Why Do You Care So Much?

My brother asked the other day when we were once again talking about the prospects of an East-West Highway in Maine, why do care so much about this damn thing? I couldn't really say with much conviction at that time. I just knew I cared about the fact that I do not like the idea of it and all the side effects that come with it.

After much thought I came up with this conclusion.  If this highway is built we are just allowing corporations more power.  This is a project that will be privately financed and built. They plan on coming through the most impoverished parts of the states knowing that people on hard times are going to be easier to convince to sell their land. Mr. Vigue is also not telling anyone about the exact route of the proposed highway, because he is worried about land owners being bullied and intimidated by opponents.

The law of eminent domain has been bandied about for the past few months as a way of obtaining the land for this proposed corridor.  Mr. Vigue claims that eminent domain will not be exercised, but you can bet your last dollar that if a group of small landowners band together to decide not to sell, that the state will step in and claim the land for "economic development".  There has been a precedence already set for this. 

This really once again boils down to a case of class warfare. We have the 1% who want this road to help line their pockets. Whilst the little man will be left in the dust to deal with whatever is left.
My question is, do we want to fight this, or roll over and let our corporate masters decide for us? Let them paint the future landscape for the great state of Maine? This is why I care so damn much about fighting this highway.

MR. SALTY

Do you want this?

To look like this?

Highway To Nowhere

The Republicans in Maine like to call this the welfare state.  They make ridiculous claims that other states pay for bus tickets to send their welfare recipients here to help lessen their load, because Maine has no waiting period for benefits.  Well today the "welfare state" went corporate.  Governor LePage signed the East West Highway Bill today authorizing the feasibility study for a privately built and owned highway connecting the towns of Calais on the eastern border, and Colburn Gore on the western border.  The cost of this study is at $300k, but this is a chance that this could become more costly. 

When and if this highway is built the cost of the study will be repaid by the private entity that is going to build the highway.  So you ask, why would the state be interested in funding the study initially?  The answer is quite simple, eminent domain.  With the state funding this study it opens the door for the land to be obtained through eminent domain. They will be able to come in to towns along the route and snatch land for pennies on the dollar.

We have said this in a previous blog about this topic, but the real beneficiary of this project will be the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick..  The governor said he has been in communication with premiers of both New Brunswick and Quebec, which straddle the state, “and they’re very excited about this opportunity. It is good for commerce” between the United States and Canada, the governor said. In reality it's good for Commerce between Canadian provinces. They will be able to move their natural gas through Maine, instead of up around the top of the state and into the ports of New Brunswick.

So will taxpayers get caught paying for any of this? You better believe it.  With the increased traffic at the Corburn Gore crossing, that border station will need to be rebuilt costing tax payers.  The Road will have to be patrolled as well, most likely by State Troopers. Oh and then there is EMT/Rescue from towns along the highway that will need to respond to accidents.  What is the environmental impact of building a 220 mile highway?  That remains to be seen, but we hope we won't have to see it.  This highway will be crossing many of the major watersheds of the state, The Penobscot River, the Kennebec River and the Piscatiquis River are all in the direct line of this road.  These waters will become subject to increased salt, as the roads are treated in the winter.  Don't forget the garbage that will be flying around as well.  Lastly it will also be crossing a section of the Appalachian Trail.  We understand that many roads and highways cross the trail, but how many have pipelines and electrical conduits along with them?

In the end Maine is going to lose and lose big with this highway.  The communities along the route are going to suffer when families are kicked off the land they own, some of which has been family owned for generations. As more info comes out about this project, we will see more opposition to it. - Mr. Salty

And In This Corner.. The Democrats

A  few weeks ago we started to blog about the race for Olympia Snowe's senate seat in Maine.  We highlighted the republican candidates, so it's time to see who the democrats are in this race. 

This race began with some big names taking about papers to run for this seat.  We had Congresswoman Chellie Pingree from North Haven. Pingree represents the 1st district which encompasses the southern half of the state.  Then Mike Michaud congressman from East Millinocket. Michaud represents the 2nd district which covers the northern, less populated half of the state.  Former congressman and governor John Baldacci also took papers.  Michaud and Pingree both decided that they were better served continue their campaign for their current positions.  Governor Baldacci also decided at that he would not pursue this nomination any further.  Many here say that the entry of former governor and Independent candidate Angus King caused these candidates to drop out.  With these big names out of the race, we still have Matt Dunlap, Cynthia Dill, and John Hinck.

