Telling a group of Republicans that you are planning to call the Legislature for a special session to enact a secret policy is just not a responsible way to run the state.
If Gov. Paul LePage has a plan that will “push the envelope,” but its constitutionality has not yet been approved by the attorney general, why share anything?
It makes no sense to give partial details and only generates resentment and suspicion. Let people debate the legislative action on its merits instead of creating a giant guessing game.
According to a recording obtained by BDN blogger Mike Tipping, LePage told guests at a Republican-only event Wednesday night in Bangor that he plans to call a special session to pass divisive legislation similar to that in other Republican-led states.
“I can’t wait to call everybody back and get this done. I think we can get this done in about a day, and the Democrats, you think they hate me now? Wow,” he said, according to the recording.
Even before announcing the partisan plan, the governor is giving Democrats ammunition.
Some people might question the anonymous person who secretly recorded LePage’s short speech at the Sea Dog. But if LePage can say something to a room of people about a secret policy issue that will set Maine “on the right track for the next 10 years,” then the public has a right to know about it.
LePage shouldn’t have said anything in the first place — because what happens if the plan isn’t actually constitutional? Or he should have announced exactly what he’s working on.
It’s hard to have a transparent government when the governor says he’s working on something secret. If the currently secret legislative action is such a good idea, why not explain exactly why?
At the Sea Dog, eh? Was LePage buying?
“Call me irresponsible …” — and you’d be correct.
” of the people, by the people, for the people” ??????
Yep of the people, by the people, for the people. You have a problem with that?
“Corporations are people” Mitt Rawmoney.
Bad Rommney, he made money is his lifetime.
He sure did…on the backs of American laborers whose jobs he got sent overseas.
And hid 100 MILLION dollars in overseas accounts to avoid taxes or worse?
If they are “hidden” how do you know about it?
Because the Swiss changed their laws about confidentiality of their bank accounts.
I have no problem with that. The only drawback is that the “people” is somewhat restricted in the eyes of Landslide LePage to the wealthy. Wake up! The franchise is being restricted, politicians are in politics to feather their own nests by joining corporations and lobbying when they leave Congress, attempts are being made to pull back on Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid while the taxes of the wealthy are reduced even lower. There are claims that free enterprise is being threatened while under a free enterprise system the banks would have been allowed to fail in 2009. Corporations are against regulation but they expect the taxpayer to bail them out when they screw up. What “people” was Lincoln referring to in the Gettysburg Address? He should have been a little more specific.
Whatever it is, it has to go through the legislative process, dhume….unless he’s learned a thing or two from President Kardashian?
The problem may be that Landslide LePage doesn’t learn. I’m pretty sure he is treating government as if it was an extension of Marden’s and is under the delusion that it is a business and he is the chief executive and answerable to no immediate superior.
Not as long as O-Sham-a is in office.
Governor is unwise, unqualified, and unhinged.
No , He is just an A—–E!
hes got more experience than our president
experience doing what?
The President had 10 years as a legislator at two levels of government prior to becoming President, is a Harvard-educated attorney and Law Review editor with an undergraduate degree from Columbia University, was a community action organizer, and a constitutional law professor. He also served on numerous boards. He now has almost four years as the nation’s chief executive. That is now 14 years of governing experience. He has more brains in one pinky than LeBUFFOON ever thought of having in total, and as much or more experience in government.
Obama is the least qualified president in our history, with no executive experience and never even having a “real” job. He has been a disaster from start to finish, but what can you expect when so many people voted for him based on the color of his skin.
You left out that he is a socialist, on the edge of being a communist, and was “given” those other ridiculous titles because of playing the race card. Almost four years as the nation’s non-chief executive. That is 14 years of being a socialist/communist after not even having been born an American citizen. He has an anti-american wife and no clue.
Mr. Obama was born to an American mother in Hawaii. The two major papers in Honolulu (oh, what an exotic place as Fox and Friends would say) ran his birth announcement. He has shown his birth announcement (long form). Do you also believe that Armstrong did not walk on the moon? What other conspiracy theories do you believe?
