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| Nov - Dec 2008
ISSUE 19— IN THIS ISSUE: UPDATES— EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS Gov. John E. Baldacci— discusses the economy and how green energy technologies, innovative projects, and building electrical transmission lines will create jobs. Congressman Tom Allen— speaks out about the issues Anna Goodale— Olympian on her love for Maine, and her win Congressman Mike Michaud— talks about his three major projects where he has made a big difference for ME MAINE ECONOMIC NEWS— Governor's conference: Regional leaders meet for economic development RGGI- takes the lead and holds its first cap and trade auction Governor Baldacci- on ME’s economic future and more MAINE'S INNOVATIVE ECONOMY— State Award— $30 Million from bond initiative awarded to innovative projects Proposed energy project— 2 Billion Wiscasset tidal power MAINE INITIATIVES— Keeping citizens safe and secure this winter— Ways to save energy Maine’s Wood to Energy Initiative Report— says forests sustainable and wood pellets available MAINE COMMUNITY NEWS— Democrats Work— Community service organizationMAINE VOICES— Economy — Green color innovative jobs are the future with Obama Health — Loosing DirigoChoice’s funding could put 18,000 people’s lives at risk Katie Ouilette From Republican county chair to running for ME’s state house- as a Democrat ELETION NEWS— Students, make a huge difference in this historic election
Please comment on any article, refer to which article in your email, and it will be posted on that article's page. email: duhoux2@tds.net
Statistical information in this publication is obtained from state agencies and government offices. All photographs, articles, and layout are by Ramona du Houx unless otherwise indicated. Not authorized by any candidate, candidate’s committee, or the Maine Democratic Party |
Congressman Tom Allen: On the Issues – says record are votes for change
Photos and interview by Ramona du Houx Senator Susan Collins has voted over 100 percent in favor of the Bush administration’s policies that have dealt with the economy, and 81 percent in favor of Bush’s overall policies. "It’s not whether you like Susan Collins or not, I like her. I’ve worked with her on a number of issues for Maine. It’s about our records: where we stand on issues. Where you stand makes a big difference. We are witnessing the results of what bad policies can do to the economy," said Congressman Tom Allen, who is running for Senator Collins’ seat. "I was in Washington when President Clinton brought down the deficit. He left office with a surplus. His economic policies grew our economy with jobs. I voted with him, and I’ll vote with Barack Obama. In order for Barack to accomplish his goals, he’s going to need a strong majority in the U.S. Senate." Allen was one of Barack Obama’s supporters before the primaries. "He’s someone I see that can lift this country up, not only by inspiring, but with his policies. He does remind me of J. F. Kennedy. Our nation and the world need a leader that can work with people, enthuse them to take action in these turbulent economic times. People in Maine are hurting, suffering from the Bush administration’s policies that have resulted in this economy," said Allen.
In a recent poll of 600 likely voters that was taken from September 30th to October 2nd by the Mellman Group, Allen is behind Collins by just eight percentage points. The poll has a 4 percent margin of error. Excerpted Poll Questions: If the November 2008 general election for U.S. Senate were held today, and the candidates were Democratic Tom Allen and Republican Susan Collins, for whom would you vote, or are you undecided? Allen: 41 percent; Collins: 49 percent. If the November 2008 general election for president were held today, and the candidates were Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, for whom would you vote or are you undecided? Obama: 52 percent; McCain: 35 percent. Before it became popular to say troops should be brought back from Iraq, Allen, in a December 2005 interview with the Maine Democrat, expressed just that emphatically. "I wanted to start to bring troops home then. For more than two years I have advocated setting a deadline to safely and responsibly bring our troops home. Sen. Barack Obama agrees with me," he said. "The Maliki government wants us to set a deadline, and now even the Bush administration is signaling it may be ready to sign an agreement to that end. Only McCain wants us to stay there. We need to bring our troops home in a safe, responsible manner and take care of our people here at home." While many, including
Collins, voted in favor of the war, Allen didn’t. "I am proud of my record of making the right choices for Maine, voting against the war in Iraq, taking on the big pharmaceutical makers to lower the cost of prescription drugs, voting against the Cheney energy bill that moved $14 billion in tax breaks to Big Oil, or working for tax cuts for our middle class and standing up for small business," he said. Photo: Sherry Pineau, and others, laugh with Congressman Tom Allen at one of his community bean suppers, in Skowhegan. Over 150 people attended the event There has been criticism that Allen has not passed enough legislation in Congress. In order to pass a bill, the party in which you represent usually has to be in power in the House, Senate or the White House. Congress has only been under the leadership of Democrats for the past two years. That leadership in the Senate has is marginal. It is not enough to keep Republicans from stopping votes by filibustering. Before then, Republicans had a clear majority in all branches of government. "With the other party in control, it’s hard to get bills passed. Most of the time we’ve had to follow their [the Republican’s] schedules, which included passing bills in the dead of night to ensure the media wasn’t present," said Allen. Despite the partisanship
many Republicans have exhibited, Allen believes in working together. "I’ve
worked across the aisle for legislation to allow no permanent bases in Iraq, investigate
Iraq and Afghanistan war-time contracts and contracting processes, and ban the export of
