AUGUSTA, Maine — A $20 million proposal earmarked for research and development died in the Maine House on Thursday, where supporters of the measure were unable to come up with the votes needed to override a veto from Gov. Paul LePage.
The House vote, 88-53 in favor of overriding the veto, fell short of the two-thirds required and came about an hour after senators voted overwhelmingly, 29-6, to override the veto.
The research and development bond would have allowed the state to borrow $20 million to be awarded to Maine businesses, nonprofit organizations, university research labs and others as competitive grants from the Maine Technology Institute.
The bond would have specifically targeted organizations working in the renewable energy, biotechnology, marine technology, forestry, agriculture and precision manufacturing sectors.
Rep. Emily Cain, House Democratic leader, said in a statement that the failed override effort holds jobs that could have been created from the bonds package “hostage to tea party politics.”
“Maine needs jobs and we need jobs that pay good American wages and benefits,” the Orono Democrat said. “This is nothing short of a vote against jobs and future economic development.”
Lawmakers had approved the R&D bond proposal, along with four separate bond packages that will appear on November’s ballot, earlier this month during a brief two-day session. All five bond packages passed the House and Senate with support from more than two-thirds of lawmakers.
Debate in the House and Senate on Thursday focused mostly on the potential benefits of approving the R&D package. Supporters said Maine shouldn’t pass up an opportunity that could lead to significant economic development and job creation.
“This is a key component to a job creation plan that extends long beyond the time of us being in this body,” said Sen. Seth Goodall, D-Richmond. “This is about investing in our future and investing in our children.”
“We find that in Maine the fastest growing companies are those that have benefited from our innovation grants,” said Sen. Chris Rector, a Thomaston Republican and sponsor of the R&D measure.
Of the five bond packages approved by the Legislature, LePage vetoed only the research and development proposal and allowed the four others to go to voters without his sig nature. While LePage is concerned about all borrowing, spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said the administration would have preferred an R&D package that puts a greater emphasis on commercializing products.
“The benefit to the taxpayers of Maine occurs when commercialization happens,” she said. “That’s what creates long-term jobs, not just this constant churn of research and development.”
Bond supporters cited a number of Maine companies — including Falcon Performance Footwear in Lewiston, The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor and Biovation in Boothbay — that have benefited from research and development grants and brought their products to market.
“States that have regular, targeted research and development investments prosper more than states that don’t,” said Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta.
But the state shouldn’t borrow in order to fund R&D grants, said Rep. Kerri Prescott, R-Topsham.
“We need to let private industry lead the way in the R&D sector and make it a priority within our resources, within our budget,” she said.
In addition to debating LePage’s bond veto on Thursday, the House and Senate overrode LePage’s veto of legislation that restructures a program that offers teachers a salary supplement if they obtain certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. LePage used the veto to again criticize the state’s teachers union, the Maine Education Association, for endorsing a referendum to allow same-sex marriage rather than focusing on students.
“It appears Governor LePage’s anger at the MEA outweighs his interest in improving our schools,” Chris Galgay, Maine Education Association president, said in a statement. “We applaud those legislators who understood the importance of recognizing best teaching practices and honoring Maine’s best teachers by voting to override this veto.”
House members on Thursday also sustained two of LePage’s vetoes on bills that would have allowed fraternal and veterans organizations to have slot machines and to allow the Maine Governmental Facilities Authority to borrow money for courts without first obtaining voter approval.
The Governor’s veto put many jobs at risk. This override suggests that only the Governor’s job is at risk.
Do you mean like those 16,000 Green Energy jobs created by $90 billion dollars of Obama stimulus money… Exactly how much per job is that?
Source?
http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/article/green-energy-jobs-far-short-obama-goal/564901
http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=21981
You have cited a conservative publication put out by the same folks who still publish The Weekly Standard at a loss and the NCPA’s regurgitation of that same piece. Show me an actual study by a neutral economist and I will take you seriously.
This publication cited the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But even if you don’t believe they accurately reported the numbers anyone can readily see that they didn’t create 200k jobs they planned for in the Green Energy field.
Suppose they did create 200k jobs (and no one claims that) that would be $450k per job. Definitely not a smart application of $90,000,000,000.
Selective quotation from the Bureau (if accurate) ignores what it classifies as green jobs as well as the multiplier effect of increasing employment in other industries. An honest study I can accept and analyze. I am skeptical of a hit piece in a partisan rag.
The promise was 200,000 new jobs per year. Over ten years that costs $45,000 per job and helps drive down the cost of green power.
Once again, refer me to academic studies and I will take you seriously; refer me to partisan rags and I will assume you are drunk on Kool-Aid.
Great arguments, well-stated. If you want realistic assessment, try this link:
http://www.greenecoservices.com/24-exciting-stats-on-green-job-growth/
#12 on the list addresses the above poster’s outrageous claim.
What a lovely smooch of canard’s jet fighter! You go girl!
President Obama’s Recovery Act of 2009 invested $90 billion in clean energy
This money has already helped sponsor 40 clean-tech projects that will eventually employ upwards of 60,000 people.
These jobs don’t exist yet Spruce.
“The Recovery Act invested more than $90 billion in clean energy, the largest such investment in America’s history. Those investments have created hundreds of thousands of jobs and spurred thousands of clean energy projects across the country.”
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/01/18/increasing-energy-security
The money hasn’t all been spent yet either.
But the 200k jobs don’t exist in the promised time frame. Will they ever be?
Except over 10 years wasn’t the promise. They were supposed to arrive in two.
According to this careers site:
http://careersoutthere.com/clean-energy-gets-over-90-billion-investment-from-recovery-act/
According to the White House, in the first 3 months of 2010, the Recovery Act’s clean energy investments directly created more than 80,000 green jobs
and supported an additional 20,000 jobs throughout the economy. By
2012, they project these investments to have created more than 700,000
green jobs.
“The Recovery Act invested more than $90 billion in clean energy, the largest such investment in America’s history. Those investments have created hundreds of thousands of jobs and spurred thousands of clean energy projects across the
country. For example, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program has already supported more than 40 clean energy projects that
will ultimately employ more than 60,000 Americans. And because of Recovery Act investments, we are on track to double non-hydro renewable electricity generation from 2008 levels this year.”
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/01/18/increasing-energy-security
Thank you for supporting my point sprucie. I didn’t think you had it in you. Please note those jobs do not yet exist.
“have created”
will ultimately employ more than 60,000 Americans.
The White House statement like all things is inconsistent. First it says they did, then it says will…. which is it? The fact is it was all pie in the sky to start with…
I invite readers to look at the above excerpt themselves and come to their own conclusions. Anyone who reads with an open mind will see that you’re either misreading the article or twisting the words. A tactic you have been using for over a year in these forums.
