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Maine News

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Maine News for Tuesday, November 6, 2007

PRESS HERALD:

Gas tops $3 per gallon Motorists cringe but bear it as the average price of regular gasoline catches up with crude oil.

UMaine System requests more aid Trustees seek another $8 million from the Legislature to help start a trust for retiree benefits.

Colby will give Mainers grants to ease loan debt The new policy, partially funded by Joseph Boulos, could let Maine residents graduate debt-free.

Maine votes today on tribe racino, term limits Also to be decided at the polls are local elections and state legislative races.

Young adults heading north The 25-to-34 population grows in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire but falls in rest of the region.

Court hears election-law challenge Michael Mowles claims a 1995 state law on political campaigns infringed on his free-speech rights.

EDITORIAL: Even in an off year, Election Day offers a chance to influence events This issue-heavy ballot gives Maine people a lot of ways to make their voices heard.

Ron Bancroft: Way to economic reform may open soon Addressing the twin issues of government spending and tax rates is on everyone's agenda now.

LTE: Candidates should be quick to remove political signs

LTE; Church should speak out against immorality of war

BANGOR DAILY:

Public power authority proposedAUGUSTA, Maine - Sen. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, has introduced legislation to create a state public power authority, saying Mainers deserve lower-cost electricity, but the head of the Public Utilities Commission and the state's public advocate have reservations about his proposal.

Augusta: UMS eyes additional $8 million from stateAUGUSTA, Maine - The University of Maine System trustees on Monday voted to request $8 million in additional state funding for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2008.

State hopes early voting aids turnout AUGUSTA, Maine - State election officials hope for a 30 percent turnout on Tuesday when Mainers vote on racino gambling and other questions. While the prospect of wet weather could drag the numbers down, new get-out-the-vote policies could nudge numbers up.

Activists claim Plum Creek harassment Tuesday, November 06, 2007GREENVILLE, Maine - Four environmental activists, who reportedly were filming an educational documentary on Plum Creek on Friday afternoon, say they were harassed at the timber company's Greenville office and later when they returned from a hike on Moose Mountain.

EDITORIAL: Go forth and voteThe colder weather got to you? Lost the old pep? Can't get motivated? Try voting! There's no better way to reinvigorate the democratic republic in you than to cast a vote for a worthy candidate or bond or against one that didn't impress.

Editorial: Climate progressWhile the Bush administration was busy explaining why it eviscerated testimony by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about climate change, lawmakers in Congress are moving ahead with legislation that would reduce carbon emissions.

Erik Steele: Is waterboarding torture? You can be the judgeAmong the most terrible things I ever see are patients "drowning" in body fluids that fill their lungs, and slowly dying for lack of oxygen. It is so miserable that when we cannot save them we routinely give these dying patients morphine and other sedatives to ease their suffering.

Tuesday's Letters to the Editor … Marden’s responds …

KENNEBEC JOURNAL:

Vets lose their game GARDINER -- Bill Meserve passed hours playing cribbage with other veterans at American Legion Post No. 4.

Dispatch plan surprises some AUGUSTA -- The county's announcement last week that it was closing its dispatch center on Jan. 31, 2008, surprised several area fire chiefs -- and at least one of the three county commissioners.

Area voters decide at polls today Voters in and around Maine's capital will go to the polls today to decide a wide range of local issues and five statewide ballot questions.

EDITORIAL: VOTE! Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.

EDITORIAL: Feeding our hungry with the Farm Bill Food, and this nation's complex relationship to its production and distribution, is the topic this week in Washington, D.C., where the Senate has begun what is expected to be a month-long debate on reauthorization of the Farm Bill.

DAVID B. OFFER : Getting to know the Democratic candidatesNo sports on television, so it's time to watch politics There wasn't much on television last Tuesday night -- no Red Sox, no football -- so I turned to the only sport available: the Democratic presidential debate.

