AUGUSTA, Maine — A dispute over Medicaid cuts between Gov. Paul LePage and Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree escalated Wednesday, with LePage accusing Pingree of defying the will of Maine people and siding with Washington bureaucrats, and Pingree saying she won’t back down from trying to preserve health coverage for those slated to lose it.
In a strongly worded letter to the Democratic representative, LePage wrote that Pingree has “become part of the jet-setting Washington culture that keeps people dependent on government handouts.”
LePage’s letter was a response to a letter Pingree sent earlier this week to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in which she asked the secretary to block cuts to Maine’s Medicaid program that LePage and Republican lawmakers have been counting on to balance the state budget.
Pingree’s request to Sebelius said that, while the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the Affordable Care Act found it was unconstitutional for the federal government to penalize states for not participating in an expansion of Medicaid programs, the ruling doesn’t invalidate a part of the health care law that bars states from scaling back existing Medicaid services.
Republican lawmakers in May passed a supplemental budget bill that does just that by tightening eligibility requirements for some Medicaid services and eliminating Medicaid coverage for 19- and 20-year-olds. Those Medicaid cuts were estimated to save about $10 million, according to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and were among a series of measures meant to plug an $83 million Health and Human Services budget gap.
The Department of Health and Human Services says the cuts are expected to affect coverage for 21,000 people.
The LePage administration had planned to seek a federal waiver that would allow the state to make those cuts, but the administration is reading last month’s Supreme Court ruling as a sign it can move ahead with scaling back the state’s existing Medicaid program.
Sebelius’ interpretation of the ruling, however, appears to line up with Pingree’s and put her at odds with LePage.
In a letter Sebelius sent to governors Tuesday night to explain some of the Obama administration’s next steps in implementing the Affordable Care Act, Sebelius said the court’s decision applies only to the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion and to no other Medicaid-related provision of the health care law.
“The Supreme Court held that, if a state chooses not to participate in this expansion of Medicaid eligibility for low-income adults, the state may not, as a consequence, lose federal funding for its existing Medicaid program,” Sebelius wrote. “The court’s decision did not affect other provisions of the law.”
In his letter to Pingree, LePage accuses the First District congresswoman of implying that the governor was unilaterally seeking the Medicaid cuts and mischaracterizing the cuts as “drastic.”
“While you might not like the welfare reforms made by the Maine Legislature, it is astounding that you would actively advocate for the Federal Government to overrule Maine’s decisions,” LePage wrote. “Your title says that you are a Representative from Maine, but apparently you prefer to represent the power of bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.”
In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Pingree said she didn’t intend to start “a personal dispute” with LePage, but said she wouldn’t “back down from speaking out” for the Maine residents slated to lose health coverage.
“The Maine people who stand to lose their health care are seniors, young people, people with disabilities and working families struggling to make ends meet,” she said. “The health care reform law was debated and passed by Congress, signed by the president and upheld by the Supreme Court. It’s time to stop fighting about the health care law and start following it.”
LePage had said in his letter that state’s Medicaid cuts were “a necessary correction” to the program’s size, since the level of Medicaid benefits Maine offers is above the national average.
“We either fix it now or it fails for everyone,” he wrote.
LePage on Wednesday also sent a letter to Sebelius telling the secretary that Pingree’s “position does not represent the state of Maine” and urging her “to put aside [Pingree’s] opinion piece and ensure that Maine’s upcoming submission receives a full, fair and equitable review, free of political interference.”
The LePage administration plans to move ahead with its Medicaid cuts, which are slated to take effect Oct. 1, by applying to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for an amendment to Maine’s Medicaid State Plan.
While the amendment would require federal approval, the amendment process is more routine than the process for obtaining a full-fledged federal waiver from the health care law’s requirements, said John Martins, a Maine Department of Health and Human Services spokesman.
Maine Attorney General William Schneider said Tuesday that Maine might “seek further redress in the courts” if the federal government doesn’t grant its amendment request.
Gee, Adrienne, it is interesting how out of step LePage appears to be. All he knows how to do is goose-step to the beat of the MHPC drums.
The federal pie “REALALIGNMENT“, Too many in line, not enough PIE.
If we didn’t spend so much on meaningless wars, and sending so many jobs out side the country, we would Not be in such a Great Divide !
Please wise up Middle Class America, give President Obama the same tools we gave Bill Clinton, and you will see change for the better in America, for your kids future.
Please get out and VOTE, and help someone else who may need it.
“The federal pie “REALALIGNMENT“, Too many in line, not enough PIE.”
There’s plenty of pie, without raising taxes. We spend as much on defense as the next 15 countries combined. We can afford to spend as much keeping Americans healthy as we spend to keep America safe.
too many of the wealthy not paying their share.
Not according to the CBO.
is an unhealthy America a safe America?
You have no ideas whats coming do you?
With your capability for predicting the future you must have been a lottery winner many times.
Bill Clinton signed NAFTA into law if I remember correctly. This accelerated the export of U.S. jobs . Please don’t blame Bush or congress for this , Clinton could have vetoed it. President Obama has done everything he could to help himself. Just last evening I saw the $ 7000.00 per night Oahu Whitehouse on television. I also understand he’s played a reported 100 plus rounds of golf since his election. I also heard him tell that Russion leader he’d have more ” flexability ” after his reelection and that in itself should scare the American public . Yes he’s done well for the working poor in America , much better for himself ! Let’s move FORWARD America , on to the next round. HOPE he continues to have a good time on my tax dollar while I get the CHANGE. ! I agree with you on one point, it’s time to wise up Middle Class America !
Educate yourself on how many jobs Romney’s Bain Capital has outsourced:
http://www.firedbybain.org/#!
Educate yourself on whose outsourcing jobs:
http://www.outsaurus.com/
You either need Economics 101, or stop reading garbage from garbage sites. Bain didn’t outsource. Bain actually stimulated growth in other countries as well. It’s a global economy. The Obama campaign is either lying about that, or, even worse, really stupid.
Bill Clinton – Romney’s business record is sterling.
But, Obama is outsourcing his campaign call centers. With unemployment what it is? Ridiculous.
Hey Mr. woodchuckranger, stop misleading, are you with the tea people ?
North American Free Trade Agreement = NAFTA
NAFTA has nothing to do with China, a place were almost every thing you buy today is coming from. This is a place were we as American, promote slave like labor (out of sight, out of mind) every time we make a purchase of a Chinese import. I think it all started with shoes, now its almost everything !
NAFTA) is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America.
Following diplomatic negotiations dating back to 1986 among the three nations, the leaders met in San Antonio, Texas, on December 17, 1992, to sign NAFTA. U.S. President George H. W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas, each responsible for spearheading and promoting the agreement, ceremonially signed it.
Remember this –
President Obama = In sourcing / Romney = OUTSOURCING
Est. Job loss due to outsourcing = 10,500,000
Est. current unemployed = 13,013,800+
Obama is outsourcing his campaign call centers, for heavens sake.
He is absolutely correct., A decision was made by the legislature. That is not the job of a Congressional representative from the first district to interfere with that.
Ms. Pingree represents a good segment of the state’s population. Her constituents and others are being harmed by these state policies so she does actually have some responsibility to speak and act on their behalf – to represent their interests since the governor and Republican legislature refused to. Just as with implementation of the health care exchanges our representation have something to say in the matter. Collins and Snowe piped up about that as did Michaud and Pingree.
The legislators made a decision. She can pipe up but not interfere.
My guess is she can file for an injunction in Federal District Court to stop the cuts from occuring.
My guess is that it would go the other way.The legislature passed the law. That is what counts. The Feds can’t force the states to accept it. The SCOTUS just ruled in a similar case.
Get back to us when you’ve got more than a “guess”!
LePage wants to override the FEDERAL criteria so an ELECTED FEDERAL official gets involved. is that so hard to comprehend?
Are you even suggesting that this wasn’t political. The article dosen’t state that Collins or Snowe got involved. Pingree is preparing her daughter for a run on the Blaine house. That in itself is a scary thought.
Are you saying Pingree should treat her daughter like LePage treats his daughter and give her a job she’s not qualified for? Republican double standards???
She already did.
Even if it’s a FEDERAL program????
Stop confusing UncPa with facts.
That is just not fair.
Yes. Because it is Maine dollars as well. The Feds dollars are matching. You need to get some information if you are going to form an opinion. Besides the Feds can and will at any time decide to withdraw funding leaving it 100% to the states.
It’s nice that you FINALLY admit that FEDERAL funds are involved. So WHY shouldn’t Congresswoman Pingree be involved???????
Because that state sets the parameters of who is covered and who is not, within certain criteria. Main theoretically could end its support for medicaid entirely. It does not have to accept the money.
YES, and LePage wants to override the FEDERAL criteria so an ELECTED FEDERAL official gets involved. is that so hard to comprehend?
YES, Maine can theoretically could end its support for medicaid entirely and that would be a final end to the political career of your hero Paul LePage. I wish he’d try it.
So you must agree that LePage was wrong to unilaterlly pull a dictator move and nullify the vote of the majority of Mainers to issue bonds and get some investment projects moving
The job of any Congressional Representative is to serve the people he or she represents. The vast majority of her constituaents agree with her actions.
Mainers disagree over the wisdom of more state borrowing /spending on bonds. Whether we agree or disagree with LePage’s veto, the matter was resolved within the state by a process approved by the people of Maine.
Similarly, whether you agree or disagree with the pending MaineCare cuts, it is an issue that has been addressed by the elected representatives of the people of Maine.
For Pingree to ask the Federal Government to overrule the will of the people of Maine is outrageous. She is out of touch with the economic realities here in Maine. She is out of step with the will of Maine people. And she is out of line by seeking to impose Big Government rules that are contrary to the will of the majority of Maine people.
The federal government overrules the states all the time. SCOTUS has ruled on that, too.
Sorry. That is not what happened. The Governor has always had that power. Governors make decisions to send out bonds (or not) when ever they decide. Its the law.
The term “serve” does not mean wait on them and take care of their every need at the expense of others !
Well when you put it that way……congrat’s you get 1 credit for sophistry.
