Much of the discussion surrounding Graham Platner and his candidacy has focused on his Nazi tattoo, past controversial comments, fake blue-collar political outsider persona, and other personal controversies, allowing his truly radical left-wing platform to fade into the background.
[RELATED: Platner’s “Average Man” Image Faces New Scrutiny as Campaign Finances Draw Attention…]
Platner, running for a seat historically held by the moderate Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), has portrayed himself as a candidate who can reach across the aisle in an attempt to present himself as a viable option for Trump voters dissatisfied with his second term.
The candidate’s upcoming campaign event with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and past event with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) hint at the true radical leftism barely hidden behind his rugged working man persona and outreach to Republican voters.
Platner has publicly opposed stricter voter ID requirements, suggesting that they are intended to “steal” the American democracy.
It’s difficult to maintain an everyday man persona while parroting the established left-wing talking points against increased election integrity measures that—according to a March poll from CBS—80 percent of voters, including the majority of Democrats, support.
[RELATED: Poll Shows Broad Support for Voter ID as Senate Weighs SAVE Act…]
Platner has advocated for fundamentally altering the Supreme Court, including through court packing (adding additional seats) and imposing term limits, and has suggested that he would support the impeachment of conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
In his “Defend Democracy Agenda” document, Platner advocates for enshrining a series of additional “rights” into the Constitution modeled after a 1944 proposal from Franklin D. Roosevelt.
That policy would enshrine things like the “right to a useful job that earns a living wage.” It is not clear how a constitutionally mandated living-wage “useful” job could possibly be implemented in practice. He has come out in support of an increase to the federal minimum wage; that perhaps is a step towards his utopian vision of a constitutional right to living-wage-level employment.
As is the case with most socialist-leaning candidates, Platner advocates for universal Medicaid. He focuses on the real failings of the existing U.S. system while ignoring the extensive downsides of universal taxpayer-funded healthcare as exemplified in nations like Canada, where thousands die while waiting for a chance to see physicians.
He opposes ICE law enforcement and previously urged Mainers to rise up to protect their neighbors from law enforcement “however we can.”
“Our government is kidnapping people off the streets and imprisoning them in hellish conditions. This is unconscionable,” says his campaign website.
He advocates for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country while claiming to want to keep the border secure.
He further elaborates that he believes the country cannot have a strong border without also giving illegals a path to citizenship.
Platner wants to strengthen climate change-related regulations nationwide, despite the devastating impact rising energy costs caused by a green energy push have had on Maine businesses and homeowners.
He is intent on keeping public schools going and vowed to oppose any federal-level private school vouchers, which would allow parents greater control over how their children are educated.
Platner also supports a federal-level action to enshrine abortion protections nationally, has downplayed concerns about biological males in girls’ sports and spaces, and wants federal LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws.
It is not clear from his website what those laws would do, since sexual orientation is already protected under existing anti-discrimination law.
It remains to be seen whether Platner’s affected persona will be able to draw moderate voters away from Collins, whom they have supported for decades.
Platner’s full policy platform is available on his website here.
In reality, Platner has no plans. He’s only parroting liberal Democrat talking points.
Platner’s platform is not original
It is Communism
It makes not working more attractive, or at least working what should be jobs for teens
It gives homes of some sort to those who don’t earn them
It pretty much gives the govt the say in everything everyone does
It’s goodbye freedom
We’ve all seen the mess the govt made of education and Platner’s plans would expand a mess to our entire lives
He can pound sand
The useful job paying a living wage is not a communist principle, it actually goes all the way back to the municipal, poor farm. Franklin Roosevelt, for all his faults, did not want to pay people to sit home and do nothing, his public works projects, with there, many faults, sought to put people to work during productive things. The civilian conservation corps built some of the ski areas that we still use, they cut some of the firebreaks that were quite helpful in 1947.
The useful job paying the living wage is a good part of MAGA, bringing those jobs back here from overseas. A broken clock is right twice a day, and I don’t think he’s wrong on this one, even if it is absolutely everything else.