LTE; Maine is becoming 'laughingstock of nation' I used to live in Oakland, Maine (Messalonskee) but moved out of state. Taxes, no opportunities for my kids after college, liberal Republican senators and the strong "nanny state" mentality are but a few reasons.

LTE: Don't blame this voter for the bridge mess Kudos to Jennifer Brown for her plain spoken and accurate criticism of the commissioner of the Department of Transportation (letter, Oct. 25). The debacle at the Gardiner-Randolph bridge during most of the past summer testifies loudly and eloquently to the ineptitude of that individual, and by implication to his boss, the governor.

SUN JOURNAL:

Maine in top 10 of healthiest statesPORTLAND (AP) - Maine has improved to No. 7 among the nation's healthiest states, a list in which all of northern New England finished in the top tier.

Racino plan dominates voting todayAUGUSTA (AP) - State election officials hope for a 30 percent turnout on Tuesday when Mainers vote on racino gambling and other questions. While the prospect of wet weather could drag the numbers down, new get-out-the-vote policies could nudge numbers up.

TIMES RECORD:

Advisory panel endorses two bond questions...(full story)

Ballot questions await voters...(full story)

Bond questions to create ripple effects...(full story)

MPBN:
Debt-Free Education Promoted by Colby College

Campaign Endorsement Case Heard by State Supreme Court
http://www.mpbn.net/asx/071105endorsements.asx

Grassroots Network Challenges Use of Cluster Bombs

WCSH:

New LPN Program Up And Running In MaineTom Allen talked about the critical shortage of nurses in Maine and throughout the country. He says the program at Intercoast Career Institute will help ...

PORTSMOUTH HERALD:

Southern York County voters head for polls
YORK, Maine — Residents of York and Kittery will have the chance to cast their votes for or against a variety of state and local ballot issues today, while Eliot will decide on state referendums only.

COURIER GAZETTE:

Get out and vote
There is simply no good reason why any citizen should not vote.

POLITICO:

SCHIP survivors try to avoid budget axe
At a press conference announcing the coalition’s formation last week, Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Tom Allen (D-Maine) said they plan to introduce legislation to sustain quality nursing homes.

WASHINGTON TIMES:

Border chief in TB row to retireJoe Lieberman, Connecticut independent and committee chairman, and Susan Collins, Maine Republican and ranking committee member, want to know why Mr. ...

RAW STORY:

Poll: Dem candidates leading in four of seven key Senate racesSusan Collins (R) held a commanding lead over Rep. Tom Allen (D), 55 percent to 38 percent." "The war in Iraq continues to be the issue that voters most ...

GAY CITY NEWS:

BREAKING NEWS -- ENDA Heading to Floor This WeekIt is unclear when the Senate, where the measure is carried by Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy and Maine Republican Susan Collins, will act on ENDA.

BLOGS:

Midday open thread
ME-Sen: The Collins campaign got the vapors when Tom Allen received money from Norman Hsu -- money promptly returned by the Allen campaign. Well, it turns out the Collins campaign has received money from Philip Martin, GOP donor, ...

[transgendernews] [News] [USA] ENDA Heading to Floor This Week
Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy and Maine Republican Susan Collins, will act on ENDA. Several weeks ago, the White House issued an internal memorandum laying out a number of policy and constitutional objections to the ...

Two New Polls and Favorable/Unfavorable Numbers for Allen
He was elected on the same day in 1996 as Susan Collins, and it it must be disturbing to be trailing her by 13 points in his own district. It also indicates a degree of weakness on the part of Allen personally, indicating that he does ...

CRITICAL POLL RESULTS ANNOUNCED- SENATOR COLLINS OVER REP. TOM ...
Susan Collins held a 20-point lead over Rep. Tom Allen in the 2008 Senate race, while candidates vying for Allen’s congressional seat showed little success in distinguishing themselves in the minds of voters, according to a poll ...

