October 20, 2012
Letters, Maine

Backers overstate King achievements

Maine Sunday Telegram | www.pressherald.com

Why does so much of our local media adore Angus King?

The incessant delusional trumpeting in several Maine newspapers of King’s “career” in wind power is foolish.

The basic reality there is very simple: Wind-power companies can’t produce bottom-line profits without artificial support from federal and state tax subsidies that we taxpayers have to cover. Maine voters shouldn’t be expected to reward a deal-maker with a U.S. Senate seat, just because his business gained from special tax privileges.

And King’s accomplishments as a former governor? A dozen years ago, he spent a lot of taxpayer dollars on laptop computers for schoolchildren. Those middle-schoolers are young adults now, and what have those laptops helped them achieve? How did the big talk and sparse action of the King administration actually help our state’s students advance?

Furthermore, Mr. King’s “independence” won’t majestically elevate him above the messy fray that characterizes the difficult work of Congress. That sales pitch is pure fantasy, since he’s never been particularly adept at persuading others.

If we elect Angus King as our next U.S. senator, his lack of influence means that he’ll be all but ignored in Washington, until a large percentage of the other 534 politicians in Congress see reasons to enlist his help with their objectives.

Instead, let’s put a Mainer in the U.S. Senate who’ll help the growing conservative movement in Washington get our national government back on the right track.

Please vote for the only candidate in our race who is committed to the task of downsizing our obscene federal spending habits. That candidate is Charlie Summers. He’ll bring more of the Maine qualities of integrity, reason and perseverance to the work of the U.S. Senate.

James Clingensmith

Saco


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/20/backers-overstate-king-achievements/