Some one "please" (Bangor, Waterville: how much, homes, bankrupt)

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by msina

Gov. LePage Orders Little Girl's Sandcastle Kicked In




Gov. LePage Orders Little Girl's Sandcastle Kicked In

Are we going to foreclose on the doll house too?

[Submariner]

I saw where the MDOT has had to cancel a big award ceremony and dinner for the employee of the year too.

I would like to see governments stop wasting so much money on this kind of junk.

Can the mural be sold at auction so at least we can recoup some of that waste?

Maine needs cash and jobs. Maine does not need $100K+ employees, nor does it need fancy art work; all at the tax-payers expense.

[Maineguy04654]

That "painting" is a affront to this state and represents exactly the problems we have here. It should not be there nor should TAX have been taken from the people to pay for it.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Kristin85

If there was ever a way to tell state employees that taxpayers aren't going to have their hands tied in regards to changing the budget at the state level, this was it. The mural depicts a labor strike and Frances Perkins (who is not idolized or revered by many conservatives.) Those portions of the mural depict values that the state no longer wants to stand for. It's a shame Rosie the Riveter couldn't be saved, but overall I understand why the decision was made.

It seems to me that unions are seeing a lot of anger aimed at them as a possible factor in our current recession.


Moderator cut: Let's stick with Maine on this one and leave the national politics for the Politics forum

[beltrams]

While I too support the idea that the mural was an inappropriate use of state dollars, and well support Gov. LePage's attempts at reigning in government, I can't help but think that so far, he has been way too petty in what he chooses to make a big deal out of. Yeah, I too like poking at all the politically correct folk out there and having fun with them, but his constant attention to these fairly little things is going to end up going badly for him, and thereby all of us. I'm thinking of this mural, the "little mustache" comment, and so on.

He'd do better to talk somewhat less, and just go about his business of reducing the anti-economic climate government is imposing on this state. Right now he's giving too much attention to the fools, basically, or at least allowing the media to give the impression that's what he's doing.

[mollysmiles]

Here, here beltrams! I couldn't have said it better myself. Someone push that man to work in the morning or push the d*mn media out.... I'm tired of hearing about whoopie pies, mustaches, and murals. Get to work!

[msina]

Originally Posted by Maineguy04654

That "painting" is a affront to this state and represents exactly the problems we have here. It should not be there nor should TAX have been taken from the people to pay for it.

Some say tomatoes, some say tomah-toes. I guess it depends on what you consider an "affront. I Saw John Stewart address the issue of the illustrious Gov. of Maine last night (along with some other idiots). What a petty, sweaty man Pepe is. (IMO)
I do know that well over 1k faxes have been sent to the Governor's office in protest of the mural's removal.
"A mural, celebrating labor, at the dept. of labor" How Ironic eh?

[Kristin85]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

Here, here beltrams! I couldn't have said it better myself. Someone push that man to work in the morning or push the d*mn media out.... I'm tired of hearing about whoopie pies, mustaches, and murals. Get to work!

I'm with you on the media comment. All of the discussion about Maine's dessert and removing the mural probably took a whole 5 minutes out of LePage's day. I can't imagine him sitting around for hours debating either of these topics. My suspicion is that the media is overemphasizing these decisions to make people think LePage doesn't do anything when he goes to work. The mural (ex Rosie) stands for labor unions standing in the way of work getting done for the taxpayers; it's pretty clearcut to me why it's getting repainted and I could have made that decision in no time. Again, I don't think LePage needed much time to think about it either. Expect the media to find some other unimportant LePage decision to harp on in the next few weeks.

[broadbill]

Originally Posted by Kristin85

I'm with you on the media comment. All of the discussion about Maine's dessert and removing the mural probably took a whole 5 minutes out of LePage's day. I can't imagine him sitting around for hours debating either of these topics. My suspicion is that the media is overemphasizing these decisions to make people think LePage doesn't do anything when he goes to work. The mural (ex Rosie) stands for labor unions standing in the way of work getting done for the taxpayers; it's pretty clearcut to me why it's getting repainted and I could have made that decision in no time. Again, I don't think LePage needed much time to think about it either. Expect the media to find some other unimportant LePage decision to harp on in the next few weeks.

But why would LePage bother with mural in the first place? He was the one that talking about out of control spending in Maine government on the campaign trail, but turns around and spends tax payer money to pull down a mural that doesn't seem to be hurting anything....other than it seems to p*ss him off.

Sure, you can argue about the tax payer money used to put the mural up in the first place, but spending the money to tear is down seems (also rename conference rooms) seems like throwing good money after bad.

Between that and his proposed budget with a 400 million spending INCREASE, it doesn't look like he plans to do anything about spending control. Maybe its just me though.

[elston]

I think most Mainers are still opposed to having children work in dangerous occupations for 12 hour days.....and most would still support the historic struggle of paper workers and mill workers to organize to earn a living wage....most still support Social Security.....most value the heroic contributions of our fore bearers.....and celebrate the contributions of our immigrant parents and grand parents.....there isnt anything divisive about acknowledging the contributions of working people.....anymore than a library given by the Mellon or the Carnigie family is an affront to working people.* I hope the Gov. doesnt propose the demolition of these monuments to the extravagent wealth of an industrialist... or removal of the Carnigie name in the interest of fairness. Similarly the display of Rockerfeller family's wealth at Arcadia isnt an insult to working people.

I would expect that a governmental office serving veterans......might have a mural celebrating the contributions of soldiers, sailors and marines.....and an agency serving Agricultural interests might have a mural celebrating the production and abundance of the American farmer.....public art and murals capture our history. Our civil war monuments are legitimate reminders of the War to Preserve the Union......I would hope that our governor, driven by some infatuation with States Rights and a notion of Nullification won't start melting down the monuments to our heroes.

* There were 20 libraries built by the Industrialist Andrew Carnigie and given to towns in Maine....they all bear his name emblazoned over the portal. The receiving towns were responsible to maintain and support these gifts from a philanthropic industrialist. Waterville is one of the cities that received and maintains such a public building. )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...aries_in_Maine