Maine Politics Winners and Losers (Sorry, Just Losers)

The following special post is being presented in all my blogs this week.

This has been a very interesting week for the political climate here in Maine and mostly not in a good way.

Let’s start with the admission by U.S. House member Michael Michaud coming out to admit he was gay. Michaud was trying to beat the gossipers to the news, which he probably never wanted to release publicly. As someone who wants to become Maine’s next governor, he may have put himself out of the race with this revelation. He claims that he is the ‘same old Mike as yesterday”, but I believe that people won’t adjust to the “New old Mike”. I really have my doubts about his political future.

On the same day, current governor Paul LePage launches his reelection campaign. He claims that he has lowered taxes, paid off our hospitals, and getting rid of welfare fraud.

Is he serious?

He has raised taxes by raising the sales tax to 5.5% and allowing taxing on items not previously taxed. He has cut the homestead exemption therefore raising property taxes on many citizens of the state to new highs. Paying off the hospitals just added to the expenses that Maine taxpayers have had to suffer especially given the non-expansion of the MaineCare system (Medicaid). Finally, welfare fraud came at the expense of not enrolling anybody who shouldn’t be on the rolls, which includes people like me who are uninsured and currently unemployed. Certainly, not a smart move for those whore really need it.

Now onto the Election Day mess.

For those people living in Lewiston, congratulations. You got more time with your loudmouth Robert Macdonald as mayor. This is the guy who wanted to get rid of the Somalia people from the city as they were a drain on the city’s resources. Expect him to compete well against LePage for more offensive comments during the coming year or so.

For people of Portland, congratulations on legalizing marijuana of 2.5 ounces within the city limits. Bad news is that the people can’t get it from the medical dispensaries and there is no regulation of how this will be implemented. However, considering that it’s still illegal at the state and federal level, expect that those who want their pot will get it somehow illegally. Just don’t step over the city line or you will risk being arrested for possession.

For my fellow citizens of South Portland, congratulations are in order double. First, you approved big oil to win in a close vote (under 200 vote difference) to allow tar sands to come into the waterfront region and allow big oil to build nice smokestacks in the city as well. Apparently many of the citizens of SoPo were smoking their weed in Portland to realize the future pollution in South Portland. Secondly, the stupid people of the city voted to build a $14 million public works garage, when something about half that price was once suggested. Add this to the $50+ million approved for the high school a couple of years ago and you will realize that property taxes will go through the roof. Don’t people realize that the city doesn’t have any money trees growing in the city?

And finally, congratulations to all the citizens of Maine for approving 5 bond issues totaling around $150 million. Can we afford all this debt? After all, we are already the worst state in the nation to do business. Did we want to make more debt a priority in raising taxes even more when this is combined with the $450 million hospital bill? Who will pay the $600 million back? Certainly not getting any money from those money trees growing around the state.

Overall, the state is pretty much screwed up and the people are screwed paying for years for things that really are not needed or required. Maybe next year, we can get something right for once and get back from the bottom of the deck of states and stop being the butt of all jokes.