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1/20/12 - It must be tough…

...to be a headline writer when a LePage story comes in from a reporter. The BDN went with "LePage takes tough questions on DHHS, tax cuts at Lewiston Capitol for a Day event." Presumably, this was settled on because the BDN didn't want to field angry calls from the GOP with a more accurate headline. Something like, "LePage continues to spurn logic and reason, doubles down on dogma and nonsense at Lewiston Capitol for a Day event."

Really, you should read it. A tour-de-force of disproven gobbledygook. Let's just hit a couple highlight, shall we?

1) LePage threatened to close "state schools" is he doesn't get the right budget on time. Come again? The BDN gently reminds that "it's unclear what authority he has to take such a measure." Translation: he's making it up on the fly, clearly confusing the powers granted to a Banana Republic dictator with those imbued in an elected Governor.

2) LePage repeated the charge that the DHHS gap is due to ballooning enrollments. Who should we turn to for evidence? Let's try the LePage Administration...who says themselves that the shortfall is due to LePage DHHS officials underbudgeting and failing to account for declining federal funds. New enrollment accounts for something 5% of the shortfall.

3) LePage to cover newly uninsured by...???. He has no clue. He floated the health-insurance-reform-will-make-it-cheaper argument, but come on. The reason people are on MaineCare is that – in large part – they don't have any money! Forget for a moment all the people who will see higher rates due to LD1333, but how is someone coming off MaineCare supposed to afford even $100 a month? Surely LePage's tax cuts would help close the gap. Or not.

This all really highlight a central challenge in Maine politics right now: how do you have a respectful public discourse with someone so uncommitted to reality?


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Greta
Posts: 2
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Reply #1 on : Tue January 31, 2012, 23:51:35
What a joy to find such clear thinking. Thanks for psontig!