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TONY PAYNE: Voters need to sift through vitriol, hot air to find the message

In most any relationship, we tend to be hypersensitive when our feelings get hurt. The tone of voice, the words, the body language all can trigger further rounds of feeling attacked, dismissed, belittled, etc.

The same is true in politics and policy. “There they go again!”; “You know what they were really saying!”; “Can you believe they did that?!?”

The more we read and listen, the more we’re led to believe that one side wants to tear down the government, throw people into the streets and restore the “good old days.” The other side, we’re told, wants government to take over all  our daily activities and tell us how to live our lives, and all at taxpayer expense. Both sides, we’re told, want to save our freedom.

Both extremes have some elements of truth. The beauty of elections is that when many people vote, they nudge the pendulum one way or the other over a period of years and, then, predictably, they nudge it the other way. Though economic issues tend to move the dial the farthest, sometimes it simply can be fatigue.

The 2010 election of Barack Obama was about the nation sending a message that it was fatigued with George W. Bush and anyone else representing the status quo of the Bush years. Obama’s message of hope and change was an oasis for voters, who  knew what they didn’t want.

With a little more than a year in the White House under his belt, however, the new president is experiencing the nation’s discontent based on economic policy (growing deficits), foreign policy (wars) and social policy (health-care reform). He owns some the issues, and others he inherited. How he manages the hand he was dealt or the cards he has shuffled will be measured at the ballot box this November and, ultimately, when he stands for re-election in 2012.

In the meantime, the loudest and most vitriolic voices from both extremes are getting louder, and the voters are trying to sort it all out.

In Maine, voters will be subjected to a local version of this struggle from the two major parties, independents and surrogate organizations. From one side you’ll hear,  “Government is too big and jeopardizing the future of our children.” The other side will intone, “If they get elected, they’ll roll us back to the Stone Age and jeopardize the future of our children.”

Both sides say they have the answer and the candidates who will make it happen. Hopefully, those who are elected will govern from the middle.

With emotions running high and savings accounts running low, this election demands that voters get involved sooner. Though Labor Day is the unofficial kickoff of the fall election season, traditionally, most people usually don’t tune in for another month and then, quickly begin to complain, “I wish they’d stop fighting” and “I can’t wait until it’s all over.”

Your challenge is to determine what they are fighting about and whether you agree or disagree with how they plan to fix it. What in their experience suggests they can succeed in making government work efficiently, affordably and effectively?

A lot is at stake here in Maine. How the state handles the lousy economy, unfunded pension costs, rising health-care costs and shifting tax burdens depends on who you choose to represent you in Augusta.

There is reason to believe that the day after the election, the Blaine House, Senate and House of Representatives could be equally divided among Democrats, Republicans and independents. Not only does the race for governor have three independent candidates, but numerous candidates unaffiliated with either major party are running for the Legislature. Independents or Green Party candidates could hold the balance of power. Wouldn’t that be interesting?

Often candidates will write two speeches for election night; one that declares the victory of their values and vision, the other that thanks their supporters and wishes the victor the best of luck. Then, they go home and the fight starts all over again.

This year, those speeches should be different. This year, the winners should genuinely ask for the help of the losers, and the losers should genuinely ask what they can do to help. The measure of their statesmanship will be following through and seeking to influence decisions from the inside.

What do you think, and what are you willing to do about it?



Tony Payne is a lifelong resident of Maine who is active in business, civic and political affairs. E-mail: tpayne@midmaine.com