Table of Content
Despite his re-election, LePage was generally unpopular for most of his second term. In 2016, his approval ratings registered at 38%, making him one of ten state executives with higher disapproval (58%). LePage was consistently ranked as one of the most unpopular governors in the United States, and he left office with an approval split of 39–53%.
He proposed eliminating all funding for the act in his 2014–2015 biennial budget and stated his opposition to a proposal to reform the act by increasing the amount of money that would be distributed. He calls such aid "welfare for politicians" and a "scam," saying that "Our democracy is being corrupted by the role of big money in politics." LePage initially endorsed Chris Christie for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, but after Christie dropped out LePage endorsed Donald Trump just hours after Christie in February 2016. Earlier in February, LePage had urged Republican governors to draft an open letter "to the people", disavowing Trump and his politics. LePage has continued his crusadeto eliminate Maine’s income tax during this campaign, often citing a desire to lure “snowbirds” back from Florida for most of the year. The page continued his crusade to eliminate Maine’s income tax during this campaign, often citing a desire to attract Florida “snowbirds” for most of the year.
Paul LePage is registered to vote in Florida
BANGOR, Maine - Paul LePage’s mission to unseat Democratic candidate Janet Mills, did not materialize following Tuesday’s Midterm Elections. What does a Republican-controlled House and a Democratic-run Senate mean for the next two years? Most likely a return to the gridlock and brinkmanshipthat have defined a divided federal government in recent years. President Biden, who had the best midterms of any president in 20 yearsas Democrats maintained a narrow hold on the Senate, feels buoyant after the results. But as he nears his 80th birthday, he confronts a decisionon whether to run again.
By then, they had claimed a homestead exemption on that home, indicating it was at least the permanent residence of Ann LePage at a time when her husband was still Maine’s governor. A Florida tax lawyer told The New York Times this was possible under state law but “atypical” since spouses typically are in homes together. His final budget proposal in 2017 contained a tax overhaul that would have combined income tax cuts and sales tax expansion while limiting Maine’s homestead exemption to people over 65, although that the package was never seriously considered in a divided legislature. After leaving office in 2019 because of Maine’s prohibition on serving a third consecutive term, Mr. LePage obtained a Florida driver’s license and registered to vote in the state.
election
A member of the Republican Party, LePage served two terms as a city councilor in Waterville, Maine, before being elected Mayor of Waterville in 2004, serving until 2011. “Janet Mills, I just hope your second term, if I lose, is better than your first term because you are not an honest, sincere person. You are an elitist and I think that America needs better than people who are not caring for the people they govern,” said LePage.
He has said that coverage mandates for Maine insurance policies should be pared back because they make insurance policies too expensive. He believes that MaineCare, the state Medicaid program, has too many enrollees and is too easy to qualify for. He vetoed a bill to expand MaineCare under the Affordable Care Act on June 17, 2013, and has criticized efforts by the Legislature to write an expansion bill that will obtain enough votes to override a veto, stating that the Legislature has "no compassion". LePage has stated that the size of state government is likely too large and that he would probably seek to reduce the number of state employees. LePage has criticized wind power and in particular the large-scale expansion of installed capacity mandated by Maine's 2008 Wind Energy Act and wind energy's large role in the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard.
Jan. 6 committee finalizes criminal referral plan for Trump
LePage rejects the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change, which states that climate change is dangerous and primarily human-caused. According to Democratic state senator Brownie Carson, during LePage's time in office "he not only didn't care about the environment, he was actively hostile toward it". His final budget proposal in 2017 contained a tax overhaulthat would have melded income tax cuts and a broadening of the sales tax with limiting Maine’s homestead exemption to people over age 65, though the package was never seriously entertained in a divided Legislature. In 2010, Ann LePage was initially cited in Florida after claiming a homestead exemption on homes there and in Waterville.
His father drank heavily and terrorized the children, and his mother was too intimidated to stop him. At age eleven, after his father beat him and broke his nose, he ran away from home and lived on the streets of Lewiston, where he at times stayed in horse stables and at a "strip joint". After spending roughly two years homeless, he began to earn a living shining shoes, washing dishes at a café, and hauling boxes for a truck driver.
Join the Maine Dems
On June 21, 2013, when asked if he was concerned about hurting his re-election campaign, he replied, "Who said I'm running?", and, that "everything was on the table"—including entering the race for Maine's Second Congressional District; retiring; or "going back to Marden's to stock shelves". At a fundraiser with former Florida governor Jeb Bush on July 2, he told supporters that he was indeed running for re-election. In the general election, LePage was backed by local Tea Party activists and faced Democratic state senator Libby Mitchell, and three independents – Eliot Cutler, Shawn Moody, and Kevin Scott. During the campaign, he told an audience that when he became governor, they could expect to see newspaper headlines stating, "LePage Tells Obama to Go to Hell". He was subsequently criticized by Libby Mitchell's campaign as being disrespectful towards the office of the president.
The Maine Legislature approved six additional agents, two prosecutors, and two judges in the 2015–16 state budget, but LePage criticized that as "chump change" and has asked for more. He has criticized legislative Democrats skeptical of his proposals, stating "If I didn't know better, I was a real cynic, I'd think that the Democrats like drug dealers." He has stated he would use the Maine National Guard for drug enforcement if necessary, and has actually done so. He has also said, "Everybody in Maine, we have constitutional carry, load up and get rid of the drug dealers," which he clarified meant that an environment should be created that will keep drug dealers away from Maine, not that people should engage in vigilantism.
State law does not require a Maine driver's license to vote, and establishing residency for voting doesn't mean one has to pay any fees. Dunlap said LePage's remarks "inflame an atmosphere of doubt and fear among the voters." As governor, LePage attempted to roll back child labor laws, proposing a $5.25 subminimum wage. In a speech at the 73rd annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show, he stated his view supporting child labor adding “If the revenues go up, I can go golfing.
The incident made national headlines and shocked many Americans, not least Gattine’s aunt, who called him from Arizona after learning of the threat on National Public Radio. On April 27, 2012, LePage stated that Maine's "middle management" was corrupt, sparking backlash from worker groups and Maine politicians. Maine State Employees Association President Ginette Rivard responded to the criticism of state workers by stating, "For LePage to call them 'corrupt' is baseless and insulting to every public worker who has dedicated their lives to making Maine a great place to live, work and raise a family." LePage was critical of the Maine Education Associations' support of the 2012 same-sex marriage initiative, believing the union's taking of political positions hurts the education of Maine students. When asked about LePage's own position on the initiative, his spokeswoman declined to comment. LePage supports a school voucher system and structuring pay to reward teachers for performance.
Florida law requires that “when an elector changes his or her residence address, the elector must notify the supervisor of elections” in their home county. In that July 9 post, he also mentioned that he had “registered to vote last week” in Maine after returning from a year-and-a-half sojourn in Florida. LePage’s adversarial history could be contributing to his poor performance in recent polls, some of which show Mills with a double-digit lead in the race.
“I’ll be a resident of Florida if Janet Mills wins,” said LePage, who was prohibited from running for a third term.
Political Crisis Deepens in Peru
The former governor’s residency status had not been a major campaign issue as Maine’s constitutional requirement is quite loose. A governor need only be a resident of Maine at the time of election and have resided here for a cumulative total of five years. Ann LePage sold Florida’s first home in December 2017 and bought another at around 20 minutes in March 2018 as the governor completed his second term. He said in November he would move to Florida and become a resident, citing his lack of income tax.
No comments:
Post a Comment