Baldacci, Woodcock
too flawed to lead

Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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The striking thing about Maine's race for the Blaine House shaping up for November regarding the two major parties is the similarities. Republican Chandler Woodcock and Democrat "Imperial" John Baldacci are two sides of the same coin, particularly when it comes to taxation issues.

On the one hand, Woodcock will seize upon the tried-and-true Republican approach to every problem and cut taxes. He will embrace the Taxpayer Bill of Rights like it was a long lost relative suddenly turned up at Thanksgiving. Voters in Colorado, not exactly a Bush-loving red state, did the same thing only to discover that uncle TABOR picked their pockets during the warm and welcoming embrace. They canned TABOR when it became clear that everything in Colorado that wasn't nailed down needed to be chopped up for firewood to keep warm during the winter. But Baldacci wheels and deals with taxpayer money like a Fourth of July parade clown throws free candy to the crowd.

Woodcock is beholden to failed tax cutting in the vein of George Bush, which amounts to budget busting deficits that need to be cleaned up like an overflowing toilet. Baldacci is a version of Walter Mondale, an old iron horse of the failed Democratic city state where party loyalty was most important. Baldacci has spent his entire adult life in paid public service and it shows. His "let them eat cake" attitude is clear as an August sunrise over Cadillac Mountain. Green Independent Pat LaMarche gets my vote.

Mark Tardif

Waterville