A Look At The Mess That Is Maine Politics

I am a Granite Stater to the bone, but I have fallen in love with Maine over the last few years. My partner and I have deep roots in the Pine Tree State as she was born in Maine and spent much of her childhood in Central Maine. I enjoyed many vacations camping along the rocky coast, and three years ago, we found our summer home on Bear Pond. The Pond is a magical spot because of its beauty and serenity, but more for the people we have met and now call best friends. The People of the Pond, as we call them, are the true gem.

Having a vested interest and spending four months of the year in Maine is a blessing and a source of frustration. Seeing the dysfunctional state of Maine politics but having no say as non-residents is a complex and challenging position. Writing this blog is my way of spreading the story of what the Liberal-leaning politicians of Maine are doing to harm this beautiful state.

Maine is a vast state with demographics that are very similar to many states in the Northeast. The population concentration in the major cities is very Left-thinking and, therefore, dominates the politics and policy of the less populated rural areas. The Conservative folks in Central and Northern Maine are the victims of the policies from Portland, Auburn/Lewiston, and Augusta. We share the frustration of the good people of Western and Northern Maine.

I have written a few times about the ultra-liberal Marijuana and absurd Abortion laws in my Conservative View From New Hampshire blog, and I am sure we will touch on them again. Today, I want to discuss a current movement to remove Donald Trump from the Maine Primary Ballot in 2024. This tactic has been debated in many states, and Colorado was the first state to remove the former President. The Maine Legislature held an 8-hour hearing last week to allow both sides to present their case on removing Trump, and the Secretary of State was to have decided by last Friday. Because of the Colorado decision, Maine has delayed action until both sides can provide additional testimony before a decision is made.

Delaying a decision based on that of another state compounds the lousy decision to consider the issue in the first place. Proponents of removing Trump are citing the 14th Amendment and claim that Trump was involved in perpetuating the January 6th assault on the Capitol. If true, these people say that Trump is ineligible to hold the office of President. Trump has never been charged with insurrection and, therefore, never found guilty. It is a fundamentally bogus claim with no reason for the contemplated action. Mainers should be monitoring this story as it develops in Augusta as the Legislature attempts to meddle in the election. Voters deserve to vote for their candidate, and the Legislature has no right to filter and prevent candidates from the ballot.