All posts tagged "Commentary"
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Higher education reform can help Maine retain its youth
In 2009, I graduated from high school and left for college. I planned...
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New analysis shows there are 113,862 regulatory restrictions on the books in Maine
The 2018 Code of Maine Rules is home to 113,862 restrictions and 8.1...
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Big labor still wants to eliminate Maine’s tip credit
Despite widespread opposition throughout the state among all levels of restaurant staff, big...
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Why must new vehicles be inspected?
Vehicles are far safer and more reliable than they were nearly a century...
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State and local governments are spending too much money
Much has been made — for good reason — of the federal government’s...
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Maine progressives continue to offer misleading information about the minimum wage
In an article published Thursday on the Maine Beacon – the online opinion...
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What issues will Maine lawmakers debate in 2019?
At the start every new legislature, Maine’s Office of the Revisor of Statutes...
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Maine taxpayers cannot afford the costs of universal health care
Among the many harebrained schemes that will be considered in the Maine Legislature...
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Medicaid expansion is here. Now what?
For the second time in 17 years, Maine has expanded Medicaid. Governor Mills...
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Is the three percent surtax back from the dead?
During the biennial budget battle in 2017 that led to Maine’s first government...
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The costs of universal pre-K are not worth the benefits
It is no secret that the Mills administration and legislative Democrats are planning...
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Lawsuit seeks to undo exclusion of religious schools from Maine’s school choice program
Maine’s town tuitioning program, first adopted in 1873, is the second oldest school choice...
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Medicaid expansion must be funded responsibly
When I took office, MaineCare was running biennial budget deficits of more than...
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Thank you for letting me serve as your governor
As we approach the winter holidays, we often look back and assess what...
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Work requirements dramatically boost earnings of Medicaid recipients
With Janet Mills poised to take control of the Blaine House in just...
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Socialists run out of other people’s money
Caracas is burning. The socialist policies of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro have...
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Could Maine’s PL 90 become the blueprint for new federal health care reform?
A federal judge’s ruling that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) — Medicaid...
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Government must remain within the confines of the Constitution
“If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare…the education of children…would...
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George H.W. Bush was ‘Maine’s President’
It was with great sadness that Ann and I learned about the passing...
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‘The Will of the People’ and the home care hypocrisy
If you’ve followed Maine politics in the last two years, you know that...
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Our revenue surplus should be returned to the people through tax cuts
Over the next three years, the State is projected to collect more than...
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We have the right to property, and property in our rights
Reaching into the farthest recesses of my political recollections, I recall how I...
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Budget recommendations for critical investments make sense for Mainers
Last week I sent Governor-elect Janet Mills my administration’s recommended budget proposal. I...
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Is political discourse dead?
One political point that most people agree on these days is that political...
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Power under the guise of doing good
“Next to enjoying ourselves, the next greatest pleasure consists in preventing others from...
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Education in Maine is worse than you think
It’s no secret that Maine’s public K-12 education system needs work. Bloated bureaucracies...
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New ordinance diminishes the rights of property owners in South Portland
When struggling to make ends meet, conventional wisdom tells us we have few...
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Our next governor’s success is the success of our state
Last week, the Maine voters cast their ballot to elect Janet Mills as...
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Investigating the left’s latest scam
While Maine voters were out rejecting a plan for “Universal Home Care” on...
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Government does not belong in the marriage business
I recently officiated my younger brother’s wedding. It was a Southern Maine outdoor venue,...
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We must always appreciate our veterans
This year, Veterans Day marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World...
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Maine law forces me to accept union misrepresentation
This piece was first published in the Portland Press Herald. I am an...
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Maine voters reject Question 1
After a yearlong campaign of misinformation waged by the supporters of Question 1,...
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Whoever wins, Maine’s next governor needs to address these challenges
After the sounds of boisterous campaign rallies fade and the realities of the...
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Yes, Virginia, there is a mob
Liberals are justifying their mob actions by saying that violent confrontation and inciting...