Those were left out of the equation because they are lies. Ooops, I forgot-to you Republicans, that makes them true.
You, sir, have no idea what a socialist or a communist is if you think Obama is either.
While in the Military I worked for many intelligent idiots. Mr. Obama had great opportunity to advance his race in the eyes of all Americans, but blew it. Sorry, but facts are facts.
And what “race” do you think the President belongs to?
Human race, Same as you and I. Peace
—– Original Message —–
From: Disqus
To: hobo1a@myfairpoint.net
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 10:24 AM
Subject: [bdn] Re: How about sharing the secret plan, LePage?
stringah wrote, in response to hobo1a:
And what “race” do you think the President belongs to?
Link to comment
human race?
isn’t that obvious?
I think you just played a little dodgeball there.
The only thing he is more experienced in than our president is LYING.
Not in elective office he doesn’t.
Whatever it is.. I’m willing to bet it has to do with dismantling the entitlement culture somehow, welfare, unions that has up to now had a lock on our state
You are always spot on with your comments…
He has the Vision of Mr Magoo!
How are the tomatoes holding out?
I am saving them for the next Governors Speach, I can probably get $5:00 a piece for them if I time it right!
Good fer you :)
Let’s see, “Speach”, what is that? “$5:00” is that something like a time of day or money or what? I forgot, socialists cannot spell or type can they?
Hmmmmm, I was just gonna state that about you, the only difference is I liked Magoo, and you are not liked at all.
State employee wages are stagnant or have been reduced, numbers (and expertise) has been shrinking over the past several administrations. If you think the unions have a lock on anything, you’re sadly mistaken.
Currently,
The Only thing locked on our State is the Fascist Agenda!
That will end soon!
Yes, you are right, you socialists are taking a back seat…………..again!
Another conservative who hasn’t a clue what a socialist is.
Ya, typical TeaRadical lies. Jesus would be so proud as you people work to destroy the American middle class and bash the poor as you dance for joy with every job your corporate buddies ship offshore, with every billion dollars of our money they give to the oil companies (and many others too), with every billion dollars of our money they give to the no-bid military industrial complex corporatists, and with all the tax dollars the corporatists send offshore to Switzerland, Bermuda, Costa Rica, and the Caymans so they can kill more jobs and pay half the tax rates YOU do. How UNCHRISTIAN and UNPATRIOTIC the right wing is. It is just sickening.
I think I am going to archive your posts. Whenever I feel blue and need a chuckle I’ll think of you.
Ya, typical socialist lies. Mussolini would be so proud of you people who work to destroy the American ideal and bash the dream. How Unchristian and unpatriotic you socialists are.
Again. Everything you ignorant blow-hard T-tards hate is called socialism. Wahhh. Weak. Worn out. And now you’re just silly. Man the pumps boys, the T-Tard BS is getting too thin to shovel.
Jesus was a socialist. Look it up.
Another example of a turn of a phrase in one generation becoming fact in another.
No, Ol’ Jesus kept an offshore account.
He used to walk out to it when he needed money.
Funny! Thanks for the laugh.
For your information Facisma nd Socialism are at the opposite ends of the political spectrum.
fas·cism
(fshzm)
n.
1. often Fascism
a. A system of government marked by centralization of
authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the
opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent
nationalism and racism.
b. A political philosophy or movement based on or
advocating such a system of government.
2. Oppressive, dictatorial control.fascism [ˈfæʃɪzəm]
n (sometimes capital)
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) any ideology
or movement inspired by Italian Fascism, such as German National Socialism; any
right-wing nationalist ideology or movement with an authoritarian and
hierarchical structure that is fundamentally opposed to democracy and
liberalism
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) any
ideology, movement, programme, tendency, etc., that may be characterized as
right-wing, chauvinist, authoritarian, etchttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/fascism
Where do you come up with such unhinged drivel anyway?
The MSNBC manual.
Let’s hope so. Gov. LePage ran on the ticket to clean up some of the abuses in this state and, by God, that;s just what he’s doing. Kudos for LePage!!
How do you know that is what he is doing? He has only told us that he has a secret.
Pure speculation… But as LePage said, it will cause the Democrats to dislike the idea so must have something to do with thier socalist agenda.
He is going to enact the Republican —Fascist Agenda —First!
“But as LePage said, it will cause the Democrats to dislike the idea so must have something to do with thier socalist agenda. ” … while promoting his National Socialist one ?
If you were a security or political adviser to a Maine State Legislator would you advise him drop campaigning and attend the Governah’s snipe hunt ?
What are the quorum requirements for calling the Maine Legislature into special session ?
I’m just asking … anyone know ? … but sure, I’m playing the same kind of political games that Gov. LePage is, too.
What of it ?
Do you think liberal citizens should behave better than the conservative leadership does, for some reason ?
Don’t assume anything w/this buffoon at the helm. He might even turn on his own party as he’s done so many times already. And still you just don’t get it.
He is putting the Democrats on—– Double —-Secret —Probation!
Delta House,
It’s time to do something —extraordinary–!
Or desperate.
Yeah, get rid of you socialists.
Oh yes. Anything you ignorant blow hards disagree with you call socialism. The rhetoric is about as thin as anything else you T-Tards pump out. And you will not defeat honest progressive with worn out buzz words and lying smears. We’re on to you, your tactics, your lies and your bullying. And we’re not afraid to push back. Its not 2004 anymore.
so you won’t be signing up for socialist medicare when you are eligible, right?
LePage is DIRTYING this state with every boneheaded word he utters and every job-killing corporate toadie thing he tries to do. He is a DISGRACE and a STAIN ON THE BLAINE.
Wow, the intelligence behind that comment is blinding.
It really doesn’t do much good to just cover up abuses with more of them!
He needs to inform the people he works for. Imaging going to your boss and saying I am doing something really big and I am not going to tell you at all because I don’t know if its legal. How would that fly? Him not telling us is showing a complete disregard for the democratic process and frankly it is very very scary. The People should not be keep in the dark, especially if it is of questionable according to the constitution.
Kind of like when the dems rammed through Obamacare? Naw, can’t be like that…
So thick and full of BS you would take 2 weeks to read, Nancy said just pass it.
They will be taking a beating on that mistake for a long time… basic politics 101… get help from the opposition on something as wide-ranging and personal as healthcare.
It cost em 63 house seats in 2010 for not understanding that lesson. More beatings coming.
Keep dreaming. Especially here in Maine as we prepare to CRUSH the TeaRadicals come November. And you and LeBUFFOON both know it, which is why he is trying to follow the ALEC lead and sneak the anti-job, anti-middle class corporate toadie crud laws in before the POUNDING the TeaToadies are going to suffer in November.
I can always identify your posts by the ignorance stained capital letters.
Keep dreaming. Especially here in Maine as we prepare to defend the Tea Party come November. You and LeTinserblic know it, which is why you are being defeated in the next election. Pounding the tinkerlicks and their socialists buddies are going to suffer for the next few years.
Time will tell, GE, time will tell. You TPers have messed this state up bad enough…time to go
and take that hypocrite-in-chief governor with you.
Defend the T-tards? ROFL. They deserved to be flushed like old toilet paper. Frauds!
there is no tea party, just a radical sect of republicans.
oh o, your caps key is getting stuck again…
When the heads of the opposition party (McConnell and Boehner and Cantor) decide from the first day of Obama’s presidency that they were going to block everything he tried so as to make him a failure/one-term president, then you can’t blame Obama for not getting them to cooperate. He tried. I watched the televised meetings on health care. I read about Obama’s invitations to the Congress to come to the White House and he was rebuffed. I was angry that he tried so long to work with the Obstructionists and I am happy that he’s working hard for the people instead of trying to work with them.
Then you don’t remember very clearly. I recall a couple meetings at the White House that were no more than photo ops. Stimulus and ACA. He invited them later but he Obama had already told them that he didn’t need their votes. He didn’t having an unassailable majority in both houses of Congress.
