James Carlton of the Lincoln County State Committee counts votes of his county's delegates during the election of national committeemen at the Maine Republican Convention at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta, Maine, Saturday, May 5, 2012. (BDN Photo by Robert F. Bukaty)
Almost one year ago, numerous candidates started their exploratory committee in hopes of running for president, winning the Republican nomination, and hopefully making Barack Obama a one-term president. About 365 days later, Republicans are still unsure of who their nominee should really be. Even though Mitt Romney has won 724 out of the 1126 secured delegates contested, and every single hopeful (except for Ron Paul, with his 54 delegates) has withdrew from the race, delegates and party supporters are still skeptic of their projected nominee. The latest doubt has taken place in our own home state of Maine.
On May 5th and 6th the Maine Republican Party held their State Convention at the Augusta Civic Center. And in this yearly gathering of Republican's across the state, the traditional party voting process and respect for one another went out the window as complete chaos and discord spread through the convention. Due to the fact of the clear division between the traditional party establishment (Mitt Romney) and the highly energized, never-ending supporters of Ron Paul. By the time the convention had finished it seemed as though Paul's entire campaign took over the procedure of the convention, while 21 out of the 24 delegates elected from Maine chose the Texas congressman over the presumptive nominee, who had won the previous nonbinding caucus just three months ago.
Because of the parties divided supporters, many important issues and topics were denied. First off, was the 2012 Maine Senate Race, where six of the candidates are Republicans. Many of the candidates had hoped to gain much-needed exposure from the state using the convention as a spotlight. But due to the long, frustrating division, the candidates were ignored and forgotten about and Angus King was given another reason on why he is the best choice for the upcoming election. King, who is trying to separate himself as the candidate from a party not fighting, has stated from the beginning of his candidacy that he's running because the state of Maine needs a candidate in which the parties are not broken.
The fascinating thing about the entire convention is the drastic change that the Maine Republican Party is undergone in less than two years. It seemed as though in the 2010 election that the Maine Republican party was going to be hard for the Democracts to beat in the 2012 election, but quickly the Republican party has already split into two. Now the chance of a Democratic victory almost seems certain if the Republican party continues arguing among itself, choosing candidates that have a near 0% chance of winning the nomination. The problem that bugs me with the confusion and disorder at the convention is Ron Paul's supporters. If the Ron Paul supporters truly believe in the issues and topics Ron Paul has chosen to base the fundamentals of his campaign on, then I believe they should fight in every single state convention for what they believe in, but if they're just nominating Ron Paul for the sake of nominating Ron Paul and nothing else, then the Maine Republican party are just dividing themselves every time they convene together. And this is exactly what Ron Paul supporters are conveying to the public. They only seem to care about their candidate, not the issues he supports.
In the end result, Ron Paul supporters call the Maine convention a victory for themselves. Yes, for Ron Paul, but not for the Republican party as a whole.
Sunday, February 26th
10:00am
Bangor Civic Center
Special Guests include:
U.S. Representative Mike Michaud
And
U.S. Senate Candidates
A Continental Breakfast will be served catered by Bangor Democrat Ann Marie Orr
or more info: contact Paul Davis pauldmaine@mac.com 570-4273
A few weeks ago, President Obama proposed to Congress and the American people his American Jobs Act. Everyone in the country has their opinion about it, especially the Republicans; but I believe there’s a lot of policy in the bill that makes it a positive piece of legislation for our country. President Obama’s plan creates jobs and stimulates the economy, something we desperately need now.
It has been said by the Republican party that they are the “job creators”. Well, it seems that anytime an efficient and useful piece of legislation is proposed by the Democrats they simply respond with “NO!”.
I have personally read the act and the outline explaining its text, and it thoroughly shows that the act includes new tax cuts for small businesses, which helps them grow. It provides tax credits to industries or businesses that hire veterans and invests more than $35 billion dollars to stop layoffs to 280,000 teachers. It also is a key resources to keeping police and firefighters on their feet. It also includes the positive of investing in thousands of schools and the rebuilding of rails, roads and other infrastructures, which all leads to putting more jobs in the American peoples hands. This plan helps our country hire workers, invest and grow, three things that deep-down I believe all people (Republicans and Democrats) care about.
