Hogwash, plain and simple.
Once again the election season is upon us, and once again we are hearing one particular candidate talking out of both sides of his mouth with his recently announced candidacy. Lance Harvell continues to spew his hateful commentary accusing lazy people of flocking to Maine and causing all our ills. Lance says that “Maine currently has become a welfare haven for people from all over the country.”
Lance, this is hogwash, plain and simple. You know it, and the people of Maine know it.
The people of Maine are sick and tired of the “divide and conquer” tactics that you and the extremist fringe of your party shout. The people of Maine want REAL change. The people of Maine don’t want your dire predictions of “more economic pain for all.” The people of Maine don’t want your threats to cut the benefits of those most in need in our communities.
Lance, you say that “we have reached a whole new level of absurdity that needs to end.” Well, your party platform certainly speaks volumes to the concept of absurdity. Lance, you’re now the party that would reverse years of progress in educating our workforce by calling for the elimination of the Department of Education. Education is the path to progress, not the path to hell Lance.
The absurdity continues with your party’s platform declaring that healthcare is not a right, but rather you and your party believe that healthcare is a privilege of the few who can afford it. Please excuse me, but this is the new level of absurdity. It should not be a privilege of good fortune that my children are entitled to basic healthcare.
On the subject of children, I suppose that’s where you and your party really get rolling. Your party platform rails against the “UN Treaty on Rights of the Child.” Lance, our children are our future. If they are not protected, then we fail as a society.
This isolationist and hateful message is the same dangerous rhetoric that the people of Maine soundly voted against in the last general election. Spending so much time and effort railing against welfare doesn’t help the hard-working people of Maine who can’t afford the “privilege” of a doctor’s visit.
You and your party’s platform continue down the same destructive path that years of the Bush administration cut through our woods before we got here. Now, you’re continuing by setting fire to the slash. The people of Maine asked for change and continue to seek progress. Lance, please don’t continue over that cliff. It’s bad for Farmington and Industry, and it’s bad for Maine.
I think you and those in your party with the same isolationist and extremist views must now recognize that hard-working people vote for progress and not fear! This is why I will be voting for someone who believes in the future and the progress we can achieve. My vote for representative of Farmington and Industry will be for Yvette Robinson. A vote for Yvette is a vote for positive change!
Dennis Haszko
Farmington
Who is full of hate? sounds like you Dennis, again!
Maine has a net job gain of 59!!! over the last ten years!!!
who as controlled both houses and the governor post over this time, well lets just say its not Republicans!
What party is trying to add 200 new taxes to the people of Maine, again not Republicans!
people voted for change in 2008 and they got 10% unemployment, National security policy that consists of luck, the largest number of people on food stamps in history, a national debt at 90% of GDP and over 13 Trillion dollars, spending this year along is almost half of total government spending in the history of the US.
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
and if the UN is a completely corrupt organization,
“The United Nations has quietly upped this year’s peacekeeping budget for earthquake-shattered Haiti to $732.4 million, with two-thirds of that amount going for the salary, perks and upkeep of its own personnel, not residents of the devastated island.”
http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2010/04/20/u-n-s-732-million-haiti-peacekeeping-budget-goes-mostly-to-its-own-personnel/
Democrats=Failure!
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As soon as I saw the first few lines on the main page I knew that Dennis “Still Crazy After All These Years” Hasko wrote this article. He rails against the GOP platform, and dares to talk about “real change” while the Democrat platform promises the world to everyone. That’s why we are in this mess in the first place. Let’s not bother looking at states like California or countries like Greece to learn from our mistakes. No, let’s stick our heads in the sand and keeping propping up a model that has now failed on a global level.
At least now the Bulldog has a humor columnist besides Al.
This is the most foolish letter I have ever read here on the dog. I cant believe the owners of this site give this guy the space here. Anyone with half a brainstem can see where this state is heading. Haszco is the only one who thinks we are making “progress”. Haszco needs to move back the the state he came from, maybe the people there will swallow his idiotic ranting.By the way Haszco, I see you havent corrected yourself for writing the falsehood that none resident youth hunting licenses are the same price as a resident youth hunting license – not true! Your obsession with Lance, your anger and vile accusations are bordering on some kind of sickness.The people who voted for Lance to the house know what kind of person he is. Thats why you lost so badly to him in the election between you two ,because these same people know the person you are also. You must be a really unhappy person. I almost feel sorry for you.
