Inside Augusta
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Ranked Choice Voting: Wrong for Maine & Blatantly Unconstitutional
Until recently, I assumed that all measures placed on the ballot were lawful....
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Patients, Customers and Taxpayers Should Be Worried
Community Health Options (CHO) has decided to increase prices for patients and customers...
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Lawmakers Come Together to Pass Right-to-Try Legislation in Augusta
Amidst all of the disagreement over controversial issues such as welfare reform and...
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HHS Committee Divided on Welfare Reforms
Augusta – Following a committee vote today on the welfare proposals brought forward...
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Diane Russell’s Unethical PAC Spending
In the past, I’ve written about the Maine version of the Hillary Victory...
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Medicaid Expansion Bill Before HHS Committee Today
Following the scheduled public hearings and work sessions today, the Health and Human...
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More than $89 Million Saved Through Welfare Reforms
AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced yesterday its...
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Senate Advances Bill to Offer Energy Relief to Businesses
Augusta – A bill which would provide businesses in Maine with energy cost...
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Meaningful Welfare Reform Is More Than a Campaign Slogan
Due to pressure from some socialist legislators and progressive lobbyists, Senator Nathan Libby...
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$500 Million Price Tag on Latest Medicaid Expansion Bill
AUGUSTA — Today the Department of Health and Human Services released the fiscal...
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Who Are These People, Anyways?
Two organizations with interesting names are making a play on your Second Amendment...
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Why Make a Monument out of Land with No Buttes?
I’m not generally excited about parks. I like nature, there is no mistaking...
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How Economic Ignorance Kills Jobs
For the life of me I can’t understand why anyone would have the mentality...
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House Democrats Threatening to Take Over State Government
Regardless of your party affiliation, what happened in the Maine House of Representatives...
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No More Spending
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 Contact: Adrienne Bennett, Press Secretary, 207-287-2531...
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Don’t Let Bloomberg Buy Your Rights!
Members of the House of Representatives may have Bloomberg’s gun control ballot initiative...
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Solutions That Work for Maine
For several years in a row, Maine’s business climate has ranked among the...
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Unnecessary Regulations Strangle Maine’s Economy
Maine’s harsh regulatory climate continues to hinder our state’s economic growth, especially for...
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Tax Committee Votes to Kill the Death Tax
For Immediate Release: Friday, March 11, 2016 Contact: Adrienne Bennett, Press Secretary, 207-287-2531...
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TANF Work Participation Rate a Staggering 19%
Amidst the chaos under the dome yesterday surrounding the Democrat’s new “welfare reform...
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The Democrats Are Pretending to Care About Welfare Reform
It’s an election year, so Democrats in the State Legislature are again feigning...
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Democrats Release Hostages in Augusta
I have good news from the Coliseum on the Kennebec! The State House...
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HHS Committee to Address Lax Welfare Policies Tomorrow
For a number of years, Maine law has been more lenient than federal...
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Maine Businesses and Taxpayers Deserve More
It appears that State legislative leaders and Governor Paul LePage may finally reach...
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Don’t Increase the Minimum Wage
Proponents of a higher minimum wage, led by the Maine People’s Alliance, have...
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Blue, Orange, and Green: The Case for Sunday Hunting in Maine
Vincent Van Gogh once said, “There is no blue without yellow and without...
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Why Are You so Obsessed with Me?
As all of Maine and most of the country is already aware, Donald...
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This Version of Expanded Medicaid is Not Better
If you didn’t know better, you would think that certain legislators in Augusta...
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It Should Be Safe to Die in Maine
“Confiscatory and ill-spent taxes, including its estate tax, have forced a flight of...
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Occupational Licensing Needs Reform
Among the many deeply flawed and harmful regulations and rules passed by Maine...
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State House Hostage Crisis Escalates
If there were ever any doubt that Democrats in the Maine House of...
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A Bill That’s Still Bad for Maine
The push for Medicaid expansion in Maine perfectly fits the common saying “if...
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Republicans Vote for Bill to Encourage Consumer Savings in Healthcare Marketplace
Augusta – Yesterday, Republicans on the Legislature’s Insurance and Financial Services Committee endorsed...
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Good Policy Must Overcome Political Games
Legislative Democrats have decided to brazenly support policy that hurts our state’s businesses...
