UPDATE 9 a.m.: Maine Senate President Kevin Raye will continue his challenge against Mike Michaud in the 2nd Congressional District and will not seek the Senate seat, according to a statement sent out Friday morning.
AUGUSTA, Maine — Rep. Mike Michaud announced late Thursday that he would not run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Olympia Snowe and instead would focus on seeking re-election to the U.S. House.
“I want to continue to represent the wonderful people of Maine’s second district and keep working on the unique issues and challenges we face,” Michaud said in a statement sent out about 9 p.m. “I am also very proud of what I have been able to accomplish on behalf of Maine’s and America’s veterans and that work must continue.”
“I join many Mainers in being frustrated with how Washington operates and believe that both sides of Capitol Hill have fallen into a partisan rut. However, I am proud of being able to work across the aisle to deliver results and I think, for now, I can best continue those efforts in the House.”
Michaud’s decision likely paves the way for one of two Democrats — U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who represents Maine’s 1st District, and former two-term Gov. John Baldacci — who have both started gathering signatures for the Senate race.
His decision also could help determine which Republicans or independents decide to enter the race.
As Michaud, Pingree and Baldacci wasted little time in taking the first step to run for the U.S. Senate, state Republicans appeared to be exercising caution in that race.
Many top-tier GOP names are being discussed but they have not officially begun gathering signatures as of late Thursday, according to elections officials. Neither have prominent independents such as former Gov. Angus King or Eliot Cutler.
Party candidates only have until March 15 to turn in 2,000 signatures to run for the seat unexpectedly being given up by Snowe.
So what are Republicans waiting for?
“Republicans are more thoughtful in our policies and our politics,” said Brent Littlefield, a GOP strategist and a senior adviser to Gov. Paul LePage.
University of Maine political scientist Mark Brewer said there is more to it than that.
“For the big-name Democrats, they are all top-tier candidates. There isn’t anyone on the Republican side with that kind of resume,” Brewer said. “I think part of the reason why all three [Democrats] came out early was: they wanted to make it clear to voters and Democratic activists that they were all interested. For the Republicans, I think it makes sense for them to wait a little bit.”
One candidate, Scott D’Amboise, is in the Senate race already, but the reality is that other Republicans could be gathering signatures quietly already.
Megan Sanborn, spokeswoman for the Secretary of State’s Office, said Thursday that candidates can request blank petitions or print petitions online and begin gathering signatures. In that instance, the secretary of state would not know the identity of a candidate until signatures are turned in.
“It’s certainly hard for us to know exactly who is gathering signatures at this point and we may not know until March 15,” Sanborn said.
That means the already long list of candidates for Senate, and also for Maine’s two U.S. House seats, could be even longer.
A handful of Democrats — House Minority Leader Emily Cain, former Secretary of State Matt Dunlap and former state senator Bruce Bryant — all took out papers this week to explore a run for the 2nd District seat. It’s not clear if any or all will remain in the race in light of Michaud’s decision.
On the Republican side, all eyes now will be on Senate President Kevin Raye, who is Michaud’s challenger in the 2nd District but also is considering entering the Senate race.
Party candidates for Senate have until March 15 to gather 2,000 valid signatures. House candidates need 1,000 signatures. Independents, however, don’t face the same tight deadline as major party candidates. For an independent to get on the general election ballot, he or she would need to gather 4,000 signatures by June 1.
Maine GOP Chairman Charlie Webster said his party’s leaders are having a lot of discussions about potential candidates but he wasn’t ready to identify anybody just yet.
“My opinion is that it will be a three-way race,” he said. “It will be one of the liberals and I think [former two-term independent Gov. Angus] King will run. That means we need to come to an agreement to bring someone that would be different than those two.”
A candidate cannot run for a House seat and Senate seat at the same time in Maine, according to Julie Flynn with the Secretary of State’s Office. In other words, if Pingree decided by March 15 to officially enter the Senate race, she would not be able to run for re-election in the House should she lose in a Senate primary.
Brewer said Thursday — before Michaud’s late announcement — that he would be surprised if both Pingree and Michaud stayed in the race. He also said he thought Michaud was the strongest Democratic candidate for the Senate.
“He’s popular in his district and I don’t think his lack of name recognition in the 1st District hurts him because he’s still a Democrat,” Brewer said. “A lot of people think Pingree is the front-runner, but I think she’s the weakest of the three. I can’t see her having an easy time getting support in the 2nd District.”
