'No sir, you are not': Maine newspaper issues Trump civics lesson as he threatens state
Source: Raw Story
February 22, 2025 4:23PM ET
An editorial in a Maine newspaper took direct aim at Donald Trump Saturday after the president issued a direct threat to the state. The Bangor Daily News editorial board issued its scathing putdown after Trump directed comments to the states Democratic governor, Janet Mills, as she attended a White House luncheon Friday.
He hit out because Maine has refused to change laws regarding transgender athletes in student sports. Youd better do it because youre not going to get any federal funding at all if you dont, he told her. When she hit back with, Im complying with state and federal laws, Trump told her, we are the federal law.
No sir, you are not the federal law, the newspaper schooled him. Congress, not the president, writes and amends the laws of the United States. Congress, not the president, allocates funding to federal agencies and programs. Federal courts are upholding these core tenets of our democracy as Trump seeks to undermine them.
The editorial board had nothing but praise for Mills, and how she politely refused to back down to Trumps attack. The governors message was simple: Maine will follow the law, the board wrote. She didnt get into her personal feelings about transgender athletes or any other American. Because her personal feelings dont matter. The governor, like the president, is responsible for upholding laws that protect the rights of all Mainers and all Americans.
Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/maine-governor-trump/?utm_source=superhead
Link to Bangor Daily News EDITORIAL - Janet Mills shows how to stand up to Donald Trump
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SunSeeker
(54,688 posts)creon
(1,207 posts)Yes.
Much more of this needs to be done.
SunSeeker
(54,688 posts)I hope that more get brave
DENVERPOPS
(10,918 posts)That Maine Voters have elected to put into Federal Offices????????
creon
(1,207 posts)I do not see the attraction
DENVERPOPS
(10,918 posts)Republican Voters, and she gloats over her Position and benefit/perks........
The podition and benefits is why she is in office
hlthe2b
(107,924 posts)Hekate
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niyad
(122,224 posts)Alberta Bound
(7 posts).....QUICK......SOMEONE........where's that photo of the young Chinese fellow standing to block the infantry tank ???
....apt I think.
neohippie
(1,200 posts)Easterncedar
(3,886 posts)Thanks.
Paladin
(29,437 posts)BadgerMom
(3,091 posts)and thats terrifying.
chouchou
(1,617 posts)...roll it up and ram it up your fat ass"
MontanaMama
(24,249 posts)Any act of resistance, not matter how small is significant. Resistance at minimum pisses them off. Many acts of resistance slows them down on what they are breaking. Any act of public resistance can encourage others to resist.
jayschool2013
(2,528 posts)MAGAts don't read independent, conventional, sane journalistic outlets.
IronLionZion
(47,673 posts)did MAGA forget or they didn't pay much attention in school?
Tanuki
(15,604 posts)Wild blueberry
(7,414 posts)Bravo!
And thank you.
Ksout
(11 posts)This is what we need to stand up to Trump. Can the attorney general of Maine do anything about this threat, too, to discourage other retorts on Trumps part like that?
wordstroken
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Jean Genie
(430 posts)I like this VERY VERY much! We need to ALL speak up, stand up to the orange buffoon and his minions, and NEVER STOP believing that people power can and will overcome! COURAGE, my friends!
ultralite001
(1,363 posts)Thank you, Gov Mills... Keep shining that light...
ReRe
(11,218 posts)Damn correct! Stupid needs to learn a thing or two about Civics, i.e. government, which most of the rest of us of his age DID learn in HIGH SCHOOL! Get yourself a large print pocket copy of the Constitution and carry it with you everywhere you go and read it. You will learn that a Democracy is not a Corporation.
If it's a business, it's one by, of, and For The People and not you.
CTyankee
(65,665 posts)Thank you, Janet Mills! You are an outstanding governor!
Walleye
(38,053 posts)LetMyPeopleVote
(158,572 posts)The president picked a fight with Gov. Janet Mills over transgender student-athletes. It didnt go well for him, though the exchange was illuminating.
https://bsky.app/profile/hategop.bsky.social/post/3lirxqnoc2c2s
The president picked a fight with Gov. Janet Mills over transgender student-athletes. It didnt go well for him, though the exchange was illuminating.
Link to tweet
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-tells-maines-democratic-governor-are-federal-law-rcna193237
But as The Hill reported, thats not all he said at the event.
President Trump and Maines Democratic Gov. Janet Mills briefly quarreled Friday at a National Governors Association session at the White House after Trump told a meeting of Republican governors he would withhold federal funding from the state over its refusal to comply with an executive order on transgender athletes.
Unprompted, the president referenced his recent executive order on transgender student-athletes and said that he had learned that Maine intended to ignore his directive. He then asked if Maines governor was in the room.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:iu4j537hox5huj4bwnwgub4z/post/3lipilq64qt2s?ref_src=embed&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fiframe.nbcnews.com%252FnikYoxO
Link to tweet
When Mills spoke up, he asked her directly whether her state would comply with his demands. The two-term Democratic governor who also served as Maines attorney general for several years told the president she would comply with state and federal laws.
Trump replied, Well, we are the federal law....
But of particular interest was his we are the federal law declaration. To be sure, Trump isnt a lawyer, and he has never demonstrated even a rudimentary understanding of the limits of presidential authority. Whether he understands this or not, executive orders tend to be glorified press releases, not federal statutes.
Trump is free to sign these directives though he assured voters he wouldnt but that doesnt make them federal laws.
Whats more, the presidents we are the federal law assertion came just two days after Trump described himself as a king, which came just four days after the Republican similarly declared, He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.
Can a Letat cest moi claim be far behind?
KT2000
(21,197 posts)continued to fawn all over trump after the exchange. What a collection of wimps!
Cha
(307,534 posts)GD "king".. . Stupid EGO driven Crock of Toxic Shit.
tonekat
(2,129 posts)NYT and Bezosrag could learn something.