After nearly two years, Republicans have made it harder to live and work in Maine.
I want to tell you a short story about three Maine people today.

These are Mainers who will probably sound a lot like people you know. They might even sound like you.

The first story is of a 50 year old man living in Franklin County. He’s worked hard his whole life, putting in long shifts on his feet all day just to keep dinner on the table, warm clothes on his kids and to save up enough for a rainy day.

Thanks to laws passed by the Republican majority, he’s going to have a harder time. His health insurance is probably going to get far more expensive. The roads he drives to work will be in bad shape and do damage to his truck, sending him to the shop more often with bigger repair costs. If he gets hurt on the job, the state will be far less helpful with workers compensation until he’s back on his feet, and will probably cut him off before its time.

If he loses his job through no fault of his own, the unemployment insurance that he and his family have earned and will rely on will come with new strings attached and fewer protections. Families like his in rural Maine will face higher costs, less certainty and fewer options.

Or, how about the 84 year-old grandmother in Aroostook who has worked her whole life just so she could live with dignity in her old age. Now, the meager retirement she saved up just isn’t enough to help cover the cost of her heart medication and she has to choose between heating oil or paying for groceries. Because of new laws passed by Republicans, she won’t be able to live the life she worked or planned for.

The last story is about a Maine mom from Hancock County working two jobs just to make ends meet. Because of the new laws passed by Republicans in Augusta she will have to pick between keeping her pay check or having safe child care for her infant.
Now, add to her worries that the cost of going to the doctor or paying for medicine for her family just keeps growing. Instead of standing up for her, Republicans have sided with the insurance companies. She and her family deserve a family doctor not insurance companies telling her what’s best.

Democrats believe Maine people should be working their way into the middle class not getting pushed out. Everyone working and living in Maine knows it gets a little harder every day. The last thing we need is for the state to make it worse.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen one bill after another attacking working people and middle class families, and not a single one will create jobs or get our economy back on track.

Maine has lost more than 1,000 jobs since 2011 and was recently rated dead last in the country for personal income growth.

In these recessionary times, Republicans eliminated and reduced health care for tens of thousands of Maine seniors, children, and people with disabilities. Make no mistake the cost shift will fall squarely on middle class families who are already struggling to make ends meet.

Aren’t we all already worried about rising property taxes and increasing health care costs?

It’s time we tax fairly and cut wisely, not tax the middle class and cut services to our children, seniors and public safety.

We believe our Republican colleagues are leading our state down the wrong path. Their solution for fixing Maine’s economy isn’t working. This fend-for-yourself economics is leaving middle class families behind.

Instead, Democrats have a vision for making Maine a place where we can all raise a family and prosper. We believe the best way to improve our economy is by making common sense investments that will help small businesses, job training and public education.

We want good American jobs, wages, and benefits for a hard day’s work. We should all be able to recoup the American dream we grew up believing in.

In a piece that appeared Tuesday on its website, The Maine Wire, the Maine Heritage Policy Center (MHPC) argued for the elimination of the state’s personal income tax. It’s not hard to infer from this piece MHPC’s ultimate goal: To transfer control of our infrastructure, our schools, our natural resources, and our health care system for poor, elderly, and disabled individuals to private interests. The first step is to undermine state government and the influence of the voting public by eliminating Maine’s income tax.

Maine’s state and local tax system already favors the most fortunate. It takes a higher share of income from poor families than it does from middle class families, and it takes a higher share of income from middle-class families than it does from the wealthiest.

Our local property tax and state sales tax cost middle- and low-income families a higher percentage of their income than they do the wealthy. The state income tax is the only vehicle we have to level the playing field because the more money you make the higher percentage you pay. Rather than scrapping the income tax, we should be overhauling our entire state and local tax system to make it based more – not less – on ability to pay.

