Our ersatz “independent” Sen. Angus King’s recent charade mocking Republican efforts to help solve the health care disaster created by his Democratic caucus and passed without a Republican vote would be laughable if it weren’t so pathetic. It is a sad commentary on the state of our Congress when one side of the aisle considers its duty is to resist, restrain and mock good-faith efforts on the other side of the aisle to solve almost-intractable problems.

While it is in no way analogous to the problems faced by Winston Churchill in World War II with criticism from some members of Parliament of his conduct of the war, Churchill used a story in a speech to the Parliament to respond to his critics, and it seems apropos here.

It seems there was a 10-year-old boy who fell off a dock and was in danger of drowning when a sailor jumped in the water and saved him. A few days later the boy’s mother confronted the sailor, asking if he was the man who saved her son. When he replied in the affirmative, she asked in an angry tone: “So where’s his hat?”

It seems to this 80-year-old Mainer that before our health care system totally collapses, the Democrats need to stop asking where the hat is and start participating in the rescue.

Ronald G. Thurston

Falmouth