Not at all. The law allows in fact specifies that the bonds go out when and only when the Governor decides. It has always been that way.
doesnt the decision to scale back these benefits interfere with the prior congressional decision to prohibit the scaling back of these benefits? if her job was to workout the federal law that the state is trying to circumvent and if a consequence of circumventing the law in that way is that the purpose of the law is undermined, isnt it also part of her job to do what she can to prevent that? not just Pingree, but any of our congressional representative are obligated to be deferential to the state legislature? is the governor failing to do his job when he vetoes a decision made by the legislature?
She’s running for governor and using populism to ‘test the waters’ and overcome her spoiled brat image as a shill for a billionaire.
Ha Ha Ha! I knew this would bring out the unhinged LePage haters! Him calling out Princess Pingree won’t go over well with all the warm, fuzzy, caring, “tolerant” left!
REP. CHELLIE PINGREE: POT PAGING KETTLE – Move over limousine liberals, what we’ve got here is a private jet progressive: “U.S.
Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, has taken frequent flights on a private
jet owned by her partner Donald Sussman, founder and chairman of a
billion dollar hedge fund called Paloma Partners, while conducting
business as a member of Congress, according to an investigative
blog called MaineWatchdog. In 2006, Pingree, while president of Common
Cause, a non-partisan, non-profit group that promotes government
transparency, criticized such travel by members of Congress,
MaineWatchdog reports. ‘Most Americans never have and never will fly on
a chartered jet, much less a fancy corporate jet complete with wet bar
and leather couches,’ she said, according to written testimony before
the House Subcommittee on the Constitution in 2006. ‘So when members of
Congress constantly fly around on corporate jets and pay only the cost
of a commercial ticket, it contributes to the corrosive public
perception that members of Congress are more like the fat cats of Wall
Street than they are like the rest of us.'” Portland Press Herald:
http://bit.ly/cAg803
Sounds like a little bit of class envy to me. “wet bar and leather couches”… indeed!
Paulie will have to kiss a little more corporate butt to get bumped up to first class.
No way dude, only the left participates in class warfare.
If the few benefit at the expense of the many it’s free enterprise; if the many benefit at the expense of the few it’s class warfare. [sarcasm]
Lets not forget the Americans for Prosperity organization, an ultra-rightwing group which funds a GOP agenda meant to disenfranchise and subjugate Americans for their own purposes.
whoa, lol. did you get that from their mission statement? (or did someone tell you that was what they were all about?)
It is not funny my friend. All one has to do is look at how they operate and what their goals are. I give you the gift, er privatization, of Fort Knox to a private organization as one example. And certainly the disenfranchisement of the American worker by the GOP is obvious beyond argument.
Chellie has shown her true colors. She wants the federal government to CONTROL every aspect of our lives. She and the Donald should just move to one of their islands and leave the rest of us alone.
Geeze Mooselake, you are a character that’s so low you could compete with Jerry Sandusky’s.
LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said Wednesday morning the letter from Sebelius wasn’t surprising, and that …
…>>she didn’t believe the letter directly addressed Maine’s situation<<…
_________________________________________________________
^^^^They are in a state of denial as far as this is concerned. Ignoring the facts won't change them.
Great Job Governor – keep up the good work and keep the crazy leftists at bay.
The tea party is nothing but an angry group.
Whipping up fear, inflaming and enraging for personal gain gets them nowhere.
It is your rhetoric that is getting old. Do you care to to cite, backed with reliable evidence , any example of “Whipping up fear , inflaming and enraging for personal gain…”?
….
http://www.gallup.com/poll/127181/tea-partiers-fairly-mainstream-demographics.aspx
…..
That is not data. It is opinion from a leftist. Who cares?
//////
Good attitude and I bet you wonder why the country is so divided.
Yessir, the left will not read ANYTHING outside of their bubble that goes contrary to their fantasy. It might create questions, or dare one say, doubt. Can’t have that!! Talk about out of touch!
The last link I followed from a rightie tightie led to a phishing site.
Gallup is not a rightie site. The other was the New York Times.
Links can be made into an alias so that they appear to go to a legitimate site when they do not. There is no way to be sure of where the link does without looking at the underlying html code and most folks don’t even know how to do that.
That doesn’t mean your links had an issue, just that we all need to be careful and when I let my guard down one of our “regulars” here put up a link that had the potential to cause great harm
Thanks. You are of course correct. That can happen. I tried the links you mentioned and went to the correct sites though.
The problem with quotes on the Internet is you can never be certain they’re authentic. – Abraham Lincoln
You do need a filter coupled to experience. Many liberal posters seem to not have the connecting clamp.
More Conservative mumbo jumbo, English please!
I supposed if you had worked a day in your life you might catch the analogy.
I read stuff from the right but am not one who tends to believe in superstitious political fodder aimed at simple minds. Hence not all of us believe everything we are told. Someone once said. EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD UP TO THIS POINT IS WRONG! Believe that and you get a fresh start.
Experience is a great teacher. I rely on personal experience backed up with reading and get accused of being anecdotal. You can’t win for trying.
….
Deleted.
Read your comment below and thought my post did not add anything to the discussion.
*grins* I agree and it reminds me of this quote: Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see.
I meant I didn’t care what you have to say. It works both ways you know.
That sums it up. No desire or effort to look at the situation outside of the talking points given to you by MSNBC. Is it so hard for your type to understand that many average folks think 1.5 T in annual deficits is BAD!! That there are those on entitlement programs that desparately need the assistance, they are in danger of not having those resources going forward because Govt. (D’s & R’s) has bloated them to insolvency.
……
If you don’t value someone elses opinion how can you expect that they value yours?
You might as well go through life with blinders on.
And for good reason. If your party gets it’s way, there will be nothing left of the current system government and economic, which is probably the plan anyways.
Actually the economy did better under Clinton than it did under any of the Bush terms.
It was under Bush that my income in sales doubled , it has now been reduced to one third ! The future never looked so ……bad.
Can’t blame that on Bush or Obama….. well, maybe Bush for the Iraq invasion, but no that just put our deficit over the top. You have to blame Wall Street for the fact that consumers do not have extra to spend. How much did those 401Ks lose? How many lost jobs? How many had salaries frozen? Lots of purchases have been put off because of what Wall Street did.
You are correct. It did do well. Some of it was due to the residual effects of Reaganomics, and some was due to Clinton himself. He didn’t get credit where it was due from the right. He was a moderate leader that made some good choices.
Once again, provide irrefutable proof of your assertions or spare us all your tripe.
….
I looked. They are all dated over a year ago.
…..
um, excuse me Spain, Italy. Is there room at your table? We may need to beg for more money from other countries soon as well. Maybe we can raise our sales tax to 21% as well to offset the govt spending? I bet that will help grow our economy and create more jobs!
Where have you been? Turn on tv, not fox or sports and read a paper once in a while. All you should need to figure this out yourself is a grasp for the obvious.
reliable evidence?
All you have to do is look in the newspaper any day of the week an ole Tea Party Paulie has accused or insulted someone!
Hey Gad, take a look at some of the left’s comments in this section. The party of warm-fuzziness and unicorns sure knows how to work up a lather of spite and bile!
Everyone has an opinion and the right to one.
Thanks….
Odd. The Tea Party does not have the laundry list of crimes Unions and OWS has. Destroying public property, assault, rape…..
The Tea Party doesn’t mooch resources intended for our homeless, crashing soup litchens and shelters, and leave $30 million in fees for clean-up and garbage removal.
…..
Tone? Foolishness. You see Leftist spin trying to paint it that way.
OWS, and Union protests, though, have real charges on record and crimes. Violent crimes.
……
AddictingInfo? That is your idea of a credible source? The same sort of extreme loonies read that that read Roy Nicholson’s blog, just on the other side.
But suppose it’s true, and this person did call for an overthrow. He is an individual – you certainly cannot paint the Tea Party with that. No charges have been filed. No arrests. Unlike OWS and union protests. OWS and Unions have multiple arrests and charges of violent crime. Assault. Rape. Destruction of Public Property. Multiple incidents across the country. Pattern of physical behavior as opposed to an individual’s rhetoric.
=======
Adrienne… Your boss has demonstrated he does not understand the laws of the land and /or has the IQ of a goldfish. Your statement also demonstrates that you also need some remedial courses on the same. Thank you Rep Pingree and Secretary Sebelius for educating our misguided governor and his “in step ” staff.
… and …
Lapage has already cut the 19 and 20 years olds along with the elderly and anyone who has
no income coming in. He just keeps rolling
Yes, and all of that on top of BIG tax breaks for the very rich and corporate “persons”.
There were no BIG tax breaks for the very rich. First of all, he cut the top tax bracket from roughly 9.5% to 9.0%. Which I would hardly consider to be “big”. Secondly, the top tax bracket in Maine starts with an AGI of $20,000 per year, in contrast to the Federal Governments top tax bracket of around roughly $400,000. Not sure about you, but I would hardly consider $20,000 AGI very rich, rich, and just barely breaking into middle class.
Our tax brackets are no where near as progressive as they are at the federal level, so making a statement like yours is deceptive, and for the most part wrong.
Also, let’s not forget the fact that he also eliminated income taxes for somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 people, I don’t recall the exact numbers.
I paid no less in taxes due to Lepage’s tax policy than I did in prior years, If anything I might have paid a little more. The truth is if you are a marginal earner, you gained nothing from these new policies, I don’t have facts or figures I just use myself as an example. LePage is no good for the little guy. He may have grown up in tough times and circumstances although we only have his word for it, but has forgotten how tough it is out here in the real world. If anything he’s using his “bully” pulpit to attack and step on the downtrodden of this state, at the behest of his bosses. Believe me he doesn’t make the decisions in this state, those come from somewhere higher up
Forgot about that estate tax change that only benefits those inheriting more than a million, huh?
Actually not true. The tax reduction THIS YEAR went from a top rate of 8.5% to 7.95% but that is just for starters. There will be an automatic reduction in rates each year until the TOP RATE falls to just 4%.
Let’s see now, two years ago I paid about $300 in taxes. Last year due to a moderate increase in pay I paid $400. Okay so the new rate kicks in over time and, assuming my pay remains the same, I’d pay about half that, so $200.
