Columnist Steve Robinson (“Democrats’ inane tactics no match for LePage’s accomplishments,” April 26) neglected to mention that lawmakers tabled bills L.D. 858, 490 and 1848, which he labeled as “venomous attacks on (Gov.) LePage.”

He then berated Democrats for defeating a Republican version of the military recruiter bill before passing their own. However, he failed to mention that Republican floor speeches, reeking of anti-military accusations aimed at their critics (schools, liberals and other riff-raff), provoked the original Democratic supporters into switching their vote. Had the Republicans behaved civilly, their bill would have passed. LePage sent angry notes to all Democratic lawmakers who voted against the Republican bill. Ouch! I’d call that a “venomous attack.”

Robinson went on to list more “asinine things the liberals tried to do,” such as repealing PL 90, but he left out how the law increases insurance rates for those who can least afford it – rural citizens and the elderly.

If you agree with Robinson, then you might assume that Democratic lawmakers harbor a “let them eat junk” attitude toward food stamp recipients, because they rejected a bill preventing people from using their benefits to make unhealthy choices at supermarkets.

Again, Robinson failed to mention that the Democrats rejected the bill because it would require Maine to submit a waiver request to the USDA, followed by a waiting period, which could result in rejection (remember what happened with the ban on sugary drinks in New York?).

At the end of his commentary, Robinson touts LePage’s record, including “17,000 new private-sector jobs.”

Phrases like “performance metrics for schools,” “free market-based health insurance reform” and “freedom-enhancing regulatory reforms” smack of the legislative doublespeak the American Legislative Exchange Council uses to influence states to reduce government, strip individual rights and increase corporate power. Ouch!


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