tagged w/ Maine
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Well, not necessarily for everyone. It's not a presidential election year (obviously) and not a midterm election year for Congress, but yes there are a fair number of elections going on tomorrow. Lots of local races and a few bigger ones. Here are some of the highlights on the national stage:
NY-23: A little corner of New York state you've probably never heard of is attracting big attention for its special Congressional election. Why? First, because commentators think it could be a bellwether for the 2010 midterm elections. Second, because it suddenly got real crazy. There was a three-way race between a moderate GOP incumbent, a Democrat, and a Conservative Party candidate. Then suddenly Sarah Palin swooped in and endorsed the third party candidate, and it ignited a firestorm about tea party conservatives in the GOP. So much so that Dede Scozzafava, the GOP candidate, dropped out. What does it mean? What does it meeeeean? We'll let the politico-blogo-sphere sort it all out after we get the results.
New York City Mayor: New York is voting on their mayor. Incumbent mayor Michael Bloomberg had the law changed so he could run for a third term, and seems to be strongly in the lead. Except Gawker anti-endorsed him. (Ouch).
Maine on Gay Marriage: Last May, Maine's legislators legalized same sex marriage. Now its voters will decide whether or not to repeal it. Boy wonder statistician Nate Silver gives the vote to repeal "5-to-2 underdog" odds.
New Jersey's Governor: Why should you care about who's governor of the Garden State? Well according to the AP: it's "...a campaign being billed as a vote on President Barack Obama's popularity." Democratic governor Jon Corzine is fighting to keep his seat as his Republican opponent has fared well in the polls. Will a GOP win foretell doom for Obama's efforts? Again, we'll let the politico-blogo-sphere sort it all out after we get the results.
What else is going out there? Here in San Francisco we're having a municipal election with two uncontested candidates and a few local propositions.
How about where you live? Any local races out there that could be resonant to the rest of the country?
From the News Blog: http://blogs.current.com/news/2009/11/02/tomorrow-is-election-day/
Image from Gawker: http://gawker.com/5395311/gawker-endorsement-dont-vote-for-bloombergWell, not necessarily for everyone. It's not a presidential election year... more
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So if you're a loyal Democrat, you're probably all riled up about the health insurance reform going on in congress. You're probably anxious for Congress to get something, ANYTHING passed. Not so fast there buddy. Health insurance reform, even if it's done by Democrats could end up making things WORSE, not better.
"What? How could this possibly be?" you might ask. Well...
It's old news by now that insurance giant Wellpoint, owner of Maine's Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, is suing the State of Maine, to increase their profits. But you may not know the entire backstory: Anthem Blue Cross, in anticipation of the individual mandate for health insurance, has jacked up their rates 18% from what they were previously, jacking many people's rates through the roof.
What may surprise you if you're not paying close attention, is that the Health Insurance industry is actually in favor of health insurance "reform." How could this be? Did they suddenly grow a concience, and decide that letting people die to increase their profit margin was wrong? Are they crying out to Big Government to regulate them like Sinners calling out to Jesus? "Please, Government! Save us from our own wicked nature!"
Not a chance in Hell.
It's no surprise that Wellpoint has run television ads in favor of the health insurance "reform" being pushed by Democrats in Congress. If the individual mandate becomes a final part of the bill, whether you can afford to or not, we will all end up having to pay these new increased rates, or face federal fines of up to three thousand dollars, depending on which version of the individual mandate ends up in the final bill.
Maine's state government has the power to regulate insurance rates. In light of this 18% increase, the State of Maine stepped in, and reduced the increase from 18% to 11%. So people's rate are still going up, and health insurance is still becoming less affordable. But that wasn't enough for the private insurance giant.
Last year Wellpoint made $2 billion in profits. In Maine alone, they've paid out over one million dollars in CEO bonuses. Rather than cut CEO bonuses to reduce their overhead, they are increasing their rates. Let's call a spade a spade. Wellpoint is essentially suing to ensure not their profit margin, but their CEO bonus margin.
[full article at link]So if you're a loyal Democrat, you're probably all riled up about the health... more
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asherp
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2 years ago
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Next week, the voters of Maine will decide whether to overturn Governor John Baldacci's legislation which allows same-sex couples to legally marry.
Here's an excerpt:
"Baldacci, who originally opposed the legislation, said upholding the bill comes down to a fundamental understanding of equal protection and constitutional responsibility.
"Initially, I had the opinion for several years that civil unions were the limitations of what I was willing to support," Baldacci said. "But, the research that I did uncovered that a civil union didn't equal a civil marriage."