SD out!
True.
I invite you to read your own post.
You do realize that the Obama administration was just implementing applications that had been approved before they came into office, right?
Yes, they should have rechecked the work of the incompetent clowns that proceeded them, so they share some blame. But they were not alone in the responsibility by any means.
Especially all those wind power jobs.
LePage generates a fair amount of wind. Money spent on wind power generates more money within Maine than money spent creating electricity with oil.
Generates money for the cronies like Angus King.
We generate less than 1% of our electricity with oil. You need some new enviro talking points. People have discovered that the oil/electricity boogey man is a lie.
This is a major slap in LePage’s face, but he is just going to react like the stubborn undiplomatic man he is; and he has said he will block all bonds, despite the will of the People and Congress. He’s going to use underhanded bureaucratic tactics to do it. What a leader. Now even his own Party is against him.
Things aren’t always as they seem.
Told you.
Don’t be so sure that this hasn’t been the plan all along Spruce. LePage vetos, then the house and senate over ride the veto and LePage gets to tell his Tea Party Parrots how he vetoed these bond issues. Then in the fall the house and senate legislators who are up for re-election get to tell us all how they stood up to LePage.
maybe you should have waited till the finall cards were played before you posted looks like lepage wins
It’s still a slap in his face. He’s created unnecessary friction that will grind the wheels of government.
Our country is entering a phase of polar antagonism, a de facto schism, that will paralyze us for years. Even moderate Republicans–our last best hope for compromise–are fleeing or being ejected by GOP zealotry.
Ever notice that there are no moderate Democrats?
“We have been studying Washington politics and Congress for more than 40 years, and never have we seen them this dysfunctional. In our past writings, we have criticized both parties when we believed it was warranted. Today, however, we have no choice but to acknowledge that the core of the problem lies with the Republican Party
The GOP has become an insurgent outlier in American politics. It is ideologically extreme; scornful of compromise; unmoved by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/lets-just-say-it-the-republicans-are-the-problem/2012/04/27/gIQAxCVUlT_story.html
Well, I know at least one Democratic congressman that thinks islands float.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNZczIgVXjg
At least he wasn’t playing footsie in airport restrooms.
At least the Senator knew what he was doing!!!!
What does that have to do with the discussion?
Are you contending that the nature of an island is a hyper partisan issue?
I was responding to Sprucies attack on the GOP for being unwilling to accept science. Here is real evidence of ignorance from a Democrat… Good for goose… good for….
The same can be said for democrats spruce but you are way too blind too acknowledge that.
See Tinserblc.
The GOP (Greedy Old Potbellies) are anti-Christian, unpatriotic, fiscally irresponsible, corporate socialists of the worst and most disgustingly hypocritical kind. They hate the poor, hate workers,
hate the middle class, hate reason, hate science, hate intelligence, and all the while dance for joy over wars and endless insane job-killing tax cuts for billionaires. It is enough to make anyone sick to their very stomach.
So you’re going to base your comments about the Republican Party on an article from The Washington Post? That is truly hilarious!
Posters opinions were created somewhere else first. All is needed is a little indignation, false morality and maudlin emotion.
Radicalism, a true embodiment of fascism. Cowering under the misnomer of a tea party, it seeks total division between rich and poor. The rich will rule. The poor will be subservient.
Thanks for your input, Briney.
Good night, and good luck.
“The
whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and
Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making
mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the
mistakes from being corrected.” G.
K. Chesterton
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. – John Kenneth Gilbraith
I run into a lot of them. They all like Snowe and Collins, who voted with g bush when it counted. Some people mistake ill informed for moderation.
Excellent point – the liberal press does not hold democrats accountable for anything and that is why moderate and compromise are never part of the discussion.
Mitch McConnell and John Boehner are excellent examples of “compromise.” “No” is their favorite word. Or, “It’s dead before they (Democrats) hand it top us.”
In spite of the lies told about him, Mike Michaud is a moderate.
… and I am supporting Kevin Raye running against him, just don’t like lies going unchallenged.
No.
Ever heard of a fella named Joe Lieberman?
John Tester comes to mind as well. As do many of the centrist democrats known as Blue dogs who the tea party hatriots made certain to unseat.
They are unseated because their party has moved too far to the left leaving them exposed to the voters in their district.
Hate to tell you this but it is not the Democrats who have moved too far to the left but the Republicans who have moved too far to the right.
I doubt Ronald Reagan could get nominated to any run for any political position within the current Republican Party.
What position would place the re…eh, teapublican party in? Right of Center? Far right of Center? Or, so far over to the right there is no middle ground – just rich and poor?
Our country is entering a phase of you owe me. Driven by the entitlement administration in Washington. Mediocre instead of striving to succeed.
If you havent noticed our country has been in a phase of spending money just to spend goverment does not know how to spend money wise. That is why we are paralized all ready. That 20 million would be spent with no return and all it would be doing is buying votes that is why we are where we are.
Trying to pay back the Chinese for financing two of Bush’s wars is a bit of a drag on the old pocket book, too. Believe we have three trillion invested in those babies, and the cost is rising each day. You know – care of casualties, upkeep of a destroyed land, whilst attempting to restore order where order never was, or ever will be.
Have you ever heard Nancy Pelosi speak? Harry Reid blames every one including his mother and you expect sane people to comprise with like’s of this? You or that mouse in your pocket really need to get a life.
Nancy & Harry are two of the most reprehensible people in American politics!
Gosh! And, the Donald and Newt thought they were.
Hey Spruce, are you reading the same article that I am?
In fairness to sprucie he/she responded to the news that the Senate overrode the veto. It doesn’t excuse his lack of understanding about how the process works though.
The article was updated after Spruce’s comment. Originally it only addressed the Senate vote.
Got it covered.
What do you really expect from a dictator of a HOSTILE TAKEOVER? Certainly not democracy! Afterall……he really was voted in with a minority wanting him. And the vast majority of people responding on here in his defence sound just like him….rude, ignorant, and bullying others.
Everything he says is a lie and people follow him just like the Pied Piper.
Time to wake up people………………………
They follow him just as blindly as people did in Germany a few years ago. The tea party plays a close second to fascism.
Thankfully common sense won out!
Well, SOME in his own party are seeing the writing on the wall and know their you-know-whats are in a sling come November, BUT they sustained most of the vetoes, so they are still mostly dancing cheek to cheek with old LeBUFFOON which is why they are going down bigtime at the polls.
Only two more yes votes would’ve helped ME.We need to see who voted for and against this.
I’d like to know how my representive voted.The Maine State website should list their votes.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280044926
No roll calls listed.
It appears that the Republican leadership would like to keep this information hidden.
