Recently, Press Herald columnist Greg Kesich provided a succinct description of the war of attrition taking place in the race for the Blaine House.

In the course of reviewing the weaknesses of each candidate, the only real criticism Kesich had for Eliot Cutler was that so far, he’s not in the lead.

Additional Photos

The Blaine House, Maine's executive mansion, boasts 20-foot table in its formal dining room, where the next governor will host dinners. 2002 Press Herald file

Eliot Cutler is the only candidate in the gubernatorial race who has proposed specific, pragmatic, creative solutions to address the education, health care and energy costs that are blocking the economic growth in our state.

Cutler’s proposals are good in part because he is smart enough to know what government can do well — and what it can’t — and courageous enough to make detailed proposals when conventional wisdom would have candidates avoid any real policy commitments. And Cutler’s ideas are good because they have been vetted: His campaign staff and volunteers include leaders in the fields of health care, education and energy — and experts in fields such as the creative economy, agriculture, and environmental protection — from across the political spectrum.

Cutler has asked these folks for their best ideas to advance the state of Maine, and he has listened carefully to what they’ve offered. And when Cutler makes a proposal, he knows how it will be paid for.

Maine desperately needs the independent, strategic, honest leadership Cutler offers. If his shortcoming as a candidate is that he needs more votes, I’ll happily help him overcome that hurdle on Nov. 2.

Ned Flint
Portland

Whatever you think of the recently adopted Maine Republican Party’s platform (which was intended to be a starting point, not a finished document), the enthusiasm with which it was adopted sent a stunning and unambiguous message: We the people of Maine have had enough of government run amok, enough of career politicians who compromise principle for power, enough of corporate-government incest, and above all, enough of arrogant ruling class elitists who travel by personal jet, and who are convinced they know better than “the little guy.”

We have news for these elitists: In this country, the correct term for the “little guy” is “sovereign American citizen.” We are not stupid. We the people put you in power, but we are not terribly impressed with how you have taken care of things.

Whether it’s draconian climate change regulations based on questionable science, unfunded educational mandates from ivory tower pundits, rejection of any mention of intelligent design in schools (I thought Lister debunked “spontaneous generation” quite a while ago), or intrusive U.N. treaties (do you really want bureaucrats from China, Saudi Arabia or the Congo telling you how to raise your children?), your arrogance, narrow-mindedness, allegiance to special interests and naked lust for power are fully apparent.

The party machines have stuck their fingers in the air and that’s not a gentle breeze they feel, it’s a hurricane. They shouldn’t need micro-polls, robocalling or focus groups to know that, like the Republican platform, Paul LePage’s extraordinary primary victory and standing in the overall polls demonstrate a wholesale rejection of the status quo in favor of candidates who are of the people and for the people.

We’re not supporting Paul LePage simply because he might be Republican, or conservative, or tea party. We’re supporting him because he’s not an elitist. We’re supporting him because he’s one of us.

Bradley S. Borch
Hope

I am addressing this letter to voters who may be tempted to vote for the tea party candidate for governor because of their anxiety about the current economy.

I am not addressing tea party members, the devotees of Fox News, who want to return this country to “the good old days.” Shrinking government is their mantra for reducing debt and solving problems. But, if you scratch the surface of this group, you find only the usual cast of conservative Republicans and protectors of corporate America.

So, if in the name of protecting us from “big government” and “evil science,” you believe that embryonic stem cell research should be banned or protections for clean water, air and food should be eliminated, the tea party candidate is for you. If you believe that climate change is a myth and we are not bright enough to achieve energy independence through the development of alternative clean energy sources, the tea party candidate is your man.

If you believe that women are incapable of making reproductive choices for themselves and their families, he is your perfect anti-choice candidate. If you believe reform of the financial service industry was unnecessary or that corporations should be allowed to pour unrestricted money into elections, vote for the tea party candidate. If you believe businesses look out for workers 24/7 and unions are unnecessary, then the tea party candidate is your simple choice.

But if you are an independent thinker and live in the real world, it’s time to reject the petty arguments and simplistic solutions of the tea party candidate.

I ask you to give Libby Mitchell your strongest consideration because of her years of practical experience and multiple accomplishments getting things done right for Maine.

She knows well that significant change is needed to reduce our budget deficit and increase the agility of state government. We need a thoughtful, responsible and proven leader now more than ever.

Maurie Hill
Standish

Fair and balanced coverage? I think not. In The Portland Press Herald on Sept. 28, front page, below the fold, was a story on Libby Mitchell. Same day, Page B1, below the fold, we found a story on Paul LaPage.

