The conventional wisdom is that Gov. Paul LePage says what’s on his mind, even when holding his tongue might serve his political purposes.
But it appears that the governor is not immune from saying — and acting — one way when the audience is true believers and saying something different when it’s politically convenient.
In one recent example, the governor paid homage to his tea party backers during the legislative session while singing a different tune behind the scenes to the financial poo-bahs on Wall Street.
In a second example, the governor refused to sign a Democratic bill to improve the state’s unemployment insurance system but then tried to claim credit for the change earlier this week as the bill is about to become law.
On May 25, LePage issued a stinging statement to the Legislature announcing his veto of bond that would support innovation in the Maine economy. The bond had passed the Legislature with strong bipartisan support.
The governor also refused to sign four other bond bills, allowing them to proceed to voters without his signature.
LePage went so far as to say, “even with the voters’ authorization to borrow this money, my [a]dministration will not spend it until we’ve lowered our debt significantly. That could be several years.”
Such an open threat to ignore the will of the voters and a supermajority of the Legislature might score the governor points with the most extreme in his party who think government spending is a sin, but it does nothing to improve the economy or create jobs.
Earlier in the month, however, members of LePage’s financial team had a much different — and more optimistic — take on Maine.
Members of the LePage administration, along with State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin and members of his staff, made presentations concerning the state’s finances to bond rating agencies.
The presentation gives the state the chance to make its best case for economic recovery, to tout changes meant to improve Maine’s financial condition and argue for an improved bond rating.
In addition to trumpeting many of LePage’s controversial proposals, the presentation offers a different impression of Maine than the doom-and-gloom pronouncements usually coming from the governor.
In public, the governor may be saying that Maine can’t afford good roads and bridges, investments in higher education and innovation or clean water, but in private his administration says something different.
For example, the administration touted Maine’s improving revenue picture, the constitutional guarantee that bonds will be repaid, the aggressive way the state repays debt and its strong cash position.
The presenters made a point to talk about the state’s bipartisan approach to budgeting, which LePage and Republicans then ignored a few weeks later.
And the kicker: The administration highlighted the state’s “low general obligation debt.”
So are we struggling under insurmountable debt or is Maine a good investment with low general obligation debt? It seems the governor would like to have it both ways, depending on who he’s talking to and the political outcome he wants.
Similarly, the LePage Department of Labor put out a press release on Monday bragging about a new unemployment initiative, called WorkShare, that will help companies and workers during an economic downturn.
“When employers need to have a temporary layoff or cut hours, they risk losing their best employees to other jobs,” Maine Labor Commissioner Robert Winglass said in a press release. “WorkShare helps businesses retain their workforce part-time and allows workers to collect unemployment benefits. This can temporarily make up the difference in lost hours.”
It’s a good program that has the potential to keep people working — and off full unemployment — while also allowing companies to weather tough times.
While the governor’s Labor Department was touting the new law this week, it was a different story in 2011. The law, sponsored by outspoken Democratic Rep. Diane Russell of Portland, passed the Legislature unanimously, but the governor refused to sign it.
If he couldn’t be bothered to sign a good idea, even one sponsored by a Democrat, last year, why brag about it now?
Perhaps the governor is counting on short memories or he’s just playing to a different audience. Either way, maybe the governor isn’t so straight-talking after all.
David Farmer is a political and media consultant. He was formerly deputy chief of staff and communications director for Gov. John E. Baldacci and a longtime journalist. You can reach him at dfarmer14@hotmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @dfarmer14.
If there where ever a picture of what the term ” Loose Cannon” represents it would be of this Governor!
Well, no. “Loose cannon” would be better represented by Maine Government for the last forty years, except that that would leave us with no term for California or Illinois. Or Congress.
Come up with your own original thought!
( I know you are but what am I}
Give me a break!
Your ” are “out of grade school I hope!
LePage is just a typical right wing HYPOCRITE. No one should be surprised at all by any of this. On the one hand he and his team tout our ability and record of paying off bonds and that our debt is relatively low, then he vetoes j0b-creating bonds that passed with strong bi-partisan support and says he’ll refuse to enact them even if passed by the people of the state at the voting booth. Well fine Mr. ONE TERM guv. Enjoy your NONSENSE now as we prepare to CRUSH your party in November and then send you packing in a big way two years later. LePage is an un mititgated DISASTER and even most Republicans underneath all their chest pounding and denial absolutely know it.
Leave it to BDN’s David Farmer to besmirch all Mainers, painting them as even more illiterate than they are -with this sentence from his guilty pen, “But it appears that the governor is not immune from saying — and acting — one way when the audience is true believers and saying something different when it’s politically convenient.” Huh? Speak English, David Farmer.
David Farmer must have been educated as a journalist at U/Maine Orono, where he majored in Party School Tolerance.
When Maine conservatives criticize the Governor, it is constructive criticism, David Farmer -unlike your garbled twaddle.
Conservatives know there are more conservative stances the state should be taking. And we know the Governor must be encouraged to take a bold conservative stance -if Maine is to have a positive and competitive future.
Don, the point he is making, and one I have mentioned is that the will (whatever that decision may have been on the bonds) of the voters and their elected representative is being trampled. No matter what your party affiliation or ideology, it is disgraceful for us as citizens in this state and this great country to allow this man to act in such a dictatorial manner. It may be o.k. for Irishmen or French-Canadians…but it is not o.k. for this American.
LaPage is one of the greatest Govenors Maine has ever had. He and the Republican controlled Senate and House are putting Maine back on solid financial footing, something that the Dems could not and would not do when they controlled everything. It galls the Dems to no end to see their spend, spend, spend mantra come to a screaching halt.
Heh….and here I thought there was evidence that he is a witless, knuckle dragging, corporate-controlled puppet who only looks after his wealthy out-of-state ALEC string pullers. I guess I must have it wrong. Me bad!!!
greatest is a stretch. the fact he is so vehemently hated means he doesnt pander… but greatest compared to Joshua Chamberlain and Percy Baxter…
I just find it funny that when LePage talks about ignoring bonds that were directly voted on and approved, he’s bold. Can you imagine if it was someone they didn’t like? They’d be screeching about having things shoved down their throats. All too typical hypocrisy.
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When I think “doom-and-gloom pronouncements,” I think D. Frankly I think You, David.
He is straight-talking. Out of both sides of his mouth at the same time.
Governor LePage has done much to help Mainers in his 17 months in office, trying to overturn the almost 40 years of liberal control; however, those leaders who are in the same party have not always been behind him, although they are scrambling to say “we.” We have a host of R’s who are wimps, and they know who they are.