Baldacci hoping to broadcast budget tutorial on public access TV

Here's a great idea. So many people are complaing about the budget situation here in Maine, and i'm sure that most of them don't even understand the very basics of how a budget is put together and where the money goes. Gov. Baldacci has come up with a great idea, something that Bill Nemitz of the Portland Press Herald calls "Must see TV". I couldn't agree with him more. The goal of this program is to get more Mainers involved in the budget and to give them a true understanding of how it works. This is a win win situation for everyone.

Portland Press Herald / Mainetoday.com

Four years, ago, he introduced the "Budget Balancing Tool" on the state's Web site -- a high-tech opportunity for taxpayers to try their hand at balancing expenditures with revenues.
"Now," said Baldacci, " we're taking it up another step."
Granted, this baby is still "in development," as they say in TV land. But the goal is to produce a primer on the budget process and ship it out to public-access channels all over Maine in January.
That way, between grainy marathons showing your local town council or school board in action, you can sit back and let the governor walk you step-by-step through what most Mainers now call "that mess in Augusta."
Stifle that yawn. If you don't know the difference between "zero-based" and "baseline" budgeting, how can you possibly complain that state officials don't know what they're doing?
And if you're clueless about where the money's going -- 50 percent to education, 30 percent to health and human services and 20 percent to everything else -- where do you get off griping that your tax dollars are being wasted?
In other words, "The Budget Show" will be must-see TV.

Even Bill Becker, head of the Maine Heritage Policy Center sees this as a good idea. He of course has his take on how it shouldn't be an "informercial", but what do you expect.

Collins throws support behind Bush's OIRA candidate

Wow, you're such a moderate. You're proving it more and more everyday, like right now. You're throwing your support to the most anti-regulatory candidate to ever be nominated for director of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. She's got a great track record, take a look...

American Prospective

Susan Dudley has spent the last eight years as director of regulatory policy for the Mercatus Center, an industry-funded think tank. In those eight years, she has opposed regulations that would: lower the threshold for arsenic in drinking water; set more stringent fuel economy standards for automobiles; provide more information to communities on toxic releases; limit the use of snowmobiles in national parks; reduce pollution emissions from motor vehicles and heavy duty trucks; and set standards for advanced airbag technology in automobiles.

Now, Dudley may soon oversee the regulations she has spent her career criticizing. At the eve of the August congressional recess, the Bush administration announced its intention to nominate Dudley as the new regulatory czar.

If appointed, Dudley would become the new administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), a department within the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with enormous power over health, safety, and environmental regulations. Through an obscure executive order which has never been authorized by Congress, all federal regulations deemed economically or otherwise significant, as determined by OIRA, require the approval of the agency’s administrator. The appointment of Susan Dudley would thus put a leading anti-regulatory zealot in charge of regulation.

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In commenting on a proposed rule by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) limiting the number of hours that truck drivers can be on the road without rest, for instance, Dudley claimed that the Department of Transportation had failed to “present data to support its assertion that fatigue systematically contributes to highway fatalities.” (In the final regulation, the agency apparently took the suggestions of Dudley and her industry allies to heart, weakening the standard to actually allow truck drivers to spend more hours on the road.) Dudley also argued that the EPA did not have enough information on the health effects of regulating ozone to justify setting air quality standards. Regarding the EPA’s limit on arsenic in drinking water, Dudley maintained that, “though evidence from other countries supports an association between arsenic and certain forms of cancer, the effect of exposure to the low doses present in the U.S. water supply is very uncertain, and science alone cannot determine the appropriate level [of protection]."

Ironically, Dudley has also argued against possibly the cheapest kind of regulatory intervention -- the simple release of information. Dudley claimed that releasing more information on hazardous chemicals through the Toxic Release Inventory was not justified because more information is not necessarily socially valuable. (“Even if we determine that information on the release of certain chemicals has a net social value, we cannot assume that more frequently reported information, or information on a broader range of chemicals would be more valuable.”) Dudley opposed the release of information concerning the potential consequences of leaks from chemical or industrial facilities, claiming that information “is unlikely to be of any public value.”

Cue Ms. Collins

After the hearing Collins told the press she was leaning toward supporting the nominee and expected to bring it to a committee vote during the December lame duck session.

