000 in retirement plus insurance, he was eligible after 6months as gov. This is more then the average state retiree gets after 30 years which is $19,ooo a year. (average)
Lepage saying this about middle management and union members is having the effect he wanted. dividing and turning people against each other. The Lepage supporters are going to believe what he says blindly.
The last couple of years I have not seen so much hate against each other and it seems that the poor and the state employees are the main targets. When the governor is leading in saying so much against the poor, the state employees etc. his followers believe blindly with no proof. The ALEC/Koch agenda is to divide and conquer and it seems to be working.
check the state of maine web site for pay and bennies for govs youll be surprised all the talk about cutting bennies and the gov is sucking on the tit of taxpayers and enjoying union bennies for his family for life
isn’t his own daughter a part of that middle management category?Then what about other relatives he’s slipped in under your noses.Most business has a nepotism rule except if it is a family own one.Do they not have that in Maine?
LePage stirs ruckus after calling state workers ‘corrupt’
Late Friday, the governor sent a letter to all state employees …….
” we promised Maine people we would not settle for the status quo. The culture of state government needed to change from ‘no’ to ‘can do!’ Many of you have taken this to heart and are doing great things for the people of Maine,” Gov. LePage wrote.
“However, for whatever reason, some employees have not come on board. … ….. Quite frankly, that attitude is unacceptable.
In my opinion, it shows that they have been corrupted by the bureaucracy. ” ……. ’ we are dealing with a lack of integrity. In other words, we are dealing with corruption,” the governor wrote in his letter.
________________
THE Governor stated the State administration has been ‘corrupted’ by the State government ‘bureaucracy’.
What he is referring to is the number of employees that have ” a positon ” but are not performing a useful function.
The 9,000 State employee ‘ bureaucracy ‘ has some positions “managing” unnecessary red tape, rules and regulations, protocol, officialdom, paperwork, etc.
The Governor was NOT referring to the State employees that have a job & are performing a useful function.
The party’s not over until November, 2013.
I can’t wait…
To those of you who seem to believe there is no corruption among Maine’s government employees: You are living in fantasy land. There is corruption at all levels of government and getting rid of it is impossible. It is so entrenched that those who try to go after it through the political process are soon themselves attacked,discredited, and defeated. Welcome to Vacationland, “the way life ought to be”.
So now you have made your accusation come forward with your proof.
Paul LeBUFFOON is an absolute ignorant and arrogant bully and a disgrace to this state and to the Blaine House. The Maine GOP will suffer BIGTIME for his BIG IGNORANT MOUTH come November, and LeBUFFOON will become the lamest of ignorant ducks before we boot him out in 2014,
56% voted for Cutler or Mitchell. That was the progressive to moderate vote. That vote, the heavy majority, was split. LeBUFFOON got the 38% of the right wingers. That was all. Next time he probably won’t even get that. A moderate will win next time, someone who actually understands Maine and Maine values, unlike this FOOL disgracing the Blaine House now.
Utterly preposterous… the acerbic thrusts of a dull wit inevitably expose the real buffoon, who seems more inclined towards self-mutilation with each verbal riposte.
Well, Quequeeg, or Queequeg as Herman Melville preferred, I see you have whipped out the old thesaurus again. Or is it that you are trying to emulate Melville’s effusive verbiage?
By the way, where is Rokovoko? It’s said to be far away to the west and south. Must be one of the Isles of Shoals.
Queequig is a wannabee.
Slurred or impaired speech, paralyzed bowel movements and an inability to reason all seem to point to a case of botulism this morning, Tuna Can? Suggest you contact the CDC or some other government agency that can assist in increasing your dependency on working Mainers.
I’m already getting Maine Care food stamps, AFDC, SSDI, heat and electricity assistance and medical marijuanna. If I’m missing anything please let me know. In the meantime if you could spare some of your hard earned dollars so I can get my car fixed, that would be greatly appreciated. Oh and can I borrow your dictionary that you copy from?
Maine values like Violette and McCormick, incompetent at best and criminal at worst. Frankly I’ll take someone who is actually interested in cleaning up the graft, waste, and corruption in Augusta. When the criminals have been making the laws then theft becomes legal.
At least you know what he’s thinking, he basically says what’s on his mind. Most of us developed some filters in kindergarten but this guy seems to have missed out on education.
Our governor, brought to you by the Tea Party!
whether people like him or not, Gov. LePage is trying to make some much needed changes in this state. People expect him to speak like a politician, very polished and eloquent. But truth is he is one of the “hard working” Mainers who is just being himself…He is real, blunt and honest. I don’t always agree with HOW he says things, but usually agree with the point he is trying to make.
