Today I would like to draw your attention to something that drew MY attention. This morning I attended the annual Town Meeting in Otisfield. I found them to be interested in what I had to say and obviously interested in their town politics, and very accommodating at that! But what drew my attention was the Pledge Of Allegiance. With so much uproar about kneeling during the national anthem, very little attention is directed towards our pledge.
As everyone knows, it is, I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the "United" States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, "indivisible" "with "Liberty and Justice for all".
Everyone I know has no problem saying that, they just have a problem living up to it's ideals.
I placed certain parts in quotes for a reason.
The UNITED States. We are no longer united for the common good. We say we are, but we're not!
INDIVISIBLE. When was the last time you can remember that we were UNITED? We are split down the middle ideologically, with both sides thinking they are right and neither side giving an inch. That's not INDIVISIBLE! That is listening to the rhetoric and propaganda thrown about by politicians that care about one thing, and that is themselves and their agenda. The citizens be damned!
WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. No, not happening.
The courts are being stacked with a far right agenda in mind, which if not stopped will last for possibly generations. Liberty and justice for all means equality in our judicial system, not one side over another because of beliefs. It means treating each other as equals. Both sides must give a little to gain a lot. There's no other way!
May peace be with you.
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

I really didn't think it could get much worse until today, when I heard that Justice Kennedy was retiring.
Ladies, say goodbye to Rowe V Wade. The evangelicals will finally get their way to control YOUR body.
Unions, you just got totaled.
LGBTQ rights and marriage equality, history!
Citizens United? A drop in the bucket.
Veterans, you just got reduced food stamps and reduced healthcare through the VA!
Cannabis, forget it. The little weasel of an Attorney General and his regressive views will make sure of that!
And older folks, don't worry, you didn't get left out. They're now trying to pay for your "tax cut" for the wealthy with YOUR Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. That means if you get an illness that is life threatening, you will probably die broke and in the streets.
If the present Congress gets to confirm another Supreme Court Justice, all of the above will be ruled constitutional!
Are your frightened or sorry yet!
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

I don't know about you, but I'm getting very tired of all this winning.
Congress just voted to take food stamp benefits from 1.5 million Vets. They're trying to privatize the VA. How's this Republican thing working for you, vets?
Next on their agenda is the tired notion of "let's drag out the ACA for another attempt (I believe this makes about 65) at repeal, along with $800,000,000 from Medicare. And pre-existing conditions. How's that working for you, seniors and people with health problems?
They're taking children from asylum seekers with no intentions of ever returning them, because they've already lost thousands, and keeping them in "camps" or adoption centers at a rate of $700 per day! How's that Republican thing working for you, taxpayers.
The Orange one gets pissed at Harley Davidson because he made stupid decisions on tariffs, and they say they will offshore work to the UK because to not do so would add $2,200 cost to each bike. So now he wants to punish THEM with additional taxes which will drive them out of business. Imagine that, an American Icon being punished for business decisions. How's that Republican thing working for you, Harley riders and workers?
The sooner people realize that the Republican Party of today is not the Republican Party of the 50's and 60's, the sooner we can stop all this winning. Because the only ones winning are the ones who don't need to win.
I'm sure I can find many more of these little observations, but I'm sure by now that I have made my point!
By the way, Maine, you have another one in the pipeline in Shawn Moody. LET'S TAKE BACK OUR STATE!  Shawn, this isn't your state, it belongs to ALL the people, not just your well-heeled donors. And back off of the referenda changes and get the legislature to do the job they are elected to do, so the people won't have to! If elected with you, I will fight more stupidity in the Legislature. And Maine, beware of another split vote, as they won't use RCV, it's like a virus to them! We can't afford to be Cutlered again!
Quite frankly, the people and I are sick of all this winning BS.
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

As to the separation of families at the border and the incarceration of children in "camps". With the available resources and knowledge of forensics of our government, why, when these families were separated, were fingerprints and DNA swabs of both child and parent not taken and stored for future reconciliation? Apparently they had no intention of returning these children to their families, and if that is the case, this is pure and simple kidnapping and holding for ransom! The Trump Administration is guilty of this, and ICE is carrying out this evil deed for them. If this is not fascism, I don't know what is!

