Radio Address: No matter what, please go out and cast your vote
November 2, 2016
(MP3 Audio)No matter what, please go out and cast your vote
It has been a long and difficult election season, and most of us will be glad when it?s over. But that shouldn?t stop you from exercising one of your most sacred rights: voting.
Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.
The past year has been dominated by so-called Presidential politics. It has energized some people, and turned other people completely off. Regardless of what you think of either Presidential candidate, I urge you to go to the polls and cast your vote.
Remember, there are other important races on your local ballot. Choosing your state senator or state representative is not something to be taken lightly. These are the people who will make the laws in our state. They will determine whether you pay more taxes or less.
They will decide whether to continue with welfare reform or roll back our progress and return to the days of an expensive and unchecked welfare system that was riddled with fraud, which liberals often refer to as ?victimless crimes.? These elected officials will vote on whether to raise your electricity rates, and they will decide whether to help create jobs in Maine or destroy the economy with their socialist, 50-year agenda.
You cannot rely on TV ads or junk mail to determine which candidate is best for you. You certainly cannot trust the Maine media to give you the facts. It is up to you, the Maine citizen, to educate yourself on the candidates and the issues.
Most importantly, these candidates will have to decide how to handle the impacts of several referendum questions?if they pass. Maine is facing the threat of a financial tsunami after this election.
Question 4 would arbitrarily raise the minimum wage so high and so fast, it will cripple local businesses, devastate the restaurant industry and put entry-level workers out of a job?not to mention sending our elderly neighbors deeper into poverty.
Question 2 will add 3 percent to the income tax, creating the second-highest income tax in the country. That will drive successful people out of Maine and make it even more difficult to attract doctors, dentists, engineers, scientists and other professionals. None of them will come here and pay a 10.15 percent income tax?especially when they can go next door to New Hampshire and pay no income tax.
The final blow will come from President?s Obama?s mandatory increase in overtime pay. Coupled with a high minimum wage and a 10.15 percent income tax, the sudden hike in overtime pay would drown local businesses and capsize the Maine economy.
The stakes are high on Tuesday, not just for the country, but also for our state. We are at a crossroads: we can keep marching down the politically correct path toward the kind of socialism that has ruined other great countries. Or we can vote to get us back on the road to prosperity and bring common sense back to our government.
So, no matter what side you are on, I urge you to take an active part in the process. Let your voice be heard. On Tuesday, November 8, please go to the polls and cast your ballot.
Thank you for listening.