It is laughable that the Maine Heritage Policy Center (MHPC) has been claiming our referendum process is too influenced by out-of-state interests when the MHPC an arm of the State Policy Network, a national right-wing organization based in Virginia. And MHPC loved the referendum process when they strenuously pushed the TABOR (so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights) referendum which was entirely imported from out-of-state. (Luckily the people defeated that stinker.) MHPC is opposed to MaineCare Expansion and a higher minimum wage, which were passed by the people, among much else that is good for everyday Mainers and working families but not so good for their rich friends. MHPC also led the charge against Same-Day Voter Registration which was removed by LePage and his allies in the legislature but overwhelmingly reinstated by referendum. And where is MHPC’s outrage about the infamous Citizens United court decision that allows so much dark money into our politics? Where is their outrage with out-of-state wealth and corporate PAC money buying off their friendly politicians in Maine and elsewhere? MHPC is awash in hypocrisy, and they are certainly not out to help the average citizens of Maine. Better healthcare, wages, voting rights, and civil rights are certainly the will of the majority of Mainers. It is little wonder that MHPC is attacking our referendum process. Their interests are with the rich and the big corporations, and some recent referendums just have not gone their way. That’s what this is really all about.
James Bilancia
Brewer
Higher wages help nobody. According to the US Dept. of Labor 2.6 million people earn minimum wage.($7.25) the average is 9.75.($2.50 higher than minimum) Walmart the largest employer in the US(2.1 million employees) pays $10.00 an hour. People who work at Walmart are called unskilled labor, as are people in the fast food industry. Here is why higher wages are bad. If you earn $30,000 you maybe eligible for some assistance from the feds or state. If you earn more money you are moved up in tax bracket and may not be eligible for any help. If you are only educated enough to work at unskilled labor, learn a trade or otherwise improve yourself. If you are 40 years old and have been at Walmart for the past 20 years, YOU need to reassess your life. That’s your fault, not Walmart’s.
And Maine’s referendum system is very dirty, Marcy’s Law, 99% of our gun control and hunting bills are funded by outside money, same day voter reg. is BS anyway 365 days in a year, 2-4 years between elections save for the occasional special election, if you can’t find the time to register to vote, you are an idiot. Increasing people’s taxes is never good, but that is the liberal way, tax and spend, tax and spend, and then when money gets tight, raise taxes and send some more, ask Venezuela how that worked out. The richest people in that country are government people. This is what liberals want, no corporations, the top 1% is entirely made up of the government, they provide everything.(except when they don’t) People working their entire lives never owning anything. Living in a country that allows everybody the same opportunities to own stuff and determine the direction their lives take, is better than anything any socialist can promise.
What is laughable is these referendum questions that are worded poorly to pull at peoples heart strings. Question one coming up does just that. Taxing the higher income earners an extra 3.8% over $128,400. How long will it take for that cost to be pushed on to consumers or maybe they move from this state altogether. The recipients of this have no income restrictions so some millionaire could get tax assisted home care and it would be on the back of hard workers. Typical liberal ideology.
Citizens United is the law of the land, protecting free speech. It is a consequence of a challenge to the unconstitutional elements of McCain-Feingold, supported by Senator Collins.
The Government is not allowed to abridge political speech, and it doesn’t matter whose.
Among those who dislike Citizens United: Senator King, the League of Women Voters and AG Janet Mills.
i’ll do my best to remind myself of this comforting bit of wisdom the next time i sit down to puzzle over how to pay my bills.
If you think money is free speech; next time you get pulled over,offer the cop a c-note to exempt you from the law. The worst supreme court decision in my lifetime. If you remember a worse one you are older than I. Bl at least 100 years. It will get worse soon with a majority of partisan corporate shills on the court.
nemo: Ha ha I was thinking the same thing… There’s a play of romantic pride in the mindset of poverty for all. Hard work – paying all the taxes! The the same people will tell you to better yourself and make more money.
If you make under 100k, taxpayers pay a dollar in income taxes when large corporations pay less than 50.cents. The baby boomers grew up in a world where corporations payed 1.50 for ever dollar the average taxpayer paid.
JR: You sound like a commercial for MHPC and totally convinced of the loose lip tribal narrative. Just remember.. “Truth isn’t truth”-RG.
