This is a response to Edgar Allen Beem’s “Universal Notebook” of Dec. 1-3. The particular subject was the appointments Gov.-elect Paul LePage made to his transition team. Beem characterized most of them as “tax-cappers, tea-partiers and (horror of horrors) constitutionalists.” As Beem put it, “people who seem to be on board the LePage Express for purely ideological reasons.”

As if the lamentable, failed, Gov. Baldacci did not have people on his team who were foaming-at-the-mouth extreme liberals. Can you name even one conservative or middle-of-the-roader on Baldacci’s “team”? History shows that Baldacci’s team, and Baldacci, failed the Maine people miserably and have worsened our lot considerably. How often have we read recently that we are among the top states in taxes whilst and at the same time being among the lowest paid, along with a toxic business atmosphere?

In any case, I’m fascinated by Beem’s fear of constitutionalists. He claims the Constitution to be a “living, evolving document and that most Americans would prefer not to be dictated to by the Founding Fathers, long-dead white men … .”Oh, really? What proof or statistics does Beem have to make that absurd claim? If the Constitution is an evolving document why even have a constitution? I guess that Beem would just let the men and women in black, the Supreme Court, tell us what the law is on any given day? Legislating from the bench is far preferable to having our elected officials do the governing. At least in Mr. Beem’s evolving liberal world.

Harry White
Scarborough


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