I would like to respond to Gov. Le-Page’s op-ed in last Sunday’s paper.

Both Democratic and Republican politicians have played games and used tactics to thwart their opponents’ agenda. Politicians have been doing that forever. What Gov. LePage doesn’t seem to realize is that the people of Maine disagree with him on some fundamental issues.

I want Medicaid expansion. Gov. LePage vetoed it five times. So we held a referendum and won with a plurality of 59 percent. Gov. LePage refuses to implement the program. That is not how democracy works – he should implement Medicaid!

The voters passed an increase in the minimum wage with a 55 percent plurality. Gov. LePage says that House Speaker Sara Gideon refused his demand to “slow down” the minimum wage? Good for her! I want a higher minimum wage. I voted for it and we won – he lost.

Both examples are cases where Gov. LePage and his party have used every tactic to kill these initiatives that were passed by referendum. And both examples are instances where the Legislature could have written and passed the bill but refused to do it. Face it, we the voters don’t think Gov. LePage knows better, and we took matters into our own hands. He should deal with it.

Gov. LePage should call the Legislature back into session and park his arrogance outside. He should leave the hardball tactics at home. He should give the people of Maine what they have demanded of him – Medicaid expansion – and do it now.

John Schaberg

Portland

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