STATE HOUSE NOTES
Tax Day Tea Party on Thursday
Tax day and tax protest
By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer
AUGUSTA -- Two big things are happening Thursday.
First, you can expect long lines at the Post Office as people mail in their tax returns.
Second is the Tax Day Tea Party from 3 to 7 p.m. in Capitol Park.
"This is Augusta's warning," according to a press release on the event. "If they keep up the nonsense, the wasteful spending of our sweat money, their meddlesome laws that trespass upon our unalienable rights, their schemes and experiments with our lives, they will be voted out next November. OUT!"
The release came from Pete Harring of www.MaineReFounders .org. It also advises those who attend to bring "protest signs in good taste, warm clothing and your flag."
This brought to mind one of the questions that came up on Thursday at a Republican gubernatorial forum held in Augusta. One of the questions that came from the audience asked the panel of three GOP candidates and two independents to comment on the Tea Party movement.
"If you think Sarah Palin is more in touch with the real world than Nancy Pelosi, you could be a member of the Tea Party," said Republican Les Otten. "They are awakening America to some of the debt and government excesses."
Unenrolled candidate John Whitcomb said "Maine is fed up with Republicans and Democrats."
"The Tea Party is out there getting their voices heard," he said. "We all need to open our eyes and make a change."
Almost done
Lawmakers in the House said their good-byes late Wednesday when the assumption was the end of session was within hours.
They held a "light ceremony" where they bid farewell to those members who are either termed out or not running again. The leaders of both parties said kind words about each other.
Rep. Walter Wheeler, D-Kittery, posed in the front of the House with members of his family. The senior member of the House, who is in his mid-80s, is termed out.
Things also got a little silly.
Rep. Meredith Strang Burgess, R-Cumberland, put on pink bunny ears and walked around with stuffed ducks saying she "had all her ducks in a row."
A group gathered around one of the windows in the back to look at a rainbow, leading a Democrat to wonder if a pot of gold -- or a bond package -- was at the end of it.
And earlier in the day, House Speaker Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven, issued a warning to make sure people didn't get too carried away when she heard some members were sending notes on other people's stationery.
"That is not behavior becoming of members of the House of Representatives," she said. "I ask you to refrain so we can get through this day and end on a positive note."
Session is expected to end today, tonight or early Tuesday.
Lobbying for jobs
The Maine People's Alliance brought a group of people together last week to urge federal passage of the "Local Jobs for America Act."
They stood near the monument of Civilian Conservation Corps worker outside the state museum to promote the bill, which will create a federally-funded public jobs program.
"The Works Progress Administration put thousands of Mainers to work during desperate times," said Lewiston Mayor Larry Gilbert. "Now as much as then, we need a public jobs program funded by the federal government."
Work group to study lowering taxes
Rep. Joan Nass, R-Acton, sponsored a bill that would have increased the property tax exemption for veterans from $6,000 to $7,000, but the bill was amended to become a study group, according to the House Republican Office.
"I was somewhat disappointed that we didn't immediately achieve the goal of giving veterans a better property tax break," she said in a statement.
The Bureau of Revenue Services will convene the work group and come back with recommendations to the Taxation Committee by January.
"Ode to Emily"
Appropriations Committee Senate Chairman Bill Diamond, D-Windham, apparently composes poems in his head while running in the morning.
In recent weeks, he has shared two of these "odes" at committee meetings. The first was in honor of Rep. Bob Nutting, R-Oakland's birthday. The second paid tribute to House Chairwoman Emily Cain, D-Orono, on her 30th birthday.
Here's a few lines from "Ode to Emily":
"She knows where she's going
Has -- since being a little creeper
We all know what's next
She's going to be a Speaker"
Mills on Colbert
A couple weeks back, I wrote about "The Colbert Report" coming to Maine to interview Attorney General Janet Mills about a verbal opinion issued by her office that Fentimans Victorian Lemonade should not be sold to minors because it has a trace amount of alcohol.
Mills wore her Colbert ball cap to the State House last week and spread the word that the segment had aired.
The segment is called "Nailed 'Em -- Fentimans Victorian Lemonade" and can be found at www.colbertnation.com.
What's next?
People often ask me what I do when the Legislature isn't in session.
This year, the answer is easy: There's a governor's race to cover!
That means State House Notes will return next week with a new focus on the men and women who want to be our next governor.
Hope to see you then.
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15 COMMENTS
wingnut said...
Pay attention you liberal, progressive, money squandering, tax and spend moonbats...the unemployment line is closer than you think!
April 12, 2010 at 12:56 AM Report abuse
LizieD said...
Working people have high taxes because GW Bush gave billionares trillions of dollars in tax CUTS--and made the rest of us pay for his wars. From 1980 to 2006 the richest 1% of America TRIPLED their after-tax percentage of our nation's total income. The rest of us? Our share dropped more than 20%. Republican President Ike Eisenhower taxed the super-rich at 92%. I Like Ike.
April 12, 2010 at 5:36 AM Report abuse
Govt2Big said...
If you're not satisfied with the current tax structure and government spending habits, you will probably enjoy the upcoming Tax Day Rally in Augusta. Learn more at www.PaintMaineRed.com It's time to take back our USA!
April 12, 2010 at 6:08 AM Report abuse
ProConserv said...
LizieD...At least put a little rum in that KOOL-AID! What a moonbat!
April 12, 2010 at 8:43 AM Report abuse
Sherman2 said...