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Question 1 a scheme to achieve fully socialized medicine
More and more we are seeing direct democracy take hold in our elected...
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Question 1 is a shell game
Question 1 plays on voters’ emotions to pass policies that will hurt the...
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Progressives try to debunk tax flight by ignoring the data
The Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) recently released an analysis of interstate...
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New report details devastating impacts of Question 1
The Maine Heritage Policy Center on Tuesday, Oct. 23 released a new study...
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Reductions in child poverty not a result of minimum wage increases
Last month, the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) published a study on the...
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Question 1 will fail those it is intended to help
Question 1 promises a false sense of security that is destined to fail...
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Don’t expect higher minimum wages to reduce poverty
The standard objection to increasing the minimum wage is that it will result...
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Fear in the hearts of progressives
First, as a constituent of Sen. Susan Collins, I would like to thank...
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Question 1 on November’s ballot is bad policy
There are so many bad policies rolled into Question 1 on November’s ballot...
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The numbers tell the real story on education funding
It’s the political season and a lot of misinformation is flying around. I...
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Say goodbye to the presumption of innocence
Watching the Senate hearing on Ford vs Kavanaugh last week was sickening. It shows...
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Kavanaugh’s opponents determined him unfit in July, and no investigation will change that
The editorial board of the New York Times, an authoritative source for Left-Lurcher...
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The Legislature fails to make our elderly a priority
Legislative leaders caved to the Maine Municipal Association and watered down my bill....
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Question 1 will raise taxes and create new, unnecessary bureaucracy
Question 1 on the ballot this November will read as follows: “Do you want to...
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MPA’s Question 1 talking points now refuted by one of their own
The Maine People’s Alliance (MPA) is pushing a ballot initiative – Question 1...
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Smart investments in marine terminal have opened new markets to Maine companies
A decade ago, the International Marine Terminal in Portland was nothing more than...
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‘Grassroots’ a stretch for the attacks against Collins and Kavanaugh
E.J. Dionne recently penned “The Grassroots Revolt Against Kavanaugh,” datelined Portland, Maine, September...
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Businesses beware: higher unemployment taxes are on the horizon
In this tight labor market, we must use every tool at our disposal...
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Ask your doctor if Referendax is right for you
Matt Gagnon did a superb job of “fisking” Edgar Allen Beem‘s recent Forecaster...
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One last veto: Gov. LePage blocks bill to fund ranked-choice voting for November elections
Dear Honorable Members of the 128th Legislature: Under the authority vested in me...
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Question 1’s new surtax would be detrimental to Maine’s economy
This commentary was originally published in the Bangor Daily News. The state economist recently...
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Why do Maine liberals want to penalize marriage?
Proponents of the Universal Home Care tax plan were either caught by surprise...
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The Supreme Court sideshow
On Sept. 17, 1787 the Constitutional Convention completed its final draft. In September...
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Maine will be restarting our program to lower your health insurance costs
My administration passed a bill to lower health care costs in 2011, but...
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Open markets for internet providers can bridge the digital divide
Many would agree that consistent access to the internet is an important part...
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Inefficient Maine Immunization Program creates barriers to vaccines for children
The Maine Immunization Program (MIP) is publicly funded and provides necessary vaccines to...
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Let’s keep our economy on the right path by attracting more workers
The Maine Department of Labor recently released its projections for job growth for...
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Free markets lead to prosperity
“Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign garnered considerable appeal from millennials. These young...
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Question 1 would devastate Maine’s economy
1,700 fewer Maine residents. 1,800 fewer workers in our labor force. 3,800 fewer...
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Portland City Council chasing opportunity into oblivion
Recently, the Housing Committee of Portland’s City Council met to discuss the possibility...
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The belligerent ignorance of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Oh, Alexandria. Ever since she won a stunning upset victory over her democrat...
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The right to vote is for citizens
People don’t value the things they get for free. Giving legal residents who...
