PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — With individual promises to cut federal spending, vote against legislation that threatens constitutional rights, revamp the health care system and fight for the nation’s veterans, four of the six candidates seeking the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by Sen. Olympia Snowe addressed voter questions during a forum on Thursday evening.
It was the first of a series of nine public forums to be held statewide featuring the Republican candidates. The Maine Republican Party and GOPforME hosted the event at the Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center.
Senate candidates running in the June 12 GOP primary are former state Sen. Rick Bennett, businessman Scott D’Amboise, state Sen. Debra Plowman, state Treasurer Bruce Poliquin, Maine Attorney General William Schneider and Maine Secretary of State Charlie Summers.
Plowman and Poliquin were unable to attend.
Approximately 50 people watched as the candidates fielded questions submitted online and by attendees. A subdued audience did not show support for any one candidate and had no reaction over the two missing candidates. Each question was answered by only one candidate, but they were all asked whether they supported same-sex marriage, and all said that they do not.
One of the earliest questions was directed at Bennett, who was asked if he thought he could beat former two-term governor Angus King, who is running for the seat as an independent.
Bennett said he served in the Maine Senate when King was governor and “tussled over serious budget issues” with him and “argued against his policies” on the Senate floor. He faulted King for expanding the size of government in the state.
“I think I can take him on, and I’m happy to do it,” he said.
He also told the audience that he would work to simplify the federal tax code so “ordinary citizens could do their taxes” faster and more easily.
Summers said he would support random drug testing for welfare and Section 8 recipients. He also was asked about recent data that shows student debt in the U.S. has topped $1 trillion.
“I don’t think that every student needs to go to a four-year college,” he said, adding that he started his higher education at a community college. “I would stop programming people to believe that they have to go into debt for a four-year degree.”
He said he wanted to see a better focus on trade and technical jobs and other employment options that would not require substantial school loans.
Summers, who picked up an endorsement from the Legislature’s Aroostook County Republican delegation on Thursday, also stated that he believed immigrants should be able to enter the country as long as they do it legally.
D’Amboise’s platform includes living within one’s means and he wants to see veterans get the health care and other benefits they deserve. He said his priorities if elected would reflect those goals. He also stressed support for all constitutional liberties.
“I’ll never vote for anything legislative-wise that takes away an amendment right,” he told the crowd.
Schneider said he would cut spending and eliminate waste at the federal level. He pointed out that, as attorney general, he has tripled the number of welfare fraud prosecutions brought by the state.
“I would take that exact same attitude to the Senate,”he said. “I would make sure that fraud, waste and abuse is hunted down and ferreted out at every possible opportunity.”
He also touted himself as a “good, solid conservative,” and added that during one of his terms in the Legislature he was ranked highest by the Maine Economic Research Institute based on his votes to encourage the state’s economic and small business climate.
He said women’s access to healthcare and contraception is important, but he questioned the constitutionality of President Barack Obama’s mandate that health insurance plans include contraceptive coverage.
He joined 12 other attorneys general in February in signing a letter urging Obama to reverse his stance.
Four candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination for Snowe’s seat: former Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, State Sen. Cynthia Dill, State Rep. Jon Hinck and Portland home builder Benjamin Pollard.
The next GOP forum for the U.S. Senate candidates will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, April 13, at the Elks Lodge in Augusta. For more information and a list of times, dates and locations of the remaining forums that will be held around the state through May 19, visit gopforme.com.
The forums are free and open to anyone, regardless of political party affiliation.
The job of a politician is to protect the Constitution. The promise to do so shouldn’t be headlining news.
These clowns want us to believe they are by default the protectors of the Constitution and the only moral conscience of this country.
Hmm…apparently the GOP/Tea Party thinks the folks in the County believe that the government is spending too much money on them and those darn Democrats are trying to rewrite the constitution. Odd, I’d have thought that the folks up there could use some government assistance (I’m willing to do my part to help) and other then the liberties gained in the 60’s the only folks I’ve ever known who wanted to change our constitution have been those with a conservative ideology. This package won’t fly for conservatives. Perhaps they should try using wrapping paper with a floral print?
We do not need government assistance . We need government out of the way.
Closed for minds.
The nine scariest words in the English language are: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
consider these 9. ………….. Your parade will be rained on in November, April.
You mean when the voters send Obama packing? Yes! Yes! I agree with you!
Non sequitur
Here’s to you, trust fund baby!
TeeHeeHee. Such an old repeated song from the right.
I heard it just the other night on Fox (Tuesday I think.) The same night there were talking heads on there agreeing that the “fact” that the Russian spy Anna Chapman was canoodling with an Obama cabinet member. All agreed that national security might have been compromised.
Except that the story was false, and could not be confirmed by any non-Fox source. The story disappeared without a trace.
I do find it odd though, that other stories don’t make it to the Fox News. Such as the fact that Fox’s parent corp. (NewsCorp) was caught bribing politicians, blackmailing them, hacking e-mail accounts and eavesdropping on phone calls in Britian. It seems the scandal has spread to Australia. How long before it reaches here? Bribery, blackmail and unlawful hacking. What an upstanding believable news channel.
Actually, the scariest words are, “I’m from the Right, and I’ve come to safeguard your rights.”
Fox News…fair and unbalanced!
We dont need Government out of the way, we need Republican Government out of the way!
Then please start calling the Republicans across the country. They have taken over local government in various towns in Mich., with the elected people in those towns are sent packing and they have nothing to say about anything in that town. Be sure to vote Republican this year and you will see how they are about to take over this country with their corporate sponsors.
Obama has done nothing close to this.