Is Mitchell’s announcement of an environmental and energy plan as part of her campaign proposals really more newsworthy than the governor of Mississippi coming to Maine to support Paul LaPage?

Unless you are trying to promote one candidate over the other, I think both stories deserved equal placement. Can the staff explain to me where I am going wrong in assuming that bias rather than newsworthiness ultimately determined where these stories were placed?

Nancy Ford
Wells

Here’s a quote from a campaign staffer for Paul LePage in the Sept. 29 Press Herald: “ Paul LePage is not running to be one of the power brokers in Augusta; he is running to change Augusta and return it to the people.” (“GOP bigwig backs Moody in the race for governor”).

After learning of the $750 a plate fundraiser at DiMillo’s that featured Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi as the keynote speaker, I ask: Do the 29 percent that favor Mr. LePage’s ascent to the Blaine House really believe that the “people” Mr. LePage is planning on returning Augusta to are the struggling middle-class taxpayers and not the 80 people with enough disposable income to plunk down $750 for dinner and a side dish of Christian Conservative Southern Gentleman at DiMillo’s?

It must just be Bill Nemitz and me who are concerned about the hypocrisy, lies and temper tantrums emanating from the LePage camp. Let’s hope some people, somewhere, can get their act together and send this buffoon back to the streets of Waterville where he belongs.

My vote goes to Eliot Cutler.

Richard Townsend
Portland

Libby Mitchell is the reason why this state is in such poor shape. The Democrats have run Maine for the past 30-plus years and have made a financial mess out of things.

The Democrats, lead by Mitchell and others of the Obama type, arrogantly feel that this is their state, and they can create a socialist Mecca here for the welfare class of the country along with illegal immigrants. This only builds their voting block while driving the middle class into poverty level.

They want to fund their old failed socialist ideas with the various taxes, fees and mandates extracted from those who are trying to earn an honest living. When will the people of Maine wake up and vote the progressive socialist Democrats out of office?

Hopefully, this year. If not, then prepare for the “new normal” — a sluggish, depressed economy, rationing, poor health care, high unemployment, high taxes, no choice and Big Brother watching your every move.

Cutler and the others are liberals in sheep’s clothing. LePage is the only conservative in the race and the only hope for change in this state.

Kris Anderson
Phippsburg

When one listens to Paul Lepage, it is clear that he harks back to a bygone era. He wants to return our education system to the good old days — when he dropped out of school.

With all the challenges facing this state, do we need someone who looks to the past, or looks to the future? Do we want a Bell Telephone governor trying to attract business in a BlackBerry world?

I don’t want a throwback to another era shaping our future. I want someone who is involved, up-to-date, and an innovator.

I want Libby Mitchell as my governor.

Robert R. O’Brien
Peaks Island

Some people, mostly Democrats it seems, are exercised because Paul LePage was disrespectful of the Office of the President. The Portland newspapers have printed numerous letters to the editor spewing lies and hate at former President George W. Bush over the years, and there were similar attacks from liberals at the national level.

I do not recall that any of the sanctimonious people now speaking out raised objections to any of that disrespect of the Office of the President. There seems to be a double standard in the practice of demanding respect.

David W. Knudsen
Gray

I’m thinking that maybe the apathy on the upcoming governor’s election may be due to lack of “spark.”

The three front-runners seem overly tired from a long life in the careers of their choice or circumstance. This is not to say that they have not achieved success in their work life.

Still, I feel their runs for governor reflect a wish to put a capstone on their life’s work. While this is admirable, it would really be nice to get a greater feeling of optimism for opportunity to enliven Maine’s future.

The message is out that wars, whether political, global, or rhetorical, have run their course and the Rally to Restore Sanity coming up and promoted by Jon Stewart (and Steven Colbert’s March to Keep Fear Alive) deserve a grateful participation from all of us who are now completely “bummed out” by the long duration of ugly antagonisms.

Perhaps someone with political moxie will initiate satellite marches in Maine’s cities and communities.

As for now, and as for me, I will weigh the experience factor and political know-how and decorum (yes, the governor needs diplomacy) and the strength of their proposed programs to rectify the needs of the state, then vote for a one-term governor from the lot and hope that the next choices reflect more spirit, optimism, and recognized abilities and leadership.

I have seen too many elections in a wide area of these United States that have been decided by ill-placed confidence in charismatic nincompoops.

My age? Well, I’ve contributed generously to the spread of demographics in Maine.

Mae Burnham
Saco

Related Stories