Tag Archives: Welfare reform
Democrats propose welfare reform, but are they serious?
What 8 citizen initiatives could bring to the ballot in 2016
With the 2015 election in the rearview mirror, it is time to look ahead to 2016: Not to the presidential election or the congressional races, but to what referendum issues might be lurking on the ballot for Mainers to decide. 2015 was, in fact, not only an off-year election, but an odd one at that. […]
How the GOP can show it’s the party of opportunity
With the Republican presidential field — or two candidates, at least — touching down in Maine this week, it’s worth taking a moment to re-examine the difference between the two major parties, and what it really means to be a Republican. A central problem the GOP has faced on both a national basis and, all […]
Democrats slay welfare reform under cover of darkness
On Monday night, Augusta Democrats — desperate to kill off as many good ideas to save taxpayers money as they could before session ended — held a series of debates and votes on welfare reform initiatives. Last year, welfare reform proved to be a crucial issue for Republicans across the state. GOP candidates, from Gov. […]
Maine’s party differences as clear as ever: GOP wants reform, Dems say no
Despite the odd dynamics of the debate, the showdown over the state budget has managed to expose some real differences between Democrats and Republicans. Setting aside the complexities of the intra-party skirmish for the moment, all elements of the Maine GOP have come together on a number of goals: they just disagree on the details […]
If the GOP truly embraces small government, it can win
In Augusta and Washington in recent days, we have seen leaders of what is supposed to be the party of small government fail to fight for that philosophy. Though the debates were on very distinct issues, they both featured at least part of the Republican Party’s leadership defending big government, rather than fiercely fighting to reduce […]
Opening Day offers clues to rest of session
The Opening Day of the 127th Maine Legislature has come and gone. Unlike many of its predecessors, it was not one solely composed of pomp and circumstance. Instead, Wednesday gave us insight — a sneak preview, if you will — of how much of the session will proceed. A new era of divided government has […]
It’s time for some compassion for the taxpayers
This week, as Gov. Paul LePage moved forward with plans to cut off state funding for general assistance for illegal immigrants, there was a massive hue and cry from liberals across the state. Though the focus was initially on the question of whether the governor had the authority to make the move — with a […]
Beware the perils of fake bipartisanship
Not all bipartisanship is created equal: There’s real bipartisanship and fake bipartisanship. There was plenty of both on full display in the Legislature this week. In real bipartisanship, both sides actually come together to solve a problem. They negotiate to find a solution that both of them can support. They make sacrifices, and nobody gets […]