But the guy making a cool million in taxable pay, his rate drops by something like $20,000. In the meantime the old lady up the street from me no longer gets Home Health Care or the wacky Veteran up on the Mountain no longer gets Mental Health Services. Both of them now rely on the emergency room more and more, costing the insurance rate payers to pay more.
Meanwhile the State Revenue Sharing has fallen by more than 25% in the past year so the Property Tax has gone up. No problem for that guy who saved $20,000 on his million dollar income but a big problem for a guy like me who now has to pay more than the $200 in tax reduction I got.
Oh yeah, we all got tax cuts, RIGHT! By shifting the tax burden onto the property tax, these so-called “across-the-board” tax cuts make it so the lower the income, the more you pay in total tax burden. And by forcing people out of Maine Care, insurance rates are going to go up so less and less of us can afford it. Crazy!
no he hasn’t
The budget talks, which drew protesters to the State House, divided legislators along party lines: the Senate passed the budget 19-14 and the House passed it 75-61, according to MaineToday Media. Besides cutting MaineCare coverage for 19- and 20-year-olds, the budget cuts funding for early-childcare programs for low-income Mainers by $2 million and reduces prescription drug aid for seniors. It also trims the number of parents who can receive MaineCare by about 14,500. (May 17, 2012)
http://www.mainebiz.biz/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120516/NEWS0101/120519970/0/FRONTPAGE&template=MobileArt
Teahadists do not let facts get in the way of their Fairy Tales.
Yessah
Maybe I don’t get it, but Millicent provided a well constructed statement/argument with a provided source. Yet somehow he is living in a fairy tale?
Anyone with an opinion is likely to be affected by this a little anyway.
munebaght wasn’t talking about me – oh, and I’m a she :)
Yeah, and toy story was non-fiction.
Gee Adrienne…. Are you suggesting that Chellie Pingree and Kathleen Sebelius are in cahoots. Why don’t you look in your own backyard! Seems to me we could say the same about LePage and big business.
S-L-A-M D-U-N-K !!!!!!!!!!!!! Game , set and match to the Lady’s who give a damm.
Pingress commented that “We believe that Maine needs to file for a waiver, but it is our opinion that they do not qualify”. Who is the “we” and the “our” that she is talking about.
Time for the good people of Maine to vote Pingree and her crowd out of office. It is clear that she cares more about supporting their agenda than that of the people of Maine.
Thankfully, hopefully, we will be spared any words from the governor on this on these pages, given the reasonable guidelines regarding comments to be posted, the “terms of service” stated above. We can only imagine.
Ha! His comments would surely be removed.
It would help if Adrienne actually read the letter herself rather than having the America-hating Tea Baggies read their interpretation to her instead!
And this, folks, is the type of person who is “teaching” your children.
Tea party representives are the opposite of America hating.. American Loving and protecting american values is what they are…
Your hate towards people who believe in families and taking care of each other is showing in your comment…
I believe we should take care of people who can’t do it themselves, yet this Obama Health care bill strips americans of it’s rights.. Read it and you also will be freaked out…. But no unless you, yourself want to distroy americans freedoms, would not agree with it.
A sanppy screen name doesn’t verify the truth of your opinions.
yours does. yours make me believe your do as your told
and you’re such a free thinking radical?
the tea party is ruining this country..
name one thing the tea party has done that is ruining the country.
….
Evidence? Talk is cheap and your filthy propaganda isn’t setting well with the electorate.
and you’re exempt from providing evidence?
once again no propaganda war by the left…. you people are all insane… all of you
Lepage
They voted in aPauling LePage.
Name one thing good..
They elected a bunch of fools who fail to understand the governing process. Instead of governing they have hissy fits when something doesn’t go their way. This House of Representatives has conducted thirty-two meaningless votes to repeal the ACA but it cannot manage a single vote on it’s own Jobs bill.
Electing a group of people who act like 12-year olds when faced with adversity is, in fact, ruining the country.
We get the government we deserve.
When we vote for people like LePage.
More than 270 filibusters that didn’t allow for anything to get done for the last 4 years. Making sure that no legislation got passed to actually provide jobs for Americans but making sure that the wealthy were taken care of, because, they are the job creators, that just haven’t been doing much of that.
BREATH!
Whats is ruining this country is deadbeat welfare collectors!
and Republican politicians.
Rush Limbaugh is moving to Costa Rica, please join him.
Can I help him pack ?
Agreed! Created by uber rich greedy Grover Norquist worshippers and people like Romney sending jobs to China.
We wouldn’t need welfare if everyone had subsistance level empolyment wages and healthcare would we?
How? By not going along with your ideas?
How so? Present your evidence. Talk is cheap.
Actually, no one is running this country right now, which is why it is in such a mess. Too many politicians are more worried about keeping their jobs than doing what is right. We have news outlets that would rather print propoganda than the truth. We have raised two generations that believe it is the governments jobs to take care of them, not to take care of themselves. We have more people being approved for SSI than wo do getting jobs. We have a President who is more interested in geeting elected and spreading class warfare than he is in getting this country back on it’s feet. Worst of all be have a public that is sitting back and allowing all this to continually happen.
You may have noticed that Republicans have been struggling to come up
with a credible alternative to the Affordable Care Act once they repeal
it. Why is it so hard? Because Obamacare WAS the Republican alternative. It was the conservative-designed mandate and subsidy approach.
Time for Medicaid for everyone instead.
I for one would be happy if they do nothing. At least that won’t cost as much as Obamacare.
Then again, it would be nice if we could begin to control costs by lowering regulatory reporting requirements and malpractice awards. The previous system covered 85% of the population (actually 90% of the legal population) and those who weren’t covered could have been without a massive takeover by Washington.
The non partisan Congressional Budget Office analyzed the Obamacare law and concluded it will REDUCE the deficit.
Is that the same non-partisan CBO that reported that the wealthy pay far above and beyond their fair share of taxes? There is only one CBO, right?
Be careful now. If you try to challenge them with actual facts they’ll cut you off.
I agree. The large tax increases that are included with the law help reduce the deficit. 1.2 trillion dollar cost to cover an additional 30 million people. They could have simply written their premium checks for a lot less. Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE smartphone. From : Disqus Subject : [bdn] Re: Health ruling interpretation puts feds at odds with LePage’s planned MaineCare cuts Tyke wrote, in response to Ninelake: The non partisan Congressional Budget Office analyzed the Obamacare law and concluded it will REDUCE the deficit. Link to comment Ninelake wrote: I for one would be happy if they do nothing. At least that won’t cost as much as Obamacare.Then again, it would be nice if we could begin to control costs by lowering regulatory reporting requirements and malpractice awards. The previous system covered 85% of the population (actually 90% of the legal population) and those who weren’t covered could have been without a massive takeover by Washington. —– Options: Reply with “Like”to like this comment, or respond in the body to post a reply comment. To turn off notifications
I agree. The large tax increases that are included with the law help reduce the deficit. 1.2 trillion dollar cost to cover an additional 30 million people. They could have simply written their premium checks for a lot less. Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE smartphone. From : Disqus Subject : [bdn] Re: Health ruling interpretation puts feds at odds with LePage’s planned MaineCare cuts Tyke wrote, in response to Ninelake: The non partisan Congressional Budget Office analyzed the Obamacare law and concluded it will REDUCE the deficit. Link to comment Ninelake wrote: I for one would be happy if they do nothing. At least that won’t cost as much as Obamacare.Then again, it would be nice if we could begin to control costs by lowering regulatory reporting requirements and malpractice awards. The previous system covered 85% of the population (actually 90% of the legal population) and those who weren’t covered could have been without a massive takeover by Washington. —– Options: Reply with “Like”to like this comment, or respond in the body to post a reply comment. To turn off notifications
Maybe if we lay off some more people, cut pay to minimum wage for more people that would create more insurance. The job creators would pay for our healthcare so we can be healthy enough to work for them. I just created a new Fox Talking point. Im a clammin genuis!!!!
What a steaming heap.
LOL!
Hey Myfootinyourbackside, the “tea party” is a fabrication of the Koch bro’s
Don’t you know that ? Wee Duu ! That’s all it is, “a propaganda party”, OK
You are jealous because the OWS fell apart so quickly… becoming irrelevant in all things except criminal investigations.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nypd-detectives-match-dna-found-scene-juilliard-student-2004-murder-genetic-material-chain-seized-occupy-wall-street-protest-article-1.1111724
One little DNA Sample and the whole OWS is condemned.
A Tea Bagger goes on an alledeged Murder Rampage and he is endorsed to run for office!
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/10/26/gop-candidate-killed-unarmed-iraqi/
Next time you go to war ….
Never the less, the OWS fell apart because it had no plan and was on a fools errand. Children playing politics.
OWS is a –Protest Group.
Hence the Name ” Occupy”!
It’s True!
They have NO plan.
The Tea Party is a Political Group,
Hence the Name ” Party” !
It’s True!
Children playing politics.
A protest group….. lol. Well it was pretty stupid then.
Then why was it good enough for Mitt in Mass?
the dems didn’t like the gestopo comment. they just dont see it yet.
Actually the pro-drug voters are Ron “Racist” Paul bearers
Not all of them.
Drug clinics are good! They are owned by Mitt’s gangsters.
I’d rather see more drug clinics than more drug addicts breaking into my house.
Oh but wait, you’d rather put them in jail for years at how many hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars?
Just more smart tea bagger reasoning.
Don’t forget to add the new lyrics and drums from the several dozen Republican governors who are in league with LePage and their attorney generals….more idiots with advanced college degrees , of course. uh, where did you go to law school again?
Like who, Scott Walker? I’d be real proud to associated with him! (SARCASM)
Go ahead. Move to Wisconsin, soon to become a third world state, with a governor more interested in becoming a national “power” in total disreagrd for his state.
Please note that I have edit my response to include the word in parentheses. I thought it was obvious based on the comment. I’ve been wrong once or twice ( last sentence SARCASM)
Sorry UnclePaul. I hadn’t kept track of your political tendencies and thinking so the sarcasm blew right by me. I have relatives in Wisconsin who are adversly affected by Walkerian Draconian policies. His national campaigning and money rasing (why?) helped winhis recall vote.
I understand, and agree.
Might want to check out what is happening in Wisconsin! School budgets are balanced, unemployment down, after the majority of folks from that state elected him TWICE. All of SEIU’s and Soros’ money could not help (Koch this!).
