Maine lawmakers mixed on speech

WASHINGTON – Maine’s congressional delegation responded along partisan lines to President Bush’s State of the Union address in which he emphasized issues of homeland security and the war on Iraq.

In his speech, which comes during an election year, Bush also mentioned domestic priorities including proposals to reduce health care costs and provide more job training for the unemployed.

Rep. Michael Michaud, a Democrat, said he believes “the president actually spent one-third of his time trying to justify his actions over Iraq.” Michaud said the president “should be looking more to how we are going to move this country forward, particularly in a time of economic distress in Maine.”

Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, expressed strong support for Bush and his stance on terrorism, but added, “It is of concern to me that the intelligence reports so far have proven to be overstated in the assessment of the development of [weapons of mass destruction] but I think the president is correct with the tough line he has taken.”

In Tuesday night’s speech, Bush said, “We are seeking all the facts – already the Kay Report identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations.”

Bush also discussed job training for the unemployed, an issue important to the manufacturing industry in Maine.

“The president’s proposal for expanding job training programs offers tremendous promise to the state. We, more than any other state in the union, on a per capita basis have suffered a great loss of manufacturing jobs, particularly in the past three years,” Collins said.

On the issue of privatizing Medicare, Rep. Tom Allen, a Democrat, opposed Bush’s plans, saying the proposal would greatly hurt senior citizens in Maine.

“By 2006 these private plans will be paid between 20 to 25 percent more than it costs Medicare to cover the average Medicare beneficiary,” said Allen. “This is frankly the bribery of health insurance companies with taxpayer money to get them to provide Medicare plans. It’s a colossal waste of money.”

But Sen. Olympia Snowe, a Republican, said it may be difficult to reach agreement on all of the president’s proposals but it is necessary. “This isn’t just about the president, it’s about the nation. Congress will need to consider these proposals, adjust them, and take action to win crucial bipartisan support and consensus. But the key is that Congress must act.”