By Ray Cardello for June 25, 2025, Season 31 / Post 34

Democratic rule under Governor Janet Mills has taken a surplus in Augusta, and given you a huge fiscal deficit in exchange. In just the last six years, the Democrats have increased the budget from $7 billion to now, more than $11.5+ billion, a 65% increase. Remember, there are only about 1.4 million people living in Maine. The current budget amounts to a tax burden of $8,846 per person. Mainers cannot afford Augusta politics.

Here is an example of Democrat thinking. In a vote last week on a supplemental budget, six Democrats voted against the bill, which, on the surface, should be encouraging, until the six confessed they voted Nay because the bill did not increase taxes enough! I’m curious. What is enough? Maine has the fourth highest tax burden per capita in the country. Will Democrats not be satisfied until Maine is number one?

Laurel Libby, a Maine Republican representative from Auburn and Minot, had been censored by the Maine House and unable to speak or vote for weeks. She was able to listen, and these are some of the contradictions she heard from the Left in Augusta:

? “The economy is failing!”
– after 50 years of Democrat control in the House.

? “Young adults under 26 don’t know what they’re doing and shouldn’t be held responsible…”
– but 16-year-olds should be able to choose gender-altering medical procedures.

? “We need to grow Maine’s economy…”
– by raising the income tax.

? “We must reduce suicide by limiting gun access…”
– while expanding physician-assisted suicide.

? “Healthcare is too expensive…”
– so let’s mandate more coverage and drive costs higher.

? “We’ve hit record education funding!”
– Yet student test scores are at record lows. What is their solution? MORE taxes.

Democrats in Maine, just like in D.C., have run out of common sense. Their goal is not to create a better state or nation for people to have opportunities and prosper. They want to control you with taxes and regulations to stifle your existence and break your will to have a better life for you and your family. They want to be the sole provider for the people so the people will return the favor and keep these Democrats in power. In far too many cases, we are seeing their plan is working.

We are already raising the first generation of Americans who will have a lower standard of living than their parents. Our children are less healthy and have a higher rate of obesity, diabetes, and a lower life expectancy. They are less educated yet have thousands of dollars of student loans, hindering a clean start out of college. Our children are less safe because of the millions of illegal immigrants, along with the 500,000 known criminals who flooded our country under the Auto-Pen Presidency of Joe Biden. Because of an addiction to personal computers, iPads, and cellphones, the newest generation lacks social skills, is getting married less, and has fewer children. These are ingredients for our country’s peril as we will simply die away.

Maine, like America, has mismanaged and over-governed itself and its people. We are still a magnet for millions of people from around the globe, but they are not Americans, nor do they want to be. They will create a new America, and our history, patriotism, and purpose will die with us. Our forefathers warned us that we are one generation away from losing America, and we are proving them right again. We can correct this trend, but it will take all Americans to see the light, and Democrats, along with their complicit media, control the switch and refuse to turn it on.