Maine Democratic Legislator Bolts Party (ending Democratic majority)

[Thom Little]

A Democratic state legislator announced Tuesday she has quit the party, leaving the Maine House evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.

Rep. Barbara Merrill's defection will give the two major parties 73 seats each when the 2006 session opens on Wednesday. Merrill becomes one of four unenrolled or independent members. One Green Party member also serves in the 151-seat chamber.

The Democrats have held a majority in the Maine House for three decades, except for a brief period in 1996 when the Republicans gained the edge. The Democrats maintain control of the state Senate, with 19 of the 35 seats.

Merrill, author of a book in which she makes a stand against political orthodoxies, said she left the Democrats because she is unhappy with the party's stand on budget issues.




http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060103/ap_on_el_st_lo/maine_politics;_ylt=AtDHMxUkSg8U.gh.ivjN5LmyFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

[mike_c]

1. any Mainers want to help enlighten the rest of us...

...about the "budget issues" involved in this matter? The link is not very informative.

[underpants]

5. I think it is their Maine issue right now

:yoiks:

[mike_c]

6. ooph-- shoulda seen that coming....

Badda-boom.

[sweetheart]

2. isn't a DU'er a dem in the main legislature?

I can't recall her name... i read her story of how she got in to running for office.
It was very inspiring.

[MrMonk]

8. "MaineMary", or something like that.

[napi21]

3. Since this is a State legislature, do they have chairmen, etc?

I'm asking because I don't know HOW they'd treat a tie in the House in Wash. If there was no leading Party, would you have co-chairmen???

Since there are 4 independant legislators in Me, do they still vote primarily with the Dems?

[Zodiak]

4. deficit spending is what has pissed her off

apparently the Democrats have Maine's budget in the red, so Merrill is leaving the party. She wanted to make more budget cuts and increase the fees that state charges.

At least that is what I get out of five minutes of research. She didn't seem like a progressive....more like a Jeffords.

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. State by statute...

...cannot run in red.

Balanced budget mandated by state law and, IIRC, Constitution.

Merrill's ideas on how to close any gap are distinctly GOP-ish.

Gov. Baldacci's attempt to cobble together additional low-income home heating assistance drove her over the edge.

Better the poor should freeze than taxes be increased.

[Zodiak]

9. as I suspected

more on the GOP side of the Party than the "far leftists with no party loyalty".

Interesting that a moderate would run from the party and lose the Democratic majority in the Legislature before a liberal rep would. Wonder where those 5 DUers or so who say this over and over are, now. Obviously not on this thread....too busy yelling at lefties for being...well...lefties.

[cosmicdot]

10. will she be refunding any contributions she may have gotten ...

from Democrats, the Democratic Party, and/or Democrat-friendly organizations helping her get elected 'as a Democrat'? Maybe she could funnel some proceeds from her book, Setting the Maine Course to to the Democratic Party.



Maine State Representative Barbara Merrill was in the (U of ME) Bookstore on Tuesday Dec. 13 signing copies of her new book, Setting the Maine Course.

[KamaAina]

11. Dems never had a majority, only a plurality

Rep. Barbara Merrill's defection will give the two major parties 73 seats each when the 2006 session opens on Wednesday. Merrill becomes one of four unenrolled or independent members. One Green Party member also serves in the 151-seat chamber.

Even before Merrill went Zell Miller on us, the tally stood at: 74 Dem, 73 repuke :puke: , 3 Ind and 1 Green. Out of 151 seats, a true majority would consist of 76 seats.

Wonder who published that book of hers? "Staunchly Independent Press, an imprint of Regnery Publishing", or the like? :sarcasm:

[0rganism]

15. I'd expect the Green to vote with the Dems on most stuff anyway

Any details on how the other 3 indies bend?

[Toots]

12. Independent is OK, I can't see her voting Republican so maybe a good thing

The Democrats need to realize they can't take people for granted and they are a People's Party and not that of Big Business and Wealth. The People must always come first and the Republicans just refuse to believe that to be the case. Remember America is "By the People, For the People, Of the People" Some Democrats forget that basic fact..

[fushuugi]

13. agreed...

the democrats need to try to mirror the party of 1930's and present themselves as populist and constitutionalist as opposed to corporately entangled.

[MaineDem]

14. Three Democrats in the House have left the Party

I think it has more to do with wranglings in the Legislature than because of the Democratic Party principles. I can't imagine these people giving up on the Democratic ideals. That's what has me stumped.

Merrill wants to run for Governor. She's been all over on her "book tour".

The Republican leadership in the House has asked the Speaker and the Dem leadership to meet with them tomorrow (the opening day of the new session.) =Do you think Merrill's defection was timed for impact? You betcha!= The GOP is asking for shared committee membership and chairmanships. Tomorrow will be an interesting day in Augusta.

[Orangepeel]

17. which party do they caucus with?

How does it work in Maine? Does it work like it does at the federal level where the majority is determined by the votes for majority leader/speaker? If so, who will the independents and green vote for?

[bluestateguy]

16. Exactly what "budget issues", may I ask?

Is the party too spendthrifty for her, or not enough? I hear Democrats on both sides of this issue every day.