WASHINGTON (AP) — In withering day-after criticism, President Barack Obama declared Thursday that the 16-day partial government shutdown was a Republican-provoked spectacle that “encouraged our enemies” around the world. Elsewhere in Washington, and around the country, federal employees simply streamed back to their jobs. National parks reopened. The popular panda cam at the National Zoo […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage vows Cobscook Bay State Park won’t be closed by federal action again
EDMUNDS — Gov. Paul LePage made a brief visit to a public boat launch at Cobscook Bay State Park on Thursday, using the opportunity to rail against the federal government for the shutdown that led to the park and a public boat launch being temporarily closed. The governor alternately suggested the state park should be […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine’s civil emergency persists as federal government ends shutdown
AUGUSTA — Congress may have come to a deal to end the 16-day partial federal government shutdown and avoid a scenario that could have led to a national default, but the “civil emergency” declared last week by Gov. Paul LePage is still in effect. The governor’s emergency authority is “still being used as an administrative tool” in […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Sen. Angus King criticizes U.S. House leadership
PORTLAND — A last-minute agreement by Senate leaders may avert a threatened Treasury default and reopen federal government but Sen. Angus King of Maine says Congress is doomed to repeat itself unless the House leadership ditches a rule limiting which proposals make it to the floor. House Speaker John Boehner has used the so-called Hastert […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage wants feds to officially open Cobscook Bay boat ramp
LUBEC — U.S. Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree say the federal government will allow a boat launch ramp at a state park to stay open despite the shutdown but Gov. Paul LePage says it’s still not officially open. “The State has not received notification from the Obama Administration indicating that Edmunds Boat Launch is open,” […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Obama signs bill to avert default, open government
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has signed a measure into law reopening the federal government and averting a potential default. The White House says Obama signed the bill early Thursday, hours after the House gave final approval. The White House budget office has already instructed federal workers to plan to return to work Thursday […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
‘Susan Collins is a gang of one’
WASHINGTON — Earlier this month, Sen. Susan Collins, dispirited, sat watching her colleagues on the Senate floor stake out opposing positions over funding the government. She decided she’d had enough. “Each side was lobbing partisan grenades at the other side, despite the fact that we had a really serious problem confronting us,” the Maine Repuiblican […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage warns that more state worker layoffs could be coming
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage told legislative leaders Tuesday morning that more layoffs of federally funded state workers could be coming this week unless the federal government shutdown ends soon. Senate Minority Leader Mike Thibodeau, R-Winterport, and House Minority Leader Kenneth Fredette, R-Newport, told the Bangor Daily News after a Tuesday morning meeting he and […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
U.S. House to vote on budget and debt limit Tuesday night
WASHINGTON — Time growing desperately short, House Republicans pushed for passage of legislation late Tuesday to prevent a threatened Treasury default, end a 15-day partial government shutdown and extricate divided government from its latest brush with a full political meltdown. There was no immediate reaction from the White House to the measure, which was revised […]
Posted inLetters
J. Hersey: No pay for Congress
I am appalled at the mess into which members of Congress have led this nation. Every senator and representative should be forced to give up their paycheck and benefits for as long at the mess exists. Some innocent people will suffer but, right now, more innocent people are in deep trouble. I applaud Sens. Susan […]