An open letter to Andy O'Brien of the Free Press on his article of District 12 Candidate

A recent article published in the Free Press is more an opinion of the writer than it is a piece educating the readers of where these two candidates stand. The piece "Knox County Senate Race - Miramant and Sutton Disagree on Role of Gov't, Existence of Climate Change" written with a heavy slant favoring Dave Miramant and mis-quotes Paula Sutton painting the candidate as someone who is uncaring or mis-guided on many issues.

The piece has prompted an open letter to the Free Press and writer Andy O'Brien response to the piece by Andy O'Brien which you can read below.


An open letter to Andy O'Brien of the Free Press On His Paula Sutton/Dave Miramant article

I read with interest your article outlining the positions held by the State Senate candidates Paula Sutton and Dave Miramant.

While most of the piece contains some facts I couldn't help but notice comments such as "Her campaign is also focused on opposing government funded safety-net programs for the needy, arguing that programs should be be volunteer based not funded with tax money." This statement is a half truth. Paula Sutton believes the truly needy including the handicapped and elderly are deserving of taxpayer help. There are limited funds to go around. So for you to say her campaign is "focused" on opposing government funded safety-net programs for the needy is not so. Paula Sutton is concerned as most taxpayers should be that welfare money goes to those most deserving of assistance.

The statement immediately before that saying that Paula is not employed or involved in a business is again, a half truth. Paula is now a consultant for the business she and her husband own but is taking a hiatus from working full time for their small business to run for the Maine State Senate.

Your paragraph on The Existence of Climate Change is an interesting one. The wording "Sutton is skeptical of the benefits of renewable energy." is also worded poorly. Paula Sutton realizes that renewable energy is fine but years away from society being able to utilize it as one would oil, propane and natural gas. Renewable energy trying to expand too quickly has accounted for money that was wasted. Solyndra was a solar company that received over $500 million dollars from taxpayers and it went bankrupt. That was not a good financial move and was a waste of taxpayer money. You also seem to put your personal spin on this, quoting reports that seem to say that climate change is a fact. What happened to the Al Gore choruses of global warming?  There has been a "pause" in "global warming" a big "pause" of over 17 years!

There is a lot of money to be had in the "global warming" myth. Money that if the lie is repeated enough and believed enough by some people, the average consumer will be paying much more for utilities, cars, food and most everything.

Another paragraph and your bias continues to show, with a direct slam on Paula Sutton with the statement "Sutton said, incorrectly, that the gas tax is not dedicated to roads but dumped into the state's general fund." States are allotting a growing share of the funds they raise from gas taxes to debt service and spending unrelated to roads and bridges, making them more reliant on federal assistance to pay for new infrastructure.

Healthcare can be done on a grand and expensive scale (think and feel Obamacare) or done in smaller more cost effective ways like with the Knox County Health Clinic. Several doctors I have spoken with have told me if some relief could be forthcoming with student loans being reduced or partially forgiven for doctors and if medical malpractice insurance could be reduced to where only proven negligence were to account for most of the expense of malpractice insurance reducing its cost, that would free up a financial burden placed on doctors and allow for more time to dedicate to volunteering.

Your article does a disservice to the voting public. Label it the way it should have been labeled, an editorial.

David Miramant wants to raise our cost of living by raising taxes in a state that can't afford it.
We know from what you have written that you are a Democrat voting for Dave Miramant and Paula Sutton is a Republican with Conservative values and that bothers you, which showed in this piece.

To read the original article published in the Free Press click on this link.