Author: Nathan Strout

Community Health Options (CHO), a Lewiston-based insurance provider, has asked the Maine Bureau of Insurance for a whopping 44.9% rate increase on their catastrophic level plan. CHO is one of 23 nonprofit Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (co-ops) created under the Affordable Care Act, over half of which have since failed. Being the only co-op to turn a profit in 2014, CHO was initially held up as a success story amidst the otherwise dismal performances of the co-ops. In 2015, however, CHO began to rack up significant losses and ended the year with losses of over $30 million and projected losses of $40…

Maine’s history is long and varied, but perhaps its greatest impact on the nation was its implementation of The Maine Law. Spearheaded by former Portland Mayor Neal S. Dow in 1851, The Maine Law banned the sale of alcohol in the state, and inspired the decades long movement for a nation-wide ban on the sale of alcohol, culminating in the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act. Almost a century later, we know that Prohibition failed. While lawmakers were able to stop the legal sale of alcohol, they ended up creating a far worse black market for alcoholic products that was unsafe, violent…

Renting in Portland remains unaffordable for many of its residents. Instead of saving up money for new clothes, a new car, or a much deserved vacation, many Portlanders are trapped in situations where rent takes up the lion’s share of their paycheck, leaving them little to nothing in their pocket. But that’s nothing new for the Forest City. Former mayor Michael Brennan introduced an inclusionary zoning ordinance before he was voted out of office, and current Mayor Ethan Strimling has formed a committee to address the affordability gap in Portland’s rental housing market. The “solutions” suggested or implemented so far are…

The Maine People’s Alliance (MPA) is leading an aggressive push to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour. You would think they’d have done some research on the economic impact of their proposal. You’d be wrong. As I pointed out just over a week ago, the campaign seems to have chosen the goal of $12 an hour at random. Their website neglects to explain why they decided to pursue $12 and not $15 or $20, and highlights no research on what effect their initiative would have on Maine’s economy. Essentially, The Maine People’s Alliance is pushing for an initiative with…

I can’t say I’m surprised. The Press Herald is reporting that a group of Portland residents on Munjoy Hill have filed a lawsuit to prevent the construction of affordable housing in the area. The gist of the lawsuit is that a few wealthy property owners (to give you a hint at the make up of the group, only one lives there year-round) are suing the property and the city because the proposed housing is too tall and too ugly. This, of course, is not the first housing project to be scuttled or delayed by lawsuits. In the last couple years, a…

As I watch the campaign to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour unfold, one question comes to mind: Why $12? My first thought was that the number had been arrived at through rigorous economic research. Perhaps, I told myself, they have data that shows that $12 an hour was as high as they could raise the minimum wage without having a negative impact on employment. I searched the Mainers for Fair Wages website, but was unable to find any such data. If they had such data, surely they’d display it prominently. So how did they arrive at $12…

What comes to mind when you think about Maine? Well, a lot of things actually, but the answer I’m looking for is blueberries. The tiny, indigo-colored berries are the state’s official fruit, a key part of the state’s official dessert, and a delicious addition to this Maine-themed meal. The people of Maine clearly think blueberries are a big deal—and they’re not wrong. Blueberries are a major industry, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars. In a state that subsidizes so many failing industries, it’s nice to know that there’s at least one industry that can stand on its own. Or at…

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton may disagree on a number of issues, but there’s one issue where the two of them are putting up a united front: free trade. Donald Trump has made free trade a major part of his campaign, threatening a tariff as high as 35% on China, who he sees as America’s biggest threat. China, however, is only the most notable victim of Donald Trump’s protectionist rhetoric. The presumptive GOP nominee has made clear his intentions to dismantle the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the single largest free trade agreement (FTA) in existence, as well as the…

Donald Trump is no libertarian. From his nationalistic views on immigration and trade to his loose positions on civil liberties and health care policy, Trump is a libertarian’s worst nightmare. Of course, that shouldn’t concern The Donald in the slightest—he can easily win without the libertarian vote. Libertarian leaning candidates like Rand and Ron Paul have been unable to gain significant traction in the Republican Party, and the Libertarian Party seems incapable of breaking it’s unimpressive 1% of the national popular vote. Pundits and columnists have been predicting for the last 18 months that Rand Paul, a popular and effective senator…

Portland is not a cheap city to live in. According to a 2015 report by the Greater Portland Council of Governments, the median rent in Portland is $1,183—30% higher than what the study defines as affordable. Demand for rental units in Portland has far outstripped supply, and the prices reflect that. Basic economics tells us that Portland needs to increase its supply of rental units in order to meet demand. Typically, this means that luxury apartments will be built first, satisfying the most lucrative side of demand first. Some Portlanders will complain that this does nothing to help them. After…

The war against genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has been long and varied. Activists have denied the overwhelming bulk of scientific research demonstrating the safety of GMOs, pushing their own junk research and pseudo-scientific claims. For a long time, the media bought the activists’ claims hook, line, and sinker, repeating their claims uncritically to the masses. Years of work by anti-GMO protesters has proven successful–while the vast majority of scientists claim that GMOs are safe to consume, only 37% of Americans agree. That disturbing gap between scientific consensus and popular opinion is the result of a campaign of misinformation about what GMOs…

It’s been almost six years since President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, and it’s become clear that it has failed to achieve any of it’s major objectives. Moreover, there is increasing evidence that the law will never do what it was intended to do. So at what point can we admit that Obamacare is a failure and move on to real health care reforms? How do we know that it’s failed? Unfortunately, the Affordable Care Act is an incredibly complicated piece of legislation, and there is nowhere near enough space in this article to dig through the entire…