As usual, MHPC uses fabricated, misleading statistics and faith in discredited “trickle-down” economics to argue that eliminating the state income tax will somehow benefit families struggling to get by. Consider this egregious distortion:

If we reduced spending to the level it was the day Angus King became governor, we could completely eliminate the personal income tax…If we reduced government’s size to 1994 levels, we’d save $1.7 billion a year.

Maybe MHPC forgot to adjust for inflation, but more likely they are ignoring it and betting you won’t notice. In reality, a dollar today buys much less than a dollar did in 1994, so the loss of income tax revenue would cut essential public services much deeper than in MHPC’s false scenario described above. Eliminating the income tax will either shift the cost of public education and other services to municipalities and property tax payers or require devastating cuts to public schools and other services vital to creating jobs and building a strong economy.

That’s how radical MHPC’s proposal is, and it is radical by design, not by accident. The goal is not to encourage shared prosperity by relieving the tax burden on working families. The goal is to terminate programs and services that both strengthen the middle class and help Mainers who aren’t there yet get there, and to transfer more wealth to those who least need it at the expense of everyone else.

And the kicker? It doesn’t cost the taxpayer a dime – it’s self sustaining based on fees it collects and loan repayments. In fact, the bank actually makes money for U.S. taxpayers and has returned $4.9 billion to the U.S. Treasury since 1990.

The name of this bank is the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank), and it’s the official export credit agency of the United States. Its mission is to assist in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to foreign markets.

Since it was founded in 1934, the Bank has provided assistance to more than $474 billion of U.S. exports. In Fiscal Year 2011 it supported 290,000 export-related American jobs by providing more than $32 billion in financing to more than 3,600 U.S. companies.

Unfortunately, like too many things these days, the Bank’s reauthorization has been caught up in politics. That’s why I joined with Republican Congressman Robert Dold of Illinois to organize a letter signed by 38 of our colleagues to House leadership urging immediate consideration of legislation to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank.

In our letter, we requested that leadership support a bill that will include a higher lending limit to support further expansion of the Bank’s export financing efforts and allow more American companies to receive export assistance. This is especially important as we seek to do whatever we can to accelerate our recovery and limit the amount of taxpayer money that’s on the line.

Through pre-export and export financing, export credit insurance, loan guarantees, and direct loans, the Ex-Im Bank enables more firms to sell additional products abroad and create jobs here at home. The Bank’s export financing is imperative to maintaining and enhancing the competitiveness of American companies. Countries like China and Germany provide far more export financing than the U.S. China has provided $145.3 billion more than the U.S. in export financing since 2007. Over the same period, Germany provided $10.6 billion more than the U.S. in medium- and long-term export credit. Even though Germany’s economy is less than a quarter of the size of the U.S. economy, Berlin’s export financing limit is 158% higher than the Ex-Im Bank’s financing cap.

Increasing the Bank’s authorization levels will allow the institution to better compete with other country’s export financing and better combat illegal subsidies offered by foreign governments. At no cost to taxpayers, it ensures that American businesses, including Maine businesses throughout our state, have the export financing they need to sell their products around the world.

It’s critical that House leaders act immediately to reauthorize the Bank so that our companies can compete on a level playing field. Though you may have never heard of it before, this is a bank with a goal that Americans of all political stripes can get behind.

First off, this decision could negatively impact about 170 workers. They could lose their jobs or get transferred to another location that’s very far away. This uproots families and harms not only the lives of the workers, but also those of their families and the communities they call home.

And while it’s a travesty for those directly connected to a closure, they are not the only ones that could feel the impact.

If the facility in Hampden ends up shutting its doors, many of Maine’s families and businesses will notice that their mail takes longer to get to where they sent it. This will hurt the confidence that many have in the Postal Service and could lead many, especially businesses, to look at other delivery options. As a result, the closure of the Hampden facility could ultimately have the exact opposite impact that the Postal Service has in mind. Instead of saving money by shutting down facilities and firing workers, these moves by the USPS could turn out to be money losers down the line.