Thanks Ms. Collins for proving to us everyday that you care about the issues here in Maine. Did you know Maine has the highest asthma rate in the country, or that we're nicknamed "America's Tailpipe"? I'm sure you do. Your approval of this candidate shows your more aligned with President Bush and his agenda than Maine's agenda. Thanks a lot.

Cummings elected House Speaker

Mainetoday.com

AUGUSTA, Maine — Rep. Glenn Cummings of Portland, who served as the Democratic floor leader in the Maine House of Representatives during the past session, won a key vote Wednesday that virtually assures he will be the House speaker for the next two years.

By a unanimous vote, the newly elected Democratic representatives nominated Cummings as their choice for speaker when the full House selects a leader Dec. 6, the day the Legislature formally convenes for its 2007-08 session.

Because his party has a commanding 89-60 majority over the Republicans in the House, Cummings is assured of taking the speaker´s gavel. The 151-member House also has two independents.

The fourth-term lawmaker congratulated his fellow Democrats for their significant Election Day gains in the House, where they previously held 74 seats, and also thanked Democratic candidates who ran and lost.

"Looking out at 89 Democrats is really a dream come true," said Cummings.

Definately a dream come true. Now if only we could get a ratio like that in the US House, now that will be a real big dream come true.

Terrorists paid $2 million for release of Fox News journalists

World News Daily

JERUSALEM – Palestinian terror groups and security organizations in the Gaza Strip received $2 million from a U.S. source in exchange for the release of Fox News employees Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig, who were kidnapped here last summer, a senior leader of one of the groups suspected of the abductions told WND.

The terror leader, from the Gaza-based Popular Resistance Committees, said his organization's share of the money was used to purchase weapons, which he said would be utilized "to hit the Zionists."

He said he expects the payments for Centanni and Wiig's freedom will encourage Palestinian groups to carry out further kidnappings.

Though it doesn't exactly say in this article who paid the terror groups, it says it was a US source. It could be one of two things, someone from inside Fox News, or someone inside the government. If it was Fox News, thats treason, if it was the government...I don't even want to think about it.

Update: From wikipedia

'Section 948a of title 10 of the United States Code, as added by the Act, defines an "unlawful enemy combatant" as:

`(i) a person who has engaged in hostilities or who has purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its co-belligerents who is not a lawful enemy combatant (including a person who is part of the Taliban, al Qaeda, or associated forces)'

Fox News...enemy combatant?

Snowe defeated in school naming race

WGME 13

Olympia Snowe has never lost an election during her more than three decades in politics, but she finished a close second in balloting in Auburn to choose a name for the city's newest school.

The winner in Tuesday's voting by nearly 650 students and adult residents of Auburn was Park Avenue Elementary, with 189 votes. Olympia Snowe Elementary was second, with 175. The other choices were Brann's Hill Elementary and Ledgewood Elementary.

The Auburn School Committee is expected to approve the new name for the school that serves 330 pupils from kindergarten through sixth grade.

If only that were the general election...

Bush admin wants Plame civil suit dismissed

The Bush administration, led by the Justice Department, is asking for the CIA Leak case to be dismissed on grounds of immunity. It's no surprise to anyone that they are doing this, as the results of this case could be disastrous for the administration. This of course is not the Fitzgerald investigation, this is merely in regards to the civil suit that was filed by Valerie and Joe Wilson.

Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration asked a federal judge on Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former CIA officer Valerie Plame and her husband against Vice President Dick Cheney and others for alleged involvement in disclosing her employment as a clandestine CIA operative.

Cheney and the other high-level defendants in the lawsuit have valid claims of immunity because of their official positions, Justice Department lawyers said in their request to have the case thrown out.

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"The United States has a strong interest in ensuring that federal officials are appropriately protected from personal liability in lawsuits arising as a result of their official positions," the Justice Department said.

"The United States believes that... the individual federal defendants have valid claims of immunity," the document said. "The vice president possesses absolute immunity from civil damages claims in connection with acts taken within the scope of his office."