When purchasing prescription drugs, most consumers just accept that they’re expensive.  But what if I were to tell you that the price of prescription drugs differs wildly between countries, and are often far cheaper outside the US? Humira, a common arthritus drug, costs $2,246 in the U.S.  In Sweden, the same drug costs only $881.  This kind of shocking price difference is actually quite common—Americans can expect to pay 2-6 times more for brand name prescription drugs.  These are the exact same drugs, so Americans aren’t paying for quality.  What is driving these higher prices? There’s no simple answer to that question.  There are a…

Bill Brown, the Chair of the Board of Directors at The Maine Academy of Natural Sciences (MeANS), has resigned his position. Brown was at the heart of the controversial hiring of his employer, Democrat Speaker of the House Mark Eves, last summer as president of Good Will-Hinckley. [RELATED: Speaker Eves Loses Charter School Job] Eves was unceremoniously fired just days after he was hired when Governor LePage threatened to withdraw his support for the school, which relies on government funding to operate. In voicing his opposition, LePage claimed that Eves’ hiring was the result of political cronyism. “This back-room deal between cronies is exactly the kind…

Community Health Options, a Lewiston based health insurance co-op has announced that it will suspend new individual enrollment on December 15, a month and a half before the open enrollment period officially ends. The co-op came to this decision after posting an $18 million shortfall in the third quarter—the first time they have reported significant losses. Community Health Options is one of 23 co-ops established under the Affordable Care Act to offer low cost health care plans. The non-profits received federal funding and were meant to compete with for-profit insurers and drive prices down. In Maine, Community Health Options has proven to be…

Yesterday, Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald won a decisive third term in a runoff election against challenger Ben Chin. The final tally had Macdonald with 53% of the vote compared to Chin’s 47%. In November’s election, Chin outpolled Macdonald in a five-person field with 44%—just shy of avoiding a runoff election. Lewiston’s campaign season has been notable both for the disparity in campaign spending and for racial incidents that garnered national headlines. On paper, Macdonald faced an uphill battle. Democrats far outregister Republicans in Lewiston, which would seem to give Chin, a progressive activist with the Maine People’s Alliance (MPA), an edge.…

According to a new study put out by the Mercatus Center, the Affordable Care Act has failed to meet widespread expectations. Enrollment is far below initial projections, and the enrollees are much less healthy than predicted. When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was being debated back in 2010, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected how many people would enroll in ACA exchange health care plans. Now, as we enter Obamacare’s third open enrollment period, actual enrollment numbers are far short of those projections. Enrollment, as estimated by Mercatus, was 2.5 million below projections in 2014 and 3.5 million below projections in 2015.…

On Thursday, the Government Oversight Committee continued its investigation into what influence Governor LePage exerted on Good Will-Hinckley’s decision to fire House Speaker Mark Eves. While much of the focus was on what exactly the LePage administration communicated to Good Will-Hinckley staff, key revelations were discovered in the questioning of MeANS Chairman Bill Brown. Brown, who also happens to be an employee of Eves and part of the search committee for GWH, gave testimony on Thursday that contradicted prior statements about his involvement in Eves’ hiring. In a press release announcing that Eves had accepted the job with Good Will-Hinckley on June…

On Thursday, Maine’s Government Oversight Committee (GOC) conducted a series of interviews following up on an Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability (OPEGA) report over the Good Will-Hinckley (GWH) controversy. At the heart of the report is a whether the governor threatened to cut off state funding to GWH. Thursday’s interviews included testimony from key players in the GWH affair, including two subpoenaed members of the LePage administration, Chairman of GWH and employee of Speaker Mark Eves, Bill Brown, and President of the Harold Alfond Foundation (HAF), Greg Powell. The day was filled with interesting tidbits about what actually occurred…

Testifying before the Government Oversight Committee, Governor Paul LePage’s senior policy adviser, Aaron Chadbourne, reminded the committee that Speaker Mark Eves, who remains at the center of the controversy, endorsed actions similar to Governor Paul LePage’s in the past. Chadbourne was subpoenaed to appear before the committee to testify as to the details of a threat by Governor Paul LePage to withhold funding to Good Will-Hinckley, a charter school, over its decision to hire Eves.  Democrats have been brutal in attacking the governor for threatening to withhold funds, with some even calling for his impeachment.  Eves has gone so far as to…

With a $1.3 million campaign that dominated their opponents, it was no surprise that Question 1 supporters were able to claim victory Tuesday night.  At the end of the night, liberals had won on the most high-profile issue of the 2015 election cycle. The real story, however, is the conservative victories at the local level. Republicans won both special elections for the House of Representatives on Tuesday night.  While that’s hardly enough to change the balance of power in the House, the Maine GOP hailed their victory as a win for conservatives. “These results show what we at the Maine…

The debate over Question 1’s tweaking of the Maine Clean Elections Act (MCEA) has largely turned into a debate over the merits of the Act itself, with proponents claiming that it is necessary to increase competitiveness in elections, and opponents calling it welfare for politicians. One of the key benefits touted by clean elections advocates is that the MCEA would increase competitiveness in elections.  However, the research done on clean elections in the last 15 years has not only failed to demonstrate that they have succeeded in that goal, but actually suggest that the MCEA has had no significant effect on competitiveness…