Let’s remember – all of this was about Public sector unions, FDR was dead set against them by the way!! I wonder why (Scranton, PA, San Bernadino, CA, Stockton, CA – and according to Moody’s another 1000 or so US towns/cities about to go into bankruptcy). Gotta love those $100,000 pensions you can get at 45 years old.
“Actually” one could argue that the FDR National Labor Relations Act is unconstitutional because it Violates the 14th amendment by excluding public employees the same rights as their counterparts in the private sector.
Right, you can put an end to unemployment if you reduce everyone to minimum wage with no benefits. The truth is, the Wisconsin budget is balanced ONLY ON PAPER and in time it will be left to others to pay the piper.
Scott Walker ? Was that the guy who sold his political life to a billionaire?
Now he’s singing … “I owe my soul to the republican store “
Scott Walker is a Koch brothers puppet!!!
And a twit!
I say again, look to the Americans for Prosperity organization. A great deal of their funding comes from the Koch brothers.
No different than Soros money going to democratic & liberal organizations.
Scott Walker? Wasn’t he the governor who smacked down a massive effort by the Democrats to recall him? You lost huge; and the best you can do is make an allegation about those sinister Koch brothers …how about exposing their devious funding of education and the arts?
Is that all you got OG? Scott Walker could not have survived that recall without a BIG dose of Koch.
With your thinking, Obama is going to get trounced, right? Losers always make me laugh w/their wacky excuses and sad with their pitiful view of voters.
Scott Walker is a republican that just was elected to public office by the people in his State by beating a democrat, same as LePage. The last I knew, unless we are talikng the national presidency, the one with the most votes from the people in their territory wins.
Thanks for the voting lesson. By the same logic that you use President Obama was elected by the people of the US. GET OVER IT.
And in sept we can wave goodbye to the OBamaster. GET OVER IT
With your capability for precognition you must have been a lottery winner many times.
Wow, your knowledge of the American electoral system is staggering. First, the election is in NOVEMBER. Second, Romney is lagging in the polls and the lag is growing as the truth about him becomes more widely known.
I guess it depends on which polls you choose to use.
Don’t forget mister Rick…uh, Rick….hang on, I’m thinking….Rick Perry!
Lapage needs to rescind the Medicaid cuts or face the mud he will be stuck in when he is forced to make the changes. There will be no waiver Gov.
Not to mention all the class action suits that WILL come if he keeps going down this path….where are we supposed to come up with the millions and millions that will cost ? Not out of his pocket so what does he care ?!
Nothing like planning ahead, way to go LePage administration!
Quote from Adrienne Bennett:
“This is nothing we haven’t heard from Secretary Sebelius already,” she said. “It is interesting how in step Rep. Pingree and Secretary Sebelius appear to be.”
It’s not surprising how OUT of step the LePage administration actually is!
Where’s the corruption in these organizations? Come up with the facts please. The fact you or some source disagrees with their agenda does not pass muster.
You could start by naming their fat cat big money benefactors that fund those clown houses.
But you can’t.
They are super-secret.
Yessah
All non-profit organizations depend on donations to carry out their mission. Does that make them all corrupt? Come on, admit it , your accusation of corruption by either of these organizations – CATO and American Heritage – is trumped up and without foundation. How can anyone trust you if you insist on lying?
right and the dems have no such thing as corrupt donors….you people are hilarious…
The difference is that non-profits, by their very definition, are not permitted to be actively involved in working FOR any candidate. Also, the vast majority of 501(c)3 organizations d not hide their donor lists, so why should 501(c)4 organization be able to? And why is it neccessary? Because they don’t want anyone to know who is behind the attacks on American workers and American voters. As for lying, the TeaPublicans seems to be developing their entire platform on lying. CONSTANTLY.
Social welfare agencies are playing a major role in presidential elections thanks to the Internet; and non-profits walk a fine line in advocating issues that benefit one party or candidate over another.
see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25838144/ns/us_news-giving/t/nonprofits-walk-fine-line-political-activity/ for starters.
Actually, given all the money non-profits find to spend on political campaigns and the fact that many are proxies and fronting partisan political campaigns; then YES they are corrupt.
PROP, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, NRCM, and many others are active partisan political players yet retain a non-profit status and rarely get caught diverting govt. grant monies into supporting these activities. How many times has the MEA been caught using a public schools communication network to campaign for their candidates or favored bond issues?
You surely picked a loser when you named Planned Parenthood as a model caretaker of government grants to support their activities. Here’s why:
Ted Bundy, a handsome educated psychopathic law student stalked and murdered dozens of young college women.
John Wagne Gacy, a Chicago businessman, hired young men to work in his company, then raped and murdered scours of them before burying their bodies on his properties.
Jeffrey Dahmer, murdered at least 17 men. His lethal acts were particularly gruesome: forced sodomy, necrophilia, dismemberment, and cannibalism.
Researchers interviewed 65 immigrant Indian women in the US who had sought or were seeking sex-selection abortions. 40% had deliberately aborted unborn baby girls previously. 90% of them currently carrying unborn baby girls were also currently seeking to abort them. Many (62%) of these women were pressured and coerced outright from husbands or female in-laws and 1/3 were physically abused or neglected, all specifically for their failing to produce a male child. One women, not part of that group, aborted 6 girls before she conceived and gave birth to a boy.
Now for most Americans all of the above descriptions constitute very deplorable acts, some arguably more deplorable than others. Fortunately the US House of Representatives voted recently in favor of banning sex-selection abortion to prevent the type of act described in the preceding paragraph. So what does this have to do with Planned Parenthood?
Live Action, an organization that investigates corruption, has just released another sting operation video showing a willingness by PP staff advising an undercover female investigator agent for Live Action how to procure a sex-selection abortion. In response to the video, the Huffington Post reported that “no PP clinic will deny a woman an abortion based on her reasons for wanting one, except in states that explicitly prohibit sex selection abortions”. Of course, PP is one of the driving forces against the attempt at the federal level to ban sex-selection abortions. According to this organization, which you seem to think so highly of, this measure is just another effort to wage war on women (ironically) and to score a vote against “women’s health”. Also, according to PP, it’s an attempt to destroy women’s fundamental constitutional right to have an abortion.
And the left doesn’t have fat cats backing them? Just a small sample:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/07/george-soros-political-donations_n_1498610.html
Yup, just keep defending the TeaPublican corporate right wing big money used by your big money corporate masters to pay for your TeaPublican politicians’ campaigns, and then the TeaPublicans exist to do everything possible to kiss their corporate masters’ toes and make it easier for them to buy more mansions while you jump for joy at throwing kids out of HeadStart and turning Medicare into a voucher program. It is just digusting.
Its in the GOP!
The gov.is making statements that will come back and bite him hard by not taking the obama health care package he will be losing more then he realizes in federal aid.The benefits of the of acceptance of the expanded health care will benefit him and the reps. greatly in the upcoming elections.The way it looks the gov. will be eating a big plate of crow before this is over.Please pass the BBQ sauce.
Right…..His Medicaid cuts and not accepting the expansion funds will cost the state a lot of jobs which could help the state’s economy.
Yawn.
I love it the bully got slapped down. LOL
Paulie got beat up by a girl.
Wait until they spend the dollar into collaspe and the libs will be wondering what happened.
Republicans are responsibile for 90% of the National Debt; all of the unfunded federal mandates, and fiscal irresponsibility that would make a dunken sailor barf. When a conservative says liberals spend, spend, spend what he means is liberals spend all kinds of money on things the conservative disagrees with because he hates to see a strong free America.
Funny…I thought Republican senators were going to propose a constitutional amendment to prohibit unfunded mandates last year.
Back up your statistic, or it’s just meaningless hyperbole at this point.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_by_U.S._presidential_terms
http://www.skymachines.com/US-National-Debt-Per-Capita-Percent-of-GDP-and-by-Presidental-Term.htm
good or bad the figures are below, take from it what you wish.
That is actually false. Typically speaking, when congress is Republican debt goes down, when it is Democrat it goes up. Regardless of the party of the president, it seems to be about split.
As of late, Democrats want to spend a lot on social services, whereas Republicans want to spend a lot on defense. Of course, a lot more money is spent on social services than defense, but just the same Republicans want lower taxes (for all) and Democrats want higher taxes (for all).
Either way, no matter the party, it is about split down the middle. Since John Maynard Keynes, Keynesian economics has played a part of our fiscal policies regardless of party. They’re all Keynesians to some extent.
Of course, this is all at a federal level, as far as states go much of my facts do not apply. And since we have not had a Republican governor for some time, you cannot really blame our current situation on them.
But in the end, regardless of party, we do not have the money, we spend too much money, and tough choices need to be made. It may not seem “fair” or “right”, but it has to be.
Do we really want Sebelius and whoever may follow her in that position to be the final say in what health care we can or cannot have? Obamacare is a top-down plan which will inhibit doctors from being able to care for their patients without HHS permission. What we need is a bottom-up healthcare system wherein the patient and doctor are in charge of a person’s health choices.
Romneycare (give credit where its due) is a health INSURANCE program. Has nothing to do with Health Care, doctor-patient relations. Today we have a private insurance company top-down health care system where the private company intrudes on the doctor-patient relationship all the time – throwning women, the sick, and the disabled off of insurance and therefore with no choice other than no care of emergency room care both of which are bad choices. Massachusetts proves that universal health insurance works.
Yeah it works in Massachusetts, You get hurt or need medical attention outside that state(if you live there) it isn’t worth a damn. Other states do not recognize it
I guess it would be logical then that if there was a standardized approach in all 50 states, the situation you describe would no longer exist!
Do Ya think??? (much?)
That’s why we need Obamacare – it is nationwide.
Yessah
Very well put, Mr. Albrecht.
Actually, it doesn’t. Not when you consider that state spending on health care in Massachusetts accounts for 43% of the budget. Just shy of half. That’s unsustainable.
That number is going to keep growing and growing and growing and the costs will continue to be shifted to the taxpayers again and again and again.
The reason is that young healthy people that they thought would get insurance and carry the load for the more sickly are not joining up. The cost shifting is incomplete.
that may be how your “insurance” works. i use the american free market system, where i pay in american dollars and dont expect someone else to pay my way
There is also one major differnce between Obamacare and Romneycare.
