What if Maine Democrats had a plan?
Or even a clue?
With a realistic platform that appealed to ordinary voters, the donkey party would have an excellent chance in next year’s elections of … uh … losing control of the Legislature. And the race for governor. And U.S. Senate. And the 2nd Congressional District.
The reason is simple: The Democratic Party in Maine doesn’t dare stand for anything practical. A pragmatic electorate recognizes that deficiency and votes for Republicans and independents who display some slight grasp of the problems the public faces.
To be fair to the Dems (just for the sheer novelty), the party did try last year to develop something that approximated a vision of a blueprint of a framework for a prototype of a plan. It was called “A Better State of Maine,” and it involved selling the one we have now and buying a newer model with all the bells and whistles, as well as a lifetime warranty.
I could have that wrong. After perusing the document and examining the comments made by Democratic leaders at public forums they held to promote it, it doesn’t actually call for doing anything that drastic. In fact, it doesn’t call for doing anything at all.
For instance, then-House Speaker Mark Eves, now a candidate for governor, explained the section on economic development this way: “We have heard over and over again about the need for a skilled, trained workforce that is aligned with the needs that we have.”
Seriously? That’s it?
Of course not. Current House Speaker Sara Gideon added this clarifying comment: “We need solutions that help young families build their lives in Maine and that revitalize our economy.”
And what would those solutions be?
Crickets.
There’s more of this drivel, such as an energy policy (it needs to be cheaper and more sustainable), infrastructure (we probably ought to keep it from crumbling away) and high-speed internet access (someday, somehow). There are fewer specifics in this document than cheeseburgers at a vegan festival.
That’s because Democratic leaders fear that if they put in writing what they really intend to do – expand government, increase taxes – the public would run them out of the state.
Some individual Democrats have specific ideas for addressing issues. Trouble is, lots of those ideas are somewhere between unrealistic and unworkable. Recently, three legislative candidates in southern Maine told me they support a single-payer health care plan. Asked how they’ll pay for that, they all agreed they’d raise taxes on the wealthy. The 3-percent surcharge on higher incomes that was approved in referendum last year would have generated about $250 million a year. The cheapest estimate for universal coverage in the state is about $3 billion. So that surcharge would have to be increased by a factor of 12, making it a 36 percent tax hike on the wealthy.
All of whom would be leaving the state long before that money grab could take effect.
Looking at voter registrations, it might be reasonable to assume that after next year’s elections, Democrats would control of both chambers of the Legislature. Those numbers indicate Dems should have a 15-seat majority in the House and a three or four seat margin in the Senate. But registrations are a poor predictor of outcomes. The only safe Democratic districts are concentrated around Portland, Bangor, parts of the mid-coast and a few other scattered areas. In rural parts of the state, there may be plenty of registered Democrats, but they’re increasingly likely to vote for Republicans.
As a result of this indifference to party affiliation, Democrats could lose control of the Maine House by as many as five seats. The GOP will likely enjoy a four-seat majority in the Senate. When voters are asked why they made those decisions, they’ll say they just couldn’t figure out where the Dems stood on issues that mattered to them, and while they didn’t agree with Republicans on everything, they at least knew their positions.
The only hope Democrats have is that once the GOP is in firm control, they’ll do what they always do when they hold majorities:
Screw up.
At which point, the Dems will return to power without ever having to take a stand on anything.
Firm opinions may be emailed to aldiamon@herniahill.net.
Al, your letter would be funny if it wasn’t true. With most politicians they only worry about their party and the next election.
Unfortunately, the Democratic Party has also become the party of identity politics and abortion at any cost. It is hard to win elections when you pit people against each other.
Both parties have lost their identity with the middle of the road american.