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Question 1 is bought and paid for by outside interests
In case you haven’t heard, Question 1 on the November ballot will ask...
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Why are ‘experts’ so determined to mislead the public on Universal Home Care taxes?
When Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap was accepting public comment on the...
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The ‘universal home care’ referendum will be disastrous for Maine’s economy
Ballot Question 1 is another benign-sounding, feel-good referendum. In reality, it’s one more...
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Maine’s ballot initiative process serves outside interests, not Maine people.
Today the Maine Heritage Policy Center released its newest report, “The Will of...
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They came for the pizza; a modern fable about democratic socialism
Three roommates called Earnest, Vic, and Patsy spent part of every day gathering...
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What’s next for progressives after Universal Home Care?
I have a hunch. This late summer or fall, after Labor Day but...
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The legislature has one last shot to get things done
Here we are in August. It’s the dog days of summer, and the...
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MPA continues to mislead the public on Universal Home Care
The latest in a long list of misrepresentations from the Maine People’s Alliance...
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Where have the state employee unions been when it mattered?
Last week I spoke to you about the reforms we are proposing for...
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Microsoft’s ‘Airband Initiative’ serves rural Maine without government’s clumsy hand
Twenty-three million Americans–about 39 percent of the population–do not have access to broadband...
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Bridgton Hospital a community asset we must protect
The Bridgton Hospital crisis is typical of progressive constructs. First, the Board buys into...
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Buckeye Institute secures post-Janus victories for public employees in Maine, Minnesota
On Thursday, July 26, two public-sector unions in Maine and Minnesota granted a...
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We’re reforming our child welfare system to protect our children
The tragic deaths of two little girls under the watch of DHHS is...
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The Supreme Court and Democracy
This year’s voting will be more exciting than usual in Maine. The Democrats...
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Liberals are holding tax conformity hostage to fund their elections with taxpayer dollars
It’s summer in Maine. We should be enjoying it. Instead, at the State...
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Work requirements are necessary to discourage Medicaid abuse
Ever since the Trump administration signaled its openness to work requirements for able-bodied...
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Licensing reform can help attract talent to Maine
Policymakers are always asking: ‘What can we do to attract young, talented people...
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Ignorance of history gives socialism its appeal
Socialism appeals to many millennials under 30 because of Socialism’s two built-in fallacies:...
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DPFR serves as the Legislature’s collective slush fund
Occupational licensing is supposed to protect the public from unqualified professionals whose goods...
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LePage and House Republicans spare Mainers big tax hike
Earlier this week, Maine House Republicans sustained Governor LePage’s veto of a bill to...
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Supporters of Universal Home Care initiative wage war of misinformation
Since the upcoming Universal Home Care (UHC) initiative sponsored by the Maine People’s...
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Let’s work together and do the right thing for our seniors
Over the last seven and a half years, the Legislature and I have...
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Why do lawmakers choose licensing?
Despite economists on both sides of the aisle agreeing that occupational licensing laws...
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Medicaid expansion and paying home-care workers must be done in a fiscally responsible manner
Medicaid expansion is the law, and I am committed to implement it. But...
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The earned income tax credit is Maine’s best anti-poverty program; let’s expand it
The biggest flaw in most social assistance programs — including TANF, SNAP, Medicaid,...
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Secretary of State Dunlap finalizes ballot language for Universal Home Care initiative
After accepting public comment for 30 days on the wording of the upcoming...
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Medicaid expansion activists will hurt people who need help just to prove a point
Medicaid-expansion advocates plan to bring busloads of able-bodied adults to DHHS offices on July...
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Public funding for higher education fails students and taxpayers
Government meddling in competitive industry invariably hurts all citizens, and higher education is...
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Corporate welfare cost Maine taxpayers $42.5 million in 2017
Economists have long criticized politicians’ penchant for creating narrow legal carveouts and targeted...
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The Legislature is coming into special session to take the easy way out
A year ago, House Republicans shut down state government to make sure bad...
