The Maine Wire
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Maine Wire TV
  • About
  • Contact
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending News
  • Liberals Roast “Great White Mother” Mills for Opposition to Tribal Sovereignty Bill
  • Golden Backs “Lukewarm” Debt Ceiling Deal But Criticizes Cuts to IRS
  • Auburn Rep Files Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of PAC Fundraising Restrictions
  • Bangor-area Church Sues School Board for Religious Discrimination in Lease Rejection
  • Protest at Maine State House for Iraq War Veteran Killed in 2022 Memorial Day Shooting
  • Competitive Shooting Event to Raise More Than $75k for Travis Mills Foundation with USPSA Maine State Championship
  • GOP Wants Limits on “Net Energy Billing” to Rein in Electricity Rates
  • N.H. Residents Fear Maine “Trans Sanctuary” Bill Will Harm Granite State Kids: WGME
Facebook Twitter Instagram
The Maine Wire
Login
Thursday, June 1
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Maine Wire TV
  • About
  • Contact
The Maine Wire
Home » News » Liberal Media Downplays Support at Tip Credit Hearing
Commentary

Liberal Media Downplays Support at Tip Credit Hearing

Jacob PosikBy Jacob PosikApril 7, 2017Updated:April 7, 2017No Comments4 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

I was in awe Wednesday morning.

Just after 8 a.m., the halls of the Burton M. Cross Building began filling up with hundreds of Maine restaurant workers preparing for public hearings on a flurry of bills that would roll back provisions in Question 4 and reinstate the tip credit. They all wanted a chance to tell their story and push back against the out of touch Maine People’s Alliance and the union interests that threaten their livelihoods.

I’m no regular in Augusta, but I’ve never seen anything like it. The place was packed, and the grassroots organized Restaurant Workers of Maine easily outnumbered the MPA slacktivists 10 to 1. Bangor Daily News reporter Chris Cousins remarked on Twitter “I have never, ever seen the parking lots around the State House as packed as they are today.”

But despite the lopsided support for the Restaurant Workers of Maine in Augusta on Wednesday, the Maine media spewed its own narrative.

The BDN’s headline read “Maine is poised to weaken its minimum wage law. What will Democrats allow?” The Portland Press Herald pushed out “Dozens of restaurant servers weigh in on both sides of ‘tip credit’ issue.” The MPA’s online publication, The Beacon, published “Maine restaurant servers fight to protect minimum wage increase.”

What a farce.

What Maine’s liberal publications didn’t want you to know is that the MPA was heavily outnumbered, and the restaurant workers showed up on their own accord. Some skipped work and others closed their restaurants for the day just to be in Augusta. They prepared their own testimony.

On the other hand, the MPA paid staff to hold signs and pretend to have a clue. “Opponents” of the tip credit were getting their testimony handed to them by the MPA. The Maine Democratic Party put out a Call to Action earlier this week regarding the tip credit that read in part, “You can also sign up to give testimony – even if you only have a few sentences in mind, the Maine People’s Alliance can help you turn your thoughts into testimony.”

One snarky MPA protester told me that the “Maine Center of Economic Policy did a study that shows that removing the tip credit doesn’t change tipping habits, and anything contrary to that is alternative facts.”

I suppose the talking points they were spoon fed didn’t include the fact that MECEP regularly contributes to the MPA’s uncountable number of registered PACs and ballot question committees. Minor detail.

The liberal media didn’t want you to know that the MPA flew in Saru Jayaraman, a labor attorney from California and the co-founder of the Restaurant Opportunities Center United, who was practically laughed out of the building.

The humble Jayaraman began by telling the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee how many peer reviewed books she has written – a surefire way to appeal to your average Mainer.

Then she regurgitated ridiculous liberal rhetoric that compared tipping to slavery and called the practice outdated and sexist. When she finally finished spouting nonsense, Rep. Larry Lockman pressed Jayaraman on how much she gets paid to testify at public hearings against the tip credit for groups like the MPA.

Jayaraman insisted that the “people of Maine” called for her to testify, and that she wasn’t paid, but eventually admitted she makes $80,000 just to speak at these hearings.

She was gone as quick as she came.

The truth behind what happened on Wednesday is quite simple. Hundreds of Maine restaurant workers and owners flooded capitol grounds to save their careers from the MPA and the Maine AFL-CIO. They shared real stories and concerns about how Question 4 will impact them personally. They took time out of their busy schedules to be there and engaged in the legislative process to reclaim their prosperity.

It was remarkable. The little guy stood up to the schoolyard bully. Real grassroots activists made a mockery of Maine’s “grassroots activists.”

That’s the story the people of Maine deserve to hear.

Commentary Featured
Previous ArticleLegislators Must Enact Welfare Reform for Future Prosperity
Next Article Why REAL ID is ‘Dangerous ID’
Jacob Posik

Jacob Posik, of Turner, is the director of communications at Maine Policy Institute. He formerly served as a policy analyst at Maine Policy and editor of The Maine Wire. Posik can be reached at jposik@mainepolicy.org.

Related Posts

Press Herald Quotes Fake “Small Business Coalition” Without Disclosing Funding Ties to Liberal Dark Money Groups

May 26, 2023

Maine Mom Wonders What Would Happen Today to Tomboy Daughter: Letter

May 23, 2023

Old Town School Board Hits Pause Button on Proposed Transgender Policy

May 23, 2023

Leave A Reply

Recent News

Liberals Roast “Great White Mother” Mills for Opposition to Tribal Sovereignty Bill

June 1, 2023

Golden Backs “Lukewarm” Debt Ceiling Deal But Criticizes Cuts to IRS

June 1, 2023

Auburn Rep Files Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of PAC Fundraising Restrictions

June 1, 2023

Bangor-area Church Sues School Board for Religious Discrimination in Lease Rejection

May 31, 2023

Protest at Maine State House for Iraq War Veteran Killed in 2022 Memorial Day Shooting

May 31, 2023
Newsletter

News

  • News
  • Campaigns & Elections
  • Opinion & Commentary
  • Media Watch
  • Education
  • Media

Maine Wire

  • About the Maine Wire
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Commentary
  • Complaints
  • Maine Policy Institute

Resources

  • Maine Legislature
  • Legislation Finder
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Maine Wire TV

Facebook Twitter Instagram Steam RSS
  • Post Office Box 7829, Portland, Maine 04112

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Sign In or Register

Welcome Back!

Login below or Register Now.

Lost password?

Register Now!

Already registered? Login.

A password will be e-mailed to you.