The Biden Administration has implemented policies that are crushing Maine’s middle class. If we do not ease the burden of inflation and reduce our cost-of-living, the middle class will completely disappear.
We must continue to lower taxes for working Maine families and our small businesses. We must take a comprehensive approach to reducing regulation, and ensuring what we’re doing makes good common sense, but doesn’t unnecessarily burden business. We need to focus on reducing government bureaucracy and red-tape.
However, the most important thing we can do to strengthen our economy is to become energy independent. Too many Mainers are struggling to provide basic necessities for their families. Not only will this help lower fuel costs for Americans filling their gas tanks, but it will also aid in reducing the cost of items such as groceries, home heating oil and other commodities that we rely on in our daily lives.
In addition to lowering our cost-of-living, achieving energy independence will strengthen American’s position across the globe. Our European allies will not be held hostage by countries who are not our friends such as Russia. Also, we must stop importing oil from countries that seek to do America harm, such as Iran.
We should embrace renewable energy technology where it is cost-effective and makes sense. Wind, hydropower, solar and nuclear are all examples of renewable energy that we should embrace. However, current technology will not allow those sources of energy to replace fossil fuels, and we should not deprive consumers of their energy choices. We must continue to develop renewable technologies so they are a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels, but I will not support any efforts to mandate the energy sources that Mainers’ choose to power their vehicles or heat their homes.