Hey, the state of Maine needs jobs! Well, we have right in our midst a young and capable man who has demonstrated that he knows how to generate them. Just read his qualifications in the Oct. 3 Maine Sunday Telegram on the front page.

He is Shawn Moody. Shawn is a man of positive focus in developing jobs in business, evidenced by his success. As you read the news account you will develop the same enthusiasm as I have about him.

Moody has a perfect set of qualifications to be a fine governor — young, energetic, with his feet on the ground.

Let’s raise the enthusiasm about getting Shawn elected governor and get the action needed in Augusta from a hard-working, gifted leader living right here in Gorham.

David Pollard
Falmouth

 

The reason why I think Kevin Scott has come out on top after reviewing all the candidates thoroughly is because Kevin’s policy ideas reflect the Maine spirit.

What spirit do I talk about? Leadership from people who are non-conformists, innovators, positive thinkers and independents.

When reviewing his policies, you will see that they all lead us in the direction of state sovereignty while solving the problems we face with logic, common sense and innovation.

Maine is unique and, unlike the rest of the states in the union, we need to hold strongly to the values that make us that way.

Some people want us to think something is terribly wrong with our values, and that is what is holding us back. I do not like the negativity the other candidates put forth on our values. So we vote a lot of stuff down because we prefer to do things on our terms? We are not desperate in Maine. And we will not conform!

As far as job creation, Kevin’s policy ideas for stimulating our economy are the most Maine-centered of all the candidates. They put value on our children, not our natural resources. Anyone could open up our resources to national and international interests.

But Kevin’s idea is investing in our children. His vision of an agricultural-based economy is just what we need given the fact that we only supply ourselves with 4 percent of our own food needs. There is a market there ready for us to take advantage of.

We need to stop importing our needs. Stop exporting our natural resources. What about our children? Remember the ways of native people. The land we live on is borrowed from our children.

We really need to look ahead for the next seven generations.

Jennifer Erwin
Auburn

I got annoyed recently when a Democratic official called independent candidate Eliot Cutler the Ralph Nader of the Maine gubernatorial race and asked him to step aside. And I am a Democrat!

This person must not know about Govs. James Longley and Angus King, who ran as independents.

Cutler was urged to drop out of the race so that he would not spoil Democrat Elizabeth Mitchell’s chances of election.

Democrats have bigger problems than Cutler’s candidacy. At a time when most candidates are pledging to downsize government, Mitchell wants to create a new state agency to assist residents in cutting through red tape created by other state agencies.

It’s a noble idea, but as dated as shoulder pads. She’s a fine person who has the bad luck of being a career politician in a year when career politicians may be forced into finding careers outside of government.

Paul LePage may lose supporters before Election Day. His base won’t abandon him over verbal flaps or tax issues, but less-committed voters might move on.

There are many voters in Maine who are unenrolled in either party. Some Republicans won’t cast a vote for LePage and some Democrats won’t vote for Mitchell. Voters can cross party lines or vote for an independent.

Most Mainers want the best- qualified person to lead our state. Let’s hope no one will be influenced by the Democrats who say that a vote for an independent is a wasted vote.

Mainers have heard that at least twice before, but we didn’t listen.

Susan Graham
Kennebunkport

 

Recently, there has been a great deal of misinformation bandied about regarding Paul LePage and his position on education.

There is absolutely no truth in the assertion that LePage will slash educational appropriations and defund our schools.

What LePage’s plan does call for is more accountability for school administrators, teachers and even students. It is hard to argue with a gubernatorial candidate who wants to provide a comprehensive and relevant education for the children of Maine.

To suggest that the mayor of Waterville, a man who pulled himself up by his bootstraps through education, does not value children and education requires a suspension of logic.

If you feel our educational system is better off than it was 30 years ago, you should eagerly vote for the status-quo candidate.

If, however, you believe we need a fresh start, new ideas, and a renewed commitment to our educational system in Maine, please consider supporting Paul LePage.

Phil St. Onge
Winslow

 

The gubernatorial election presents the voters of Maine with a critical choice regarding our future.

Paul LePage shows us how he would deal with politicians who don’t agree with him in his statement that he would tell President Obama to “go to hell.”

