The hatred and bigotry on display in Charlottesville and its aftermath are shocking to the system and, for most people, they create a straightforward choice between right and wrong. White supremacy, Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan are wrong. Theirs is an ideology built upon hatred and destruction. There are no “fine people” marching with swastikas; […]
Saturday. Nothing. Sunday. Nothing. Monday. Nothing. Tuesday. It’s bad. It’s not my problem. That was Gov. Paul LePage’s reaction to the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend. For LePage, his silence speaks as loud as his usual bluster. Speaking on the radio Tuesday morning, LePage broke his silence when questioned by the hosts. “My […]
Gov. Paul LePage may, in fact, run against Sen. Angus King in 2018. I doubt it. But let’s call it a big maybe. That said, his latest outbursts – against King, against Sen. Susan Collins – aren’t about that race. They’re about kissing up to President Donald Trump. LePage “wrote” an OpEd for the Wall […]
Earlier this year, The Washington Post added a new slogan to its flag: “Democracy dies in darkness.” It’s an expression that the paper, and one of its most famous journalists, Bob Woodward, started using regularly during the campaign for the presidency last year. The sentiment has been mocked and there’s been speculation that it was […]
With health care hanging in the balance for millions of people, including 117,000 Mainers, earlier this week we were treated to the musings of a Texas blowhard named Blake Farenthold. Farenthold is a member of Congress from Corpus Christi. He’s a lawyer and talk radio host. He’s been accused of sexual harassment by a member […]
For politicians, there are three types of pictures you should always avoid. Police mug shots. Funny hats or clothes. And the blurry hand trying to block the camera. The first tells people you’re a criminal. The second says you’re trying too hard and opens you up to ridicule. And the third says you’re hiding or […]
The governor is a man who would rather climb a tree to tell a lie, than stand on the ground and tell the truth. And there are a lot of trees in Maine.
There are no heroes in a government shutdown. No bravery involved. No courage. The pitiful display we saw this weekend may have been cloaked in the language of a virtuous stand, but the men and women who talked of themselves like they are heroes for shutting down state government surely aren’t. Early in the morning […]
Burn it down. That’s not a governing philosophy or an ideal. It isn’t honorable. And isn’t even practical. But that is the approach that too many Republicans are taking with government. In Congress, Republicans – save for a few sane voices like that of Maine Sen. Susan Collins – are willing to reduce the number […]
Augusta politicians have decided that they know better than the voters. As the Maine Public headline says, “All Voter-Approved Initiatives From 2016 Ballot in Flux in the Legislature.” Since the Legislature – and particularly Republican leaders – and the governor so comfortably ignore the outcome of elections, I’d like to suggest a few others that […]
David Farmer is a political and media consultant in Portland, where he lives with his wife and two children. He was senior adviser to Democrat Mike Michaud’s campaign for governor and a longtime journalist. You can reach him at dfarmer14@hotmail.com.