Al the dems have, by their own design, signed their own death certificate. 8 years of the ghetto prez experiment got us nothing but a divided nation. The pant suit queen from the klinton crime family was flushed by the real Americans after a laughable campaign. The coronation didn’t go as planned. Look to porkland for all you need to know about the whacky left in Maine. Failed schools, obscene property taxes, welfare for everyone, illegals, and the emerging drug zombie lobby lead by comrad eves. This is what Maine has become and liberals have delivered us to this juncture. None of this occurred in a vacuum, it is a result of having clueless self serving politicians in disgusta. The answer is to cut off the funding for all the waste, welfare and stupid ideas. The follow on is electing common sense officials that can be held accountable to the tax payers. Don’t be fooled by the yellow journalism so popular in our news media, it’s designed to support the approved liberal messaging. Be wary of rhinos as well. Many of the Maine republicans aren’t willing to do the heavy lifting our state needs and they should be looking for work elsewhere, Sue Collins is the poster child for what’s wrong with our process, hopefully she just stays in DC where she belongs. Have a good rainy day out there.
Peter:
Sounds like you have all the solutions. Why don’t you run for office? It’ll be interesting to hear the details of your agenda and how you’ll sell that agenda to voters. (And, BTW, congratulations on the clever puns and the marginally hidden racist comment.)
Really Norm?
Peter’s comments were spot on and completely true and factual…while at worst, funny and colorful. I don’t see the pun or racist angle? I do however read your not so clever and typical liberal hate speech and making it a personal attack. It’s funny that liberals always make it personal rather than argue a point with facts…except, when things go wrong, somehow personal responsibility is not the cause, it’s usually some unseen forces or circumstances,etc…
Nuff Said…
“the ghetto prez” ? A disgusting attempt to sully the reputation of a remarkable and intelligent man who served ably and admirably.
Peter, your white hood is showing and you’re proud of it.
Norm,
I’m not selling anything. I and many other Mainers are simply saying “no” to liberal ideas that waste our tax money and have failed our state. If by chance you happen to see racism everywhere you look, you could be drinking a tad too much of the free liberal Kool Aid so popular in Augusta. Have a good day out there.
Peter:
I’m not seeing racism everywhere I look. I’m seeing racism in your “ghetto prez” comment.
Par for the course given who you voted into the White House.
Own it.
@ Marie E.
“the ghetto prez” is fitting for Comrade Oblamer, furthermore Marie thinking that “ghetto” is or has something to do with the color of a person’s skin in and of itself is a sign of a narrow minded bigoted racist.
I like to think and have found it to be self evident that each and every time a person uses the “race card” it causes another person with common sense that reads or it hears it to vow to vote with common sense. We all know which party has lost all semblance of that. Please keep up all the name calling and race baiting identity politics.
Thanks for the chuckle Peter .
Marie,
Your personal attack duly noted. I don’t suspect the censors will act on your blatant violation of their standards. Sully is a bit understated in regard the last failed presidency. Unemployment, high taxes, illegals populating our cities, unchecked welfare radical muslums preaching hate in our country….doesent quite jive with the intelligent remarkable narrative you attempt to float. Our country suffered under this fool and now our Presdent Trump is shredding the trash left behind. Try to tHink of it as a neighborhood clean up event for government, it will be easier on you.
A neighborhood cleanup event will be highly anticipated and welcomed… the sooner the better.
It’s true. Liberals are a cancer not a cure. They are quick to embrace socialistic and communistic ideals, when every country that has used those forms of government have failed. Germany, Russia, and the Eastern Bloc have been using a democratic form of government and a semi-capitalist economic model. Venezuela is dying the painful death that socialism has left it. Liberals in America are extremely anti-constitution and in Maine, the choice ranked votes question proved it. California, New York, Massachusetts and Hawaii have done everything legally possible to try to deny people of their second amendment rights, from a licensing process that can take years to get a decision and can be denied for the most trivial of reasons. Liberals commit the most grievous acts against the constitution, claiming to be pro free speech, then telling people that they can’t use the first amendment. That goes way beyond hypocrisy into treason territory. Abraham Lincoln denied people of their constitutional rights and it cost 600,000 Americans their lives.