Inside Augusta
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Maine House GOP Reps to Sweetser Speaker: Recuse yourself from Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA – Twenty-six Republican state representatives delivered an open letter to House Speaker...
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Advocate or Analyst: Emails raise questions about non-partisan staffer’s role on HHS Committee
AUGUSTA – A top Republican lawmaker on the Health and Human Services (HHS)...
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Video: Alfond delivers Democrat response to LePage State of the State
Senate President Justin Alfond (D-Portland) delivered the Democratic address in a video released...
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Left-wing advocates manipulate statistics to levy partisan attacks
Robyn Merrill of the Maine Equal Justice Partners attacked the LePage administration on...
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Schaeffer: Tooth Fairy Government: Bringing Medicaid expansion to a town near you
“It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for...
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Has Maine’s safety net turned into a hammock?
I was surprised to read in a recent op-ed column by state Sen....
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Has Maine's safety net turned into a hammock?
I was surprised to read in a recent op-ed column by state Sen....
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Medicaid expansion gets another public hearing
AUGUSTA – For the second time in the 126th Legislature, the Health and...
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Expert gives HHS Committee reality check on Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA – Gary Alexander, founder and president of The Alexander Group, on Tuesday...
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Schaeffer: A Medicaid Bubble – and How to Get There
Maine Wire readers should be well aware that the most controversial policy issue...
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Frary: Maine’s Medicaid Expansion Follies
Mark Giangreco, my new friend at the Democratic Governor’s Association (DGA), just sent...
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Frary: Maine's Medicaid Expansion Follies
Mark Giangreco, my new friend at the Democratic Governor’s Association (DGA), just sent...
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Report: Cost, welfare rolls to soar under Obamacare Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA – Expanding eligibility for Maine’s medical welfare program, known as Medicaid or...
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Study: Expanding Medicaid does not reduce ER trips, it increases them
Would expanding medical welfare reduce visits to the emergency room? A new study...
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Liberal think tank seeks analyst who can rebut Amherst Republican
AUGUSTA – The Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), a liberal think tank,...
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Medicaid expansion fight unfolds in polls
The Maine People’s Alliance, a liberal advocacy group, claimed on Thursday that...
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This is what transparency looks like under the Alfond-Eves Regime
Transparency and accountability are core functions of government. Democracy does not equal self-government...
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House Speaker will continue work for major Medicaid expansion beneficiary
The top advocate for expanding medical welfare in Maine confirmed Tuesday that he...
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Emails raise questions on House Speaker’s ties to major Medicaid expansion beneficiary
The chief Democratic advocate for Medicaid expansion may have misrepresented his professional relationship...
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Portland Democrats claim credit for paying hospitals
PORTLAND – Two Portland lawmakers are looking to capitalize on voters’ short memories,...
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Misleading Arguments for Medicaid Expansion
The present conversation over Medicaid expansion, as witnessed daily in editorial pages and...
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Top Republicans say broken Obamacare promises show Medicaid expansion is a bad deal
AUGUSTA – Top Republicans said Tuesday that problems with President Obama’s signature health...
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Lockman: Preserve the safety net for the truly needy
“Health care is a right, not a privilege.” How often have people heard...
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Liberal lawmakers refuse to explain vote against bill to help victims of human sex trade; main stream media ignores
Top liberal lawmakers, including Senate President Justin L. Alfond (D-Portland), House Speaker Mark...
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Lawmakers spar over Speaker’s potential conflict of interest
Rep. Lawrence E. Lockman (R-Amherst) and Assistant House Majority Leader Jeff M. McCabe...
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"Responsible" budget needs more tax increases, spending
AUGUSTA – Maine Democrats are calling the 126th Legislature’s Democrat-backed budget “responsible” —...
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Cutler would expand medical welfare
According to the Lewiston Sun Journal, unenrolled gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler of Cape...
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LePage's plan for welfare debt moves forward
AUGUSTA – As Democratic lawmakers plan a second major push to expand Medicaid...
