Posted on 01/03/2006 10:50:48 AM PST by 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at waldo.villagesoup.com ...
Problem for Emery is that he has been out of politics for close to a quarter-century. I'd tend to lean towards someone with recent legislative experience. Perhaps the horrible job Baldacci is doing, along with the rest of the incompetent 'Rats, might lead to a clean sweep for the GOP of the legislature and Governorship for the first time since John Reed won his final term in 1962.
I don't think that's right. He's been out of elective office, true, but he's been running a political consulting firm, I believe. It's not like he's not familiar with the current issues of the state.
Ping!
Well, yes, she is kind of cute, and she looks a LOT better than she did a month ago!
A quick glance at the 3 gentlemen's campaign websites seems to indicate that Mills is the most intellectual of the bunch, and has written a series of articles. Emery looks like he's better suited to federal office (his last campaign statewide was in 1982, in the infamously disastrous contest against appointee George Mitchell), so I'd be wary on that alone. Woodcock claims to be the most Conservative of the 3, but doesn't have as comprehensive a platform as Mills does. So from those, it appears Mills is the best of the bunch as being the best informed.
.....Not clear on one point, is she now a Republican, Independent or Green Party member? Thanks......
or by Free Republic standards and nomenclature RINO
I don't really know who is leading, maybe someone wired into the Maine Republican party could tell you. There have been plenty of surprises in the posturing for the '06 race.
Maine politics have been driven by the very blue southern coast, (why on earth would a numbnut like Tom Allen get RE-elected?) but the Democratic leadership has been terrible the last few years. The left fringe of that party is arrogant and underhanded, even while Baldassi's popularity has slithered into the 30's. It is interesting to note that there have been 2 major rat defections since Kerry came to Maine a few weeks ago to support Baldassi and the rats here. The fringe just does not get it.
I think we are seeing the Democrats that still have some touch with reality see the train is roaring down the tracks and are revolting from the lunatic fringe that is running amok.
It is important for the pubs to tie Baldassi to his true politics - the guy is a raving moonbat in the Grey Davis tradition - but his people have tried to portray him as a middle class working man's Democrat.
Watch, though, the state economic picture the next few months - remember the huge budget crises of years past? Well, the budget period of '06 is headed towards the perfect storm - Baldassi's recklessness with programs, Medicaid, Dirigo and creative accounting will all be coming home to roost - and revenues will get clobbered - car sales (which account for a quarter of sales tax revenues) are WAY down, and there will not be much boost from the income tax due to sluggish capital gains caused by a comparatively flat stock market over the last few years. The biggest gain for Mainers - real estate - is mostly exempt from taxation due to the residential gain tax exclusion.
Remember the half-billion dollar deficit? Think it went away? It has been working out during the last year or so, doing one-handed pushups and lifting weights, and will be back with a vengance.
Mark my words on this.
It could affect committee assignments.
Did I write that? Holy cow. A public education, or what!
Actually, his loss to Mitchell doesn't concern me, I see it as a plus. Mitchell was the incumbent, even if appointed, and it was a D year in a D state, and he was a very good candidate. It was unlikely that he was going to win.
But the fact that he's run before means he knows how to campaign, has the connections, and knows what to expect in a statewide race.
Mills articles look decent, but his campaign website looks horrible, and he's also in his 60's, and voters don't often elect people to statewide offices, for the first time, much past 60. Also, he doesn't have as much experience with large campaigns.
Woodstock seems to me to be a 2nd teir candidate.
I think I'd support Emery from what I can tell from their websites. Although Mills seems decent, it seems to me Emery would be a stronger candidate in the general.
Yep. "Independents" never are.
I've been making up lists of the state legislatures over the last week, and have come across a number of "Independents" on the rosters of several. So far I'm up to Montana, and with only one exception, all of the "Independents" I've found caucus with the Democrats.
-Dan
However she does have the right kind of hair.
Well, she's following the lead of Texas' comptroller Carole Strayhorn and turning "independent."
"Not clear on one point, is she now a Republican, Independent or Green Party member?"
Or a RINO?
There's two types of Democrats who become Republicans. Converts and refugees. Sounds like she's more of the latter type. Ripe RINO material.
You beat me to it.
After the Dems lose in 06 look for the last "moderate" Democrats to begin defecting.
She's too good looking to be a 'rat anyway. They seem to have a monopoly on the ugly ones.
Re you #6 -
You might be referring to the absentee / contested ballot count I heard about from one who was there and wittnessed it, in which Brennan stole the election from Sally VamVakias in a special election and with it the Senate majority.
Not only were absentee ballots (coincidentally from Republicans, comparing the return addresses with Voter Registration lists - the Dems who control the recount would not allow them to be opened before destroying them )- mysteriously held up in the Portland Post Office and/or City Hall until after the polls closed, disqualifying them (some were postmarked a week or more prior to the elections, and USPS delivery time is about 2 days average), but contested ballots in BLUE ink for the Republican Candidate were tossed, while those made out in RED ink for Brennan counted.
Go figure...
Another Pub Candidate who had an election stolen from her "knows" confidently that some of the college students in the area were going around from poll to poll and voting as many as 35 times each. It is common for the socialist professors in these joints to gin their students up and organize such "get out the vote" efforts.
And since our AG is, of course, a Dem appointee, no one bothers to report these shenannigans, as it is pretty well understood that not only will they not be investigated or prosecuted, but the complainant will likely be in for some sort of nasty retaliation.
For instance;
People who make waves in Maine have been known to have their children forceably abducted by the Dept. of "Health and Human Services" and held incommunicado (even from attorneys and State Representatives who might inquire as to their well being) for months, regardless of any complaints or charges of abuse or neglect against the Parents.
They apparently don't need any, and the Courts rubber-stamp whatever the DHHS goons tell them to.
When and if the children are returned, they more often than not have been "medicated" / chemically lobotomized, and may never be the same again.
And in some cases, the kids are just never seen or heard from again.
In one case last year, a Mother who complained about having her children kidnapped (without charges) had her medication "mysteriously" cut off by Medicaid, and nearly died before a sympathetic Citizen found out about it and intervened.
The woman was recovering from cancer and was dependant on the medication - apparently she is still suffering from having it stopped months later.
Now who do you suppose was behind that "little oversight", hmmm?
Of course none dare call it "attempted murder"...
Not in this State, anyway.
Oh; wait;... I just did, didn't I?
But who gives a damn, really?
And this is the same beauraucracy that routinely "loses" around $165 Million annually, and not held to account for it. They claim that the "computer ate it", essentially.
"And this is going on in AMERICA??!!" you might ask...
Yup; right up here in the State of Maine.
Oh; BTW; Some concerned Citizen called Senator SNOWE's office to blow the whistle on this attrocious practice of the DHHS in tearing up Maine Families for fun and profit ... (yes; they "earn" $2 in matching Federal grant funds for every dollar the State spends for the "foster care" of kids in DHHS custody. It's a pretty lucrative business, the child slave trade, apparently).
...And THEY were promptly retaliated against by the Dept. of Hell and Human Sacrifice, too!
Most of you have no idea of what kind of a corrupt to the core syndicated racket we have running the State of Maine right now.
To the bloody core, I tell ya!
There are 73 Repubs in Maine?
see www.millsforgov.com
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