Chairman's Blog
What TABOR Opponents Think of Voters
Our permanent political class in Maine doesn't think we're very bright. That's one of the reasons they're so opposed to TABOR. TABOR allows us to decide whether to approve extraordinary tax or spending increases. And while they think we're intelligent enough to vote for them, we're not intelligent enough to vote on tax and spending increases.
Quite a few of Maine's politicos have spoken disparagingly about Maine voters. These include Sen. Libby Mitchell, Kay Rand (Gov. King's former chief of staff), Geoff Herman (chief lobbyist for the Maine Municipal Association) and Mark Gray (head of the Maine teachers union).
And now, straight from a recent performance in Bangor at a forum on TABOR sponsored by the Maine Municipal Association, I give you John O'Dea, Chief Executive Officer of the Associated General Contractors of Maine.
John thinks that Maine voters are "fools" and can't be trusted. John self-identifies himself as a member of Augusta's political class. He's a former legislator (House and Senate) but he says he likes to "keep his fingers in the pie in Augusta". He certainly does - he represents businesses that survive from state contracts.
He's been outspoken in his opposition to TABOR and participated in a controversial closed door meeting with Senator Mitchell and Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree.
This closed-door meeting, which included lobbyists and other public opponents of TABOR is the subject of a Freedom of Information request filed on August 12 by our campaign to determine the extent of Mitchell and Pingree's unethical use of taxpayer-funded state resources to defeat TABOR. To date, neither Mitchell nor Pingree's offices have submitted any of the requested information.
But foot-dragging and resistance is what we expect from the political class.
After all, why should they bother with people as dumb as us?
To see the O'Dea video, go here.
Our permanent political class in Maine doesn't think we're very bright. That's one of the reasons they're so opposed to TABOR. TABOR allows us to decide whether to approve extraordinary tax or spending increases. And while they think we're intelligent enough to vote for them, we're not intelligent enough to vote on tax and spending increases.
Quite a few of Maine's politicos have spoken disparagingly about Maine voters. These include Sen. Libby Mitchell, Kay Rand (Gov. King's former chief of staff), Geoff Herman (chief lobbyist for the Maine Municipal Association) and Mark Gray (head of the Maine teachers union).
And now, straight from a recent performance in Bangor at a forum on TABOR sponsored by the Maine Municipal Association, I give you John O'Dea, Chief Executive Officer of the Associated General Contractors of Maine.
John thinks that Maine voters are "fools" and can't be trusted. John self-identifies himself as a member of Augusta's political class. He's a former legislator (House and Senate) but he says he likes to "keep his fingers in the pie in Augusta". He certainly does - he represents businesses that survive from state contracts.
He's been outspoken in his opposition to TABOR and participated in a controversial closed door meeting with Senator Mitchell and Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree.
This closed-door meeting, which included lobbyists and other public opponents of TABOR is the subject of a Freedom of Information request filed on August 12 by our campaign to determine the extent of Mitchell and Pingree's unethical use of taxpayer-funded state resources to defeat TABOR. To date, neither Mitchell nor Pingree's offices have submitted any of the requested information.
But foot-dragging and resistance is what we expect from the political class.
After all, why should they bother with people as dumb as us?
To see the O'Dea video, go here.
David Crocker, Chairman
TABOR NOW