Budgets in state and federal governments are basically the same. You allocate available funds to cover actual needs. They are supposed to be "Of the people, by the people, and for the people" How do you balance public need with corporate greed? At this point, the capitalists are winning, to the detriment of the general public. State budgets must be balanced, where federal is not, leaving very much room for detrimental borrowing that will eventually destroy us financially.
Government employees, mainly Congressmen, find the contacts through their term in office and find that lobbying those in power is much more lucrative, so they quit and become lobbyists, paid by the vast network of corporations that need laws in their favor. And they get them, much to the detriment of everyone else. Lobbyists have too much power in our governments.
There is only so much money available, due to tax laws and tax breaks for the wealthy. The poor are getting the worst part of the deal because they don't have the resources and the wealthy do!
Maine is in that spot, just like most of the other states. Our people do not have that much more to give, and what is left generally flows to the top. The corporatists are winning this battle. And they are winning because Party Loyalists can't cross over party lines to protect the interests of our states residents, who ultimately pay the bills. That is why I am an Independent voter and constituent.
We MUST, in order to save our world, overcome these obstacles. We must start finding ways to more evenly spread the burden of paying for what is needed. Infrastructure, healthcare, schools, poverty, hunger. The list goes on.
After all, how many luxury yachts and fancy cars and fancy houses does one person need? The wealth for many years has risen like butterfat to the top of the bottle, I think it's time to shake that bottle and make ice cream that we all can enjoy!
May peace be with you!
 dennismoconnor.com #Resist2018

As the clock strikes 3, I sit here with my thoughts. Those thoughts tonight are about our planet, so beautiful, so bountiful, the only reason we exist! And look how we treat her. We dump our trash in her oceans, we bury it in her soils, we drill holes in her to take her secrets from deep beneath the surface. We burn those secrets she has kept hidden for so long, and pollute her air! We run pipelines to carry those secrets all across the nation, and they break and spill those secrets into the soil and water, the lifelines of all on this earth. Yet we don't seem to care. As long as we personally don't have to suffer the pain, so what? Let others care for themselves,  it's not my job.
Is that what humanity is?
Is that what we are?
We use social media for many things, not the least of which is communication. It used to be good. Now we have a hard time believing anything! We used to use it for friendship and we still do.
But something has changed. We now use it to tear each other apart, hurling insult after insult because "Oh, you hurt my feelings" or "your values don't align with mine, therefore you are an asshole" or "that's not true, FOX says so"!
It's easy to throw insults, it's not easy to seek common ground. We are all being played at this time by our supposed elected officials. Our government is corrupt, our officials are traitors, and the American oligarchs already own this country. WE ARE DIVIDED!
Those who do not see it, or choose not to, are blind!
Those of you who do see it and don't do or choose not to do anything about it, you are cowards!
Those who stand up against all odds and believe that we are better than this are true patriots and human beings, and I applaud those of you who are willing to try to stop the leak in the dike!
I don't know where all this is going to end up, I just know if we are successful in stopping it, it will take years to undo the damage that is presently occurring.
Welcome to my world, the world of reality! Not a very nice place, is it?
May peace be with you, and I truly mean that!
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

.Before you throw out the "bleeding heart liberal" crap, please hear me out.
For a few moments of your life, use your imagination and place yourself in the shoes of a migrant, without condemnation.
Imagine yourself, along with your children, living in a country torn by violence and fear of being killed or raped at any time.
Imagine yourself with no means of support, no food for your children, no educational opportunities, no work except survival.
Imagine making the decision to travel thousands of miles away, hoping for a better life in a land that supposedly rewards hard work and gives you a chance to do it, fending off all sorts of hardship and danger along the way, only to find that it's not true! That you are separated from your children and thrown into a detention facility, not knowing anything about what is happening and no way out of it, not knowing where your children are or whether they are safe.
You can't do it, can you? You have a comfortable life here and don't want to share it!
Is this what we have become? As a nation and a people?
When supposedly 87% of Republicans agree with this?
I don't THINK so!
We are all immigrants or offspring of immigrant ancestors, who stole this land from the previous immigrants and slaughtered them to boot. When does it end, or is this what mankind is?
Our food will now rot on the ground, because Americans will not do the back-breaking work that migrants do.
Our farmers not only will lose because of that, but because of retaliatory tariffs from other countries.
I do think it's time for a little self-reflection into our souls and what we represent as a country of "life, Liberty, and the Pursuit Of Happiness"!
HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH WINNING YET?
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

Since qualifying for the ballot in November, I have been doing a lot more thinking than I normally do. I have come to the conclusion that if we can not find a way around the divide we have in America, we are lost. Somehow, we as a people must overcome our disregard for one another for the good of the country. We are following the playbook of divide and conquer to a T. The next step you will not like, because you will have given away your freedom to an oligarchy and you will be the slaves, basically financially!
How we accomplish that, I don't know. But somehow, we must try. I have tried many times and many ways to overcome the deep-set attitudes of the people that I contact, and no one seems to want to change in the least. This is wrong! We are one people, like it or not. We will go down together!
I say again, get up tomorrow and look in the mirror at the reflection of yourself. Are you happy or are you hateful?
Are you giving or are you selfish and greedy?
Do you care about your fellow American or do you care only for YOUR needs?
If it is the second answer, then ask yourself why!
Why do I not care about others and their opinions? Am I blocking them because I don't like their looks, or do I just not care about them at all?
All of you have it within you to change, use it to come closer to the middle and at least listen. You still may not agree, but at least you tried! Put your biases aside for just a few moments and you might find that we have more in common than you think.
I will continue to try to bring people back from the brink. Please do the same!
May peace be with you!
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

