AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage sent Christmas holiday and New Year’s greetings to Mainers, saying this is a time for family but also to remember troops serving around the world.
In his weekly radio address, LePage recalls visiting Arlington National Cemetery recently, an experience he calls “humbling.” He said the holidays are especially difficult for families with deployed loved ones, and he thanked them for their service.
In the Democratic response, state Sen. Colleen Lachowicz of Waterville said America experienced one of its biggest tragedies with last week’s school shootings in Newtown, Conn.
Lachowicz said lawmakers looking for ways to make their communities safer must not be divided by politics. She said they must strengthen their resolve to address the real factors that led to that tragedy.
OK crybabies, have at it, you must certainly find something wrong with this???
Yes
Nice to see the respect for our deployed troops. What a guy..
I don’t have a problem with the troops. I have a problem with LePage.. he’s insincere and a hypocrite and a lousy governor. You are in the minority with the others who glorify the man.
Nice try to infer something I didn’t say.
“You are in the minority with the others who glorify the man”. Did I ever say I glorify the man? Speaking of infer something I didn’t say??? This story is about the troops and you clowns turn it into a guv bash fest. Childish punks!
Bah humbag to him and merry christmas happy holidays to everyone else.
Well heck. I didn’t do any Christmas shopping. I didn’t think we all would still be here. ;>) Merry Christmas to all.
Merry Christmas Governor LePage.
I sent him an email wishing Merry Christmas, he said the same to me, what a great leader.
I second that motion…Merry Christmas Governor LePage !!
I too wish Gov. LePage and his family a Merry Christmas.
Give him a call and see if he’ll take it.
Humble this Mr. LePage, we’re sick of you and your government cronies, New World Order.
Get-R_Done Mr. Lepage!!!
NWO, like Obama , yup NEW WORLD of OBAMA
Classic political statement/deflection. When you’ve done nothing but harm people it’s always a good idea to attempt to play on the emotions of the electorate by asking them to think of others who’ve actually made real sacrifices. Cheers to the troops. Lump of coal for those who’ve thought only of themselves.
Tell that to Ann LePage, the first lady. I cannot disagree with you any more about the governor’s intentions. You misread him all the way.
Ann LePage? Sure the troops are her thing, but why are you trying to change the subject from Mr. LePage to her? Looks like yet another classic example of politics 101. Deflect, deflect, deflect.
Sure, myself and 60-70% of the electorate must have misread the quality of the man. Maybe more tracking would help us to see him as the jolly fellow in black of your dreams?
In these hard economic times we can’t help but wonder how many LePage family members on the taxpayer’s payroll will get a raise this year. One, two, or all three? We all hope they find enough to eat and use all their coal to stay warm and cuddly in their four posted beds this winter.
Have you no decency towards anyone? Our governor was duly elected. It’s one thing to oppose his policies. It’s quite another thing to demonize him. “It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
Why are you talking about “anyone” when the conversation is about Mr. LePage? Looks like yet another attempt at deflection.
It’s actually the people I’m concerned about. You and Mr. LePage, I’m not at all so sure about that.
“Demonize,” is that what Mr. LePage’s history of actions and statements amounts to for you? Okay… I’m not sure I’d take a religous angle here but it’s a free world, so you may do as you like. In the meantime I’ll just try sticking to the facts.
If you stick to the facts you would realize Mr. LePage gave a warm Christmas message. Rather than address the content of his message you chose instead to use this opportunity to put him down. Yes, while many LePage haters might agree with you, others see you as a hater because no matter what he does or says you react with hostile criticism. Is this what you want to be known as?
“Hate” is your (again deflective to cull sympathy) word not mine.
I don’t mind at all if people know that I don’t approve of the things Mr. LePage has said or done. Given the gravity of those statements and actions I don’t think it’s unreasonable for anyone to doubt now that he’s really capable of saying anything that wasn’t a calculated (in this case of course by someone else) attempt to gain favor from a citizenry that up until now he’s done nothing but insult.
If it would make you feel any better I would say that I don’t think I’m treating him with any less respect than I would to any other politician that consistently abuses the people who elected them or whom they rule over. Those who sit in public office or upon self-made thrones need to grow thick skins. Those who don’t often turn into tyrants and are always eventually chased away.
Even when he says something all decent people can agree with, you continue to discredit him and say something outlandish like you stated in your reply: ” he’s done nothing but insult them (citizenry)” and “…consistently abuses people”.
Really? Does he really do nothing but insult the citizenry? Does he consistently abuse people? Has it ever occurred to you like the audio player in your mind is stuck on such negative phrases?
LePage is a sick man and needs to be called out..His temper knows no bounds..
Is the light of the night a torch held by a Knight of the right, is it the enlightenment of arming all and rejoicing in the conflict created, or Is it the result of the darkness of the right and it’s dark enlightenment that is foisted on those who do not want it’s righteously right message?
“demonize him”. LePage has done nothing but demonize the people of this great state since his election..He will be duly forgotten in two years..kind of like the way one forgets of a case of bad gas..
“…has done nothing but demonize”? Really? Let’s do all we can to get him out now. We don’t really need anybody who does nothing but demonize. Let’s call back Baldacci. He’ll fix things up like he did to the Maine economy.
Who’s “demonizing” now? Ever since LePage started his little nightmare in the Blaine House and with every incident of his ineptitude in the position you have “demonized” the last two prior governors in a futile attempt to legitimize his actions. I’m telling you now, there’s no legitimizing some of the things he has said and done. If he can’t legitimize it, and he can’t, now people are picking on him?
Two years in and Paul has failed..The man spends all his time fault finding..while following a flawed teagender..BYE BYE Paulie good luck in FLA
He’s an incompetent bully whose doing a lousy job, let’s not kid ourselves. While it’s nice that his wife has taken up the ’cause’ of soldiers, it was a pretty safe bet for her. Who doesn’t want to support troops? Penguin should take a lesson from her and learn to play the middle.
For your information the governor has indeed taken a lesson from his wife Ann. He meets her annually at Arlington National Cemetery for the laying of wreaths. Anyway, he’s no more a bully than you or me. When I hear such general statements I know this is only an image his detractors want to tack on to him to demonize and humiliate him publicly. I hope and pray it backfires on them and he wins back his job in the next gubernatorial election. You and your ilk can fool the public only so long without exposing your true colors.
Our First Lady Michelle Obama also works with military families all the time. Bravo!
Sad for you if that is all you see. Merry Christmas.
Well thank you for your sensitivity here “Distillrelaxin.”
Lots of folks no longer simply accept “prepared” words out of a Politian’s mouth to have much meaning. Especially after that politician has said and done so many hateful things about us.
Now had Mr. LePage taken this moment to make a few apologies for some of the things he’s said and done, asked for forgiveness and promised that he’d try to do better by us in the future, then I’d have said, “Huh, maybe he’s not hopeless after all.” We all know by now he’s NEVER going to do any such thing. That’s why his prepared words here sound so hollow and why so many people aren’t falling over themselves with appreciation that he’s attempted to turn to our pride and emotions about our troops in an attempt to make himself look like the leader that he clearly is not.
There seems to be a concerted effort by the righteously right to demonize anyone that doesn’t think like they do, whether it be God guns or politics their “rightalishusness” is beyond reason or question
Lots of folks no longer simply accept your prepared words here either. Attacking our governor with every article published. Had he taken a few moments to apologize blah blah blah you would have jumped on this board to say that he is not genuine and an awful man. You and your thumbs up liberal brigade that troll these boards incessantly have finally revealed your true colors as mean spirited, twisted scrooges that can gather no joy in anything except criticizing our governor who can’t even give it a rest for one article just before Christmas.
There is little as truly mean spirited as what the righteous right has leveled on all who do not agree with their righteous views. Many on this earth do not celebrate Christmas only a minority do. In this war which is the battle of extreme domination of the world and all it’s resources (New World Order) there will be no rest, holidays and politicians be damned.
Try about 3 oz. of Laphroaig 10 y.o. Scotch with a single ice cube.
Keep your cheap scotch and the mikoxafolpen, better you lay your thumb on that lump of coal in your stocking hung with care and crack it with a big olé hammer and you will feel better.
Take that back. Laphroaig is anything but cheap, and infinitely more pleasurable for me than hitting my thumb with a hammer. How strange your views.
“Prepared by whom?” I’m just a concerned citizen, a nobody, someone you need pay no attention to what-so-ever. I don’t have Mr. LePage’s slush fund, team of Negative Nancy’s, or any heritage center groupies propping me up here.
I could create quite a list of deviant world or state leaders to whom I would not “give it a rest” to even once before Christmas. Mr. LePage is on that list and is slowly building his way to the top. Your problem is that you can’t see past your politics enough to know just how badly Paul LePage is harming your state, people, business, and party.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Goodnight, Mr. Cutler. Maybe you will win next time.
“I’m just a concerned citizen, a nobody, someone you need pay no attention to what-so-ever.”. Your obsession with Governor Paul LePage does you no credit, in fact, it makes most of your posts here appear incredulous. Have you considered seeking professional help?
It’s a public forum, LePage is a public figure that we as a people have a right to be critical of.
He begs for the criticism and he deserves i.
Thanks for turning a message to us overseas into your own propaganda. practice what you preach….and by the way…YOU’RE WELCOME.
What a great leader, saying thanks to the troops. He would of joined the Armed Forces but they wouldn’t let him, at least he is serving people politcally, he cares.
The yellow chicken ran and hid in Canada. Our government wanted the loser for mess duty and cleaning toilets.
And Clinton was in Russia and London. Wasn’t it Carter that pardoned draft dodgers.
Bill Clinton joined the ROTC and was released from duty when the war ended.
Was he in London a Russia during the War?
Bill Clinton volunteered for and was excepted into the US military’s ROTC program.
Paul “stolen honor” Lepage repaid all the help and free education the US gave him by moving to Canada as soon as his draft deferral ended.
Making excuses for Bill huh, Russia and England protesting.
You have no respect for the US military ROTC vetting process.
That fits right in with your love of Paul ” I abandoned my two little children in Canada” Lepage.
and Clinton was where. I respect ROTC, though I do not think they should be in a communist country while we have soldiers dying in one.
I’ll try one more time. Bill Clinton was a member of the US military ROTC program while he was in collage.
Paul Lepage ran away to Canada where he abandoned his two little children after the draft ended.
Your continued support for a scumbag like Paul Lepage does you no honor.
You can say all you want he was in ROTC, the fact is he was in Russia during the war, getting away from it. Dems didn’t do much in the last several years did they.
No, he didn’t go to Canada to hide. HIs first wife was home sick and wanted to be where she was raised. When offered a job in Canada by his father-lin-law he moved there with his family. On account of the draft lottery in existence then, his name was not drawn for compulsory service to country. Had it been drawn he would have been obligated to present himself for the draft, regardless of his resident. Those are the facts. Thus, you have no reasonable bases for insinuating he went to Canada to avoid the draft.
If what you say is true then why has Lepage refused to publish his Birth certificate, passports and drivers licence?
LePage does not publish BC’s, passports, and DR’s. That work is done by a publisher that prints for the public. Besides, the question of LePage’s improbable intent to avoid the draft is a moot point. His draft lottery number was publicized for all to see that he was not required to appear for the draft. I don’t even know why his detractors keep bringing this issue up. Every time they do they look foolish.
Lepage claims he was born in October but he has a well documented reputation for telling lies.
The left has never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
thanks for the laugh stevey!
Any time…
surely, as Mainers, we can all embrace this message.
A agree with you. And that is what the entire article was about. I give you credit for recognizing his message and not second-guessing his motives.
thanks, whawell.
In a world where governments have unlimited force at their disposal it is better for lesser politicians to acknowledge the efforts of unlimited force than shun them. When religion and government combine to unite themselves as one, beware of the consequences they represent, the New World Order may be more of a reality then you think.
Watching “Christmas Carol” was a wonderful reflection on the amazing similarity between the chief exponent in this Dickens classic, and the state’s leader.
