Full-On GOP Civil War Breaks Out In Maine

Teabagger Paul LePage was an accidental governor. In 2010 he won with a mere 38% of the vote, less than 10,000 more votes than Independent Eliot Cutler. Cutler and Democrat Libby Mitchell polled over 317,000 votes to his 218,000. LePage didn't get a majority in a single county. LePage, the general manager of Marden's Surplus and Salvage, a small chain of discount stores, and the mayor of Waterville (population 16,000), was ill-prepared for statewide office, and whatever popularity he had has dissipated as he's made one misstep after another. He's basically spent the last year trying to emulate teabagger governors in big states like Florida, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. But he's now gone beyond penny-ante corruption and tweaking working people by renaming conference rooms and taking down murals to trying to destroy Maine's elder-care program.

Republicans, sensing that this would be a suicide mission, have told LePage he's on his own.

The co-chairman of the Legislature's budget committee said his Republican colleagues can't support one of the largest and most controversial cuts in Gov. Paul LePage's Department of Health and Human Services budget proposal.

Rep. Patrick Flood, R-Winthrop, the House chairman of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, said Tuesday Republicans won't back the governor's plan to cut $60 million from private non-medical institutions.

Yesterday's Kennebec Journal explained why Republican legislators are cutting LePage lose.

Republican lawmakers have rejected the most controversial piece of Gov. Paul LePage's plan to balance the Department of Health and Human Services' budget, which would have cut funding for homes that serve the elderly, the mentally ill and people with substance abuse problems.

With Democrats also opposing the Republican governor's plan, 4,300 elderly Mainers and close to 1,700 others who are mentally ill or being treated for addiction will continue to get help at private non-medical institutions-- and $60 million will have to be cut from other parts of the budget.

Republicans on the Legislature's Appropriations and Health and Human Services committees decided last week that they cannot support the proposal to end funding for the institutions July 1, said Rep. Patrick Flood, R-Winthrop, House chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

"We know there's a lot of concern out there," Flood said. "A lot of uncertainty. The Republican members want to work with the executive branch on this."

..."It seems very irresponsible to be frightening 6,000 families and leaving them wondering what they are going to do with their loved ones," said Rep. David Webster, D-Freeport.

In a press release from House Democrats, Rep. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, said LePage has been urging swift action, yet "he now admits he never intended those cuts to go forward."

"He's playing a dangerous game of chicken," Martin said.

...During budget deliberations Tuesday, DHHS staffers said the federal government has raised several questions about how Maine receives federal money to support the facilities. Federal officials are concerned about whether the rates are excessive, whether the providers are qualified, and whether people who live at the facilities get to choose who provides their services, among other things.

DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew said she expects negotiations with the federal government to continue into the summer as the state looks for ways to make the system comply with federal guidelines.

Advocates for the elderly say the question is now what will be cut to balance the budget. John Hennessy of AARP Maine said Tuesday's news will ease the minds of the elderly whose homes would have closed.

"They will breathe a sigh of relief, but what's next is what they will be worried about now," he said.

Although the Tea Party still backs LePage enthusiastically, his plunging support among Republican regulars makes one wonder if he can even get his party's nomination for a second term, or will he have to run as a Tea Party candidate?