Unlimited Maine/LePage Hilarity Thread

[AFK]

He doesn't care.  And he's thrown down the gauntlet with the legislature.  He says that if they don't pass his proposed 2 year budget, AS IS, he will veto it.  Now, in Maine, a 2/3 vote is required to pass a budget bill.  The GOP don't have that majority and thus will need Democrats to pass the budget.  Which means shit will get changed and then LePage will be forced to make that choice. 

The other thing that LePage is likely forgetting, or ignoring, is that while the GOP is in the majority, they aren't all Tea Party types like him.  Some of the freshmen are, but many of the longer serving state legislators are more moderate, in the mold of Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins.  Oh, and there is an election in 2012 that they have to worry about. 

LePage isn't going to get his way.  It will be interesting to see how he handles it.

While you know your own elected officials better, I wouldn't be so certain.  "Moderate" Republicans are amongst the worst for crowing about the need for austerity, with Blue Dog Democrats (like Evan Bayh, who was lecturing the public on how all Americans must suffer together, while his wife rakes in millions as a pharma and medical insurance lobbyist) in close second. 

Even Obama has conceded to the need to cuts, though this may simply be a case of his Goldlilocks Syndrome kicking in.  Either way, cuts are going to happen.  It'll be just like it was in the UK, the arguments will only be over how deep the cuts go, and what will be cut.

Well certainly cuts are going to happen, but LePage isn't going to get all of the GOP to agree lock-step with how he wants the cuts to go.  Ultimately a budget will pass with cuts in place, but it will look different.  And he certainly isn't going to get 2/3 of the legislature, as it is currently composed, to go along with his plan as is.  I was meeting with legislators a few days ago up in the capital and just from what they were saying, there will have to be some compromises.  Moderates Republicans in the North east are a bit different than moderates in the midwest.  Especially when you get to the state legislature.  Those who represent more urban areas are going to have a more left-leaning constituency and thus have to be careful with how they vote, if they want to be re-elected.  LePage's approval here is in the low 40s right now and is likely to go down, not up.  The tea party freshmen won't care, but those who've been there for awhile are going to have to be cautious about how they operate.  

[AFK]

Cuts need to happen everywhere.  People expect their politicians to blow sunshine, rainbows, and cash out of their assholes.

Personally, the next election, I'll be strongly tempted to vote for the guy who says, "this is my accountant.  (List credentials.)  When budget time rolls around, I listen to HIM."

Cuts need to happen but they must also be done thoughtfully.  One of the worst cuts that have been proposed by LePage is the 18 Million he wants to take from the Fund for a Healthy Maine and put into the general fund.  FHM is the money Maine receives from the Tobacco settlements a decade ago.  They are specifically to be used for programs the promote healthy living and prevention.  He wants to take 18 Million to fill a gap in Medicare under the premise that somehow Medicare can do prevention.  (Which it can't).  He also wants to change language in the statute that authorizes the FHM to make it easier to raid.  Part of the 18 Million in cuts is completely eliminating the funding for substance abuse prevention.  One of the more drastic results of this is the 13 residential treatment centers we have in Maine will be reduced to 3.  That is going to result in an increase in crime.  It will shift costs to corrections and law enforcement, and it will most certainly drive up health care costs. 

We're working to educate lawmakers on the drastic outcomes of these proposals and trying to put a wedge between LePage and the legislature.  We've managed to change these proposals before, hopefully we are able to do it again. 

[Jenne]

CORPORATE TAXES NEED TO HAPPEN.  There, I said it.  I'm fucking tired of this "states can't RAISE taxes."  BULLSHIT.  Small taxes on things used everygoddammed day make a HUGE ASS difference.  The cuts these state leg fuckers MAKE HAPPEN are not the ones that NEED to happen (education, health, mothefucking infrastructure).  It's like the Feds wanting to cut education and welfare but LET'S HAVE MOAR WARS, AND OH YEAH HERE YOU GO FINANCE INDUSTRY, TAKE YOUR CUT OF THE PIE, TOO.

