[SheLion]

So, now even the MILITARY ID isn't good in the Republic of Maine..........

[SheLion]

Oh! But the Republic of Maine taxes my husbands military retirement! They sure know when to GRAB THOSE TAXES, though, don't they!

[LibKill]

As my old drill instructors used to say, "That's mighty effing humble!".

Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to those who put their lives on the line for us.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Hmmm... Not accepting military ID... Have your son spread the word on base, or contact someone in authority at the local baseand watch how fast that jerk's business is put on the 'Do not patronize' list... Then we'll see how long that store's policy lasts...

[jimtorr]

I see a lot of ID cards, picture ID is required where I work. I wonder if he had one of the new military ID cards? The ones with the computer chip? I saw one for the first time a few weeks ago, and it does look odd, like it's fake.

[rustbucket]

How old does one have to be to purchase cigarettes in Maine? 18? 21? Never having smoked, I don't know the answer.

Are the military IDs easy to fake? Do they have no picture? Or is it just anti-military prejudice on the part of the store owner?

[doug from upland]

Maybe he could get an ID from Mexico. Apparently in our insanity, those are going to be okay.

[Great Dane]

Bastids.

[Illbay]

Is it possible that this guy is just kinda slow, and didn't recognize the thing, so he thought "maybe this is a sting"?

Without knowing the facts, I'd be slow to be incensed by this. It's not like he was asking for medical treatment, for goodness' sake.

[vannrox]

Have you contacted the representatives and Senators in Maine?

Senator Susan Collins


Web Page: www.senate.gov/~collins/
E-mail:  Senator@collins.senate.gov

Washington Address:

The Honorable Susan Collins
United States Senate
172 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.  20510-1903
202-224-2523


Maine Address:

1 City Center
Portland, Maine  04101
207-780-3575

202 Harlow Street
Bangor, Maine  04401
207-945-0417

Senator Olympia Snowe


Web Page: www.senate.gov/~snowe/
E-mail: Olympia@snowe.senate.gov

Washington Address:

The Honorable Olympia Snowe
United States Senate
250 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.  20510-1903

Maine Address:

3 Canal Plaza
Portland, Maine  04101
207-874-0883

In Maine Dial Toll Free:
1-800-432-1599

1 Cumberland Place
Bangor, Maine  04401
207-945-0432

First District Congressman Tom Allen


Web Page:  www.house.gov/allen
E-mail:  TBA

Washington Address:

The Honorable Thomas Allen
United States House of Representatives
1630 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C.  20515
Phone:  202-225-6116
Fax:  202-225-5590

Maine Address:

234 Oxford Street
Portland, Maine  04101
207-774-5019
Fax:  207-871-0720

Second District Congressman John Baldacci


Web Page:  www.house.gov/baldacci
E-mail:  baldacci@hr.house.gov

Washington Address:

The Honorable John Baldacci
United States House of Representatives
1740 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C.  20515-1902
202-225-6306

Maine Address:

157 Main Street
Lewiston, Maine  04240
207-782-3704
Fax:  207-782-5330

P.O. Box 858
Bangor, Maine  04402-0858
207-942-5907

445 Main Street
Presque Isle, Maine  04769
207-764-1036
Fax:  207-764-1060

500 Main Street
Madawaska, Maine  04756
207-728-6160
( Open Tuesdays and Fridays )

Contacting your State Representative or State Senator


Complete information about contacting your State Representative may be found at:

www.state.me.us/legis/house/reps.htm

Complete information about contacting your State Senator may be found at:

www.state.me.us/legis/senate/senators/senators.htm

Here, you may also find information about your Senator's or Representative's voting record.  When the Legislature is in session, two toll free numbers permit you to leave messages for Senators and Representatives.  After hours, these numbers connect to answering machines.  When talking to the machine, be sure to give your name, the town/city where you live, who the message is for, and your opinion on a particular issue.  Please be as brief as possible; the machine quits taking messages when the tape is full.  Give other people a chance to express their views!

The Toll - Free Numbers are:

Senate -  1 - 800 - 423 - 6900

House of Reps -  1 - 800 - 423 - 2900

For persons with disabilities, the House TTY number is:

207 - 287 - 4469

Senate TTY number is:

207 - 287 - 1583

[Texas Mom]

How old do you have to be to buy tobacco in Maine? I think here it's 21. The owner could have been referring to his age rather then his military ID.. I was in a tobacco store here and a mother and her 15 year old daughter came in the store. The owner told the mother her daughter would have to leave. The mother looked surprised ( so did I) and asked, even if I'm here? The owner told her yes, if the anti tobacco folks walked in they could shut him down.

