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| Idiot says what? |
Bestselling author Stephen King is firing back against Maine Gov. Paul LePage after the ultraconservative Republican suggested that King had moved out of Maine and no longer paid taxes in the state, demanding that the governor “man up and apologize” for his false claims.
During his radio address this week, LePage touted his effort to repeal Maine’s income tax, asserting that it was a drag on the state’s economy and had prompted people to move elsewhere.
“[R]emember who introduced the income tax here in Maine,” LePage said. “Well, today former Governor Ken Curtis lives in Florida where there is zero income tax. Stephen King and Roxanne Quimby have moved away, as well.”
King, a longtime (and current) resident of Bangor, didn’t take kindly to LePage’s dig.
Governor Paul LePage implied that I don't pay my taxes. I do. Every cent. I think he needs to man up and apologize.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) March 20, 2015
But King wasn't done there and followed up with this: "Governor LePage is full of the stuff that makes the grass grow green. Tabby and I pay every cent of our Maine state income taxes, and are glad to do it. We feel, as Governor LePage apparently does not, that much is owed from those to whom much has been given. We see our taxes as a way of paying back the state that has given us so much. State taxes pay for state services. There's just no way aRound it. Governor LePage needs to remember there ain't no free lunch."
Yeah you know the last person you want to get into a fight with is a man who makes his living with words.
And LePage might have been well served to remember that King has eagerly taken on both the Republican party and the NRA in years past.
Besides why would anybody want to piss off a man who quite literally gives people nightmares?
LOVE Stephen King! And I totally agree with him. We are proud to pay our taxes as well..we owed $14,000 this year because my husband retired in September and they refused to hold his severance until January, so we got hit big. Not a problem. We have the money, our home is paid for, and we have zero debt heading into retirement. I am still working as a music teacher, and I bring in some cash that just goes into the bank.
ReplyDeleteJust how does the GOP figure roads will stay even, sewers will be clear, water will be safe to drink, or snow will get plowed with no tax dollars? My son is in Texas, with no income tax. Their property taxes are three times ours. No free lunch, GOP. Stop reading Rand fiction (Ayn, Paul, and Paul) and use what's left of your brains. Oh, and don't piss off Stephen King! You will lose.
Unfortunately, the GOP never thinks about the future. They're all about how much money and power they can accumulate right now, and to hell with what happens 10 or 20 or 50 years down the road. They only think about me-me-me-now-now-now.
DeleteIt's the Democrats who are always pushing for more environmental protections, more preservation of natural resources, more development of green technology, more laws that consider long term impacts of economic changes...
I guess the 1% figures that, if they trash this country in their efforts to grab all the wealth they can, they can always afford to buy a nice island somewhere and live there. Unfortunately, that leaves the rest of us, and future generations, to clean up their mess.
So, has Governor LePage issued an apology yet to Mr. & Mrs. King?
DeleteStephen King expressed my views on paying taxes perfectly. His excellent way with words shows.
DeleteWhere I live, in Michigan, our roads are in such disrepair that there will be a statewide ballot issue to raise the sales tax to fix the roads. Not the fairest way to levy taxes, an increase in the income tax would be much more equitable but in our GOP/Koch-run state, it's all about making life harder for those who have the least. Also in this ballot issue, in the fine print, is language that says the revenue collected by the addition to the sales tax does not necessarily have to go to road repair. I suspect that much of it will go to give more to the wealthiest in the state, always with the explanation that we want to keep them in the state. Gee, how we have to coddle the rich in this country!
Beaglemom
He will only blame it on a mistake made by an underling if he even acknowledges the mistake!
ReplyDeleteYeah--if LePage was actually a man it might be easier for him
ReplyDeleteto do as King said . . . .He is the quintessential tea-bagger. Liar,
idiot and ignorant of anything that came before. What the hell is wrong with Maine?
The only problem with Maine is that it has an election system built for a two party race. LePage didn't win either election by 50% or more. In both of his races the "Independent" candidate was Eliot Cutler, who worked for the Carter administration and is a conservative Democrat in all but party registration (most think he was just trying to avoid being forced to go through the primaries). Cutler split the Democratic vote in both races, handing the win to LePage.
DeleteIt's a travesty because Maine shouldn't be forced to be represented by someone so antithetical to their values. Bills have been introduced to allow for instant run-offs in future elections. Fingers crossed.