Dennis M O'Connor For Common Sense Maine Legislator District 72
Just now · I had a very enlightening and enjoyable meeting today with a present member of the State Legislature. I found that my priorities are not very far off from the priorities that Maine is facing. Gridlock in the legislative process, corporate welfare, solving the healthcare and Medicaid expansion problem, solving the lack of industry. As I have said before, I have always been a problem solver. My entire life has consisted of solving problems, whether it be personal, business, family, financial, whatever. This is what I bring to the table, the ability to talk to others regardless of their views. In my opinion, this is what we are lacking in today's politics, the ability to interact with one another. It will be the only way out of the jungle we are in, by guiding one another on the path to success!

.I am writing this more out of curiosity than anything, but I do have a purpose.
I am trying to understand why Republicans of today think the way they do. I don't want the usual tirades of uninformed people who simply hate no matter what. I would really like to know several things.
#1) How do you feel that DJT has benefited you personally, through his policies or whatever other medium you choose?
#2) Do you believe or disbelieve his constant reference to the "fake media"?
#3) Do you believe or disbelieve, due to the fact that Robert Mueller is bringing down Grand Jury Indictments against top Aides and Allies of DJT, that Russia had anything to do with DJT's election results?
#4) Do you feel that his proclivity for sexual degradation of women is real or that 20 or so women are all liars, even though he admittedly cheated on all three of his wives?
#5) Have your job prospects or current job security been enhanced or degraded by his domestic policies?
#6) Do you have health insurance or have you been either forced out  or priced out of the healthcare market?
There are many other questions I would like to include, but depending on this, I will ask those at a later date.

When we enter a courtroom, we call the judge "Your Honor".
When we enter a state legislature, we refer to the legislators as "The Honorable so and so".
When we enter Congress, we refer to the members as " the Gentleman or Lady from wherever"
Most judges are honorable, and I say most because not all are.
Most state legislators are honorable, but again I say "most".
When it comes to Congress, all bets are off.
I say this because I know what it means to be honorable!
I have lived my life in an honorable way because that's what I was taught. "Your word is your bond" I was told many times.
I never forgot that, to live by that creed!
So I say to anyone who cares, anyone considering a public office, how much do you value being honorable and doing the right thing versus the gratification you may get by selling your soul a tiny piece at a time?
Our present Congress consists of people with very little left of their souls. Their bank accounts are full, but their honor tank is empty! I could not live that way. Nor do I think many of you who read my writings could. I sleep well, except when I write. Then I may stay up all night, because it's quiet and I can think.
I tell you this because when I started this journey, I had high expectations and I was angry about the way this country was headed, and 17 kids had just been slaughtered in a school.
Well, I'm still angry but in a different way. I'm angry because we, as a people, in this beautiful country of ours, have failed to elect honorable people to represent us, to look out for the good of the country, not just the Elite and Uber-rich.
Whether it be because we didn't bother to vote or voted for the wrong person because we didn't do our homework, we failed! We care not about others until it is pushed right in our faces, the inequality!  We have to stop failing, or there will be nothing left to worry about. Do your research!
I care about others because I have lived my life in their shoes, I have walked that mile in another's moccasins! I have been poor. I have been broken at times.
 But I always got back up, dusted myself off, and figured out what to do next!
And that is what I want to spend at least the next few years trying to do, figuring out how to make this a better place for the next generations to come. We are certainly not on the right path at this time, it's time to go back to basics!
Dennis M O'Connor
dennismoconnor.com

I believe it's time to realize that trump is not the real problem, he is the distraction! The real problem is  groups that are funded by David Koch, the Mercers, and groups like ALEC and Citizens for Prosperity. They have silently taken over the minds of the weak and bigoted, to use them in their own destruction without their knowledge. Keeping people ignorant and dependent is their goal. In other words, SLAVERY or INDENTURED SERVITUDE!
Privatization of public services, voter suppression, gerrymandering, stacking of the courts with capitalist friendly judges, militarization of police and Homeland "Security", all of this designed for the eventual takeover of our government for the 1%. Destroying all social programs, Social Security, Medicare, health insurance.
Doesn't anyone ever learn anything from history? History is repeating itself right before your eyes and you don't see it, because it's behind the curtain!
This is Nazi Germany, this is Stalin's Russia, this is every dictatorship you have ever seen. This is Kim Jun Un's North Korea!
I know I may repeat myself, but it will take saying it many times before it finally takes root! We have been taken over by the American Oligarchy and we were not vigilant enough to see it!
May peace follow you wherever you may end up!
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