ME-Sen: A Bright Spot For GOP
Collins (R)- 55% Allen (D)- 38% Susan Collins was considered a very vulnerable GOP incumbent, still is. She's not as popular as her GOP colleague Olympia Snowe, and she's facing a popular Democratic congressman. Likely Republican.

The Senate Horse Race 12 Months Out
Susan Collins (R-inc): 55 Undecided: 8 Oregon (R- Smith) Jeff Merkley (D): 39 Gordon Smith (R-inc): 48 Undecided: 13 Steve Novick (D): 39 Gordon Smith (R-inc): 45 Undecided: 16 With only two Dem-held seats (Johnson-SD and Landrieu-LA) ...

Tom Brewer
As you may be aware, Congressman Tom Allen who is challenging Susan Collins in our next US Senate election, will be in the Bangor.

SUSA surveys most competitive Senate races and finds Democrats in ...
And then comes Maine, and the third poll in two weeks that has Susan Collins with a massive lead against Democratic challenger Rep. Tom Allen... and more importantly, above 50%. She is ahead of Allen 55% to 38%, and posts a strong ...

Survey USA Polling Shows Democrats in Good Shape
Susan Collins (R-inc): 55 Undecided: 8. Minnesota Mike Ciresi (D): 44 Norm Coleman (R-inc): 44 Undecided: 12 Al Franken (D): 45 Norm Coleman (R-inc): 46 Undecided: 9. New Hampshire Jay Buckey (D): 36 John Sununu (R-inc): 49 ...

GOP Senate Prospects Not Looking Good
Susan Collins (R) has a "commanding lead" over Rep. Tom Allen (D), 55% to 38%. Several of these openings are due to retirements, so seats that were previously thought pretty safe suddenly are open. There's a real chance of losing ...

Polls: GOP In Bad Shape For 2008 Senate Races
In New Hampshire, incumbent Republican John Sununu trails his 2002 opponent Jeanne Shaheen by a 53%-42% margin. The Republicans' only bright spot is Maine, where Senator Susan Collins leads Dem Congressman Tom Allen 55%-38%.

Democrats Stand to Make Big Gains in Senate
Norm Coleman (R) is in a statistical tie with either Al Franken (D) or Mike Ciresi (D). Oregon: Sen. Gordon Smith (R) leads Jeff Merkley (D), 48% to 39%. Maine: Sen. Susan Collins (R) has a "commanding lead" over Rep. ...

Peak Analysis
It is gearing up to help Democrats running for the Senate including Tom Allen in Maine, Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire and candidates in Colorado, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia.

From politics.com and cqpolitics:
MAINE: The latest independent Critical Insights poll shows US Senator Susan Collins (R) continuing to hold a wide lead over Congressman Tom Allen (D): 54% to 34%. As for the open CD-1 congressional race, the poll found none of the seven ...

Maine Health: We’re Number Seven!
Hawaii has a high prevalence of binge drinking, infectious disease and low immunization coverage for young children. But it still scored higher than Maine on the “Healthiest Places to Live” list.

Open Thread - Election Day Edition
As we all know, today is Election Day, and I'm sure that we will all be going to the polls today (excepting those that have already voted absentee). Maine is a funny place - some areas still count votes by hand, while others use optical scanners. Is there anywhere where the electronic machines are used in the state?

Cluster Bombs: The Gift That Keeps on Killing
Mary Trobochaud has a mission, and it is to outlaw the use of cluster munitions, also known as cluster bombs, from the battlefield.
She is because too often the battlefield is also the same land where non-combatants sow seeds and reap harvests, walk or play. Too often civilians become casualties of war, despite that they have played no role in it.
Maine Public Radio aired this interview with Ms. Trobochaud this evening, and you can listen to it here.
The Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act, which you can read here, will ban cluster munitions that are not 99% effective (therefore leaving few bomblets behind - de facto mines). This bill has been introduced by Sen. Diane Feinstein (CA), and similar legislation has been introduced in the House by Rep. James McGovern (MA-3).
But no member of the Maine delegation has joined as a co-sponsor of this legislation, according to MPBN. Why is that?

