A large group of maybe 300-400 individuals showed their disdain of Maine’s high taxes Wednesday. Plenty of jeering and sign waving was happening as we approached Capital Park yesterday – some of the signs were very creative. One said “Attention! Deficit Disorder!” another held by a young boy said “I’m 10 and already in debt!” The event was Emceed by Andrew Ian Dodge a self described “fiscal conservative/libertarian/classical liberal (of the 19th [Century] variety not the American modern type)” and blogger. With a megaphone in hand and a mob on his side he talked about the high taxes and liberal spending happening in Maine and why it should stop. There were several people who spoke their minds, all with very educated points about the problems with spending and taxation being the highest in America.
When I first arrived with my sister, Kate, we saw a state politician trying to address the crowd. I’m not one to judge people nor do I understand politics all that well – but this crowd went from protesters with a common purpose to an ignorant mob when he tried to speak. A Republican senator Jonathan TE Courtney, well-dressed and well-spoken, tried to give some insights to the “goings ons” in the State. All he received were boos and hisses. Treating him like he wasn’t voted in. Hello folks! I’d like to think we have a little bit of dignity and grace when our elected public officials try to talk to us. As far as I could see he was the only one who made any attempt to reach out to the cause being protested. After all isn’t it the Republican platform all about tax cuts to spur growth?
I didn’t see much media coverage at this event and the lack of a P.A. Systems made it very difficult to hear the speakers, but the megaphones were better than nothing. We might be angry about taxes, but we are all equally Mainers – let us not forget.