Not a surprise-just like their donor lists.It must be awful to skulk around embarrassed to stand up for your candidates or your positions if you’re an R.
The only Govenor his state has ever seen thats in the newspaper daily so he must be doing something right or wrong. Everybody not going to be happy with him.
Let’s see….”right or wrong?” He’s been wrong from the start.
Why because he stopped some of Mainecare abuse and making the welfare work. WOW that makes him bad!!!!
About time our elected representatives are standing up! It is obvious to me that this governor does not care about Maine’s future.
Go, Senate, Go!!!
====
$20,000,000.00 the people of MAINE does not have and can’t afford to borrow.
We can’t afford to fix our roads either so just let them go an when they get to bad close the roads an bridges
Somehow other states manage to fix their roads and they don’t even have the repugnant excise tax. In most states you can register a car for $35 or so. Heck, New Hampshire doesn’t have a sales OR an income tax and their roads are in much better shape than ours.
New Hampshire “saves” money in other ways, like by underfunding the state’s educational system. New Hampshire’s college students end up owing more money than students from other states. And New Hampshire relies on property taxes far more than other states.
New Hampshire’s mil rates are not much different than Maine’s. If New Hampshire residents pay more in property taxes it is because they can afford to buy bigger houses.
They pay very high property taxes over there. Very high.
Another myth. If they pay higher property taxes it’s only becuase they can afford bigger, more valuable houses. The mil rates are similar the Maine’s.
But they pay more than just Property Tax on their property.
They have a Timber Tax, a Gravel tax and numerous other fees and taxes that Maine does not have.
On Edit…
I forgot about a separate School Tax and County Tax as well.
Glad to hear that. I have friends over there. I will ask them to send you their mythical property tax bills. They’ll be grateful for the help you’re providing.
Make sure you ask them the mil rate. By any measure, New Hampshire residents pay lower taxes than Maine residents. Even you should be aware of that.
Yeah, even me.
If the mil rates are the same, and homes are valued at market value, then they’ll pay more than if only valued at say, 75%. Not all Maine communities value houses at market value. I would wager that most do not.
Yes other state do fix there roads an it come from the general fund thats because there is not enough gas taxes collected an i got this info from a search you can do the same an you will see im right
Since we’re among the highest taxed it must be because they spend their money wisely. We had hacks like Violette and McCormick blowing through tax payer money like a drunken sailor on leave.
Sorry the investigation of McCormick revealed NO wrongdoing and Violette is paying restitution plus jail.I’m not seeing the list of R thieves-too much to write?
You obviously didn’t read the report and relied on the headline from the BDN to inform yourself (bad choice there). The report showed gross mismanagement atr best. And the full report isn’t in yet.
There: In , at, or to that place or position
Their: Belonging to or associated with the people or things previously mentioned or easily identified.
To: expressing motion in the direction of
Too: in addition; also; furthermore;moreover
Two: a cardinal number, 1 plus 1 You’re welcome.
Wolly why not use Casino/Horsetrack Casino revenue to fix the roads as I have suggested countless times on here the last several years. We will have more of them now that on Tuesday LePage signed the bill Democrats & Anti-Casino folks wanted LD 1897 — The Casino/Horsetrack Casino bidding process bill. It will be a few years because of the way the law is written and the state run bidding process for them but they are now going to be coming . Which is about time for us supporters of having more Casinos/Horsetrack Casinos in Maine. Once the state gets its money from the bidding process, and the revenue distribution from each of these new Casinos/Horsetrack Casinos Maine will have more than enough revenue for fixing roads & bridges, schools , giving tax relief to Mainers and Businesses etc..
Tracks are dead or dying everywhere in the US.Read the current SI article.Casino revenue as a whole is down as well.Bangor’s revenue may be up recently due to the new table games but as a whole both parts of that are in long term trouble.
New Hampshire has approx 1.3 million people and 17,029 miles of road. Maine has approx 1.3 million people and 23,450 miles of roads. Excise, sales, and income taxes aren’t used for roadways. Excise stays with the town it is collected in. The argument you want to make is, NH only charges 18 cents per gallon gas tax compared to Maine’s 29.5 cents per gallon and we still need to borrow money to fix roads.
Excise is used to maintain town roads, part of the 23,450 miles.
You are correct.
Maine gets less from the Federal Highway Trust Fund than NH does.
I am not sure if NH has a system that compares to Maine’s State-Aid highways, which really are town highways, on which the State is responsible for the summer maintenance. This is a sizable network, somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,500 miles.
State-Aid highways are really an attempt by the State to assist the municiplaties, which would be strained severely trying to deal with these roads. Unfortunately, they are a strain on the State, as well. The State-Aid system originally was put in place to help the towns get these roads out of the mud. This is a case where we have improved infrastructure beyond our ability to maintain it.
If NH does not have a comparable system, you can see why they would have an advantage. However, I travel in NH frequently, and I would like to mention that when NH roads are good, yes, they are good – but their bad roads are really bad, too. And they have some bad roads.
look at their property taxes….
We have property in NH within 3 minutes to lake Winnipesakee and a brook running through it. 50 acres with power running on three sides of it. A nature lovers dream. It’s is always a open option to living in Maine or to make a comfortable retirement. For the value, NH isn’t any more expensive in property taxes.. $2200 per year in taxes for primo real estate is cheap…
Check out the property taxes in New Hampshire.
Ever seen a property tax bill in NH?You’ll keel right over.
Their mil rates are similar to here. If their bills are higher it’s because they can afford bigger houses. Taxes on a single wide are going to be less than on a 4 bedroom house with attached garage.
Mil rates for their property tax are similiar but you are forgetting about the School Tax and County that all homeowners and renters pay. Also the Timber Tax and Gravel Tax that some property owners pay. There are others but I forget what they are at the moment.
NH borrows to fix and build roads and bridges. They use, GASP, bonds to do this.
http://admin.state.nh.us/accounting/FY%2011/CAFR%20FY11.pdf
edited to add:
NH spends over 25% more per mile on thier roads than Maine does on our roads:
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/docLib/20120116_Trspendbystate.pdf
… and yet they spend 25% more per mile on their roads.
Where do you suppose that money comes from?
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/docLib/20120116_Trspendbystate.pdf
“Where do you suppose that money comes from?”
Less welfare spending. Lower taxes leading to greater economic activity leading to more tax money collected. Samller public sector devouring the wealth of the state.
NH charges $75+ for a state vehicle inspection.ME-$12.50.
Maine charges from $175 to over $1,200 to register a vehicle. I’d gladly pay $75 for an inspection (probably much better than the very cursory inspection done in Maine) if I could register my car for $50.
$50 + $75 = $125 in New Hampshire
$12.50 + (175 to $1,200) = $195.50 to $1,212.50 in Maine (Could be even higher. There is really no limit).