toxic mercury, to name a few," he said. "In order to move this nation forward,
we have to work together." Studies have shown that John McCain’s plan, which he admits will increase taxes on some individuals, could also force another 20 million Americans from their current employer-provided healthcare plan. In Maine, over 97,000 individuals would lose their current healthcare coverage under the McCain Plan. (Source: Economic Policy Institute.) Allen is hopeful Obama’s healthcare plan will be enacted, which is possible as long as there is a good majority of Democrats in the Senate and House. "Sen. Obama’s healthcare plan is a good plan. At the end of the day, it obviously won’t be exactly as he has it now. That’s how the system works in Washington. It’s set up so you have to work with everyone. He’s the man to get the job done, and I’ll be honored, if I’m elected, to be working with him to move the issue forward. I authored a universal healthcare plan. My plan drives down cost while providing access to affordable, quality healthcare choices. It builds on the strengths of the existing American healthcare system by providing new and better choices for businesses, families and individuals who are left out of the system or lack the healthcare security they should have throughout their lives. With my plan, all Americans, including the self-employed and owners and employees of small businesses, will be guaranteed the freedom to purchase a quality plan that is affordable and best for them." Allen believes Congress should roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent of Americans and adopt Sen. Obama’s tax cut for 95 percent of Americans. "I voted against the Bush-Cheney tax breaks for the super-wealthy and big corporations, because I knew they were bad for Maine. In hindsight, they weren’t just bad for Maine, but disastrous," said Allen. "Obama’s plan and mine are similar. We need to cut taxes for the middle class." With gas and oil prices hurting Mainers’ pocketbooks and driving some businesses out of business, Allen agrees that there needs to be more action from Washington to help the citizens of America. "First we have to give immediate relief to Mainers, and my plan does that through a $2,000 refundable tax credit to help people afford home heating oil this winter. My plan includes other tax credits and low-interest loans to help with weatherization and home heating fuel costs," he said. "We have to crack down on speculators and market manipulators who are driving up costs. I believe we should release 100 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to increase domestic supply." Allen thinks this energy crisis can be turned around, creating innovative jobs for Maine. "We need a smart
long-term plan that stresses conservation, efficiency, and investments in alternative and
renewable energies. It will help wean the nation from foreign oil dependency, curb climate
change and create jobs. Wind, solar, water, and wood chips for making cellulosic ethanol
are all in great abundance here in Maine," said Allen. "Growth in the renewable
energy industry will create high-paying manufacturing jobs." Allen, a Bowdoin College graduate, served on the Portland City Council before winning his U.S. House seat in 1996. He grew up spending a lot of time on his parents’ 120-acre farm, located in a remote section of north Sebago. As a teen, he earned money tending the family’s apple orchard. "My family has been here for seven generations," said Allen. "This is home, I love Maine." Today, he owns a farm, would likes to fish, and enjoys growing apples as a hobby. Allen Blames Irresponsible Policies for Wall St. Meltdown Article and photo by Darren Fishell PORTLAND—Rep. Tom Allen indicted the Bush administration and his opponent in the race for Senate, Susan Collins, for supporting "reckless economic policies" that have "led the nation to the edge of financial disaster." Collins, Allen said, is the only member of the Maine delegation to have supported all of the Bush tax breaks for the super-wealthy. In 2006, Collins broke with fellow Senate Republican Olympia Snowe to support a bill limiting the tax rate on investment income and protecting families with above-average incomes from being "overtaxed" — a bill which Snowe called "cynical" and "the wrong message for middle-class America." "The Bush administration’s consistent philosophy has been that free markets work, but without government regulation," Allen said from Portland’s Wall Street. "Now we ask, works best for whom? Wall Street, Manhattan, or Wall Street, Portland?" Allen stressed that the current financial crisis must be contained to protect Maine families and small businesses and spur economic activity in middle-class neighborhoods across the country, while also making sure that the country will never see such a downturn again. In response to the $700 billion financial bailout
plan being negotiated at the time of the press conference, Allen said "the Bush
administration and its allies have put us into a corner where we must bail out these
firms. We’re going to do that this week, and I look forward to working in a
bipartisan manner to get that job done." But, Allen said, we should not bail out Wall Street without taking care of Main Street; that is, by creating a bailout package that minimizes taxpayer exposure, ensures homeowners a lifeline, includes oversight of the Treasury, and sets limits on excessive compensation for executives. "The ideas widely held by the Bush administration and its allies like Susan Collins and John McCain that the market will take care of itself without federal regulation and oversight have failed our middle class miserably," Allen said. Allen urged that change must come now. "We need to change our economic policies in order to strengthen our middle class, instead of feeding the super-wealthy and big corporations," Allen said. "To fix the problem in the long term, we need new leadership in Washington that will meet the tough challenges with bold solutions."
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Photo: Congressman
Tom Allen gives his speech at the DNC convention.
