A couple of days ago my wife received a mailing from the Democrat Party that explained to her the evils of supporting a Republican in the November elections. My wife is an Independent which should tell you she's not enrolled in either party. The mailing she received severely attacked the Maine House member in the district in which we live.
I read the propaganda; she did not.
Naturally, my version of the truth and that of the democrats doesn't exactly coincide. I wasn't targeted, at least to receive that mailing, but I was turned against the democrats even more than I was a few years ago when a prominent state senator stood on my back porch and outright lied to me about what he would do if elected. I'm sorry but I'm glad he finally termed out.
I had a short discussion with my state House representative, the one targeted in the mailing, during the caucus season earlier this year. I was disappointed at one of her votes to support a measure I opposed and told her then I couldn't sign her re-election petition. I thought about the accomplishments of the Legislature and, although I still think that one vote was unfair, realized she was supportive of the agenda to improve our state.
Before the caucus ended, I found her and signed her petition. I'll gladly vote for her again in November and, while I'm here, also tell you I'll gladly vote for the Republican candidate to replace that Democrat who is termed out. I had already signed my future state senator's petition.
Over the weekend I received an e-mail from the Maine Republican Party whose version of the truth naturally is much closer to mine. But the e-mail takes many of the Dem's arguments point by point and tells us exactly what the accomplishments of the last Legislature to start -- note, start --- the process of making Maine once again an affordable and great place in which to live.
One of the claims by democrats that the e-mail rebutted concerned taxes. The Dems tell us that the republican controlled Legislature has increased the taxes on most of us and cut the taxes of the richest 10 percent. Simply 't'ain't so. Actually, according to the e-mail, everyone will be paying less taxes due to a cut in the tax rate, That cut will, however, result in a net 2% increase for those "rich."
Since the rate changes will give all of us a tax break, even take several thousand currently paying income tax off the rolls, the truth is the result lowers just about everyone's income taxes in Maine. Unfortunately, from my point of view, the Legislature, trying to appease democrat concerns, had the tax reductions phased in rather than taking place immediately. Therefore, we haven't seen too much tax relief yet, but it'll be here by 2015.
The e-mail also debunked other aspects of the dems' claims in their mailer including health care reforms, clean election reforms, reforms in state issued prescription drugs, and Head Start (a federal education program for pre-schoolers).
The e-mail asks us to forward it so I wanted to include a link to it here, but that link which worked directly from the e-mail just fine wouldn't let me make it work here. A "Forward this e-mail" link at the end of the message wanted it forwarded through the Republican Party so about all I'll do here is suggest you try mainegop.com and see if they have a rebuttal there.
I'd suggest, as I often do, not to simply believe mailings but to get the factual information yourself to make an informed decision. I think I'd say the same thing about robocalls, too, but I don't know what they say. I follow the advice in today's Press Herald to just hang up, which I've been doing for years, when I get a robocall.
A couple of weeks ago I said I thought this might be a long season for my Florida Gators football team. Now, a couple of weeks later, I'm changing my mind as the last two wins (They're 3-0 so far this season.) have given me hope for at least a successful year.
Dave
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