I’ve never registered a car outside of ME and have never had to compare total pricing.It’s a racket no matter what state you’re in though.
They don’t have Le Page.
Under the failed Baldacci administration there was bonding every year and the roads were in terrible shape. And those dedicated, hard working public servants at DOT “forgot” to check for rust on the cables of the Bucksport bridge requiring us to replace it.
Just need more meth clinics and entitlements.This is what happens in a cradle to grave society.
Blah blah blah.
TPers like that are always the first ones with their greasy little paws out.
He never has any constructive solutions to anything.Don’t waste your time.
So true!! This is good for the state, bring in spending don’t borrow.
But we can afford $79,000,000.00 in tax cuts for the rich?
If you are referring to the rate that LePage cut then you should probably understand that our states income tax is not very progressive, especially when compared to the Federal Governments income tax rates. That said, the cut that was made was to the top income tax bracket, that bracket starts at $20,000 AGI. So as you can see, there is no way to not cut taxes for the rich while lowering for nearly everyone else. Cuts were also made, eliminating income taxes for many low wage earners.
Usual state Government, spending money they do not have.
Glad to see the Senate is overwhelmingly against LePage on this one…. Although going by earlier reports even if we the people pass these bonds in November, he has already said he will basically sit on them till spending is “under control”. Is this not the same Governor that said he wants “Maine open for business”, or friendlier to businesses so that they will come here??? Sitting on these bonds will not help, nor will it help the people of Maine who need those jobs to get off the system. So to me it is starting to sound like he wants to drive everyone away. NOT just the business, but Mainers as well.
The only people this will hurt are the cronies who depend on government graft for their meal ticket. Why can’t R&D be run like the Cooperative Forest Research Unit at Maine? Private landowners are assessed an amount per acre and producers are assessed an amount per ton and the money is used for R&D. Keeps the cronies out of it and those paying keep a sharp eye on how it is spent. That doesn’t happen with “free” government money.
Let the private sector finance their R&D and reap the rewards.
It is not just the this one bond, but all the bonds combined. These bonds will help not only the areas that they focus on, but will help with jobs. We need people working, we need them off welfare… Yes there are those that have been on all their live and should not be, but there are those that WANT to work, and cannot for many reasons. One reason is the lack of jobs… Here is a way to help, AND bring business to Maine… Just like the be crony himself said he wanted to do… But I guess what he wants us to do is go somewhere else along with the business to do that work.
All of the bonding during the failed Baldacci administration failed to create many jobs except for the cronies and some government drones.
I think this is part of hi “people before politics” slogan!!
The Opening Session of the Official Lame Duck season has begun. One can but hope that this is a huge step forward in Maine’s future. It would be a huge waste of energy and leadership to see it go to waste. Research, discuss, debate, negotiate and compromise are what the process of governing is all about. Maine’s Legislature has apparently found the key to that lock. One can but hope that the key is kept handy frequently oiled up and ready for action.
You mean like when the Maine Dems adjourned the legislature early and convened a fake “emergency session” at a cost of a half million to the taxpayers in order to pass a simple majority budget with no Republican support? That kind of compromise?
Compromise requires that everyone give some. That the Democrat’s passed a budget, despite Paulie and Nutty’s theatric’s, was possible ONLY by moderate Republican’s (Thank God there are a few left with common sense and responsibility left) NOT OPPOSING THE DEMOCRAT’S MOTION. Like it or not, that was a compromise and even Paulie and his overseer’s at the MHPC and ALEC saw it coming. More importantly, they saw that it was political suicide to oppose it.
Folk’s, November is coming. And the more that these types of theatric’s are seen and practiced means that whoever does so is showing their desperation in realizing that they are gonna be sent packing unless they get their collective head’s outta their 4th point of contact and start using it for what it was intended for, not being just a seat cushion ! As an Independent this kind of behavior, by either side, is about one step short of being a reason to haul these ‘kid’s’ back to the woodshed and politically charging them both with Felony Stupid ! Both Nutting, Raye, Dill and Cain need to quit having this ‘spitball’ contest and work to get Maine’s R&D, and the attending University’s and Business, Community’s moving forward, especiall in light of the recent Moody’s and S&P ratings. Add LePage’s recent public statement’s about the R&D environment in Maine and the need is even more urgent than most realize.
This is just another instance of the re-election woes of the left and the right–no on can seem to stand up for the Maine people who do not need more bond borrowing to pay in the future. $100 million already has to be paid back this year from bonds in the past. When will voters learn to VOTE NO on bond issues?
It is not true that Governor LePage would issue a veto to the teachers’ bill in order to deliver his statement on the MEA’s endorsing the same-sex marriage referendum. The NEA is the largest lobby in D.C., so the MEA must have the same status, but to endorse an anti-family referendum is not what we need representing our children in Maine.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing. “Anti-family” fits your vernacular, but this represents “all-inclusive” families….in other words more families. And, the MEA represents educators and educational support…it does not represent children. My wife (read as female) and I (read as male) are both educators as is one of our children. We also have parents that are life-long educators.
You see, we just choose to be tolerant and realistic about social issues, and we do not put ourselves above or beyond others status in this world….if only more people would/could do that too!
And BTW..life is good, and so is freedom!
Pardon me, but how did a discussion of the vote on a veto morph into something about MEA and “same sex” marriage? And what is “tolerant” about a willingness to accept a deviant lifestile that is repulsive to a large, and probably a majority, of the population.
The fact that such “tolerance” is prevalent among our “educators” is viewed by many as one of the things that is wrong with our educational system!
….
>>>>
Teachers shouldn’t be tolerant?
Yes. Teachers should be tolerant as should everyone else. However, teachers should not use their position in the classroom to indoctrinate students in their personal philosophy or ideology. Especially when acceptance of those can be a significant weight on the student’s future lives.
A teacher should teach the subject they are assigned and/or teach their students to research what is necessary to make up their own minds – not to blindly accept the teacher’s bias!
I couldn’t agree more…no matter what their personal philosophies are.
Hey TK, do you do everything prematurely? If you had read the post that I responded to, you would see where it came into the discussion. Your lack of tolerance (and attention to detail) is clearly showing.
Do you want educators to be less tolerant and tow the “party line”–indoctrination? Tsk, tsk…you have learned well my minion. And btw…who are the “many”– certainly not all! Extremism is also considered a deviant lifestyle since it doesn’t represent the majority.
Enjoy your day…if you can!
Why should a common sense conservative hide their ideology? Is that what liberals and progressives do? That seems dishonest… but maybe it’s the only way liberals and progressives can sell their policies???
The moral majority is NEITHER! Liberals/progessives….Conservatives/regressives!