Did you see the Maddow show last night? I don’t often watch (too smarmy), but this caught my eye. Actually, I was scrolling through the channels at 2am and caught her promising a “scoop”. Ticks me off when they do that, and I knew it would come at the end.
The vid is a bit long, there is a long set up to the climax to explain what you will see in a 10 second video of the goings on in the Michigan House. Is this what the Repubs want for Maine?
You can start the vid about 2/3 of the way and still get the reason for the outrage.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-rachel-maddow-show/46973330#46973330
Corporate interests are waging a war against the people of
this country and folks have had enough of this fascist bunch.
Fascist bunch? Do you even know what a Fascist is?
When corporate interests write legislation that is self-serving which is then pushed into law by those we elected who instead act as corporate proxies …. is a form of fascism.
If you think they’ll will look like Nazi’s think again, they’ll be wearing Adidas sneakers and tee shirts with a smiley face or neckties and suits.
Yup – They look just like those Health Insurance Company lobbyists who wrote the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act !
You don’t think Obama, Pelosi and Reid actually read, much less wrote any of it?
Which first was a Heritage Foundation/Republican Party
answer to Hillary Care. Thanks for making MY point!! Proof positive.
That’s true I was agreeing with you – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is as you said: a form of fascism.
Sweet, I wasn’t sure. Glad we agree.
I just heard Intiut pulled out of ALEC !!
Good to know that Intuit is against voter’s proving they are legitimate residents (therefore able to legally vote) and against American citizens defending themselves.
FrankC, you have Obama care confused with the Bush drug plan. Do a search for Duke Cunningham. He was the crooked Cal. Republican who was sleeping with the drug company lobbyist who wrote the law the Republicans passed when Bush was president. Turns out the law is written with very favorable terms for drug companies (imagine that!), and none of it was paid for. The total cost went to the debt. Can you match that?
{{Summers said he would support random drug testing for welfare and Section 8 recipients.}}
Now THATS a Fascist!
Funny, I and every one of my truck drivers and mechanics provided random drug tests for the DOT for over thirty years!
Now, tell me again, why someone being paid to sit home and do nothing should be exempt?
Who?
Never mind, go back to Fox. This was written for folks who want to learn, and that obviously does not involve you.
wow thats pretty scary isn’t it I hope they don’t call for help when their people riot because they will deserve what they get.
Maddow. Goosh, I hate that guy
Especially since the operation…
Time to end this Republican mightmare, few are willing to swallow the gruel they’re trying to sell.
I didn’t hear any of them say they would repeal the patriot act and domestic spying. I guess they aren’t worried about Constitutional freedom as much as they say.
Do terrorists ring a bell with you? There are constant threats that must be monitored for our safety.
So, it’s ok to ignore the constitution if you agree with it?
Just following Obama’s lead on that one!
Scott D’Amboise does . . . as well as repeal NDAA, get rid of the TSA, etc. Scott is the only “Liberty” candidate . . . the rest are the status quo . . .
Republicans want to protect who’s Constitution? Not America’s that’s for sure.
The Democrats have DESTROYED the Constituion over the last 40 years, and you blame it on Republicans? Looking at what they have done just to the 1st and 2nd admendments and think about what the Founders wanted.
We’ve seen how Republicans (ideologically cretins) protect the Constitution as their judicial branch now allows strip searches for any reason and the use of chemical and sonic weapons to silence the public outcry of their cretintanic injustice.
They also enact laws that deprive Murder Victims of due process.
Here, here
Not to mention the slow, methodical, attack on unions and the First Amendment right to assemble.
Ooooooh, just look at the state of the second amendment. Now we can carry a gun just about everywhere EXCEPT in government buildings. What amazes me, is that if it is ok to carry a gun everywhere else, what does the gov’t have to fear.
So far as the 1st Amendment, it is the Repubs who try to limit it. Don’t you remmeber what went on during the Bush years? Everything was classified secret, people arrested for wearing T-shirts with the “wrong” message on it, etc.
Then there are the Tea Party rallies that shouted down the opposition. Classic 1st amendment thinking. Yeah, right.
Can you show examples of similar Democratic tactics?
When people finally wake up and realize how evil the GOP is, and they are targeting the GOP Republicans… That is when the GOP WILL TAKE ALL THE GUNS AWAY – mark those words…
That’s not all they’ve destroyed. What do the top ten cities in the U.S. have in common (Detroit, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, St. Louis, El Paso, Milwaukee, Philadelphia & Newark)? Poverty. They also have been exclusively managed by Democratic mayors for decades.
And in your mind, poverty=not free?
I guess you are right a little, because the wealthy are more free from some things than the rest of us.
Who passed the “Patriot Act” ??? Who created the scheduled drug act which has trampled over the constitution more than any other legislation in American history.
Who decimated the 4th Amendment during the early 80’s in the name of the “War on drugs”??
No memory on your part? I remember when the patriot act was passed. Anybody who even hesitated about it was called an al-Quaeda supporter.
http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=2227
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/219872/key-tool-salvaged/david-b-rivkin-jr
And this from the past:
“In response to Democratic plans to question parts of the USA Patriot Act during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, John Ashcroft suggests that people who disagree with the administration’s anti-terrorism policies are on the side of the terrorists.”
http://www.brendan-nyhan.com/blog/gop-dissent-attacks.html
So, as you can see, trying to ask a Republican if maybe there is another road besides theirs means you will be attached for being unAmerican, a friend of the terrorists or an al Qaeda sympathizer.
Any similar findings from the Dems?
Give us a break and give us the links to your posts challenging this (from a liberal site):
U.S. Can Kill American Citizens Without Trial: Eric Holder
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/us-targeted-killings-eric-holder_n_1320515.html
Glad to see that you and I agree that extra-judicial killings don’t belong in American justice. I agree that Obama and Holder got this wrong. What is your position on torture, like waterboarding? I stand firmly against, like many liberals. We have a problem convincing most right wingers that waterboarding is even torture.
