The last time Legal Insurrection readers reported on the Democratic candidate for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat, Graham Platner, his campaign manager fled the campaign to “spend more time with family” after it was revealed that the political hopeful had Nazi symbolism as body art.
Mainers should consider this a rare moment of truth in political advertising. Platner recently urged his supporters to publicly harass members of Maine’s congressional delegation who oppose Medicare for All.
During a town hall event in Windham, Maine, Platner stated that to advance progressive policies, his supporters must be willing to “impose costs” on lawmakers who don’t support the initiative. Free Beacon contributor Jessica Costescu has the details:
“We need to be able to turn people out to flood their offices. Frankly, I want people to follow them around and don’t let them have a public dinner without getting yelled at. Because that’s power. That’s real power.”Platner justified those tactics as a way of building “secondary power.” He said they’re a proven form of political pressure and that “American history tells us that that’s exactly the power that we have.””We also have to build secondary power. Real power of organization, the power to turn people out, the power to shut things down, frankly, the power to impose costs,” Platner said. “If we can’t impose costs, then they’ll never listen to us, because they won’t care.”Platner has made Medicare for All a centerpiece of his campaign. His economic platform also calls for a major expansion of Social Security benefits—including the elimination of the payroll tax cap—a “billionaire minimum tax,” and steep increases in capital gains and corporate taxes. He’s said he wants to use “the tax code to get the money back that was stolen from the working people of this country.”
I am among the many citizen activists who became active in 2009 and 2010, hoping to prevent the passage of Obamacare. Many of us warned that Obamacare was designed to be a spectacular failure… functional only to direct more money to the health insurance companies and forcing a collapse of the imperfect, but mostly functional, American healthcare system.
Clearly, the push for the monstrosity of the single-payer system continues, and “Medicare for All” is just another step on the road to experiencing the perks of a nationalized healthcare system… like those “enjoyed” by Canada and the United Kingdom. The good news is that President Donald Trump is attempting to erase that particular Obama-era legacy before it can cause even more havoc.
What are Platner’s current chances for Senatorial success? A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll shows Platner leading Gov. Janet Mills in the Democratic Senate primary, with Platner drawing majority support among likely Democratic primary voters and especially strong backing from socialists, progressives, and younger voters.
In terms of the General Election, if the election were held today, polls indicate that Platner would beat Maine’s current U.S. Senator, Susan Collins.
The Maine People’s Resource Center (MPRC) survey found Platner leading Collins 45% to 42%, while Gov. Janet Mills would trail Collins 42% to 46% in a head-to-head matchup. The Democratic primary remains close, with 41% backing Platner and 39% supporting Mills. When second-choice preferences from former candidate Jordan Wood are reallocated, Platner’s lead widens to 53% to 47%.The poll also found widespread frustration with Collins’ record — 51% of voters said they disapprove of her handling of the shutdown and her stance on health care subsidies, compared to just 28.4% who approve. Disapproval was high across both congressional districts and among voters of all backgrounds, including 57% of moderates.
However, that election is slightly less than a year away. That is an eternity in political time, especially at the speed both the new media and Trump move. And certainly enough time to see if Platner has even more inner-Nazi to reveal, be it on the skin or in the heart.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY