This post comes a bit late, but I believe some events on the State’s college campuses could explain the abysmall failure of TABOR. At Bowdoin College the Brunswick town clerk came to the Student Union for an early vote day. The turn out was incredible and lines stretched clear out the door. Most of the enthusiasm was centered around question 1, but operatives in the college democrats made sure to “help” the students make “informed” votes with regard to questions 2 and 4. They strolled the lines telling students “No on 1, 2, and 4.”

Thats it. No explanantion as to the matter at hand. It was Machine style, corral voting, and a serious violation of election law. Not only were voters being influenced in the immediate vicinity of the polling station, No on 1 campaign material was clearly visible within feet of the booths.

The Brunswick town clerk was clearly derilict in her duty. She might as well have filled the ballots out for them!

I would expect a similar process took place at all campuses.

I grew up in Maine and lived there for 25 years. Everyone I have EVER discussed politics with – Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, has essentially come down to a very similar point of view on government.

Namely, that they want their taxes lower, they want government spending to be more efficient, targeted and effective, and they want to be “left alone”.

Mainers have a very “live and let live” sensibility. Yes, the gay marriage vote didn’t exactly send that message, but you should keep in mind that this is an off year election, and the fear based Yes on 1 campaign “got to” a lot of people who I think ordinarily tend to not want the government to dictate our lives.

You can say you are gobsmacked that I suggested it, but I am equally as gobsmacked that you wouldn’t consider it a possibility. As I said, basically everyone I’ve ever talked to has these same sensibilities. The trouble really is that our government hasn’t reflected those sensibilities in a long time.

Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans speak to this basic underlying Maine psyche, and that is why both parties are losing members and independents gain so much.

I think deep down, most Mainers want somebody to take careful care of the budget, spend wisely, do not waste money or grow government (socially OR fiscally) so that it runs our lives, and again, allows its citizens to live and let live.

I do not believe the November election reflected the true voting sensibilities of the people of this state – ESPECIALLY on fiscal matters. And that was the point of this article – the vote on 4 had nothing to do with Mainers wanting or not wanting fiscal conservatism… it was a statement that they don’t like arbitrary math to decide what our priorities are. Simple as that.

You want to know the psyche? I think the average Maine voter falls a LONG way from libertarianism if 52% of us are able to justify continued bigotry and selective application of law in order to “protect” a religious institution.

Guess which side won?

No more analysis is needed.