In the past few weeks, media outlets have slammed Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the growing number of uninsured children in Maine. According to numbers from the US Census Bureau, that number has risen from 4% in 2010 to 6%.  In a MPBN report, the writer attempts to correlate the growing uninsured rate with Medicaid eligibility cuts enacted by Governor Paul R. LePage and DHHS.  The insinuation for most of this story is that DHHS has kicked thousands of children off of health insurance. Only in the tenth paragraph does the writer acknowledge that these children are…

According to an October Quarterly Report filed by Mainers for Accountable Elections, over 80% of the money they’ve raised for their campaign has come from out-of-state. The organization, which is behind Question 1, has raised a staggering $1.2 million in support of the referendum.  That’s up from just over $300,000 raised according to a July report. Most of the money raised, however, has been contributed from outside of the state.  Less than 1/5 of Mainers for Accountable Elections’ money comes from Mainers. The cash was donated by organizations and individuals located from as far away as California to Amherst in neighboring Massachusetts. As noted…

Sean Eldridge, a major financier of Mainers for Accountable Elections, the group behind Question 1 in November, has been accused of attempting to buy a congressional seat. In his 2014 run to represent New York Congressional District 19, Eldridge engaged in several actions that, while not technically illegal, contradict the spirit of the campaign finance reform he is now heavily funding in Maine and other localities across the country. According to a campaign finance report filed by Mainers for Accountable Elections in July, Eldridge has contributed $100,000, roughly a third of the total funds raised by the group.  Eldridge is far and…

This November, the people of Maine will have the opportunity to vote on a campaign finance reform proposal that advocates claim will bolster Maine’s Clean Elections Act and make our elections more transparent.  Yet these proponents refuse to act according to their own so-called principles. If passed, Questions 1, the referendum question put forth by Mainers for Accountable Elections, would do essentially three things. Provide more funding for candidates to run under Maine’s Clean Election Act Increase fines for campaign finance violations Require independent political advertisements to reveal their three largest donors There’s strong reasons to believe that none of…

According to a recent report from the non-partisan Tax Foundation, manufacturers in Maine suffer under substantially higher taxes than the rest of the country. “Maine includes equipment in its property tax base, which contributes to an above-average property tax burden for mature capital-intensive manufacturing firms, which experience an effective tax rate of 17.6 percent, two-thirds higher than the median tax rate on this firm type. The state’s 8.93 percent income tax and throwback rule are also substantial contributors to this firm’s high tax burden. Similar factors give the state a 44th place ranking for mature labor-intensive manufacturing firms, which experience…

Last week, a group of Mainers rallied in Augusta in support of a ballot initiative to make Maine elections “clean.”  The referendum would make several changes to the Maine Clean Elections Act, including increasing public financing for candidates, increasing fines for campaign finance violations, and forcing third-party ads to reveal their biggest donors. Supporters would have you believe that their goal of clean elections is necessary to keep big money out of politics, but the truth is their “reforms” will do little to nothing to stop the influence of outside money or increase transparency in Maine elections. The Myth of “Clean” Elections…

On Thursday, The Supreme Judicial Court of Maine unanimously ruled against Governor Paul R. LePage in his veto dispute with the state legislature. The disagreement centered around the governor’s veto power and how long the governor could wait before returning vetoed bills to the legislature.  Typically, the governor has ten days to veto bills and return them.  If the legislature adjourns and signals the end of the second legislative session before those ten days are up, the governor may exercise a pocket veto. LePage’s administration had claimed that the legislature’s temporary adjournment on June 30 triggered a provision in the Maine Constitution…

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump represent two opposite ends of the political spectrum. Sanders, a self-described socialist, draws support from the discontented Democrat base, while Trump has leapt to the front of the polls with help from anti-establishment Republicans. Both could be described as populists, but they appeal to very different audiences. Yet, for all their differences, the two are remarkably similar when it comes to trade. Trump and Sanders both espouse economic nationalism, a mixture of protectionist, isolationist policies. For these populists, America is suffering from the effects of free trade. America is losing jobs to cheap labor…

Not backing down, Governor LePage continues to insist that he has vetoed 65 of 71 bills which many state officials and legislators claim are now law. On Thursday, the first day the legislature reconvened, the governor sent the legislature 65 vetoes to consider, along with a letter expressing his interpretation of the Constitution and his assertion that the vetoes are valid and should be considered.  Democrat leaders in the House and Senate, along with Senate President Mike Thibodeau, elected Thursday to not take up the governor’s vetoes and treat the 71 bills as law. The disagreement hangs on a technicality.  When the…

Maine ranks 42 in the nation on fiscal health according to a new study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.  Such low rankings are not new to Maine—in the past year the state has ranked poorly in studies on tax burden and economic outlook.  So while it may come as no surprise to informed Mainers that the Pine Tree State ranked poorly in yet another survey, what is interesting is what new data this report brings to our attention. In the study, Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition, author Eileen Norcross ranks the states on fiscal solvency, defined…

On Tuesday, the Maine House and Senate voted in favor of the $6.7 billion budget over Governor Paul R. LePage’s veto.  The governor sent the budget back to the legislature on Monday along with a strongly worded letter, condemning state legislators for using “scare tactics” to pass a “poorly constructed” budget.  Despite protests against the budget compromise in the morning, the House passed the budget 109-37, while the Senate passed it 25-10. Below is a list of how each representative and senator voted.  Scroll down to find out how your elected officials voted on the compromise budget. Maine House Member Party Vote…

