a glimmer of hope....

Who amongst us can deny, that our government officials at both the State and National level, are out of touch with the people? Can anyone with honesty look to Augusta and Washington and say that they are doing a good job? I think not my friends. Not only have the politicians forgotten what it is like to earn one’s daily bread, but so too have they betrayed the very trust of those who elected them to office in the first place. What am I talking about? Strangely enough I’m speaking of hope, in my own convoluted way.

This past week governor Baldacci announced a sixty three million dollar budget shortfall. The vast sum, which boggles my mind, must be “made up” through departmental budget cuts alone. According to Gov Baldacci no new taxes or fees will be imposed on the people of this good state. As much as I would like to applaud the governor for his fine rhetoric, I’m afraid my hands sit idle.

The reality of the situation is this; the legislature will resume session in January and as they look to cut budgets, department heads from DHHS, and DOT, will protest loudly. Those departments will at first say “we are already cut to the bone”, a most favored line of government agencies when asked to make cuts. Secondly, if the legislature and the governor insist, the bureaucrats will come back with a list of cuts to the most dramatic and oft times crucial programs within their budgets. This we saw a few years ago when DHHS bused homeless veterans, mentally disabled persons and elderly pensioners up to the state house to display the impact of the legislature’s demands.


This type of display has a great effect on the legislature especially during election years, which by the way 2010 is. No Representative or Senator in his/her right mind would openly deny services to homeless veterans or the elderly, not if they wanted to be re-elected for another term. If there was a legislator who did happen to point out how viciously false the display is and how utterly disingenuous the reasoning, that legislator’s next opponent would be a fool not to take advantage of it. I can see the campaign slogan now, “Senator so and so hates veterans.”


So to perpetuate their hard won seats, those representatives in Augusta who seek reelection in 2010 will waver and wane in the face of such protests. They will place self interest over what little interest they are supposed to have in their constituencies and state as a whole. Intellectual honesty will be ignored for the sake of their positions. In the case of the missing $63,000,000 from the budget, that means the revenue will have to come from another source won’t it?


This type of politicking is not exclusive to Maine but to the Federal system as well. Chellie Pingree, Maine’s 1st district representative, has all but admitted that most of her time is spent fundraising for her next election bid, which leaves her not much time to do the work of legislating. This must explain why she has chosen to be naught but a cheerleader, shouting on the sidelines, on the healthcare reform debates. For how could she have the time to read all 2000 pages of that bill before voting for it if she is spending all her time on the phone and at fundraisers asking for money?

Dire times indeed.

However, there seems to be a glimmer of hope on the horizon, for the people of Maine, as I know of no less than three persons, who are of honest, strong, character who are looking at serving in our government. Ellie Espling has declared she is running for district 105 out of New Gloucester, Gary Foster plans to run for the District 109 seat out of Gray that is being termed out by Sue Austin, and last but not least Dean Scontras has created an exploratory committee to examine the possibility of running for the 1st district for US Congress. Each and every one of these people understand that to serve in government is to serve the voters. That they are the stewards of the seat not the owners, and that intellectual honesty, though not politically expedient, has great value. Perhaps, with luck more good people will come forward and we the people may have the chance to take back what was once ours. I have hope, as this is going to be an interesting year indeed.

Sláinte
Allen Butler

*This article was written for and printed in Lakes Region Weekly newspaper*

Without their support.

The Herd.

It seems the “People” of this nation, being enamored and enthralled by entertainments, have come to be much like the Romans. For how else can one explain the over the top fascination with a dead, drug addicted pop star while their government begins to take control of every aspect of their lives? Cap and Trade passed the House Friday last and not so much as a word concerning it. No, all anyone wants to do is think about a creepy Pedophile and ignore the real dangers this Bill presents to the country.

Panem et circenses ( Bread and Circuses)

I remember reading a statement attributed to Alexander Hamilton in which he expressed his contempt for the general population. He labeled the common men and women of this nation “The Herd that walks on two legs.” I was really angered by the arrogance of that statement but more and more each day I am finding he was/is correct in his assessment.