We have one restaurant that added a whole different area on a restaurant so he could have a smoking section. I know even with a parents permission kids can't go in that section.

[verity]

Donna George should buy her cigars elsewhere!

[Tacis]

Perfect example of something I've urged before. Next time your son-in-law is in Los Angeles, have him stop at the Mexican Counsulate there and pay the $20 bucks at a nearby stand to get the necessary documents and then, pay the Mexican government official the $10 bribe necessary to get one of those ID cards that illegal aliens are using . I guarantee that places in Maine and all over the country will accept this ID card, especially in states held captive by the extreme leftists. To the ultra-liberal, crypto communists in this country, an ID card issued by the Mexican goberment is worth a lot more than a US military ID card.

[He Rides A White Horse]

I never had trouble showing my military ID; it was as widely accepted as a VISA card fer cryin' out loud. This shop owner has ulterior motives.

[who knows what evil?]

As a former resident, I can tell you that Bangor is "Democrat Central"; from rabid anti-conservative Stephen King right on down...

[Bob]

The Maine Smoke Shop is listed as having "protections/assurances" from the VRAP program (whatever that is) by Maine's Department of Environmental Protection.

Its address is listed as 123 College Avenue in Waterville.

[MississippiMan]

Before you crucify them, be sure this is their fault. Sometimes governments impose ludicrous restrictions on what qualifies as a "valid" ID. I know this from firsthand experience; there are ID-requiring businesses in MS, for example, that can only accept a driver's license or a state-issued ID that comes from the driver's license bureau. A military ID will not suffice. I don't know that this is the case in this particular situation, but you might want to check the facts just to be sure before going off on a tangent.

MM

[pabianice]

The airline at Boston Logan Airport refused to accept as proof of identity my Navy ID last time I flew from there.

[gorush]

They're lucky that they don't live in Madison, Wisconsin...he'd have been imprisoned as a subversive. :{)

[Just another Joe]

As a former member of the military, a smoker, and a citizen of the United States of America I will tell you that whether this is state of Maine regulation or a guideline from the owner I am INCENSED.
The men and women of the military deserve more respect than this for many reasons.
If it is found out that this is a guideline from the owner I think that a mass freeping of this store is in order. Letters, e-mails, phone calls, the whole works.
This is NOT about a 19 year trying to buy tobacco. This is about a US MILITARY ID not being taken as proof that this citizen is who they state they are.

[carpio]

I am a 100% service connected disabled Viet Nam veteran. For medical reasons I receive health care not at VA facilities but through "Fee for Services" payment by the VA to varius outside care givers.

I carry a "Fee Basis" card from the VA that is used like normal people would use an insurance card. The care givers swipe my card, bill the VA and in most cases are paid more quickly and with less paper work than they would be if dealing with an actual insurance company or HMO.

If you are angry about being delayed in getting a pack of smokes you should see what I have to go through to get health care.

Typically when I have to go to a new Doctor they initially refuse to honor my card. Then it takes me days or weeks to find a Doctor of the same specialty who will accept payment from the VA. Or to hammer out the details of the transaction with the original Doctors office staff.

Almost every medical facility I have every used has originally tried to convince me to go elsewhere before they agreed to treat me. I am treated like a mooch who is looking for free care and get talked to that way frequently in crowded medical waiting rooms.

Finding a Dentist or a place to get eye glasses that will even discuss this manner of payment with me is a major challenge. I am grateful for the VA care. I am grateful that the VA recognizes my special needs and allows me to be treated outside the VA medical system.

I am not grateful for the "Tommy this and Tommy that" bums rush I get at the various Doctor's Offices. The most frustrating part of this often repeated ordeal is that once I am able to convince a Doctor's paper shufflers to "Fool with a Disabled vet" they truly do get paid higher fee's at a faster rate than they would with an insurance company or HMO.

I guarantee you that it is much more inconvienient and humiliating to be turned away from a medical specialist's office because they do not want to "Fool around with the bother" of billing the VA to treat a 100% Service Connected veteran. But you learn to live with these little slights in modern America.

OK. Now I am prepared to be flamed for sucking free medical care off of the Tax Payers. Flame away!!