You don’t refuse to meet with the President unless you have previously been dissed really hard.
Oh what hogwash. Absolute and total ridiculous nonsense. The Affordable Care Act occurred through a months-long legislative process in two bodies of national legislature, all with public input, in public committees, and on the public record. In addition, ObamaCare is virtually identical to RomneyCare and chock full of provisions that were originally Republican ideas including the health insurance mandate, or, as Romney calls it, the “Individual Responsibility Provision”. Enough of the falsehoods and nonsense.
Wash it any way you can, it is the same thing.
No. For the reasons Tinserbilic stated, it is not the same thing.
Obamacare set a precedent as being the largest entitlement program to voted in on party lines. SS, Medicaid/care, and other such entitlements received significant support from both parties. The budget reconciliation process Reid and Pelosi relied upon is the definition of “ramming through” legislation. Get a clue, will you?
There is a difference between legilation you do not like. And being sectrative. Republicans yell that we should run the government like a business. Imagine me going to my boss and telling him I am going to do something that Half our employees and customers do not like, I do not know if it is legal and I am not going to tell you. What boss would allow that?
Romney!
Our little corporal
Our little wallpaper hanger, is more like it.
He has seen polls that show the dems take over in November and this is his last chance for pushing his agenda. It will be DOA and much ado about nothing.
Not many polls talking about dems taking over, NE. Get out of the liberal echo chamber and truly try to understand what is happening and what will happen in November.
Wow, talk about trying to dupe the people of Maine. Repulicans and democrates alike are elected by the people to represent the people of Maine. So he’s going to try to put something past the democrates, the democrates who are there to represent a population within the State? Shame, shame! Like it or not we ALL are to have a say in what goes on within the State. Like him or not, I will not vote for him!
Yes, its a big secret, oh my… Going to bring the state to its knees….
So our esteemed Governor goes to a Bangor bar and tells a bunch of die hard supporters that he has a “secret” plan. He isn’t sure he can pull off this wonderful “secret plan” of his because Maine has that pesky document called a Constitution. But fear not faithful tea party parrots LePage has our giant of a legal scholar the Attorney General trying to figure out a way to make LePage’s “secret plan” Constitutional. You remember our Attorney General, he’s the guy who couldn’t figure out if Poliquin was violating Maine’s Constitution. LePage then went on to tell his drinking pals at the bar that his “secret plan” would put Maine on what he claims will be the right path for the next ten years. Of course this is also the guy who went from one end of the State to the other in 2010 telling everyone he had “the” plan to create JOBS, JOBS, JOBS for Mainers. Today the US Dept of Labor named Maine as one of only 5 States in the entire country to have had a net loss of jobs in the past 12 months. The thing that seemed to stand out in the recording that was made at the Bangor bar while LePage was entertaining his drinking buds was never once did he say that the People of Maine would benefit from his “secret plan”. Nope nothing about the People he was elected to serve. He did , judging by his words, give the impression that this “secret plan” of his would really PO democrats. So what do we have here? We have a loudmouthed failure (the jobs thing) who really hasn’t been in the News very much lately telling his bar buddies all about this mysterious “secret plan”. And of course as soon as his drinking pals heard that it was designed to upset the dems they all did what was expected and cheered him on. So LePage got the attention that he just has to have, kind of like the spoiled three year old at a wedding who throws a tantrum just for attention. The media got a story and the People of Maine will end up getting either nothing or the bill or even worse….. both. I would be willing to bet this isn’t the first time , nor will it be the last, that a loudmouth jerk has said something in a bar just to get attention. The people of Maine have to end this tea party loudmouth”s foolishness on November 6th.
4mer… something before the election would have to be wildly popular but the Democrats would hate.
So now we find out that LePage has changed his mind on calling the legislature back into session to unveil his “secret plan”. It really isn’t that different then the drunk at the bar that is shooting off his loudmouth after a few drinks just to get attention. And like the loudmouth obnoxious drunk at the bar now that he has sobered up he denies ever saying anything about a “secret plan”. This insanity has to end and the people of Maine can take a giant step towards doing just that on November 6.