Last week, news broke that Good Will-Hinckley had rescinded its job offer to Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves.  Immediately, Eves accused Governor Paul R. LePage of threatening to withhold state funding unless Good Will-Hinckley fired Eves.  The governor fired back in a press release, claiming that Eves’ past opposition to charter schools disqualified him from the job.  Furthermore, the governor alleged that Eves’ hiring was not the product of a fair selection process, but the result of political cronyism. “This back-room deal between cronies is exactly the kind of political corruption I came to Augusta to fight against,” the Governor said. “I…

Good Will-Hinckley has rescinded its offer to House Speaker Democrat Mark Eves to be their president. “The basis for this decision is grounded in the institution’s desire not to be involved in political controversy that will divert attention away from our core mission of serving children and has the potential to jeopardize the future of our school,” said Jack Moore, Chairman of the Board at Good-Will Hinckley. Eves claims that the board’s decision was made due to a threat from Governor Paul R. LePage to withhold half a million dollars in state funding to the charter school if they went through…

On Tuesday, Superior Court Justice Thomas Warren ruled that the State of Maine does not have to reimburse Portland and other municipalities for General Assistance payments made to asylum seekers. Last year, Governor Paul R. LePage announced that his administration would no longer provide GA reimbursements for assistance provided to asylum seekers.  The governor threatened that any municipalities that provided GA benefits to asylum seekers would risk losing all of their GA reimbursements. The Maine Municipal Association, largely lead by Portland and Westbrook, spearheaded the attempt to overturn the governor’s policy, filing suit against the administration last July. The judge,…

On Wednesday, the Committee on Taxation voted along party lines to reject a bill that would allow a referendum on eliminating Maine’s income tax. The proposal, put forth by Governor Paul R. LePage, would allow voters to decide at the polls whether or not to amend Maine’s constitution to repeal the state income tax. After the committee’s decision, the governor came out swinging, urging Mainers to contact their representatives in support of his proposal. “The people of Maine should know how their legislators are voting, and only then will politicians be held accountable for their actions. It is a disgrace for…

A new study conducted by two Cornell University economists suggests that higher cigarette taxes increase the likelihood that smokers will enroll in SNAP benefits, or food stamps. While admitting that cigarette taxes can have an effect in reducing overall cigarette consumption, the taxes can also have unintended effects.  One such effect, according to their research, is that individuals from lower-income households are more likely to apply for food stamps if cigarette taxes are increased. “We also find that low-income smoking households are 50% more likely to enroll in food stamps relative to their non-smoking counterparts,” said Kyle Rozema and Nicolas R. Ziebarth,…

In 2014, Maine became the second state to adopt a law requiring labels identifying all products containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.  Like Connecticut’s law, which was the first of its kind in the nation, Maine’s GMO labeling law will only go into effect if four other states adopt a similar requirement.  Some Maine activists, however, are pushing to abolish the four state requirement and implement mandatory labeling immediately. Proponents of labeling claim that there is something inherently dangerous about GMOs.  The scientific consensus on GMO foods, however, is that they are as safe to consume as “traditional” foods.  Why then, do…

On Wednesday, the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) released a report highlighting the explosion in enrollment in states that have expanded Medicaid under Obamacare. After the Supreme Court’s ruling in National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius, several states, including Maine, have opted out of Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion.  Many states, however, chose to go through with the expansion. According to the FGA report, states which adopted the expansion universally underestimated the number of individuals and families which would enroll in Medicaid.  Among the states for which data was available, enrollment numbers far exceeded projections—in some cases adding hundreds of thousands to…

On Wednesday, Governor Paul R. LePage was joined by Jonathan Williams, Vice President of ALEC’s Center for State Fiscal Reform, at a press conference to advocate the governor’s tax reforms. LePage presented an online tax calculator that would show Maine residents how the governor’s budget would affect their taxes.  The calculator allows Mainers to compare their taxes under the current system to what they would be under the governor’s tax reform plan. After the governor revealed the calculator, Williams discussed Maine’s ranking in the 8th edition of Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index.  In that study, Maine was ranked 42 out of 50…

Shortly after Maine Congressman Bruce Poliquin released his fundraising numbers for the first quarter, his presumptive opponent in the 2016 election, Emily Cain (D), released her fundraising numbers. While Poliquin broke a congressional fundraising record for a freshman representative with an astonishing $700,000, Cain only managed to raise $135,000. Cain claims that 80% of the $135,000 was raised in state.  In response, Brent Littlefield, a campaign consultant for Poliquin, said that Poliquin’s campaign raised more money from Maine citizens than Cain, and received donations from every county in the Second Congressional District. Even with a flurry of fundraising emails in the…

Maine Congressman Bruce Poliquin has a strong start to a re-election bid come 2016, as the 2nd District representative raised an impressive $700,000 in the first quarter. The money raised by Poliquin for Congress, the representative’s campaign committee, sets a strong foundation for his 2016 campaign’s war chest. That total sets a record for congressional fundraising by a freshman in the first quarter.  The previous record holder, Representative Patrick Murphy (D-FL), reported raising less that $600,000 in his first quarter as a freshman Congressman. “While working on issues important to Maine’s 2nd District families, I’m grateful that my campaign committee is receiving…

On Wednesday, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released the 8th edition of Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index. The index ranks all 50 states according to economic performance and economic outlook.  The annual study offers a useful resource for states to compare their policies and see where improvements can be made. The authors of the study saw Utah as the state with the strongest economic outlook based on the index’s 15 policy variables used to grade states.  New York was ranked dead last. “States are increasingly realizing the need to become more competitive through fiscal responsibility and free…