I am all for that..read the Federalist Paers..do the work..see what the founders say they actually intended..that would at last put us all on the same page. There is actually a wonderful group that does that..”we the People” and they have a chapter right here in Maine.
It is not what the Tea Party, the Libertarians or the constitution Originalists say. James Madison would not agree with most of what is written by these groups, most especially about the 10th ammendment which is the heart of their activism.
Myself, I wish they had adopted the Constiution of the Iroquois Confederacy..we wouldn’t have these debates or misunderstandings and we would have much less polarity ad divisiveness in deciding all matters of importance to “we the people?
And yet it’s the Republicans/”Conservatives” who most frequently are passing laws telling people what they may and may not do. Fiscal conservatism is a fine thing (meaning pay for what you do; don’t do it if you don’t/can’t/won’t pay for it), social conservatism usually transfers to “the right knows what’s best for you”.
Moderates need to vote in primaries to make sure we’re not stuck with the extreme of either party.
Ok – I’ll bite –
what are the: “And yet it’s the Republicans/”Conservatives” who most frequently are passing laws telling people what they may and may not do.” ????
I’ll give you the latest from Michigan- Michigan’s constitution says no law will be enforced until 90 days after their congress closes, unless a 2/3 majority votes to override. This has not happened but the Republicans just go ahead with their laws. One being that if a city or school is in financial trouble the R’s send in a person to run whatever. The people and their officials have no say about anything in their town or school. Talk about dictatorship, my guess is that many of these R’s are calling Obama all sorts of names like communist, dictator and socialist.
A person hired to prevent a school from going wildly in debt????!!!!!!! A person sent in to prevent a school from shutting down????!!!!!!!! HOW DARE THEY!!!!!!!
I suggest you find out the illegal way they have taken over. This is against Michigan’s constitution but they didn’t let a little thing like that bother them.
Oh, come on. Those Michigan patriots are just fast counters. They can count the votes of 73 people in less than 3 seconds, why waste time with a roll call vote. Then they announce that they have 73 votes (all but impossible) for a 2/3 majority, and the law is therefore fast tracked. Do you see something shady about that? Fast counters, that’s all.
To read a little more see the following about Benton Harbor
http://eclectablog.com/2011/04/mi-gov-rick-snyders-takeover-of-benton.html
Can you spell screw you local government we want to put in a golf course and little city for rich people so you all go back into your holes and we will do what we want to do.
Frank, see my link below. It shows a video of Republican refusal to allow a roll call vote, and then 3 seconds later they announce a 2/3 majority. Ten minutes, and you will see what is so outrageous that even a die hard conservative friend cannot defend it.
I think you had better check out some of the Obama administration regulations before you say it is Republicans & conservatives telling people what they can or cannot do.
Why don’t you enlighten us.
I have to leave and will be off line, could you let me know when the Enlightment arrives? It usually is all hot air and no light, and I’m afraid to miss it.
Too bad these dopes don’t have to give up their State Jobs to campaign…that would be a win-win , and a loss !
For anybody to vote for a republican, would in essence be like taking a knife and cutting one’s very own throat.
So you have all your faith in politicians, how sad.
Who has added more to our national debt than ANY other president? Obama. And he did it in less than 4 years. Now that’s like cutting your throat because everyone will have to pay for that.
George W. Bush
Wrong. Look it up.
G. W. Bush’s policies have added more to the debt than any other president living or dead.
So you are wrong look it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It amounts to approximately $7 billion.
And GWB’s 2 wars had absolutely nothing to do with that, correct? What, we just stopped funding the military? Sense a trend here? The following was from 4 year ago, May of 2008.
With no fanfare and little notice, the national debt has grown by more than $4 trillion during George W. Bush’s presidency. It’s the biggest increase under any president in U.S history.On the day President Bush took office, the national debt stood at $5.727 trillion. The latest number from the Treasury Department shows the national debt now stands at more than $9.849 trillion. That’s a 71.9 percent increase on Mr. Bush’s watch.
If you need to malign, please be fair.
Don’t forget the tax cuts which added over $1 trillion and the Medicare part D worth another trillion. Along with financial deregulation which caused the greatest decline in economic activity since the Depression and the loss of Federal tax revenue, which added to the deficit. Bush’s policies were a massive train wreck for which we will be paying for YEARS.
Any Republican who denies these facts, and blames Obama, is delusional.
And how many trillion is it today???
You’re the one making the claim. You tell me!
Keep drinking the cool aid and bobbling your head, but what you state is not true. Neither in absolute terms nor in % has it increased more during Obama’s term. Show me a reliable link that backs up your statement.
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/federal_deficit_chart.html
I still can’t find what you are saying in the link. It has a bunch of numbers, but none that back you up. Again, can you give me numbers. Like someplace that shows the numbers of dollars of debt from Obama and a set of the same numbers from any other president? The 2nd pres. Bush would be a good comp, because he took the current account deficit from negative numbers to 9 or 10 trillion.
How about this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/adding-to-the-deficit-bush-vs-obama/2012/01/31/gIQAQ0kFgQ_graphic.html
And I don’t want to hear you whine about a liberal view point. The link you gave was for a Tea Party person.
Now, do you have any real numbers to prove your point? Keep trying, but I doubt you’ll find an unbiased source because your numbers are made up on the Fox News tv set.
There has never been a negative deficit, not even under Clinton. The deficit has never ever been paid down and never ever will be. Just read these boards, too many people depend on the government and expect the government to provide for them. With that many dependents, you have to deficit spend.
