Jon Reisman

NPV

The National Popular Vote Scooby-Doo Mystery continued last week. The House Advanced Calendar included possible votes to “untable” or take some unspecified action, but none materialized. Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) reported that Speaker Ross chose not to bring it up when a full rostrum of potential opponents was present, but the Democrats appear to have the votes to do what they want- it may be that they don’t quite agree on what they want- or don’t want.

NPV is divisive on partisan, geographic, age, and gender lines. 

The partisan split is obvious and reflects very different understandings of democracy, federalism, and the Constitution. We are a constitutional republic (representative democracy) as opposed to a direct democracy, and for good reason: preventing a tyranny of the majority and an erosion of individual freedoms. The Constitution is the blueprint for governing the Republic. Doing an end run around the amendment process, ignoring constitutionally required Congressional approval of interstate compacts, and generally believing in a “living” elastic Constitution are divisive differences.  The Electoral College that NPV proponents seek to circumvent is an expression of federalism, the parsing of power between states and the federal government, a major feature of the Constitution. Federalism is what allows for diversity in America. Maine can be Maine and does not have to be California (despite what some climate alarmists might scheme for) or Texas for the matter. Vermont can be Vermont, even as Wyoming can be Wyoming.

The geographic split reflects rural/urban, 1st /2nd Congressional District differences. I once dubbed the two Maine’s boundary the “Volvo line,” but 25 years later, I would update it to the “EV/Tesla line.” I believe that the NPV disenfranchises every right-of-center voter in the 2nd CD. IF NPV had been in effect in 2016 and 2020, the 2nd CD electoral vote would not have gone to the candidate who won a majority of the 2nd CD vote (the bad orange guy) but rather to the lower vote total Hillary in 2016 and Joe in 2020. That is somehow “Democracy” and a victory for “equity”. In my opinion, that is one of the prime reasons for this NPV push. The left and the 1st CD cannot abide the 2nd CD and rural Maine’s refusal to submit.

The age split reflects older voters being more uncomfortable than millennials and zoomers with doing an end-run around the Constitution. I am less certain about a gender split, but it is worth remembering that the League of Women Voters is the lead advocate for NPV.

Passing NPV will increase division in Maine. More division is a problem, not an opportunity. I encourage the governor to put the kibosh on, whether behind the scenes or with a veto if necessary. NPV is divisive on partisan, geographic, age, and maybe gender lines. The mental and political health of the state will worsen as a consequence of NPV becoming law. 

Challenging Climate Alarmism

Climate Alarmism must be challenged, and I am going to do it. It is raising our energy costs and making the electric grid less reliable while doing nothing to avert global warming. If we follow the climate alarmist path, we are following Germany and California, heading toward .40/kWh and rolling blackouts.

I am a former Director of Eastern Maine Electric Co-op. Last week, I met with the EMEC Board and asked them to vocally oppose climate alarmist policies that raise energy prices, make the grid less reliable, and do nothing to avert global warming. 

I shared two things with the board- a motion and a parody. 

I asked them to consider the following motion: “The Co-op will oppose policies that raise energy and delivery costs and/or decrease system reliability whilst having no demonstrable effect on climate.” 

California Grid, my parody of the Beach Boys California Girls, bemoans the alarmist efforts to make Maine like California’s grid.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2023/05/the-beach-boys-do-renewab...

We were largely in agreement, especially on the effects of the climate alarmist agenda and the need to educate and engage EMEC members/owners on the issue. The climate alarmists tried to engineer a public takeover of Versant and CMP. Maybe a member/consumer-owned rural electric coop could be a voice for climate realism and sanity. I sure hope so because the climate alarmist agenda is killing rural Maine, freedom, and prosperity.

Jon Reisman is an economist and policy analyst who retired from the University of Maine at Machias after 38 years. He resides on Cathance Lake in Cooper, where he is a Selectman and a Statler and Waldorf intern. Mr. Reisman’s views are his own, and he welcomes comments as letters to the editor here or to him directly via email at jreisman@maine.edu.