Here we go again, another government shutdown threat! It really doesn’t make a difference who’s at fault. Every elected official in Augusta owns and is a part of the problem.

As taxpayers, we hired/elected these men and women to do the job of running and managing the affairs of our state. They are obviously incapable or unwilling to do the job they were hired/elected to do. What would happen to you if you refused to do the job you were hired to do?

People often state in a situation such as this one, “Well, don’t re-elect them next time.” For many of our elected officials, “next time” is a long way off. Our elected officials have about one week to agree to something so that all the things that must get done before the end of June can be completed in time.

The prevailing attitude in Augusta seems to be: “Either you agree to my proposal or I’ll take my ball and go home.” This confrontational and ultimatum-laden behavior is unacceptable.

I’d like to propose that if the people we’ve hired/elected can’t get the job done before the deadline, then they need to continue working eight hours a day, five days a week, with no pay until the job is done. (Oh, by the way, no spring or summer break either.)

We, the citizens of Maine, deserve a government that functions and representatives who know how to compromise!

Steven C. Pomelow

Gorham