Well I guess if you don’t believe Le Page, this report by the Center for public integrity which ranks our State and gives Management an “F” in corruption says it all.
http://www.stateintegrity.org/maine
Center for Public integrity – Corruption
MAINE
Overall grade F
56% Rank among 50 states 46
Public Access to Information
F
Political Financing
D+
Executive Accountability
F
Legislative Accountability
F
Judicial Accountability
D+
State Budget Processes
C-
State Civil Service Management
F
Procurement
C-
Internal Auditing
A
Lobbying Disclosure
F
State Pension Fund Management
F
Ethics Enforcement Agencies
F
State Insurance Commissions
F
Redistricting
F
First off what is the Center for Public Integrity? Is that something like the biased and corrupt Maine Heritage Policy Center? I bet it is. Also how do things like Executive accountability F reflect corruption at the middle managemnet level in state government. I’ll bet you $1000.00 that LePage couldn’t even define what the word means. If he could he’d keep his mouth shut because if anyone is corrupt..it’s him. So take the blinders off and stop going to biased sources for your information. Your “facts” are irrelevant.
Governor LePage has shown no inclination to do anything about any of this. He just rants and raves and stirs up his supporters by attacking their favorite targets. Maine is in no way improved by having such a divisive figure as governor.
You are correct …we need someone with a clean mouth, a clean mind, and a clean record to fix this state. Identify the problems, the root cause and develop the solutions…not simply start taking “the axe” to the budget. Programs can be fixed through attrition. They can be simplified, modernized, streamlined. There are a zillion ways that government can save without cutting people. They just don’t want to look at this alternatives. It is not the employees. It are the leaders in Augusta.
And that is a type of “corruption” in itself.
Nice to see the state’s “report card” once again being used but at least have the courtesy to give credit for the dismal scores…..the information and dealings that resulted in these above scores were from a time and administration(s) prior to Gov. Lepage being sworn into office, in particular prior to 2010…..the only “score” Mr. Lepage contributes to currently is the one reflecting accessibility to the top office…..your blame does not lie with the current administration…..
Anyone who thinks middle management of the state isn’t corrupt must be living in Narnia. Government job plus unionization is akin to white collar crime in many situations. Look at the Feds and tell me that the entire mechanism of government isn’t a scheme to fatten people’s wallets on the backs of taxpayers. Bottom level state workers are often underpaid but above them is an exorbitant level of waste and abuse. Maine is not unique here. Massachusetts is the poster child for corruption though.
Send your proof to the AG.
I eagerly await your joint conference on the subject. Please let me know when and where.
When the crooks make the laws then theft is legal . Look at the drones who retire, collect a pension and are rehired the next day.
Middle management should not be members of the union. If they are, something is amiss.
I see Mitt Romney mimicking Paul LePage in this manner. He strikes me as an outlandish spoiled brat that has his sights set on bashing others and belittling. That kind of behavior usually indicates LOW SELF ESTEEM. Hard to imagine that in someone so brazen. It’s not something that has happened in the short time he’s been in office, many workers in various businesses and corporations are “slackers” and they seek out positions that don’t force them to work hard.
Mr LePage is a state worker
A Waterville auto dealer who championed LePage’s candidacy once exclaimed that “Paul is a street fighter, and that’s what we need in the Governor’s office.” Well, he got his wish, and now must wish his street fighter had stayed in the street. Then again, he might not, for there are many among us who, unable to field a clean argument, prefer the LePage approach. Why be precise when you can just hit ’em on the head?
We’ve all seen those state workers leaning on shovels, rakes and brooms, just taking up space at jobsites. Quite a few of us have seen state workers in their trucks hiding on back roads because they are told by “middle management” to “go hide for the day” (I have heard state workers brag about this). We have even seen state workers hiding in their trucks in plain sight. Governor LePage is merely stating what many of us already know. The only thing that upsets people is he has the nads to come right out and say what many of us have been thinking for years.
This guy has my vote. I wanted somebody who wouldn’t tip-toe around subjects and was a straight talker, not afraid to hurt people’s delicate feelings by telling the truth. Many won’t agree with me and I suspect some that don’t are part of the problem that Governor LePage was talking about.
If middle-management doesn’t like our Governors comments then perhaps they should take a long hard look in the mirror consider what many others already see.
He had his chance to tell the President to go to hell early in his term and he didn’t do it. Just a big, blow-hard lie.
Paulie is a Koch-head who lets MHPC and ALEC set policy for our state. I have seen the corruption, and it is us !
Governor Potkettleblack.
Is it true are there corrupt state workers
Traditionally the corrupt do not like competition, real or imagined, and no doubt this is the case for Paul LaPudge. Lest he be reminded that nepotism, when practiced by a politician, provides a clear appearance that corruption exists amongst the ranks of the Governors office.
UNETHICAL I am associated with a group of state employees, attend monthly meetings with them and they represent a full cross section of all facets of state government. There has not be a single meeting (since LePage took office) that I have not witnessed snickering, knowing smiles, whispering amongst themselves, and an almost high school-ish attitude by them with regards to the executive branch. The point mentioned in the article ““When the union bosses tell employees they should not participate in the
administration’s initiatives and instead just ‘ride it out,’ we are
dealing with a lack of integrity. In other words, we are dealing with
corruption,” the governor wrote in his letter.” This has basis in what I have seen and heard myself.
So what you are saying, is that by sitting by while all this is happening, you are part of the problem. Well done.