I honestly would like Dennis to answer this question:
How will voting for the same party that has been in power in Augusta for 36 years facilitate (REAL) change?
The state of Maine Republican Party Platform, recently hijacked by the wingnut faction, is so odious that it has made national news on many outlets. I was shocked when i heard of the positions it espoused.
Mr. Haszko accurately states the platform’s absurd positions.
I urge everyone who cares about Maine and its people to check it out, and FIRMLY REJECT this document and those candidates who support it.
No anger here gentlemen, just the truth — plain and simple.
We all want the same thing. Good jobs, economic growth, reduced tax burden, affordable health care. It just seems that we differ on how to get from point A to point B. The problem is that the GOP fails time and again to propose any viable solutions and loves to become distracted with negativity. To all that, I say voters prefer progress over fear.
…w.r.t. Will Martin’s comment, I would indeed agree that Maine’s Democratic platform promises the world to everyone. That’s indeed a great target, but we all know it’s only mostly a mission statement with the details left to those elected to office.
In contrast, Maine’s Republican platform is a misguided mission statement that would move us backwards 40 years. It’s a recurring theme guys. Think back to the last GOP national convention “Drill, Drill, Drill” chant, and look where that gets us in the Gulf of Mexico.
And to Steve Whittier, please don’t speak against things you know absolutely nothing about. I’ll ignore your childish typos in my surname as I’ve been called much worse things by those who don’t even know me. I’m probably a better representative of the fiery and independent-natured Mainer than even you. Indeed, I was raised on a farm by hard-working blue collar parents that never took hand-outs and, themselves, never were fortunate enough for higher education. I know what it means to make tough choices. Until I ran in the last special election against Lance, I was an “unenrolled” voter. Since high school, I had never formally been in a political party. I was one of those “independent” voters (of which Maine is full of) that waited for the right candidate to come along and convince me that they were worthy of my vote. The problem is that I had consistently voted for candidates that happened to be Democrats. When it looked like Lance might finally have an opportunity to win with a quick off-season election, I stuck my head out and finally took sides so-to-speak. So Steve, feel free to disagree, but there is no need to feel sorry for anyone. Perhaps you might take me up on an offer to chat over a coffee at the Ugly Moose sometime? (Hutch is too chicken to sit down and speak with me, but maybe you’re different.)
And finally to answer Will Martin’s direct question: “How will voting for the same party that has been in power in Augusta for 36 years facilitate (REAL) change?” To that, I’ll re-state the obvious — all politics is local. I married into Maine almost 20 years ago and first lived here 14 years ago, so I don’t have all of those last 36 years covered. However, one thing is certain. Franklin County has stagnated and lost job after job under Republican rule. Job growth during that same time period has been in predominantly Democrat parts of the state. So when you ask about change, the change that is required is right here at home.
How on earth, can Republican Reps from Franklin county be responsible for job growth in this county?
i think Lance has made it clear in his past posts that Democrats remove money from Republican districts if they don’t vote in line with the Dems!!!
that is how hateful democrats are!!!
Open your eyes, Mr. Haszko. The State of Maine has become infamous as a welfare state and this has to stop and I mean now. Why do people who think that welfare is a way of life move to Maine? Because it is so easy to live off the tax payers of this state? The DHHS system must be changed and we to make sure the next governor does this. The free ride is over. It is a way of life, it is a steeping stone to something better. Ms. Ribinson does not have any idea what is going on in Augusta, what a waste of a vote!!!!
why would i sit down and speak with someone i don’t like?
Mr. Haszko,
I personanaly do not have a political party affiliation, and I really don’t care very much about the parties. I do realize and care that your letter is compleatly hateful. I do not know how true some of your comments are but it doesn’t matter as much because meaness of your letter compleatly takes away from your point. It makes you look bad. I understand that we all have the right to our own opinions, but please be kind to others at the same time. It is obvious that you care about the very important issue of education but please remember that the first way we teach our children is by example. This is not a good example of showing your opinion.
Lance Harvell is a very kind person and he has ideas that are good for our state. In the past year Mr. Harvell has proven that he can do a good job and I urge the votors of Farmington and Industry to allow him a chance to continue that work.
Thank you for allowing me to share my opinion.
Dennis…maybe you should have voted for Lance??????????