Fred Flintstone is at it again! He’s not a governor…he’s a DICTATOR. He decided NOT to issue bonds even though we voted (by 58 percent) to do so….5 MONTHS BEFORE he got into office. I’m really looking forward to working on getting him OUT of office in a few years.
would you rather have a puppet in office
I believe we do have a “puppet” already in the Blaine House!!! His name is LePage.
He’s so obvious. “The other Repub states are doing this so we should, too. ALEC says we should so we will because we are ALEC’s puppet”.
How sad for the great state of Maine. Really sad.
Edie Moore is at it again! She is not a commenter, she’s dictating how LePage should govern. She decided NOT to wait until she knows what he is going to do before commenting. Issuing her 2cents 5 months after he is elected Governor. I’m really looking forward to working to keep him in office in a few years.
Gov “Dean Wormer” LePage has the special session on double secret probation!
I’ll say one thing about Governor LePage. He keeps outdoing himself. When he first took office, I thought a good nickname for him would be Frontpage LePage. He had a knack for getting there, but he is much better at it than I ever could have imagined. So far the polls on the BDN are running 85 to 15 against his comment. But maybe Governor LePage likes the old adage, “They can say anything they want to about me as long as they spell my name right.”
The Republican/MHPC/ALEC/Tea Party sure is loaded with drama queens. Governor LePage seems to glory in publicity. He apparently has nothing positive or negative at the moment to get his name in the paper, so he puts out a hypothetical. Please deliver us from this mistake.
Typical alcoholic behavior………. create a crisis
How dare this governor try to enact policy that we hate without letting us know about it first so we can demonize it, him and everything Republican and stop it before the legislative process even begins! How dare he!
How dare you try to enact your own prejudices before the governor and everything Republican and stop him before the legislative process begins, how dare you!
Um….I think, G.E., that Kouch is being sarcastic. Odd that you don’t recognize it. Maybe you should go back to school – but maybe in another state since LePage says all our schools are second-rate and the teachers are no good bums. Try Mississippi or Alabama. They’d love to have you in school down there.
It would not be a Secret policy if he told us what it was. duh
Well, he didn’t want to tell *us*. He wanted to tell his bestie friends!
Maybe he wants to hire the rest of his family?
Could be…
A man of stature.
But hardly a man of statute.
A veritable rotunda of a man.
I suspect that the secret plan is to increase allocations to UMaine for more athletic facilities and to the UMaine System for more highly paid administrators. Who could possibly oppose these?
the governor is just doing his job like he’s supposed to he’s not in office to play games and worry about hurting peoples feeling he’s one of the best governors we’ve had in awhile he’s was left with a massive debt to deal with he’s doing what needs to be done to get rid of the debt and put us back in the + column yes we are going to have some hard times but us mainers are tough as heck we’ll come out of this stronger than ever
you call passing tax cuts that will leave $700 million dollar hole getting rid of debt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Man, are you living in never never land!!
The fool is a disaster!
We can only hope…grounds for impeachment???
What a comment, instigating and unintelligent.
LePage can’t tell–he himself doesn’t yet know what the Secret Plan is–he’s awaiting the details, which will arrive in an anonymous fax.
From MHPC/ALEC/Tea Party/Grover Norquist.
No, I don’t think he should reveal. However, neither should he have bragged about his plan unless he intended to reveal.
The way I read LePage’s comments, Dems are likely to dislike the special session becasue they will actually have to work. I listened to a committee session this week live on the net, and all I heard were Dem legislators complaining about having to be there. Pathetic.
We can only hope that the Rep. representatives will refuse to come in just like they did earlier this year.
Democrat or Republican, the idea that the governor of a state, any state, would to try to push through legislation without allowing time for ALL of the state (not just his allies) to debate and discuss is not the American ideal. Ironic that LePage has the support of the teaparty.
Keep them busy LePage, they are going nuts.