On May 6 when Baldacci signed the legislation, he did so knowing there was a possibility that voters could overturn it.
"Just as the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in the state belongs to the people," Baldacci said in a statement released as he signed the bill.
On September 2, opposition groups delivered the 55,087 signatures necessary to put the legislation to a vote on the November 3 ballot.
California's state Supreme Court issued a similar ruling in May 2008 after which some 18,000 gay and lesbian couples got married there. But in November 2008, California voters approved Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to ban gay marriage.
If the legislation is upheld, Maine would join Massachusetts, Vermont, Iowa, Connecticut and New Hampshire in allowing same-sex marriage.
Chris Potholm, a professor of government at Bowdoin College and a Maine resident, said the spotlight is now on Maine because of the defeated bill in California.
"I think this is a nationwide effort to get the gay marriage agenda back on track -- not just in Maine, but in terms of the whole country," Potholm said.
But the leading opposition group, Stand for Marriage Maine, says accepting the legislation would strip the meaning and tradition out of marriage.
"Question one on the ballot offers Mainers a choice, and the choice is whether to keep marriage legally defined ... or to take that definition and replace it with a radical definition," said Stand for Marriage Maine communications director Scott Fish.
....Both campaigns have waged a ground war, airing television ads, handing out pamphlets, canvassing door to door and running phone banks.
Like Baldacci, No on 1 says the bill is a true testament to Maine values.
"[Citizens] don't believe in a separate set of laws for a separate set of people," said Mark Sullivan, the organization's communications director. "When you try separate, it's never equal.""
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Read article for more. Share your thoughts on same-sex marriage issue that continues to be fought in America.Next week, the voters of Maine will decide whether to overturn Governor John... more
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According to victims of prosecutions in Maine’s Bar Harbor region, what is taking place is a modern day Witch Hunt. Court documents suggest that numerous men are currently facing charges of sexual misconduct in a small county of little more than 50,000 people. At the center of these prosecutions is a 44 year old Assistant District Attorney Mary N. Kellett, who has a reputation for prosecuting men on questionable evidence and questionable probable cause. As in the Salem Witch Trials, these prosecutions are often based solely on accusations with no physical or corroborating evidence.
The public’s notions that prosecutors are faithful guardians of civil rights and conservative discretion prove to be false in Hancock County. In practice, the prosecutor’s credibility is publicly re-enforced solely through wide publicity of rare convictions. The line between justifiable and unjustifiable prosecutions of men is blurred by selective media coverage.
The prosecutors like Mary Kellett act with full immunity for their actions against men.
And it’s not just for alleged sex crimes for which men are systematically punished by the District Attorneys office in Hancock County. Men in the community have been criminally charged for such alleged crimes as splashing water on their wives, spitting, for “terrorism” due to offensive song lyrics, visual aggression, and for what often can be viewed as any action against a female. But at least those “crimes” don’t carry the stigma and a 30 year prison sentence which comes with each class “A” gross sexual assault charge, which is a frequent charge against men in Hancock County, and one of the easiest and most profitable for a prosecutor to undertake.
One Bangor television station aired an interview with a local rape crisis center official who stated that even if a woman falsely accuses a man of rape, it is most important for law enforcement to believe the woman, act on her report, and do exactly what she wants them to do. This implies that arresting, charging, and publicly prosecuting innocent men is less harmful than for authorities to question the words and motives of a woman making the accusations. This appears to be the policy adopted in the Bar Harbor region of Maine.
Crime statistics for the region have consistently shown a low rape rate, yet not long after becoming a prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Mary Kellett offered her own statistic of the Bar Harbor region. Speaking to a local newspaper she stated that it could be difficult to find jurors in the area for sex cases because many people have been victims of sex offenses or have been accused of committing them.
Prior to being arrested and charged for his wife’s accusations, Filler sought help from a local domestic violence organization which turned him away and chose to give assistance to his abusive wife instead. Filler sought a protection order from court and his wife decided to drop the “nuclear bomb” of divorce and custody battles. She accused Filler of abuse, child molestations, and spousal rape. She demanded immediate custody of their children. A video about the events appeared on YouTube.
So powerful is the myth against men, that despite difficult fiscal and economic times, the flow of funding to the domestic violence industry continues to be strong, as does the prosecution of men. The message of the rhetoric being sent to the girls in Maine is “blame the boys for everything and the State will do the rest”, so maybe the message to the boys in Maine should now be “God help you”.