Once again Dennis Haszko is upon us, and once again we are treated to the libretto of a one-man Opera, sung throughout in the alto tenor. The vocabulary is tediously familiar—-“spew… hateful.. extremist… hogwash…threats”—but the pitch is Dennis’s own.
I especially enjoyed those parts where he repeatedly proposes Dennis Haszko as the Voice of the People of Maine, repeatedly explaining what we know, what we are sick and tired of, what we want, what we don’t want, what we ask for, and what we seek.
There were some parts that are puzzling. On which subjects, we wonder, does Lance talk “out of both sides of his mouth.?” Why does Dennis think that Lance wants health care only for those who can afford it? Does he really think Lance Harvell is a wealthy man? Why does he think other people should pay for this own children’s health care? When, how and why did ever get the idea that Americans need the guidance of a UN Convention in order to take care of its children? Does he really believe that a Department of Education equals education? Does anyone?
Confronted with a cornucopia of choices, I had to read three times through his libretto to identify the stupidest part. In the end I decided it was the solemn denunciation of Lance’s dire predication of economic pain. Dennis might as well denounce arithmetic. The dire results of the state and nation’s profligate ways will arrive with the same certainty as 4 arrives at the end of 2 + 2. Debate is pointless. Events decide the truth of predictions.
The saddest part of the message is easily identified. That’s were Dennis Haszko endorses Yvette Robinson.
What did this poor woman do to deserve that?
Lance is the biggest breath of fresh air in the state legislature in a decade, one of the only Reps on either side who will buck his own leadership, a straight talker who other politicians constantly warn to “be careful what you say”, and a well read self-educated man with international life experiences.
In short, Lance is an actual independent minded Mainer, unlike the pitiful Mr H., who as an independent just happened to always find himself voting Democrat. Get a life, Denny.
Mr. Haszco says Mr. Harvelle is “accusing lazy people of flocking to Maine.” You know, it is a well known fact that people can come to Maine and get welfare within twenty four hours. We have an open door policy for people who want wealth shifted to them from those who earn it. It is no wonder wellfare candidates flock to Maine.
Mr. Haszco’s letter is very venomous, it seems to me.
As a close personal friend of Lance Harvell, I can honestly say, the only “hogwash” on this particular blog is that spewed by the author of the origional letter…..Mr. Haszko.
Mr. Haszko….have YOU ever sat down and had coffee with Lance???? No??? Well you should.
If you could possibly take one moment and get over the fact that Lance trounced you in the special election and listen to the man without the filtering effect of your fingers stuck in your ears, all the while singing “la la la la la”, you would find that Lance is a highly educated man, and has a VERY firm grasp on current events and the sorry condition, of not only our State, but the nation as well.
Does he treat the sensitive ears of the leftist progressive folk with nicities and platitudes so no ones feelings get hurt??? Nope….not the Lance I know….He puts it out there and like it or not he tells it just the way it is. Perhaps the Utopia you dwell in insulates you from such harsh realities most of the time and therefore the bitter truth is a bit harsh for you..so….Let me try and help you understand in a “friendlier” kind of way…….now listen please Mr. Haszko…..listen carefully……………
I think the people of this State are not tired of, but are finally READY for a little “divide and Conquer”. They want the people who think like you, OUT of their pockets. The Dem’s you have so proudly voted for have dug deep enough……and for long enough. We’d like to feed our families and help our kids get the educations they need to be “productive, responsible, independant, self reliant people they are meant to be. It’s not societies job to “protect” our kids. It’s our job as parents. And part of that protection is to teach our children that nothing is free nor a “right”. You want something, then you have to work for it. (Oooo, harsh I know but, better they learn the truth …….)
Everybody ALREADY recieves health care. No one gets turned away from an emergency room who’s health is at risk, regardless of whether they have the ability to pay for it or not. Does everyone have the “right” to health insurance? Not at the expense of other’s NO. Why should I, or anyone else who is already paying a bloated premium, bloated because of the regulatory requirements on carrier’s within our state which YOUR party of choice imposed, have to pick up the tab? If the cost of Healthcare, is such an issue to you, PLEASE…take it up with your Party of choice for again, they are instrumental in keeping the cost of premiums sky high. When a Bill to allow the purchasing of healthcare coverage out of State was introduced it was shot down along party lines. YOUR party of choice didn’t want the people of Maine to have the option to join a larger group outside our borders which would have lowered the cost of premiums. This is one of those “viable” options put forth by the GOP that makes sense but the Left wants nothing to do with…which of course DOESN’T make sense.
Lance is very correct when he states, “Maine currently has become a welfare haven for people from all over the country.”……we have no residency requirement in place to qualify someone for aid. All they have to do is skip across the border, get a PO box and they’re in without having to have made any attempt at a good faith effort to support themselves or be a productive working tax payer.
It’s happening Mr. Haszko….believe it or not. I doubt very highly you ever heard Lance say he would cut benefits to those most in need. Benefits to our seniors, our children and families who are truly experiencing hard times in this very difficult economic period. Lance understands the need for such services and he also understands the need for a welfare reform package that ensures the stability of such vital programs. You see Mr. Haszko, the key word there is….”truly”. That isn’t a word that applies to many in our state who are making a carreer at the tax payers expense. Those who feel they are going to “get what they can because what hell…it’s the States money”….where do you think the state gets this money Mr. Haszko??? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a money tree growing on the grounds of our State House. Have you?
Think about this Mr. Haszko. Before you go slamming the “other” party, remember who has controlled the State house for the last 34 or so years. Look at the data and see who voted for what. See who has been instrumental in the implementation of program after program which require’s the tax payers to lay out more and more of their hard earned dollars……
Take your fingers out of your ears and your head out of the sand………………..
Dennis is against voting for Lance? This is one of the best reasons to vote for Lance- he makes the liberal dems froth at the mouth. Sounds like sour grapes from the time he has very soundly defeated by Lance.
You’re right, momof5sons: the only real reason to vote for a candidate is because he or she makes people froth at the mouth.
And the oh-so-clever-and-cute respelling of Mr. Haszko’s name by Messrs. Whittier and Reid has made me see the former candidate in an entirely new light.
And we all know from repeated, and repeated, and repeated exposure that Hutch’s brilliant, multi-faceted opinions are evidence of a subtle, sensitive mind hard at work.
In fact, all the comments voiced here in support of Mr. Harvell are expressed with such cognitive acuity, it might be worthwhile to turn Mr. Frary’s attempted opéra bouffe around and ask, what has this poor man done to deserve such supporters?
Dennis, please elaborate as to which Republicans rule Franklin County.
Thanks for the compliment, ah,,,,er……………Goo……………………………………….
GOO: Goo. Once in a great while one meets a man or leftish inclinations who is capable of witticisms which rise above the TU QUOQUE level. You, on the available evidence, are not one of them.
FRARY: Old hat.
Once in an even greater while, one meets a man (how do you know I’m a man, anyway?) of rightist inclinations (how do you know of my inclinations, anyway?) who is capable of conscious self-deprecation. You, on the available evidence, are only capable of the unintentional (but sadly hilarious) sort.
Goo, I’m always happy to help!
Goo, the more I think about it, you are the only one who has perceived what Mr. Whittier and I were driving at with our little ploy. At least it appears that you were the only one who saw what we wanted to point out about Mr. Haszko. Speaking for myself, I am happy you now see Mr. Haszko “in an entirely new light.” Therein is the great benefit that the Daily Bulldog’s comment section bestows on its readers. We thank you for your encouragement.
I’ve also perceived that you and Mr. Whitier often utilise the comment section to uproarious effect. If only you knew the half of the humour you have bestowed on me. Truly, therein lies the greatest benefit of the Daily Bulldog’s comment section.
Surely though, if you had read Mr. Haszko’s response, you would have noticed that he noticed Whitier’s sophisticated and rhetorically devastating instigation of the aforementioned name-gamery as well.
But anyway, I’m always happy to encourage those who would sacrifice their own credibility for cheap laughs. Continue the “little ploys,” and know that I shall always be ready to laugh at… I mean “with” you.
post scriptum: Why stop at appropriating Whitier’s neonomisms, Mr. Weed? You’ll look even fancier if you get Frary to give you some generic Latin phrases with which to spice up your little ploys. After all, Carthago delenda est, alea iacta est, podex perfectus est, et cetera, et cetera, &c.
Back to the hate filled comments in the original op ed. I think proff Frary is right. One would have to suspend their knowledge in basic math to not see where we are heading. I think a lot of people here just do not think things can get bad because they have never been through bad times, including myself. But that doesnt mean we should reject the warning signs that are all around us. Sounding the alarm that we as a state and a nation are circling the financial drain, does not make a person a “fear monger”spreading panic just to see people run around like chickens.Would we call Paul Revere a fearmonger if he was running up and down the streets of Lexington yelling ” a depression is coming!!” “we are going broke”!! “We owetoo much money”!!! What would we call a canary in the mine? A smoke detector? We need more people in politics that are not afraid to speak up and sound the alarm BEFORE things get
beyond the point of no return. You know, put whats best for the country first and not be afraid to rock the boat because you may not get elected again if you dont go along with the so called “leaders” we have now. The new leaders in politics , in my estimation, are the ones who stand up and say: ” I am not going to support this thing ,or vote for that thing because it is leading our state in the wrong direction I will vote for what I believe is right ,even if it may cost me my seat in the house or senate.Then I can at least face my family and friends and not be ashamed of myself .They will repect me for standing up for what I think is right.,and not caving to pressure from “party leaders” to vote against what I stand for.We have plenty of those around, some of them republicans right here in the Maine house of rep.
who folded like acheap lawn chair when grilled by the “leadership” to vote for this last borrowing package. Lance may win this fall, and he may lose, but win of lose, he has earned the respect of the
people who believe in his politics and even the ones who dont. And 1more thing, if Lance where to lose, you would not see him attacking the person that beat him repeatedly every chance he got,because to do that would show him to be mean spirited, a grudge holder, and a complete lack of class. More than likely, he would call up he or she and congratulate them, wish them well and go on with his life.If only everyone who lost a political campaign acted like this. One can only hope.
Gee Goo, why are you so mean. What is it with all this Latin? Most of us can’t read Latin. I complemented you!
If you guys dont start writing your comments in english ,I warn you I may start writing some in Polish!
na zdrowie!
Gee Weed, why are *you* so mean? I’m only responding in kind. Regardless of Haszko’s tone, message, whatever, you and Whitey are always ready to throw in below-the-belt, snarky comments. If meanness bothers your sensitive nature so much, then why introduce it to the “discourse” so often?
You can thank Frary for starting with the Latin, by the way. I’d suggest trying something like this: “Gratias ago, senex gloriosus ventosusque.”
By all means, Whitey, bust out the polski! As I said above, “Dzięki, pompatyczny stary.”
Goo, We are fortunate indeed to have you as a participant in these DB threads. Few of us know anything other than English! You, with your multiple languages, add a certain luster to our discussions.
As for Professor Frary using Latin, he didn’t have a choice. One of the three forms of the Argumentum ad Hominem is known as Tu Quoque. If you sneezed and I said “Gesundheit” I would not have you think I was trying to lord it over you with my erudition, i.e. with my knowledge of German, which is very very limited. It is just one of those polite things we can say when someone sneezes. When Professor Frary used the Latin expression it was because it is the name of that particular fallacy. There are many other informal and formal fallacies with Latin names, Post Hoc……, ad misericordium, ad Baculum, etc.. We have to live with these. I am very happy you know latin, and you will, no doubt, enlighten us in the future. But please don’t write your comments in Polish for most of us do not read it.
Weed – I missed you! And how generous of you to take joy in my knowledge of Latin. I’ll be happy to enlighten you anytime.
Like now: Tu quoque arguments don’t always involve a fallacy. In this case, mine sure didn’t.
Frary had many choices when constructing his misconceived response, and if you don’t think he was trying to emphasize his educational credentials, then you haven’t been paying attention, as he’s always trying to emphasize his educational credentials. (For example, plenty of current and former professors have run for public office, but they usually don’t have campaign signs printed up with the “Professor” title preceeding their names.)
I too feel fortunate to have you as a participant in these DB threads. You also add a certain… luster to the discussions.
And once again, no need to chastise me for answering someone in the language in which they addressed me. Talk about a logical fallacy! Why not whine to Whittier instead, since he introduced Polish to the thread? Never would’ve occurred to me. Kurwa.
Dennis I respect you, however I support Lance and what he is trying to do in Augusta. The Democratic party has ruled Augusta for some time now and its led us down a dangerous path. Time for the pendulum to swing the other way fiscally. Govt is way too big for its britches, time for Franklin County to have a booming economy again. We are NOT going to get that under the status quo in Augusta. Differences of opinion Dennis, thats all. Lets try something new in Augusta, elect a fiscal conservative please.