Pine Tree Politics

Merry Christmas from Washington DC

Posted on 24. Dec, 2009 by Matthew Gagnon.

It is Christmas Eve, and we here at Pine Tree Politics would like to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas. We will have very spotty updates on this site for the next week or so – but after the holidays we will be back to our usual multiple articles per day, breaking news, [...]

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MEA & the Race to the Top

Posted on 23. Dec, 2009 by Derek Viger.

The Maine Education Association’s views on the federal Race to the Top program.

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Susan Collins Explains Healthcare Position

Posted on 22. Dec, 2009 by Matthew Gagnon.

Today, Senator Susan Collins released a web video on healthcare.  The video features Collins talking about the issues for over seven minutes – and she talks about the major complaints she has about the bill. See below:

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MEA Prepares For Battle

Posted on 22. Dec, 2009 by Derek Viger.

The Maine Education Association will be fighting cuts to education funding.

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Decision on Webster v. Dunlap

Posted on 22. Dec, 2009 by Derek Viger.

On November 2nd, Republican Party Chair Charlie Webster filed a lawsuit against Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap.  Webster filed suit because Dunlap missed the deadline for verifying signatures for the People’s Veto of the recent Tax Reform Bill.  A little over a week after Webster filed the suit, Dunlap verified the signatures.  The legal [...]

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Susan Collins Will Not Vote For Healthcare Reform

Posted on 20. Dec, 2009 by Matthew Gagnon.

In a statement issued earlier today, Senator Collins’ office confirmed that she will not be voting for the healthcare reform package. Given Olympia Snowe’s refusal to vote for the reform bill as well, this means that the Senate bill will pass on a straight party line vote – 60-40 (2 of the 60 being Independents [...]

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Senator Snowe Will Not Support Healthcare Bill

Posted on 20. Dec, 2009 by Matthew Gagnon.

Olympia Snowe may have voted for the healthcare compromise bill coming out of committee, but as I predicted quite some time ago, the current bill in front of the Senate looks a great deal different than it did then. Since that vote, she has seemed to increasingly distance herself from the compromise legislation being crafted [...]

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GOP Leaders Respond to Budget

Posted on 18. Dec, 2009 by Derek Viger.

Governor Baldacci made his supplemental budget changes public today.  The cuts, totaling $438 million, have prompted a response from the Maine GOP’s legislative leaders, Senate GOP Leader Kevin Raye and House GOP Leader Josh Tardy.  The two gives kudos to Baldacci for not increasing taxes to meet budget shortfalls.  Raye and Tardy are still concerned [...]

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Balancing the Budget

Posted on 17. Dec, 2009 by Rob Tornoe.

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Christian Civic League of Maine Pushing Dean Scontras

Posted on 16. Dec, 2009 by Matthew Gagnon.

Just received a release from Mike Hein – who, incidentally just sent me something about Bob Emrich running for Josh Tardy’s seat in the Maine House as well – ringing the bell on Dean Scontras for Congress. The release (which can be viewed here) notes a recent meeting between staff members of the Christian Civic [...]

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