Maine gov apologizes for 'Gestapo' remark

news8000.com/cnn ^ | July 9, 2012 | CNN Political Unit

[Free ThinkerNY]

(CNN) - Maine Gov. Paul LePage apologized Monday for referring to the Internal Revenue Service as the "Gestapo" in his weekly radio address over the weekend.

"It was not my intent to insult anyone, especially the Jewish Community, or minimize the fact that millions of people were murdered," the Republican governor said in a statement.

In a speech Saturday blasting the Supreme Court's recent decision to uphold President Barack Obama's health care reform, LePage directly addressed the high court's ruling of the law's penalty as a "tax."

He argued that Congress could now use its taxation power to "compel behavior or lack thereof," and asked what the government would do next: "More taxes if we don't drive Toyota Priuses or if we eat too much junk food or maybe even pea soup?"

He continued: "This decision has made America less free. We the people have been told there is no choice. You must buy health insurance or pay the new Gestapo -- the I.R.S."

[Darteaus94025]

Didn’t the IRS take it as a compliment to their new efficiency though?

[Las Vegas Ron]

Bwaaahahaha....priceles pic!

"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act".

~Orwell

[Little Bill]

He got his point across, What has been said cannot be unsaid, the apology was flack catching.

[Little Bill]

He got his point across, What has been said cannot be unsaid, the appoligy was flack catching.

[Charles Martel]

Didn’t the IRS take it as a compliment to their new efficiency though?

It wouldn't surprise me one bit. I'll bet they're even hoping for some snappy new uniforms to go along with their updated reputation.

[samtheman]

Good points.

And another point is that the NAZIs didn’t start out transporting Jews to gas chambers. They started out with a whole host of minor oppressive laws that only later culminated in the Holocaust.

The whole point of “never again” is to never again sit with your thumb up your ass while an oppressive government turns you into a herd animal headed for a slaughter house.

To apologize for his originally insightful Gestapo remark is to show an ignorance of history that is truly breathtaking.

[sunny48]

No apology needed. Quit being a wuss.

[SoFloFreeper]

Never never never never never never never do the Obamaphiles apologize.

Never.

Screw the PC crowd. Everyone KNEW what you were referring to, governor.

Sarah Palin and Michele Bachman seem to be the only Republicans with BALLS.

[Casie]

Exactly!

Here, lets pretend he has a backbone and write a response for him.

"I said it and I meant it! Granting the IRS the power to garner wages, seize property, fine and imprison people as a penalty for not following any arbitrary presidential mandate that comes down the line is certainly guaranteed to promote Gestapo like behavior from both the IRS and the government officials controlling it. The potential for abuse is staggering. Innocent freedom loving American families are being attacked."

There! Thats what I imagine a real red-blooded American would say.

[samtheman]

Excellent response! Absolutely excellent! And 1000% true.

But if there are 10 elected Republicans, in our entire Republic, with the spine to speak such simple and obvious truth, I would be grateful... and greatly surprised.

[grumpygresh]

Why not a non apology apology? He should have said that he apologizes to anyone that was offended except for IRS and those that support the IRS.

[montag813]

Let me guess...that fat left-wing gasbag Abe Foxman complained, right?

[justa-hairyape]

Judging by the reactionary response from the left, you would think no one ever used the Gestapo comparison before.

Swiss apologise after comparing German tax probe to Gestapo

The Swiss banking association was forced to apologise last night for remarks by its chairman that the activities of Germany's BND intelligence agency in a nationwide crackdown on tax evaders were reminiscent of the Gestapo.

In a statement issued last night, the Swiss banking association said Pierre Mirabaud, its president, "regretted the impression that could have been conveyed when he talked about Gestapo methods in relation to the German intelligence service".

Gillard’s Tax Office Gestapo Hangs Small Business out to Dry

Driscoll – “Australia’s taxation system is currently ranked extremely poorly by World Bank/Pricewaterhouse Coopers rankings yet Gillard’s Gestapo wants to hang small business”.

The United Retail Federation, a peak national industry body representing retailers and small business across Australia, has condemned the approach of the Australian Taxation Office in ramping up ‘public hangings’ on small business cash transactions labelling them “the hypocritical Gillard Gestapo”

[grobdriver]

Maine Gov. Paul LePage apologized Monday for referring to the Internal Revenue Service as the "Gestapo"

How does this "insult" anyone (other than the IRS - who richly deserve it)?

The man speaks the truth.

[Pollster1]

"We have ways of making you apologize!"

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

I live in Maine and Gov. Paul LePage is no RINO. He is actually one of the most conservative governors in the U.S......he’s rough around the edges, but that’s part of his appeal.

Part of his “apology” reads as follows....

“Clearly, what has happened is that the use of the word Gestapo has clouded my message,” he said, saying the health care law “rations” care and could “negatively impact millions of Americans.”

“We are no longer a free people. With every step that Obamacare moves forward, our individual freedoms are being stripped away by the Federal Government. This should anger all Americans,” he said.

By the way, two days after he took office in January, 2011, LePage ended Maine’s status as a sanctuary state for illegal aliens. Gov. LePage also ordered the removal of a multi-paneled mural in the headquarters of Maine’s state Dept. of Labor in Augusta, saying the mural was too pro-union and didn’t show the contributions made to Maine by business.

As mayor of Waterville, Maine, LePage attended a local breakfast every year on Martin Luther King Day. When activists demanded LePage attend another Martin Luther King breakfast in a larger city, LePage told them to “kiss my ass.” He and the GOP members of the Maine Senate and Maine House have cut income taxes by a substantial amount.

The libs in Maine absolutely hate this guy with a passion.....he drives them up the wall. That makes him OK in my book. He pisses off all the right people.