On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the Maine Fourth Amendment Protection Act, a bill introduced by freshman Senator Eric Brakey (R-Androscoggin). The bill’s purpose is to withhold material support or other assistance to a federal agency, specifically the National Security Administration, in its efforts “in the collection or use of a person’s electronic data or metadata” without informed consent, a warrant, or a legally recognized exemption. In the 126th Legislature, lawmakers passed several bills that would protect Mainers’ privacy.  LD 1377 prevented state agencies from obtaining cell phone records without a warrant, and LD 415, which the legislature…

Early Friday morning, Senate Republicans passed their first budget since 2006.  The vote was split along party lines 52-46, with no Democrats supporting it and Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) as the only Republicans to vote against the budget. “The Democrat-led Senate for years refused not only to pass a balanced budget, but any budget at all,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). “Those days are over, and the proof is passage of a balanced plan with ideas that Congress’ nonpartisan analysts tell us would boost jobs, raise income and drive economic growth.” The Senate budget…

Last month, the Tax Foundation released a study analyzing the relationship between cigarette taxes and smuggled cigarettes in each state. The study is based on data gathered by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.  The results showed that states with high taxes had large numbers of cigarettes smuggled into their state and sold there.  The study’s authors claim that there is a correlation there, and that high taxes on goods like cigarettes create black markets, as cigarettes are brought over state lines from states with lower taxes. “High tax rates on cigarettes have led to unreliable revenue and increased criminal activity,”…

Today, the Maine Supreme Court issued its ruling on a case involving the ongoing public dispute between Governor Paul R. LePage and Maine Attorney General Janet Mills. The attorney general has frustrated the governor as he pursues a conservative agenda.  In multiple instances, the high profile Democrat has refused to represent the state and come out publicly against the governor’s positions. In January, LePage asked the state’s highest court to rule on two questions: 1. If the Attorney General refuses to represent a State agency (or any other entity listed in 5 M.R.S. § 191) in a lawsuit, must the…

On Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released their report on civil rights violations in the Ferguson police department, finding systematic racism and a troubling focus on revenue gathering in the department. The investigation was launched shortly after a white police officer, Darren Wilson, shot and killed Michael Brown, an African-American.  The fatal shooting caused rioting and unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, with many claiming that the officer’s actions were racially motivated. While a Grand Jury failed to indict Wilson, the Department of Justice moved forward with a civil rights investigation into Wilson and the Ferguson police department.  DOJ officials stated…

On Thursday, investigators announced that they had discovered over 30,000 emails related to the targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service that were originally said to have been lost entirely. Originally, IRS officials had said that the emails of former IRS employee Lois Lerner, who was at the heart of the controversy, were unrecoverable do to a hard drive failure which occurred less than a month after a Republican Congressman questioned the IRS practices concerning conservative groups.  Back ups to those emails were nonexistent, assured IRS officials. However, The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration recently found back…

On Friday, the Obama Administration admitted that approximately 800,000 Healthcare.gov customers have received incorrect tax forms.  The administration is asking those who received the wrong tax information to hold off on filing their 2014 tax returns until they receive corrected forms. The delay means that thousands of Americans will have to wait longer to receive their tax refunds—and those refunds could be smaller than they would be otherwise.  Others who filed early will have to refile their tax returns. This is not the only headache that the Obamacare website has caused the administration in recent days. On Saturday, the day…

On Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration effectively ended any commercial attempts at drone delivery services in the U.S. Several companies have been researching and experimenting with the idea of delivering their products via drone in recent months.  For instance, Amazon announced it’s intention to distribute its goods to consumers via drone in 2013; the ultimate goal being single day delivery.  In Australia, Google has experimented with drone deliveries as well. However, these plans have been quashed thanks to burdensome regulations from the FAA. In a 195 page proposal, the Federal Aviation Administration laid out its regulations for the commercial use…

Representative Poliquin, whose vote this week against repealing Obamacare provoked backlash among grassroots conservatives, has worked to explain his controversial position. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives held its 56th vote to repeal Obamacare, which marked the first time any Republicans broke with Republican leadership on this issue.  Poliquin, along with two other Republicans, voted against repealing the law. In a Facebook post, Poliquin explained that while he strongly opposed Obamacare, he could not support its repeal without a viable, Republican alternative. “I did not come to Congress to prolong the status quo,” said Poliquin.  “If Congress fully repeals ObamaCare,…

Tell me if you’ve heard this one.  A self-identifying progressive city, a home to a vibrant community of artists and a cultural mecca to many, has pity on its poorest, hardest working denizens and attempts to bring them out of poverty by raising the minimum wage. No, this isn’t Portland—it’s San Francisco. While Portland is currently debating a minimum wage increase, San Francisco already took that step in November when voters approved an initiative to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018. Many in Portland would look to San Francisco as a role model.  After all, what…

Patriots Win Super Bowl After a perfect fourth quarter drive and an end-zone interception in the final seconds of the game, the New England Patriots vanquished the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl.  With only seconds left, rookie Malcolm Butler intercepted a potentially game winning touchdown pass to ensure the Patriots victory.  Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named MVP for the third time in his career.  Last night’s win make Brady one of a select few who have won four Super Bowl rings as starting quarterback. More Snow In case you haven’t looked outside today, don’t be surprised to find…

State of the City: Portland Edition Last night, Portland Mayor Michael Brennan delivered his state of the city address.  Brennan announced plans to bring fiber-optic broadband to the city, and his intention to refocus development in the city along Forest Avenue.  The mayor hoped that building housing in that area of the city could alleviate homelessness while retaining Portland’s historic downtown. Senate Makes History In votes held yesterday in D.C., the U.S. Senate voted 98-1 that climate change is real and not a hoax.  The Senators failed to endorse an amendment claiming that human activity was responsible for climate change.…

