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16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - An Open Letter to Main... · 0 replies · +2 points

Actually, Charlie Webster emailed me and acknowledged the incident, and I'd take his word for it.

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - An Open Letter to Main... · 1 reply · 0 points

I stand corrected. However, the leaders of each movement mentioned (birthers, Tea Party, filibustering) are Republicans.

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - An Open Letter to Main... · 1 reply · 0 points

You're not civil, and you've been called out on it before. But whatever, that's really the least of my concerns.

1. Okay. I don't spell everything out, because I figure people can use enough common sense to deductively reason what the message that I'm trying to convey. Obviously parties don't take action on specific issues- parties aren't actually people, they're just names. But when the vast majority of a party, including much of its leadership, takes action on an issue, then it's blanket support within that party.

2. Sorry- mix-up of numbers. That was the number for Hawaii's bill. Arizona's is Senate Bill 1024. The bill obviously doesn't mention President Obama, but the language "the national political party committee shall submit an affidavit of the presidential candidate in which the presidential candidate states the candidate's citizenship and age and shall append to the affidavit documents that prove that the candidate is a natural born citizen" is a clear jab at the President.

3. Hah. Okay, then.

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - Maine League of Young ... · 0 replies · 0 points

The League should be commended for making the right endorsement in this race. Great call on their behalf for recognizing the candidate who is reaching out most to young voters across the state to engage them in the political process.

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - An Open Letter to Main... · 0 replies · +1 points

I read Jacobson's blog post, and he should be commended for making such a strong condemnatory stance on the Knox County Republicans' actions. However, the Maine GOP has not taken as firm a stance- they simply said that they "do not condone" the acts (well... no kidding). The Maine GOP must condemn the actions before I agree with you that most Republicans share Jacobson's view.

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - An Open Letter to Main... · 7 replies · 0 points

If the Tea Party was a separate party, they would be classified as such. They are not. They advocate for the election of Republicans. According to the NYT, they "tend to be Republican." Read:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/us/politics/15p...

They are most definitely radical. Don't know where you've been the last year.

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - An Open Letter to Main... · 3 replies · -1 points

1. Again, I definitely wasn't referring to the Maine GOP. I said "your party" because, regardless of level, everyone involved in everything I mentioned is a Republican.

2. Thank you.

3. Again, read this press release from the unbiased office of the California Attorney General:http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1888&a... There was "severe editing" in the ACORN tapes.

4. Your call on that. Eugene Debs was on the forefront of many labor movements in the United States, and is a respected individual. He was definitely controversial- I fully acknowledge that- but the poster in Paul Clifford's room was memorializing Debs's work with the labor movement- not with the Socialist Party, etc.

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - An Open Letter to Main... · 3 replies · 0 points

Man, at least respond to me with respect. You really could use a lesson or two from everyone else on this forum when it comes to civil discourse. I hold complete responsibility, accountability, and liability for everything I write. That being said, I dashed off that letter in about 40 minutes, so I'm not surprised that some things in it were interpreted incorrectly.

1) I was referring to the national GOP, of which the Maine GOP heads are clearly members. I then transitioned into focusing on the Maine GOP. Often state parties push for, or take stances on, national legislation or issues. That is why I included national issues. I do know how a democracy works, probably much more than you do.

2) Bill SB2937

3) There was severe editing in the tapes. Please see this link from the unbiased Office of the Attorney General of California:http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1888&a...

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - An Open Letter to Main... · 5 replies · 0 points

Wow, tons of people clearly not reading the same thing that I wrote.

A few points:
1. I know that the Maine GOP is not responsible for any of the three points I listed- I was referring to Mr. Webster and Ms. Lee-McNally's party in a broader scope.
2. Regarding Republicans calling Obama non-American (and Aaron, I never said "Anti-American"), look at Arizona's recently-passed legislation.
3. Aaron- the ACORN scandal was almost entirely a fraud (read the news), and I never cited (the EDITOR, read it) that piece of information, nor did I see it before writing the piece.
4. The posters and other material in Mr. Clifford's classroom are all related to social studies and history, which he now teaches. They are not biased in any way from personal ideology.

I think that sums up everything that you guys refuted in my piece- let me know if I missed anything.

16 years ago @ Augusta Insider - Education Necessary fo... · 1 reply · +2 points

Constitution? Let's examine Section 1, Article 1, of the Maine State Constitution:
"All people are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and unalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and of pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness."
There you have it: everyone has the equal and inherent rights of safety and happiness. When public schools are not affording vulnerable students these rights, then action must be taken.
Transgender not a part of "sexual orientation"? Really? I'd argue that transgenders beautifully epitomize the diversity of different sexual orientations. If you can make a coherent argument for why transgender(ism?) is not a sexual orientation (or why the Legislature didn't intend for this when passing the bill), I'd hear you out- but until then I disagree on lack of evidence on your side.

I work- I pay taxes. My parents work, own a house, and own cars- they pay taxes. Everyone in my family purchases items- we all pay taxes. I'm pretty sure I understand taxes.

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