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LePage blasts Alfond on "unconscionable" attack on public school
AUGUSTA – Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage on Wednesday hit back at Senate...
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Pingree's Press Herald smears LePage, gives Alfond free pass
In what is becoming de rigueur for newspapers owned by S. Donald Sussman and...
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Allumbaugh: Medicaid needs reform, not expansion
In choosing not to accept the federal Medicaid expansion, Gov. Paul LePage and...
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Maine lawmakers' approve $6.3 billion budget, tax increases; LePage's veto looms
AUGUSTA – The Maine Legislature on Thursday night gave final approval to a...
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M.D. Harmon: Texas Gov Rick Perry revives competitive federalism
The Politico website has noted that there is a Republican governor giving Democrats...
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Report: Stronger estate recovery laws can improve MaineCare
Maine could face a drastic surge in Medicaid spending for long-term medical care...
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Maine Democrats vote to expand welfare program despite costs
AUGUSTA – In a late night session of the Maine House of Representatives,...
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HHS budget deadline looms, LePage asks Eves-Alfond: What's your plan?
AUGUSTA – Gov. Paul R. LePage on Friday delivered a letter to to Democratic...
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Top Democrat M.I.A. as Eves-Alfond take hospital debt hostage
AUGUSTA – Maine Democrats, led by Senate President Justin L. Alfond (D-Portland) and...
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HHS votes to repeal 2-year limit on MaineCare coverage for methadone
AUGUSTA – The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee voted Wednesday against limiting...
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Democratic infighting over welfare expansion threatens hospital repayment
AUGUSTA – Democratic infighting continued at the State House on Wednesday as members...
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Op-Ed: Life, Liberty and the Gang of Eleven
Here, I’d like to discuss the so-called Gang of Eleven’s LD 1496, designated...
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VIDEO: Optional Medicaid Expansion: Considerations Facing States
The Mercatus Center, a project of George Mason University, has released a new...
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LePage: Pay the hospitals!
AUGUSTA – Gov. Paul R. LePage on Saturday used his weekly radio address...
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Partisan Politics Stall Hospital Debt Repayment
AUGUSTA – Republican and Democratic leaders held dueling press conferences on Tuesday over...
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Two years of Medicaid expansion would cost Mainers $40 million
AUGUSTA – Expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act – also known as...
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As Republicans demand vote on hospital repayment, Democrats in disarray over Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA – With less than two months remaining in the current legislative session,...
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Robin Hood: Democratic Leaders Contemplate Massive Tax Hikes for Maine
AUGUSTA – Lawmakers at Tuesday’s public hearing of the Taxation Committee heard testimony for...
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Democrats Allow $3 Million Vehicle Fee Increase
AUGUSTA – Less than six weeks after its first stint in the Maine House of...
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Gallup: 55% say taxes are fair
As Americans nationwide prepare to fork over Uncle Sam’s pound of flesh, 55...
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Maine Democrats Craft Health Insurance Rollback
AUGUSTA – Maine Democrats’ major campaign promise last year was the repeal of...
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Sirocki: Controversial Activist Group Gets It Wrong on Taxes
By Rep. Heather Sirocki – Here in Maine, we value our privacy and our...
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5 Medicaid Expansion Myths Debunked
Myth #1: The Medicaid Expansion is largely funded by free federal money...
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Maine GOP Points Up Dangers, Unforeseen Consequences of MaineCare Expansion
AUGUSTA – Members of the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services...
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LePage to Democrats: I'll give up my pension if you pay the hospitals
AUGUSTA – Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage said Wednesday via Twitter that he...
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VIDEO: Bruce Poliquin on Hospital Debt
Republican leader and former State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin on Wednesday released a new...
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Feds Send Mixed Signals on Sequester, Medicaid
Two letters from the Obama administration to Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage paint...
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LePage Offers Sebelius Quid Pro Quo on Medicaid Expansion
Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage has offered the federal government a quid pro...
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Fair Share Now: Leftist Groups Demand Higher Taxes
The leftist political organizations that control much in Maine politics on Thursday unveiled...
