The Maine Wire: “Report: Obama spends more time golfing, vacationing than meeting on economy” plus 5 more

Report: Obama spends more time golfing, vacationing than meeting on economy Posted: 29 Apr 2013 01:50 PM PDT According to a new report from the Washington, DC-based nonpartisan Government Accountability Institute (GAI), President Barack Obama has spent more than twice as much time on vacation and golfing (976 hours) than he has spent in meetings about the economy (474.4 hours). The report, “Presidential Calendar: A Time-Based Analysis,” analyzed the official White House calendar [...]

As Republicans demand vote on hospital repayment, Democrats in disarray over Medicaid expansion Posted: 29 Apr 2013 01:38 PM PDT AUGUSTA – With less than two months remaining in the current legislative session, Democrats in Augusta appear to be in complete disarray over whether to pay Maine’s nearly $500 million hospital debt – and what, if anything, to demand in return. Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage has made repaying the hospitals a chief priority of [...]

Senate President Alfond denies Senate Republicans voice on key committee Posted: 29 Apr 2013 12:57 PM PDT AUGUSTA – After more than a month of consideration, Senate President Justin L. Alfond (D-Cumberland) has refused to allow any Senate Republicans to sit on the Marine Resources Committee — an act Republicans say is part of a worrisome pattern. Senate Republican Leader Michael Thibodeau (R-Waldo) said Monday that Alfond has decided to put party [...]

Maine Republicans demand ethics investigation of Democrats’ mismanaged hearings Posted: 29 Apr 2013 12:04 PM PDT AUGUSTA – Maine Republican Party Chairman Richard M. Cebra on Monday called on Senate President Justin L. Alfond (D-Cumberland) to convene the Conduct and Ethics Committee in response to a growing pattern of irregularities and disruptions during State House hearings. “The Legislature currently has some very serious issues to consider that will have a profound [...]

Truth in Packaging: Maine Democrats Don Clown Noses at Public Hearing Posted: 29 Apr 2013 11:15 AM PDT AUGUSTA – While many Mainers have long believed the Maine Democratic Party is comprised of fools, two Democratic State Senators proved as much on Wednesday by donning clown noses during a public hearing of the Health and Human Services Committee. Sens. Colleen Lachowicz (D-Waterville) and Margaret M. Craven (D-Lewiston) performed their asinine act as several [...]

Taxpayer Funded Campaigns Boost Democrats, Not Ethics Posted: 29 Apr 2013 08:05 AM PDT An Investigation by The Maine Wire finds the Clean Election Act has failed to keep big money out of politics, but rather served as a piggy bank for Democrat campaigns Republican Gov. Paul R. LePage announced his intention to reduce taxpayer funding for political campaigns – also known as the Maine Clean Elections Act – [...]