Who’s hiding?
Newsflash for the “other Mainers” Maine is going broke fast. Is that ok with you?
Say’s who?
Where do you live? Cape Elizabeth?
At least CE is lucky enough to have Cynthia Dill representing them.Their loss will be Maine’s good luck when she wins.
Since your reply was deleted on the other comment. I does not matter who is in office, a veto is the Governor’s priviledge. The fact the State does not have money, should have some bearing. Unfortunately most Liberals will pass all or the majority of bonds, execeedingly seldom have I seen a bond they do not pass.
Okay, so it passed. Start raising taxes to pay for for all this spending. If I were Governor LePage, I’d resign from that thankless job and let someone else try and make ends meet. Welfare and unemployent are the way of life in this State.
The baby boomers are retiring, it’s time to get out there and get a job… Oh wait, all those tattoos, face piercings, and the total addiction to textings/cell phones are not an attraction to businesses who need help .
Actually……it did not pass. The article says the veto stands
OMG.. you are right !! Hallelujah .. Thanks for making my day !!
Right!
The house sustained the governor’s veto. I thought maybe I had missed something with so many on this thread saying the governor “lost.”
No, Maine lost.
Maine is winning.. First time in years.. Our Governor is trying to fill a hole that the dems dug for 30/40 yrs…
By defeating R&D bonds Maine loses.
So 8 years of Jock McKernan (R) and 8 years of Angus King (I) is all the Dems fault?
Angus King is really a Democrat.
Dem house and senate
Story was updated, that’s why the comments seem “off”
Kick, that makes too much sense for any of these “reps” in the spending mode to comprehend.
Do not forget the hour of for the meth clinic.
Start raising taxes, and like every other state or locality that does this, get confused by a decrease in tax revenues, and then be in an even deeper mess.
The boomers won’t get out of the workforce and give anyone else an opportunity.Trust me,there’s PLENTY of old people out there who haven’t broken a sweat since 1963.Like Wally in Dilbert.And there’s quite a few clean well spoken educated young people who deserve a shot.One young man in particular who works for me is a credit to his generation and his parents.
Cut!!!!!
If we really need the money for these programs then we need to cut welfare and other social programs to come up with it.
Let’s decrease the tax cut given to the wealthy. It is time for some support for jobs to help the working people of this state.
The wealthy pay more in taxes then you do
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And you can afford more than the poor, so take 20% of your income and donate it to a homeless person who can’t afford what you can… Reguardless of me being a poor teaparty republican I donate or give most everything extra I have..
Most business exectutives collect a salary and are taxed on that. just like everyone else.
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The most selfish greedy people I know are TPers.They have no concern for anyone else at any time.
I suppose I’m selfish if I want to keep more of the money that I’ve earned? Your comments have no basis in truth.
They are absolutely true with what I’ve seen with my own eyes in my own city-and more than once.
The wealthy in Maine pay the same State Income tax rate I do with my $19,000 a year salary
You are certainly uneducated about the tax system in ME.
The top income tax bracket in Maine for a single person like me is $20,350 (I was using $19,000 based on last years tax brackets) taxed at a rate of 8.5% so yes a wealthy person in Maine pays the same percentage amount in taxes as I do if I earn $25,000 a year (by the way that is $500 a week, not a large amount).
It is you who is uneducated about the Income Tax structure in Maine.
http://www.maine.gov/revenue/forms/1040/2012/RateSched_12.pdf
Wow, are you sure you pay a dime in income tax? A rich guy pays your salary when he buys his kid a car. I’m sure you will think he doesn’t deserve it. Unless of course you sold him the car.
Why yes I do pay income tax on my salary. Iusually have to either pay in at the end of the year or just barely break even.
Not sure where you came up with a rich guy buying a car pays my salary, other than in your own mind. I could care less what a rich person does with their income once they earn it and pay their fair share of taxes on it. I am not the least bit jealous nor envious of rich people, neither do I put them on a pedestal like you do.
Working people pay taxes on their gross income. The wealthy mainly pay taxes on capital gains at a lower rate. The State of Maine cannot afford to give huge tax breaks to the wealthy as they have been doing great. Our economy will prosper if we support working people.
Working people pay taxes on their adjusted gross income, just like wealthy people. The 15% capital gains tax is a federal tax. Maine does not distinguish between income and capital gains. Capital gains are considered income in Maine and are taxed as such, there is no preferential rate.
The wealthy pay 90% of the taxes. What handout do you want. It is a myth to say they don’t pay their fair share. They pay the highest rates there is. They pay the top income rate and the top capital gains rate. We should be thanking rich people when ever we get a chance, they pay for everything. All your entitlements are paid by rich people.
How do you think America prospered in the 1950’s when the top bracket paid a very high rate? Eisenhower built the interstate road system with that money. People paid it and they were still rich. And they were still Americans – not off-shore tax shelters.
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He has! Every McDonalds and Mardens in Maine are hiring. Pay your $1200 per month health insurance premium on that.
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LOL I was being sarcastic. The only 2 jobs that I know for sure that he made were for his family. Maybe then someone else was fired to hire them.
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AMEN !! Why not cut welfare more ?? When they don’t have that check, they will find work. I know so many people on unemployment who never intend to work another day in their lives again. Extension after extension while they frequent Hollywood Slots. Why should people be able to collect Social Security benefits and Unemployment benefits at the same time ?
What jobs? Flipping burgers? I did that in high school I highly doubt the pay has gone up enough to feed a family.
Just maybe it’s time people stop “having families” until they are qualified to support them. It’s not our responsibility to raise your family. Our landfill has had a HELP WANTED SIGN up for several weeks now. I noticed L L Bean is hiring. There are jobs, but you people have found it costs you to get a job. You will have to pay travel expenses, babysitter fees, and will loose all your state funded assistance, including medical.. Welfare is just way too easy ..
>>>>>
It is a catch 22. If you think about it fairly, but many do not. A single mom of 2 can not get a minimum wage job as daycare charges more than minimum wage. So she works 8 hours and winds up losing money for the day. She woke up with $0 worked all day, and when she goes to bed is in the hole $30. Don’t really see her paying her rent or buying food with -$30. Since she took that minimum wage job, it puts her over the threshold for benefits, so she gets no assistance. How long you think her landlord is going to let her stay? How long will the utilities stay on? So what is the answer? A living wage? Nope Republican’s hate the idea of people climbing out of poverty. Expanding services? No, again the Repubs hate it and Mayhew is a little overtaxed in her duties as it is to add more. Cutting services? No because it puts people on the street, out of old age homes, and makes criminals out of the mentally ill. I say something in the middle. We increase minimum wage, maybe not to a living wage, but more than it currently is. Instead of money directly to this single mom, DHHS sends a check to the daycare so she can get a job… things like that.