It’s ” can’t say anything”.
You need to learn English gooder.
LOL, “you need a hobby” in response to your post is a violation of the BDS’s TOS,really?
You folks are unbelievable.
I never complained about you in any way at all.
LOL, I figured that was the case. I thought I would try to goad who ever had into a conversation, should have known better :)
Here’s an idea along the lines of shrinking government. How about having Landslide LePage and his administration resign?
Sirrah, you know well of what you speak. You have shown us first hand what corruption is. Because of your integrity(?), Maine taxpayers are on the hook for $110,000 plus benefits for 4 years to your family members. That will total more than half a million dollars before we can send them and you packing back to Florida to smooze with your fellow Tea Baggers.But that’s just chump change, isn’t it, guv?
For someone who says he’s trying to bring jobs to this state, characterizing working class Mainers as lazy and/or corrupt would seem to be counter-productive.
LePage calls US lazy leeches who need to get a job while he gives two great State jobs to close family members. A day after calling for civil discussions in government (Which coming from him is a laugh in itself) he comes out calling state employees corrupt. If a state employee started hiring family members on the taxpayer’s dime they’d be fired for corruption. But for LePage such blatant acts of corruption are just another day at the office. Fortunately for our State most of us aren’t and will never be blindly subservient to a uncivil, corrupt, and failed politician. If there’s one good thing that Mr. LePage has done it’s to show us all that the next time we vote for leaders (November) we need to find smart people with ethics and social skills instead of more people like him or supporters of people like him.
wow, lots of comments from southern Maine this morning about this topic. There are, of course, 2 Maines and this is just another example of the different thinking about state government by these sections.
I’m for a balanced budget, taking care of those who really need it, helping same, meeting all money responsibilities and not caring for those who are unwilling to at least go half way to meet.
The name calling, ethnic slurring, and other mean spirited comments will not help do anything to exhance life in the state of Maine.
When a prison warden retires one day then gets hired the next when no job add was published. I call that corruption,
It’s “babies”, by the way.
Paul “Kiss my Butt” LePage says something stupid or offensive every day, but this one takes the cake. “Corrupt” means “characterized by improper conduct, such as bribery or the selling of favors by judges” in the dictionary on my desk. If the governor has evidence of illegal activities, he should produce it. If not, he should keep his mouth shut.
If you have ever worked for the State you would know what he said is true.
Great job again, Governor. There was a chance that you could have found more inefficiencies in the bureaucracy, but now ANY attempt at reform will be seen–correctly–as personal and uninformed…all because of your MOUTH!
Our State is broke because we never cut the prohibition budget. That is money flushed down the toilet.
If you want to stop corruption, start at the top; resign, because that’s where it all begins!
The problem(s) is that most of the corruption that the current administration is working to expose and correct has been happening for years, prior to the inauguration of our current gov….
Just let the guy do his job, who here wouldnt give their daughter a job if they held the same position??? Lets be real.We are currenty spending more than we take in , simple economics 101.dictates that this cannot happen. As a business owner, I would be out of business in no time . This has to be realigned. He tells it like it is, no gray area and at times is not palatable. However it is very true.I for one like the guy because there is a no bullshit quality to him.
Me.
“Corrupt” is a criminal charge. I hope he has proof.
So if he right why aren’t the state police an the FBI in on this an charges filed against these people ? If he’s not doing any thing about it than he is just as corrupt as the rest of them or all he is doing is running off at the mouth
Go Paul Go
Considering that LePage is a State worker, I would say he’s partially correct.
Well isn’t that original.
Quick and to the point. It is what folks, who do not spend all of their time worrying about how to best convey their belief that they are intellectually superior and more enlightened, do when they have some thing to say. But I guess when intellectual snobbery is all you have you gotta go with with it.
The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in social status,or in this case intellect, is something we see from the “Progressives,leftist ,liberals” these day. In fact we see it all the time.It is built into their belief system, it speaks of their core. In many cases it is all they’ve got, in those cases it is great fun to wind them up and let them react and point themselves out, rather than doing it for them.
You’re funny!
You don’t need to have a collage education, to know how to conduct yourself in public,
which by the way our Mr LePage has. What you do need is self restraint, running off at the mouth in public gives him a bad name. Those of us who know better are shamed by him,
and then when push come to shove, many go to the he said she said. It doesn’t matter what has been said in the passed by whom.
But “those of you who know better” already hated the man, and are no better about ” running off at the mouth” you just have always had a media that wouldn’t report on it, still do for the most part. I’ll take person who looks me in the eye and says what he has to say, over the one who will smile at me, make me feel all warm and fuzzy, while they put a knife in my back and do what ever they can to destroy me.that is what we have at play here.
I have no hate for Paul LePage, the trouble with his running off at the mouth, is that he does it were the public can hear him. You can’t hide that, and why should it be hidden?
He’s not some fisherman, or woodcutter, He’s the Gov. of the State of Maine, I expect that he behave himself in public.
