Judy Taylor Studio
Maine's Republican Governor Paul LePage is at it again. First he told the NAACP to kiss his butt, then he said the worst thing the chemical compound BPA could do is give some women "little beards." Now, he's censoring art to appease anti-labor groups who are offended by the idea of workers' rights.
Today Maine newspapers are reporting that Gov. LePage wants this mural removed from the lobby of Maine's Department of Labor.
The Lewiston Sun Journal reports that LePage spokesman Dan Demeritt said some business owners thought the mural was hostile to business. A different spokesperson gave the Portland Press Herald a complaining fax from "A Secret Admirer":
In this mural I observed a figure which closely resembles the former commissioner of labor," the person wrote. "In studying the mural I also observed that this mural is nothing but propaganda to further the agenda of the Union movement. I felt for a moment that I was in communist North Korea where they use these murals to brainwash the masses.
For what it's worth, the artist says her piece is meant to depict Maine's labor history. It's not hard to see why businesses wouldn't want to be reminded of events like a 1937 shoe mill strike or a 1986 paper mill workers' strike. Especially as right now Maine union workers are protesting a Republican bill that would make it harder for unions to collect dues.
Gov. LePage also reportedly wants to rename conference rooms like the "Cesar Chavez" room or the "Frances Perkins" room so as not to offend businesses. So he's planning a renaming contest!
I bet you guys could come up with some great suggestions!
(H/T: Kelley-2746964)
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Please, someone tell me that this story will wind up including something like :
"The Governor also thinks a nativity scene on the lawn of the State Capitol reflects the state's ongoing business partnerships in the global nativity scene markets."
I just need to know it's coming, because in an uncertain world, something has to be predictable.
Oops - for the my entry for the room naming contest is "The Nativity Room".
New room name,
The Twelfth Cookie Rescue & Reclamation Chamber.
If you can't win an argument (with things like facts)
against your opposition, just destroy it.
"The Taking Mt. Agamenticus by Strategy Room"
"The Red Detachment of Women Baggers Room"
"The Moxie Really Tastes Good Room"
...and there are more, but I've got meetings just now.
Business Community Needs to Get a Grip Room
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJFgg31brQs&feature=related
Classic. :)
The Profit! Room
The Tax Exempt Room
The Hostile Takeover Room
The Tax Evasion Room
The Backroom Deal Room
The Union-busting Room
and of course, the LaPage Room.
WHO VOTES FOR THESE PEOPLE?????????????????????????????
Unfortunately, too many.
38% of people who were eligible voters who actually voted in the last election. I live in Maine, and I didn't vote for him. I didn't vote for any member of the GOP on a local level or a national level.
You're not going to see the recall stuff in Maine that everyone's seeing in Wisconsin. LePage hasn't really done much of anything yet, and we don't have the ability to recall officials in Maine, either.
There hasn't even been mention of him wanting to have his own reality TV show, "Inside the Blaine House." Although, it may not given an opportunity to say anything stupid since he'll have the questions beforehand, and his PR people might be able to stop him. We'll just have to wait and see what happens with this one.
I hope all people of Maine and other states like WI never vote for a republican again and that you turn out in full in 2012 and vote Dem all the way in every state, local and federal race! Never a GOP/TP again!
The Queen's Tea Room
The Newt Gingrich Christian Values Room.
The Corporate Welfare Room
The Corporate Fascism Room
The Screw the Taxpayers Room
The Citizens United Room
The Koch Brothers Room
The "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" room.
.... I guess the Bill Haywood Room is right out.
The Larry Craig Wide Stance and Tap Dance Room
The George Bush Economics Room
and finally the bathroom should be named:
The St. Ronald Reagan Trickle Down Room.
Will LePage also outlaw Labor Day?
It'll be now called "Glorious Capitalism Day". Women will be outlawed from going into labor...they will now be forced to go into "corporate restructuring" when they give birth. Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost" will be renamed "Loves Mergers and Acquisitions Denied".
Labor Day will still be there, but it will be for coming over and fixing his lawn for free as a gracious thank you.
Uffdaguy, you're killin' me!
Too bad that LePage is probably already being informed of my post and rushing out to do exactly what I said!
I hereby disavow all knowledge of my own existence!
Nah, your comments are way too clever for him.
The Ben Dover Room.
Union Busting Meeting Room
LetThemEatCake Tea Room
NotGonnaBargainNoMore Room
We'llShowEmWho'sBoss Room
SitDownShutUp&DoWhatITellYou Room
And the hall closet will now be known as "Small Guvmint Room"
GitCherPayBacksHere Room
"Small Guvmint Room" - they've already done the bankrupt the school system thing, haven't they?
The C. Montgomery Burns Room
The Louis XIV Room
The J.P. Morgan Room
The Sarah Palin Reading Room
Ha - that's a good one - where all the reading material comes in 140 bits of info for Twitts!
Bits for Twits would be a perfect title for Palin's next book.
You can read Acting Commissioner Boyett's email to the staff at the Maine Dept. of Labor regarding the removal of the mural here:
They will also be changing the names of 8 conference rooms. From it the email:
"We have received feedback that the administration building is not perceived as equally receptive to both businesses and workers - primarily because of the nature of the mural in the lobby and the names of our conference rooms. Whether or not the perception is valid is not really at issue and therefore, not open to debate. If either of our two constituencies perceives that they are not welcome in our administration building and this translates to a belief that their needs will not be heard or met by this department, then it presents a barrier to achieving our mission."
The complete list of room names at Dept. of Labor that LePage has ordered changed is here:
Wait, even the "Rosie the Riveter" panel has to come down?
LePage is scary, him and his secret meetings and him taking down this mural, that shows how far we have come in our state, I personally am very proud of how far we have come concerning labor. This Governor does not seem to show much pride for his own people or state's history. I remember him saying when he first got elected "Greed is good" I knew then-scary!.
I knew it was going to be bad once he got elected, but we should be thankful that the GOP doesn't have a super majority in either the House or the Senate. I'm still worried about the budget, but the GOP are more than likely going to have to make some concessions with it since they're going to need the Democrats in order to get it passed.
It's going to be a long four years. I'm not sure what more can be said.
Thank you Rachel for bringing this Governor's ajenda up in the national news.
The problem with naming it the Labor room is that Gov. LePage would then expect women to give birth during their lunch break before getting back to work. All these Rep. Governors have a definite agenda that I can only assume they decided on at this Gov. Convention earlier this year. Or maybe there is a republican handbook and they all underlined the same chapter "Help Big Business, help yourself". If Walker gets recalled maybe it will slow down this attack on middle Americans. Then they could call it the Governor Scott Walker memorial bathroom and changing station. Raiding retirement is unconscionable. Cutting peoples Social security benefits in this economy makes no sense when people can't make ends meet as it is. Siting heating Cost and food as extra money is insane right now! Lets get the housing market stable and GOOD paying jobs first, then we can work on budget matters if need be.
How about The T-rump I Screwed Gadhafi and Everybody But Palin Room?
It is my understanding that our new governor, "The Sheriff" as he self-describes, is a Scott Walker wannabe...so maybe we need to be careful about the amount of press he gets...especially national press...or we might see him running for President in the next election. He did say that he would leave after 18 months if he had not turned the economy around in Maine by then. I am at 16 months and counting. Let's hope...we may have civil war here if he continues with his behavior. I've always thought business needed labor to succeed.
Is there a quote in a paper on that one? I don't recall reading it anywhere recently, nor did I remember him saying anything like that during the campaign.