Add Stephen King to the list of proudly tax-paying writers: J.K. Rowling rightfully and righteously made headlines a couple of years back for explaining why she chose NOT to become a rich expat writer.
ReplyDeleteAs many people know, Rowling was an impoverished single mum on the dole in Great Britain when she began writing the Harry Potter series. Though John Major's government didn't offer much public assistance, Rowling said she's never forgotten the helping hand she received in her time of need. She's PROUD to help the country that helped her, and her then-tiny daughter, by paying her taxes.
She's an amazing person. I read that she paid back every cent she needed and was entitled to receive while "on the dole" and the clerk never recalled that happening, ever.
DeleteLepage is a political whore, selling whatever the rabid Teaparty Fox watching hordes want to hear.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if one of those ancient dolts that live on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, and heating assistance realizes that those services are supported by taxes.
Do these cretinous troglodytes want to live in a society with no police, firemen, roads, bridges, schools, libraries, postal services, banking regulations, or FDIC insurance?
Maybe they'd like it better in the 1800's when your options were slavery, women were chattel, blacks were 3rd class, and if you got sick you could just fucking die in the street.
That is the Koch-sucker dream. Don't forget the children. Cheap workers that they don't have to support much. Kids working 90 hours for next to nothing, If they die, so much the better. No need for company-paid health insurance to cure their sickness. Making sure female chattel have no access to birth control keeps them pumping out more child workers to replace the dead ones.
DeleteYes, this is an exaggeration. But not as far from the truth as many think. After all, didn't Lepage start down the road of weakening child labor laws.
Don't forget that the tea party voters have EARNED all that Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, and heating assistance.
DeleteIt's those OTHER people (you know, like the 'blah' people?) who are just living a life of luxury off what the good, conservative white folks paid for.
Somehow, in their twisted right wing universe, their benefits will somehow still continue - because they're good Christians, after all - and the only benefits that will be cut are for those other lazy, good-for-nothing people who don't deserve them anyway.
Of course they have EARNED these benefits. My elderly tea-bag mother used to rant about that too. I tried to point out to her that her $8.00 per month contribution, for three years in the early 1950's, hardly equated to what she was receiving---and she hit me in the head. Literally.
DeleteBecause GOD PROVIDES for those who pray.
"Do these cretinous troglodytes want to live in a society with no police, firemen, roads, bridges, schools, libraries, postal services, banking regulations, or FDIC insurance?"
ReplyDelete-------------------------------------
They are certain in their tiny brains that those things will only affect "those people." Somehow, magically, rill "Murkins will continue to have everything they have always had because freedum and exsepshunalism and Jeebus.
I live in a bluish-purple state surrounded by red states. One of my co-workers, who commutes an hour to work from one of the red states, was complaining about the condition of his state's roads after the tough winter, and commented that my state's roads are so much better. I was very vocal that the Road Fairy doesn't come repair the roads--the money comes from taxes. You get what you pay for, and if you pay nothing, you live in a state that resembles Somalia.
DeleteIt's amazing what people think is provided by the infrastructure fairies! I taught at a community college (in a very blue state btw) and students were regularly surprised to hear their education was subsidized by the state. They really thought their $1500/semester paid for faculty, staff, facilities and labs.
DeleteWikipedia says Roxanne Quimby (Burt's Bees) lives in Portland, Maine and has given thousands of acres of Maine land for a state park.
ReplyDeleteLePage better watch out, lest he becomes the next "star" of a Stephen King novel. For those who do not read Mr. King, it rarely ends well for his characters. ;)
ReplyDeleteJJ
I suspect that character's ending would be particularly grisly!
DeleteToo bad Mr and Mrs King didn't sue him for slander. Certainly accusing someone of tax evasion is something that could very well damage a public figure like Mr King. The Governor is lucky to have gotten off with a scolding.
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly what I thought. And if the Gov. doesn't retract, you bet King will sue him.
DeleteIf you have a link showing how LePage slandered King, I would like to see it. Otherwise, erroneously claiming someone had moved out of state is hardly slander.
DeleteYes, LePage was stupid in making the statement - especially considering about whom the statement was made - but we already know tea baggers are idiots. Idiocy does not a slander case make.