The fact that Marcy’s Law has not passed is what is outrageous. To associate it with any gun or hunting is twisted and inappropriate at best. Marcy’s Law is what helps protect women and children from Domestic abuse. The most dangerous time for these victims is after they are finally able to report it. It requires that victims have the information they need to follow through and stay safe . The fact that domestic abuse is the 2nd leading cause of death for women and is often carried out with a gun means make your point without mentioning it or you give ignorant people a false idea of what it is.
To the list of those who hate “Citizens” United (a misnomer if ever there was one) are:working Americans,the non rich, anyone harmed by a dangerous or defective product,people who want their vote to count, people who don’t think multinational corporations and their lobbyists should be writing our laws and buying our politicians and judges and pretty much everyone who isn’t filthy rich. I’ll believe “corporations are people too” as soon as I see one arrested,thrown in prison or executed.
Nemo, Get a better paying job.
Samo, Income tax is income based, the more you make, the more they take. $50,000= $9000 in taxes, $100,000= $17,000, $1,000,000= $175,000. Over a million is 34%.
How about we give people a taste of the good life, and charge the people who earn $50k 34% instead of the 18% they do pay. Or how about we use the Democratic socialist model and charge everybody 89%.
And yes Samo, If you want more money, get a better job, laziness is it’s own reward.
DV Victim, Marsy’s law. It is an out of state funded referendum question. As was the Yes on 3 campaign. So was no hunting bear over bait. If the people of Maine can’t muster the resources to have it put on the ballot without out of state money it doesn’t deserve to be there. Oh, people in bad relationships, should have used better judgement.
ah, i see now where you’re coming from. you’re an absolute know-nothing that is clueless about the world and compensates for this mental deficit by holding deliberately uninformed opinions about things you don’t understand. i suppose if you can’t be bothered to demonstrate basic human decency when it comes to hardworking people who struggle and victims of partner violence, i shouldn’t care much whether you’re sad because you think your taxes are too high. good luck out there in this mean old world.
Nemo, I cared enough about my life to go to college to get the best possible job, which allowed me to own my own home at 28, taxes are what they are. Oh and Bernie has already said he would prefer a tax rate of 89% across the board. As for people in abusive relationships, do you know what the most common reason they give for staying in it is? “Because I love them.” There is no cure for that level of stupidity.
Nemo,,
Mr Bstrd is “very” proud…..of himself.
Don’t expect a different view from him.
Hint…the name.
from Bernies webs site
lets get facts straight at least whether we agree or not
And lets ask the bulldog to have some real moderation and cut the nastiness
Current
Income bracket Tax
Lower limit Upper limit Rate Amount
$0 – $18,450 10% $1,845.00
$18,451 – $74,900 15% $8,467.50
$74,901 – $151,200 25% $8,775.00
$151,201 – $230,450 28% $0
$230,451 – $411,500 33% $0
$411,501 – $464,850 35% $0
$464,851 – 39.6% $0
$19,087.50
Wage income + $110,000.00
Income tax – $19,087.50
Healthcare insurance premium – $10,000.00
Disposable income = $80,912.50
Effective tax rate 17.4%
Bernie’s proposal
Income bracket Tax
Lower limit Upper limit Rate Amount
$0 – $18,450 10% $1,845.00
$18,451 – $74,900 15% $8,467.50
$74,901 – $151,200 25% $8,775.00
$151,201 – $230,450 28% $0
$230,451 – $250,000 33% $0
$250,001 – $500,000 37% $0
$500,001 – $2,000,000 43% $0
$2,000,001 – $10,000,000 48% $0
$10,000,001 – 52% $0
$19,087.50
The last time we had a socialist democrat his name was Franklin Roosevelt and if he hadn’t died he would STILL be president and this country and the world would be a better place for it!
Mr. Bliancia doesn’t tell us whether he believes that “Money from Away” was spent or not. Nor does he disclose whether the thinks such money could in any way affect the way simple Maine rustics vote. His core message? The MHPC people are wicked and this is all we need to know.
BTW, David Firsching gives clear voice to something we know about the Trumpophiliac zealots as well. The Statists and many on the Right yearn for a Leader to take care of them (to be fair, to take care of us all).
DF wishes FDR was still president. He would be 136 years old today. Some might think that carries Führer worship to extremes.