CJ of Randolph, ME Sorry Charlie, this IS about no more taxes. We've had it. And no, people will not buy as much as they have in the past. If they are smart, they'll start brewing and crafting their own as I began as soon as this back-door tax passed. Neither the state nor the feds will get a cent of beverage tax money from me any longer; forget an increase. Many others have already begun doing the same. Want affordable health insurance? Remove the regulations. Even when cheap, healthy people will not buy it. I've worked that industry and can promise you it is so.report abuse

Judy of whitefield, ME Actually, there is a way to have affordable health insurance while in Maine. Maintain a residence in another state.report abuse

Yankee_Biker of Augusta, ME There is only one way to get affordable health insurance in Maine.

Get the government out of it!

No one said this has "nothing" to do with Dirigo. It is about oppressive taxation which, if it is used to support a failed program, then BOTH must go!

If the legislatures think they can sneak around in the middle of the night and slip another tax past the hard working citizens of Maine, then they must go as well.

Get rid of the socialists masquerading as democrats and their republican toadies as well!report abuse

David Hughes of Lewiston, ME oh noes! It's for the children!

Do you have any idea how trite that line has become?

Saving lives? Like that story of the woman with the prostate cancer the Governor likes to trot out? Same story that Democratic leadership trotted out while this farce was being "debated"? People like that who have a business running eco-tours to Costa Rica, a side business of some sort of alternative healing "massage" while not on an eco-tour to Costa Rica? See, that's the type of job that the governor and Democratic leadership have been telling us will save our economy. That isn't working out.

Or how about the Keleher Family featured on the don't sign the petition postcards? The kelehers where he owns his own business that exists on government contracts, grants and providing services to other businesses that need government mandated services. Again, the type of job that the governor and Democratic party leadership has been telling us will drive our economy. Never mind that Mrs. Keleher is a teacher on leave from the Reiche school in Portland. They could have health insurance if she would just go back to work.

14,000 people on a Dirigo Choice policy and only 4,000 of them didn't have health insurance before hand. That is not saving people from poverty, that is giving away the store to people who want to abuse the system.report abuse