As for Baldacci, Brewer said, “He has a nice resume and he’s won a lot of campaigns but there are still some lingering negatives from his time as governor.”
Another question that has been posed is whether candidates who were gathering signatures to run for the Senate could use those same signatures to run for the House, or vice versa. Flynn said that’s not allowed.
That means someone like Raye, who has gathered the necessary signatures to run for the House, would have to start from scratch if he’s interested in running for the Senate. Brewer said a candidate like Raye has more incentive to collect signatures quietly.
“If you’re Raye, you don’t want people to see that you’re doing something strategically,” he said.
The other big unknown in the Senate race could be independent candidates, specifically King and Cutler, who finished a close second to Gov. Paul LePage in the 2010 gubernatorial election.
“I think King is stronger than Cutler,” Brewer said. “There are plenty of people who look back fondly on King and have wondered why he didn’t try to do something else.”
I am a Republican and voted for Mike ..I like him..He is not a Liberal and is a true Democrat!
You’re a Republican, but you vote for Michaud because he is a true Democrat? I think you’re confused, Mary…
The Republican Party has moved so far right that it has left people like Mary Jane without a party. She is not confused, but her party is, to put it bluntly, insane.
The lunatics have hijacked the GOP.
Well the extremists have taken the Democrat Party hostage and they are destroying America and Maine themselves.
Where is America being destroyed? We are the best democracy there is. Sure, we have problems but where else in the world do you want to live. Stop being so anti everything and everyone.
Stop trying to be a control freak.
What the hell – who is trying to control? NOt me. Just trying to make you think beyond your little real of experience.
” Stop being so anti everything and everyone.”
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By your own directive you attempt control.
As for your previous question:
“Where is America being destroyed? We are the best democracy there is. Sure, we have problems but where else in the world do you want to live. Stop being so anti everything and everyone.”
In truth, it is the liberal Progs who are forcing the one-world theory. Unfortunately for them there is an unavoidable morality clash as exemplified by how governments administer justice. Apparently you are incapable of seeing the difference between trial by jury and justice by beheading. You are free to live anywhere in the world, as by your own assumed belief we are all the same but my American opinion includes the belief that Progressives would edict the absorption of our superior American standard of justice into the rest of the world’s standard…and the absorption would not be limited to issues of the “courts”.
People are born equal in the eyes of God but people who choose to pervert governmental power in defiance of the rights of their own people are not.
Make sense? Have a great day.
Misty, it’s okay to criticize America. That does not make you unpatriotic. And, just because we’re better than Columbia and Somalia, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.
Just because you see black and I see white doesn’t make me wrong either.
Actually, I see shades of gray. That IS my point. It’s not just black and white. We’ve got a lot of gray areas that could be brighter.
Again, facts and examples, please.
We are all frustrated by the extreme partisanship in Washington. But blaming the Republicans alone only proves that you aren’t ready to be part of the solution.
Both parties are to blame for this train wreck we call an economy. Vote Independent.
Consider that President Obama’s Affordable Care Act is closely modeled on an alternative to Clinton’s 1993 proposal which the Republicans advanced that year and the Massachusetts model that Republican Governor Romney successfully pushed. The Democrats have moved to moderate Republican positions and the Republicans have moved to positions they last endorsed in 1936.
You may wish to sail backwards through the winds of time with this false equivalency, but I take a hard cold look at reality.
It is called moving the goalposts, and it is how the GOP has operated for the past 10 years… acting as if history doesn’t exist, which is more or less true, since most people don’t study it.
And the Democrats have gone so far the other way they can see their backsides
In what way have the D.’s moved?
The D.’s have moved a great deal to the Right – Obama, for one, with his continuation and expansion of invasions of other soverign nations, cutting health care for the elderly and children, etc.
Both parties are run by Wall Street banks – Goldman-Sachs, Bank of America, et al – and wealthy corporations. They’re just not that different in what they do.
Both parties are more concerned with the profits of their corporate contributors than they are in helping regular people.
Even “people first” LePage wants more tax cuts for the rich. More corporate welfare.
Best to be independent and look at candidates with a careful eye – where does their money come from? What do they say and what do they actually do?
Have they kept promises? Do they take care of constituents?
I’ve supported Republicans, Democrats, Greens, and Independents over the years. The most honest politician of all that I supported for President was Ralph Nader.
