Maine Governor's Decision To Remove Labor Mural Stems From A Single Anonymous Letter

As you may have heard, Maine Gov. Paul LePage jumped into the nationwide "UNION THUGZ ARE HISTORY'S GREATEST MONSTERS" thought-craze by ordering the removal of a mural from the main lobby of Maine's Department of Labor, because it suggested that fighting for labor rights was a good thing, or something. At the time, LePage said that he was spurred to these actions because "some business owners" had "complained it was hostile to business." Why didn't they just ask LePage to burn the Department of Labor down to its joists? Because "some business owners" just aren't thinking big enough right now, so it's no wonder no jobs are being created.

But who complained? Over at ThinkProgress, Alex Seitz-Wald reports that it all seems to have been instigated by a single anonymous letter, in which a "secret admirer" urges LePage to "TEAR DOWN THIS MURAL" because it reminded him/her of "communist North Korea where they use these murals to brainwash the masses." (Really? Is that North Korea's game changing secret?)

Here's an important clarification, however. Lots of early reports, including Seitz-Wald's initial post, said that this missive came in the form of a fax transmission. LePage's office now says that it was "a letter, not a fax." If true, there's no reason to be concerned about the fact that there wasn't a fax transmittal timestamp on the released document. However, this point from Seitz-Wald still stands: "But more importantly, why is LePage making policy decisions based on a single [letter] from an anonymous 'Secret Admirer'?"

It's a good question! Fortunately, it's one that we can test. LePage's office address is #1 State Hall Station, Augusta, Maine, 04333. So send him your letters! Demand that he flood the streets of Bangor with delicious chowder! Insist that the Whoopie Pie should not be Maine's state dessert. Order him to send the Maine Army National Guard to annex New Brunswick. If LePage stays true to form, pretty soon Maine will be up to its waist in bonkersauce.

(For best results, sign your letters, "Love, the Koch Brothers," obviously.)

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Comments

[Dan Shramo]

04:08 AM on 03/29/2011

Well, the people don't actually have to follow this guys order's do they? Uh gee, we couldn't find any paint Mista guvna suh.

[Mingpeke]

05:02 PM on 03/28/2011

This guy is truly amazing, it's only been 3 months and he has yet to do something for people. His only care is for big business, I don't think he has done much for small businesses either. Anyway we all should write him a "love" letter asking for I don't know something silly like infrastructure spending for example instead of a tax cut for the top 1%, name withheld of course.

[builderman55]

11:36 AM on 03/28/2011

Yes, but the single message came from someone with the RIGHT attitude, so it counts way more than if from a lefty union thug. It is VERY important that GOP leaders only pay attention to the RIGHT opinions.

[trudy111]

04:38 PM on 03/27/2011

This explains why the citizens of Maine are so aptly named:
"MAINEAICS

[trudy111]

04:52 PM on 03/27/2011

Looks as though I am the" MAINEIAC" here. I should really go back and
finish the 4th grade, maybe, just maybe I could learn to spell!!!

[Mingpeke]

05:09 PM on 03/28/2011

Hey I am a Maineiac too. Maine leans more to the left than the right. This election was about jobs and the fact the governor's race was three way. More Mainer's vote for someone else than voted for him. I have right leaning friends who are very sorry they voted for him. Many here find him an embarrassment.

[Bob Partida]

10:55 PM on 03/26/2011

NEWSFLASH; DATELINE MAINE; MAINE NOW WAIST DEEP IN BONKERSAUCE!!!!!!!!!

[MichaelMcKLA]

05:56 PM on 03/25/2011

If you fine people of Maine find yourselves in passionate disagreement with your governor, then recall him immediately.

[Bon1042]

10:36 PM on 03/25/2011

I suggested it here last night.

[Reiziger]

11:58 PM on 03/25/2011

There is no recall provision in Maine law.

[MichaelMcKLA]

01:11 AM on 03/26/2011

Ha! Time to make one. Quickly.

[gmb007]

05:28 PM on 03/25/2011

Labor murals?

Apparently, it doesn’t take much to terrify the GOP.

I thought THEY were the Party of Fear?

[inARCTICulate]

05:28 PM on 03/25/2011

Is this any way to run an airline?

Maybe he thought Megan Fox was the secret admirer?

[gmb007]

03:51 PM on 03/25/2011

It’s clear the GOP - in light of their destructive, synchronized actions across this country since they took power - has declared scorched-earth-take-no-prisoners WAR on us, the American people.

It’s time to take up their gauntlet with a righteous vengeance.

To do anything less will ensure our demise.

[chrisreadabook]

12:39 PM on 03/25/2011

Greetings, HuffPost readers, from upstate New Hampshire.

My family takes plenty of day trips to Maine in the summer. I'd love to join a boycott of the state.

[gmb007]

11:54 AM on 03/25/2011

“Historically, Departments of Labor came about to deal with the needs of working Americans. Business has always been well represented elsewhere in government. The idea that business and labor are "equal constituencies" of the labor department betrays this history and cancels what little real representation labor had. And the claim that the decision is "not open to debate" sounds more like Louis XIV than an acting commissioner: ‘L'etat c'est moi!’”
~ cr6 dirigoblue . com

[TSRVT]

11:48 AM on 03/25/2011

The mods on this thread a ridiculous. I guess if you're not all sunshine and rainbows your post will not go through. Good grief.

[7dr361]

11:53 AM on 03/25/2011

looks like it huh

[poundsixzeros]

03:09 PM on 03/25/2011

I think they only block dingbats and whiners. I can't believe your post got through.

[Bon1042]

01:47 AM on 03/28/2011

NOT true ! I posted one comment that was thoughtful on the matter in question

[mjwca]

11:38 AM on 03/25/2011

These same politicians and the corporations who have purchased them brand themselves as big supporters of family, community, and the "American way of life" even as they intentionally destroy them. Its downright creepy and terribly destructive, this never ending grasping for all, all, all the gelt.

Does the business community and the politicians who back this madness really want to keep pushing the "worker greed is the problem" meme as they stuff their pockets with unearned bonuses and bankrupt the country with tax breaks and idiotic wars with no purpose? Has DC and Corporate America failed to look out of their diamond encrusted ivory towers for so long that they have truly forgotten they may not exist for long without a healthy middle class economy peopled by those same demonized workers who staff their companies, teach their children, protect their property, and drive the creation of wealth that their own fortunes and futures are based on? Do they think they can turn the whole country into some sort of coal mining company store where you can never buy yourself out of servitude and working the mines of the owners? Are they filled with that much contempt for their own communities and employees? Have they gone that completely nutsy fagan despotic blind with greed?

They would do well to learn the lessons of history that the labor movement, civil rights movement, women's sufferage movement, apartaid, Russian in 1917, China in 1949, and Egypt teach us about pushing peopel too far.

[7dr361]

12:12 PM on 03/25/2011

They will say anything.....lie talk flowery. Beware of forked tounge......reason it out

[gmb007]

12:26 PM on 03/25/2011

Excellent post. :)

Americans may be long-suffering and sometimes slow to act, but even we can be pushed only so far.

fanned

[Phyllis Bilick]

03:32 PM on 03/27/2011

How long does it take. I think we wait too long and then we are pushed over the cliff.

[Blackwing]

11:32 AM on 03/25/2011

Wow, this guy is the gift that keeps on giving. Thank you Maine voters for bringing so much laughter into my household.

[SkelDaddy]

01:54 PM on 03/25/2011

Here in Maine, we're not laughing.

[Aimee Bellefleur Hogan]

03:56 PM on 03/25/2011

I second that. We are in mourning in our household. It is going to be a loooong four years....