Why did we lose?

Or, perhaps the question is more... why did an absolute despicable excuse for a human being like Paul LePage win? I've got some thoughts on this, and wanted to share them here.

I work for a small gas station/convenience/grocery/game station/whatever store up here in Aroostook County. Every weekend I come into contact with all kinds of people - but a large number of them are hunters. A whole lot of them were talking about coming out on election day to make sure they could keep baiting their bear - which is how the vast majority of them (that we tagged this year) were caught.

The place I work tenders to get a lot of locals, older folks, hunters, fisherman, real... hmm, outdoors types. Some of my favorite people, because they tend to be down to earth, honest - genuine. The conversations I heard about the upcoming election usually went something like this (real conversation, with language cleaned up somewhat)

Older Gentleman: Ya know... I think I'm gonna vote for LePage. What the hell has Michaud ever done anyway? Not a damn thing for veterans. On top of that, he's a... well, you know.

Younger Gentleman: Well, I don't know... been thinkin' that I'd really like to have health insurance. If we pass that medicaid expansion, I could get it.

Even Older Gentleman: The State can't afford it. You know what we're taxed at already and all that money is paying for these damned layabouts already - one of the highest tax rates in the whole Country and it's all going to welfare. What we need to do is bring more business to Maine, get more jobs, bring in more revenue... then we could get people insured.

Older Gentleman nods sagely.

Younger Gentleman: Well, maybe you're right - and he did get that money for the hospitals, didn't he? Something to do with tax money from the liquor companies...

***********

Neither of those older gentlemen worked for the state government. They weren't officially involved with the LePage campaign - but little conversations like that, all over the State, play their part in every election. Not once did any of the democrats I knew - who were often around... not once did they speak up and explain just why LePage was a bad idea - nor could I (without possibly risking my job). Many of the younger people I know tell me they don't vote because they don't know anything about the issues or the candidates... and when most of their education comes from peer pressure, or one sided conversations....

I don't think we need to control the conversation, but I think we need to take part in it. Especially in more rural, conservative areas like Aroostook County. Maine had a great voter turnout this last election... but do you know who didn't vote? Thousands of young people who simply have no clue about what their government is, what it does, who they might want to vote for and why.

In the vast majority of cases, I don't think it's because they don't care. I think it's because they don't know. Or, worse, are getting all of their information, opinions, and knowledge in general... from republicans.

With the re-election of this mockery of a man, we will have thousands of people who still can't get health insurance. We will have thousands of people removed from whatever small state aid they receive. Welfare, medicaid, Maine Care. The budget will be "balanced" upon the backs of the poorest of us. People who can't heat their homes in below zero temperatures and use their stoves to keep warm - or to keep their children warm. People who work "under the table" for less than minimum wage and earn themselves a bad back before they're thirty five. We'll balance the budget by cutting off their assistance - and denying them further assistance.

If the consensus is "everyone for themselves" what the hell is the point in government? A lot of people don't seem to understand... it is the government's JOB to make sure people are housed, fed, clothed, healthy - prosperous. Yet every election we are conned by crooks like LePage, who tell us that the way to move forward is to cut back, that the way to prosperity is through austerity, through abandoning our compassion and empathy and kneeling at the altars of our own individual bank accounts.

The cost of remaining silent, or of not getting involved enough, is simply too high. We will be paying for it for years to come.

So my thinking is... why the heck don't we have some kind of better marketed, or even known of political education/outreach program? Would it really be such a hassle to create such a thing? Just to educate people about issues, about candidates. Thousands of kids graduate high school every year who really haven't got a clue about anything political.

If they knew the stakes, they would give a damn. If they knew it might mean them, their neighbors, families, or friends not having heat in the winter, not having food on the table, not having a home... then they might understand that this game of politics is deadly serious.

This time around, I'm going to do something different. I'm going to work on starting my own little magazine or news paper about democrats in Maine, about who we are and why. About why we should actually give a damn. If I can convince just one person to get out there and vote, it will be worth it. I encourage you all... reach out, especially to younger voters. We really can't afford to have a Governor like LePage - and we will be even less able to afford it the next time around.

We lost, simply... because people didn't know - and now we're all going to pay for it.