Now there’s a man with the welfare of regular people in mind, and he’s worked for our well-being for – what? – 50 years or more. A genuine people’s hero who will work with anyone of any party for the good of the people.
The D.’s and R.’s, working together, kept him out of all national Presidential debates. They were afraid he would have won – and he would have because he speaks the truth.
My grandfather was a Republican Mayor of Stamford Ct in the late 50s but if he was around today he’d be called a liberal! Even President Nixon,Ford or Reagan would be called a Democrat by today’s standers! That’s how far right the right has gone!!!
The Democratic party has moved as well. As Ronald Reagan said, ” I didn’t leave the Democratic party, the Democratic party left me”‘.
How about the unions? Did they leave poor Ronnie too? He was the one time head of the actor’s union. Not much solidarity with his union brothers in the air traffic controllers union. Reagan was nothing more than a flip flopping, two faced opportunist with an agenda. No attributes say I.
Well,there’s Kevin Raye. I like his mustard but after that, he can’t cut it.
I am a Democrat and I’ve voted for Bill Cohen and Olympia Snowe. And I’m not ashamed to say that I did, because we have the reputation of placing the most capable people in the office. Pay no attention to the negative remarks. You did well just to say what you did.
I think it was a good decision on his part. He represents his district well, and why would he want to get involved in that feeding frenzy anyway?
Besides that fact that he doesn’t have the money to compete with the likes of Chellee or King.
Mike Michaud…just like Daniel Webster, Henry Clay,Robert LaFollette….eh maybe not so much..
At least he knows the peter principle when he sees it..too bad he has already surpassed his own limitations.
A stand up American, a patriot, a true son of Maine. We owe him a debt of gratitude for a thoughtful decision. Thank you once again Mike.
Sussman, Sussman, Sussman…first Snowe drops out of the race, then Michaud, then all the rest. Wake up, people!
Paranoia strikes deep. Try the meds we’ve given you. We’re here to help you.
The $200 million dollars given to Sussman as part of the Wall Street bailout is not a delusion; nor is the fact that Sussman sits on the editorial board part of the Portland Press Herald a delusion. Wall Street financiers control our political system, whether it is George Soros, Ben Bernacke, Goldman Sachs, or Donald Sussman. That is the meaning of the Ron Paul candidacy, unless you think that Ron Paul and all his supporters are on “meds.” No doubt you are a loyal supporter of people like Soros, Sussman, and Bernacke. Do you want to tell the audience why?
A company Sussman was associated with (but did not own) got a bailout LOAN that was repaid.
Stop spouting Limbaugh lies!
Limbaugh lies?
http://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/Greenwich-hedgie-thrust-into-center-of-Maine-695581.php
So Donald Sussman is not a filthy rich Capitalist? Ha, ha…good one!
Since I never said anything about whether or not Sussman was a “filthy rich capitalist” (he is – so what?), just corrected LIES about him – what is your point?
Apparently you had no meaningful response so you just posted some unrelated silly drivel.
Well, the “drivel” is from his home town newspaper, and correctly points out that his company received a $200 million bailout. So Limbaugh is lying, his hometown newspaper is lying, everyone is lying except you, who wants us to believe how wonderful this hedge fund billionaire is. And Tyke, while you’re at it, why don’t you tell the people of Maine who Amanda Dobrzanski is? Who was she, Tyke? http://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/Greenwich-hedgie-thrust-into-center-of-Maine-695581.php
I thought republicans love filthy rich capitalists?
Because I can’t stand the political positions of the Koch brothers.
Conspiracies are hidden from the public and their funders seek to avoid disclosure. Congresscritter Pingree advocates a change in tax policy that will dramatically increase the taxes Sussman will pay. Her positions and her husband’s support are there for all to see. When someone takes positions that will cost their spouse significant monies, I call it courage.
Curiously, you don’t name the Koch brothers, Murdoch or any of the wealthy right-wingers who are manipulating the system, often without financial disclosure of their contributions, to elect candidates who will lower their taxes dramatically.
Koch and Murdoch are not right-wingers. They support the same policies of abortion, gay rights, open borders as Sussman. They are very much of the same ilk. By stating there is a real choice between Republicans and Democrats, you are playing into their hands. You, the Republicans, and the Democrats are all on the same side: rule by the hidden financial powers.