But as usual, the “Party of NO!” as they are referred to, are blocking a plan (not presented to them by a Democrat, but by a public official) and are once again playing with peoples lives because of partisan politics.
I feel their attitude and approach is unfair, and I hope you will join me in supporting the American Jobs Act and keeping Democrats in the majority of the government in 2012.
October 22, 2011, Wells Commons University Maine Campus, Orono 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
President John F. Kennedy
On October 19th, 1963, President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech and received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws at the University of Maine. This was the last honorary degree that JFK ever received. President Kennedy was assassinated only 33 days following this occasion – on November 22, 1963.
To commemorate President Kennedy’s visit to the University of Maine 48 years ago, we are holding a special Recognition Dinner near the site of his speech to remember and to pay homage to President Kennedy. It is hoped that this will be the first of many Recognition Dinners to be held annually at the University of Maine in honor of President Kennedy.
On this occasion, we also will be recognizing three individuals who have made significant contributions to the Democratic Party, in the nation, in the State of Maine, and in Penobscot County. This year, we are very proud to be honoring:
Governor John Baldacci
William J. Sullivan
Gerry Palmer
Governor John Baldacci
On behalf of the First Annual JFK Recognition Dinner Planning Committee, I respectfully invite you to serve on our host committee for this event, which we anticipate will be very well attended by active, loyal Democrats throughout Maine. All names of
members of the host committee will be listed on the printed program and all future invitations.
Four levels of sponsorship have been established:
Sponsor (includes six tickets) - $500
Host (includes four tickets) - $300
Supporter (includes two tickets) - $150
Friend (includes one ticket) – $75
Individual tickets – $35 (Two for $60)
You can join our host committee and purchase tickets online on ActBlue.
https://secure.actblue.com/page/jfkdinner2011
You can also purchase tickets by calling Paul Davis (207) 570-4273
Please RSVP by October 8, 2011
President John F. Kennedy at the University of Maine - October 19, 1963
The Penobscot County Democratic Committee will be holding its monthly meeting on September 10th, 2011 at 10:00 AM – Bangor Public Library. We will be discussing upcoming events and ballot initiatives.
The Brewer Democratic City Committee is “kicking off” the 2012 Campaign with a special event, the “Brewer Democrats Barbecue” on Saturday, September 10, 2011, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Indian Trail Park in Brewer.
This event will provide an unusual opportunity for Brewer Democrats, as well as other active Democrats in surrounding towns, to get together in a relaxing end-of-the summer atmosphere, to mingle, enjoy some good food and conversation, and to become energized for the vital 2012 Election.
We need and invite all help that we can get to ensure that Democrats will prevail in 2012. I sincerely hope that you will make this even a priority on your schedule and plan to join us on September 10th.
In order to help us with the respect to the amount of food, drinks, and supplies to order, would you kindly RSVP by September 7th, 2011. This event is FREE. However donations to help defray the costs of this event will not be turned away.
For further information and to RSVP, please contact Paul Davis, Chair, Brewer Democratic City Committee. [email: pauldmaine@mac.com; phone: 989-5075
The two proposed new redistricting layout for the state of Maine.
As every decade comes to an end politicians all around the country must deal with painful, time-consuming project known as redistricting. The decade has come to an end now and
Maine must begin its very difficult redistricting process; and already the debate is fired up. On Monday, the 15th, Republicans and Democrats drew their very diverse ideas on how to redistrict the state.
On the 15th, the Democrats and Republicans came
together and showed the state of Maine their each very unique redistricting plans. The Republicans on one side, said they would move Lincoln, Knox and Sagadahoc counties from the 1st District to the 2nd District and move Oxford and Androscoggin counties from the 2nd to the 1st. Additionally, Kennebec County would be contained in the 2nd District and Franklin County would be divided between the two districts. If the Maine legislature did go through with this plan about 336,000 people would be moved from one district to another! The Democrats on the other hand, had a completely dissimilar way of redistricting. A plan that actually didn’t move many voters around; the Democrats presented a plan which only moved Vassalboro from District 1 to District 2. Moving
a little more than 4,000 people. If the Democratic plan was accepted than the two districts for the first time, would be almost even in population totals.
