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Commentary

Maine Minimum Wage Could Become Highest in Country

By Jacob PosikJanuary 22, 20160 Commentary

A coalition comprised of three liberal political entities in the state of Maine have cashed in enough signatures with the…

Commentary

Question 1 Buyer’s Remorse

By Paula SuttonJanuary 21, 20160 Commentary

Today, January 21, is the anniversary of the Citizens United ruling which dramatically changed how elections are funded and prompted opponents…

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg Selects Maine as Next Target for Gun Control Agenda

By Krysta WestJanuary 21, 20160 Commentary

A few days ago Maine Moms Demand Action, a group funded by anti-gun billionaire and former mayor Michael Bloomberg, announced…

Commentary

Senator Paul Davis Presents Sales Tax Exemption Legislation

By Maine Senate RepublicansJanuary 20, 20160 Commentary

Augusta – On Wednesday, January 20th, Senator Paul Davis (R-Piscataquis) presented a bill to the Legislature’s Taxation Committee intended to…

Commentary

LD 1305: The Bill You Don’t Realize How Much You Want to Pass

By Michael MartinJanuary 20, 20160 Commentary

Have you heard of the latest health-care cost reduction proposal before our state legislature?  Don’t feel bad if not, few…

Commentary

The Brookings Institution and Paul LePage

By John FraryJanuary 19, 20160 Commentary

In October 2006, The Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program published “Charting Maine’s Future: An Action Plan for Promoting Sustainable Prosperity…

Commentary

FDA Bureaucracy Hinders Potentially Life-Saving Treatments

By Krysta WestJanuary 18, 20160 Commentary

There is a humanitarian movement growing momentum right now at the state level referred to as Right-to-Try.  This movement transcends partisan…

Commentary

Sigaud: Healthcare Prices not Reflective of Quality of Care

By Liam SigaudJanuary 15, 20160 Commentary

If you’re like most people, you know very little about the costs of the medical services you receive.  The ubiquity…

Commentary

Strout: How To Lower Prescription Drug Costs

By Nathan StroutJanuary 15, 20160 Commentary

When purchasing prescription drugs, most consumers just accept that they’re expensive.  But what if I were to tell you that the…

Welfare Fraud Prosecutions Skyrocket Under LePage Administration

By Krysta WestJanuary 14, 20160 Commentary

Investigators with The Department of Health and Human Services’ Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit has reported a record 105 welfare…

Commentary

House Votes to End Impeachment Order Charade by Landslide Bipartisan Vote

By Krysta WestJanuary 14, 20160 Commentary

Members of the Maine House of Representatives defeated the effort to impeach Governor Paul LePage by a landslide, bi-partisan vote…

Commentary

Overregulated?

By Matthew GagnonJanuary 14, 20160 Commentary

Want your voice to be heard in Augusta? The Maine Heritage Policy Center is currently preparing a report on harmful…

Commentary

Posik: Hillary’s Exploitation of Maine

By Jacob PosikJanuary 13, 20160 Commentary

When you’re a conceited, self-centered elitist like Hillary Clinton, you often believe you can sidestep the rules of law. Take…

Commentary

Sigaud: Once Again, Lawmakers Push for Medicaid Expansion

By Liam SigaudJanuary 13, 20160 Commentary

State lawmakers are renewing their efforts to expand Medicaid, despite Governor LePage’s continued opposition.  Two Republican senators – Roger Katz…

Commentary

Schaeffer: Updating the Filibuster Conundrum

By Pem SchaefferJanuary 12, 20160 Commentary

More than three years ago, The Maine Wire ran a brief item of mine on the filibuster concept memorialized in…

Commentary

Frary: December Duds and Dillies

By John FraryJanuary 12, 20160 Commentary

In December 2015, the Republican majorities in Congress reached agreements with their Democratic colleagues and President Obama to increase the…

Commentary

Education Alone is Not Enough

By Krysta WestJanuary 11, 20161 Commentary

There is a bill before the legislature this session dealing with a question as old as time: what is more…

Commentary

Lockman: Cronyism, Corruption and the Saga of Good Will-Hinckley

By Larry LockmanJanuary 9, 20160 Commentary

It’s a new year, and being an even-numbered year, it’s an election year, which means all 186 seats in the…

News

Bill Brown Resigns From MeANS Board

By Nathan StroutJanuary 7, 20160 News

Bill Brown, the Chair of the Board of Directors at The Maine Academy of Natural Sciences (MeANS), has resigned his position. Brown…

Commentary

Frary: Goodbye to 2015

By John FraryJanuary 6, 20160 Commentary

There’s no way we can know at this point, but it’s quite possible that 2015 will look like a pretty…