But it still comes back to the issue of he is 100% disabled because of PTSD, if his PTSD is so severe that he can’t work, then how the hell is he gonna be a USSenator?!?
“If it looks like a Commie, swims like a Commie and quacks like a Commie, then it probably is a Commie.
The policies iterated are a checklist as to why you should not vote for any democrat.
Class warfare is pure Communism! There is nothing more funny than rich folks complaining about people who ate even richer. Democrats will never lower prices, make things, affordable, they caused the problems.
Hold your nose one more time for Collins.
Something that no one really mentions, probably because it’s incendiary and hard to prove: Platner is just plain dumb. The ideas he spouts are nothing but left wing platitudes. He doesn’t have an original thought. The tattoo, the shirtless dancing, the “disability”, and every one of the old Reddit posts that he’s been called out on can all be explained by one thing: he’s dumb.
We are sick of the status quo: medical bankrupcies, cuts to food stamps, insane defense budgets. Somethings gotta give, while you frighten people with your talk of socialism. Same old talking points from people afraid of change. Sad
Plater is a liar and a fake. He is now caught up in the”Bernie myth:. Being used by many, stands for nothing. No character, no integrity, dangerous. Good Mainers fall this this guy, they deserve what they get, more failure on a State and National basis. This gut is a totally empty suit, stasnds for nothing, represents nobody.
Medicare has been degraded so much by our Washington Royalty that it’s now no better than Canada’s. I know. I have it.
Don’t know who quoted this …..”Familiarity breeds contempt”. Doesn’t matter who …take heed.
Collins will whip Platner.
But the real risk is that Platner will become a perennial media darling, like Beto O’Rourke, a case of political cancer that may go into remission, but which can reappear at any time.
This super political poser was discovered in an aquaculture commercial promoting his single customer (mommy’s restaurant) oyster farm by the rabid progressive campaign strategists power couple Daniel Moraff (Mall-Rat) and his romantic appendage Leanne Fan. Talk about American hating children of privilege modern Bolsheviks who are intent in putting the Soros to us. So, these two seduce the Oysterfurher into believing he could actually serve as a US Senator despite having less than zero qualifications. Of course, his own privileged background perfectly prepared Grahm Crackers to take up the mantel of every two-bit despot of the 20th century. Thus he loves cursing capitalism, making billionaire boogiemen references at every outing and basically campaigning to bust our country to its knees in the name of social justice, equity and welfare for all, not just healthcare, everything right down to a pack of smokes, all free paid for by the taxes Elon and his likes will soon be forking over. I would think as a combat Marine vet he walked away from that experience recognizing the other side for what it truly is but the visions of stardom blind him and his handlers are happy to feed his ego. In the end, the Plat-Attack will be little for than a footnote in Maine politics as we have not become that brain dead in this state to kick to the curb a most senior and accomplished senator as Suzie C for the knock off version of Chez Rivera.
This may work on the 47 people who still read the Maine Wire, but it smacks of desperation. His policy positions have overwhelming support, not only Maine but all across the country.
Platner is so mentally harmed by his time in the military, that his shell-shock, or what ever they call it this week, has disabled him 100%. Thus the rest of us are paying him $4800.00 each and every week, or $57,600.00 a year for the rest of his life. With that much to live on, he can afford to pretend to raise oysters for his Mother’s restaurant and wear scruffy working fisherman looking clothes.
Platner is not likely to be uncomfortable in a jacket and tie: not part of his spiel is his time enrolled in one of the top level prep schools in the Country, Hotchkiss School, where tuition is $79,000.00 per year. Not sure what he studied there, but it was not likely the low grade communism he expounds.
Maybe Janet Mills will make a deal to sell Platner’s oysters in her gift shop .
They will both be looking for jobs after November .
Birds of a Feather .
His support from Socialist Bernie and the Fake Indian Warren is all I need to say no way could I support him.