Rep. Merrill leaves Democratic Party (Maine)

Village Soup ^ | 01/03/05 | Staff

[Fido969]

APPLETON (Jan 3): Rep. Barbara Merrill Monday informed her constituents in Maine House District 44, and the leaders of the Maine House of Representatives, that she has unenrolled from the Democratic Party.

As a result, the Democrats have 73 members, the Republicans 73, the independents four and the Greens one in the Maine House of Representatives.

In her letter to her constituents, Merrill wrote, "I do not take this step lightly or without long consideration. I have talked directly with many of you about the concerns which have led me to this action, and I know that many support my decision. I joined the Democratic Party when it was led by Ed Muskie, and I had the privilege of getting to know him personally before he died."

In a press release, the daughter of a long line of Republicans said she always felt very comfortable in a party whose leader started the Congressional Budget Committee and led the way on cleaning up the nation's air and water.

"But those same values make me very uncomfortable in a party whose state leaders balanced one budget by selling off future revenues from liquor sales, then proposed selling off the lottery, then passed a budget that relied on borrowing almost half a billion dollars, much of which would have been paid back by our children."

[Fido969]

This is the latest in the Maine party defection saga, this was also the second 'rat defection in the last week or so.

Baldassi is very weak, and the moonbat fringe that has taken over the Maine 'rat party disguests most of the state. Neverless, the pubs have not been able to gain traction after having had gift after gift handed to them as a result of democrat blunders, and so some new blood might be a good thing.

Also, I am really likng the Village Soup - their reporting is excellent, and the coverage terrific. With the recent liberalization and reporting cutbacks of the Bangor Daily News, the Village Soup seems to have stepped in to fill a huge vaccuum.

[Fido969]

Oops - the date should be '06.

[Gay State Conservative]

OK,so the "Green" (aka:Communist) will vote with the democRATS but who will the "independents" vote with?

[jw777]

and also, Maine is too close to Vermont, from which Howard Dean hails and I can't stand the mudhole he's put us in or the Treason he commits on a daily basis.

Thank you,

~Rep. Merrill

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Not clear on one point, is she now a Republican, Independent or Green Party member? Thanks.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Will it change control of the state House? And was it the state House that the Democrats control because a judge ruled that votes cast in blue ink should count but those cast in black ink spoiled the ballot?

[AuH2ORepublican]

Maine ping

[Fido969]

who will the "independents" vote with?

Generally the indies vote with the rats.

[Fido969]

Rep Merrill:

[FormerACLUmember]

I admire people with ethics. She is now a good democrat:

[Fido969]

She is an independent now.

She has been talking to the 'pubs, supposedly urging them to looby for better committee appointments now, and seems to have some long term political ambitions. She has been in the news quite a bit the last month or so, including releasing a news book.

See:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/01/03/democrats_decision_balances_partisan_sides_in_house/

[Fido969]

http://waldo.villagesoup.com/government/story.cfm?storyID=65306

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Barbara Merrill: Common sense and baked beans

APPLETON (Dec 22): In "Setting the Maine Course: We Can Get There from Here," Rep. Barbara Merrill bets her political future on the belief that — even in the contentious and confusing years of the early 21st century — Maine people remain "radically pragmatic."

"I believe our state government is flabby, overweight and darn near immobile," writes Merrill, a Democrat from Appleton who won election to the Maine House of Representatives in 2004. "On this I find myself in greater agreement with Maine Republicans than many of the leaders in my own party. But my goal isn't to transform state government into a 90-pound weakling which can be relied upon to turn its back on irresponsible corporate behavior.

"Quite the contrary ... we need a strong government that is financially sound to protect our most vulnerable citizens, to protect our environment, to protect everyone's civil rights, and to set standards and measure performance so we can have the best schools in the nation ... We need a state government which is too lean and dynamic to over-regulate business, the citizens or interfere with local governments."

With that opening salvo, and several good recipes for beans, Merrill sketches a course for Maine that is, by turns, deeply conservative and fundamentally liberal. It's a fascinating, unconventional look at The Way Life Could Be. And it's rooted in her long experience as a lawyer and lobbyist who has represented both businesses and nonprofits.

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I hope she doesn't run against Mills in '06, we can't afford to split the anti-Baldassi vote.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Thanks Fido! So technically nothing has changed. The independents always vote with the dims anyway.

[southernnorthcarolina]

"I joined the Democratic Party when it was led by Ed Muskie, and I had the privilege of getting to know him personally before he died."

That's the best time to get to know someone. ba-da-bum

[fieldmarshaldj]

It's worth noting that the Republicans have not won control of the ME House of Representatives since 1972.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Fido, is State Sen. Peter Mills the odds-on favorite to get the GOP nomination ? There are two others running, including former Congressman Dave Emery and State Sen. Chandler Woodcock. If Mills does get the nod, to make matters more confusing, a "Veterans Party" candidate named Bob Mills could cause us problems in the general.

[jw777]

Theresa Heinz love child.

[Dems_R_Losers]

HAHAHAHA

My liberal husband went to high school with Barbara Merrill. He is going to choke when he hears this news!! (BTW, she is being encouraged to run for Governor.)

[zbigreddogz]

I've read that Emery is the frontrunner, but I don't know for sure.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

She's too good looking to be a Democrat!