Maybe the “single Mom” should run a daycare then. She can take care of other children while she takes care of her own. She needs to do something that will fit her needs.. Some “people” bake, some “people” clean homes, some “people” get their parents to take care of their children. Maybe she could “swap baby sitting services with a neighbor” who works a different shift.
Nobody’s life if perfect. There are so many “people” who won’t try and work it out and up and get a divorce without looking at the consequences. Just work at it. SWEnd.. give it a break.. I’m glad you are happy and everything is working out for you. Maybe you could lend a hand to the “single Mom” who is struggling : )
Like I said, most people won’t look at it fairly…
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Land fill job’s typicaly pay a lot more than minimun these days and are typicaly part of the employee union and pay a lot better than rotten ronnies.
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Maybe instead of expecting people to go to extraodinary lengths to get by you could ask employers to pay a livable wage with benefits . If you think that people can actually live better on what un-employment pays here than getting a job then you have sure made the case for the Occupy Wall Street people. Expecting people to have to work two or three jobs with no benefits to get by may be the Republican way but it shouldn’t be the American way. Raise the minimum wage and create a single payer healthcare system and we could fix a lot of our problems.
You can blame the anti choicers for that.Pro choicers save taxpayers money.I’m sick and tired of paying for thee huge families that”The Lord told them to have”The Duggars and the Octomom are the worst of America.
Maybe we can do like the Chinese and kill babies to control the population? What about the ones that can’t work? I am sure you have a suggestion there too. Besides, maybe you will not want to advertise the dump job. You may need it if and when you lose yours. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to draw unemployment.
The way Obama is running this country, it isn’t going to be long before China will own our country and control population for us. I’m betting they won’t be giving out the state-aid that we do.
If I needed a job, I would be quick to jump at the landfill position. Most towns have great benefits and it’s not hard to stand around and tell people where to put their recyclable material and monitor trash bins. If it didn’t work out, then I would work there until I could find something better. FYI, I am self-employed and not eligible for unemployment. Just another perk that business owners enjoy. You people don’t seem to understand that wages are based on skill and performance rather than the employee’s accumulated debt.
Those 17 million jobs went to China on Bush’s watch! Obama had nothing to do with it. As a matter of fact, Dubya’s boys encouraged it and subsidized it. Sorry…try again
I was referring to the trillions of dollars Obama has put us in debt. Where you do think we have borrowed so much money from ? DUH
Somebody has to pay the debt of two unsecured wars to protect then interests of Bush Oil and Chenny industries! It was like crapping on the sidewalk and criticizing someone else for teying to clean it up! Any fool can see that. Dubya drove this country from a balanced budget right into the toilet. Did you expect that mess to be cleaned up without spending money? You sound like you have been reading the trust fund baby’s playbook without even looking into it with an open mind. DUH! I know who that money is owed to! Do you? The red ink hit a record level of $1 trillion dollars every 100 days before Obama even took office. That money went right to the rich in the form of tax cuts. DUH! Most of that money is owed to the American public with a good portion owed to Social Security. That is why the Repubs are so eager to get rid of Social Security. DUH
It’s a JOB..Better than having me feed your family…
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Unemployment runs out after a finite time, depending on the economy, so how are they going to keep collecting unemployment?
Cut more? Theyhave made zero significant cuts yet.
It is beginning. The Republicans are, as I predicted months ago, starting to distance themselves from the most unpopular person in the state. They will continue to show some spine until after the elections. Then the Republicans that do get re-elected will fall in line again and start doing their goose-step to LePage’s music. Be very wary of this dog and pony show being put on to lure voters into a tacit acceptance of these GOP tricksters. Remember how they ramrodded this last supplemental budget through. If they are not put into the minority in both houses, expect more of the same old same old.
NO MORE BONDS!
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IF based on just this vote, most of them do not… Look at the vote… The Senate overturned the veto almost overwhelmingly. The House missed it by only SIX votes… If anything I would say at least six from the house, or 59 between the House AND the Senate.
It’s time to begin the Recall process. It seems we’ve all had enough of the bullying and power-overing.
Maine does not have a recall provision in the state Constitution.
How unfortunate. Then I guess we figure it out in November, eh?
Do you have a 61% bumpah stickah???
I know because if they did I would have been collecting names to recall the governor who won with only 32% of the vote the first time and 34% of the vote his second term.. John Baldacci
MAINE has a recall, we vote every four years.
“Given the split vote between the chambers, the governor’s veto stands.” I believed when Paul LePage was elected he would be a great Governor and I still do…Proud to be a Maine Resident…
Thank god this held up…We can’t afford anymore of debt, I don’t understand why the fix-it is always borrow MORE money? if it wasn’t important enough to be placed in the budget then it’s not important enough to borrow 20 million dollars. I think it’s time for a reality check among many of these people…borrowing is not THE ANSWER!! Thank you Gov. Lepage & the House :-)
Money spent on Research and Development almost always brings in more money than it costs. Promotes new technology, helps start up new companies and promotes modernization of old companies.
Everyone says they want more companies, but R&D is one of the most effective ways of getting those companies started up. I’m not talking about small shops that stay small, but new companies that work through the problems of new technology and then grow to large companies. Wouldn’t we like those here in Maine?
Failure to constantly modernize and follow trends within an industry is one of the leading causes of failure in established companies.
Name five compainies that benifited and stayed in Maine to employ Mainers from R&D funds.
…
Why don’t progressives understand logic? Maine is all but bankrupt because of overtaxing, over regulating, union entitlements & massive welfare programs. Just like New York, Cali & many other overtaxed & regulated states, jobs the so called “rich” take their businesses and money out of state. How much proof do the progressives need in understanding their handouts are the very cause of the hardship and soon failure of America? This welfare for votes, union thug tactics, progressive crying needs to stop before they find out how a country like China treats their people. Our freedom and childrens future are at stake here, grow up and stop looking for others to pay for you in life.
Yea, its the handouts that caused the hardships… The greedy Banks and Corporations had nothing to do with tanking the economy and putting hundreds of thousands out of work.
Bill Clinton passed a law thats state like this. Corporations must at all times look out for the best interest of their investors/stockholders… Which means if the Chairman can relocate the business to a different country and make larger profits, Then he/she MUST do so… Since Bill Clinton enacted Nafta and Gafta and the Bill above we have lost all the jobs. So aim your finger toward the person who is a democratic who created this mess the country is in.
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Clinton signed onto NAFTA and that was the beginning. Clinton also signed the repeal of Glass-Steagal which started the banking mess. Clinton did a lot of damage.