Forget about reading these boards, read my words and understand them. Please do a search for “current account deficit”, then repost a reply that makes sense. You will see that there is a difference between what I wrote and what you think I wrote. Sorry you have problems with English economic terms.
There real numbers. Bush may have taken it from 0 to 10 in 8 years “with two wars” but Obama has taken from 10 to 16 in 3 years and Obama care hasn’t even kick in yet.
Reality is looking forward economically. For another perspective:
CBO reports that annual spending over the Obama era has climbed to a projected $3.6 trillion this fiscal year from $2.98 trillion in fiscal 2008, or more than 20%. The government spending burden has averaged 24% of GDP, up from an average of about 20%. This doesn’t include the $2 trillion tab for ObamaCare.
All of this has increased the federal debt by about $5 trillion in a mere four years.
Unstated in most reports is probably the situation that’s more damaging than spending greater than 20% is :
And don’t forget the national debt held by the public—the kind we have to pay back. On President Obama’s watch, CBO says public debt will climb this year to 72.5% of the economy from 40.3% in 2008. This isn’t as high as Italy or Greece, but it’s rising fast toward the 90% level that begins to debilitate an economy.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204740904577195352148844134.html?KEYWORDS=Adding+to+the+deficit%3A+Bush+vs+Obama
http://www.snopes.com/politics/politicians/nationaldebt.asp
Bush went from a deficit of $0.00 to a deficit in the trillions during his tenure, and took us to war in two foreign countries under false pretenses. You want Obama to fix that while being fought every step of the way by a Republican majority in 3 short years. The economy is building, we’re out of Iraq, Bin Laden is dead, unemployment is down and home sales recovering. Give the guy a break. He’s making progress slowly. Bush was on a steady decline since day one. The last thing we need right now are more republicans in Washington, stonewalling the President.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/politicians/nationaldebt.aspm
Bush was handed a huge deficeit.
Following orders to the tee, are we.. all that hate naws at the soul..
Exactly. It seems the only line items they want to cut in the budget are the items that don’t affect themselves.
Specifically what and how ?
What an idiotic, closed minded statement.
Schneider’s fraud, waste and abuse cry is nothing more than what every GOP Candidate cry’s whenever they don’t have an actual, on-paper plan. If he think’s that us folk’s up here in The County are gonna blindly follow him off the GOP-cliff, he’ed be well advised to go up to TAMC and check himself in for serious session with the ‘shrink’s. We’ve already got Paulie and his nonsense in Augusta running unsupervised now. Does Schneider really believe that Mainer’s are so stupid or blind that we’re gonna let him run around Washington unsupervised ? Mainer’s have a lot more sense than that. And come November a whole lot of people are gonna see just how much.
Cutting spending and protecting the Constitution? Are you serious? Yeah, in these tough economic times, that’s what I wanna hear. It just shows how out of touch Republicans are these days.
And beholden to the Tea Party talking points. Wonder what the next “flavor of the month” will be for these puppets?
Blah blah blah more of the same crap
Talk about out of touch, this group of extremists didn’t get the word yet that few are interested in what they’re peddling. Listen boys, don’t be surprised come Nov. when you get your heads handed to you by a majority of voters. Best keep working on voter suppression because that’s the only chance you got. What really puts a smile on my face is …… you did it to yourselves.
I’m voting Republican because Women just can’t be trusted to make decisions about their own bodies, never, ever, ever.
You are so right. Last week I let my wife put shoes on, and the first thing she did was go to the neighbors and complain. I hate when the snow melts, because then I have to watch her all the time. In the winter, I only need to carry her shoes with me when I leave for work.
So far all the commenters are the folks that ask, “What can my candidate do for me, not what can my candidate for ME”. And by the way MEPac, it’s the liberal Dems who are the control freaks over our lives.
So what has the liberal left done to contrrol your life? Examples, please.
Their control over public education, smoking, seat belts,drinking age and trying to get control over health care.
Democrats want Public Education for all, Republicans are trying to starve Public Education so that eventually only rich or well off will be able to educate their children.
Anyone can smoke as long as they are over the age of 18. Smokers rightfully should not be able to smoke anywhere where their smoke will infringe on a person’s right to not smoke or inhale secondhand smoke. ie public buildings, places of entertainment etc. so no control there unless you believe anyone of any age should be allowed to smoke anywhere they like.
Even Republican controlled states make people wear seatbelts so not a Democratic control issue but a public safety issue.
Anyone can drink if they are over the age of 21, they just can’t do it in such a way that may cause a danger to the public. ie. driving while drunk or public drinking. And even Republican controlled states have laws against under-age drinking and drunk driving so, again, not a Democratic control issue.
Now for some good old fashion Republican control freak issues.
Requiring women to undergo a VERY intrusive vaginal sonogram before getting an abortion (PA),
Businesses being able to fire a women who cannot prove that their use of birth control is not for non-birth control issues (AZ) and now they want to pass a law that states that pregnancy can start two weeks before they actually get pregnant. They are crafting a bill that would state that a pregnant women is considered pregnant after their last menstral cycle not at when they actually get pregnant.
Requiring police to check the immigration status of all traffic stops (but they actually mean stops of non-white people) (AZ and other states)
Oklahoma actually changing their constitution to attack a specific religion so as to stop our laws becoming Sharia Law. Didn’t know that was such a problem in Oklahoma.
Requiring all welfare recipients to undergo drug testing, that they have to pay for, to recieve welfare (FL, AZ) even though Florida had a positive test rate of less that 3% and Arizona found 1, yes 1, person out of 20,000 tested positive for drug use.
I could go on but you get the drift.