--More at the linkAccording to victims of prosecutions in Maine’s Bar Harbor region, what is... more
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President Barack Obama is actively discouraging Senate Democrats in their effort to include a public insurance option with a state opt-out clause as part of health care reform. In its place, say multiple Democratic sources, Obama has indicated a preference for an alternative policy, favored by the insurance industry, which would see a public plan "triggered" into effect in the future by a failure of the industry to meet certain benchmarks.
The administration retreat runs counter to the letter and the spirit of Obama's presidential campaign. The man who ran on the "Audacity of Hope" has now taken a more conservative stand than Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), leaving progressives with a mix of confusion and outrage. Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill have battled conservatives in their own party in an effort to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. Now tantalizingly close, they are calling for Obama to step up.
"The leadership understands that this is a somewhat risky strategy, but we may be within striking distance. A signal from the president could be enough to put us over the top," said one Senate Democratic leadership aide. Such pleading is exceedingly rare on Capitol Hill and comes only after Senate leaders exhausted every effort to encourage Obama to engage.
(Continued at Link)President Barack Obama is actively discouraging Senate Democrats in their effort to... more
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Chique
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2 years ago
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Philip Spooner, an 86 year old veteran and life long republican gives his point of view for Maine's marriage equality bill on April 22, 2009. Nearly 4,000 people attended the hearing, with marriage equality supporters out-numbering the opposition 4 to 1.
Every person is equal and dissevers the same rights.Philip Spooner, an 86 year old veteran and life long republican gives his point of... more
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Philip Spooner is a lifetime Republican, World War II veteran and, to everyone's surprise, a gay marriage supporter. The 86-year-old gave a heartfelt speech in support of gay marriage to Maine's Judiciary Committee back in April, and the video has just now become an internet hit.
Spooner's voice wavers often as he weaves his own life story into the speech, using his experience as a soldier as his main defense for gay marriage. He lists his accomplishments in the war, among them serving in Patton's Third Army and carrying POWs back home, making it clear that he's a true American -- and according to Spooner, there's nothing more American than fighting for equality.
I am here today because of a conversation I had last June when I was voting. A woman at my polling place asked me, "Do you believe in equal, equality for gay and lesbian people?" I was pretty surprised to be asked a question like that. It made no sense to me. Finally I asked her, "What do you think our boys fought for at Omaha Beach?" I haven't seen much, so much blood and guts, so much suffering, much sacrifice. For what? For freedom and equality. These are the values that give America a great nation, one worth dying for.Philip Spooner is a lifetime Republican, World War II veteran and, to everyone's... more
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In this episode: Whining, Random Musical Interludes, Dead Bears at Day Care, Racism, Srsly WTF Lousiana, Gay Marriage, The Sorry State of Journalism, Shamless plug for T-Shirt Sales, Crackling Audio ProblemsIn this episode: Whining, Random Musical Interludes, Dead Bears at Day Care, Racism,... more
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asherp
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Gouldsboro, Maine — Nathaniel Church, 19, was arrested Oct. 11 on charges of domestic assault and disorderly conduct, police said.
Police said a family member called to complain that Church was threatening to kill his dog, a pit bull that the caller said was very aggressive and had bitten Church the week before.
The caller told police Church was screaming, “Where’s my machete so I can kill the dog.”Gouldsboro, Maine — Nathaniel Church, 19, was arrested Oct. 11 on charges of... more
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An initiative to repeal existing gay marriage rights in Maine, called Question 1, is headed for a vote soon, and Rachel Maddow takes a look at how tactics employed successfully by gay marriage opponents in California during the Prop 8 battle are being imported wholesale into Maine.
The same people who were hired to help pass Prop 8, Schubert Flint Public Affairs, are now running the anti-gay marriage campaign in Maine, and they are running basically identical commercials.
Maddow interviews Jesse Connolly, campaign manager for "No on 1 Protect Marriage Equality", about the fight to preserve marriage equality in Maine.
**CLICK LINK FOR VIDEO**An initiative to repeal existing gay marriage rights in Maine, called Question 1, is... more
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Opponents to equality violated all of NPRs terms of use according to a cease and disist order sent by NPR to the Yes on 1 campaign in Maine.
“NPR did not license use of this story or its content, and would certainly not have licensed or permitted it if we had been asked,” Rehm said in a statement. “NPR is a highly respected news organization and does not allow its content to be used by political or advocacy groups. Such use is harmful to the integrity and independence of NPR. NPR does allow – even encourage -- personal, non-commercial use of our content, so long as it is not modified, and not used in a manner that suggests NPR promotes or endorses a cause, idea, Web site, product or service. The use made by Stand for Marriage Maine violated all of these terms.”
