This week’s edition!
Letters
LETTER: Letter about taxes is hypocritical
To the Editor:
In response to the letter in the July 19 issue of TCT, titled “Taxes are a necessary good,” submitted by Orion Breen, I have one simple question for the letter writer, so bear with me.
If I decide to bring neighbors to the grocery store and they pay me, I have created income and must claim it as such when I file my income taxes. But if I join Hour Exchange Portland, of which Breen is a contributing member, I could provide the same services and never pay any income taxes. And if I needed assistance of another kind, it’s possible someone else would provide those and not pay income tax.
In both cases, we might also avoid sales taxes if the situation would normally allow for those to be collected under current law. Breen speaks to the good of collecting taxes while at the same time supporting and utilizing an organization that by its very nature has found a loophole around paying sales and income tax on services provided to others.
LETTER: Taxes are a necessary good
To the Editor:
I really don’t want to comment on our governor and the Gestapo, but unfortunately I fear something very important may get lost amidst all the cacophony of the 24-hour circus of punditry.
Governor LePage’s words may have been poorly chosen, but they were deliberately chosen. These were not off-the-cuff press conference remarks: this was his prepared weekly address to the state, and it represents our state to the nation and the world, when our state should be representing delightful summer vacations.
Though he may apologize for using specific words that have caused offense, LePage firmly believes the sentiment he spoke. Unfortunately, it is not an uncommon one.
LETTER: Make Maine a “Right to Work” state
To the Editor:
For years the progressive Democrats have been yelling for a woman’s’ “freedom of choice” and “right to choose”. But when it comes to joining a union or not, they are against the “right to choose”. Why?
They believe that a worker must join a union and pay union dues regardless of whether they want to or not in order to keep their job. Over 80% of the dues money then goes to support the Democrat party and President Obama, even though many union members don’t agree with his socialistic policies. Unions don’t represent all the workers; just a small fraction of workers belong to unions.
Indiana just became the 23rd state to abolish forced union dues. Let’s pray that Maine can follow suit. It’s all about more jobs, jobs, jobs. Young people are flocking to Right to Work states. Why? Because that’s where the jobs are.
LETTERS: Maine Senators took part in Obamacare travesty
To the Editor:
Regarding the column by U.S. Senator Susan, “Healthcare law isn’t the answer,” which appeared July 5 in Twin City TIMES: “First do no harm,” indeed.
Spare me the righteous indignation, Senator Collins. I submit for consideration the fact that the Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold much of Obamacare, aka “the Affordable Care Act,” would never have happened had you and Senator Snowe not voted to approve both Justices Sotomayor and Kagan.
You were quoted in July 2010 USA Today as saying, “I believe it is critical for nominees to have a judicial philosophy that is devoid of prejudgment, partisanship and preference.”
Turns out that’s not exactly the case with either of the nominees that you crossed party lines to approve to the Supreme Court.
LETTER: Craven’s numbers don’t add up
To The Editor:
I must take issue with Senator Margaret Craven’s rebuttal in the July 6, 2012 issue of Twin City TIMES. Attacking fellow Senator Lois Snowe-Mello by saying “her logic is often misleading, if not outright wrong,” Craven finds herself guilty of the very same offense.
As a sitting senator who voted on the tax law changes, surely Senator Craven must understand that the tax changes will create more than “one dollar in their pocket,” which she indicated would be the additional gain to the taxpayer. The law has three distinct items that will help every working family in Maine.
Beginning in 2012, the state will allow the federal standard deduction, replacing the current lower state deduction. For 2012 that means a married couple’s first $11,900 is tax exempt, which is $2,150 more than Maine currently allows.
LETTER: Craven prefers capitalism without capitalists
To the Editor:
Rep. Margaret Craven’s July 5 Letter to the Editor may seem at first reading to be an attack on Sen. Lois Snowe-Mello. That is a superficial reading.
In reality, it is a part of the Craven’s ongoing effort to claim the title of Maine’s Silliest Liberal. Rather sad in a way. She has no hope of competing with Cynthia Dill, Maine’s funniest blonde joke.
Her letter has some interest, however, as a sampling of standard liberal talking points. She writes that “the top 6,800 households, families making $366,000 or more, will realize an average savings of $21,638. Let’s not pretend that helping the most successful among us somehow helps the least fortunate among us; all it does is amplify income inequality and class tensions.”
Notice Craven’s assumption that we can have a capitalist system without successful capitalists: her belief that allowing people to keep what they earn is “helping” them, as well as the spectacle of liberals everywhere beavering away to build class tensions while shedding crocodile tears over class tension.
LETTER: Craven disputes Republican reforms
To the Editor:
After reading Sen. Lois Snowe-Mello’s recent editorial in the Twin City TIMES, I feel compelled to respond to its claims and assertions. (“Legislature Adjourns after Enacting Historic Reforms,” page 3, June 21, 2012)
Her logic is often misleading, if not outright wrong. The three areas I’d specifically like to address are taxes, social services and healthcare. On each front, the senator has painted an inaccurate and often unfair picture.
Senator Snowe-Mello implicitly claims that lowering taxes for the bottom 70,000 income earners will restore future prosperity. That can’t possibly be true. Why? The 136,000 lowest-income households will realize an average income tax savings of $1. Under no conditions will having an extra dollar in your pocket yield better results for the economy.
LETTER: Mayor Macdonald’s stance is refreshing
To the Editor:
Seems as though we have seen many letters recently criticizing Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald for following through on his “Enough is Enough” campaign promises. Are these letter writers mouthpieces for city and state representatives who don’t know how to deal with an honest politician?
It is so refreshing to have an elected official who is not afraid to do what the people who put him in office want. Bob was elected after running a campaign that promised to address the many issues that we are currently confronted with.
These included welfare reform, efforts to increase our tax base, thus lowering property taxes, and the need to change Lewiston’s image to one of pride rather than one of a welfare city.
LETTER: Mayor’s neck on the chopping block
To the Editor:
I think the words “Enough is Enough” should be attached to the “Welcome to Lewiston” signs at the entrances of our city.
I wish that Mayor Robert Macdonald could also be police chief and judge, all at the same time. There is no doubt in my mind that Macdonald’s voice of reason is the answer to many of the problems that this community is struggling with.
I would encourage the residents and tax payers of this city to rise up and support the mayor as he continually puts his neck on the chopping block of political correctness. He continually points out the problems of irresponsible immigration policies, welfare abuse, crime and the lay-abouts that litter our streets.
His message is very simple and so needed for times such as this. He wants people to work hard, be polite, volunteer time, be neighborly, live lawfully and take a shower as often as possible. What would be wrong with living in a productive and clean community that is safe for our children to grow up in?
LETTER: Mayor should offer constructive solutions
To the Editor:
Mayor Robert E. Macdonald’s recent antagonistic column “Enough is Enough” makes several unfair and harsh criticisms against Lewiston officials, specifically Sen. Margaret Craven. (“Hold officials accountable for TANF cost shift,” Twin City TIMES, May 31, 2012)
Also, the mayor presents families who rely on TANF in a hostile manner, referring to them as barbarians. TANF is designed as a temporary solution to a substantial problem for a family. During this challenging time of economic recovery, some Mainers may need temporary help to achieve economic stability.
I know that we can’t help it if hard times hit. I also know that Maine people help each other when the going gets tough. The mayor should not be demonizing people or a program that benefits many of his constituents—and our neighbors.