Matt Dunlap is a former Secretary of State from 2005 until 2011 in the Baldacci administration.  He now currently serves as the Executive Director for the Sportsman Alliance of Maine (SAM). Dunlap served in the Maine house of Representatives from 1996 to 2004.  He was a strong advocate for wildlife and environmental issues.  In 1999, he proposed restructuring the Atlantic Salmon Authority. He also supported legislation that increased moose hunting permits. He also sponsored a bill that would allow the Department of Inland Fisheries to contract with a consulting firm for the fisheries evaluation.  Elected by the Legislature to serve as Maine’s 47th Secretary of State, he oversaw the modernization of the department’s electronic delivery of services to the public. In 2010, under his direction, Maine’s implementation of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act was the swiftest and most effective in the country, enabling military personnel and others abroad rapid and secure access to Maine’s voting process.

Cynthia Dill is a noted civil rights lawyer who resides in Cape Elizabeth.  Dill was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2006, where she served as a member of the Judiciary and Ethics Committees. Among other things, Dill sponsored the legislation that created the Broadband Strategy Council and was appointed Chair. As a leading proponent of the expansion of broadband, Dill was instrumental in obtaining over $35 million of investment for the Three Ring Binder Project, a nationally recognized private/public partnership that will bring high-speed Internet access to rural parts of Maine and widely expand the potential for good jobs, enhanced educational opportunities, health care and public safety.  Dill was elected to the Maine Senate in May of 2011 in a special election for district 7.  Dill founded the Friends of the Maine Woods, a statewide organization that advocates for the study and creation of a Maine Woods National Park. Now this is an Organization that many democrats and republicans in the northern tier of the state do not care for.  They feel that it is not a true representation of how most Mainers feel about the the North woods, but it's the feel of the "urbanites" and "flat landers", also known as residents of southern New England.

John Hinck has spent his life as an advocate, teacher, and champion for working people. He co-founded Greenpeace USA, fought for commercial fishermen after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and helped secure a ban on MTBE in order to preserve Maine’s clean water. In the Legislature, he is a driving force for energy independence promoting clean, homegrown power and promoting efficiency to lower energy costs for Maine homes and businesses.  Jon worked for a decade with the environmental group Greenpeace, including as campaign director for Greenpeace International in charge of the organization's worldwide program.  He was instrumental in building Greenpeace USA into one of the largest environmental groups in the U.S. and spearheaded major efforts in marine ecology, energy and toxic issues. He has chaired the legislature's Energy & Utilities Committee and is active with the national Council of State Government's Energy & Environment Committee.

The Primary for the Democratic Nominee will be June 2nd.


References:
http://www.cynthiadill.com/about_cynthia_dill.htm
http://www.dunlapforsenate.com/about-matt
http://www.jonhinck.com/

Woof Saturday

Woof to you Intellectual Allies. What a week, still reeling from a teenager being stalked/gunned down by a Neighborhood Watch terrorist, we had to stomach the Supreme Court taking a gander at the Affordable Care Act. Mostly the same group of f*cknards that gave the election to Dubya back in 2000.. oh damn.. here goes the heart palpitations, time for Woof Saturday before I head into the light, this week we take a look at the Cairn Terrier.. woof woof Toto!!

Hellooooo ladies

goooooodness we want one

Like you didn't envision this.

BOOOOM!! Take that Caturday!!

As always at the Greed.Oppression.Piety you've fallen in love and it is time to look into your options. We recommend looking for one of these babes via a RESCUE group.

Stand Your Ground

"Stand Your Ground" or a get out of jail free card?  The Trayvon Martin tragedy has raised many questions in the state of Flordia.  Was this a true case of stand your ground, the law enacted in 2005 in Florida that became a model for twenty-five other states?  Was this racially motivated?  Is there a history of trouble with either Martin or Zimmerman?

There has been leaks out of the Sanford Police Department in the past few days trying to tarnish the reputation of seventeen year old Trayvon Martin.  The news is saying that he had been suspended from school for a carrying a baggy that was found to have marijuana residue.  Stories that he had swung on a bus driver, and a claim of vandalism.  So why  are the police trying so vigorously to smear this young man's reputation to protect George Zimmerman?  It seems to us that it is to cover up their ineptitude in not arresting Mr. Zimmerman and detaining him until they could understand what transpired.