Content was used in Stand for Marriage Maine's latest television commercial which began airing October 16. The ad is no longer available online or on television.Opponents to equality violated all of NPRs terms of use according to a cease and... more
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Last week the Maine legislature approved a bill for consideration that would mandate warning labels on cell phones directed at children and pregnant women.
From the National Cancer Institute Fact sheet:
"Why is there concern that cellular telephones may cause cancer?
There are three main reasons why people are concerned that cellular telephones (also known as "wireless" or "mobile" telephones) may cause certain types of cancer:
Cellular telephones emit radiofrequency (RF) energy (radio waves), which is a form of radiation that is under investigation for its effects on the human body (1).
Cellular telephone technology emerged in Europe in the 1980s but did not come into widespread use in the United States until the 1990s. The technology is rapidly changing, so there are few long-term studies of the effects of RF energy from cellular telephones on the human body (1).
The number of cellular telephone users has increased rapidly. As of December 2008, there were more than 270 million subscribers to cellular telephone service in the United States, according to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association. This is an increase from 110 million users in 2000 and 208 million users in 2005."
We have reached a point where you cannot hide from cell phones. Even if you don't use one, you may be on the train with 20 people who use them. You may be in an apartment building where everyone uses a cell phone. There is no sheild you could use to protect yourself from this type of radiation. It seems like we are conducting a mass human experiment on the effect of radiation from cell phones on the brain, only there is no control group. The 'everybody's doing it" excuse sounds as lame to this phenomenon as it does to the jumping off the bridge scenario.Last week the Maine legislature approved a bill for consideration that would mandate... more
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On our trip through Maine, one of our most exciting destinations was the Common Ground Country Fair, a super eco-friendly event which is run by the Maine Organic Farmers Association (MOFGA), THE oldest organic organization in the country! It was a great place to check out the area's local food, crafts and some delicious fried seafood...
READ MORE here: http://www.organicnation.tv/blog/seafood-iiamas-compost-sampling-local-flavor-at-the-common-g.htmlOn our trip through Maine, one of our most exciting destinations was the Common Ground... more
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While in Portland, the OrganicNation.tv crew got a chance to talk with Maine native Alex Steed about the food culture in the area. Alex explained that "local" actually trumps "organic" in the region, because people want to support their neighbors and the producers in their area, and because so much great food is produced in Maine.
Portland is known for its excellent seafood (particularly lobster), maple syrup, cheese, apples, blueberries and flatbread, among others.While in Portland, the OrganicNation.tv crew got a chance to talk with Maine native... more
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Clawing for answers about sustaining both lobsters and lobstermen.
What could be more simple than fishing? You catch what nature provides, and toss back what you don’t need. At least that’s the way it was until every 7-Eleven and gas station mini-mart started selling spicy tuna rolls, and scientists observed that the oceans were overfished and gutted of our favorite species. Now, a trip to the fish counter at the supermarket is riddled with complexity...
READ MORE here: http://www.good.is/post/reconsider-the-lobster/Clawing for answers about sustaining both lobsters and lobstermen.
What could be... more
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Olympia Snowe of Maine displayed the power of a rational mind applied to the making of a difficult decision.Olympia Snowe of Maine displayed the power of a rational mind applied to the making of... more
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A teenager from Pelham, N.H., is believed to be the first driver charged by local police under the state's new "distracted driver" law, after she allegedly drove her vehicle into a utility pole Sunday afternoon, snapping it in two.
Kittery Sgt. Charles Denault said, when officers looked inside the car, they found a cell phone on the floor, open and in text message mode. Jessica Jones, 19, later admitted she was texting at the time of the accident, police said.A teenager from Pelham, N.H., is believed to be the first driver charged by local... more
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[Video at link (won't embed here at current)]
Anthem sues the state of Maine to hike up rates.
Private Insurance SUCKS.
Single Payer is the only solution that makes any %$^& sense.[Video at link (won't embed here at current)]
Anthem sues the state of Maine... more
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asherp
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2 years ago
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Netting $2.5 billion in profits last year wasn't enough for WellPoint, the nation's largest insurance company.
Now, WellPoint's affiliate, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is suing the state of Maine for refusing to guarantee it a profit margin in the midst of a painful recession.
Forward this video to a friend in Maine! Or anywhere else!Netting $2.5 billion in profits last year wasn't enough for WellPoint, the... more
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asherp
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