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Maine Should Be Wary of Medicaid Expansion
From the House Republican Office: Washington’s fiscal irresponsibility threatens another bait-and-switch on Mainers AUGUSTA...
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Legislature May Force Hospitals to Disclose Conflicts of Interest in Patient Referrals
AUGUSTA – The Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday held a work...
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Change of Heart: Democrats Finally Cave to Mounting Pressure on Hospital Repayment
After weeks of public pressure, Democratic leaders on Monday had a change of heart:...
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Op-Ed: An Opportunity For Fiscal Responsibility
By Rep. Kathleen Chase (R-Wells) If most of us won a small lottery and...
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Democrats Chide LePage On Bonds As Treasurer Looks to Circumvent
Democratic leadership held a press conference Thursday to ask Gov. Paul R. LePage to issue...
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M.D. Harmon: Time to fight the ideological battle over Obama's ideas
President Obama has made his leftist goals explicit in a pair of major...
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New ALEC Study Debunks 7 Tax Myths Used to Justify Tax Increases
A new study released Wednesday by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) debunks...
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Senator Collins: "Working on Behalf of Maine"
By Senator Susan Collins It is a privilege to represent Maine in the United...
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LePage: Pay off hospitals and sell bonds to create $600 million in investment
Audio of the Governor’s Weekly Message can be found here. Maine people work...
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The Frary Files: Tax code inflicts unconscionable burden on taxpayers
By Prof. John Frary On January 9 of this year the National Taxpayer...
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Higher cigarette taxes lead to smuggling, lucrative black market activity
A report by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Michigan shows that high cigarette...
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Polls: Obama's job rating, gun control and across-the-board spending cuts
By Rasmussen Reports Last week began with a “fiscal cliff” deal that surprised no...
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LePage Video: "The Truth About Tax Cuts"
Governor Paul LePage has released a new video detailing his efforts to reduce...
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Chart of the Year: Entitlements and Interest Drive the Fiscal Crisis
The end of 2012 was marked by lawmakers engaging in a distracting fiscal...
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12 Days of Obamacare Surprises: An Optional Medicaid Expansion
By Alyene Senger The Heritage Foundation Not all surprises are good. When it comes...
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12 Days of Obamacare Surprises: Taxes
The Alyene Senger The Heritage Foundation Not all surprises are good. When it comes...
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Obama’s Dirty Little Tax Secret: He’s Already Raised Taxes on the Rich
By Curtis Dubay The Heritage Foundation The one glaring omission in President Obama’s fiscal cliff demands...
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M.D. Harmon: Taker-to-Maker ratio ranks Maine as a fiscal "Death Spiral State"
Here’s a headline seen on forbes.com on Nov. 25: “Do You Live in a Death...
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232 Business Leaders Urge Obama, Congress to Reform Entitlements
By Bronson Stocking The Heritage Foundation A letter from 232 multi-industry organizations, in conjunction with the...
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Poliquin: Strong credit rating attracts business investment
By Bruce Poliquin Maine State Treasurer Maine state government’s credit rating is an...
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VIDEO: Governor LePage: election-year politics delay Maine's Medicaid reforms
Feds delay approval process by responding at last minute AUGUSTA – Governor Paul...
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Maine is finally turning a fiscal corner
By Bruce Poliquin Maine State Treasurer Ten short years ago little was discussed...
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MHPC's “Fix the System” report: Maine is still a national leader in welfare dependency
The Maine Heritage Policy Center’s released today its newest “Fix the System” report...
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Five Issues That Haven’t Come Up in the Presidential Debates
By Amy Payne The Heritage Foundation Tonight’s presidential debate is the last one that...
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MHPC: Don’t Expand Maine’s Medicaid Under Obamacare
Expanded Medicaid enrollment increases private insurance rates, burdens taxpayers without reducing number of...
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M.D. Harmon: Liberal "fairness" puts us on the road to ruin
As I read the news this week, I’m starting to get nostalgic for...
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Op-Ed: Moral Budget?
by Jason Savage Budgets are moral documents. By now, if you have followed the...