There are some very interesting points in this debate and process. For instance if the Republican plan is adopted, current 1st District Rep. Chellie Pingrees’s home island of North Haven would move from the 1st District to the 2nd, meaning she would represent the 1st District without actually living there.
All I can say is that I have faith in all the legislators and I hope this debate and legislation does not turn out like the federal debt-ceiling partisan catastrophe. Even with the strict deadline to vote on September 27, I believe that our legislature can come together on a compromise.
Of course your voice matters, be a part in this debate. So re-draw your state!
The Penobscot County Democratic Committee will be holding an important meeting on Thursday, August 18th, 2011. The meeting will start at 5:30pm-and end around 7:00pm.
This meeting is open to all Democrats in Penobscot County. Please come, be a part, and get involved!
Charles Webster, chairman of the Maine Republican Party, attends a rally at the State House in Augusta, Maine, on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010. (AP Photo by Pat Wellenbach)
Do Republican dreams come true? Well, their dream of finally repealing same-day voter registration did come true. After a long battle in Augusta, the Republican Governor, state senate, and state house, repealed same-day voter registration. While Republicans were happy because of their dream come true, Democrats were left fuming. A few days later the Democrats organized their base, and by a few months they had gathered over 60,000 signatures to repeal the legislation that repeals same-day voter registration.
On July 25, 2011, a staunch defender of the repeal, Maine Republican Party Chairman Charlie Webster, called for an immediate investigation for a speculation of possible voter fraud affecting more than 200 college students involving the 2010 election.
“Webster did not specifically reference Election Day voter registration at his press conference on Monday, but spoke more generally about the problems he sees with Maine’s voting system. The GOP chairman said he personally has witnessed what he called “poll flooding” by special interest groups.”
(This quote is from the Bangor Daily News article “GOP chairman says university students behind voter fraud” by Eric Russell. You can read the full article here: http://bangordailynews.com/2011/07/25/politics/gop-chairman-says-university-students-behind-voter-fraud/.)
In the same press conference Chairman Webster also said, “The difference is we [Republicans] represent regular people, how’s that? We represent working class people, people who drive a truck. We don’t represent the far left of Maine.”
So is Webster accusing the Democrats of voter fraud at the University of Maine-Farmington? It seemed that way until a few days later when Webster announced that College Republicans prevented fellow college students from getting to the polls by parking the register buses in a Wal-mart parking lot. Webster, who said he was opposed to using the UMF vans for get-out-the-vote efforts because it abused taxpayers money, is now under fire because he is under no legal obligation to authorize the parking of the buses.
“As Democrats, we believe in giving people who are qualified to vote the opportunity to vote and in making it as accessible as possible. This is the United States of America and the more people who vote, the better. If it’s true that College Republicans took the vans out of service just to prevent them from being used to take voters to the polls, then the university’s resources were being misused. Because those vans were checked out for the use and the participation of the College Republican group, and if the College Republican group is trying to prevent students from voting, that’s a very serious matter,” said Anne Geller, chairwoman of the Franklin County Democrats.
The thought of blocking college students from voting in a democratic election is improper and unethical. Of course if Mr. Webster checked his facts he would realize that it his not his job to decide where or when taxpayer’s money should be spent, because the U.S. government does spend taxpayer dollars for the Federal Voting Assistance Program. A program whose goal is to assist and to help those who can’t get out to vote on their own; and a program who invests many taxpayers dollars to make sure everyone gets to vote. Because that’s what democracy’s all about, right? Well, all I can say is, many college students are out-of-state, and many have no cars, which makes it tough to go to the polls to vote. The whole concept of why UMF wanted the buses and wanted students to vote was because they wanted them to get involved in the democratic process. Of course Republicans realize that many college students lean more towards the democratic side and I believe this is just another mis-guided, scheme, to prevent Democratic college students to not vote. A similar, Republican base-idea, to repealing Maine’s same day voter registration, which discourages the elderly, disabled and poor from voting. It mortifies me to believe that this is just another Republican gimmick to prevent Democrats from casting their ballot in a free nation.
So I leave you with this thought; do you want Charlie Webster altering the ways of democracy?