Keep hiding from the black helicopters. They are circling above you even now and reading your mind.
So the fact that Chellie Pingree sleeps in the same bed as a Wall Street billionaire, is just a fiction of our imagination?
Yep, Geithner, Robert Rubin, Bernacke, Madoff, Richard Perle, Soros, Greenspan, and now Donald Sussman in bed with the next senator from Maine…no conspiracy here, move along sheeple!
Go Ron Paul! Go Alex Jones!@
The obsession of the right with the sexual lives of others is bizarre.
Chellie’s positions on taxation would subject her husband to far greater taxation. That shows courage. The First Amendment allows anyone to support their spouse for any office. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln both married wealthy women (Martha Washington, in today’s economy, would be a billionaire.) Both women helped promote the careers of their husbands. Most billionaires support R-money now. They have that right.
Courage?when Chellie Sussman can now regulate the laws pertaining to Wall Street?
Some courage!
It takes courage to pander to the masses? And you’re comparing Donald Sussman to Martha Washington and Mary Todd Lincoln? And no, most billionaires and capitalists support the Left. Ever hear of Ted Kennedy? John Kerry? Bill Gates? George Soros?And the Koch brothers are liberal! (classic liberalism: small government, individual rights, abortion, libertarianism, liberalized drug laws.) Sorry, the entire system is fraudulent, and the whole world knows it now. f you are for separation of church, let’s have a little separation of Wall Street and state. And you must think the American people are very stupid if you would have them believe that Sussman wouldn’t influence his bed-mate Chellie Pingree.
And no decent person will vote for Pingree after they learn the story of Amanda Dobrzanski.
And that is the way it should be.
Abraham Lincoln walked thirteen miles to return 9 cents;l Sussman makes more in a week than the average person will make in a lifetime.
Sure, sure, and that’s why a wife is not allowed to testify against her husband in a court of law. Sussman knows exactly what he is doing. He is manipulating the political process from behind the scenes. Unfortunately Maine is so small, he sticks out like a sore thumb.
In any case, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree will not be sleeping alongside the Koch brothers or Rupert Murdoch. She will be sleeping in the same bed as S. Donald Sussman – or at least separate beds aboard their yacht.
A billionaire sits on his yacht waiting to be the husband of the next senator from Maine, and the father-in-law of the next congresswoman from Maine, and you say “There is no conspiracy.” Ha,ha…good one! Yep, the constant wars in the Middle East, the looting of the U.S Treasury, the control of the White House by Goldman, Sachs, debt slavery for the American people, open borders…these are all delusions!
Why are the majority of the wealthiest men in this country supporting Republicans?
Koch and Sussman are the same thing. One controls the Left, and the other one controls the so-called opposition. And now that your Congresswoman sleeps in the same bed as a billionaire hedge fund manager, you claim “there is no conspiracy!” And you claim to be for the people. Yeah, right!
they are greedy?
Finally, someone who gets it!
The Portland Press Herald carries little weight in the Real Maine. Sussman can’t buy us.
Ron Paul’s idea of ending foreign welfare, especially the 5 billion a year we taxpayers give to Israel so they can send their armies and weapons into their neighbors’ homes to steal their land, water, and sea rights, is a good idea.
Ron Paul has some good ideas, but also some bad ones. However, if I intended to vote Republican, I’d vote for him…………since the others are out there in la-la land. Truly!
I feel there’s no one to vote for this year. I’ll probably write in Ralph Nader for President. He’s the only truly honest politician who has run for President in my lifetime.
He thought like this. There is a formidable field of challengers, if I lose the nomination, I’m out of Washington and back on the fork lift. I think I will focus on my current position.
And I agree with you that he is a good man but he has done nothing for Maine since he has been in Washington, NOTHING!
I don’t think it was his choice alone. The powers in the Dem party probably told him that he was the least likely to win, and therefore stay put. They certainly don’t want a primary battle.
One down, one to go.
if you think Mike is a liberal then you don’t know what that word means. He is a blue dog democrat, a conservative democrat (a centrist).
he votes down party lines, what does that mean?
He’s a rank and file democrat if there ever was one just look at his voting record.
That is why he was elected. However, if you really check his record, you will see that he crosses the aisle whenever he sees it in the best interest of Mainers.
Do you consider every Democrat a “radical socialist?” Do you think it’s evil to be a Democrat?