As if these reasons weren’t bad enough, the underlying justification for closing postal facilities is based on incomplete data. I joined my colleagues in writing to the Postmaster General earlier this year pointing out that a review of the basis for the possible closure of more than 3,600 post offices and other facilities found serious flaws.

For example, the review found that the USPS had incomplete data for all post offices, branches and stations, which makes it impossible to accurately calculate cost savings from proposed closures. On top of that, the criteria used in the USPS’s consolidation plans disproportionately targets rural post offices. This would not only hurt our largely rural state, but it also runs counter to the law – the USPS is required to provide effective and regular postal service to rural communities. This calls into question the very core of the USPS’s current consolidations plans.

What is really needed is a moratorium on closures until the USPS adequately addresses these flaws. But Congress can and should act too.

The USPS action to shut down facilities will only solve a minor percentage of their funding problem. One of the biggest debt drivers for the USPS is the unique mandate it has to prefund retiree health benefits. If the overpayments from this mandate were given back to the USPS, it’s likely that far fewer postal facilities would be targeted for closure or consolidation. There is a bill I support that would accomplish this, but congressional leaders have not taken it up. This inaction is even more disappointing given the fact that over half of the House of Representatives are cosponsors of the bill as well.

In addition to this bill, I am also pushing legislation that supports preserving 6-day delivery and protects rural communities from being disproportionately impacted by future closures. These are all measures that deserve a vote in the House and Senate, and I’m hopeful the pressure builds on congressional leaders to take action.

I’ll continue to work with our congressional delegation in Washington to do whatever we can to prevent this closure and others like it from becoming a reality. Closing this facility would be a major step in the wrong direction for much of Maine as well as the future of the USPS. There is no doubt that the solvency of our Postal Service must be addressed, but its current plan isn’t the responsible way to accomplish it.

Democrats will work for solutions for job creation in Maine, like investing in economic development, lowering energy costs, improving our roads and bridges, and linking business and education to prepare our workforce for the jobs of the future.

Since the Legislature adjourned in June, lawmakers have been meeting with people and businesses in our communities. The message across the state has been the same: stop the distractions and focus on getting Maine people back to work. From York to Aroostook, Maine people are tired of seeing politicians in Augusta ignore job creation.

Earlier this year, we saw the new Republican leadership try to roll back laws that keep toxic chemicals out of sippy cups; protect our natural resources; protect voting rights; and govern child labor.

None of these proposals had anything to do with getting our economy back on track. Where was the focus on jobs? Where was the focus on the economy?

Last winter the Governor was busy grabbing headlines for removing a mural from the state’s Department of Labor. Today, that same department reports that Maine has lost 4,800 jobs since his term started.

Even now, the Governor will work to force through his irresponsible and harmful budget proposal that will throw 65,000 Maine people off of health care and result in an additional 4,400 job losses in the state.

This is the wrong solution for Maine.

Maine people deserve a vision for long-term economic development. We need leaders that have a daily focus on the economy and plan for the future. You can’t cut your way to job creation.

Democrats are ready to roll up our sleeves and work with Republicans toward reasonable and common sense solutions for our state – solutions that are focused on improving the economy.

As the minority party, we often must define success by looking at the extreme policies we were able to moderate. Earlier this year, Democrats were able to stop some of the most devastating and extreme proposals from moving forward because we stood on the side of Maine people.

Next year the Governor and Republican leaders will continue to push extreme proposals, Democrats will stand up against them.

When Republicans advance bills that undermine worker’s rights and pose harm to the environment, Democrats will stand up for working families and our quality of place.

When the Republicans choose to undermine Maine’s Clean Elections system, Democrats will stand up and fight to limit the influence of special interests on our local campaigns.

When Republicans threaten successful energy efficiency and conservation programs, Democrats will stand up for the businesses and homeowners that save money using them.

While the Governor works to dismantle health care and anti-poverty programs in our state, Democrats will stand up for the many struggling families who have used them as a hand-up. We will offer realistic solutions that protect the safety net.