A very good slander case could be made -- he says King moved out of state, in the same sentence as he brings up the income tax and the former governor who championed it is now in Florida. King's reputation could be damaged, although whether there was malice involved in questionable.
DeleteHe wasn't accusing anyone of tax evasion, which is illegal. What they did was tax avoidance, which is perfectly legal -- but there's a fine line between the two, so don't step across it. The laws are what they are, and unfortunately allow people who are savvy but immoral to get by with things at the expense of their fellow man. Sarah Palin is a perfect example of such behavior.
DeleteIf the day ever comes when we live in a perfect world we won't have such troubles. Personally I'm not expecting that to happen anytime soon.
@Leland
DeleteHe implied that they did not pay taxes, thus as a resident of Maine could have greatly damaged his reputation and in turn have a direct effect on their income. If you don't see slander in that then I just don't know what else to tell you.
@ 10:32.
Delete"“[R]emember who introduced the income tax here in Maine,” LePage said. “Well, today former Governor Ken Curtis lives in Florida where there is zero income tax. Stephen King and Roxanne Quimby have moved away, as well.”
Sorry, but that looks like TWO sentences to me. Besides, thousands of people retire to Florida.
@ 11:21
The plaintiff - in most cases - must prove the defendant made a false and defamatory statement concerning the plaintiff. While the statement he made is false, it is by no means defamatory. Sorry.
Besides. He didn't imply they didn't pay taxes. He said they moved away. While that is demonstrably wrong, there is nothing illegal with making that kind of incorrect statement. Any decent lawyer could convince a jury of that.
He has not moved away, and he has paid taxes (not a small sum, I would imagine) to Maine. I would argue that he implied that he didn't pay taxes to Maine by the move elsewhere. Any decent lawyer could argue that, also.
DeleteFor a slander suit to be successful, reasonable people have to have believed it. No one believes this idiot! ;-)
DeleteHappy World Down Syndrome Day.
ReplyDelete3/21
I bet Sarah posts something as soon as she checks IM.
Bristol has someone to screw her now so no Palin's will be out of bed or sober until at least 2pm to check in.
DeleteAs a Maine resident suffering under his *leadership*, it's hard to do but to be fair to Governor LePage he didn't accuse Curtis, Quimby, and King of tax evasion. He accused them of moving out of state. False accusations in 2 of 3 cases; only former governor Curtis does not live in Maine. Ann LePage, the governor's wife, on the other hand, owns a 2nd home in Florida. King and his wife Tabby are major philanthropists, mostly to Maine-based entities, and Roxanne Quimby is also pretty generous with her money. On the other hand, LePage is not known for his philanthropy. It would be interesting to know how much Governor and Mrs. LePage pay in Maine income taxes.
ReplyDeleteIt should be a matter of public record since he is a public employee. Have you tried looking it up?
DeleteThe inference is thereby avoiding paying income taxes. Both, moving and paying taxes, is demonstrably false, but the inference is clear. An apology, given the amount of taxes Mr. King must make, seems appropriate. LePage is clearly in the wrong here.
DeleteBTW, my brother received his Ph.D. at the University of Maine; he was a teaching fellow, and my family and I were there often. We loved it very much.
Ann claims primary residence on that home, so she doesn't think of it as a "second" home. Their daughter claimed FL residency when filling out paperwork for college, enabling her to pay the in-state tuition rate. I think it's the same daughter he paid to work in his administration in a policy position she had absolutely no right being hired for, considering her degree. He also paid her $41k starting salary, a hell of a lot more than the average Maine recent college graduate makes.
Deletewell said, and always a gentleman.
ReplyDeletelove the pic - what did you say? or say what?
ReplyDeleteStephen King is my favorite author. I've been reading his books since I was a teenager. He's also a fantastic person who has contributed so much to the state of Maine. In addition to paying his taxes, he and his wife also have a lot of charities and libraries that they have donated to.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm glad Stephen King fought back against the outright lies. I'm a middle class person, and income taxes are a burden to me, but I don't think they should be repealed.
Perhaps, Mr. King would consider running for office, and show this country how an individual who is honest and has integrity governs ..Lucky Maine, if he does!!!
ReplyDeleteNo one said Republicans were smart.
ReplyDeleteIf they were, they'd be Democrats.