Disclaimer: I am NOT a conspiracy theorist, so please bear with me on this!
Consider this and please think about it!
#1) Mick Mulvaney just basically abolished the CFPB by firing everyone. Consumers, you're on your own!
#2) Betsy DeVos is dismantling the EDUCATION department!
Kids, you're out of luck, learn on your own ! And that student loan forgiveness? Fuggeddaboutit!
#3) Rex Tillerson and Trump destroyed the DEPARTMENT OF STATE, our Entire Diplomatic Corp. "War is the answer", says the Military-Industrial Complex!
#4) Scott Pruitt is dismantling the EPA and all our environmental laws! "Climate Change Is A Hoax!"
#5) Ryan Zinke is dismantling the DEPT OF THE INTERIOR and selling off all of our public lands! "Big Oil and MIneral's love you"
#6) DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY and ICE are making sure that all immigrants are afraid and won't say anything against them!
#7) THE COURTS are being loaded with people who believe the same as evangelicals, that will do the bidding of  the same people! Say "no Merrick Garland" because of Mitch McConnell!
#8 Jeff Beauregard Sessions is turning the DEPT. OF JUSTICE into an agency that believes in going back to a failed drug war and mass incarceration! "Good people don't use MARIJUANA" "Load up my jails"
#9) Ajit Pai just destroyed the internet by repealing NET NEUTRALITY!  Hello Verizon and Big Cable!
#10) Trump is sabotaging our standing with our allies and isolating us in the eyes of the world. The Republicans in Congress have done nothing to stop this madness because they have to be complicit! They are as deep in this as Trump, and it is the culmination of a planned COUP of The United States of America by the ruling Elites. And has been in the planning for years! "DENNIS RODMAN" for crying out loud, because he knows Kim?
#11) Vladimir Putin is pulling the strings and the Kochs and Mercers and Putin's of the world are paying for it!
Why else would they attempt to collapse our entire system, to keep the little guy down and ignorant, poor and hungry?
So they can take over and rule the world?
Trump was the final piece of the puzzle!
Wake up from your sweet life and recognize this for what it is, IT IS A COUP!
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

I am posting this tonight because I have seen where we as a country are heading, and it's evil. There are so many vile, disgusting words rolling around in my head and I refuse to give in to them.
When it comes to Donald Trump and his enablers in Congress, why not just hand them the keys and call it a day.
We're going down hard, and the people who placed these idiots in charge of handling our government affairs should be sectioned off and isolated like the disease they are, lest they continue to infect more of their kind. They will never see the truth, and if they do, they will never admit it.
Myself, I have been dreading this moment for probably 30 years, and it's finally here, the end of our country as we know it.
We have turned out and peacefully protested by the millions, to no avail, many times. THEY DON"T CARE! Congress is doing what they are told to do. Not by us, but by their benefactors who pay them.
Maybe it's time for those 2A rights after all!  A well regulated militia standing against a tyrannical government.
No, not yet, but getting close!
In the sixties, we marched, but not always peacefully. It's  time for anger to arise, like we did back then.
Disrupt commerce, sit-ins, make it hurt in the wallet.
Block 5th Avenue, block Pennsylvania Ave. Take umbrellas to protect from the weather and SIT. Take sandwiches and water and SIT! They can't arrest millions of people at the same time. Shut down Washington. The trains, the airports, the Metro, the highways! Block all access to the metro by having thousands on the platforms, but no one getting on the trains. It's time for civil disobedience, no matter the form. It's never easy, but living day to day, wondering what that evil bastard is going to do next, is downright painful.
Am I angry? HELL YES! Am I giving up? HELL NO! I just feel it's time to let them know we are tired of their miserable shit in a way that they can't ignore. And I will be among the forefront of all of you!  STAND UP OR SIT DOWN, AMERICA, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
IT MAY ALREADY BE! IT'S YOUR CHOICE!
#Resist2018 dennismoconnor.com

 Have you ever really stopped to think of why Whites dislike people of color, instead of embracing the different cultures and the beauty they bring to life? It's because we have a culture of dominance instead of joy. We are devoid of a natural culture of our own. Our ancestors fled from a system of brutality and impoverishment and bad elements, yet they brought the worst elements with them. Anything that another has and you can take from him, take it!
We idolize religion and cannot let anyone believe differently, lest we try to convert them too! I cherish the memories I have of a black friend and his family, who I invited to stay at my home for the weekend in the early 70's. I was welcomed into the rural black community, I was not welcome in my own neighborhood. We think we've come a long way from that time, but have we really?
Peace be with you.
#Resist2018   dennismoconnor.com