You can count on Democrats to be there pushing back on these extreme ideas. We will be asking the tough questions. We will keep our focus on improving the economy and growing the middle class in Maine. We won’t just be managing today’s crisis, but leading towards tomorrow’s opportunities.

We will stand up for you.

Thank you for listening. Have a Happy New Year!

A recent study from Chase Bank shows that during the deepest part of the near depression, Maine’s economic recession and unemployment rates were both far less severe compared to the rest of the country as a whole. This is due in large part because the foundation for Maine’s economy to progress out of the recession was firmly established with the Baldacci administration.

But the Chase Bank study shows that after LePage’s first session with the Legislature, Maine began to lag behind in the economic recovery. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that the state had no bond issues on the ballot this past November, which would have immediately provided thousands of jobs for people in construction, research and development, public safety, and education. LePage and other conservatives flatly refused to discuss a bond package in 2010. According to the most recent Maine Department of Labor data, Maine has lost more than 4,800 jobs since January. And LePage’s proposed cuts would diminish the workforce further.

“The proposed state cuts to Medicaid in fiscal year 2012 will result in the loss of more than 4,400 jobs across all counties statewide,” said MECEP Executive Director Garrett Martin.

During the short time LePage has been in office, more jobs have been lost in Maine than created. But jobs have been created — in sectors where the economy is still growing and will continue to do so. These are the areas focused on by the Baldacci administration, working with the Legislature, for the state’s present and future economy. For example:

• Maine’s green economy: According to a Brookings Report, from 2003 to 2010, Maine added 2,914 “clean jobs,” growing by 4 percent annually. Between 2008 and 2009, the state rate overtook the national growth rate of 3.4 percent. The state set clean-energy goals, which has given companies confidence to invest in Maine. Renewable energy is projected to become a huge growth area for the U.S. economy, and Maine has been fostering wind, solar, natural gas, biofuels, and wood energy alternatives. Working with UMaine’s offshore wind development team, Maine could be exporting electrical energy captured on floating wind farms. This alone could create thousands of jobs and stimulate the economy, at the same time reducing people’s oil consumption, if they turn to electrical energy to heat. Businesses focused on weatherization and retro fitting buildings to use less oil are also becoming a mainstay business in Maine with the help of the Energy Efficiency Trust.

• Maine has some world-renowned scientific labs, like Bigelow and Jackson Laboratory. Some of their projects, along with other high-tech innovative companies, have been supported by new Maine Technology Institute grants introduced by Karen Mills.

• Maine has strong programs to support and nurture entrepreneurship, and because of this reality Blackstone just gave the state $3 million to expand these programs.

• Maine received federal funding for the Three Ring Binder, because of its leadership in broadband Internet access deployment to rural areas. The ConnectME program got all of this rolling. Broadband allows entrepreneurs to set up anywhere in the world, and more are choosing Maine for it’s quality of life.

• Maine’s quality of life was promoted and protected with bonds like the Land for Maine’s Future program managed by the State Planning Office. Another little-known SPO program, which started with a committee established by Gov. Baldacci, will interlink bike and walkable trails across the state, so people can travel the entire state on the “interstate bike highway.” Working with the Department of Transportation and various nonprofits, the SPO progressed this quality of life initiative and others that surely will bring environmental enthusiasts and people wanting a healthy lifestyle to the state. The SPO is now being dismantled, because of LePage.

• In eight years, the Pine Tree Tax Zone initiative brought business or expanded business in the sate — over 310 of them, creating thousands of jobs.

• Maine has a great community college system with low tuition. There has been a 76 percent increase in enrollment over the last eight years.

The thing is, none of these areas that have proven to grow the economy is the domain of a political party. The reason Gov. Baldacci got them established was because of his unwavering belief that we all can work together to progress the state of Maine for all its citizens. That’s how he made these initiatives happen. The majority of Democrats want to grow jobs using these successful initiatives, which businesses and nonprofits back. They want a comprehensive bond package. We need to return to a climate of collaboration and cooperation in Augusta, so jobs can be created.

