Another great tea party candidate

[Dr. Sacrebleu]

Democrats and political observers are coming down hard on Governor-elect Paul LePage for the decision to appoint his 22-year-old daughter, Lauren LePage, to a position in his administration making $41,000 a year.

 

The hiring, first reported by the Bangor Daily News, was quickly attacked as a "brazen display of political nepotism" by Maine Democratic Party executive director Mary Erin Casale.

 

"Gov.-elect LePage made a promise to hire the 'best and the brightest', but it would seem that only his friends and family need apply," said Casale in a release. "Who else was considered for this position? How was it advertised? Why is an entry level position being paid $41,000 per year? These are questions that Mainers deserve answered."

 

The Maine College Democrats, a group that would probably know the kind of job market available in politics for a recent graduate, sent out their own statement with similarly harsh language.

 

"Giving your daughter a job running the cash register at Marden's is fine when you answer to no one except yourself, but the people of Maine expect more out of their state employees, and much better judgment from their Governor," said MCD President Ben Goodman. He also noted that the 2008 median household income for a family in Maine was $46,419.

 

Lauren LePage has a degree in biology and, according to a LePage spokesperson, she gained policy experience working on the campaign and the transition.

 

The position she has been hired to, assistant to gubernatorial chief of staff John McGough, is an administrative job which, during the current administration, has seen sub-$30,000 entry-level salaries.

 

According to Maine Public Radio, Lauren LePage will also be living at the state-owned Blaine House along with her father.

 

It wasn't just political partisans that spoke out against the hiring.

 

UMaine Political Science professor Amy Fried tweeted that the appointment was "terribly politically tone-deaf in this era of austerity."

 

Colby College professor Sandy Maisel was even more dissaproving in the pages of the Press Herald: "It almost takes your breath away that (LePage) doesn't understand the problem here," said Maisel. "Special assistant to the chief of staff, who is a crony? It is really mind-boggling."

 

Maisel also noted that such hiring would be illegal in most states.

 

ETA her resume:

 

Her work experience, outside of her father's campaign, includes several stints as a cashier and retail clerk for Marden's Surplus and Salvage -- where her father is general manager -- a teaching assistant job at college, and serving food at Weathervane Seafood Restaurants, according to her resume.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Dr. Sacrebleu

[skylive5]

I don't know..... seems to me you take care of family first... right?

 

[Dr. Sacrebleu]

and another....

A state judge in Alaska on Friday rejected claims by Joe Miller, the Republican Senate candidate in last month’s election, that write-in votes cast for Senator Lisa Murkowski had to be perfectly spelled to be counted.

whatever happened to that common sense that the tea party advocated so much?

There you go plugging up our legal system with frivolous law suits at tax payer's expense

Edited December 29, 2010 by Dr. Sacrebleu

[gbpfan1231]

and another....

 

whatever happened to that common sense that the tea party advocated so much?

There you go plugging up our legal system with frivolous law suits at tax payer's expense

But the whole Nikki Diaz thing was fine and good to totally influence an election???? That illegal biotch is still here!!! Get that wench out of here.

 

About your original post - how stupid is this guy? Even if she was qualified it is just something you don't do becasue it just looks so bad. These politicians are a bunch of lowlife crooks. I am more amazed at each story how these people can do these things - is there no respect for actually working FOR the people?

[Scooby's Hubby]

the newly elected have never been in this position and really do not understand the ethics fully. this is not corruptness, necesarily. What you need to look for is the money under the table. Like when the Clinton's took millions of dollars from Bernie Schwartz and Loral Space and Comm and sold rocket technology to China during Loral lift-off from Russian rockets that actually blew up in space. Those who know the system are the real corrupted, and that was who has been voted out. so I am glad to see those who have been in gov't and have gotten us into financial ruin to be voted out. The guy hiring his daughter for 40k/year is a saint compared to those who have corrupted our gov't over the last 20 years.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Scooby's Hubby

[detlef]

But the whole Nikki Diaz thing was fine and good to totally influence an election???? That illegal biotch is still here!!! Get that wench out of here.

 

About your original post - how stupid is this guy? Even if she was qualified it is just something you don't do becasue it just looks so bad. These politicians are a bunch of lowlife crooks. I am more amazed at each story how these people can do these things - is there no respect for actually working FOR the people?

Um, you mean if it comes to light that a candidate was employing an undocumented worker for 9 years? And quite possibly was using that status as leverage to hold out wages? I wonder where Whitman stood on illegal immigrants?

 

So, let me see if I understand. You're equating bringing to light possible violations of the law on the part of your opponent with trying to steal an election on a technicality.

 

Honestly, what the dude in Alaska is doing is politics at it's worst. Ignore what the people say if they get even one letter wrong in a rather uncommon name. Like Sac says, I thought the right was bringing common sense back to government. That they want what the people want.

 

Regardless of whether she should be deported or not has nothing to do with whether it should have been fairly damning evidence against Whitman. You said so yourself in the thread you started about her.

