Opinion: Maine Democrats keep tribes in poor house

Friday, February 10, 2006  

"Maine's House of Representatives recently passed a joint order directing the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs to report on a bill authorizing a referendum to allow a tribal commercial harness racing track. The House voted 98 to 44 to pass the joint order. The Senate voted 17 to 16 against it. The real story, how-ever, is that Democrats voted it down.

Twelve of 17 Democrats, most from southern Maine, and Joe Perry of Bangor, voted to guard their client base from getting off welfare. The Democrats have been smart enough to cultivate their client base. This has kept the tribes poor and thus lacking political clout. The same might be said of all of Washington County.

The Baldacci administration asked me to serve on the Washington County Economic Task Force. I accepted the challenge with pleasure and a sense of duty. I believe Gov. John Baldacci and David Flanagan have come to realize (and have stated in print) what all of Washington County already knows: If Washington County and the Passamaquoddy Tribe are to escape its continuous state of welfare, we collectively must do it for ourselves."

Get the Story:
David Whitney: Passamaquoddy, county unified for political clout (The Bangor Daily News 2/10)