Bill Richardson would be a good president for the United States for the same reasons as he is right for Maine. But let me be more specific….
Foreign Affairs and Maine: First and foremost, we need Bill Richardson for President because we need someone who understands what diplomacy means, who can listen, and who can negotiate. Here in Maine, we have a large percentage of young people who enter the armed forces. We need to make sure that every diplomatic option is exhausted before those young people are put in harm's way. Richardson’s background in foreign affairs, his time as ambassador to the UN, and his well-documented success in international negotiations prove that he can handle the delicate discussions we need to enter internationally.
Maine’s Environment: As beautiful as Maine is, we at the end of the Midwest exhaust pipe. For the little pollution we produce and the phenomenal number of trees in our state, our air quality is frightful. Our waters and, in turn, our fisheries are threatened because of the precipitation from this pollution. We need someone for president who understands energy and will really do something to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels as well as encourage the development of renewable energy. Richardson’s experiences as Secretary of Energy along with his expansion of renewable energy in New Mexico show that he understands energy.
Maine’s Economy: Governor Baldacci has done a great job with our state’s economy. But there is only so much that can be done on the state level. Unlike the current president, Richardson understands that Medicaid and education are ultimately the responsibility of the federal government. That means that Richardson understands that the federal government should be covering the bulk of the costs for these programs. For the past several years, states such as Maine have faced the same and growing demands from the population with fewer federal dollars to meet that need. With Maine having an older population and a higher rate of diseases such as Alzheimer’s than most states, we have higher Medicaid costs than most states. If the federal government covered more of the cost of Medicaid, then the state wouldn’t have to do so.
Fair Elections: Maine has the best election law in the country. We deeply care about our elections being fair and verifiable. Richardson shares Maine values in this regard. When Richardson became governor, New Mexico’s broken election system had electronic-only voting machines. Many people were disenfranchised. Governor Richardson changed his states laws, and now every ballot is paper.
Hunting and fishing: Like Maine, New Mexico has a lot of folks who care deeply about hunting and fishing. Hunting and fishing also bring tourism dollars into the state. In New Mexico, Richardson has taken an active role in assuring access to lands for hunting and fishing.
Heritage: Finally, and of least importance (but kind of fun), Bill Richardson apparently has Maine roots.