Obamacare does not involve a single tax doller being used to pay for abortions. In fact it is expressly prohibited.
Romneycare requires that taxpayer funds must be used for any abortions if any woman with government subsidized health insurance simply states that she wants one for any reason. That is the law Romney lobbied for and signed.
If you believe no Obamacare money is going for abortions, then I have a bridge to sell to you.
Here’s something for you to research. Check out the IPAB (Independent Payment Advisory Board). Its function is to decide the value of a living person’s life weighed against the cost-effectiveness of keeping them alive, or giving them the proper medical treatment. Its main purpose is to cut costs by any means. The IPAB is to be judge, jury & executioner for deciding who gets a medical treatment or not; and there is NO appeals process. This board answers to no one but the President, who appoints this 15-member board, NONE of whom are physicians. It has powers beyond the Constitution. Federal courts would not be able to review decisions by this board. (death panels, anyone?)
So LePage believes a better healthcare system is one that takes away healthcare from 27,000 low income people who will not be able to afford healthcare on their own?
he believes that they should go clog an emergency room and the hospital take a hit
Yes, he also believes they should get jobs too! Imagine that, he is so inhumane!
no I think he believes Alan Grayson summation of the Pub’s Don’t get sick, but if you do get sick, die quickly
What jobs?
Page has done nothing to improve the job market. He does not care whether the people he dropped from MaineCare get a job or not.
He has a political agenda, catering to his supporters. They have a political agenda, catering to their supporters. Surprise, surprise.
Neither side is acting in the best interests of the state and nation.
Just how do we pay for all this? maine has no money, we have been cutting back for year even before the economy went south. I had to pay more a lot taxes to the state last year and I am firmly in the 99%. The only option for all who want all these freebies for everyone is fess us with the cash. I am not against helping those in need but only a few of us left to pay the bills. If you can put out your hand, get cash and freebies then why work. Look at Europe.
When you pass tax cuts that favor the wealthiest citizens of Maine you create a made-up ideologically-driven faux “fiscal crisis” – one that hurts low income people.
This is the way the Maine Heritage Policy Center, LePage and the Teahadists did it.
Just a reminder – low income people *work* for their low incomes.
They do not make enough money to buy buy health insurance.
Hence Medicaid and Obamacare.
Yessah
Our top tax bracket in this state starts at $19,950 AGI. So stating that he gave tax cuts to the wealthiest citizens is kind of deceptive, isn’t it? But then again, people love to spin figures to favor their opinions.
Low income people do work for their income, as do just about everybody else. You’re statement seems to imply that the middle class and wealthy do not work for their income?
And you are right, they do not make enough money to buy health insurance, so I am not exactly sure why forcing them to purchase health insurance or face a “fine” is going to help matters. Maybe you could shed some light?
Overall, it doesn’t matter, the government has very little influence over the economy. All they can do is make it worse, and regardless of tax rates in this country tax revenues have remained fairly consistent as a percentage of the GDP. Which means, that in order to raise more revenues to pay for additional “services” the economy must grow, with that growth comes a greater proportion of expenses relating to social services. So no matter what you do, giving people a bunch of free stuff, it mostly unsustainable, and can only generally work in small numbers.
It is the reason many countries have collapsed in the past, it is the reason for the entire European crisis, it is the reason why many states are in such a mess, especially California.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
For the sake of argument, not that I agree, let’s say we as a State are broke as you say. If that is really true how do you explain how we were able to come up with $300,000 plus to fund a study to determine if a road that would be privately owned is financially feasible? How do you explain how the State was able to spend $850,000 dollars to build a boat ramp in Ellsworth? Now maybe the east-west highway might be a good thing but it is still going to be owned by private investors and not the State. Maybe the boat ramp is a good thing as well, but it certainly isn’t a necessity. So tell me how can you say the State is broke?
The 99% also funded a 200 million tax cut for the wealthiest Mainers. That is the biggest freebie. It is too bad than not one Republican will stand up to LePage.
So your saying you want to spend the states transportation money and Dept of Conservation money on medicare. I don’t think the drivers on the roads or fishermen will like that use of the money. I am sick of drug addicts and alcoholics getting diability, It may be a classification but not a disability.
________________________________
dislike
We need a dislike button.
dislike
One of my hopes for the future is that after being the Guv’s mouthpiece for four years Adrienne will be gone for good. Hoping MHPC will find a spot for her, as I couldn’t stand her lousy reporting on channel 5…..
What’s the difference between the ACA and the first printing of “Gone With the Wind”?
A mere 131 pages. Unlike our esteemed representatives perhaps it might be wise for all of us to read the bill in its entirety before making comments here.
http://democrats.senate.gov/pdfs/reform/patient-protection-affordable-care-act-as-passed.pdf
Then we could either just leave it to the lawyers…or we could author the final chapter of blowback to the story.
Page: 27,350 in the health mandate manual states to floss after each meal.
However, Lepage is going to get pinched on the ruling the house requested in two ways. 1) Since the state offered no other alternative (safety net) it is now unconstitutional to remove those who are insured through Medicaid/care enrolled health care 2) The SCOTUS ruling also maintains Health Care through the state as a mandate. Because, in their way, a tax is levied against those that do not have coverage. Considering further that Maine also levies a tax designated to support Dirigo health of $4.
By law the state must as a last resort offer health insurance to all of its citizens.
When you take out all of the glosseries, refernces andother definitions it has about half the number of words as Sarah Plain’s autobiography.
Governor, slapping Pingree does not help your cause…..this is the kind of behavior the people of Maine do not want. Take it in stride and do what you feel you have to do in an honorable way. There is no way you will get a waiver with the federal government expanding services, you can refuse the expansion which sadly you will most likely. Do not forget federal law supercedes state law. As a Franco-American, I am embarrassed by your animosity.
Embarrassed? But not by a State Rep who over steps her bounds and decides her opinion should matter over all, concerning Maine, despite the fact that we the people have voted in our current State government? Your right, we are losing civility. and our Country.
How exactly did the Congresswoman from the 1st district “overstep her bounds” for giving her opinion on a federal funding issue?
She has a right to speak in a respectful manner as it is her job. I know a senior citizen who will lose her glaucoma medication with the Medicaid cuts because it is too expensive. Do you know how many people with disabilities are unemployed? State data shows this population employed at 5 percent. So, that means we support 95 percent who will stay on Social Security funding by cutting Medicaid funding that support getting them in the workplace. We are paying either way.
The gov.blasts anyone and everyone who doesnt agree with his platform.It is great to see someone in the legislature stand up for the little people.Maybe chellie should run for gov.
Which little people?
So, we can’t cut education, we can’t cut infrastructure, we can’t cut health, we can’t cut welfare, we spend to much money and our taxes are among the highest in the nation. What then, would you propose we do?
Create jobs – broader tax base=MORE MONEY IN TAXES…. sorry, did I confuse you with the equal sign?
No, but you did with the minus sign. Interesting equation though…who creates the jobs? Certainly not government because then that only leads to more taxes.
Oh, I get it…you create an environment in which businesses can prosper more easily and efficiently, which fits right in with Maine’s improvement with regard to it’s business-friendly status. Seems like good ol’ Paul LePage has us pointed in the right direction!!
Don’t you agree?
send the gov. back to his barstool in waterville.or to school for math the loss of federal funding far out weighs the savings he is talking about just cutting the govs.twinkie bill would save a large amount
LePage thinks every Maine politician owes him allegiance, even the Democrats like Pingree. He forgets there are those who don’t want the Affordable Health Care Act overturned or to see people on MaineCare left out in the cold.
If anyone is guilty of ‘political interference’ it would be the governor.
Thanks, Chellie!
Obama 2012
Wrong. If it appears in court she would loose.
Federal funds / Federal official. get the connection?
Maine money paid directly by Maine taxpayers voted not to spend by Maine legislators. Get the connection??? Get the connection????
Before you post you need to get basic government operation education. Is this Charlie Longo???
Maine money WITH matching FEDERAL funds, you keep forgetting to acknowledge that, such an inconvenient truth. Do you need to be reminded of what FEDERAL means?
FEDERAL funds?? All has to come from one state or another!
You never heard of FEDERAL funds, ask Governor LePage he’ll send the Gestapo after you.
You need a government class real bad.
Do you mean a Civics Class or are is there some new Republican brain washing class you want me to attend?
Nobody is saying anything about court.
She is currently a Federal representative of the State of Maine and has plenty of standing to weigh in on this dually funded program with 2/3 coming form the Federal government in all states, induding Maine – both as a former state legislator who championed affordable health care in the 90’s and now as one of our Maine Congress members.
I invite Mike Michaud to join in.
This clown has his ignorance and stupid pet tricks confused with the will of the Maine People. Hey Bozo the Maine people do not want to cut aid to low-income parents, children, seniors, and people with disabilities! Why don’t you focus on creating jobs and leave the poor alone!! Chellie, please slap this dufus back into yesterday !!! He’s no more than a big bag of wind that takes pride in being a bully… a big dumb bully!!
is there really a part of the Oboma care bill plan that says that I WILL pay 3.8 % of the sale of my real estate/home to the Federal gov’t to help finance health care ?? this is a serious question not being a wise guy… so if true , $3800. for each $100,000. goes to the feds ? plus whatever other taxes are levied ?
If you have more than $250,000 in profit on the sale of your home ($500,000 for a couple) AND you have an annual income of over 200,000 ($250,000 for a couple) not counting that profit, then only the amount OVER the 250 or 500 k in profit would be taxed.
Otherwise there is no new tax levied.
If you have that much money, congratulations . You are probably a very wealthy man (or woman).
http://www.factcheck.org/2010/04/a-38-percent-sales-tax-on-your-home/
Don’t attack the Congresswomen’s marriage. “Thats NONE OF YOUR FREAKEN BUSINESS.”
Pingree is the 1%.
As is Romney.
Your point?
She certainly isn’t on your side, if the leftist mantra holds.
Thank you Governor LePage for standing your ground and doing exactly what those of us who voted for you elected you to do!
……
” LePage accusing Pingree of defying the will of Maine people ” It does not seem to bother Lepage when he does it.
