Next month Mainers will head to the polls for another election. On the ballot will be candidates for nearly every office our state has to offer whether it be in Augusta or Washington. While these elections are important there is no candidate that will have an more impact on our lives as much as one question will.

There is a carefully orchestrated campaign going on nationally and statewide to dismantle the current healthcare system and replace it with something completely different. We see it in the media with figureheads like Sen. Bernie Sanders and his Medicare for All plan. Sen. Sanders and company know that Medicare for All would never be able to be rolled out on a national level without some case studies first. That brings us to Question 1 here in Maine.

Question 1 is yet another attempt by the Maine People’s Alliance and their nationally affiliated organizations to try out a version of single payer healthcare on us. They need a guinea pig and we fit the mold. Should they be successful, the 129th Legislature and the new administration, whoever that may be, will have the unenviable task of implementing this new racket; wasting time and energy on bad legislation instead of confronting the real problems that face our state. As a retiring legislator I can tell you that most of the time spent in the 128th legislature was filled correcting passed referendums so that at the very least they were implementable.

On the surface Question 1 seems like a noble cause, tax the rich and give home care to all. While I far from agree with this type of thinking, I can understand why some would. Putting liberal and conservative economic policies aside, let’s dig into the details.

Question 1 has no means or residency test of any kind. Anyone is eligible. I can’t speak for the intentions of the authors of this citizens initiative, but it seems that we should be taking care of our most vulnerable Mainers first. To go even further out on a limb, if we are going to spend this kind of money it should probably go to the people that actually live here. There is no safeguard to ensure that happens.

You might assume that this new tax of over $300 million would go where most state tax dollars go, to the general fund – but you would be wrong. This new tax goes to an unelected and unaccountable Universal Home Care Trust Fund board. Hundreds of millions of your tax dollars, about 5% of the total to be exact, going to people who have never been vetted by voters. Yikes.

Another flaw of the initiative is forced unionization. Even though it was recently declared unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court the authors of this bill are doubling down on this time honored union tradition. I mean, why not? If you can force every well meaning family member and home care company to pay a union dues, that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars to elect more progressives that will continue the march toward single payer health care. Everyone who provides home care will be forced to donate through dues to the union. Just to be clear, under this initiative if you as an individual provide home care to your disabled child or aging parents you will be forced to pay union dues – whether you like it or not.

Don’t take my word for it. Read the legislation for yourself.

Question 1 is one step closer to the progressive dream of single payer health care. Sen. Sanders and the MPA will stop at nothing to discard our current healthcare system and replace it with socialized medicine. This is the nationwide plan. That is why it is important to make sure that we not only vote no on Question 1, but also send people to Washington and Augusta to oppose single payer health care. Sen. Collins and Rep. Poliquin have been fighting this battle in Washington and many house and senate Republicans in Augusta have been doing the same at home. They need reinforcements.

Because of the unconstitutionality, cost, and potential national implications I urge Mainers to vote no on Question 1.

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