Here's the thing. I would agree with their point to an extent, if it wasn't for the fact that the name was disclosed for pure political reasons. In no way were the actions of officials in the administration taken in the interests of the country. They were merely in the interests of keeping Joe Wilson quiet. I'm hoping the Judge in this case realizes the sheer political nature of this leak and lets it continue on.

To everyone in the Bush adminstration: You had better get used to the fact of being investigated and have charges brought against you. You had your 6 years of no oversight, now it's our turn to clean this mess up.

A message to the Democrats in Augusta

It's time to fix our budget. We are the highest taxed state in the country and we have one of the lowest incomes in the country. It's time to take a step back and look at the big picture. Mainers have great confidence in the Democrats in Augusta to fix this problem. We voted no on TABOR, we voted for Baldacci, and we elected a Democratic majority. We want the Democrats in control. But you need to fix the budget, because things could get real dicey in 2008. TABOR carried 45% of the vote here in Maine. That shows you that people want our budget fixed. I'm calling on our state legislature to tackle this issue head on, in a non-partisan way.

Recount update

John McDonough (R-Scarborough) declared winner in District 128, and Peggy Pendleton (D-Scarborough) in District 127. 11 more races are scheduled for a recount in the next few weeks, according to Maine's Secretary of State.

MaineToday.com

AUGUSTA, Maine — Republican John McDonough and Democrat Peggy Pendleton were confirmed as the winners of two Maine House of Representatives seats following recounts of votes Tuesday for seats in Scarborough. The recount of ballots in District 127 showed McDonough the winner over Democrat Shawn Babine, who requested the recount. The recount showed McDonough won with 2,151 votes to 2,108 for Babine.

In the District 128 race, Pendleton remained the winner over Republican Sylvia Most by a margin of 2,079 to 2,053. Votes for Green Independent Leo Tallarico remained unchanged, with about 5 percent of the vote.

Recount

Looks like we won't know the exact makeup of the Maine House until a recount is finished...

Boston.com

AUGUSTA, Maine --Maine election officials have scheduled 13 recounts starting Tuesday in disputed elections for state House of Representatives seats.

More recounts could be added, officials in the Secretary of State's office said Monday. Also requested is a recount of votes in the Knox County commissioner election.
Tuesday's recounts are in House Districts 127 and 128, both of which cover the Scarborough area. In District 127, Republican John McDonough was the apparent Election Day winner over Democrat Shawn Babine.

A reminder

Susan Collins promised that she would serve only two terms. That's right, two terms. Her second term will end in 2008, and she has already planned on running in 2008. What does that make her? A liar. Ms. Collins, when you make a promise, please back it up.

MyDD

Susan Collins is very popular, but also pledged only to serve two-terms and it looks like she might retire, having only raised $400,000 for her reelection. If she runs again, she will be hard to beat, having a 69% approval rating, though attacking her for breaking her two-term pledge in a blue state like Maine could signal her defeat. If she decides not to run, it looks like Rep. Tom Allen, who has raised $440,000, could take this seat. Run, Allen, run!

Time for a change

This from WLBZ2 in Bangor

She wasn't up for re-election, but Maine Senator Susan Collins still took a hit last week. "I never anticipated we would lose control of the Senate." Collins told News Center. "I must say that was a real surprise to me."

Collins is now part of the congressional minority. Democrats recaptured control of both the United States Senate and House for the first time since 1994. Collins says she thinks voters got their point across."They want a different approach, they're tired of partisan gridlock." Collins said. "They're tired of people just trying to score political points, rather than getting things done."

You are right Ms. Collins. They do want a different approach. They are tired of partisan politics. They're tired of your rubberstamping. You have been scoring political points within your party all along with your huge rubberstamp. The people of this country have woken up, and they want change. And I believe Mainers want a change too, starting with you in 2008.

Opening day

Hello everyone. My name is Craig and I started this blog for one reason: To get Democrats elected in Maine. My main goal is to see Susan Collins defeated in 2008 by a Democratic candidate. I will use this as a platform to highlight Ms. Collin's work and voting record. I will use this platform to promote a Democratic candidate to run against her. I will also use this site to highlight the work our Democratic party is doing in Maine, from city councils all the way up to the Blaine House.

I am looking for contributors. If you would like to contribute to this site and it's goals, please feel free to leave a comment or email me craig.burnham AT gmail.com