Like for real.
When I read that quote “of defying the will of Maine people,” the first thing that came to my mind was the Maine Bonds that Lepage is holding back. Those bonds were approved by a majority of Maine voters, probably by a double point spread than what got him elected office.
Way to go Gov LePage this is why I voted for you I saw enough of the Democrats and their scamming ways take it from Washington. You make me proud and how I love to see the Liberals and Democrats squirm and protest their outrage!
And the difference between your rant and its subject matter is exactly what?
People have nothing better than to pick on Governor Lepage. It is high time we have a leader that is interested in cutting programs and expenses. We are the most taxed state in the union. Businesses cannot stay here and are far from moving here due to this situation. Maybe if more people were forced to look for work instead of handouts, businesses would come back.
I would be on board with people like you if you really cared about cutting all government spending.
Have we seen Lepage offer to pay for his own families upkeep?
Have we seen our politicians have their government credit cards revoked forcing them to pay for their own gas and lunch dates?
Have we seen companies like Walmart be forced to support it’s own workers instead of having them live under the poverty level qualifying them for “entitlement programs”?
No – all we see is a bunch of tea trolls blame shifting the economic problems on the poor, elderly and disabled – oh and the taxpayer financed job creation for Lepage’s family.
so you cant support lepage because he’s not cutting enough? or not what you want him to cut? or not what you consider wasteful?
he is trying to cut some, which is way better than the govs that held the position before him.
Thanks for proving my point.
See you don’t really care about wasteful government spending.
If you did then you would want all government entitlement spending stopped and you would be offended that Lepage created taxpayer funded jobs for his family.
But your not – so the reality of it is -like the big bully in the classroom all you really want is to rant about the poor and disabled so you can feel better about yourself.
On top of the governor’s approximately 69,000 salary he gets another $30,000 for expenses.
Congresswoman Pingree is doing her job, the Governor is just angry that his attempts to throw people off the roles is immoral as well as possibly illegal, and he was caught in the national spotlight. This guy has to start getting it, we don’t like him or his policies, I couldn’t believe it when the people of the state of Maine fell for this guys lies. It’s buyer’s remorse, the same is going on in other districts around the Country when they see that what they got is not what they bargained for. Instead of creating jobs, these Tea Party crazies are destroying the job rolls. November isn’t far off people, it’s time to start taking back our power as voters. Time to heal the damage caused by the misjudgement we showed when voting for these Tea Partiers’s, boy, what a mistake.
00000
so is Bernie Sanders!
Pingree represents Maine in Washington and is doing her job. The one we elected her to do. LePage works in Augusta and does his job, the one we elected him to do, in Maine. Two different positions…. two different jobs… two different outlooks. Seems as though he doesn’t mind thwarting the will of the people (as in the bond issues)
First and foremost LePage, your cutting people who’ve paid in for years before they make claims
and 2nd and foremost your still handimg it out to welfare, which is what those who are paying in do not want.
and 3rdly as long as people can put insurance on their almost middle aged children they don’t need to recieve welfare or anything else.
Do not say I want you to deny me benefits if I should need them after paying taxes, federal,state, S.S.I and etc, for 40 years because you’d be lying, I’d find that defaming me and anyone else whose worked for decades.
Oh look, another opportunity for all the little Liberals to bash LePage! Oh what fun they’ll have!
I supported Lepage financially, and with my vote, but as with many other Lepage supporters I will not ever help him again. He has sadly become one of the most disappointing Governors in Maine’s history.
And for every one like you there are 20 like me!
For every 20 like you there are 100 like me. :)
And for every 100 like you there are a thousand like me!
Besides, I seriously doubt there are 100 like you! Most people are WAY more mature than that!
You may be mature but your also a over weight and your wrinkles are getting deeper.
…….
Bangor Daily News, why do you not enforce your own rules and guidelines for posting when the story involves LePage? There is 123 comments and by your own rules and guidelines, 60% should be deleted. Unbelievable!!!
The fact that you find the truth offensive does not mean that it actually is.
There is a fine line here….I work in healthcare and from what I have seen with the changes are that disabled individuals are being denied coverage, which is wrong. Young healthy able bodied individuals are being denied coverage which, I feel is right…there are or will be other resources, affordable resources available for those people with the passage of ACA. So hopefully our good legislators can find that balance with the cuts they propose.
As a side…I know of a family of 5 whose parents both worked full time and kids all healthy, however, because they did not like the amount of money coming from their paychecks to participate in the healthcare plan(s)…mind you they had TWO to chose from b/c both work full time…they chose neither and they qualified for MaineCare, and the rest of us were paying for that…what’s wrong with this picture???
If they qualified for Mainecare then they fell below the defined poverty level to do so. Taking money from their checks probably would have resulted in hungry kids and/or unpaid bills.
You don’t qualify for MaineCare if you are above the income eligibility levels set by the federal government, so I imagine they must make below the limit.
You are a busybody who takes what you assume are facts and twist them into a story that fits your needs, sort of like LePage does.
socialist hogwash
“Socialists” like the CORPORATE TeaPublican “socialists” you worship who give our tax dollars to oil corporations and military industrial complex no-bid contract corporations like Halliburton, and “socialists” like Paul LePage whose first act as Governor-elect was to give his own under-qualified kid a cushy government job and then another later on to his brother in law? You mean THOSE “socialists”?
do you know what “socialism” is?
Georgio doesn’t.
The larger question is DO YOU?
Look in the mirror Cranky_Commie.
Paraphrasing Martin Niemöller:First they came for the state unionists, and I did not speak out–Because I was not a state worker.
Then they came for the private sector unionists, and I did not speak out– Because I was not a union member
Then they came for the elderly, the indigent, and the disabled, and I did not speak out– Because I was not elderly, the indigent,or disabled.
Then they came for me–and there was no one left to speak for me.
I was unaware that the Job Corps in Bangor had a Lion King mural, that is pretty fantastic.
Gee, only in Maine do you find the local hayseed liberals drooling to have Governor Deval Patrick. Wake up the 60s are over. LIKE DUDE, the beatles broke up man.
Portland is overflowing with hayseeds. [sarcasm]
I can’t wait to hear the whining when President Romney repeals Obamatax and begins to restore the greatness of America. We are witnessing the end of modern liberalism. As soon as Romney is elected, businesses will unleash the hiring floodgates and people will look back at the disaster that was the Obama years. Bill Clinton can’t believe what the recent libtards have done to his once responsible party.
And the icing on the cake will be the reelection of Gov. Lepage when our unemployment rate drops to 5%.
Maybe he’ll replace it with Romneycare.
Do you know what the the one major differnce between Obamacare and Romneycare is?
Obamacare does not involve a single tax doller being used to pay for abortions. In fact it is expressly prohibited.
Romneycare requires that taxpayer funds must be used for any abortions if any woman with government subsidized health insurance simply states that she wants one for any reason. that is the law that Mitt Romney lobbied to get passed and signed into law.
Flipper Romney has no chance of winning now that he has been caught lying about his role in shipping thousands of American jobs to China.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/07/12/government_documents_indicate_mitt_romney_continued_at_bain_after_date_when_he_says_he_left/ The fact that Romney received $10 million dollars from the owner a Chinese casino makes Romney lie even worse.http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ijJh0Se9KYWBTHH1sWxBZ2paTflw?docId=51396d37f39c4133ae0c05ceafa7a14d
“Chillie” is the rep, not the gov. Time to back off and go manage her trust fund.
Why don’t you run for Congress and show us and her how it’s done!
Chellie is the Federal Rep commenting on Federal funds.
Or in other words – doing her job.
Tell you what we will add a little box to the tax return that lets all you democrats an option to give more of your money to the state health funds. I for one like to keep my money from the state, they already get plenty. I don’t forsee anyone checking the box off.
The problem is that these cuts will raise my taxes and health insurance premiums. Just another tax increase on the working middle class.
Reality check Paul: You don’t always get your way, open your mouth, run it, cry and have a temper in public, kids don’t always get their way when they do it and neither should you
Thanks Chellie!
Apparently only attacking MaineCare for political reasons is OK with Governor Cobblepot; supporting it is not. Interesting.
Thanks Chellie!
Welfare pups aren’t going to like what LePage said. They want their free stuff.
I lived in a strong Republican area , for 11 years, we moved back to my home area, which is very liberal. I can tell you this, I saw many more Benefit cards being use in the Republican area, then I do now. the way I look at it there is, more work in the liberal area, so more liberal are working, than Republicans.
Just curious how many “LePage bashers” are on welfare or some other form of government assistance?
Ummmm I have a job, three degrees and hate LePage….oh and I receive ZERO assistance what so ever……much simpler to generalize and stereotype Maine citizens who do not care for LePage and his ridiculous antics though isn’t it? Next question?
Liberal arts degrees?
OMG how did you know!!! Actually they’re all underwater basket weaving degrees….which is about 3 more than you have I would surmise.
Very judgmental, conceding, petty,and sophomoric response.
Well done Dog…. then I guess you get my point about being judgmental, petty and asinine- such as was your comment. So do tell Dog what government assistance are you on? Pffffft.
I asked an honest question. See you at the Post Office when the SSI checks come.
You can get Direct Deposit you know, this is the 21st century.
PERFECT!! LOL
Actually there is a strong correlation between the areas of Maine that get the most welfare per person and the areas that voted in the highest % for LePage.
So LePage supporters are more likely to be on welfare than his “bashers”.
I checked Governor LePage’s vote county by county by income level. His support was closely related to income level with the poorest counties generally supporting him. His support also came from counties with the lowest voter turnout. A friend of Maine said he thought the working poor supported LePage and they hate welfare recipients among others, and welfare recipients don’t vote. (The others are the ones LePage often attacks.) I think he may have been right.
The working poor in Maine recieve a lot of the welfare being doled out.
Then they are biting the hand that feeds them.
Not me.
the majority of mainers collect welfare or hav
someone in their family that does –even many
republicans collect welfare now or at least hav
someone in thier family that does
lepage/repubs won by a fluke last time
the welfare class will rule the next maine elctions
the repubs will not win in maine for a long
time a very long time
Got news for you, gov. She speaks for more Maine people than you do.
