Dean Scontras
Candidate’s Statement:
I feel as if I am applying for the least popular job in the world. As I speak to Mainers across the district, they consistently tell me how disappointed they are with the performance of Congress. These personal conversations mirror the historically low approval ratings that national polls give Congress.
Recently, one Maine business owner took the conversation a step further. He suggested that Congress is overpaid and this overpayment results in a lack of motivation to solve the problems that face the nation. In fact, Congress recently gave themselves a 4 percent pay increase while simultaneously withdrawing the funding for the border fence!
Now a Congressman’s annual salary is up to $175,000. Plus the most attractive benefits package in the world. And the most paid holidays in the workforce. And the longest vacations in the nation! My business-owner friend observed how once in office, members of Congress tend to have as much job security as a tenured teacher. Also, consider how insulated a member of Congress is during a turbulent economic period – “Must be nice,” the business owner said.
Members of Congress, and many of the candidates for Congress in this First District race, seem more like the CEOs they often complain about for over paying themselves. What makes their position so hypocritical is that, while the private markets actually require the participation of the investors, the board members and the stockholders, members of Congress are allowed to act unilaterally with our tax dollars, regardless of the consequences for  the company. In this case the “company” is the United States of America.
“In the real world, the worse a business performs the less the executives make. This common sense formula, for some reason, is not applied to government. How motivated toward success can employees be who make a flat salary of $175,000 per year, with benefits guaranteed for life, and more vacation time than a college professor? Imagine how completely different a member of Congress’ performance might be if their pay was attached to their performance. Since the Supreme Court has already rejected the idea of federal term limits for Congress, perhaps performance-based pay is the next, best alternative.”

Charlie Summers
Candidate Statement:
“Charlie Summers has been a leader in Maine for over 20 years. Working in and owning a small business, as the first Republican State Senator elected to represent Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough and Dayton, as state director to U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, as regional administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and most recently as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves serving nine months in Iraq. These experiences give him the knowledge to effectively represent Maine in U.S. Congress.
“Charlie is the leader we need in Washington who can offer the solutions to the issues we are facing each day – high energy costs, sky rocketing gas prices, ensuring Veterans receive the benefits they have earned and deserve, making health care affordable for the individual and the small business owner and reigning in the out-of-control federal spending.
“Charlie is the type of leader we so desperately need in the United States Congress – someone who is not afraid to take a stand and put the interests of Maine first. Charlie will not simply talk about a problem he will offer real solutions.
“Whether increasing the tax incentives for people to buy hybrid vehicles, making the cost of health insurance 100 percent tax deductible for all Americans or addressing the issues facing us in Iraq – Charlie can offer real world solutions that work for everyone in Maine.
“The issues facing both Maine and America are daunting. At this critical point in our Nation’s history we need a tested, proven leader – we need Charlie Summers in the United States Congress!”