Jim Fossel’s Aug. 18 Press Herald column promotes the “people’s veto” as a means of giving voters a chance to weigh in on legislative action. He says it’s important to “give a say … to a wider swath of Mainers than just the Legislature and lobbyists in Augusta.” Without voter input, says Fossel, “you’re arguing that we, the people, ought to sit back and trust (Augusta) to make our decisions for us, but that we can’t possibly be trusted to handle it ourselves.”
Apparently Republicans in Augusta did not read Mr. Fossel’s words. One week after his op-ed was published, the Republican Party in Augusta blocked Maine voters from deciding the fate of three of four proposed bond issues. Republicans, it appears, feel that the voters “cannot be trusted” to handle such weighty decisions.
In Mr. Fossel’s words, “that’s not only patronizing, it doesn’t stand up to the straight-face test in a democracy, since voters are trusted enough to elect legislators in the first place.” So can we expect him to pen a follow-up blasting Republicans for taking away the voters’ right to be heard?
Daniel Kagan
Freeport
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