LePage has become Maine’s own Spiro Agnew. Hopefully his taxes are in order.
You must really hate Mitt, huh?
Would someone please tell LePage that he is only the governor, and that the governor has no authority whatsoever over those we send to Congress to represent us?
Yes, I know he knows he has no authority over our national representatives and senators, but he sure acts as though they’re supposed to do as he says.
When is this nightmare going to end?
“Free of political interference”. What the blazes does he think HE’s doing?
How is it possible for him to continue to function without a brain?
July 11,2012
The Malicious Separationist,Representative Eric Cantor
And The Republicans in the 112th House of Representatives, The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives, vote of 244-185, on Wednesday for the 33 time passed a bill to repeal President Barack Obama’s overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system.Doesn’t this sound like a spoiled child who can’t take no for an answer! As americans we deserve better, stop wasting our freaken time, Dammit. Please send these politicians a message in November… Don’t bring them back, elect the Democrat please. copy-write(copy&use)2012IDDURKIN
there were some dems that also voted to repeal. its coming…
…..
them dems are really repubs pretending to be dems. we know !
Hee hee hee…Haven’t seen the moon bats this frothing at the mouth since the Governor took down that crappy mural…LOL…Good Job Governor…Keep it up…
Spreading hatred, mistrust and cynicalism is doing a good job? Maybe this is what our country has come to; from both sides. SAD!!
If Papa Lepage and his Tea party traitors hate America so much, they should all move to Canada like Lepage did during the Vietnam war.
And he dances cheek to cheek with the Koch brothers.
And you mean butt cheeks right?
It’s not ghey if you don’t look each other in the eye.
Mr. Lepage, I am a CAN DO person who believes in seeing the best in everyone, but you are a challenge. To think there are many who agree with your way of “thinking” is disturbing, to say the least.
You fools, Pingree IS the 1%.
The Koch brothers are the 1%. And Mitt Romney. Can’t really forget him. Why is he running against President Obama anyway? He’s been making over $20 million a year while he’s been running for president, not even working. He should be campaigning for President Obama’s re-election.
Soros in that 1%? He giving any financial support to causes he believes in?
R vs D, Conservative vs. Progressive – each witty little thought you have, someone with a different political leaning can respond in kind.
Meanwhile, another 1.5 trillion will be added to our debt this year. We become more beholden to other countries, and do nothing to address our annual deficit. We haven’t even produced a national budget in over 3 years – humiliating and shameful!!!
Here is a thought, not a witty little thought, but one based on the economic experience of the last eighty years. In March, 1929, the Republican Herbert Hoover took office after eight years of Republican rule. Seven months later the stock market crashed, and by the summer of 1932 the Bonus Army, American veterans of WWI, were in Washington trying to get the government to do something. We were in the Great Depression.
In the fall of 2008 after nearly eight years of Republican rule under George Bush, we were headed into what looked like the Second Great Depression. Bush only had a few months left for which thanks should be given. It turned out to be the Great Recession, instead, and we have been plagued since then by a shaky economy.
Even Ronald Reagan, looked back upon with great fondness by conservatives, had problems. After about eighteen months of the Reagan presidency with its promise of lower taxes, we had an unemployment rate of well over 10%. Reagan surreptitiously raised taxes but still left America with a massive national debt. Reagan’s vice president, George H. W. Bush, famously characterized Reagan’s economic policies as voodoo economics. His budget director, David Stockman, had to be “taken to the woodshed” for saying that Reagan’s economic policies were ill-conceived.
In short, Republicans have proven themselves to be poor custodians of the national economy. Conservatives have their fears about another term for President Obama, but many of us have our fears about Mitt Romney being elected. We are afraid that Romney will finish what George Bush nearly accomplished, an economic catastrophe for the USA and the world. We fear that if Romney is elected, it will happen soon after he takes office, and we will have three more years of his presidency. Mitt Romney will be Herbert Hoover redux.
Go check your lobster boat.
Go dig some potato’s.
States have often shown themselves to be poor guardians of the rights of American citizens. The ACA is for Americans, yet we see a number of state governors preventing their residents from receiving the benefits of being an American citizen. Our own governor is threatening to be among them.
Reading people’s liberal comments regarding this matter…. is COMICAL. it is because of you people we are in the national mess we are in. your liberal agenda is way out in la-la land and is HILARIOUS. bankrupt the nation and the state, good idea! let’s keep wasting tax payers money and spending money we don’t have! sounds brilliant! but in reality, it is all George Bush’s fault, right?
Pretty much. Pre-George Bush it was “balanced budgets as far as the eye can see” according to Bill Clinton as he presented a balanced budget in 1999. Of course, he didn’t see George Bush taking office in 2001. He didn’t see his successor blowing up the budget with tax cuts and increased spending, particularly on unpaid for wars. I wonder if Bush would have been re-elected if he had been honest and had America pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan at the time instead of fighting on credit.
I know that the national debt has increased under President Obama, but he has been trying to ward off the economic catastrophe that President Bush nearly created.
You want a prime example of taxpayer money being wasted? Look no further than the GOP’s meaningless 33 “repeal Obamacare” votes:
CBS reported yesterday that Republicans’ many fruitless attempts at repealing the Affordable Care Act have taken up at least 80 hours of time on the House floor since 2010, amounting to two full work weeks. As the House, according to the Congressional Research Service, costs taxpayers $24 million a week to operate, those two weeks amounted to a total cost of approximately $48 million.
So whose agenda “is way out in la-la land” again? You see “HILARIOUS”. I see shameful, counter-productive, churlish, indefensible and inexplicable behavior from your spoiled-brat national mess-makers. And bordering on treason.
Lib’s agenda is out in la-la land. Obamatax shouldn’t have been passed in the first place and now repub’s are going to do everything possible to get rid of this new tax, which will be one the biggest tax increases in history. No big deal though, right? You call us repub’s spoiled brats, but in reality you are the ones living in fantasy land where you think money actually does grow on trees.
I called your representatives spoiled brats, as borne out by their wanton behavior. Obama tax WAS passed, they need to deal with it rather than WASTE 48 million to no avail! That doesn’t bother you??? Where is your self-righteousness about “bankrupting the nation”?
I notice the right has nothing to offer in its place…..oh, yeah, that’s right – the Obama plan WAS the Repub plan before. And what happened to their 2010 pledge to “replace ObamaCare with a conservative alternative that accomplishes many of the same goals.”? Methinks your glasses need new lenses.
Oh, I forgot – this is all “COMICAL” to you.
Comical…
….
The fact that it cost $48 million for 80 hours worth of work is proof that the Gov’t has gotten way too big…spend spend spend
Scott walker is not a dictator, he is a duly elected Governor (2 different elections) of a state that has turned their economic future around and the PEOPLE of the state apparently feel he is doing a good job because they just shot do the recall vote. You may disagree with his policies and beliefs but lets stop name calling and have facts to back up you claims that he is not doing what he said he would.
The Problem is not that he is is doing what he said that he would do, but it was that he is was NOT saying what he would do.
When asked would he Veto Right to work Legislation he continuously refused to answer the question and keep diverting to ” It won’t get to my desk.”
The FIRST budget that he put forward he put government assets up for sale , not subject to bidd or any oversight other than himself and his luietenant Governor.
“That” is Dictatoral.
“HE” didn’t win an Election, he Bought it with clever deceptive advertisements.
In recent years Maine fishermen have had to resort to harvesting hagfish (slime eels) due to a decline of sustainable population of quality fish species. Working Mainers are in a similar position as they are being driven to extinction by jet-setting, plumpish wastrels who enable an ever increasing population of government sloths. While Pingree’s reputation has been in question for a number of years, she now ranks as the penultimate bottom feeder in Washington.
Ah, Quequeeg, your scribblings ne’er fail to amuse me. But scribblings, what would be the twenty-first century’s like? Tap-tap-tapping perhaps?
I failed at first to grasp the reference to hagfish. Then it occurred to me that you must have been referring to elvers which sold for $2000 per pound this spring. Quite a few working Mainers found that to be interesting as I recall.
Working Mainers are hardly being driven to extinction. Our unemployment rate for May was 7.4% putting us in a tie with Alabama and Pennsylvania for 27th. Twenty-six states have lower unemployment rates, and the rates in twenty-one are higher. Maine’s unemployment rate was 7.0% in December, 2011, and January, 2012. So there has been a slight increase here in the most recent four months of Governor LePage’s reign but hardly indicative of extinction.
So Chellie Pingree is a jet-setting, plumpish wastrel. Care to offer your BMI?
Our governor is emboldened by the recent give away of Fort Knox to the FOFK. The GOP agenda of privatization goes way beyond selling out on our publicly owned heritage sites and state parks to include elimination of government funded safety net programs. More proof that the republicans just do not give a hoot about the citizens they purport to represent. Go get ’em Chellie.
OH NO A Politician standing up for her people? Wow explain how someone who is in the Legislature INTERFERES with making laws and rules and voting for the people’s interests??
Okay, so clearly LePage got his marching orders that he needs to stir the partisan pot. Pathetic. This guy is bad for our state.
Pingree is part of the 1% which she can not deny, lets talk about that!
It’s not about hating wealthy people, but nice try. It’s about wanting to have representatives that represent all of us, not just those wealthy few who donate to their campaigns and causes.
Obviously *you aren’t a Veteran. They receive treatment at the VA.
If it were not for Paul LePage you wouldn’t HAVE a place to receive treatment as Maine, under Liberal control, owed hospitals over $450 million since 2006. And allowed $235 million to be stolen from DHHS.
Two points: 1. Not all veterans receive treatment by the VA. and 2. LePage not only hasn’t paid money that is owed to Maine’s hospitals, as he promised (another of his falsehoods in a very long list), but his purely partisan stance on the Medicaid issue will cost the hospitals and healthcare community even more money.
LePage’s priorities are ideology, fattening the wallets of corporations and those with exceptional wealth, and political expediency, NOT helping the middle class and the needy even lower on the socio-economic scale.
To settle this dispute Lepage should have some art work torn down.
Or, are public employees.
LePage wants to fix the medicaid problems for millions of Americans, all on the backs of a few thousand Mainers. Good thing your not our Governor.