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Gadael, I don’t see my comment that you are responding to, but you are right. It did start with Reagan. But Clinton, as a Democrat (well really a triangulating Republican in Dem clothing – as is Obama) really did our country a great disservice with NAFTA. And we all knew it when it was proprosed. I remember many discussions with progressives who saw what would happen to American jobs and unions. And it has. It surely has. Now people in China and India make slave wages churning out products for us to buy at Walmart and people in America have dropped down the ladder, possibly never to climb up again. Hard-working Americans stiffed because the bottom line of corporations care nothing about their workers and the broader context of our lives. But, hey, corporations are people, my friend and the trees are just the right height.
So what does that have to do with it being greedy corporations and banks killing hundreds of thousands of jobs? I never said they did it illegally. They did however create more poor people than handouts. Sorry just trying to figure out what your comment has to do with mine.
Gee Bush only did what Dick Cheney told him to do:)
ya?
Sadly you failed in mentioning how corrupt progressives in Gov’t forced banks into loaning money to those who could not pay it back, as well as Gov’t tax codes that forced many businesses to close and others moved right out of America. So learn the facts and give up the left wing propaganda of misinformation. Progressives are the cause of it all and WE THE PEOPLE will continue voting them out of our lives. Enjoy dependency, cause I will never bow down to Marxist, union thugs or progressive ignorance.
The Mad Hatter’s tea party will come to an abrupt halt this November.
Our Great Governor Paul LaPage never, ever said he was against any Bond Package…
He said until the State can afford to PAY the BILLS it already has, he will veto any bond package sent to his desk….
rah rah sis boom bah
I guessing your response instructions haven’t arrived yet… (-;
mmmmmmm
What’s the difference you are always on a bent knee before your king lepew.
I got an idea. Take the tax break difference that Paulie just gave his buddies and put it toward the current Bond’s that are outstanding. Everybody wins !
What tax breaks are you talking about??? Please name names and we can give the names to the BDN.
Just go look at the supposed tax cut that Paulie gave everybody. Whodo you think it was aimed at ? Oh, that’s right, it’s his Christmas card list !
Well Done! No more mindless borrowing and spending just because it feels good.
If you people want me to vote for this bond, show me the jobs that this $20,000,000.00 bond will produce. Then I need someone to explain to me how we are going to pay this money back. We are tapped out.
I didn’t know the bill is DOA. I feel better now.
Governor wants “commercial” value for Maine.
The commercial value of the cannabis hemp plant is the greatest crop for research and development but this bond issue doesn’t address this job making industry.
The bill is narrow from the Governor’s perspective, enlarge it to include hemp. Let’s give farmers a real opportunity to profit. Let it grow and so will Maine.
If everybody can grow the price will drop.
as it should. But the govornemnt hates competition
“spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said the administration would have preferred an R&D package that puts a greater emphasis on commercializing products.
“The benefit to the taxpayers of Maine occurs when commercialization happens,” she said. “That’s what creates long-term jobs, not just this constant churn of research and development.”
The Governor’s position on this is exactly right. Too much money has been thrown at grant junkies for perpetual R & D projects with little or no hope of leading to commercialization.
In regard to all of the folks here who disagree with Governor LePage on this matter, I would hate to see what type of order your financial houses are in.
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This is great news!!! The state is broke and cannot borrow its way out.. Outstanding Job Mr. Lepage!
The two greatest economic parasites in Maine (U-Maine & MTI) should not get funding for a long while…!
Amen
I’m interested why the BDN didn’t tell us how the vote went down.. Did all the Democrats vote to pass the bonds. I know some repubs did because they are free thinkers.
Emily Cain How did you instruct your followers/dems/liberals to vote on this one?? 100% did as you instructed didn’t they? ahhh the power of one. Sort of like Obama or Quimby. The power of one.
Yeah, because they don’t automatically agree with you or LePage, they’re not free thinkers. Come on.
the companies that benefited the most from this r&d was the ones that had relatives and companies that had ties to the lawmakers apparantly there was not enough of them to carry the vote.Its time that the lawmakers stood on their own two feet,elections are coming,so they know it time to do something for the citizens that put them where they are today.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Mean old Mr Lepage just cancelled Emily’s credit card.Time to pay the overdrawn balance the Cain mutineers wasted.
You realize we voted on this, right?
“— Despite complaints by Republicans, the State Bond Commission granted final approval to spend $291 million for Jackson Laboratory to construct a new building and create 300 bioscience jobs on the UConn Health Center campus in Farmington.”
“The State Bond Commission voted 8-2 to release $291 million, which will pay to build a new 173,000-square-foot research center for The Jackson Laboratory on the University of Connecticut Health Center campus in Farmington.”
CT: That’s the message to investors? Maine ?
Florida turned them down??
Stupid.
What a shame. R & D puts our university system in the game. We need to compete. This bond would have helped move us forward.
It would have been a waste of money. Glad to see it’s gone.
Bonds Bonds Bonds.. tired of paying for them.
Looks like is not open for business now better take the sign down .
NO MORE BONDS…………….!
The money wasted on U-Maine & MTI could have been helping small business, but instead, taxpayer dollars lined the pockets of those that had no intent on actual job creation…
I voted for Paul for this exact reason,,,,,, No More Bonds
zzzz
Emily, your so whacko it drives me insane! I regret not running for my local house seat now! All I can say is GOOD! If you want to pay for all these “jobs” and benefits then you can take it all out of your pocket because I’m sick of paying debt out of mine! I am also ashamed to live in the district Chris Rector resides. Chris, your not a conservative and you will not be getting my vote. As for everyone else who continues to bash LePage. Don’t you get it?!?! We can’t afford any bonds! Period! People like you are why the whole country is in the position its in. Lets move on! I don’t like it!
This is a terribly slanted article against the LePage Adminstration. Of the 680 words in this article, 360 words are devoted to LePage critics, while only a mere 96 are offered for those in support of his vetoes. (MS Word’s word count function is an awesome tool!)
This is beyond shameful. I am growing increasingly disgusted by the bare knuckle partisanship displayed on the “news” pages of this once respectable newspaper.
It is only a matter of time before the BDN blasts Mr. LePage for failing to appropriately reimburse hospitals for the debts Gov. Baldacci left for him to clear. With what, we might ask? Well, maybe the BDN will save the day:
With its presses idle from Mainers who have wisely dropped their subscriptions to this fishwrap, perhaps the BDN is merely seeking a state contract to start printing currency.
The BDN has no credibility! A bunch of liberal folks from away run the place now! It’s a real shame!
Come November we will see what the people want, good jobs or jobs at Mardens.
Do we want thousands of lazy mainers who are sitting on the couch, eating bonbons, collecting welfare or do we want to find them and prosecute them?
