| Last Updated:
Oct 22, 2009 - 3:04:39 PM |
 |
| Senate President Elizabeth (Libby) Mitchell |
Maine Family Policy Council executive director Mike Heath met with Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell on Thursday, February 12th, in the President's corner office on the third floor of the State House. Mitchell a long-time liberal Democrat, is the third consecutive woman to hold the office of President. She is next in line to be Governor should anything happen to John Baldacci.
Heath presented Mitchell with a Christian Civic League of Maine meeting agenda from 1984 that was held at Penny Memorial Baptist Church in Augusta. She appeared on a panel discussing education issues.
Heath and Mitchell discussed the legislative session. Mitchell indicated that Democrats will not force a simple majority budget this year. In some recent sessions Democrats, who hold the majority in the State House, have chosen not to go with passing a two thirds budget that requires support from some Republicans. When Democrats pass a simple majority budget they use an obscure rule to force a budget through without Republican consent.
In the forefront of the Senate President's mind is the economy. The federal government will be sending as much as a billion dollars to Maine as part of the recently passed stimulus bill. Speculation in the State House is that Maine will get more than it's "fair share" because of the negotiating role that Maine's two Republican Senators played in the final outcome. Only three Republicans in America voted for President Obama's stimulus bill. Maine provided two of them.
Mitchell and Heath briefly touched on Representative Sawin Millet's casino gambling proposal. Little is known about the proposal at this time. Apparently Millett wants the proposal to be approved by a public vote in Oxford County only. A similar proposal was rejected by all Maine voters last year.
Heath and Mitchell spent a considerable amount of time discussing the Same Sex Marriage issue. Both agreed it would be the defining social issue of this Legislature. Senator Mitchell indicated she is not ready to take a position on the issue. She said that the office of President requires that she withhold judgment until the bill has been published, the committee has held hearings, and the Legislature has debated the matter. She said she will vote on the issue, but did not indicate what her vote would be.
Governor Baldacci is also on the fence regarding Senator Dennis Damon's proposal to eliminate the Defense of Marriage Act and drive gender neutrality deep into Maine's legal structure. Representative Les Fossell has introduced a bill that will radically redefine Maine's domestic partnership regime.
Mitchell described herself as a civil libertarian. Viewing them as civil libertarian issues she has been an outspoken supporter of abortion and homosexual rights in recent years. The Council does not view either issue through a civil rights for adults only lens. Both abortion and homosexuality violate the rights of the innocent, not adults. In the case of abortion the right to life of a completely dependent human being are violated. Homosexuality as defined in Maine law today violates the right of innocent children to be raised by both a mom and dad.
Mitchell was raised as a Southern Baptist.
Heath asked if there were any alcohol-related issues that have been introduced. A proposal to allow wine sales through the mail is once again before the Legislature. It was rejected when considered in previous sessions.
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