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LePage Rightly Moves to Increase Maine’s Rainy Day Fund
Today, Governor Paul LePage announced he will introduce common-sense legislation that will help...
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Marxist Peoples Alliance Sparks Hostage Crisis at Statehouse
In this election year when all 186 seats in the Legislature are up...
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How Creativity Saves Money in Health Care
There has been a lot of talk lately about the cost of health...
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The Press Herald is Wrong on the Gas Tax
“Struggling Mainers should suck it up and pay a higher gas tax. We...
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NRA: Fundamental Rights Belong to Every Law-Abiding American
Harvey Lembo, a sixty-seven-year-old retired lobsterman from Rockland, Maine, was tired of being...
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Bill LD 365 is a “Hand up” Not a “Hand out”
Coming before the Appropriations Committee this month is bill LD 365 that creates...
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Out-of-State Welfare Spending Plummets Under LePage Administration Policies
Thanks to continued efforts by Governor Paul LePage, the amount of Maine welfare...
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Repairing the Government-Business Relationship
Over the past few months, I’ve spoken with dozens of business owners about...
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Protecting Our Right to Protect Our Home
Imagine waking up in the night and hearing someone in your home. How...
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Beardsley Nomination Temporarily Withdrawn
Today, Governor Paul LePage announced that he was withdrawing, albeit temporarily, the nomination...
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Was the 2014 Question 1 Funding Increase Necessary?
A few months ago the voters of Maine passed a Citizen’s Initiative called...
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Sunday Hunting “Blue Law” Puts Maine at a Disadvantage
Nearly every session there is at least one piece of legislation introduced to somehow...
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How Smart Fiscal Policy Boosted Economic Development in Maine
How many times have we heard it? “Tax breaks don’t create jobs, because...
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Insider Scoop on the Latest Petition Circulator Fiasco
Roughly two weeks ago, just before the start of the spring semester at...
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Governmental Breakdown: Executive vs. Attorney General
In the latest disagreement between the executive branch and the Attorney General’s Office,...
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Bloomberg Astroturfed Maine Years Ago
Billionaire and former mayor Michael Bloomberg, financial backer of the upcoming “universal background...
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Maine Minimum Wage Could Become Highest in Country
A coalition comprised of three liberal political entities in the state of Maine...
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Question 1 Buyer’s Remorse
Today, January 21, is the anniversary of the Citizens United ruling which dramatically changed...
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Billionaire Michael Bloomberg Selects Maine as Next Target for Gun Control Agenda
A few days ago Maine Moms Demand Action, a group funded by anti-gun...
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Senator Paul Davis Presents Sales Tax Exemption Legislation
Augusta – On Wednesday, January 20th, Senator Paul Davis (R-Piscataquis) presented a bill...
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LD 1305: The Bill You Don’t Realize How Much You Want to Pass
Have you heard of the latest health-care cost reduction proposal before our state...
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The Brookings Institution and Paul LePage
In October 2006, The Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program published “Charting Maine’s Future:...
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FDA Bureaucracy Hinders Potentially Life-Saving Treatments
There is a humanitarian movement growing momentum right now at the state level referred...
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Sigaud: Healthcare Prices not Reflective of Quality of Care
If you’re like most people, you know very little about the costs of...
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Welfare Fraud Prosecutions Skyrocket Under LePage Administration
Investigators with The Department of Health and Human Services’ Fraud Investigation and Recovery...
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House Votes to End Impeachment Order Charade by Landslide Bipartisan Vote
Members of the Maine House of Representatives defeated the effort to impeach Governor...
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Sigaud: Once Again, Lawmakers Push for Medicaid Expansion
State lawmakers are renewing their efforts to expand Medicaid, despite Governor LePage’s continued...
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Education Alone is Not Enough
There is a bill before the legislature this session dealing with a question...
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Lockman: Cronyism, Corruption and the Saga of Good Will-Hinckley
It’s a new year, and being an even-numbered year, it’s an election year,...
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Bill Brown Resigns From MeANS Board
Bill Brown, the Chair of the Board of Directors at The Maine Academy of Natural...
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Governor Lepage Moves to Dismiss Eves Lawsuit
Today, January 5, 2016, Governor Paul LePage (R) filed a motion to dismiss...