[Duchess Jack]

median household income for a family in Maine was $46,419

 

[redrumjuice]

Um, you mean if it comes to light that a candidate was employing an undocumented worker for 9 years? And quite possibly was using that status as leverage to hold out wages?

 

The illegal wh0re was using a stolen SS #, she was hired through and agency and made $23 an hour. As soon as they found out she was illegal, they fired her. What more do you want?

 

This gets sac panties in a knot, while he ignores politicians lobbyist spouses getting billion dollar earmarks making millions of $$ themselves. Hypocrite much?

[Duchess Jack]

the newly elected have never been in this position and really do not understand the ethics fully. this is not corruptness, necesarily. What you need to look for is the money under the table. Like when the Clinton's took millions of dollars from Bernie Schwartz and Loral Space and Comm and sold rocket technology to China during Loral lift-off from Russian rockets that actually blew up in space. Those who know the system are the real corrupted, and that was who has been voted out. so I am glad to see those who have been in gov't and have gotten us into financial ruin to be voted out. The guy hiring his daughter for 40k/year is a saint compared to those who have corrupted our gov't over the last 20 years.

 

So, these folk aren't aware enough to realize that this is corruption? Really? Do you think they are fit to govern then? It seems pretty staight forward. If they do not see this as corruption - how long do you think it'll take until others look to exploit said politicians inability to spot his own corrupt decisions?

 

Do really think it stops here, Scooby's Hubby? The guy JUST got into office.

[Duchess Jack]

Honestly, what the dude in Alaska is doing is politics at it's worst. Ignore what the people say if they get even one letter wrong in a rather uncommon name. Like Sac says, I thought the right was bringing common sense back to government. That they want what the people want.

no doubt. this cat has been pissing me off for a while now. Can anybody on this board defend this guy for trying to to win an election because folk might mispell a name (despite the votes clearly being for her?)

[TimC]

Can we please hurry up and overhtrow the Government already?

[Scooby's Hubby]

So, these folk aren't aware enough to realize that this is corruption? Really? Do you think they are fit to govern then? It seems pretty staight forward. If they do not see this as corruption - how long do you think it'll take until others look to exploit said politicians inability to spot his own corrupt decisions?

 

Do really think it stops here, Scooby's Hubby? The guy JUST got into office.

ahhhh, he loves his daughter. although seemingly unacceptable, that is completely different from taking bribes. many congressmen have relatives working in the system, although usually they work for other politicians or groups. if she wanted to be a part of the political machine, then she should have gotten a job working for another politician instead of her father. that is all that happened.

 

for you to conject that he will be taking bribes is absurd. he was voted in to do the job he campaigned for, so let him get to work.

[Scooby's Hubby]

Can we please hurry up and overhtrow the Government already?

let me be the first to burn the tax code so we can start over.

[Scooby's Hubby]

no doubt. this cat has been pissing me off for a while now. Can anybody on this board defend this guy for trying to to win an election because folk might mispell a name (despite the votes clearly being for her?)

but you are right in that this is not the time to be making rookie mistakes. we need congressman who are ready to get to work. this does not help and it stains the guys credibility.

[TimC]

let me be the first to burn the tax code so we can start over.

 

Sorry, I'm going to take away everyone's right to make fire. We need to thin the herd first when I'm in charge.

[Big John]

Sorry, I'm going to take away everyone's right to make fire. We need to thin the herd first when I'm in charge.

:grabstorch:

[TimC]

:grabstorch:

 

Yep. In a world without fire, the One that makes fire is King.

[Duchess Jack]

Yep. In a world without fire, the One that makes fire is King.

and the man with a supersoaker is the kingslayer!

[The Holy Roller]

and the man with a supersoaker is the kingslayer!

 

I was born with a Super Soaker.

[gbpfan1231]

Um, you mean if it comes to light that a candidate was employing an undocumented worker for 9 years? And quite possibly was using that status as leverage to hold out wages? I wonder where Whitman stood on illegal immigrants?

 

So, let me see if I understand. You're equating bringing to light possible violations of the law on the part of your opponent with trying to steal an election on a technicality.

 

Honestly, what the dude in Alaska is doing is politics at it's worst. Ignore what the people say if they get even one letter wrong in a rather uncommon name. Like Sac says, I thought the right was bringing common sense back to government. That they want what the people want.

 

Regardless of whether she should be deported or not has nothing to do with whether it should have been fairly damning evidence against Whitman. You said so yourself in the thread you started about her.

She was holding out wages? What should she have been paying $35 instead of the over 20 she was paying? Come on - the whole thing was a political ploy to win the election and it worked - dirty dirty politics.

 

I agree that the guy giving his daughter the job is discgraceful - I agree the guy trying to use misspelled words is also disgraceful - I was just pointing out a similar disgusting event on the other side that it seems the lefties did not think was all that bad.

 

Plus how in the hell is she still here???? How is she supporting herself?