Zimmerman is claiming that Martin punched him in the face then slammed his head on the concrete.  Was this self defense by Martin?  The 911 call by Zimmerman paint him as the pursuer. He confronted Martin and instigated the confrontation. Martin was running from this man to avoid confrontation and bring his cousin the promised "taste the rainbow" of a bag of Skittles. Even if Martin had struck Zimmerman it seems that it was in self defense, which does not give Zimmerman a right to pull his gun on an unarmed teenager.

Florida State Representative Dennis Baxley was the primary sponsor of Stand Your Ground had this to say in an interview on NPR, "Well, simply because if you carefully read the statute, which most of the critics have not, and read the legislative analysis, there's nothing in this statute that authorizes you to pursue or confront other people. If anything, this law would have protected the victim in this case; it could have."  With this being the case why has Zimmerman not been arrested?

Does a hooded sweatshirt or "hoodie" as the kids like to call them, make someone look suspicious?  Or is it just an African American male in a hoodie that looks suspect?  This seems like a minor detail in the whole situation, but it has become the symbol that is being used to show support for Trayvon's parents and family. 

People have come forward in defense of George Zimmerman to say that he is not racist and that this was not racially motivated, but one has to wonder if it was after hearing the words out of Zimmerman's mouth on the 911 tapes.  Zimmerman sounds confused in this call, he states at once that he's wearing a dark sweatshirt, maybe gray, wearing sweatpants, maybe jeans.  Sweats and jeans are completely different, if you can't identify the difference you may have a problem.  He's trying to give directions for the dispatcher, and he is having trouble doing that.  The question now would be is Zimmerman drunk or of low intellect, and if so why the hell does he have a fire arm?

Everywhere you look there seems to be a glaring problem with how the Sanford Police have handle this whole situation.

Stay The FRACK Out Of Our State

There has been talk for decades now that Maine is in need of an east/west highway.  As it stands now the only highways in Maine run north & south, with Interstate 95 being the major route.  The east/west corridor would connect the Canadian Provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec with a single highway.  In our opinion the real benefit of this highway is for our neighbors to the north, the Canadians, but not as much for Mainers.

The current talk is that the highway will be privately funded, and paid for with tolls. If you are from the woods you know that you don't pay tolls past Augusta, where the "real" Maine begins.  Peter Vigue the CEO of Cainbro has been the appointed the go-to man for this highway.  The state has approved a $300k  economic feasibility study, which as of right now the tax payers are paying for, but if the highway is built will be repaid by the contractor who builds the highway.  The question here is how the state has the $300k to initially do this study, yet the governor would like to cut all funding to MPBN, and has talked about schools not having enough money to finish the year and LePage gutting funds if you cross him.

Let's talk about environmental and property issues.  Is this land that is going to be used going to fall under the eminent domain?   A private venture should not be able to fall under this provision.  We envision the governor doing everything in his power to help this highway get constructed which would include using the power of eminent domain to snatch the land from it's owner's for pennies.  Environmentally what is going to be the bulk of traffic on this highway?  It's going to be 18 wheelers hauling LNG fuel from the fracking fields of New Brunswick and Quebec. Stay the FRACK out of our state.

The potential of this highway to damage the Maine economy is real.  Sure it will provide jobs, but those jobs are not permanent.  The lumber mills in Quebec will no longer rely on Maine lumber as it will be able to get lumber from New Brunswick much easier than it is able to now. Border crossings will need to be upgraded to handle the influx of trailer trucks using these crossings. 

If Maine is the way life should be, why are they trying to gut up our lands and give access to LNG fuel truck full o' FRACK?! 

Woof Saturday

With the tragedy of Trayvon Martin filling us with fury over the sad state of affairs down there in Florida and the rest of the country for that matter. It is time to have a lil' smile. What better way to put a smile on your faces then the smoooosh faced Pug?

This is a dapper pug because snorting to high heavens = class

The police officer sees ALL sides of the law.. seriously, can she see on both sides of her head? 

Groucho Marx?

Hot Sh*t

You know you were thinking it

The Maine Pug

Who doesn't LOVE a Pug? Check out these great RESCUE resources!!