A State of Opportunity,
by Eliot Cutler

OnTheIssues.org BOOK REVIEW:

Eliot Cutler is running as an Independent in the 2014 Maine gubernatorial race. He is generally viewed as liberal-leaning and hence the pundits call him a "spoiler" in the race between Rep. Mike Michaud (D) and Gov. Paul LePage (R). In other words, Cutler's candidacy favors LePage because Cutler's views more closely match those of Michaud.

Obviously Cutler believes the pundits are wrong. The model for independent candidates in 2014 is Greg Orman, the Independent Senate candidate in Kansas, who has done so well that the Democratic candidate dropped out. In other words, the Dem recognized that HE was the spoiler for the Independent!

The situation in Maine is not quite the same, but Maine does havea history of electing independent candidates: Angus King was elected governor as an independent, and currently serves as an independent Senator.

Furthermore, Cutler was instrumental in the AmericansElect anti-partisan presidential campaign. In 2012, AmericansElect attempted to nominate a mixed-partisan ticket to counter the hyperpartisanship of the two major parties. It failed, but Cutler evidently still supports the concept of anti-partisan candidacies: he is not going to drop out, as some pundits predict.

This book itself is a typical campaign booklet: it covers the issues well, and we wish every candidate had a booklet like this one. Like all independents, Cutler actually carews about the issues, and more significantly, cares about letting voters know wher he stands on the issues. The major party candidates are rarely as forthcoming -- relying on partisan rhetoric and negative campaigning -- which is why Cutler ran in the first place, Pundits should read this book, and study Cutler's candidacy, to understand why typical Mainers and typical Americans are growing tired of their hyperpartisanship.

-- Jesse Gordon, editor-in-chief, OnTheIssues.org, October 2014

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Budget & Economy     We lack long-term plan for economy due to partisan bickering.

Education     State funding for public charter schools.     State funding, not local property taxes, for public schools.     Merge colleges into one system to avoid balkanization.

Government Reform     North Carolina retooled strategically: Maine should do same.     Office of The Grim Repealer: remove outdated regulations.     Citizens United opened floodgates to corrupt politics.

Health Care     EVERY Mainer should have a medical home.

Immigration     Aggressively court educated and skilled legal immigrants.

Local Issues     Promote year-round destination tourism & cultural tourism.

Principles & Values     New non-partisan vision: not right; not left; but forward.

Tax Reform     Property tax and sales tax are regressive.

Technology     State & local responsibility to fund public infrastructure.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Eliot Cutler