I’m an independent and don’t like either political party because they’re too partisan and care more about their party winning than helping regular people.
We should look at what a candidate does and what they stand for–issues important to regular people– rather than calling names like kindergarteners.
If you don’t like the way a candidate votes, tell us which vote you didn’t like, and what you would have done instead.
YES YES YES YES !
He is not a conservative or a centrist. He always votes the party line with Pelosi all the time . If Pelosi told him to jump he would ask how high Nancy.
I am surpised he doesn’t shine her expensive shoes. He has never voted against the Democrats or Obama.
the legislative agenda of the democratic party this session has been fairly centrist. you don’t see them trying to pass same-sex marriage or anything like that.
all you Tea Partiers have a really warped view of what a liberal is
Sure it is the agenda is a radical socialist agenda. He is a far left wing Democrat who claims to care about working people and those who work in the Millinocket and East Millinocket mills. He is a career politician who has spent more than 20 years in Augusta and Washington. His record is a record of anti-business , anti-jobs, expensive regulations and higher taxes. He flipped flopped on the Quimby park because he knew he was in trouble with those in Northern Maine. He has never voted against the Obama , Reid, Pelosi agenda.
Radical socialist? Lay off Fox News!
When a moderate who has worked tirelessly for veterans and blue collar workers is labeled as having a radical socialist agenda (as always with the wing nuts with NO facts to back it up), it shows how deep the Fox/far right propoganda machine has infiltrated people’s minds. Shouting loud and louder and loudest when having no agenda but cutting taxes on the wealthy and aborting women’s and minorities rights and jailing everyone who doesn’t agree with you. What happened to respect and discourse? I bet when you aren’t hidden behind an e-mail name you are much more “civil”.
It’s more like an infection than an infiltration
See above comment and go to counseling, you need it.
What do you mean by “radical socialist?” Please be specific.
Since I don’t listen to Limbaugh or get my “news” from Fox, I don’t know what sins people have to commit to be considered a “radical socialist.”
Calling names and making accusations without any real examples is just bully-boy nonsense.
With a leader that believes he is entitled to others money.I consider that pretty radical.
A liberal is a indoctrinated soldier of the party of pick pockets.With the believe they should control other peoples money.Also with the firm inbreed believe that they are owed something.
Did you ever take English past the 3rd grade?
No, liberals merely want to maintain the “right” to rip innocent life from the womb by any means necessary, including crushing skulls and vacumning brains. Talk about warped views!
Here’s a classic “warped view” for you:
Killing babies no different from abortion, experts say.Parents should be allowed to have their newborn babies killed because they are “morally irrelevant” and ending their lives is no different to abortion, a group of medical ethicists linked to Oxford University has argued.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9113394/Killing-babies-no-different-from-abortion-experts-say.html
You’re right…and I know it, because my liberal friends whine about how centrist it’s been.
Of course he has. Voting to ban all late term abortions is just one example.
Darkcat33, you must also read in the dark. Better check out the Congressional record as well as the BDN for proof that your above statement is crap.
Conservative & Democrat, that is like water and vinegar
It’s all relative
I think you mean oil and vinegar? Or oil and water? Typical confused republican.
Only confused because I am an Ind. lol Hmmm maybe you are rifht, vinegar can leave you with bad taste
His votes defines him as a liberal. Health Care bill ,stimulus bill and every other bill the Dem’s have rammed through in the last 3 years.
Are you surprised? Of course he is more “liberal” than CHarlie Webster but he is brighter than that too. He was elected by the citizens of the 2nd district. Stop belly aching if you don’t like his positions – take out nomination papers and run yourself. See how far you get.
“Rammed through” – with a Republican Congress?
I like Mike.
He’s helped veterans and labor enormously.
That’s nice.
Sigh.
Sad, Michaud would have made a wonderful Senator.. But I’m very happy to still have him as my Congressman !
Smart decision on Mike’s part; the Pingree-Sussman money machine would have squashed him like a grape. Better to languish in the relative obscurity of the 2nd CD and get re-elected in perpetuity.
I agree with your premise, but I doubt it has his decision.
You’re right; as it turns out he was forced out of the race by the national party.
Remember, Angus King said it himself “I am not a knave”. Nothing to worry about with that guy.
http://www.windtaskforce.org/photo/knavy-buddies?context=latest
Angus is an honorable, intelligent, likable guy! I’d vote for him in a flash over the other possibilities. I say keep Michaud and Pingree in the House. Let Cutler run for Governor. And change Angus’ intro to Senator King!