Sneaky and dirty are always done best behind close doors and out of the light of day. As dim as our governor is, he at least knows this.
Keep the Dems in suspense Mr. Governor.We have been held hostage for 30 plus years with Augusta politics and one sided papers like the Bangor Daily News.Surely the Dems should understand what is going on!
On the other hand, maybe there are a whole bunch of us out hear who like what he is doing, like the way he does it, and look forward to it. Maybe there are thousands of Maine voters who think like the Gov thinks. People who support and approve. I’ve said this before, it must be maddening to you, consider how we all felt for forty years. Any supporters give me a like on that?
If a ‘whole bunch’ equates to 39% in the last election (or the train wreck as the rest of us refer to it) – well then there’s your ‘bunch.’ I suspect that 39% is what LePage will max out at. At this point I think it safe to say- the whole ‘rest of us’ say……..61% will guarantee he never sees a second term and it will be another 30+ years before another like him does as well.
What is it that you like about the Governor and what he has done since he has taken office ? Please be specific.
We’ll find out in November how many people in Maine support him.
What a bizarre governor we have – now it’s secret , special sessions. Next it will be double , secret , special sessions held at Fort Knox with torches. What an embarassment !
So much for the GOP’s ‘government with transparency’
How nice. Maine’s worse governor in history has a secret plan that will make most of the state hate him even more. I had no idea that’s how good government functioned. He must be so proud of himself! Enlighten us, Mr LePage….What can it be? Another cushy job for a family member? Did you find more art work honoring Maine’s working people to deface or destroy? Do you intend to fast track a voter suppression law? Destroy all unions? Turn Orchard Beach into a junk store? Deport all people with brains? I do not know and I do not care. It will probably again be anything the Heritage Center and the CATO institute pay him to do and the disgusted people of Maine will lose even more.
Maine needs a recall election provision in its constitution. So this never happens again.
Okay, political point of views put aside for one moment please! Stop arguing over Obama, it’s getting old…obviously the majority of the country wanted him as president…thats why he’s president. The issue at hand, whether you’re republican or democrat, is the fact that our Governor has hidden information from the people of Maine. How are you not offended by the fact that he is making decisions for the Maine people without consulting the Maine people?! Even REPUBLICANS! He left you out too, unless you have some political power. The point is…as a Governor of any state…you do not hide information, plans for our future or any other issue that affects the people of your state and country without the people knowing and deciding for themselves…thus the power to vote. Which also seems to be in question now. We need to stand united as a state and a country and put aside ridiculous allegations and absurd behavior.
Impeach him IMMEDIATELY!
So Tipping is a left wing blogger and someone made a couple of bucks when they handed him this recording. How many times could this have happened when the shoe was on the other foot, and someone on the Republican side would try to snitch on the Democratic or like Democratic Governor?? We may never know because the left wing press/blogger would not want their info getting out to us the general public!! Do I think Gov. LePage should have said anything? No I don’t, He is the self-proclaimed “Front Page LePage”. Do I agree with his policies to get Maine on the right Track? You bet I do! I don’t want my kids to live in another State for the only reason of making a decent living to pay off their school loans! I want Maine to finally get off the bottom of every economic poll and be the State where other people’s kids move to get the good paying job! I sware this must have had how Moses felt leading the Israelies out of Egypt, it took them 40 years to make an 11 day trip. The Israelies didn’t know anything but slavery and became comfortable with what they knew. Maine commentors also appear to be comfortable with Democratic rule from the last 40 years and want us to stay the way we have been the last 40 years: POOR!
Thats how I know Gov. La Paige is doing such a fine job the democrats scream like cornered rats they claim they are for the people, they claim they want to stop waste fraud and abuse but just let someone start doing it and these comments are the result. Lets me know the Governor is on the right track and God Bless him Full speed ahead!
Soooo, WHY was this ever a secret? Liquor revenues to hospitals? Secret? Um ok. It makes no sense. The Governor could have easily disclosed this to the ultra-loyal audience he was talking to. This smells.