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Maine DHHS Could Lose Funding For Its Poor Administration of Food Stamps
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services may face substantial financial penalties...
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LePage Criticizes President Obama’s Decision to Accept Syrian Refugees
In a radio address on Monday, Governor LePage criticized the Obama administration’s decision...
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Maine Government Gets an F for Transparency
Maine earned an F in a recent review of states’ transparency and accountability...
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Do Clean Elections Increase Competitiveness? Research Says Probably Not
The debate over Question 1’s tweaking of the Maine Clean Elections Act (MCEA) has...
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Pro-Marijuana Groups Join Forces to Push Ballot Initiative
On Monday, two pro-marijuana groups in Maine – the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana...
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Bill Would Restore Oversight of Secretive Law Enforcement Agency
If you’ve never heard of the Maine Information and Analysis Center (MIAC), you’re...
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Over 80% Of Cash Raised To Support Question 1 Is From Out-of-State
According to an October Quarterly Report filed by Mainers for Accountable Elections, over...
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Governor LePage Calls On Sen. Katz To Step Down From Government Oversight Committee
On Tuesday, Governor LePage requested that State Senator Roger Katz (R-Augusta) step down...
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Major Donor to Maine Campaign Finance Group Has History of Attempting to Buy Election
Sean Eldridge, a major financier of Mainers for Accountable Elections, the group behind...
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Maine DHHS Institutes Asset Test for Food Stamps
An estimated 8,600 food stamp recipients in Maine whose assets exceed $5,000 may...
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Report Confirms LePage Administration Threatened Good Will-Hinckley
On Tuesday, the nonpartisan Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability (OPEGA) released...
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Court Rules Against LePage in Veto Dispute
On Thursday, The Supreme Judicial Court of Maine unanimously ruled against Governor Paul...
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Legislature Ignores Governor’s 65 Vetoes
Not backing down, Governor LePage continues to insist that he has vetoed 65...
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New Report Highlights Maine’s Poor Fiscal Health
Maine ranks 42 in the nation on fiscal health according to a new...
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This Is How Your Representative and Senator Voted On The Budget
On Tuesday, the Maine House and Senate voted in favor of the $6.7 billion...
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What Are The Qualifications For President of Good Will-Hinckley?
Last week, news broke that Good Will-Hinckley had rescinded its job offer to...
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Speaker Eves Loses Charter School Job After Pressure From Governor LePage
Good Will-Hinckley has rescinded its offer to House Speaker Democrat Mark Eves to be...
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Maine Budget Details Released
Details on the latest state budget deal emerged on Tuesday morning, after Republican...
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Maine Committee, Several Republicans Vote to Keep Common Core
The push to rid Maine of the controversial Common Core State Standards suffered...
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Maine Unions Appear to Have Inside Information on Right-To-Work Bills
According to a recent website post, Maine unions appear to have been given crucial...
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Maine Democrats Look to Eliminate Welfare Work Requirement
The fight over welfare reform took a new twist last week, as Democrats...
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Deregulation of Hotels: A Smart Move for All
Last Monday, a senior adviser to Governor Paul R. LePage revealed that the...
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Jonathan Williams of ALEC Joins Governor LePage in Touting Benefits of Income Tax Cut
On Wednesday, Governor Paul R. LePage was joined by Jonathan Williams, Vice President of...
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Sen. Brakey Proposes 6 Month Residency Requirement for Welfare
Freshman Senator Eric Brakey (R-Auburn) is continuing the effort to mandate that new...
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Jackson: Maine Must Continue Down Path of Welfare Reform
Late last October, a political pundit turned to me and said “You know...
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Posik: Is LOST Right for Maine?
Governor LePage’s effort to end revenue sharing in Maine is being combated in...
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Lawmakers Consider Bill That Could Hinder NSA Operations in Maine
On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the Maine Fourth...
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Transparency Needed in Publicly Funded News
The Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) provides some of the best and sometimes...
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9,000 Fewer Mainers on Food Stamps
According to Governor LePage’s administration, 9,000 fewer Mainers have been using SNAP benefits,...
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Cigarette Smuggling a Problem in Maine
Last month, the Tax Foundation released a study analyzing the relationship between cigarette...
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Maine Unions Pledge to Fight Right-to-Work Bills
On Thursday, hundreds of union supporters packed into the State House to stump...