Follow the Money
A lot is being made of Fred Thompson's association with Philip Martin (a fundraiser who has also lent his personal jet to Thompson at a reduced rate), who was arrested for selling 11 pounds of marijuana in 1979, and cocaine in 1983. … What does this have to do with Maine, you ask? Perhaps your question is better directed at Susan Collins and the Maine GOP, especially since they went all righteous on Tom Allen for campaign contributions received from Norman Hsu - monies that Rep. Allen has returned.

RealClear Politics latest National Political Site to Focus on Collins-Allen Race
RealClear Politics latest National Political Site to Focus on Collins-Allen Race
Has Sen. Susan Collins received drug money?

Monday, November 5, 2007

Maine News for Monday, November 5, 2007

PRESS HERALD:

Canadian racino proposal roils Maine debate The facility would be 70 miles from where the Passamaquoddy Tribe hopes to build one.

Woman's lawsuit claims bias at DOT Dianne Luce alleges sexual harassment and retaliation for reporting safety problems.

FairPoint's effort to buy Verizon takes on air of political campaign Critics say the small company is short on resources, but many businesses are backing the deal.

State's high school teachers getting hooked on free laptops The Apple MacBooks are faster than the schools' old PCs, but the conversion comes with a price for some districts.

EDITORIAL: Clinton's debate answer was right before it was wrong Her tangled position on licenses for illegals highlights the need for immigration reform.

Rep. Richard Cebra: Maine's highway bridges not up to snuff The need is great, but resources are falling short as budgets for repairs have been cut.

LTE: Make conservation top priority

LTE: Lay off publishing letters asking for impeachment

BANGOR DAILY:

Delegation divided on N-power subsidiesAUGUSTA, Maine - The energy bill passed by the Senate this summer includes a provision that expands federal guaranteed loans for the construction of new nuclear power plants, a proposal dividing the congressional delegation.

Schools key to rural communityMonday, November 5, 2007GREENVILLE, Maine - In an interview for the Union 60 superintendent's job nearly two years ago, Heather Perry recalled town and hospital officials using the "three-legged stool" analogy to explain the connection among the school, hospital and community.

EDITORIAL: Tough talk and diplomacyDiplomacy seems to have fallen out of favor in the post Sept. 11 climate, yet it remains as essential a tool as ever for dealing with the hostile and friendly corners of the world.

EDITORIAL: Lessons from the 9/11 fundThe federal compensation program for the victims of the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon is a remarkable example of thoughtful government analysis and action.

Bill Slavick: Country's problems keep getting worseOur government's indifference to the dignity of human life is accentuated by its embrace of torture, of indiscriminate killing of Iraqi women and children, and of Israel's carnage in Lebanon last summer.

Monday's Letters to the Editor … Susan Collins calling … How to cut spending … No imperial powers

KENNEBEC JOURNAL:

Service honors Katz's legacy AUGUSTA -- Bennett Katz was the former majority leader of the Maine Senate.

Ceremony honors fallen soldier AUGUSTA -- Col. John Jansen, chief of staff with the Maine Army National Guard 133rd Engineer Battalion, won't ever forget the day.

EDITORIAL: Term limits undemocratic, even if 6 terms Just as you can't be a little bit pregnant, we don't think you can make term limits a little less un-Democratic.

EDITORIAL: Our endorsements for Tuesday's election Question One: Do you want to allow a Maine tribe to run a harness racing track with slot machines and high-stakes beano games in Washington County? NO

WMTW:

Campaign Contribution Raises Conflict Of Interest Question
Campaign Contribution Raises Conflict Of Interest Question. There are questions surrounding a campaign contribution made by a Portland businessman with a stake in the proposed Maine State Pier project....