I guess we are different that Way. I still prefer a Guy who Tells it to your face, say’s it like it is. You know where you stand with a person like that, not like most of our politicians.
“He’s not some fisherman, or woodcutter”, so now you have issues with Fisherman?
Don’t twist my words, I happen to be the daughter of a fisherman/woodcutter, and if he were the Gov. of this state he would know now to act in public. I have no problem being told the truth, by anyone. I do not respect a person, who feels the need to, malign people in public, Paul LePage does this because it make him feel powerful.
Well, that’s a good start.
I have a thought, maybe the Gov. is not running at the yap, not maligning the innocent. Maybe the wispers are true. Maybe there has been some major stonewalling going on at the DHHS . Maybe the reason we have a bit of trouble getting info out of that cess pool is that there are folks who are burying some paper work, forgeting to mention a thing or two in a timely manner . I wonder if it is a stretch to think that during controversial time between LePage and our liberal Lawmakers that these lifetime employees might be a bit less than helpful, less than forthcoming with information if it would help the Gov’s position, or if “misplacing” this same info might be a problem for our Gov. I’m sure none of these fine folks at DHHS have hate for our Governor , havent spoken aloud their disgust,maybe even muttered an idea that if they could they would put the screws to that SOB and that Mary Mayhew too.
Some folks say that Gov. LePage says these things beause he’s a brute, a loose cannon, some say he’s crazy or an insane bully,well maybe their right. But my idea is at least as likely that Paul is insane,off his med’s , evil, the sapawn of Hitler or any one of the litany of claims and names that have been throw around these boards. I don’t know, just spit-ballin here.
And LePage has not “put a knife” in anyone’s back? I beg to differ.
lol.
The next Liberal rag headline-“Gov. LePage kills DHHS workers by the dozens”
GOVERNOR LEPAGE’S CORRUPTION ISSUES:
Lepage hires family members for governmnet jobs…NEPOTISM
When Gov. Baldacci’s sister was in a car accident, it was in the news within 24 hours
Lepage’s son was in a car accident on a Thursday….It did not make the public news for 5 days. WHY did it take so long?
“Feb. 07, 2011: “Gov. Paul LePage — whose administration supports the sale and use of some consumer fireworks — did not allow anyone from the State Fire Marshal’s Office to testify before lawmakers Monday”
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2011/02/07/politics/473379/
The state fire marshal gave his testimony later in the hearing process. The Governor had the right to ask him to wait on giving his testimony.
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2011/05/02/politics/fireworks-legalization-clears-hurdle-despite-safety-concerns/
Why are you misrepresenting the truth?
Relax….Gov Lepage was looking in a mirror when he said state workers were corrupt
Our Govenor is not corrupt. The problem is he’s ruffling feathers …. thank GOD! Computer Systems that have cost taxpayers millions over the last 5-7 years and they still can’t communicate witheach other. Employees who have no clue how to communicate with management that thefre is a problem. Previous directors, State Senators/Congressmen who have tucked it under the rug. So the easy answer is to blame the guy at the top.
We have many state employees who just don’t have the skill set for the job they are assigned. But to remove them takes an act of congress!!! So they sit their reading mystery novels, knitting, playing computer games till they can retire. Yet many of us have college grads in our homes who would be able to fill these positions with considerable education …. who can not find a job. I have heard nothing about the daughter’s lack of ability to do her job. And I’m quite sure she is under the microscope of every democrate and news reporter in Maine.
Our Govenor is not corrupt, he is ignorant. The problem is he has no facts.Computer Systems that have cost taxpayers millions over the
last 5-7 years and they still can’t communicate witheach other that were approved by commissioners, no middle managers were allowed.
Employees who are not allowed to communicate with appointed management is the problem. None of the previous directors, State Senators/Congressmen you accuse are middle management. So, yes, it is easy blame the guy at
the top.
You said, “We have many state employees who just don’t have the skill
set for the job they are assigned.” I say show me your proof. Removing an employee only takes a competent manager who can prove their case” that is not what LePage wants. Hire a relative, fire a Union member, shut up and don’t complain or you are incompetent. Many of those state employees have college educations and have not seen anything but pay cuts for years. Tell your kids to get a state job, with no raises, no promotion and see how excited they get. I have heard
nothing about the daughter’s ability to do her job or his brother in law. As a confidential employee she can not be put under the microscope of every news
reporter in Maine.
You obviously are proud of your ignorance, have no proof, but I guess venting controls your condition.
soooo, why did Lepage stop the state fire marshal from speaking at state hearings?
THAT is the exact and defining moment when i realized lepage was CORRUPT
No – he asked the fire marshal to wait on his testimony, and give it at a later part of the hearings, which is exactly what happened.
The truth helps.
—–
Maybe Paulie should sic Charlie-Dee and Charlie -Dum on the case, they probably wouldn’t know corruption if they were committing it !
How about BDN start a special section in each days paper and title it the Paul LePage Outrageous Comments…….maybe do like a Letterman Top 10 list each week…….make up a poll that we can all vote on each week and pick the best/worst comments for the week and put it in Saturdays Paper with one of them great pics that the BDN runs all the time……….so Nick lets get moving on this!!!! I would be willing to bet more people would vote on them polls then will vote on LePage the next time around!!
If you think that the governor’s comments are “outrageous” it’s clear that you have never worked in government and seen what goes on, routinely. It maybe over-blown, I have no way of telling, but it sure has a lot of potential to be true.
No Charlie6119 I have never worked for the Goverment and maybe there are some bad apples but I dont believe that everyone who does work for the them is corrupt……that would be like saying if one employee for Mardens is convicted of being a child molester then ALL employees for Mardens are child molesters…….and I CAN speak about the GOV Paul having first hand experience TRYING to work with him!!!! I use to have the utmost respect for the office of the Governor until NOW!!!!!!
The remarks I read clearly stated that he was NOT speaking about ALL government workers just some of the entrench leaders who had a lot of power and influence. Your response clearly illustrates my previous point, if the opposition wants to demonize their opponent they will consciously embellish the truth in the hope that no one will notice or care. I am just a casual observer of the Maine Governor, but find it refreshing that anyone in Government will speak openly and honestly according to his conscience not playing for the next election and blowing smoke, like most elected officials. Most people agree that government is a mess, with all the innervation’s currently out there, the internet for example, the ONLY hope is less government. As much as I love Maine without leaders speaking there minds openly and honestly there is little hope for Maine’s future. Less government, more power to the people at the local levels. Stop thinking globally. If we try to solve everyone’s problems we will solve few problems, they are to vase. Maine needs to take care of business, the key is JOBS, not government.
One sure can tell which side the Bangor Daily News stands on. I like our governor. He may not say what is politically correct but I like some of the changes he has made.
you need a life
Takes one to know one…….. however things can’t roll down hill unless they start at the top. Every “top” person in the course of history who has done wrong has set the example, becareful what you teach people.
The problem with this county now is that leaders are afraid to speak the truth, because when one does the special interest groups blow a gasket, use the internet to demonize the truth teller, and punish them to the point their resistant to speak-out again. Right or wrong I applauded your Governor. Keep up the good work.
At least Govenor Lepage has the courage to say there is corruption in our government. When are Mainers going to wake-up and realize how much money our state govenrment wastes and can’t even keep an accurate account of. The reality is State Workers have the well earned reputatiuon of doing nothing for uch better pay and benifits than those in the private sector. So to you hard working private sector Mainers, wake-up, start caring where your hard earned tax money is going. Right now it is going to all the corruption in our govenrment, so wake-up to reality and stop the fantasy.
keep up the good work…he forgot to mention the federal government as well…middle management…
Corrupt? Well, I think he would know something about corruption having directly hired two family members to work for him.
Do as I say, but not as I do. Don’t you just love hypocrites??
Rather than just publicize this man’s horrible attitude and his hate for organized labor, perhaps the BDN would do readers a service with an addendum to his outbursts, explaining who Le Page really is, and why he does what he does so well – antagonize us.
But then, one has only to read one paragraph of Eric Russell’s story today, to get an idea where we are, and where Le Page intends to take us during his final miserable years as governor. That line reads:
“Le Page often has talked about shrinking government and that push is part of a national narrative by the Republican Party. But this is the first time LePage has targeted state workers specifically. ”
Briefly. Le Page is a tool of the Tea Party egg- on- its- face GOP.
He has been a little slow in tackling state workers. But this hasn’t prevented him from making the C2NN listing: “The Ten Scariest GOP Governors: Bringing the Radical Right Wing Agenda to a State Near You.”
That list is headed by Scott Walker of Wisconsin, currently facing recall for his attack on state employees – Teachers, Fire Fighters and Police. Le Page is also cited for animosity toward Labor, as well as attempting to make it difficult to vote.
Last night, a Boston TV station told us Le Page had made headlines again. That of course would perhaps curry more support from the Koch brothers and their tea party.
Holed up in the tax-free Blaine House, surrounded by servants , drivers and state police protection, he and his wife are happy. Their daughter is on the taxpayer’s payroll, along his son- in- law.
“Scariest?” He’s disgusting.
WOW Speaking of hatred…This person needs to smell the tea. Look-up man were going broke very rapidly.
Keep running that ignorant and functionally illiterate hillbilly Limbaugh-like Ratchet Mouth until Nov., LeRage!
I’d love to hear you label TANF clients as “sluts,” too.
It’s wonderful for down-ticket statehouse races.
Keep spewing!
Rather than just publicize this man’s horrible attitude and his hate for organized labor, perhaps the BDN would do readers a service with an addendum to his outbursts, explaining who Le Page really is, and why he does what he does so well – antagonize us.
But then, one has only to read one paragraph of Eric Russell’s story today, to get an idea where we are, and where Le Page intends to take us during his final miserable years as governor. That line reads:
“Le Page often has talked about shrinking government and that push is part of a national narrative by the Republican Party. But this is the first time LePage has targeted state workers specifically. ”
Briefly. Le Page is a tool of the Tea Party egg- on- its- face GOP.
He has been a little slow in tackling state workers. But this hasn’t prevented him from making the C2NN listing: “The Ten Scariest GOP Governors: Bringing the Radical Right Wing Agenda to a State Near You.”
That list is headed by Scott Walker of Wisconsin, currently facing recall for his attack on state employees – Teachers, Fire Fighters and Police. Le Page is also cited for animosity toward Labor, as well as attempting to make it difficult to vote.
Last night, a Boston TV station told us Le Page had made headlines again. That of course would perhaps curry more support from the Koch brothers and their tea party.
Holed up in the tax-free Blaine House, surrounded by servants , drivers and state police protection, he and his wife are happy. Their daughter is on the taxpayer’s payroll, along with his son- in- law.
“Scariest?” He’s disgusting.
There has been no corruption or waste among management of
our state government; the Turnpike Authority, the Housing Authority, and DHHS
have been exemplary in their use of our tax dollars and the Union should
continue to collect mandatory dues from workers who choose not to support them.
Please don’t forget the Maine Bond Bank, too.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-09/maine-quashes-wall-street-negotiated-deals.html
No more $8600 trips to NYC on the taxpayer dime, including luxury hotel rooms and expensive dinners.
“Middle management” I doubt it.
I am sure that there is proof you would just have to decide to print it.
Well this is a fine example of calling the state workers corrupt when putting your relation in a position is called nepotism and lawmakers in a position to pass laws to benefit them and their relations.most of the corruption seems to be in the govs. corner he appointed most of these people.He can stir the pot but doesnt seem to be able to clean up his middle management.most employers get rid of employees that dont work or are corrupt.maybe this is part of his welfare reform give all the ones that dont work now state positions then they will have insurance and still wont have to work and DHHS will be more manageable.GO GOV.
Well he wanted to get the state some national exposure…….nice job Paul! http://news.yahoo.com/maines-gop-governor-calls-state-workers-corrupt-215421665.html
If the governor has evidence of corruption and is not using all legal means to identify, arrest and punish the guilty then the governor is guilty of dereliction of his duties.
The Associated Press has picked up this story, and people from all over the country have commented on it, on the Yahoo website. When we have had Ed Muskie, William Cohen, and George Mitchell representing Maine in such a favorable manner, we have been made a laughing stock by LePage. What is his ultimate goal? To be named clown of the year?
FWIW I sincerely hope so. When, and we can all see it coming, the next Governor’s election comes around, you are going to see a huge number of these same people who have been out waving the ‘Paulie flag’ find themselves not just voted out of office, but voted out in double digit figure’s ! Independent and moderate Maine’rs, of both side’s, have had enough, frankly, of being used by the right-winger’s of the GOP and the Tea Party as a punching bag for every little excuse to whine and cry about how bad things are. Maine has a very long history of being self-sufficient and able to get things done simply by setting aside differences and working together to get the job done, no matter how screwed up or messy it is. Maine’s National Guard and the DOT’s recent trip’s to Vermont last year showed the entire Northeast that when ‘push’ come to ‘shove’, Maine is 1st in bringing everything it has to bear on the problem and doesn’t stop until the problem is either solved or brought under control to the point that Maine does better by getting out of the way of those who either know better or have better solution. This ‘corruption’ crap does nothing more than make it harder for EVERY Maine State worker to perform to their best of their ability. That includes, by the way Governor, those folk’s who are over there right now with the 126th Air Ambulance flying medevac mission’s.
What’s worse is that LePage is apparently more concerned about how his political image is being seen as an ’employee ‘bus toss’er’ as opposed to acting like a real Governor. Between his constant whining about the DHHS issue, and his bullying tactic’s when both Party’s in Augusta come together and achieve a working budget, tells me that the next election cycle is going to be seen as a mandate for another revolution in Government, namely a revolution of economic innovation and political moderation, free of economic manipulation, political pandering and media-directed ‘whining’. Maine’rs throughout the State have the opportunity, now, to stand back and take a good long look at the current state of Maine and it’s elected official’s, both Executive and Legislative and really take the time to ask themselves the hard, and frankly, pretty harsh question’s about where do they see Maine going in the next 20 years (think your kid’s and the question takes on a whole new meaning !) and how do they see Maine developing into what they want for their kid’s and your grandkid’s. Maine voter’s, and potential voter’s between now and the next round of election’s, expect a lot more and better from it’s Official’s and Legislator’s than some kind of UFC match that is just plain old-fashioned chicken ‘stuff’. Maine’s business community would be well advised to look at this also since they are gonna’ have a whole next generation of consumer’s and investor’s to look forward to as well. Given the current road that Paulie has Maine on, isin’t it time some one showed him a road map before he ‘total’s’ the bus we’re all on ?
LePage is a state worker, isn’t he?
from a young hard working maine taxpayer’s point of view – if Lepage can make our government smaller, more efficient, harder working and budget conscious I don’t care if a few feelings get hurt along the way. Lepage’s “bluntness” is part of what i like about him.
Wow.