News

Governor Lepage Moves to Dismiss Eves Lawsuit

By Krysta WestJanuary 5, 20160 News

Today, January 5, 2016, Governor Paul LePage (R) filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought against him by Speaker…

Marvin: A Common-Sense Health Care Solution

By Patrick MarvinJanuary 5, 20160 Commentary

This article was first published April 17, 2015 at mainepolicy.org. In nearly every business transaction, customers are fully aware of the…

Commentary

Posik: Maine GOP’s Ballot Initiative Brings Much Needed Reforms

By Jacob PosikJanuary 5, 20160 Commentary

The Maine Republican Party is pushing a two-part ballot initiative for the next election cycle that aims to reduce the…

Commentary

Gagnon: Maine liberals can’t win with a grassroots organizing army

By Matthew GagnonDecember 18, 20150 Commentary

I have never been much fan of spiking the football.  I like to let victories speak for themselves, which is…

Maine DHHS Could Lose Funding For Its Poor Administration of Food Stamps

By Liam SigaudDecember 18, 20150 News

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services may face substantial financial penalties for failing to process food stamp applications…

News

Maine’s Obamacare Success Story Falters

By Nathan StroutDecember 10, 20150 News

Community Health Options, a Lewiston based health insurance co-op has announced that it will suspend new individual enrollment on December 15, a…

News

Expensive Mayoral Campaign Fails To Pay Off in Lewiston

By Nathan StroutDecember 9, 20150 News

Yesterday, Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald won a decisive third term in a runoff election against challenger Ben Chin. The final…

Commentary

Poliquin: Investing in Health Research Could Save Lives

By Bruce PoliquinDecember 3, 20150 Commentary

For more than half a century, America has led the world in medical research and innovation. Health research facilities, such…

Commentary

Posik: The biggest problem facing America is… definitely not climate change

By Jacob PosikDecember 2, 20150 Commentary

While President Obama endlessly carries on in Paris about the global threat of climate change, Americans sit at home wondering…

News

Maine Still Struggling to Improve Business Tax Climate

By Liam SigaudNovember 30, 20150 News

For several years Maine has ranked among the worst states to conduct business, and 2016 will be no different, according…

National

New Study: Obamacare Fails to Meet Expectations

By Nathan StroutNovember 23, 20150 National

According to a new study put out by the Mercatus Center, the Affordable Care Act has failed to meet widespread…

Commentary

Poliquin: Obama Administration Fails To Lead On ISIS

By Bruce PoliquinNovember 17, 20150 Commentary

For the past several months, the world has witnessed the seriousness of the threat that ISIS poses to our free…

News

LePage Criticizes President Obama’s Decision to Accept Syrian Refugees

By Liam SigaudNovember 16, 20150 News

In a radio address on Monday, Governor LePage criticized the Obama administration’s decision to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees into the…

News

Bill Brown’s Testimony Contradicts Prior Statements About Recusal

By Nathan StroutNovember 13, 20150 News

On Thursday, the Government Oversight Committee continued its investigation into what influence Governor LePage exerted on Good Will-Hinckley’s decision to…

Commentary

Strout: Key Takeaways From The GOC Investigation

By Nathan StroutNovember 12, 20150 Commentary

On Thursday, Maine’s Government Oversight Committee (GOC) conducted a series of interviews following up on an Office of Program Evaluation…

News

Eves Called Out For Hypocrisy In Good Will-Hinckley Investigation

By Nathan StroutNovember 12, 20150 News

Testifying before the Government Oversight Committee, Governor Paul LePage’s senior policy adviser, Aaron Chadbourne, reminded the committee that Speaker Mark Eves,…

Commentary

Sigaud: What People Get Wrong About Raising The Minimum Wage

By Liam SigaudNovember 11, 20150 Commentary

An effort to raise the minimum wage in Portland to $15/hour was defeated last week, representing an important victory for…

News

Maine Government Gets an F for Transparency

By Liam SigaudNovember 10, 20150 News

Maine earned an F in a recent review of states’ transparency and accountability practices conducted by the Center for Public…

Commentary

Poliquin: Washington Must Deliver Its Promises To Veterans

By Bruce PoliquinNovember 10, 20150 Commentary

This Veterans Day, we honor the generations of Mainers who have answered the ultimate call of duty to protect our…

Commentary

Frary: Fair Vote Follies

By John FraryNovember 9, 20150 Commentary

In 2016, Maine may become the first state to adopt ranked choice voting (RCV) for its state and national elections.…

Commentary

Stephens: Taxpayer Money Won’t Fix Our Campaigns

By Barry StephensNovember 6, 20150 Commentary

The Political Industry had a great victory the other night. Gobs and gobs of cash flowed in to the state…

