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View Full Version : Senator Angus King, Independent, Maine




presence
11-07-2012, 09:06 PM
What say ye?


King wins in Maine, giving Senate 2 independents
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/06/3903966/king-wins-in-maine-giving-senate.html#storylink=cpy



WASHINGTON -- Add this to your set of Election Day unknowns: Control of the United States Senate could conceivably come down to an independent candidate from Maine who has resolutely refused to say which party he'd side with if voters send him to Washington.
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King insisted he's made no deals with party leaders on either side. He has said he could align himself either with Democrats or Republicans, and has even suggested he could switch from one to the other, depending on the issue.

"There's some value in being uncommitted and having people have to court you a little bit,"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/angus-king_n_2075691.html


As an independent in Me. Angus King governed as an economically oriented centrist, a champion of entrepreneurship and development who avoided getting bogged down by divisive social issues.
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a fiscally conservative politician with a more liberal bent on social issues, education and the environment.
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“I just don’t think you’ll see him championing any social issues. It’s more economic, business, entrepreneurial kind of stuff he’s much more concerned about.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/215873-angus-king-a-mystery-to-those-outside-maine



http://angusformaine.com/about.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_King

GeorgiaAvenger
11-07-2012, 09:07 PM
Socialist.

supermario21
11-07-2012, 09:08 PM
He sucks. Is against Audit the Fed.

http://undercoverporcupine.bangordailynews.com/2012/10/01/politics/king-opposes-federal-reserve-audit/

He also is a bailout man.

itshappening
11-07-2012, 09:11 PM
he will go to the Dems when Reid offers him plum committee position

FrankRep
11-07-2012, 09:13 PM
What say ye?

Way Left-Wing

supermario21
11-07-2012, 09:15 PM
He supported Bush in 2000.

alucard13mmfmj
11-07-2012, 09:24 PM
More of our politicians gotta do this

"As an independent in Me. Angus King governed as an economically oriented centrist, a champion of entrepreneurship and development who avoided getting bogged down by divisive social issues."

It creates more enemies than supporters imo.

presence
11-07-2012, 09:29 PM
When King took office in January 1995, he faced a projected "General Fund structural budget gap" of between $150 million and $300 million for the fiscal year 1996-97 biennium. Maine was still reeling from a real estate market collapse. Our traditional manufacturing industries were in steep decline, and there was only $6.4 million in the rainy day fund.

King immediately began rehabilitating Maine's economy. Fiber optic cables connected Maine on a global scale. The state's transportation infrastructure was upgraded, facilitating the flow of commerce and people as never before. Critical investments were made in neglected public infrastructure, from schools and R&D to low-income housing and wastewater treatment facilities, improving quality of life and job opportunities statewide.
Tax cuts were implemented, and the budget was balanced without gimmicks. The rainy day fund was increased to an all-time high of $143.7 million. All of these positive events were recognized by the three credit rating agencies. While Standard & Poor's maintained its already solid AA+ rating, both Fitch and Moody's increased Maine's ratings to AA+, marking the state's first credit rating upgrade in many years
Among the reasons for the strong ratings, the agencies noted that:
• "Maine's economy is continuing to diversify";
• "Economic expansion continues, outperforming (the) region and nation";
• "A low debt burden with a rapid amortization schedule"; and
• "Conservative budgeting, careful revenue monitoring, and improved financial reporting."
By exercising fiscal discipline, making prudent investments in people and infrastructure and implementing policies that allowed business to flourish, Maine's economy took off. Taxes were cut by $428.9 million, reserves were nearly $150 million, per capita income grew by 25 percent and unemployment plunged to 3.1 percent, an all-time low.
Quality of life improved significantly during the King years. Maine was rated the best state in which to raise a child, the K-12 education system was ranked first nationally, environmental stewardship reached a high-water mark, prescription drug prices were slashed and the state led the nation in providing laptop computers to all seventh- and eighth-grade students, heralding a new era of using technology to achieve student success.
King was entering the homestretch of his second term. Maine's economy was firing on all cylinders. Then the unthinkable happened.
On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists brought the World Trade Center crashing down, dashing America's hopes and dreams. New York's twin towers became a metaphorical financial bar graph. When they collapsed, so did the economy of every state, including Maine. The reverberations rocked the financial world and caused the stock market to tank, taking a major source of Maine's income, capital gains.
Thanks to King's foresight in growing the rainy day fund, Maine was able to weather the resulting economic downturn by using those reserves to keep the state functioning. Despite using nearly $115 million from the fund, he still left $29.4 million, nearly five times the amount he inherited.


http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/former-state-budget-officer-explains-defends-kings-fiscal-record_2012-08-09.html

presence
11-07-2012, 09:31 PM
Although King will join the Senate as an independent, most observers believe he will cast a majority of his votes with the Democrats. King supports the Affordable Care Act and same-sex marriage and is pro-life. He also endorsed Barack Obama in the presidential race.


On the other hand, King opposes an assault-weapon ban and supports tax cuts. As governor, he vetoed a minimum-wage hike and cut sales taxes.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/11/07/king-maine-senate-profile/1689985/

Matthew5
11-07-2012, 09:33 PM
Joe Lieberman 2.0?

donnay
11-07-2012, 11:44 PM
As a Business owner, in Maine, I felt that the citizens were burdened with too much tax. I definitely balked at the computers for 7th and 8th graders and the fact that Maine ran off all the good healthcare insurances, to the point, that we had no choice of insurance companies because most of the good one refused to do business in Maine. When I decided not to get healthcare insurance because of the ridiculously high costs, when I went to the hospital, for some stitches, they tried their best to get me on the Maine welfare, of which I refused every time and paid cash for their services.

In defense of King, I think he did the best he could with the crap he inherited.

They need to change their state motto from Vacation Land to Vacated Land--of which I did.

supermario21
11-08-2012, 12:00 AM
I thought Maine was pro-liberty...What's happened up there? Seems like nothing but RINOs and libs.

dillo
11-08-2012, 12:10 AM
Lieberman is a marxist