Archive for 'Commentary'
Chellie Pingree To Vote Against Obama’s War
Posted on 01. Jul, 2010 by Matthew Gagnon.
Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree took to Facebook to announce her opposition to any “war funding” in the supplemental budget: I plan on opposing war funding in the supplemental budget. The war in Afghanistan has gone on too long, has cost us far too much in lives lost and dollars spent, and is not making America [...]
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Hey Maine Lawmakers: Maybe, Just Maybe, It Is Time To Update Your Digital Presence
Posted on 01. Jul, 2010 by Matthew Gagnon.
Ladies and gentlemen, take a journey with me into the Hot Tub Time Machine and step back to 1996. Or 1998. Some time in the late 1990s – it doesn’t really matter. You see, that is the era that the Maine legislature‘s website seemingly belongs in. Worse (dramatically so) is the Maine House‘s site. Even [...]
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Snowe and Collins Continue to Fight “Carried Interest” Tax Hike
Posted on 25. Jun, 2010 by Matthew Gagnon.
A few weeks ago I wrote how important Senators Snowe and Collins were to the success or failure of the “carried interest” tax hike bill. Now Maine Watchdog has picked up the issue with their own story. “Mike Burgmaier, a former Maine-based venture capitalist, said the potential changes could have “pretty significant and negative impacts [...]
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Bonanza – A Day In The Life Of Congressional Candidate Dean Scontras
Posted on 24. Jun, 2010 by Garrett Murch.
This past Tuesday I tagged along the campaign trail with Dean Scontras, candidate for Maine’s 1st Congressional District seat. What an eye-opening day. I believe we made a total of nine stops around town, none of them set up simply to be with fellow Republican enthusiasts. Although my conclusions may paint me naïve (as so [...]
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Big Labor Targets Snowe And Collins On So-Called “Jobs Bill”
Posted on 24. Jun, 2010 by Matthew Gagnon.
AFSCME and Americans United for Change (you may know them as “Big Labor”) are aggressive backers of a bill pending in the Senate that purports to deal with jobs, but which conveniently also contains a large tax hike on those long-term enemies of the unions: investment funds. The bill has become contentious as a result [...]
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The Complex Mainer and Politics
Posted on 24. Jun, 2010 by Derek Viger.
Personally, where someone is from, or how long they have lived in Maine, is not at the top of my list of “make or breaks” for a candidate. I place more weight on their policy directions, ideas for the state, and positions on issues. That said, I am now going to spend a whole article [...]
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Moratoriums On Democracy UPDATE
Posted on 21. Jun, 2010 by Derek Viger.
November 2009 Maine voted to expand the number of conditions for which marijuana could be prescribed and to set up a system of distribution. Voters approved this measure 58.68% to 41.32%. Patients prescribed medical marijuana had been waiting for a safe, and legal, method of obtaining the medication since 1999. Advocates and those in need [...]
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Looming Liabilities
Posted on 16. Jun, 2010 by Stephan Burklin.
Maine taxpayers owe public employees more than $2 billion for promised retirement health benefits that Augusta legislators have not funded. According to Maine’s State Controller, Terry Brann, only $0.1 billion of a total $2.3 billion liability has been set aside to meet future obligations. That means that if every state employee and teacher retired today, [...]
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The Election Turnpike: Lanes to the Left, Right and Center
Posted on 14. Jun, 2010 by Clark Phinney.
Last Tuesday Maine handed the Blaine house to Eliot Cutler. I’m not ready to move to Canada over the idea of a Cutler administration, in fact there are many a reason to be upbeat about the next 4 years should Mr. Cutler win in November. He’s no Rosa Scarcelli or Matt Jacobson (fair disclosure I [...]
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A Pause to Discuss the Primaries
Posted on 09. Jun, 2010 by Derek Viger.
We now know the gubernatorial lineup for this November; Libby Mitchell (D), Paul LePage (R), Eliot Cutler (I), Shawn Moody (I), and Kevin Scott (I). Though the general is in its infancy, it is a good time to explore some of the prevailing opinions that have come out of last night’s results.
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- Republican Primary Poll #2 – Who Do You Support?
- Republican Primary Poll #3 – Who Do You Support?
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Bruce Poliquin Steps In A Hornet’s Nest On Guns
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Maine Republican Platform Becomes Political Football
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Two Maine Democrats Endorse Cutler
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Linda: I am glad that you are advocating for Magnet Schoo...
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john j bouchard: Steve- Is that the only thing you can say about M...
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Steve: LePage has finally found his winning strategy. Shu...
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Mike Turcotte: 90% of success is just showing up. Great campain ...