News

Chin and Macdonald Will Runoff in Lewiston Mayoral Race

By Liam SigaudNovember 5, 20150 News

The Lewiston mayoral race that some have called a proxy war between the Maine Republican and Democratic parties will continue…

Commentary

Posik: Portland Voters Reject Minimum Wage Increase

By Jacob PosikNovember 5, 20150 Commentary

On Tuesday, voters in Portland rightfully shot down a ballot question that would have increased the city’s minimum wage to…

Commentary

Conservatives Win Victories Tuesday Night In Portland, Elsewhere

By Nathan StroutNovember 3, 20150 Commentary

With a $1.3 million campaign that dominated their opponents, it was no surprise that Question 1 supporters were able to…

If At First You Don’t Succeed, Spend More?

By Luke WachobNovember 2, 20150 Commentary

On Tuesday, Mainers will head to the polls to decide whether their state government should raise taxes so more money…

Commentary

Do Clean Elections Increase Competitiveness? Research Says Probably Not

By Nathan StroutOctober 28, 20150 Commentary

The debate over Question 1’s tweaking of the Maine Clean Elections Act (MCEA) has largely turned into a debate over the…

News

Pro-Marijuana Groups Join Forces to Push Ballot Initiative

By Liam SigaudOctober 28, 201540 News

On Monday, two pro-marijuana groups in Maine – the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol and Legalize Maine – agreed…

Commentary

Posik: Boehner’s Last Deal

By Jacob PosikOctober 27, 20150 Commentary

Days from stepping down as Speaker of the House, John Boehner and other House Republican leaders put forth what will…

Commentary

Poliquin: President Puts Nation At Risk By Vetoing NDAA

By Bruce PoliquinOctober 27, 20150 Commentary

As a Member of Congress, there is no greater honor than standing up and supporting the men and women of…

News

Bill Would Restore Oversight of Secretive Law Enforcement Agency

By Liam SigaudOctober 21, 20150 News

If you’ve never heard of the Maine Information and Analysis Center (MIAC), you’re not alone. Little information is publicly available…

Commentary

Martin: The Future of Drug-Testing Programs in Maine

By Michael MartinOctober 20, 20150 Commentary

After a thoroughly objective evaluation of the many aspects and implications surrounding state TANF drug-testing programs, this series has reached…

Commentary

Poliquin: Washington Must Keep Its Promises To Our Seniors

By Bruce PoliquinOctober 20, 20150 Commentary

One of the greatest challenges facing our nation today is the preservation of Social Security for those that have worked…

Commentary

Strout: The Media’s Inexplicable Attack On DHHS

By Nathan StroutOctober 19, 20150 Commentary

In the past few weeks, media outlets have slammed Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the growing…

Commentary

Frary: What’s a Proteus?

By John FraryOctober 14, 20150 Commentary

There are three possible answers to this question. In Greek mythology, Proteus was a prophetic old man of the sea…

Commentary

Poliquin: Congress Must Take Care of Our Veterans

By Bruce PoliquinOctober 13, 20150 Commentary

Our Veterans, and their families, answered the ultimate call of duty to protect our freedoms and special way of life.…

Commentary

Frary: Following the Money Behind Question One

By John FraryOctober 12, 20150 Commentary

Mainers for Accountable Elections, operating as a front for Maine Citizens for Clean Elections (MCCE), is the organization that collected…

Commentary

Posik: Clinton Campaign Rides Dangerous Wave Of Progressive Public Opinion

By Jacob PosikOctober 9, 20150 Commentary

At least a few times in presidential election cycles, we will observe a candidate changing their position on an issue,…

News

Over 80% Of Cash Raised To Support Question 1 Is From Out-of-State

By Nathan StroutOctober 8, 20150 News

According to an October Quarterly Report filed by Mainers for Accountable Elections, over 80% of the money they’ve raised for their…

News

Governor LePage Calls On Sen. Katz To Step Down From Government Oversight Committee

By Liam SigaudOctober 8, 20150 News

On Tuesday, Governor LePage requested that State Senator Roger Katz (R-Augusta) step down as co-chair of the Government Oversight Committee…

Commentary

Frary: Some Questions About Proposition 1

By John FraryOctober 6, 20151 Commentary

FIRST: HAS THE CLEAN ELECTIONS LAW IMPROVED LEGISLATION? The Maine Clean Elections Act (MCEA) went into effect for the 2000…

Commentary

Martin: The Scapegoating of Lobbyists

By Michael MartinOctober 5, 20151 Commentary

For too long politicians have successfully used professional lobbyists as scapegoats.   They mislead constituents into believing these inaccurately stigmatized professionals…

Commentary

Poliquin: We Must Protect Maine’s Natural Beauty

By Bruce PoliquinSeptember 29, 20151 Commentary

Maine is home to some of our Nation’s most breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and pristine environments.  These irreplaceable features truly…

Commentary

Part V: How Judicial Activism Devastated TANF Drug-Testing Programs

By Michael MartinSeptember 25, 20150 Commentary

As promised in part four, this fifth installment explores how the courts have made it impossible for states to implement…

Commentary

Posik: One Simple Reason Why We Should Defund Planned Parenthood

By Jacob PosikSeptember 24, 20150 Commentary

Last week, social media was buzzing with yet another trending clickbait article, but this time, I noticed something very odd. “10…

Commentary

Major Donor to Maine Campaign Finance Group Has History of Attempting to Buy Election

By Nathan StroutSeptember 23, 20150 Commentary

Sean Eldridge, a major financier of Mainers for Accountable Elections, the group behind Question 1 in November, has been accused of…

Commentary

Martin: Why Have Past State TANF Drug-Testing Programs Been So Ineffective?

By Michael MartinSeptember 22, 20150 Commentary

One of the most common criticisms lauded against state TANF drug-testing programs is their consistent failure to effectively identify sufficient…

Commentary

Poliquin: Eat Your (Local) Veggies

By Bruce PoliquinSeptember 22, 20150 Commentary

Maine farmers produce some of the highest quality fruits and vegetables in the country—such as our famous potatoes and blueberries. …

Maine DHHS Institutes Asset Test for Food Stamps

By Liam SigaudSeptember 18, 20150 News

An estimated 8,600 food stamp recipients in Maine whose assets exceed $5,000 may soon be ineligible to receive benefits, according…

Commentary

Posik: Fiorina emerges despite abysmal debate coverage by CNN

By Jacob PosikSeptember 18, 20150 Commentary

What we saw two nights ago at the second GOP debate was an absolute monstrosity and a disgrace to every…

Strout: Why Won’t Campaign Finance “Reformers” Lead By Example?

By Nathan StroutSeptember 17, 20150 Commentary

This November, the people of Maine will have the opportunity to vote on a campaign finance reform proposal that advocates…

Commentary

Stephens: Whack-a-Mole for Business

By Barry StephensSeptember 16, 20150 Commentary

Last week , after over forty years in business, A Maine institution closed in Manchester, Maine. Ballard Meats and Seafood…

National

New Study: Maine Manufacturers Suffer From Above-Average Taxes

By Nathan StroutSeptember 15, 20150 National

According to a recent report from the non-partisan Tax Foundation, manufacturers in Maine suffer under substantially higher taxes than the…

Commentary

Poliquin: The Iran Nuclear Agreement Is A Bad Deal

By Bruce PoliquinSeptember 15, 20150 Commentary

Let me be clear, I will never support any deal that leads to the likelihood of nuclear weapons for Iran…

Commentary

Martin: You Can’t Impeach The Facts, But You Can Ignore Them

By Michael MartinSeptember 14, 20150 Commentary

Since June, condemnably unfounded accusations of “blackmail” and “power overreach” in regards to the LePage administrations decision to withhold a…

Commentary

Robinson: Sussman-Pingree Split Spells Trouble for Liberals

By Steve RobinsonSeptember 11, 20150 Commentary

It was supposed to be a love for the ages. Yet, tragically, billionaire Democratic mega-donor S. Donald Sussman and Rep.…

Commentary

Frary: Fiorina Wows at The Maine Heritage Policy Center

By John FrarySeptember 11, 20150 Commentary

Last Thursday I helped enhance Maine’s reputation for hospitality by hosting Carly Fiorina at the Sable Oaks Marriott in South…

Commentary

Posik: Campaign Promises Are Empty Promises

By Jacob PosikSeptember 10, 20150 Commentary

During campaign season, every presidential hopeful makes promises to the electorate hoping to appeal to their interest and earn their…

Commentary

Martin: Weekly Drug Testing Series Part III – The CASA Study

By Michael MartinSeptember 9, 20150 Commentary

There is a heavy dose of irony in the efforts of those who actively oppose policies for drug screening/testing programs…

News

Report Confirms LePage Administration Threatened Good Will-Hinckley

By Liam SigaudSeptember 9, 20150 News

On Tuesday, the nonpartisan Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability (OPEGA) released its highly anticipated report on the Good…

Commentary

Martin: Weekly Drug Testing Series Part II – Responding to the Criticisms

By Michael MartinSeptember 8, 20150 Commentary

Following the first phase of screenings in Maine’s new drug-testing program for TANF recipients with prior felony drug convictions, state…

Commentary

Posik: Cost of Doing Business Is Still Too High In Maine

By Jacob PosikSeptember 8, 20150 Commentary

If I had a dollar for every time a liberal professor of mine passed around hard copied handouts and quipped…

Commentary

Something’s Gotta Give: O’Sullivan’s First Law and Political Gravitational Pull

By Pem SchaefferSeptember 1, 20150 Commentary

I’ve often generalized about Republican’s and Democrats by saying that the former almost always play defense, and the latter always…

Commentary

Poliquin: How I’ve Reduced Washington’s Burden On Mainers

By Bruce PoliquinSeptember 1, 20150 Commentary

Maine is home to the most skilled, honest and dedicated workers in the Country. From shipbuilding, to fishing, to teaching,…

Commentary

Boone: A Modest Proposal, with apologies to Jonathan Swift

By Dr. Alan BooneAugust 28, 20150 Commentary

Our Western civilization is approaching a great day. But a lot of work is still necessary to complete the reversal…

Commentary

The TANF Drug-Testing Weekly Series Part I: Clarifying Exactly How Maine’s New Drug-Testing Program for TANF Recipients Works

By Michael MartinAugust 26, 20150 Commentary

This is the first installment of a weekly series focused on discussing how drug-testing programs for TANF recipients benefit the…

Commentary

Poliquin: How To Make College Affordable

By Bruce PoliquinAugust 25, 20150 Commentary

As a parent, I believe the three most lasting gifts we can give our kids are unconditional love, a sound…

Commentary

Martin: The Democratic Party’s Civil War

By Michael MartinAugust 24, 20150 Commentary

There has been much discussion in the media in recent years of a “GOP civil war.” Pundits describe an internal…

Commentary

Poliquin: We Need To Expand Opportunities For Young Mainers

By Bruce PoliquinAugust 18, 20150 Commentary

Maine is home to the best loggers and truckers in the Country. Unfortunately, the logging and trucking workforce is declining…

Commentary

Sigaud: Is Trump Part of Hillary’s Strategy?

By Liam SigaudAugust 15, 20150 Commentary

There are two common interpretations of Donald Trump’s campaign for President. The first views his campaign as little more than a…

Commentary

Martin: Maine Is Tired Of Janet Mills’ Partisanship

By Michael MartinAugust 14, 20150 Commentary

If Maine had an Attorney General (AG) that was publicly elected, Janet Mills would, and should, be out of a…

Commentary

Stephens: What Ever Happened To Public Service?

By Barry StephensAugust 13, 20150 Commentary

There was a time when serving in State and Federal office was considered service. Service to one’s town. Service to…

Strout: The Liberals’ Hypocritical Dark Money Machine

By Nathan StroutAugust 12, 20150 Commentary

Last week, a group of Mainers rallied in Augusta in support of a ballot initiative to make Maine elections “clean.”…

Commentary

Frary: The Democratic Party’s Apology Failure

By John FraryAugust 12, 20150 Commentary

On June 29 the Central Maine Papers published a column in which I suggested the Democratic Party should officially apologize…

News

Court Rules Against LePage in Veto Dispute

By Nathan StroutAugust 6, 20150 News

On Thursday, The Supreme Judicial Court of Maine unanimously ruled against Governor Paul R. LePage in his veto dispute with…

Commentary

Frary: Down the Slippery Slope to a Decision with Angus King

By John FraryAugust 5, 20151 Commentary

Late in July, Senator Angus King took a bold position on the Iran nuclear deal. The column’s title tells most…

Commentary

Sigaud: An Objective Look at Constitutional Carry

By Liam SigaudAugust 5, 20150 Commentary

One of the bright spots for Republicans this legislative session was the passage of a bill that protects so-called “constitutional…

News

Maine Leads Nation in Food Stamp Reduction

By Patrick MarvinJuly 30, 20150 News

According to recently released data from the U.S.D.A, Maine is leading the nation with its reduction in the number of…

Commentary

Education Savings Accounts and the Future of School Choice in Maine

By Vicki AlgerJuly 29, 20150 Commentary

Sixty years ago Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman argued that just because we finance education through government that does not…

Commentary

Posik: Sen. Sanders a Candidate of the Past, not the Future

By Jacob PosikJuly 29, 20150 Commentary

Independent Vermont Senator and 2016 presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is making headway in the polls, climbing through the democratic ranks as…

Commentary

BDN Wrong about Income Tax and Spending

By Patrick MarvinJuly 28, 20150 Commentary

There’s an old adage that goes “If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have…

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