The welfare thing shows how out of touch they are. We were on welfare growing up. We needed every welfare dollar and donated commodity to eat. I remember Ma saying she wasn’t hungry to explain why she didn’t make a plate up for herself. (I know better now, but as kids it made sense.)
If they do find welfare folks who can afford drugs, either they are ineligible for welfare, or they are friggin geniuses who should be teaching economics at the highest levels.
>>>>>
Gov. King nearly doubled the size of Maine’s budget while in office, so he is definitely the kind of senator we DON’T need in DC. The Democrats have a very shaky list of candidates. The only practical choice is to vote Republican.
I encourage all Mainers to take a good long look at each Republican candidate and vote for the one who will indeed protect the Constitution and reduce the size and scope of the federal government.
For me, I am voting for Summers.
The Republicans are a wrecking crew. Cut taxes for the wealthy, give subsidies to the fossil fuel industries. defund education, deny climate change, dispute evolution, deny freedom of choice, drill baby drill, restrict voting rights, the list is long.
I encourage Danny Boy to take a good look at Republicans, both in state and nationally, and with a straight face tell me they are ready to lead.
you mine as well ask Grover Norquist the rupublicans can’t respond without his say so their oath to him comes first and before any oath of office, although I don’t want to shield the dem. party they can be just as slimy they are after all politician’s.
Will there be a Howdy Doody Picture beside the check off box or do the Republicans help you fill out the Ballot?
What’s voter suppression, asking for ID, maybe the liquor and smoke shops should too?
What’s voter suppression, asking for ID, maybe the liquor and smoke shops should too?
Voting Rights are granted to us in the Constitution, there is no mention of liquor and smoke shops that I can recall?
The single biggest threat to the US Constitution, is the republican party.
Really… Thats why the Dems want to control everything!!!! Patriot act written by democrats in power, and renewed time and time again by dems… Dems want to censor the internet and have put drones in the air to spy on americans in their own country… They can spy on every cell phone in the country… but they are just protecting us…
The Patriot Act was written by Bush and Cheney while they were touting the WMD mantra
Please explain your statement with specifics. Thanks.
We must all keep in mind that you can’t trust anything a politician says in either party ! If it weren’t for lying they would be at a loss for words and unable to carry on a conversation! If politicians were honest, we wouldn’t need to have two parties!
Anyone who claims to be protecting the Constitution, and then says they are in favor of “random drug testing” is out of touch with the unlawful search provision. Nobody should allow this invasion into their lives, from our employers to our government, it is unconstitutional.
Pretty bad when the GOP can only excite 50 people in Aroostook County for the upcoming Senate race, tells what kind of bath the GOP is going to take in November!
>>>>>
Cut spending? What a joke. Americans are not stupid we all know by now what that means. . Your idea of cut spending means- to keep cutting programs ,raising taxes from the middle class and the poor, while you keep taking billions from the lobbyiest so your corportate friends keep making millions. You want to cut something.. Cut everyones health care premiums .
Scott D’Amboise will not be influenced by lobbyists.
You guys are all losers so what makes any of you think you can win?
Secretary Summers hit this one out of the park. He is 100% correct about student loans. There is no need for every single student to aspire for a four year liberal arts degree. There are many people who are truly gifted with their hands and they should be taught to utilize those gifts.
{{There is no need for every single student to aspire for a four year liberal arts degree}}
Maybe not but the opportunity should be there!
The opportunity is there. I did not say that every student should not be given the opportunity, I said there is no need for EVERY SINGLE STUDENT to look for that. There are tons of kids in high school who are counting down the days until they graduate so they never have to sit in a classroom again.
It is a travesty that we force these kids to think the only path to success is getting some undergraduate degree from a university. We need to teach students to learn to utilize their individual skills.
There are so many people who I went to high school with who would have failed out of my Anatomy and Physiology within the first few months. I actually just saw one of them a couple of weeks ago and asked him what he was up to. He went into an electrical program at a local community college and he is making close to $18.00 an hour right now. That is more than I am making with my public school liberal arts degree. That student found success by doing what he was drawn to. The way the education system is set up now we are pushing kids down roads they do not want. We need to come to grips with this problem and address it. The comments by Secretary Summers about encouraging community college truly leads me to believe he will encourage that line of thought.
The conservative/tea party/ republican movement in this country should cease to
exist and allow the socialists to find out how long their system would survive.
they already have and don’t care all they care about is pocketing and sharing amongst themselves whats left of SS and getting what they can from lobbyists, superpacs, and insider trading, be4 it all comes crashing down.
Cut spending and lower taxes. How about jobs and a clean energy economy and maybe a little research and development. Why is it they all always focus on the same thing all the time.
Could just one of them break out of the Grover box and say we need to raise taxes on those who should pay more.
All the Constitution? Including the bits about separation of church and state, warrants only on probable cause, freedom of speech and press, freedom of assembly, all those inconvenient parts? They gonna repeal the PATRIOT Act and the other so-called security regime clampdowns like the TSA?
I doubt it. They are just like the Democrats, ignoring the parts of the Constitution that get in the way of what they want to do.
Give us a break ! Obama had COMPLETE control of the government for two years !
Why didn’t he repeal the act then?
With that control, why haven’t the democrats passed a budget in 6 (six) years when every other president has done so even when they didn’t control congress? (Clinton, Bush I, Reagan, Nixon, etc )
“They are just like the Democrats, ignoring the parts of the Constitution that get in the way of what they want to do.”
Ooops – you’re right .. I was really responding to a previous poster’s logic. Have you read this gal?
Your First Amendment right to peaceably assemble – is now a federal crime. http://krisannehall.com/index.php/blog/111-exclusive-secret-group-helping-obama-destroy-the-constitution
could we get monicka and clinton back? at least we had a balanced budget and a surplus then well until bush came to town and then Obama and who ever the next puppet will be.