Humility is part of thankfulness. To say “thank you” is to acknowledge that you need others to survive in what can be a challenging world. Perhaps this is why I have a special place in my heart for the late fall season and the time of Thanksgiving, when we turn our thoughts to appreciating what we have been given.

In addition to being a time of pumpkin pie, turkey and gravy, and deer hunting, the late fall is a season when the winds turn cold and ice makes its way back into our world, whether as a heavy coating on dying grass blades or a skim on calm waters. The cold, and all the harshness it brings, is, like thankfulness, intertwined with humility. Nature has a way of clarifying who is in charge when the skies grow gray, the mercury plummets, and a chill sinks into your bones. Nowhere is this clearer than in the wild, exposed places.

It’s no surprise that mountain tops, exposed shores, and expansive bogs have a great capacity to humble you, especially when the summer gives way to its less-welcoming neighbors, fall and winter. These places may be stunningly beautiful, but they also are rough places for both visitors and residents alike.

As a visitor to places such as the alpine ridge atop Mount Abraham, the coastal headlands at Quoddy Head State Park, one of the many islands on the Maine Island Trail, or the remote Number Five Bog adjacent to the Moose River Bow canoe trip, you can experience that you are part of an amazing world, but that the world is not here just to make you comfy and warm. For “permanent residents,” like the stunted mountain spruce able to grow small limbs only to the leeward side of their stems, or tough-leafed bog plants making due in acidic soils separated completely from nutrients and groundwater, these places are challenges that deter the vast majority of their fellow plants, let alone animals.

I feel very fortunate, very thankful, to have the opportunity to visit these wild places. They help sustain me spiritually. And though I’ve had this thankfulness for a long time, one recent event put a new spin on all I have to be thankful for.

I was contacted by the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA), a group I work with rather regularly on trail management, regarding a man who they had discovered was on a trail island and was well beyond the stay limit. MITA and my bureau, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, had both winterized all their boats. With no quick means of accessing the man, who reportedly had stated he intended to stay on the island indefinitely, I turned to the Maine Marine Patrol.

With great professionalism, the Marine Patrol quickly assisted and determined that the man was a homeless veteran with few resources or family to help him out. With some quick phone calls and scurrying, we seemed to find some assistance for the man as the Marine Patrol delivered him back to the mainland.

While I never met that homeless veteran, the small incident keeps cycling in my consciousness. I’ve slept on rocks; I’ve had icicles hanging from my eyebrows; I’ve heard trees groaning and creaking at night as the sub-zero cold settles in; I’ve waded through deep, dank bogs till my feet wrinkled as if I had soaked too long in a bathtub..

Every time, though, it has been my choice or perhaps part of a day’s work. I’m typically dressed in Gore-Tex or other technical fabrics, and I tend to have good gear – after all, this is my recreational passion. Never do I recall being cold, hungry, tired, or in danger because I did not have the resources to feed and clothe myself. I say that not to boast or disparage those less fortunate, but to give thanks.

Like most people nowadays, I see those who I assume do not have a home. I see those who make me wonder if they get enough to eat. It took this man on an island in Maine, however, to give me pause when I visit the wonderful wild places I seek. I’m quite sure the next time I feel the bite of ice particles blowing horizontally across a ridge top or feel the wet cold of the Atlantic spraying off rocky headlands, I will remember that I choose to face the cold and wet. I give thanks for that choice. I cherish the opportunity to be humbled by nature, but I now better appreciate that not all people have such a luxury.

I really hesitate to preach – and I hope I’m not – but it seems to me this is yet another reason for folks to venture forth into wild nature, whether in your backyard or a huge piece of conservation land, and to appreciate not only the wildness but also your ability to return with your memories to a warm home and a hot meal. Not all share this opportunity.