2015 State of the Union Address In case you forgot, or chose not to watch because you have more productive ways to use your time, the president delivered his sixth State of the Union Address last night.  President Obama pushed for tax hikes, raising the minimum wage, and his plan for two free years of community college.  If you didn’t watch it last night and can stomach this archaic political circus, the full speech is embedded below. Deflated Footballs Cause Headaches According to ESPN, an NFL investigation into Sunday’s AFC Championship Game has found that 11 out of 12 footballs…

Change in Maine Community Colleges Leadership Following statements by Governor LePage pressuring his resignation, John Fitzsimmons, the President of Maine Community College Systems, has stepped down.  Fitzsimmons has held the position since 1990.  The governor expressed frustration with Fitzsimmons stating, “In four years, I’ve asked for things and I’ve got nothing.” State Gets OK to Drug Test Some Welfare Recipients After three years, the state has finally received authorization from the Maine Attorney General’s Office to drug test certain welfare recipients.  The 2011 law allows the state to test welfare recipients for drug use if the recipient has been convicted…

Will LePage be Maine’s Next Senator? Despite remarks in an interview with radio talk show host Howie Carr, Governor LePage has said that he does not intend to run for Senator Angus King’s seat in 2018.  When asked by Carr, Gov. LePage said that he was considering a run, but he has walked that statement back. Charlie Hebdo Returns The French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, released their first issue today after the brutal attack on their headquarters only a week ago.  The attack left 12 members of the staff dead, and others wounded.  The cover of the magazine defiantly depicts…

On Friday, Governor Paul R. LePage released his biennial budget.  The highly anticipated budget includes significant changes to the state’s tax system, as well as changes to health care and general assistance spending. Tax Reform While many suspected that Gov. LePage would eliminate the income tax all together, his tax reform proposal is more modest.  Instead of eliminating the state income tax, the budget reduces the top individual income tax rate from 7.95% to 5.75%.  The state’s corporate tax rate is also reduced by over 24% to 6.75%. Taxes on all pensions would be reduced, and taxes on military pensions…

Okay, yesterday was a pretty busy day in Maine politics… let’s see if we can fit them all in here. Inauguration On Wednesday, Governor Paul R. LePage took the oath of office, administered by Senate President Mike Thibodeau, R-Winterport.  In his second inaugural address, the governor laid out a bold agenda for his second term.  Highlights include cutting/eliminating the state income tax, lowering energy costs, reforming welfare, and restructuring how municipalities provide services.  Gov. LePage also set apart time during his speech to talk about an issue that’s very personal for him, domestic abuse.  For more on that subject, read…

Fairpoint Talks Resume On Sunday, Fairpoint Communications resumed negotiations with the union representing striking workers across New England.  Neither side is commenting on the talks at the moment, due to federal rules.  The talks are being held in D.C., shortly after a major court ruling in Fairpoint’s favor.  Strikes have been ongoing since October. Cut The Income Tax Is Maine ready to eliminate the income tax?  It seems that Governor LePage has plans to eliminate, or drastically cut, Maine’s income tax.  The income tax accounts for approximately half of the state’s revenue, and some are theorizing that the lost revenue…

Fairpoint Wins Major Ruling In a tough ruling against the Fairpoint strikers, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled that Fairpoint Communications did not bargain in bad faith and therefore broke no law when they walked away from the negotiating table.  Ultimately, this means that the company can start permanently replacing workers who are on strike.  The union plans to appeal the ruling, putting hiring on hold for the moment.  The strikes have been going on for over two months now. Who Was Really Behind the Sony Attack? Even though many cybersecurity experts are raising doubts that the North Korean…

Governor Appoints Education Commissioner Due to health concerns, Governor LePage has replaced Education Commissioner James Rier with historian Tom Desjardin.  Desjardin had served as a senior policy adviser on education to the governor until he was sworn in to replace Rier on December 23.  Desjardin’s appointment is only a temporary measure, as the Senate will have to vote on his confirmation.  In a shocking move, the Maine Education Association is questioning the governor’s choice. Maine Legislator Hopes to Stop Vaccine Opt-outs In what is sure to be an uncontroversial bill, Rep. Richard Farnsworth, D-Portland, plans to introduce legislation that would…

Petroleum Prices Persistently Plummet For anyone who’s had to fill their gas tank over the last several days, this won’t be news.  Gas prices in Maine have dropped 7.6 cents over the last week to an average of $2.47 per gallon, which leaves prices over $1 lower than they were this time last year.  While Mainers may rejoice over unexpected savings at the pump, not everyone is reaping benefits from the price swing. Portland Representative Moves Forward With Legalization Bill Rep. Diane Russell of Portland will attempt to get ahead of two referendum initiatives seeking to legalize recreational marijuana with…

Portland Looks to Regulate Uber In a desperate attempt to seem relevant, Portland officials are looking to regulate Uber, the start-up ride-sharing company.  The San Francisco based start-up began offering its services in Portland early in the Fall.  According to the Press Herald piece, it appears that city councilors are basing their call for regulations on a single customer complaint as well as frustrations from Portland’s taxi drivers who hate the new competition.  Opposition to Uber has been bitter, and relied less on facts and more on myth.  For a reminder of why taxi’s are not necessarily more reliable or…