Given that he likely won’t have a huge Republican majority in both legislative houses, this type of attitude will not create a productive environment.

He offers a clear choice regarding providing citizens with health insurance. While he was managing Marden’s, the percentage of employees with health insurance dropped from 71 percent to 29 percent.

He opposes state and federal health insurance programs without offering ideas about insuring people.

Based upon his record and statements, we can look forward to more people lacking health insurance and receiving no health care.

While he promises tax reductions, he offers no specifics about how he would cut the state budget and who would bear the brunt of the reduced revenues.

Libby Mitchell brings a record of accomplishment to this race. As the president of a closely divided Senate, she played a leadership role in achieving the passage of bipartisan budgets, the only candidate with this type of record. These skills will be critical moving forward; whoever is elected will not have legislative majorities sufficient to simply ignore the opposing party.

She also understands the role of the state in creating jobs, having a record of creating programs that support economic and job development.

If lowering taxes was the answer, how come Maine has an 8 percent unemployment rate while Florida and Nevada, which have no state income taxes, have 11.7 percent and 14.4 percent unemployment rates?

There is no choice. Anyone who wants a competently run state with a healthy economy moving forward should vote for Libby Mitchell.

Reid Scher
Windham

 

Just about all we have seen so far in the gubernatorial contest from the Democratic side has been attack ads on Paul LePage.

Since Libby Mitchell is obviously their beneficiary, and since (grace a Dieu) there’s only a few more weeks left until the election, there are a few things I would like to know.

Besides same-sex marriage and last year’s tax hike, both of which Mitchell proudly supported and both of which were defeated at the polls by the voters (that’s us — the gum-chewing public), what does she support?

With all the attack ads which your friends are running for her, we haven’t heard anything from her directly, and I think it’s about time she let us know what she does support.

Usually with political ads the person who is to be the beneficiary of the ads says at the end, “I’m so-and-so and I approved this ad.”

Unfortunately, so far we haven’t heard that on the national Democratic ads, so if she’s got just a few more minutes to spare, I have a few more questions:

1) Did she see these ads before their release?

2) Does she approve of them?

3) Is she proud of them?

A simple “yes” or “no” to each question will suffice.

Terence McManus
New Sharon

 

I have never complained before about paying taxes. However, based on the fact that Libby Mitchell, as a Clean Elections candidate, has received more than $1 million of our money to finance her negative campaign for governor, I am changing my mind.

She has run the most negative campaign in recent history. It is too bad that she has such a poor record during her many years in state government that she cannot run on her own accomplishments.

If Libby Mitchell wins the election on Nov. 2, Maine can expect the same high taxes and unfriendly business environment, to say nothing of what her support of Obamacare will do to our health care.

Already our hospitals are suffering (and threatened with closing, as the hospital in Ellsworth did recently) because of the millions upon millions of dollars owed them from the state.

Is that how the current state government “balances the budget”?

Yes, perhaps Paul LePage does speak his mind, but isn’t that what we Mainers usually do?

If this state is to overcome our deficit, Paul will be a far better choice for governor.

Nancy Aldrich
Winslow

 

Until recently I was somewhat discouraged when it appeared that Maine might take a giant step backward.

That’s what would happen if we elect a man who supports nuclear power, drilling for oil off the Maine coast, weakening our environmental protection laws, refusing federal money so desperately needed by our schools, and teaching creationism in our classrooms.

In the dust-up about his wife claiming permanent residency in both Florida and Maine in violation of the tax laws of both states, Mr. LePage showed his belligerence and temper when asked tough questions, as well as his inability to always tell the truth.

The final straw was his assertion that when he’s governor, he will tell President Obama “to go to hell.” What a great way to cement federal-state relations!

Recent polls show that the race has tightened considerably in the past two weeks. I have no doubt that Eliot Cutler would have made a fine governor, but all indications are that he can’t win.

I would hope that those who are still making up their minds will help Libby become Maine’s first woman governor.

She has the experience, intelligence, expertise and temperament to be a great chief executive. She can be firm and principled, but she is always willing to listen with respect to all sides of an issue.

I have heard people say that she has “an iron fist in a velvet glove.”

I hope you will join me in supporting Libby Mitchell for governor on Nov. 2.

Kathleen Watson Goodwin
former state representative
Brunswick