“All Mainers can take great pride in the men and women who work for the state of Maine,” Ginette Rivard, the union’s president, said in a statement.”
Is Ginette referring to the Computer Science and Accounting Wizards at DHHS?
$80,000,000 poured down a rat hole with zero to show for it and not one of those dedicated, hard working state employees is responsible? corrupt is being too kind.
They don’t have them. They refuse to hire state employees so instead they hire more expensive contractors that screw up, then leave.
JOB OFFERED. Computer programming, no raises, no promotion, become used to being blamed for the commissioner’s mistakes and being called corrupt. P.S. The state as a fine employer regularly cuts benefits and gives unpaid time off.
From the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of corrupt with respect to discharge of duty:“4. To destroy or pervert the integrity or fidelity of (a person) in his discharge of duty; to induce to act dishonestly or unfaithfully; to make venal; to bribe.”
From the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of corruption with respect to discharge of duty:“ 6. Perversion or destruction of integrity in the discharge of public duties by bribery or favor; the use or existence of corrupt practices, esp. in a state, public corporation, etc.”
From Paul LePage’s letter: “However, for whatever reason some employees have not come on board. Roadblocks have been put up, hurdles have been thrown in the way, and information has not been passed up to senior management. The employees want to keep doing the same thing because it was always done that way. Quite frankly, that attitude is unacceptable. In my opinion it shows they have been corrupted by the bureaucracy.”
“When the union bosses tell employees they should not participate in the Administration’s initiatives and instead just “ride it out”, we are dealing with a lack of integrity. In other words, we are dealing with corruption.”
If Paul LePage has evidence of actual occurrences of roadblocks and hurdles being thrown in the way, investigate, bring it to the public’s attention; I’m confident the public will support removal of those individuals.
If Paul LePage has actual evidence that information is not passed up to senior management, then have a third-party audit, bring the findings to the public; I’m confident the public will support fixing the problem and removal of uncooperative individuals. (My assumption is this is Paul LePage’s excuse to why the internal findings of DHHS are continually changing – have a third-party audit, that’s how it’s done in business).
If Paul LePage has factual evidence of individuals who “ride it out”, investigate, bring it to the public’s attention; I’m confident the public will support removal of those individuals.
Paul LePage needs to stop with the generalizations, stop with the excuses, and take action if he believes something is “corrupt”.
To Torrey McDonald – Blunt is fine, just have the facts to back it up.
Way to go globally viral, LeRage!
Keep it up until Nov., please?
http://huff.to/IpReom
Ignorant and arrogant,
a dangerous combination. Can he legally slander
all these people and get away with it?
There was a time when conservatives behaved like adults, recognizing that dissent and rigorous discussion were signs of a healthy society. They used to back up their claims with actual evidence, and they didn’t treat their own countrymen like the enemy. They used to recognize that leadership involved humility. Those conservatives would have thought it was insane to treat employees like criminals, dehumanize them as evil or stupid, and then expect them to be loyal and hard-working. Especially since it’s the government employees who actually do the real leg work in government, not the department heads or politicians.
“There was a time when liberals behaved like adults, recognizing
that dissent and rigorous discussion were signs of a healthy society.
They used to back up their claims with actual evidence, and they didn’t
treat their own countrymen like the enemy. They used to recognize that
leadership involved humility. Those liberals would have thought
it was insane to treat employees like criminals, dehumanize them as evil
or stupid, and then expect them to be loyal and hard-working.
Especially since it’s the government employees who actually do the real
leg work in government, not the department heads or politicians.”
There. All fixed.
That time when liberals behave like adults is now. I will not tell you to “kiss my butt”.
Do not complain about healthy discussion when everyone here knows you ban anyone that disagrees with you.
I am a liberal. I will not pretend to be willing to discuss and then hide as you do. I do recognize that leadership involves humility.
I have never seen you be so agreeable, so anti-LePage. Has someone hacked your signature or did you miss taking a prescription?
Then wouldn’t it be nice if the governor would behave the way liberals used to be instead of the way that you say they are now?
The problem is the middle management of the state is about as corrupt as you can be. Believe me, we’re trying every day to get them to go to work, but it’s hard.”
If what Gov. LaPage claims is true, then he not only needs to get rid of these middle management people, but also the upper management & commissioners that apparently are not doing their jobs. It would then trace upwards to himself, as governor, to make sure that those below him are doing the jobs they were appointed or hired to do. I guess the example of corruption starts with the elected officials like Robert Nutting, who ripped off the taxpayers & got away with it.
I would like to know how our elected officials could elect Nutting to be speaker? Are they as corrupt as he is? Is it a “buddy system” where everybody watches everybody elses back so corruption may continue? How many others are equally as corrupt as Nutting?
I would love to sit down in a closed room and ask our legislators these hard questions and see if they could look me in the eye while answering -if they’d even answer in the first place. Something really stinks with this Nutter stealing taxpayer money and being allowed to do so and only repay a percentage of it. If this were you or I, we’d be forced to pay it back and be in prison for attempting to steal taxpayer money. We are not that high up on the food chain to get away with robbery.
