I’m a registered Democrat, and typically follow party lines. Libby Mitchell is a lifelong politician. She has a ton of political experience to draw from, and surely has the skills necessary to do the job.

However, she has been in a position of power for a long time, and during that time we have seen too much go wrong in Augusta. I fear a vote for Mitchell is a vote for four more years of the same thing we have already seen.

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Readers list their reasons for supporting and opposing those candidates running to fill the governor’s post at the Maine State House. The Associated Press

Then there is Paul LePage. His story is nice, having come from nothing and turned things around. However, I think LePage would be like going from one extreme to the other, and I’m not sure his temperament or his radical tea party desires are a good thing for Maine either.

That brings us to Eliot Cutler, who has intrigued me since early on. He has a great mix of political and professional experience. He has a great plan for getting Maine back on track and takes a hard stance on some tough issues, like education and welfare reform.

I urge you, regardless of your party of choice, to check out Eliot’s website; it is a great way to find out more about his plans for Maine.

The next 10 years are critical to the state of Maine, and making the right choice for governor is a vitally important first step. I urge everyone to do their homework, get out and meet the candidates, ask questions and get involved. Let’s work together to make Maine the way life should be.

On Nov. 2, I’m voting for Eliot Cutler, and I think you should too.

Mark Stevens

New Gloucester

In the end, Eliot Cutler will go back to practicing corporate law at AkinGump, and the people of Maine will be left with the consequences of his misguided interference in Maine Politics. There will be serious consequences.

In your editorial, (“Recession ended last year, but many didn’t notice,” Sept. 23) you say, “fears of a ‘double-dip’ new recession appear to be fading.”

Not everyone agrees, and Maine faces additional financial stress, regardless.

Maine does not exist in a vacuum. The nation went from national surpluses in 2000 to massive deficits, thanks in part to unprecedented tax cuts and a decade at war. We have had to spend billions on homeland security, not to mention the economic collapse. These events sucked hundreds of billions of dollars out of federal support to all the states — not just Maine.

We are actually doing better than many; California had the eighth largest economy in the world — now it is talking default.

Executives always think they will walk in, say “jump” and the Legislature will say “How high?” Not really. What, I ask you, do either Eliot Cutler or Paul LePage know about how state government works?

People, this is no time for on-the-job training. I want a governor who can maximize the process and relationships with government agencies here and in Washington for the benefit of the people of Maine.

That’s why I am voting for Libby Mitchell, who knows more about it than anyone else in the race.

No matter what you tell your friends over coffee on Nov. 1, I hope you’ll think about what I’ve said on Nov. 2. Unlike Eliot Cutler, you and I will live with the consequences.

Martha Sterling-Golden

Topsham

Bill Nemitz is right: Gov. LePage “won’t play” in Augusta. Your newspaper’s self-appointed spokesperson for “all of Maine” (or so he says) has finally managed to analyze a point of public interest correctly.

I’m referring to Paul LePage’s likely disregard for administrative foolishness and useless media-driven hype as governor, if we voters put him in the Blaine House Nov. 2.

In his column of Sept. 15, Bill Nemitz is incensed over LePage’s blunt dismissal of his wife’s personal property-tax issues as a matter for discussion in the gubernatorial campaign.

Good for Mayor LePage! The matter has no relevance to the important problems facing our state, such as governmental waste, bloated welfare rolls, lack of employment opportunities, educational underperformance and state taxes that are choking our families.

Those are the issues that Paul LePage will address as governor.

And contrary to Mr. Nemitz’s condescending viewpoint, a lot of us won’t mind if Gov. LePage gets blunt or even occasionally impolite about what needs to be done to fix these severe problems of ours.

Yes, Mr. LePage can be gruff. He’s also straightforward with what’s on his mind, and his plans to redirect the priorities and actions of the executive branch of this state’s government.

If you’re an undecided voter looking for a vision of the performance you can expect from Gov. LePage’s administration, disregard Mr. Nemitz’s incoherent reference to former Gov. Sarah Palin. Instead, check out what Gov. Chris Christie is doing in New Jersey.

LePage’s background in several different business functions here in New England has equipped him to deliver those kinds of results. When Mainers see progress on these issues from Gov. LePage, we’ll be glad that leadership is back in Augusta.

And our public relations image as a state will be just fine, Mr. Nemitz.

James Clingensmith

Saco

I write in support of Eliot Cutler, whom I believe should be the next governor of Maine.

We are all raised to think for ourselves and to avoid following the pack that might lead us down the wrong path. And yet, for some reason, as we exercise our right to vote, we do nothing but stay within one of the two political parties, even though we usually only subscribe to half of its platform.

Eliot Cutler has participated in both parties, which many people claim as a flaw in his run for governor. I see this as a distinct advantage.

He has done his research and found that both parties offer some ideas that make sense and some that simply don’t.

Armed with the best of both parties, in addition to his own ideas to fill in where they fall short, he offers us a fresh perspective. It makes sense then, that in a political climate where most people feel disgruntled with the direction the two major packs have taken us, we would look to someone who has the courage to focus on the issues instead of bowing to a party line.

Now is not the time to hold onto labels or to think that more of the same will bring about different results. Now is the time to do our research, to question the parties we’ve held too tightly onto, to challenge ourselves to think for ourselves.

Now is the time to look to a candidate who has the plans, skill set, integrity and genuine desire to help life in Maine stay the way it should be.

Now is the time to step away from the pack and claim our independence, just like Cutler has done.

Carrie Hall

Waterville

Who is Eliot Cutler? In its ongoing quest to excoriate and demonize Paul LePage, The Press Herald has minimized publication of Eliot Cutler’s positions. In an attempt to rectify this, the following is an excerpt from the Sept. 13 Boston Globe by Glenn Adams of The Associated Press.

“Cutler said he would reduce the number of contracted human service providers, trim MaineCare (Medicaid) benefits, merge university and community college systems and eliminate the Board of Environmental Protection.”

Your Sept. 15 editorial states: “The issues facing Maine are more challenging. They are crippling in complexity and severe in impact.”

Faced with a billion-dollar budget shortfall, when electing the next governor citizens should have all candidate information. Individuals look to the media to provide this information, both favorable and unfavorable.

When The Press Herald omits positions of a candidate, especially positions that negatively impact the most vulnerable of Maine citizens, then how can we find out: Who is Eliot Cutler?

Leo Martin

Westport Island

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