Wait until the dirt comes out. You just may radically change your mind.
“Republicans are thoughtful”. Really?
That and Webster referring to the Democrats as “liberals” instead of by their party’s name. Both of these men, by their words, show themselves to be part of the problem Snow was referring to.
Exactly!!!
“”I join many Mainers in being frustrated with how Washington operates and believe that both sides of Capitol Hill have fallen into a partisan rut. However, I am proud of being able to work across the aisle to deliver results…””
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MM’s military service appreciated and respected, his elected public office service is the equivalent of drive-up window fast-food. Want fries with that?
Wake up people he was told to stay out of the way. Be happy with what you got mike and so on. The big wheels are moving and the plans laid for th future.
If that was true then he would have waited until the last minute to withdraw. That would have benefited Pingree a great deal more than announcing so quickly.
He didn’t want to risk his cushey Rep. seat by running for the Senate and ultimately suffering defeat.
Can you imagine moving back to Millinocket?
The U-hauls should be cheap, what with all the ones going the other way.
Yeah, with all his wins where he just barrrrrrely squeaks by with those 10, 20 and 30% margins. He definitely would have had a tough time getting the Senate seat.
So what are Republicans waiting for?
““Republicans are more thoughtful in our policies and our politics,” said Brent Littlefield, a GOP strategist and a senior adviser to Gov. Paul LePage.”
Um they haven’t heard from ALEC/MHPC/Tea/Grover Norquist, on their final decision as to what Republican candidate is fully indoctrinated?
That quote was a bit laughable.
The GOP simply does not have someone waiting in the wings. They expected Olympia to run again, they don’t have a GOP congressperson standing by ready for a promotion.” They got caught off-gauard.
People of Olympias stature are hard to find among the Republican ranks. Especially since the GOP has picked up the Tea Party parasite. The women of this country better hope they can find a woman who has a brain of her own to counter the hard rights determination to keep women bare foot and pregnant.
I hope the people of Maine have seen the light after all the recent corruption being uncovered in state goverment that the party that was in control for years cannot be trusted. The same can be said on the federal side and I would hate to see someone like Pingree buy the election and start a political dynasty of rich Kennedy type do gooders who have their money and want the working people to support all their giveaway programs to hold on to power. My hope is we get a moderate person who is fiscally conservative[ i don’t care about social issues right now as we are broke] and starts dealing with the realities of the situation. Snowe’s style was great but we are so far in debt that compromise is not an option.. dealing realistically with problems is..
The only possible way of dealing with the debt problems is through compromise.
well.. there is no compromise with this crowd and now it is too late.. we are broke…we are all to blame for letting this happen…it appears they will have to do what we do cut spending, have a budget, and stop the games…
So we should give more tax breaks to corporations and rich people, while cutting social programs which people need so they can feed their children?
Talk about twisted priorities! We’re in huge debt to the Chinese and Japanese, etal, because of Bush’s wars which Obama is perpetuating and multiplying, and from which “defense” industries have profited gluttonously to the tune of billions and billions.
It’s all about control of earth’s resources – oil, water, land, forests. Regular people are expendable in the corporate profiteers’ wars and factories. They’ll tolerate us so long as we do their bidding and make them richer.
And as long as they can convince regular people that the most important thing on earth is paper money.
In truth, all we really need to live are warm shelter, clean water, and uncontaminated food. It’s becoming harder to get these now because corporations poison our land, water, and food, as well as overcharge us for all the above.
America needs to think hard about our priorities and where current policies will lead us.
“In truth, all we really need to live are warm shelter, clean water, and uncontaminated food. ”
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In truth, how many people can you convince to live like that? You can choose to live like that if you want but to think you can force your standard on everybody else is not only wacky it’s also (dare I say!) un-American as We are free to pursue our happiness too.
Did I speak of “forcing” anyone to live a certain way? But you may be surprised how soon things will come to this.
You can bet that with the economy going down the tubes and not coming back (according to insiders on Wall Street, because they’re making sure of it), many people will be happy to have warm shelter – some don’t have it now – clean water – some don’t have this now – and uncontaminated food – only way to have this now is to eat organic since Monsanto has contaminated our food supply with genetically-engineered “food” laced with toxic bacteria, pesticides, and antibiotics.