Sláinte
Blighter

A step in the right Direction

A step in the right direction.

Usually when I read a bill proposal put forth by our legislators in Augusta, the not so subtle music of a circus begins to flow through my mind. Barnum and Bailey’s quick paced and chaotic theme which plays when the clowns race out to perform their acts of amusement, pounds away as I take in the words so carefully contrived to confuse by our leaders. In all actuality, the music helps me understand what is written and makes me smile as I come to grips with another form of mischief manufactured by the “best of our society”.

Sometimes, you just have to laugh.

Much to my surprise, the last bill that came to me arrived without the expected music. A complete and utter silence surrounded each paragraph as I read along through LD 290 "An Act to Allow Maine Residents to Purchase Health Insurance from Out-of-state Insurers."

Confusion washed over me as I studied the common sense approach to health insurance costs put forth by Rep. McKane of Newport. Confusion, because I have become accustomed to reading bills whose contents either do nothing at all, except flatter the vanity of the sponsors, or which further burden the Maine taxpayers by making them fund another useless program. It is refreshing, to say the least, to finally find a bill in which I find neither vanity nor devilry.

Allowing Maine residents and small businesses to go out of state to purchase polices would be of great benefit to thousands of citizens. They would receive coverage at a reduced rate thus premiums would so too go down. This in turn would make insurance more affordable for the individual. However, I believe that the projected savings will not be huge, for the cost of health care in Maine still ranks very high in the nation. If the cost of administration is higher here in Maine than, let’s say Massachusetts, the insurer will have to take that into consideration when assessing the risk. They will be forced to roll that figure into their rates and pass that on to the consumer. So the idea that our new fought freedoms would produce savings of up to 50%, as some have suggested, cannot be sustained. I would surmise it will be more like 10-15%, if that. Of course, a savings of 10-15% is nothing to sneeze at, especially during these trying economic times.

Circumventing the virtual monopoly of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in the individual and small group market, LD 290 will force that company and its affiliates to either abandon the market all together like it did in New Hampshire in 2005, or change its rates to compete and retain its market share. Conceivably they just may spend hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying the State legislature for a bail out, which seems likely considering the mania for bail out programs these days. Rest assured, Anthem will not favor this bill one bit, nor will those legislators who receive campaign contributions from the insurance giant.

We all know what a terrible mess Maine’s insurance market is. Guaranteed issue, Community Rating, Guaranteed renewal, and outrageous mandates have all combined to drive rates and premiums through the roof. The individual and small group market has essentially been destroyed by these laws and insurance carriers have been forced to leave the state because of them. We are in a quagmire, of well intentioned folly which has strangled the citizens of this state far too long.

In 2005, to correct the problems surrounding the failed polices of guaranteed issue and community rating, Maine introduced the Dirigo health plan instead of deregulating the state insurance industry. This too has failed though it is well intentioned like all such programs; it was based upon the very same theories that caused the insurance industry collapse to begin with i.e. guaranteed issue and community rating. So the Dirigo fix to the fix sits in the corner not fulfilling even a tenth of its promise to insure 130,000 people whilst our legislature keeps throwing money into the burning heap hoping that somehow this will quell the flames.


LD 290 does not address the issues of community rating, mandates, or guaranteed issue.

It by passes these issues cleverly, and would ultimately bring some relief to many Maine citizens. It is “a step in the right direction” on the road to rebuilding an equitable deregulated insurance market in our state. By opening the door to competition, and delivering unto the Maine people the opportunity to save some money, it will also stimulate our economy. The saved premium dollars for individuals will be spent in their communities, and for businesses those dollars will be reinvested in their companies, possibly saving if not creating jobs. There is no down side to this bill which I can see, and I hope with all my heart that this passes committee and then becomes law.

Slainte'

Blighter