Procon/wingnut/G2B... where were you guys when your party was spending billions and not even adding it to the books! Letting the next president figure it out... and now that he's added YOUR costs to the books you hate him for it... Obama should have done what your guys did... just pretend it will go away. If we don't write it on the ledger it never exisited. The republicans are lying cowards who will never do much more than scream their virginity while standing on the corner waving down the cars of big business and offering them selves up to the highest bidder. Hypocrites all!
April 12, 2010 at 9:22 AM Report abuse
hallowellboy said...
LizieD is absolutely correct. Bush and his greedy Republican cronies deregulated Wall Street, the banking industry, the insurance industry and the real estate industry over 8 years and sent the nation's economic prosperity and stability into a tailspin. They bankrupted the country by saddling the American taxpayer with an endless trillion dollar war in the Middle East. Sad to read how uneducated so many of the bloggers are. We must understand the problem to find an answer. The Democratic way.
April 12, 2010 at 9:24 AM Report abuse
Yankee_Biker said...
John Voight explains it all here. http://tinyurl.com/y6w6snf This is simply what this movement is about. Facts, not lies. I don't expect the Socialists that post here to understand but the issue is a simple one.
April 12, 2010 at 11:37 AM Report abuse
MaineGal79 said...
"The Democratic Way" ?!?!? Make everyone that works hard for their $$$, trying to make a good life for themselves take care of everyone else that doesn't want to get off their behind and make them responsible for nothing. 1/20/2013 Change we can BELIEVE in!
April 12, 2010 at 11:40 AM Report abuse
ProudAmericn said...
Sherman2 and hallowellboy -- WOW you two have overdosed on "kool-aid"!! Answer me this -- Why was the banking industry the #1 contributor to Sen. Chris Dodd's campaign fund and #2 to Nobama's? Why did DemocRATS continue to block any attempt at regulating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? The Banking failure was a direct result of banks being forced by FM/FM to give unqualified people home mortgages. Sorry but the Leftist Liberals are the primary liars at the table. Constant accusations but never any proof. Do either of you remember a "little" incident that happened in NYC on 9/11?? News Flash both Countries we are currently in were training grounds for terrorists. Another News Flash for you. NOBAMA in less than a year has racked up more debt than Pres. Bush did in eight years. But you are correct, it is sad to see uneducated and biased the Leftist Liberals are. Even when proven wrong they will not admit it.
April 12, 2010 at 6:23 PM Report abuse
DTOM said...
"... it’s offensive that many in the mainstream media are engaging in a systematic effort to marginalize American citizens who are simply trying to take a stand for individual liberty—a stand in opposition to big-government expansion. Also one of us speaking as an African-American (article co-author, Blackwell), it’s especially insulting to suggest that these people’s opposition to President Obama is driven by racism. America’s history of grassroots activism goes back to the founding of our republic. Government of the people, by the people, and for the people includes as a necessary element those same average, ordinary people being able to gather and speak out. This freedom to assemble was considered so essential to a free nation that our Founders put it in the First Amendment, right alongside the freedom of speech and freedom of religion." ...
April 12, 2010 at 8:00 PM Report abuse
DTOM said...
"Ironically, these rights are set side-by-side with the freedom of the press, as well. The leftists in the media would do well to remember that their liberty to be a free press comes from the same constitutional amendment as the tea party crowd’s liberty to gather together. ---- And our elected leaders would do well to remember that the First Amendment exists to protect average people FROM the government, not the other way around." ---- http://biggovernment.com/kenandken/2010/03/26/demonizing-everyday-americans/
April 12, 2010 at 8:01 PM Report abuse
Sherman2 said...
Proud American, you're Cheeney fanatic who beleives in fairy tales! Iraq had nothing to do with 911! DUH! Saddam hated and feared the fundamentalist! They wanted him out! He hunted them down! The US put Saddam in office (there are pictures of Chaney shaking his hand after they got him in office). We gave him the poison gas he used on the Kurds! We created him, but he got loose. So now what do we invade pakistan? I suppose you want to bomb Iran too! That would be the end of the Amercian economy! GAs would go to $6 OR $7 A GALLON AND THEN YOU WOULD REALLY HAVE SOMETHING TO WHINE ABOUT! Iran has said they would sink every tanker in the gulf if something statred. You people just don't think. You only "think" what you're told to! Amazing...
April 13, 2010 at 8:08 AM Report abuse
Dilli_Gaf said...
Sherm, you like your version of history,don't you. While there are parts of it that are true, I like the way you forget about certain facts and even change them to support your position. I don't blame you. It's not always easy looking at the truth when you don't like it.
April 13, 2010 at 10:42 AM Report abuse
SS said...
Dilli - what, specifically, is Sherman being untruthful about? Enlighten us.
April 13, 2010 at 2:22 PM Report abuse
DTOM said...
"Opponents of the fiscally conservative tea party movement say they plan to movement say they plan to infiltrate and dismantle the political group by trying to make its members appear to be racist, homophobic and moronic. Jason Levin, creator of http://www.crashtheteaparty.org, said Monday the group has 65 leaders in major cities across the country who are trying to recruit members to infiltrate tea party events for April 15—tax filing day, when tea party groups across the country are planning to gather and protest high taxes." "Levin says they want to exaggerate the group's least appealing qualities, further distance the tea party from mainstream America and damage the public's opinion of them." ---- SAUL ALINSKY would be proud.
April 13, 2010 at 4:00 PM Report abuse