So it’s no small thing to attain these three necessities. Then, once you have them, you also have time for family, friends, books, other pleasures. But you must have those three in order to survive, which is what I’m talking about.
Grow some of your own food to save money and have healthy food. Get your water tested to ensure no heavy metals (like arsenic or lead) are in it, but you can’t get your water tested for pesticides unless you can spend thousands of dollars.
Depending where you live, you’re likely drinking pesticides in your water right now. That’s not clean water.
And warm shelter. Many of us cannot afford the easy way – oil heat – so we burn wood which is excellent heat, but it’s also lots of work.
The necessities of life are not always easy, but they are necessary for our survival. This is no small thing, Madam.
Oh, and you say my daring to point out the obvious is “un-American?” Good Grief! How is my expressing my opinion “un-American?” Please explain this accusation – it appears to be too ridiculous for explanation, but perhaps you can tell us what you meant.
Or are you one of those people who think anyone who expresses anything “different” is un-American or a commie who should go away? Is not the “Freedom of Speech” section of our Bill of Rights still in effect? Did I miss something?
Dissent is patriotic. That’s how our American Revolution began – with full open discussion and debate. To squash debate in America is un-American.
Down, Rover!!! Sometimes this is just not about you or your opinion or your Freedom of Speech…
People who disagree with you have every right to live their their American lives any way they choose. If we choose something different than your values dictate to you are we un-American? Make sense now?
Calling me names is very kindergarten. This is about neither of us – it is about freedom of speech and exchanging ideas.
Sometimes some of us pay attention and actually learn from one another. I have no idea what your “values” are because you spent your words being insulting.
You can criticize anyone’s ideas, but calling names is not only not allowed on this list, it’s just not helpful to solving society’s problems.
So tell us that the statement “We’re in huge debt to the Chinese and Japanese, etal, because of Bush’s wars which Obama is perpetuating and multiplying, and from which “defense” industries have profited gluttonously to the tune of billions and billions.” is not conversationally belligerent, designed to chastise your personal political nemesis. Then, “It’s all about control of earth’s resources – oil, water, land, forests. ” Readers of this excerpt understand exactly what that means, teacher. Further, “Regular people are expendable in the corporate profiteers’ wars and factories. They’ll tolerate us so long as we do their bidding and make them richer.” Sure sounds like a sanctimonious persecution complex which is the hallmark identifier of enviros. If it was not for 40 years of them controlling by protest every potential energy source Maine and the the rest of the country would not be in the jobs/energy pickle we’re in right now.
If you post your opinion, expect people who disagree with you to reply to you.
But you’re missing my point.
Of course we should respond to one another, but with alternative ideas on how to solve our society’s issues, not with personal invective, which appears to be your only contribution to the discussion.
It’s a good thing some people fight to keep our water drinkable, our air breathable, our land tillable so that we can live here. Even so, much of our groundwater has already been contaminated with pesticides and industrial chemicals so that it’s not safe to drink without more chemicals being added (chlorine, etc.).
Jobs have been shipped abroad for cheap labor. That’s so corporations can make more money, which is their only reason for existing. Pulp and paper mills will run until they run out of trees. That’s all they’re here for, not because they care about us.
And with machines doing the work of tearing down our forests, turning our Maine Woods into wood chips, that won’t take too long, either. Few jobs there. And now they’re shipping our Maine Woods to Europe and China as pulp and wood chips.
If you want to work for 50 cents or $1 an hour as many Chinese, Haitians, et al do, then you might be able to bring a job back for yourself and others who agree to long hours, little pay, and terrible working conditions.
The future lies in small-scale farming growing diverse crops for local consumption. It’s a good livelihood and a wonderful way to raise a family. Your home and food and water are right there, and children learn responsibility tending gardens and animals.
We need thousands more farmers just to feed Maine, so, if people are willing to work, there’s an excellent livelihood just waiting for them.
I recommend you do some research before condemning the traditional wood industry. The post you present is chock full of attack and very short on attempts to understand why and how the industry developed as it did and whether or not you might actually agree with some of the practices they utilize ……….for instance, like re-seeding.
The colonists turned lumber cutters by necessity (who lived the life you now expect all of us to live again) learned first-hand.
If you know for sure of any pulp or paper mill that reseeds their clearcuts or plants new little trees, please let me know.