Scott D’Amboise wants to repeal all of those as well as the NDAA, etc. He is the only real person in the race and is very much “Non-Establishment” unlike the others.
Which is probably why D’Amboise is tied for dead last in the polls . . .
The “county” will stand alone because they have not been influenced by the Liberal disease. With the exception of John Martin, the county does not want any help. These are people with some real stature and have a sense of family and community that has not been lost.
Speak for yourself. Your arrogance is a disease.
Yeah, they stand for RR bailouts, Loring AFB bailouts, P.I. airport 2 million subsidies. Yeah, too proud to take handouts. Keep thinking that is the truth.
Wackos. These guys are exactly what Snowe denounced when she decided to not run for reelection.
ya she regainned alot of respect from me when she did that.Although now I wonder what we will have replacing her.
As my handle suggests the “fissure of the right” is nearly complete, one more step or two and they’re “Right” off the cliff.
Unfortunately for the citizens of the State of Maine there isn’t a Republican or Democrat worth voting for in this senate race.
Or independent
Recent Obama rants prove that typical lib has complete and utter disdain for the constitution. It should be a major point in every election going forward. I hope that politicians for this senate seat on both sides can be more honest then the average politician in a recent campaign.
The differences are pretty clear.
they will find the same crap Snowe has seen and wish they had stayed home if their honest that is.
Rants from Obama. How about the rants from Rush and his allies who caused the judge’s family in Chicago to get killed? how many times did the right rage about “the 2nd Amendment solution? You have nerve talking about Obama’s “rants”.
typical tea bag BS.
I am all for protecting the constitution.
The problem is that the tea party folk and libertarians don’t get what the constitution actually is and how it works. They think that anything not specifically mandated in the constitution is unconstituional.
Also the constitution doesn’t grant freedoms ( the list of freedoms there are not the only freedoms granted) which is not at all how it works.we have limitless and inumerable freedoms. The constitution is a contract with all people that government shall not abridge these limitless freedoms .
( not my opinion 200+ years of consitutional scholarship on that one)
The tea party and libetarian positions on programs and governance are not based on a sound understanding of what the constitution is and how it works. It is simply not true that any law not specifially mandated in the constitutional is unconstitutional.
At the very minimum every member of our legislature should be working from the same knowledge of the consitution and how it works.
Tenth Amendment
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people.
Everything not listed below, or added by an amendment, is a usurpation of our rights. Most federal power today rests on stretching the Commerce Clause far beyond its clear intent.
Article 1 Section 8
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes,
Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the
common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties,
Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United
States;
To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the
several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform
Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign
Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the
Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by
securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to
their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on
the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures
on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money
to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the
land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the
Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the
Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service
of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of
the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the
discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever,
over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of
particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the
Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places
purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same
shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other
needful Buildings; And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for
carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by
this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department
or Officer thereof.
Dear Imperceptus,
Not correct..
that is the erroneous tea party arguement on the constitution that has deadlocked all meaningful deliberative process in our federal legislature.
That view is not supported in any way by 200+ years of interpreting our “living constitution” nor is it supported in the writings of the founding fathers .
You are correct that the home rule issue ( states rights) was the big trick to negotiate and on everyone’s minds in writing this contract with the people that is our living connsiution. The contract with the states is that the federal government will always and only act in the natonal interest and will not impose any law or requirement on states except in the national interest. It does not mean, as you have asserted and as tea partiers assert, that the federal goverment will only legislate on the things you list. Your correct extraction of the consiution is
not a list limiting the federal government ‘s scope to only those things.
I think it’s extremely important for sound governance that we all understand and use the constitution in a manner that is connsistent with the 200+ years of its interpretation, use and judicial history. Every single legislator should thoroughly undertsnad how our cosiution works and what it really says..
Inventing new interpretation out of whole cloth that is completely disconnecetd from this very basic “core” of our living constiution does not serve the public interest.
It’s all fine and well for you to lecture me from your cottages on Crockett Cove and tell me I am not correct, but what you are asserting is your opinion. An opinion no more valid than mine.
I, and many others, believe that that the powers of the Federal government were expressly limited for a reason. We also believe that the steady march towards unfettered government power is a path to ruin.
You keep repeating the words “living constitution” as if the mere repetition of the words will make it so. If we are to constantly reinterpret and re-imagine the Constitution, then the document itself has no meaning save what we feel it should mean in the moment.
No, the Constitution was expressly designed to shackle the power of the Federal government. The intent of the Framers must be our guiding principle. And for those who bemoan that we are thus tied to the mores of 18th century plantation owners I would point out that the Framers included a mechanism for modifying the Constitution. Those who parrot on about a “living constitution” are unwilling to follow the process, likely because they know their ideas will be a hard sell with the general populace, and so seek to implement their changes through judicial fiat.
So, feel free to defend and argue for a more powerful government. One that can lock you away indefinitely, put people in camps, or order the assassination of American citizens.
“This is the history of
governments, — one man does something which is to bind another. A man
who cannot be acquainted with me, taxes me; looking from afar at me, ordains
that a part of my labor shall go to this or that whimsical end, not as
I, but as he happens to fancy. Behold the consequence. Of all debts, men
are least willing to pay the taxes. What a satire is this on government!
Everywhere they think they get their money’s worth, except for these.
Hence, the less government we have, the
better, — the fewer laws, and the less confided power.”
Congratulations. One of the best posts ever on BDN ! Who is the author?
Ralph Waldo Emerson !!! Refreshed my memory with Wikipedia! My mothers side of the family has some connection to him also ! LOL Oh well..