Unfortunately and in reality, the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present were of no consequence to Le Page. The governor, as usual, managed to shrug off his two “Bah Humbug” years and open his heart to the poor, the homeless, and unemployed.
Thus ends the similarity. He missed the happy conversion, and the ability to accept the realities of life, as his counterpart did in the Dickens denouement.
how about Obama’s 4 bah humbug years, unless you call that fiasco Obama care something, you could call it costly
After eight years of Bush-Cheney-Rove-Rumsfeld and co., we’re lucky to be still here.
Two wars! Trillions of dollars. Thousands of lives. The Wall Street Bail Out, housing foreclosures, terrorist attacks -9/11 – and others, a teetering auto industry, massive unemployment, huge tax cuts for the richest of rich – ah, what else? Oh – yeah – a recession.
The tea party-controlled republican lost the election. People know you can’t plug a Grand Canyon style slump with a sink stopper. Same with a recession and two unnecessary wars.created and backed by the tea party controlled republican party.
I thought we were talking about Le Page?
“Same with a recession and two unnecessary wars.created and backed by the tea party controlled republican party.”
The tea party, (which i have no alleigence or affiliation with), was not even heard of until after the Bush administration.
Tea Party activists openly started endorsing presidential candidates in 2009. However, since 2001 the movement had been expressing their derision with unfavorable legislative decisions by mailing legislators tea bags. Popular tea party flag wavers: Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman and Rand Paul.
wall st bail out who did that? ant that is because of the Barney Franki mess. What has Obama done in 4 years, messed up the medical care,n ow we are going to pay ore than ever. how about Egypt, Syria, Lybia, the Muslim Brotherhood
Brucie stick to the subject at hand.
should of said that to briney should not you have? But, to get back to point, there is nothing wrong with him sending greetings to our troops, nor any other party
US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson proposed a plan under which the Treasury would acquire up to $700 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities The plan was immediately backed by President George W. Bush and negotiations began with leaders in the U.S. Congress to draft appropriate legislation.
Over the past four years the president has been fighting to pull the country out of a recession. Each day he has met brick wall opposition especially from leading republicans – Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, et al.
The so-called Obamacare is aimed at reducing medical costs for all people. The plan is already effectively lowering prescription prices for seniors. It has knocked out that stringent insurance measure which prevented anyone with a previously diagnosed condition from obtaining health care. It has also made it possible for families to keep their children on their insurance until age 26. The plan has not been fully implemented as yet.
Chief opposition is generated by Congressional members who enjoy huge contributions from major medical and pharmeceutical corporations.
The president was handed two wars. Besides fighting terrorism he advocated and successfully banded North Atlantic air power to assist in the overthrow of terrorist Khadafi. He also successfully deployed a strike team to destroy Osama Bin Laden. The heaviest sanctions ever imposed have been lowered on Syria. He has established a Red Line, warning Iran that we will attack if they take a fateful step into production of nuclear war heads.
This president stepped into a recession, whereas George W. Bush was handed a huge surplus when he took office.
In any case. this was supposed to be about Le Page.
Merry Christmas
Off subject. Stick to the subject at hand. take training will help:)
My brother was in Vietnam while Paul Richard Lepage was hiding out in New Brunswick.
Lepage is trying to steal honor from the men and woman who served .
how pathetic, one side bashing the other for things both sides do. be loyal to the country, not a political party. be an independent thinker.
So true.
It’s painfully clear by many of the comments, “peace on earth, good will to all men” has been thrown right out the window. Once agin, Merry Christmas Governor Lepage.
He doesn’t have a sincere thought in his head. Using the troops as an excuse to make nice that’s all.
As a state employee, I did not feel it was necessary to be told how to think.
Thank you Mr. LePage….You are a great man, a pillar of the community.
You mean the Governor that was just selected as the “Worst” Governor ever elected in the Maine history. Yup, that is your man. Now send the Clown back to Canada as Mardens won’t have him back.
Where and when was this selection you speak of??????…..Please dont make stuff up.