Thirty years ago they stopped doing this in Washington County – because Georgia-Pacific’s and Domtar’s and now the Chinese holding company’s goal is to take as much as they can – – smash the Maine Woods up into pulp, ship it to China and Europe – – – and then leave for wherever there are still trees for the taking.
It’s too bad – we all wish they’d be more responsible – but ’tisnt our call.
We, the People, should be making the decisions that affect our lives. And whether or not the Maine Woods is decimated and who and by whom should be one of those decisions.
Believe it or not, some firewood dealers here in Washington County now actually have to import trees from Southern Maine and Massachusetts to cut up into firewood for us to buy. Now this is ridiculous!
And much of our lumber comes in from Canada. People who live in a region should have public discussions and debates about what happens to natural resources we depend upon.
The Constitution protects the property rights of individuals…and the right to self-determination. The government would be in violation of the Constitution if it chose to tell a private owner what s/he could or could not do. These attempts would end up in Federal court just as Obama’s healthcare bill, his anti-religion bill and land-takings issues are repeatedly challenged.
However, your “right” to poison everyone’s water ends when cross over into poisoning my drinking water. Same with air.
We need healthy forests to make oxygen, to stop winds from the North and West, for wildlife to live, to sequester the carbon we create by burning coal and oil, for lumber for our houses and wood to burn for heat……..the public good comes before corporations’ industrial takings of our common necessities.
We need clean water, clean air to live. Therefore, poisoning these necessities constitutes a taking of our health and, basically, our right to life.
We need to have many public discussions about where the right of corporations, which move in to pillage and poison the land and water and strip the woods, begins and ends. Surely you would not allow free-for-all stripping and poisoning of all our resources so we’d be left with just blackflies – and maybe not even them, if there were no fresh water for them to live in.
Much public discussion and debate should take place on any such thing as a “takings” Bill in the Legislature. There are many sides to that issue.
Personal greed should not be primary; the public good should be uppermost.
The Constitution’s Original Intent was to protect the rights of the individual first and foremost from the ravages of the government. “Personal greed” will get you nowhere, as that contention violates the rights of anyone to provide for themselves as they choose.
It is the place of the courts to interpret the Constitution (not make new laws) to arbitrate issues such as what you’ve described.
I believe local people should decide whether they will allow their water and land to be poisoned with pesticides or industrial chemicals, and/or the local forests to be stripped of all life.
Now that would be that often elusive thing called Democracy.
Discussion and debate are at the heart of Democracy. We need lots more civil and honest discussion and debate in America today.
And now, “anewvoice,” it’s Saturday evening and I’m cooking supper (looks and smells good, too) for company, so it’s good-bye for now. Have a nice rest of weekend.
Yep, got to get rid of “do gooders”. Let’s get some old fashioned evil dooers in there.
Dems to Michaud: “Stay Mikey, stay. Good boy”.
Good! Now Baldacci and Pingree should do the same! Clear the path for new blood.
“Some” lingering negatives from his time as governor? That is like a politician saying “we had frank and honest discussions” when they come out of a closed door meeting with blood on their faces! Baldacci shouldn’t be allowed to be assistant road kill collector!
Thank You Mike…!!!
Keep sending pingree and michaud to washington and hope for change is insane
So the effervescent Brent Littlefield makes a ten-word assertion and the BDN counters it with poli-sci acadimwit Brewer’s wisdom:”There is more to it than that” Gee, does anyone think that ten words could ever sum up a political strategy, especially in such a complex race?
C”mon, BDN. Stop treating Brewer like an oracle and do some real reporting. Please round out your articles with other perspectives like they taught you in journalism school – thanks.
BTW – Rep. Michaud pushed hard for Pres. G. W. Bush’s impeachment for the crime of defending this country. He is a political hack in the first degree, and a none-too-clever one at that.
The Headline says Raye to stay in House race, yet in the story it talks about how eyes are on Raye to see if he runs for Senate. If the story is new, please write a new story. Don’t just revise the old story to save time. You end up contradicting yourself. Please re-write this!
Baldacci, really??? dirigo health financial flop, mdot ripping off program, a state deficit that eclipses anything we have seen, land fills to fix mill problems, on and on and on!!! yeah lets send him to fix washington!!!! Chellie is the class of that field, extremely bright and level headed.
Comon Michaud! Why would you do that? You could have this on a silver platter.
There is still King though….