Yes. Once upon a time, being a liberal was a good thing. Classical liberalism was dedicated to limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and the liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets.
Found it in google reader – pretty neat if anyone’s interested.
https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=Ralph+Waldo+Emerson&start=24&num=24
Then I found this:
“Our history teaches us that when a government is honest, just and virtuous, taxes are light. But when a government becomes powerful it is destructive, extravagant and violent; it is an usurer which takes bread from innocent mouths and deprives honorable men of their substance, for votes with which to perpetuate self.” (Cicero, quoted in “Pillar of Iron,” p. 102)
The only way to reduce taxes is to reduce the size and scope of government.
This information was extracted from a book by Ezra Taft Benson, titled “An Enemy Hath Done This.”
Its not even that we have to rethink everything because out of control government has been around forever !
Imperceptus..you mean we are neighbors????
Tea Partiers claim that the 10th Ammendment, which says “the powers not delegated” to the federal government are “reserved to the states,” is proof that the Framers would’ve balked at today’s bureaucracy.
That was your original statement, in essence. Your arguement, in essence. The Tea Party arguement.
What they and you don’t mention is that James Madison refused a motion to add the word “expressly” before “delegated” because as he said:
“there must necessarily be admitted powers by implication.”
That, dear neighbor, is from a framer of the constitution….I would think an originalist such as yourself would pay great heed to what the framers actually said.
A review of Tea Party Libertarian and Constitutional originalists writing on the 10th ammendment will reveal the almost universal insertion of that word “expressly” before delegated. But Madisons objection to the inclusion of that word prevailed..all agreed that was not the intent. So for Tea Party, Libertarians, and Originalists to insistently put “expressly” back in is to betray the original intent, not return to it or honor it.
On small government and excessive legislation..I agree. In fact I believe every law at any level is a failure of community. If we lived from shared values that involved the common good, respect for others, common sense, and care that our actions don’t interfere with the rights of others we would have no laws on our books at all. Laws are very clumsy and imperfect ways to regulate or achieve corrections when folk deviate from this course.
Ralph Waldo Emerson in one of his essay on politics says it so much more powerfully:
“Hence, the less government we have, the better, — the fewer laws, and the less confided power. The antidote to this abuse of formal Government, is, the influence of private character, the growth of the Individual; the appearance of the principal to supersede the proxy; the appearance of the wise man, of whom the existing government, is, it must be owned, but a shabby imitation. That which all things tend to educe, which freedom, cultivation, intercourse, revolutions, go to form and deliver, is character; that is the end of nature, to reach unto this coronation of her king. To educate the wise man, the State exists; and with the appearance of the wise man, the State expires. The appearance of character makes the State unnecessary. The wise man is the State. He needs no army, fort, or navy, — he loves men too well; no bribe, or feast, or palace, to draw friends to him; no vantage ground, no favorable circumstance.”
From the minutes of the Constitutional Convention:
“Mr. Madison objected to this amendment, because it
was impossible to confine a Government to the exercise of
express powers; there must necessarily be admitted powers
by implication, unless the Constitution descended to recount
every minutia.”
With full context, it becomes more clear what Madison objected too. Because the Constitution grants the Federal government the power “To coin Money”, are we then to say printed notes are illegitimate? Of course not. Some latitude is necessary.
We get deeper insight into Madison’s belief from Federalist Papers.
The Federalist 45: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the
federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in
the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be
exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation,
and foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will, for
the most part, be connected. The powers reserved to the several States
will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs,
concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the
internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State.”
Clearly, Madison wanted nothing to do with an expansive government. However, after the debacle with the Articles of Confederation, he did want a government that could be effective. The word “expressly” in the 10th Amendment, would necessitate a long list of “expressly” designated powers. One of the beautiful aspects on the Constitution is its lack of minutia.
But a case such Wickard v. Filburn would surely cause Madison to turn over in his grave. To think that the government can tell a man that he cannot grow wheat on his own land for his own consumption was, and is, abhorrent.
After decades of expanded government, we find ourselves in the very hell Madison sought to avoid. Hordes of unelected bureaucrats produce reams of endless rules, regulations, ordinances, protocols and edicts… 80,000 pages of new rules and regulations every year. We are drowning in the endless minutia of government. We have a government which shuts down lemonade stands, dictates the manner in which a toilet may flush, and orders us to use certain types of light bulbs. A government which sends armed agents to arrest an Amish man for selling unpasteurized milk to people who knew they were buying unpasteurized milk.
In conclusion, the Constitution is certainly not a living document as it has been crushed beneath the corpulent behemoth that is our government. It is far past time we re-tame the beast and and bring it down to size. Then we can revive the old parchment, as originally intended.
I have great respect for your post here, neighbor, and great sympathy with your thrust on legislative excesses.
Many of things you point to are about corprate control of the legislative process which is my main focus and we don’t need to have a common understanding of the constiution to work together all of us, in naming and eradicating that.
They are going to shut us down here soon but I would love to find a way to continue this conversation at the community level and pethaps to include our elected officials and those running for election. I think it could be very fruitful.
Non partisan,..all parties.
Thank you again for your very thoughtful reply.
Final point.
Anyone concerned about excessive lobbying, corporate control of government, etc. should also be demanding smaller, less powerful government.
With a government that makes rules to govern your everyday activities, a government that seizes your property to give it to others, and a government that rewards you financially if only you will play by their rules, it is only natural that people and business will lobby in order to affect those policies.