WCSH:

Citizens Group Under Fire For Accepting Money From Prospective Developer
Friday, the Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council blasted a citizens group called the League of Young Voters for accepting a $10,000 donation from one of the competing pier developers, Kevin Mahaney of the Olympia Companies.

PORTSMOUTH HERALD:

'Formidable opponent'
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President George H.W. Bush says the post-White House friendship he has nurtured with the man who turned him out of office won't make him go any easier on his successor's wife, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton.

BLOGS:

Maine College DemocratsOutsiders or political newbies might not know that Senator Susan Collins is the woman next to Bush and Santorum in a number of photographs. Representative Tom Allen (aka the white dude at the end), as a congressman and not a Senator, ...

Underfunded Federal Mandates Belie Port Security
... report in December 2005 with CFIUS on port security concerning the DPW deal, which came to light on February 27, 2006 before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME).

Help Edit an Ad (with Four-Letter Poll)
I'm working on an ad for the Maine Senatorial race between Tom Allen and Susan Collins (and am not affiliated with the Allen campaign in any way). At the moment I have four options. Which is your favorite, or would you mix-and-match 'em ...

Oh the irony of Sen. Susan Collins getting caught in an acorn storm!
Susan Collins over at Mainefem’s blog that caught my attention. Apparently, Collins is in the process of getting funding for Maine’s police/bomb squads for them to be able to combat IED’s and other bombs that the terrorists might use ...

Rep. Tom Allen & latest Critical Insights on Maine Fall 2007 Report
It’s typical that the Portland Press Herald failed to embed the latest Critical Insights Tracking Survey Poll; which delineates the current twenty point lead of Collins over Allen (which I personally perceive as not bad0.

REID ASKS SENS "PLEASE SHOW UP"; FRED IS PRO-IRAN WAR, KINDA PRO ...MAINE: The latest independent Critical Insights poll shows US Senator Susan Collins (R) continuing to hold a wide lead over Congressman Tom Allen (D): 54% to 34%. As for the open CD-1 congressional race, the poll found none of the seven ...

Senate news: Maine still looks very difficult for Democrats
Last week, a Research 2000 poll of the Maine Senate race showed Collins with a massive lead against her challenger Tom Allen. Today, a new polling institute, Critical Insights, confirms that Democrats have a very long way to go before ...

Oh, Weekends
Congressman Tom Allen came and spoke, as well as the candidates for his position (he's running for Senate). That was also interesting. Surprisingly enough, there were two others kids that I went to high school with there - Steph Neales ...

Yet Another Poll Shows Collins Dominance
Tom Allen will get closer, but it is difficult to see how, with the President’s popularity still low and the situation in Iraq, while far from good, improving, he could win this race. Don’t be too surprised if Allen reconsiders this ...

Sunday Round-Up
(HT: Collins Watch) It presents yet another opportunity to discuss Susan Collins' own broken promise to the voters of Maine regarding her self-imposed term limits pledge lie, should anyone in Maine feel like writing a letter to the ...

Collins Tromps Allen, Latest Critical Insights Poll

Q1: All Fed Tribes OK Run Hi-Stakes Beano on Non-Tribal Land

Why Aren’t People Protesting the War? They ARE…
From Bill Moyers Journal: “Why wasn’t it news last weekend when more than 100,000 people turned out in 11 cities across the country to protest the occupation of Iraq…Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Orlando, Salt Lake City, New Orleans, Jonesborough, Tennessee. but if you blinked while watching the national news, you wouldn’t have known it was a story.

Maine’s Racino Issue: Is It Just Financial Prohibition?
Maine is one of 15 states with term limits for state lawmakers, and the only one in New England. One of the statewide referendum questions on this year’s ballot would lengthen those term limits.

Maine and Term Limits
Maine Democrats flags a Kennebec Journal article discussing Tuesday's election referendum number five: