# Has this been done yet? Maine GOP adopts Tea Party platform. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 11, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075 "2010-05-11T18:13:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/1 "2010-05-11T18:13:07Z")
[http://www.mainegop.com/PlatformMission.aspx](http://www.mainegop.com/PlatformMission.aspx) Sorry, but the search was being a pain in my ass. So much for “fringe lunatics” and “these people do not represent mainstream GOP ideals.” WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/2 "2010-05-11T18:17:00Z")
And yes, I realize there are about 50 Republicans in Maine. It’s still a state GOP office going nuts. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/3 "2010-05-11T18:19:47Z")
Motor voter is a fraud mechanism? Maine’s not a large-population state, maybe there just aren’t a lot of mainstream GOP folks there. ETA: Get outta my head Ogre! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/4 "2010-05-11T18:21:54Z")
Is Maine still part of the US? No, seriously, some of the platform points make sense, but most of it is knee-jerk ‘gummint bad’ reactionary stuff. The part where they want Congress to have to abide by the same work conditions as everyone else is a good idea. Give them the same kind of health insurance with no pension and no ability to vote themselves raises and maybe we would see some of the more corrupt folks leave the system. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/5 "2010-05-11T18:25:19Z")
That’s odd. I recall Republicans being upset and nattering on about anti-family practices when it was suggested they put in more than two days each week. Mind you, that was when it was a Democrat suggesting it, so I can see the reflexive Republican obstructionism playing a large part. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/6 "2010-05-11T18:56:47Z")
Mainer checking in. I’d not heard this until seeing this thread, but it does not surprise me. Here’s how Maine works. You have Portland metropolitan area, which accounts for about half of Maine’s population and all of its Liberals. And then you have the rest of the state which is populated mostly by rednecks. Why, I’d put our cousin-fucking, cow-tipping, trailer-trash yokels up against Alabama’s any day of the week. Now the big question. What does this mean to Maine voters? Pure fucking entertainment. God Bless Sarah Palin. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/7 "2010-05-11T18:59:21Z")
Utter drivel. Hell, the Texas Republican Party has been publishing a platform just to the right of Otto von Bismarck for years and years, still doesn’t mean shit to a tree. But who yanks their chain? Well, Breitbart, apparently. > [@](#): > > …Prohibit any public funding of advocacy groups such as ACORN, no matter what it or its affiliate organizations rename themselves; New York Communities for Change, New England United for Justice etc.; Conduct thorough investigation of their activities and voter fraud and prosecute violations… If I read this right, the notion being proposed is in response to [http://biggovernment.com/tag/new-england-united-for-justice/](http://biggovernment.com/tag/new-england-united-for-justice/) See, ACORN is going to pretend to disband, but recompose itself under false names and fake institutions, such as New England United for Justice! So not only must we pursue, hound, and persecute ACORN to its grave, we must presume that other lefty type organizations are nothing more than an extension of ACORN, and make them illegal as well. I fear the Constitutionality of this effort is on shaky ground. To put it mildly. > [@](#): > > …Reject any effort to give foreign citizens the right to vote in the US in any situation or capacity… Well, here, there is some level of agreement, we should all be vigilant that beaver-brained socialists from Canada do not infiltrate our elective processes! As well as interlopers from Burkina Faso, Brazil, Nicaragua, etc. > [@](#): > > …Return to the principles of Austrian Economics… Oh, shit! **Liberal** has seized control of the Maine Republican Party, in furtherance of his plan for World Domination! > [@](#): > > …Return to transparent and honest reporting of economic statistics free of gimmicks and distortions… Return? Return? Huh? What? > [@](#): > > …investigate collusion between government and industry in the global warming myth, and prosecute any illegal collusion… So, what do you say to a Maine Republican baby? “Coochy, Coochy, Coochy”… > [@](#): > > …Repeal and prohibit any participation in efforts to create a one world government… Which seems to suggest that my local chapter of the Fuzzy Thinking One Worlders Debating Society and Macramé Enthusiasts will be rounded up and interned. Thats the bad news, the good news is that these maroons may be in charge of the effort. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/8 "2010-05-11T18:59:32Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > And yes, I realize there are about 50 Republicans in Maine. Funny thing is, that’s enought to elect two Republican Senators, Snowe and Collins. Have they both signed onto this, or will we see them ousted by the party next time they’re up for re-election? ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/9 "2010-05-11T21:22:16Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Why, I’d put our cousin-fucking, cow-tipping, trailer-trash yokels up against Alabama’s any day of the week. Oh, it’s _on_, buddy. How you want to settle this? Possum cooking contest? Tractor pull at dawn? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/10 "2010-05-11T21:27:15Z")
Who ever has the most teeth loses… -XT ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/11 "2010-05-12T03:12:11Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Mainer checking in. > > I’d not heard this until seeing this thread, but it does not surprise me. Here’s how Maine works. You have Portland metropolitan area, which accounts for about half of Maine’s population and all of its Liberals. And then you have the rest of the state which is populated mostly by rednecks. Why, I’d put our cousin-fucking, cow-tipping, trailer-trash yokels up against Alabama’s any day of the week. > > Now the big question. What does this mean to Maine voters? Pure fucking entertainment. God Bless Sarah Palin. Central Mainer here. Blow Me you arrogant Portland elitist. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/12 "2010-05-12T03:31:38Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Why, I’d put our cousin-fucking, cow-tipping, trailer-trash yokels up against Alabama’s any day of the week. Even New Hampshire rednecks think Mainers are hillbillies. And now I’m going to get angry letters from hillbillies. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/13 "2010-05-12T04:20:15Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Is Maine still part of the US? No, actually, I think it’s an independent monarchy now. I know it has a King, named Stephen. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/14 "2010-05-12T11:51:41Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No, actually, I think it’s an independent monarchy now. I know it has a King, named Stephen. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/15 "2010-05-12T12:40:12Z")
Is this the kind of far reaching mess that ousted Bob Bennett? How can Snow and Collins survive? Are they demanding that elected officials support this entire list or be declared to moderate? It’s goofy. Some parts I can get behind and are worthy of serious discussion. { I am not a republican} but others are just out there. Who the hell is steering the ship up there. Did Sean Hannity move to Maine? The bit about ACORN disturbed me. If your concern is making sure elections are on the up and up there are plenty of issues to address. If you’re going to defend people’s right to vote then defend everyone’s equally. world government? Are they paranoid? How do they see localism and diversity as a restriction on free speech? Isn’t the goal to encourage the free exchange of ideas, opinions, and getting out the facts. If too many media outlets are controlled by the same group that defeats the purpose. Parents should be allowed to make all decisions about their childrens education, medical and discipline? Is there an implied “within reason” in there? I’m okay with home schooling and private schools as long as certain minimum standards are met. what exactly is the difference between between freedom of religion and freedom from religion? What do they want in that regard? In a far more diverse country than we had in 1775, people don’t want public funds going to support a particular religious view. What’s the problem? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/16 "2010-05-12T13:23:48Z")
That’s an actual party platform? Dear fucking god. I was surprised when I got to the end and realized it didn’t say anything about demanding that “Barack Hussein Obama turn over his Kenyan birth certificate”, but otherwise pretty much every other whackjob idea is in there. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/17 "2010-05-12T14:26:25Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Is this the kind of far reaching mess that ousted Bob Bennett? How can Snow and Collins survive? Its the same kind of phenomena, but Bennett got forced out because Utah GOP primary rules basically let the local party leadership choose the nominees who run in the primaries, and so the Tea-Partiers basically just had to get themselves voted to local leadership positions to oust him. I don’t think there’s any similar mechanism in Maine, so there’s no way for a motivated minority of the Maine GOP to bump them. If the Maine GOP as a whole takes a turn for the more hardcore Conservative, then they’ll have a problem, but I doubt that will happen. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/18 "2010-05-12T14:49:53Z")
What really slays me about this and other similar lists is that they miss a couple of huge key issues to focus on others that honest conservatives might disagree on. Campaign finance reform, controlling and limiting lobbying, and the recent SC decision to let corporate interests donate directly to political causes. It’s a huge issue IMO and something that both liberals and conservatives ought to agree on. We won;t be able to honestly approach many of the issues on that list until we get other priorities under control. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/19 "2010-05-12T15:30:09Z")
I’m not seeing where they adopted the Tea Party’s platform. Is the OP saying they adopted a platform similar to the Tea Party? I do see a passing reference to the Tea Party, but nothing explicit that links the GOP and Tea Party platforms. I could be wrong, but I’m just not seeing it from the link. How different is this new platform from the previous Maine GOP party platform? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075/20 "2010-05-12T15:44:35Z")
I wasn’t aware the Tea Party had a platform to be adopted. This looks to me like something put together by Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck over a drunken weekend. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-this-been-done-yet-maine-gop-adopts-tea-party-platform/539075.md?page=2)