Tax the fuckers.  Quit giving them a skate.  (Maine may not have the types of industry we in CA have, but we currently have an initiative we're voting on in a special June election to put a tax through so we can not cut school spending again)

[Luna]

Governor Paul LePage is taking down a mural in the state Department of Labor building depicting the history of the labor movement and changing the names of conference rooms that he deems too pro-labor.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/maine-governor-orders-mural-depicting-labor-history-removed-from-labor-department.php?ref=fpi

You know.  Because the Labor Department can't actually show anything representing the history of workers' rights...

[AFK]

I'm actually going to be sending an e-mail to the LePage administration about this to inquire how much this bullshit is going to cost.  Dude is supposed to be saving money and he wants to waste money on a completely unveiled political stunt. 

[Jenne]

You might wanna cc the Op-Ed portion of your local TV news stations and newspapers.

[Luna]

You might wanna cc the Op-Ed portion of your local TV news stations and newspapers.

I like that.

And it gives me a warm fuzzy when people DO shit because of something I post.

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

Governor Paul LePage is taking down a mural in the state Department of Labor building depicting the history of the labor movement and changing the names of conference rooms that he deems too pro-labor.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/maine-governor-orders-mural-depicting-labor-history-removed-from-labor-department.php?ref=fpi

You know.  Because the Labor Department can't actually show anything representing the history of workers' rights...

Horribly funny...

[AFK]

You might wanna cc the Op-Ed portion of your local TV news stations and newspapers.

Well, the local paper here just came out in support of this so they wouldn't publish it.  That and they are already publishing an op-ed of mine this weekend and their policy is I can't submit another one for 6 months. 

But doing more research it looks like these are panels.  I had the impression it was something actually painted on the walls.  So the cost to remove probably isn't all that much. 

But the symbolism is still pretty naked. 

[AFK]

In other news, the GOP controlled State Legislature is introducing measure to roll back the provisions in Maine law that allow youth to obtain contraceptives, substance abuse treatment, and mental health treatment related to STDs all without parental consent. 

These laws are important because they allow the kids to get help who want to get help but otherwise wouldn't because they have shit-bag parents who think they just need to "toughen up".  Or they have parents who have completely checked-out on their job to be parents. 

So, if we are keeping score.  They are cutting all of the funding for family planning, most of the funding for substance abuse prevention and treatment AND they want to make it harder for kids to get access to whatever skeleton of services may be left.

Jesus fucking Christ, I feel like I'm in Raiders of the Lost Ark and I'm seeing this state melt right before my eyes. 

[Luna]

The nutbags have a foothold.   

[AFK]

Maine:  The Way Life Used To Be

[Jenne]

You might wanna cc the Op-Ed portion of your local TV news stations and newspapers.

Well, the local paper here just came out in support of this so they wouldn't publish it.  That and they are already publishing an op-ed of mine this weekend and their policy is I can't submit another one for 6 months. 

But doing more research it looks like these are panels.  I had the impression it was something actually painted on the walls.  So the cost to remove probably isn't all that much. 

But the symbolism is still pretty naked. 

So submit it under your wife's name using her maiden name. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The nutbags have a foothold.   

A foothold?

They own the ball AND the ballpark.

[AFK]

http://www.sunjournal.com/state/story/1008116

AUGUSTA — The sponsor of a new child labor bill says employers should have the flexibility to pay workers under age 20 a "training wage."

Opponents countered that the proposal devalues young workers and takes money out of the hands of laborers and gives it to business.

LD 1346 suggests several significant changes to Maine's child labor law, most notably a 180-day period during which workers under age 20 would earn $5.25 an hour.

The state's current minimum wage is $7.50 an hour.

Rep. David Burns, R-Whiting, is sponsoring the bill, which includes eliminating the maximum hours a minor over 16 can work during school days.

PROGRESS!