Jon Reisman

February is dream-planting season- planting some garden seeds in the sunroom, dreaming of spring, and planting some political dreams in candidates in boxes, as they collect signatures and plead for campaign donations. Both operations are rooted in optimism, but both are leavened by years of disappointment. Sometimes the promising seedlings get a bit too leggy, or are damaged when exposed to the sun and elements after a swaddled infancy in the warm and protected sunroom. The same can happen to candidates.

My principal February seedling crop is leeks. The leek seedlings look like grass, and when transplanted in late April to long rows in the garden are almost invisible. They require careful periodic weeding throughout the summer, eventually growing into large, aromatic and nutritious stalks harvested in November. They store reasonably well, but need to be thoroughly cleaned before cooking and consumption. I use them like onions, great in soups and blended with potatoes, carrots, garlic and ginger.

My February candidate crop this year includes Governor, Congress, and State Senate and Representative.

For Governor, my choices (apart from a few unlikely, untried, unproven and risky varieties) appear to be septuagenarians Janet Mills and Paul LePage. Incumbent Mills is a climate alarmist who directly attacked my First Amendment rights when she was Attorney General, launching a politically motivated “fraud” investigation of climate (Holocaust) “deniers” along with other Democratic Attorneys General. They issued subpoenas to several prominent think tanks, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute, who I had worked with on climate policy issues for more than a decade. Her climate alarmism fanaticism/political opportunism has  only gotten worse in the Blaine House, as she has steered Maine towards disastrous virtue signaling policies that will raise the price of energy, convert large swaths or rural Maine to public ownership (try 60% of Washington County!) and avert exactly no global warming whatsoever. Although it is a generally anti-capitalism agenda, it will enrich solar and wind power crony capitalists, so I guess you could describe Mills as more of a Russian oligarch aficionado than as a full scale Venezuelan/Chinese Communist Party/ AOC socialist.

Former Governor LePage and I are on the same policy page as far as climate alarmism, woke insanity, Critical Race Theory, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and economic and personal freedom. He was a fighter, though not necessarily a strategically wise one, and it was often exhausting defending him. As the alternative is Mills, LePage gets some space reserved in the sunroom and garden, with more attention and resources in summer and fall. The prospect of another four years of Janet Mills is frightening enough to quell my concerns about LePagian déjà vu.

For Congress, I want Nancy Pelosi and the left evicted, and Jared Golden must therefore go. My choices are former Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Georgetown, Oakland and now Orrington, and Selectwoman Liz Caruso of Caratunk.  I think a campaign promise to impeach President Brandon for his willful failure to faithfully execute immigration law and opening the southern border is the ticket to winning the GOP nomination and. defeating Golden, but neither the cautious Poliquin nor the neophyte Caruso has shown the courage or wisdom to make such a pledge. I think a relatively younger woman (as opposed to 68-year-old Poliquin) has a better chance to defeat 39 year old Golden, and Ms. Caruso will likely get my primary vote, but Poliquin will likely be the GOP nominee. He needs to show the courage and cojones to confront the left and the press. If former Gov. LePage was too quick to pick a fight, former Rep. Poliquin was too reluctant. I hope to be able give the GOP CD2 nominee ample space and resources in the garden, but the jury is out. Golden has proven to be a pesky and invasive weed.

For the State House, I have sent clean election contributions to both Senator Marianne Moore and House District 10 candidate East Machias Selectman Kenneth “Bucket” Davis. Senator Moore is a moderate who works well with others, and though I might not always agree with her, I know she will hear me out and usually vote for freedom. Bucket is a long-time leader with a strong commitment to the Downeast environment, community, education and freedom. I look forward to having him represent me in Augusta, and am grateful he is willing to make the sacrifice, as I know he’s rather spend his time here than Augusta. I am optimistic of a bountiful harvest from the State House section of the garden.
 

Jon Reisman is an associate professor of economics and public policy at the University of Maine at Machias. His views are his own. Mr. Reisman welcomes comments as letters to the editor here, or to him directly via email at [email protected].