Well, Ms. Pingree, how about the people, namely seniors, who are going to be losing coverage the longer this fiasco continues? $500 billion dollars taken from Medicare by Obamacare does not bode well for senior citizens. Not to mention the IPAB (Independent Payment Advisory Board) whose function is to decide the value of a living person’s life weighed against the cost-effectiveness of keeping them alive, or giving them the proper medical treatment. It’s main purpose is to cut costs by ANY means. The IPAB will be the judge, jury and executioner for deciding who gets a medical treatment or not – and there is NO appeals process. This board answers to NO ONE except the president who appoints the 15-member board, NONE of whom are physicians. It has powers beyond the constitution. Federal courts would not be able to review decisions by this board. So, folks, think long & hard when you vote in November. If you re-elect Pres. Obama, your life won’t be worth a plug nickel unless this board says so.
Death panels!
Yep just signed my 80 year old mother up for a ‘death panel’ she’s pretty excited.
Was there a lot of paperwork?
I heard you just had to fill out form 1040-GESTAPO. [sarcasim]
Yes the paperwork is….. killer but what do we expect? After all it is the death panel committal err…I mean committee. We filled out the RIP 1040 sucks to be you long form, then payed all the taxes- the wrinkle tax (they count each old person’s wrinkles and tax you on them- I recommend lots of Botox for the elderly ), the denture tax (each tooth costs you- I told them my mother just gums her food), and then there was the recycling fee (you have to buy a composting plot to recycle your elderly person- if you can get other elderly people to join in there is a group rate) anyway when all was said and done we payed barely $25,000.00 which really is chump change when you think about everything you’re getting from the death panels. ;)
Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield has a department called Cost Containment… It determines which claims it is going to award or not, and these decisions determine in some cases life, death, or suffering of those making the claims. Your hyperbole “sounds” informed… I question your premise that this is something new, horrific, a “gummint-run” death panel…
Whatever happened to critical thinking in this country?
Google Comfort Care.
That appears to be pretty much a load of crap.
Oh LeParagraph….how much longer before you go away??
Good for you, Chellie! Show him what you’re made of!
LePage, typical bully trying to intimidate someone to get their way.
Quite apart from the Olympian food fight going on between the state and the feds it appears the time is now to either deny or fess up that the personal goal of each Mainer is to demand this expensive freebie so they don’t have to work for their benefits.
Come on! Yes, the job market is challenging and ripping at the pride of Mainers who truly want to work but for everyone else either admit that you don’t want to work for your personal needs or you sincerely want to take what the government gives you even if that will be of lower quality than you could purchase for yourself through your own applied work ethic.
The neediest should be taken care of, of course, but human nature being what it is there are plenty of people who will stand on their heads till they’re blue in the face to prove they’re the neediest too (even if they’re not for state budget accountability to taxpayers) if they can avoid personal responsibility for themselves. The best cure for this sick healthcare delivery is a climate of job creation. Of course that means taking all the anti-capitalists to the curb this November…if you truly want to work for your benefits.
And it’s been shown over and over that DHHS does a pretty good job sorting through those with actual needs and those that are trying to scam the system. No program is perfect, but cutting off one’s nose, as LePage is suggesting, does nothing to solve a problem in society that a single payer system would contribute greatly to alleviating, that attacks on the safety nets that serve the truly needy in the form these attacks are taking will accomplish.
So to the point of my post…what about the other side of human nature?
I know you want to defend your altruistic government but that whitewash doesn’t work anymore. There is too much evidence , everywhere, to provide even the smallest amount of plausibility to your cover of the goodness of humanity. We’ve just heard that disability claims are skyrocketing. Howie Carr did a show on the subject the other day…”What’s my disability?…I want money too!!!” (sarcasm well intended)
Greed is not found exclusively on Wall Street.
Try to read and listen to some real news. Don’t believe everything that Howie, Rush, Lepage and Fox news reports as the majority of it is not true. You are the one who should be citing some evidence, but that will be hard as there is no evidence to support your claims. The biggest freebie is the 200 million in tax cuts that the working people of Maine are now financing for the most wealthy Mainers.
Prove to me that people have never committed fraud here in Maine or for that matter even just attempted to.
….
Your turn.
http://www.sunjournal.com/news/city/2012/02/12/welfare-cheats-maine-ramps-battle-against-fraud/1147140
http://www.sunjournal.com/city/story/1042614
….
Prove to me that people have never committed fraud here in Maine or for that matter even just attempted to.
Too much evidence..? Except there’s not a scrap of it in your comment. Provide this evidence. Howie Carr… who is he? Oh, a conservative talk show host… how authoritative…
What is it with you reactionaries? The leadership of the largest banks in the world are getting caught manipulating the interbank exchange rates, you know, LIBOR, EURIBOR, TIBOR effecting contracts (according to the Wall St Journal) to the tune of perhaps $800 TRILLION, and all you can whine about are poor people… What is it with people like you? Huh?
Does this mean you repudiate the likes of “your” talk show hosts and oracles of humanity as evidence of truth as well? A shiver up the leg is not enough proof for you anymore?
“my talk show hosts…” And who might that be given I don’t listen to talk radio?
My point was about the quality of information. There are “facts” that reactionaries use without cititation or context, and then there are facts that are used in the proper context, are used to prove a point corroborating other facts, fit into a data set that has citations and can be used relative to other empirical data…
And what about my point of the crimes of the elites? How much societal damage do you think is done by scamming on $800 trillion of contracts? More by the elites or more by the poor?
Don’t take it personally…..”your” used contextually in this post is meant in the ubiquitous plural form.
“Fact” is entymologically rooted in Latin, from the word “facio” meaning to make or do. I can say factually I’m honest but if you don’t know me you probably would doubt my self-proclaimation of honesty until I proved it to you as a fact and I am likewise free to doubt your facts, in brutal honesty.
Crime is an expression of human societal failure and can be committed by anyone born into any material class. Rich? Poor? Middle? Crime is an actualized decision, needing legal enforcement.
I promise you I won’t take your post as socially aggressive. I will just not reply further to you unless you can can make the leap of humanity out of your “What is it with you reactionaries?” mode and comply with the paper’s request for civility.
Boy, I hope she keeps interfering. Someone needs to.
Your points are unsubstantiated by fact.
1. Veterans can receive treatment at VA. The choice is theirs. 2. LePage most certainly has paid most of that horrendous and crippling bill left to us by Liberals. 3. LePage’s priorities are not as you state. His priorities are:
1. Paying down Maine’s crippling debt2. Meeting the retirement obligations to our public employees (that were promised by liberals without any feasible plan of meeting)
3. Bringing real employment and career opportunities to Maine citizens. Create residents, not recipients. The majority of Maine’s money is handled by the state of Maine, either as the largest employer, or the benefactor of welfare benefits. We have the oldest, poorest citizenry. There must be balance between the private sector and the public sector for a community to thrive and be vital. The balance is way off. We need to right it. LePage is doing that. We will see youth and vitality return to Maine.
One way to bring employment to Maine would be to let the legislature/voter approved bond bills to fund the projects they are meant to fund and let people get back to work. Interest rates that the State can borrow at are at historic low levels. It is backward and short sighted to wait for interest rates to go up to then borrow… THAT would help put people to work, help revenues, help pay down the debt… Not on LePage’s confused, befuddled, angry mind…
Public sector, short-term, and government spending. Not sustainable, and not a community-wide opportunity.
And exactly the prescription needed to get the economy self-sufficient when it currently isn’t. For historical reference:
“If the banking system is crippled, then to be effective
the public sector must do much, much more. How much more? By how much
can spending be raised in a real depression? And does this remedy work?
[E]conomist Marshall Auerback….
“[Roosevelt’s] government hired about 60 per cent of the unemployed
in public works and conservation projects that planted a billion trees,
saved the whooping crane, modernized rural America, and built such
diverse projects as the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh, the Montana
state capitol, much of the Chicago lakefront, New York’s Lincoln Tunnel
and Triborough Bridge complex, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the
aircraft carriers Enterprise and Yorktown. It also built or renovated
2,500 hospitals, 45,000 schools, 13,000 parks and playgrounds, 7,800
bridges, 700,000 miles of roads, and a thousand airfields. And it
employed 50,000 teachers, rebuilt the country’s entire rural school
system, and hired 3,000 writers, musicians, sculptors and painters,
including Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock.”
In other words, Roosevelt employed Americans on a vast scale,
bringing the unemployment rates down to levels that were tolerable, even
before the war—from 25 percent in 1933 to below 10 percent in 1936, if
you count those employed by the government as employed, which they
surely were.”
Public sector, short-term, and government spending… as it should be until the economy is healthy enough to operate without this stimulus.
It ain’t rocket science.
Okay…..so let’s look at this from the Gestapo aspect. He could set the Gestapo in motion to take out all senior citizens, people with disabilities along with all the unskilled workers in the state. Problem solved Gestapo style.
We call that Comfort Care, under Obama’s Health Care Reform.
see this link is shows the differences between Obama and Romney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTDYHAyWR7A
LePage had said in his letter that state’s Medicaid cuts were “a necessary correction” to the program’s size, since the level of Medicaid benefits Maine offers is above the national average.Heaven forbid that Maine should be above average in ANYTHING. Guess our below average governor wants everyone else to be too. There’s a REASON for above average Mainecare numbers-it’s because access to AFFORDABLE health care is non-existent. Instead of his slash-and-burn tactics, if LePage gave a rat’s nether end about the people of Maine, he would make an effort to make MaineCare, and the Affordable Care Act, UNNECCESSARY.
Good for Ms Pingree. Thank God someone of rank is behind the people that are slated to lose their coverage.
Ah yes, Penquin was expecting some money and now is all pissed off that someone is standing in the way of him getting it. Pingree is doing to Penquin what Penquin is doing to Millinocket. How does it feel govnah?
…..
LePage wrote. “Your title says that you are a Representative from Maine, but apparently you prefer to represent the power of bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.”
No, she is a Representative FOR Maine Mr. Governor; and she is doing her job, looking out for the best interest of the people of the State of Maine and speaking up for the ones who need an advocate in this hostile environment you have created….
Stop the fraud and there will be no more ‘missing money’ from our Medicaid program.
good for her keep standing chelli
i am for chelli she has my vote