[bpwallace49]

She was holding out wages? What should she have been paying $35 instead of the over 20 she was paying? Come on - the whole thing was a political ploy to win the election and it worked - dirty dirty politics.

 

I agree that the guy giving his daughter the job is discgraceful - I agree the guy trying to use misspelled words is also disgraceful - I was just pointing out a similar disgusting event on the other side that it seems the lefties did not think was all that bad.

 

Plus how in the hell is she still here???? How is she supporting herself?

 

Get. Over. It.

 

This has nothing to do with the topic at hand . . . but nice try at the bait and switch.

[gbpfan1231]

Get. Over. It.

 

This has nothing to do with the topic at hand . . . but nice try at the bait and switch.

Get over it - funny - the same answer for 12 months has been Bush's fault but no worries about getting over that - now it seems Fox News is biased that has been around for a few months now but no worries about getting over that.

 

My point should have been right up your alley where you always throw in that BOTH sides do similar type stuff (because you are not liberal). Intersting that lefties can throw out the Bush fault and Faux news over and over and over but bring up dirty politics and Nikki Diaz - twice I get the Get over it. Gotcha

 

The original post was about dirty politics (at least that was the way I took it) and I brought up an example of one that I think was pretty huge but also added that what the original poster mentions was also dirty. To be honest when I was typing my reply about BOTH sides being dirty I kind of thought my reply was simialr to many of yours but then you jump in and tell me to get over it - Kind of ironic.

 

Sorry my bad.

 

Tea Party sucks - carry on people.

[bpwallace49]

Get over it - funny - the same answer for 12 months has been Bush's fault but no worries about getting over that - now it seems Fox News is biased that has been around for a few months now but no worries about getting over that.

 

My point should have been right up your alley where you always throw in that BOTH sides do similar type stuff (because you are not liberal). Intersting that lefties can throw out the Bush fault and Faux news over and over and over but bring up dirty politics and Nikki Diaz - twice I get the Get over it. Gotcha

 

The original post was about dirty politics (at least that was the way I took it) and I brought up an example of one that I think was pretty huge but also added that what the original poster mentions was also dirty. To be honest when I was typing my reply about BOTH sides being dirty I kind of thought my reply was simialr to many of yours but then you jump in and tell me to get over it - Kind of ironic.

 

Sorry my bad.

 

Tea Party sucks - carry on people.

 

You really arent serious, are you? This is about staying on topic. Instead of doing that, you come back with wq(at least in your mind) a right wing "gotcha" that is somehow meant to be a counter to the patronage bullcrap being pulled by a newly elected Tea Party candidate.

 

You have your own thread about the stuff in California. What happens in california has no bearing to what is being discussed in Maine. That is where the "get over it" comes into play.

 

When talking about largher issues that influence each other (like actions from Bush still resonate now for Obama) those things have direct causal relationships. It is good to examine those issues from all sides. Just like when the next president is elected, we will discuss Obama, because it has a direct relationship on what happens afterward.

 

Your self righteous anger over an illegal housekeeper in Californai has nothing to do with a recent Tea Party candidate preaching change and fiscal accountability hiring his not-very qualified daughter for far about the median range for the position.

[redrumjuice]

Liberals can only find and marry mentally challenged people, so of course they wouldn't want them or their slope headed children working for them.

[Ursa Majoris]

Get over it - funny - the same answer for 12 months has been Bush's fault but no worries about getting over that - now it seems Fox News is biased that has been around for a few months now but no worries about getting over that.

 

My point should have been right up your alley where you always throw in that BOTH sides do similar type stuff (because you are not liberal). Intersting that lefties can throw out the Bush fault and Faux news over and over and over but bring up dirty politics and Nikki Diaz - twice I get the Get over it. Gotcha

 

The original post was about dirty politics (at least that was the way I took it) and I brought up an example of one that I think was pretty huge but also added that what the original poster mentions was also dirty. To be honest when I was typing my reply about BOTH sides being dirty I kind of thought my reply was simialr to many of yours but then you jump in and tell me to get over it - Kind of ironic.

 

Sorry my bad.

 

Tea Party sucks - carry on people.

I didn't think the original nepotism article had anything to do with dirty politics as the term is usually used. Having sat through an extremely close gubernatorial election here in Minny, I'd have to say that both sets of candidate supporters were equally guilty as each other of avoiding saying what their guy is for and focusing instead on lying about the other guy.

 

I've said before I don't know a great deal about the Whitman / Diaz thing but the way it was written up in the Googled article I read, you'd probably have to give Whitman the benefit of the doubt, IMO.

 

The most important point about "dirty politics" is that it wins. We all sit there, fat dumb and happy, sucking in the lies, distortions and out-of-context sound bites from the various ad agencies and most people don't have the political nous to even go check the facts (which are freely available to all). It's no wonder the collective IQ of the US is collapsing, given that it's citizenry are so lazy and stupid they are willing to vacuum up as truth any old crap political hacks care to serve them.