A smaller, less intrusive government that will no longer give you other people’s money is one you no longer need to lobby.
smaller is not necessarily better
but wiser is always better
and driven by we the people not coprorate control designed to maximize profit at public expense is always better
hoping somehow all of us who are civically engaged will find a way to work together to hold our candidates accountable to core values that transcend party lines and that we will have opportunities to compare and interview our candidates..all of them..in forums which include all of them so that we are voting not by party.lines but for all those qualities enumerated by Emerson…
wisdom, intelligence, integrity is what matters most to me and a commitment to transpraency truth and eradication of corporate control.
we fail ourselves if we allow another election based on party affiliation alone. We have to ask for more.
Insist on more..
And there you have it folks!
What a Bag of Rotten Apples!
Uh Duh, Hi, Uh, I’m Charlis Summers and UH , Duh,I like to support the constution by sendin thrtening leters to students voters,
Also need to drug test all welfare cipeants!
God Bless Ameca Constution!
>>>>>
Elections are about choices. The selections here are thin at best, perhaps on both sides, or should I say all three sides, but the problem is too many voters (and not enough people vote) buy in to what too many politicians are selling …. Hype …. not solutions.
Governing this country requires finding the common denominators in our ever-changing existence and assist in progressing the economy, human welfare and security of the country on behalf of its citizens. I am not looking for who’s going to only represent my political party, but who’s going to work in the best interest of “the people” of Maine, and in turn the country. Hopefully my candidate’s party will forget it’s not the best Republican idea or the best Democratic idea but the best for America idea we want/need.
I wonder if it’s possible to ever find common denominators anymore? I wonder if there are any candidates who really want what’s best for Maine and/or the country. It seems like even if they are when they start they get swallowed by the monster. And for those who don’t, the money that’s poisoning politics works against them with propaganda and “hype”. If even that was done with the people’s bests interests in mind but it’s done only to feed the monster not the people. It’s so discouraging because it’s hard to imagine things being different–there are too many vested interests pulling against them. It’s also discouraging to watch the shenanigans of ramming through bills in the 11th hour.
It starts with one, then another one, and then another. America will survive the current beast of “it’s all about the money… my way or no way.” People want efficiency of services, but they do want government …. and for it to work for “them.” We, the public, in mass, and they, elected officials, will soon see the “divide to rule” political practice is not and does not serve the public’s interest nor the country’s interest. The internet and social networking will soon short-circuit the current and errant propagandizing of misleading information to win-at-all-costs. I have faith. We will be tested…., but one by one, the people will seek reasonable people to serve and represent the broader constituency.
Thank you and I guess if you can still have faith so can I. What you say is very true & what we need to remember…
There must be a few Granny’s that haven’t been kicked out of their homes yet.
Not one of them will be elected, after the beating the county has taken from LePage!
Oh boy the county , the sheep lead by King John.
You forgot about the Old Goats …. you know what they do to the sheep
In reading these platforms I like what Charlie Summers has to say. We need drug testing for welfare recipients, we need to stop this student loan fiasco where these young people are sold a bill of goods about needing a four year education at a private institution. They take out big loans to go to small liberal arts colleges out of state that many have never heard of. They could just as easily get two years at a community college and finish off at the state university and come out with far less debt. It does not matter where you go, it’s what you do when you get there. Also many kids would be far better off financially and talent wise in the trades. This hype about private colleges has got to end. Parents need to talk up the value of our public colleges and guidance counselors need to encourage kids in that direction also. It does not matter where you get that teaching degree, you all earn the same amount of money. Summers is also right on about allowing legal immigrants into the county. He is dealing with some valid issues. That is not to say that others do not have good ideas, I just like his platform.
Democrats=Republicans. How ’bout asking them if they’re against the NDAA’s “indefintie detension without trial” provision passed by Congress in Dec/Jan. and refusing to enforce it in Maine–just like the state of Virginia has proposed there. How ’bout removal of TSA goons who grope you if you don’t want to be bathed in their radiation scanner? How ’bout getting the EPA off land owners backs, especially farmers like the Amish in other states who are harassed for selling raw milk and for “dust” that rises from their fields and telling Washington such harassment by Federal agents will result in their ARREST. Folks, you better not trust slimy politicians and organized locally.
Hopefully they pick the best person, someone powerful, a pillar of the community.. One who looks out for the State of Maine and its people, one who will emulate Mr. LePage.
Just pick anyone off the street. Better a blank slate (like Paulie) then one who must be re-trained to learn the ways of ALEC.
You know, this might be a good chance for Lauren to branch off on her own. Since the right is so in love with the current governor, the thought of having his dau in the Senate must send them into ecstasy.
Not old enough, you say? Well, LePage lied about bigger things, can’t he lie about her age and make it stick? Not that Republicans ever bend the rules for their own party or anything.
Let’s remember before people go bezerk about the debt that when Clinton left office that was a $300 billion surplus which Bush promptly gave to the rich ….and the wars…that no one talks about…4-6 billion dollars a week still continue…….And for Republicans to talk about protecting the constitution is a joke….Remember the USAPATRIOT Act??? And I am no fan of Obomber…the military can now come into you home and lug you off indefinitely…no charges, no lawyer, do not pass go, do not collect $200…
Clinton didn’t leave a surplus. He left a huge debt. Bush made it much worse, and Obomer is making all of them look frugile.
What the Republicans are proposing is nothing more than failed Tea Party fiscal rhetoric ! No realistic solutions to our problems at all !
They promise to cut spending then spend $300,000 on a study for a PRIVATE Road!
HOGWASH!
I feel safer already just knowing that there are such a group of “stand-up” individuals in our midst!!!!!
GOP Hypocrites………!!!!!
Ha Ha… see
http://www.nationofchange.org/fable-century-1333725772
GOP cuts in spending on the middle class all go directly to the RICH….
see the article from a Nobel Prize winner in economics…
http://www.nationofchange.org/fable-century-1333725772