This year’s chutzpah award goes to Governor Le Page for his role as blame-shifter-in-chief, denying any responsibility for the funding crisis that caused two nursing homes to shut down.

He vetoed bills, many of them bipartisan, that awarded nursing homes the many millions they needed. (In fact, the legislature overrode one of those vetoes in order to give $26 million to the nursing homes.) Then, on the last day of the legislature when Republicans and Democrats were forging a bill to provide additional money, he threatened to veto that, so the legislators just gave up in disgust and went home.

Then LePage demanded that Sen. Alfond and Rep. Mark Eves bring back the legislature so that he could provide the extra funds, trying to make it sound as if it was the Democrats who had thwarted the granting of the funds. Never mind that he has the authority to bring back the legislature if he really wanted to. Now, magically, he has found the money to make up for the funding shortfall, which could have been accomplished months ago.

LePage’s performance was nothing more than political grandstanding at the expense of seniors. It’s good to know that come November we have a choice to rid our state of this behavior. Mike Michaud will work with the legislature, both sides respectfully, as he has done before. Mike has a clear history of support not only for Maine’s seniors but for all Mainers.

Bill Everham
Bath