No such thing as bad worker just poor management .
So just cutting budgets will automatically remove the corruption? This man is dishonest. He’s maligning state workers so voters won’t mind the cuts. That’s wrong.
Frankly, if someone else had made this comment people would have largely agreed with him. Which one of us has not complained about the state bureaucracy or some state employees?
Go Paul LePage. Like the fellow from Texas whose campaign slogan was “Time to Clean Out the Barn”. It IS time to clean out the barn. When are you Libs going to get it? Maine, like any other State grew when times were good and now that they are not, it’s time to scale back and streamline things again. What don’t you understand? Question: When there is a DOT road crew of say, 7 men, on the road job, how many of the seven are actually doing anything? Be honest with your answers and tell me I’m wrong. I welcome your responses.
You clean out the barn by throwing crap in it? How can you then tell the difference.
When there is a private contractor with a crew of seven who paints their trucks the same color as the DOT, they should be fired. IF it was state workers then the answer is 14, as they would each be doing the jobs of two people like you.
What is orange and sleeps six? A Maine DOT truck!
Lepage is a vile and evil man who should be opposed at every opportunity. To help Paul Lepage is to commit high treason against humanity .
I was not surprised to see him make a blanket statement like that. Of course not MOST of the workers, just ‘middle management’ are bad. “Corrupt as you can be,” huh? Are they members of ALEC, like a few of our republican friends in Augusta?
I think he’s right if you have ever had to deal with some of them, its nearly impossible. BUT there are lots who don’t fit the bill here. He needs to be more specific.
LePage’s campaign slogan was “People not Politics” so I would think
he would be especially sensitive to the fact that it is PEOPLE in the
state of Maine. People who work hard for a living to earn enough to
survive. People who invest a great deal of energy to raise and educate
Maine’s children. People who have taken the initiative to cobble
together several jobs so that they may stay in Maine to be near
families, or raise kids in a state that does not have the highest wages,
in exchange for what used to be a special quality of life here. And yes, some people who have been born into wealth and do not have to work for a living.
So far, from what I have seen, LePage has not taken real people, human
beings, except perhaps his own family and cronies, and the very wealthy, into account at any
stage of his term as governor. The divisive, insulting name-calling of
many groups of people (state workers, teachers, disabled, elderly,
minorities, unionized workers, legislators, and on and on) has made
clear that he does not see most of us Mainers as people. He sees us as the
enemy, to be dismissed, insulted and crushed at every opportunity. This
is a very poor attitude for a person who has been elected, by default,
to a leadership position.
It’s been a disheartening 16 months since he started his term. I moved
back to Maine some time ago to be near family, and to raise my kid in
what I thought was a wonderful state, taking about a 40% wage cut to do
so.
My daughter vows to move out of Maine as soon as she can, because she
believes she will get more respect and support somewhere else. She has
seen how the governor views educators, minorities, elderly and disabled,
all of which we have in our family. Those folks, including myself, also happen to be
highly educated, fully employed, honest folks who spend hundreds of
hours each year volunteering in their communities.
Insulting the people of Maine is not productive. It is not a good
example of positive leadership. It is obviously not designed to help
diverse groups of people find common ground to work toward a better
future. It is designed to divide and conquer, by grouping us into the
haves vs. the have-nots, Democrats vs. Republicans, those with formal
education and those without, etc. etc.
I had hoped that whoever was elected governor would recognize that Maine
has wonderful strengths in its people, from every part of the
population. I had hoped that the governor would lead those people toward finding common ground and a sense of positive collaborative
effort, and could begin to move Maine forward from the recession that has
its base in national and international events. Unfortunately, LePage’s goals are the
complete opposite. It’s going to be a long, rough journey to repair the
divisiveness and negativity he has brought to our state.
“My daughter vows to move out of Maine as soon as she can, because she believes she will get more respect and support somewhere else.”
*******************************************
Respect is earned. Maybe her special skills will be respected ‘away”, maybe not.
Dear Governor, I know that as a CEO you are interested in the most recent advanced thinking on improved management techniques. Your letter to your employees represents an excellent case study. So you will be happy to know I have sent it to top-flight Executive Management Program at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and at Boston University, and the Case Study Program, Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government. I also sent it to Poliquin’s alma mater, the Harvard Business School. You have given us one of the best examples of executive managerial incompetence, and I am sure they will be able to put it to good use.
Keep up the good work, Governor. What was the Maine State Prison Warden not fired after the “Wardengate” scandal last year when she bought State property as an “insider” for far less than the market value?
Lepages commisioners response when asked about corruption in their departments.Seems like they don’t dare respond.
http://media.kjonline.com/documents/corruption.pdf
Let me get this right. Five Commissioners (or their talking heads) will not deny there is corruption in their departments? Was Joseph Ponte, Corrections Commissioner, polled about corruption in his department?
I removed my post; it was over the top.
Every time I see his picture or read one of his stupid remarks I can’t believe he’s our Governor. We are truly the laughingstock of the nation.