Do we want to continue to subsidize green energy programs that are billion dollar boondoggles that will never, ever produce more than 10% of the energy used or do we want to quit penalizing existing companies with job killing fines and regulations?
Do we want to allow more local control over undeveloped land so millions of dollars can be spent in these areas or do we want limosoine liberals on the coast to continue to tell us whats best for us?
Do we want to continue to spend the most money per student in our schools and not see good result from that spending or do we need to start holding people accountable?
Governor Walker has turned Wisconsin around, next week will show the people are behind him, Governor LePage is doing the same. Its to bad so many feel they are owed something, or are entitled to handouts.
What is a good job? My guess is you would say some government job. What have Dems ever done to bring good jobs to this state?
I just moved my family out of Maine about 3 months ago. One of my family members was only able to find a job in Maine (with a college degree) that paid $8 an hour with ZERO benefits. Where we moved, for the same exact job there were half a dozen employers competing to hire this family member. Three dollars more an hour and full benefits including retirement, paid vacation, medical, vision and dental insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, paid holidays, personal/sick days, tuition reimbursement, free professional development training, etc. Guess what…the rents are cheaper, utilities are cheaper, gas is cheaper, the roads are WAY better. There is new construction and growth all around this area…and the infrastructure is always being improved. Maine roads are horrible. The ability to travel to Maine affordably is very limited. The Bangor airport needs to be improved, the interstate expanded downeast, Amtrak brought at least to Bangor, etc. The lack of affordable transportation and overall accessibility and poor infrastructure is why Maine lacks good jobs. LePage is foolish for his position on these bonds.
Debt slaves UNITE!
If I max out 5K on a credit card to buy shares of Facebook, is that considered an “investment” or a gamble?
Many Mainers seem to want to return to the good old days, the good old days of the mid 1800’s and this Governor is hell bent on helping them get there. If the goal is to return to pre-technology days, except for guns, then the future for Mainers, esp. the young ones, is depressingly bleak. Why any business beyond heating oil, gasoline, and fast food would want to exist here is beyond comprehension. The world is pretty big and the minds of Maine Republicans pretty small. Maine will continue to lag the rest of the country in income growth for generations. Maybe Civil War wages will satisfy the good old days folks.
Why is the government in the business of making “investments” in anything? The Democrat’s rule for the past 30 years has nearly turned Maine into a welfare state. LePage is doing what is necessary to reverse this damaging trend.
The R&D Bond was a waste of taxpayers’ money. I’m glad to see that it was defeated. If anything, this was a slap in the face to Emily Cain, who suggested with her normal pompous, overconfident style that the House would override LePage’s veto. I only wish that more of the Republicans in the House & Senate would have shown the commitment to frugal government that LePage did. Whenever I hear the words “government” and “investment” in the same sentence, I recognize that someone is pushing another unnecessary spending initiative to pay back a special interest that has supported them financially and politically.
Much indeed to be regretted, party disputes are now carried
to such a length, and truth is so enveloped in mist and false representation,
that it is extremely difficult to know through what channel to seek it. This
difficulty to one, who is of no party, and whose sole wish is to pursue with
undeviating steps a path which would lead this country to respectability,
wealth, and happiness, is exceedingly to be lamented. But such, for wise
purposes, it is presumed, is the turbulence of human passions in party
disputes, when victory more than truth is the palm contended for.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter to Timothy Pickering, Jul. 27,
1795
This is ok.I stand behind the Governor because his decisions are solid, he does not speak from both sides of his mouth, he is obviously educated regarding Maine families, and he is not a polished politician which is what nobody needs. He is the best governor since J. L. Chamberlain.
What did Joshua Chamberlain do as governor? Wikipedia says that he supported capital punishment and created a special police force to enforce prohibition. The prohibition part would get him kicked out in today’s world, Civil War hero or not.
Hee Haw that’s some funny!
I heard that we we’re supposed to depend upon trickle down economics and that was 20 years ago under Conservative God Savior of the World Ronald Reagan. Just give it a chance-let it work. Ok-so we tried that, no one gives a creep about you like in that non-existent old Hollywood baked America.
That didn’t work. PNAC, The Project for a New American Century, stuffed with founder names any casual news reader will recognize, is
very revealing. Google PNAC, look at who’s behind this … Hey, it’s their website. … Jeezum Crow!
Well, I hope republicans haven’t gotten too comfortable. They’ll likely be out the door this November, and our embarrassment for a governor will be rendered completely powerless. Funny, how he can’t get over the MEA’s position on marriage equality. This, as DOMA was just ruled unconstitutional. The MEA wants to be on the right side of history, and apparently LePage doesn’t.
The fact that the MEA even took a position for marriage Equality should have people very concerned. Is everyone associated with the MEA gay? I do not think so. Dont give me that crap about equality-its “same sex” marriage. If the MEA wants to back it-go ahead, but dont expect to get my respect for your showboating attitudes-any response Chris Galgay??
Wow…have some anger management problems? Does every person associated with the MEA have to be gay in order for them to support equality? I don’t think so. Granting same-sex couples the right to marry, is called marriage equality. Showboating attitudes? Get over yourself. The only “crap” I see, is in your snide, close-minded response. You have the right to support hatred and inequities, but there are plenty of people, including within the MEA, that also have every right to support fairness and equality.
No worries. Come November we the large majority of Maine citizens are going to VETO any credibility LePage has by CRUSHING his ridiculous radical TeaFool Party at the voting booth thereby turning him into the lamest of lame ducks.
That the legislator’s in this State have once again allowed the MEA (Maine Education Association) to continue their charade as an association that represents teachers is ridiculous. No other sector in this state has been continuously handed the sweets, and year after year they still complain about their low pay, long work hours etc. I, for one am damn glad that Governor LePage has stood up to these thugs. I have never supported the MEA primarily because they have become a large lobbying organization, backing their own agenda’s and collecting money from all the teachers and lay people in this State. Remember when they lost all those pension funds?? The last straw is this Chris Galgay, President of the MEA backing “same sex marriage” . What an agenda for a Teachers union organization! Are they going to put up posters in all the schools touting that message-just wondering Chris-MEA should be abolished, they dont represent all teachers, certainly not the majority of the people in Maine- at least I hope not.
Only under a LePage dictatorship does it make sense to say you are promoting job growth and then everything you can to obstruct job growth. This R&D bond issue technique is the same technique that every state has used to promote economic development. Short sighted and stupid.
Rep. Emily Cain finally called it for what it is – Tea Party politics. The other Democrats need to stand beside her, along with those smart republicans who are able to see Le Page for what he truly is – nothing but a tool of the tea party.
Here’s the “Open For Business” guy, slamming the door in its face and kicking Maine in the teeth.
Why would he veto that? That’s not good business for Maine? I thought he was the business man?