Money Has Too Much Influence Except when it doesn’t.  The final finance reports of the 2014 gubernatorial race show that the victor, Governor Paul LePage, actually spent less money on his campaign than his two opponents.  However, don’t expect this little fact to stop the ceaseless cries to take money out of politics.  This does not take into account outside spending on the campaign, so it doesn’t include all the spending by Maine’s top political donors. Is Maine Full of Scrooges? The Chronicle of Philanthropy has ranked Maine 49th, just above dead last, for charitable giving.  Theories for the low…

Sony Hackers Threaten Theaters The individuals behind the Sony hack, who up to this point have released tons of private data from the media giant, have now threatened a 9/11 style attack on theaters that show The Interview.  The movie mocks North Korea, whom many believe to be behind the attack.  In retaliation, humanitarians are planning to air drop copies of the DVD into North Korea. A Roller Coaster Week for Medical Marijuana Advocates It’s been a roller coaster of a week for medical marijuana advocates in Maine.  Many praised a largely unnoticed rider to the Cromnibus bill that they…

Grover Norquist, long considered by the left to be the dark marionette of conservative policymaking in America, and heralded as a hero of the limited government movement on the right, peered through his thin glasses at me across a table in Portland International Jetport, before explaining, “The fact that LePage got reelected, I think, was about him.” I had just asked Norquist — an eccentric policy savant who recently made headlines for wanting to attend Burning Man because, in his words, the festival “is a refutation of the argument that the state has a place in nature.” — if he felt that Governor LePage’s victory…

Can’t Get Enough Cod Stories If you haven’t heard enough about the state of cod in the Gulf of Maine (which is unlikely), the New York Times has a nice piece up summarizing the issue.  Basically, temperatures are up, cod stocks are down, and lobster catches are up.  Surprisingly, the article doesn’t mention the introduction of catch shares in the Gulf of Maine or explore any effect the new management system is having. Also Lobsters The lobster catch is down from the historical highs of the previous two years, although still strong.  The lower catch has resulted in slightly higher…

No Minimum Wage Increase for Portland…. Yet. After discussing a minimum wage increase in Portland last night, Portland’s Financial Committee chose not to vote on that matter.  A vote will be put off until sometime next year, after there has been an economic impact study.  Mayor Brennan’s current proposal calls for increasing the minimum wage to $10.68 per hour within three years.  Perhaps the city council should read Patrick Marvin’s argument against raising the minimum wage. Google Shuts Down Google News in Spain In reaction to a punitive new tax, Google will no longer be offering Google News in Spain. …

Three Cheers for Integrity Check out MHPC CEO Matt Gagnon’s thoughtful piece up on his Pine Tree Politics blog about the aftermath of the Senate District 25 investigation. Pretentious Propagandist Predicts Pricey Premiums Yesterday we reported that Jonathan Gruber, the chief architect of Obamacare, predicted higher premiums for 57% of Mainers even as President Obama claimed that premiums would go down due to the federal overhaul of health care.  And despite the president’s insistence that “if you like your health care plan, you can keep it,” Gruber predicted that 7,000 Mainers would actually lose their plans.  And if you…

MIT Professor Jonathan Gruber, the architect of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), was commissioned by the Maine Bureau of Insurance for economic consulting services related to the implementation of the president’s health care overhaul. Gruber made headlines recently for comments about the implementation of Obamacare, claiming that the health care overhaul was written in a deceptive way to cover the true costs of the bill.  “Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage,” he said.  “And basically, call it the ‘stupidity of the American voter’ or whatever, but basically that was really, really critical to getting the thing to…

What Phantom Ballots? Yesterday, a special Senate committee investigating the Senate District 25 race between Republican Cathy Manchester and Democrat Cathy Breen found that there was no case of voter fraud on Long Island.  Instead, officials in Augusta accidentally counted 21 ballots twice, giving the appearance of “phantom ballots.”  Manchester has conceded the race, and Breen will join the Republican controlled Senate. Is Anyone Surprised? Yesterday, the Senate Intelligence Committee released the summary of its long awaited report on the CIA’s use of torture during the Bush administration, despite private pushback from the White House.  The report has been full…

Protests in Portland Over the weekend, two protests were held in Portland over the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.  Both were killed by cops, neither of which was indicted in separate grand jury trials.  On Friday, protesters staged a “die in” in downtown Portland.  Then later on Sunday, protesters held a “March to End Violence” which ended at Portland High School.  No arrests were made.  The events mirrored similar protests happening across the country. Off To Virginia Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage joined the Wreaths Across America convoy as it makes its way from Worcester Wreath Company to Arlington National…

In a press release Monday, Maine Republican Party Chairman Richard Bennett responded to a chorus of liberal accusations of voter fraud in Maine Senate District 25. The race was originally called for Democrat Cathy Breen on election night with a lead of 32 votes.  However, in the subsequent recount, Breen’s opponent, Republican Cathleen Manchester was declared the winner. The controversy arose over a discrepancy in the vote total on Long Island.  On election night, officials stated that 171 residents of Long Island had voted.  The ballots were then locked and stored away.  When that same box was opened for the recount, officials counted 192…

Scallop Season is Open Maine’s scallop fishing season begins today.  While the scallop stock has been recovering for years, officials with the Department of Marine Resources will continue efforts to conserve the fishery.  And for the first time in years, the New England Fishery Management Council will allow fishermen licensed to work in federal waters to also fish in state waters.  The good news comes after several tough breaks for Maine fishermen, including the cancellation of the shrimp season for a second year as well as drastic reductions in cod catch limits, as regulators attempt to rebuild stocks in the Gulf of…

Unrest Continues Protests continued in Ferguson, Missouri last night over the results of a grand jury investigation into police officer Darren Wilson’s killing of Michael Brown.  The National Guard has increased its presence in the city as many protesters remain destructive.  An interview with Wilson aired last night. Democrats Claiming Voter Fraud? Mystery ballots are causing quite a stir in the Maine’s District 25 race.  The Maine Democratic Party is claiming that a discrepancy between the number of ballots counted on election night and the number of ballot counted during the subsequent recount point to voter fraud.  Proving voter fraud…

Not Indicted Yesterday, a grand jury decided not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on several charges, including the first-degree murder of Michael Brown.  While the Justice Department is still investigating the case, it is unlikely that Wilson would be convicted of wrong doing in Federal court due to a much higher burden of proof.  Grand juries almost always choose to indict, which suggests that necessary evidence for a conviction is severely lacking.  The events that transpired in Ferguson have prompted the city to require officers to wear body cameras, a policy that could have provided key insight into what actually happened…

Is It Chilly in Here? The United States Department of Agriculture threatened to cut funding to Maine’s food stamp program over the state’s policy of putting photographic identification on EBT cards.  While the USDA has accused the state of requiring the photos, the Maine Health Department insists that the photo I.D.s are entirely voluntary and points to approximately 100 SNAP participants who have opted out.  Federal officials insist that the photos have a “chilling effect” on those seeking SNAP benefits. MHPC’s Future On Thursday, The Maine Heritage Policy Center’s CEO, Matt Gagnon, put forth his agenda for the organization over the next year.…

With Falmouth considering a ban or fee on plastic bags, it’s important to look at the facts instead of being blinded by hype and emotions. The popular opinion is that plastic bags are having a devastating effect on the environment.  Their production is harmful to the environment, they cannot be easily recycled, and they significantly contribute to the amount of waste we produce. However, these popular claims are not as solidly based on science as their proponents would have you think.  Let’s take a look at the first statement, that the production of plastic bags is harmful.  Proponents often claim that plastic bag…

On Monday, the FBI released Crime in the United States, 2013, a report detailing the estimated crimes in the United States last year. The data is submitted voluntarily by law enforcement agencies at all levels throughout the country, and is compiled into the report by  the Bureau’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. “The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program is critical to decision making. In 2013, more than 18,400 agencies provided the FBI with meaningful data to help gauge the level of crime in our country,” said James B. Comey, Director of the FBI.  “Law enforcement, government officials, and others in turn used that data…

In the newest iteration of Forbes’ Best States for Business report, Maine ranked 49th—one place higher than last year.  In fact, Maine has ranked dead last for the past four years. The 2014 Best States for Business report is the 9th edition of the influential Forbes analysis.  The report gathers data from all 50 states, and compares them through six economic categories: “costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, current economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life.” Utah was the top ranked state this year, followed by North Dakota, North Carolina, and Virginia.  On the other end of the list, Mississippi dropped…

You Can Come Out Now! Today marks the end of Kaci Hickox’s incubation period!  Hickox has faced numerous threats of quarantine over the 21 days since she returned from treating Ebola victims in West Africa.  The outspoken nurse has been a fierce critic against quarantines for individuals not showing symptoms of the deadly disease.  After a brief standoff with the governor, Hickox was ordered by a court to undergo continued monitoring for the remainder of the 21 days.  The Press Herald has reported that Hickox and her boyfriend are planning on leaving Maine moving to Freeport. (UPDATED) Quixotic Referendum in Spain…

Last month, the non-partisan Tax Foundation released its 11th annual State Business Tax Climate Index.  Maine received a below-average rank, coming in at 33rd. In the 2015 Index, the Tax Foundation analysed tax data from all 50 states on over 100 variables, and then scored each state on different types of taxes; e.g. sales, property, and individual income.  Each state was ranked based on its cumulative score. Wyoming was named the number 1 state in the nation for business tax climate, with the fact that there is no corporate or individual income tax in the state being a key factor. “The absence of a major tax is a…

Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn has released this year’s edition of his annual report on wasteful spending in the federal government. The report, which has become a hit in Washington, D.C., and beyond, identifies a broad range of taxpayer funded projects that many Americans will find bizarre. “Congress’ role is not just passing bills,” said Coburn.  “It is also responsible for conducting oversight to hold the executive branch accountable, which it is failing to do. In fact, Congress actually forced federal agencies to waste billions of dollars for purely parochial, political purposes.” The 2014 Wastebook is the fifth such report released annually…

Uber – the international ride-sharing company headquartered in California- has arrived in Maine. The company announced on last week that its UberX service will available in the greater Portland area. “Between the awesome dining experiences, endless outdoor activities, and local microbreweries, we just couldn’t stay away,” reads a statement on Uber’s blog.  “Now, with the push of a button, Portlanders can request a convenient, safe, and affordable ride.” The announcement comes after months of speculation, as Uber had been recruiting drivers via Facebook ads.  Uber claims that their fares will be 17% cheaper than taxis in Portland, with service offered as far west…

Republican congressional candidate Bruce Poliquin on Thursday received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, the nation’s foremost Second Amendment advocacy group. “Bruce is committed to fight for gun owners and hunters in Maine,” said NRA Political Victory Fund chairman Chris Cox. “He is the only candidate in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District who shares the NRA’s commitment to stand strong against the Obama-Bloomberg gun control agenda.” The endorsement from NRA will likely bolster Poliquin’s support among voters in Maine’s rural, more conservative Second District. In September, the NRA endorsed Gov. Paul R. LePage in the gubernatorial race. The group has not endorsed…