One might think that the May 24 reopening of the State House to the public and the Legislature, after nearly 15 months in mothballs due to the pandemic, would have been cause for celebration, if not rejoicing. But it was not to be.
The Legislative Council meeting a week ago Thursday made that clear. In an hour-long discussion that was by turns thoughtful, testy, humorous and finally, discordant, the 10 legislative leaders replicated the political currents that have caused division before, during and, perhaps, after the pandemic is over.
At issue were federal and state CDC guidelines allowing adults to go unmasked in most locations – if they are vaccinated. Unvaccinated people are still supposed to “mask up,” and their numbers include many who were reluctant mask-wearers to begin with.
While both Republicans and Democrats cited science and the CDC guidelines, the reality is that those recommendations don’t really address how to run the “people’s house,” and inevitably leave much room for interpretation.
Early on, Senate Assistant Minority Leader Matt Pouliot predicted the 6-4 majority-minority split that usually frustrates the Republicans. House Speaker Ryan Fecteau said, however, he hadn’t made up his mind.
We’ve been at this at long time. Republicans frequently emphasize issues of personal freedom, while Democrats want to protect everyone, hewing to “better safe than sorry.”
Fecteau later emphasized the close quarters House members occupy during the final days; sessions resume June 2, near-daily until scheduled adjournment June 16.
The speaker said he’d “regret” if House leaders caused illness through a lack of caution. No one wanted to determine vaccine status, which Fecteau said would be “even more controversial” than mask requirements.
He said Republicans’ insistence the State House was no different than grocery stores or Target failed to recognize sessions that go on “five to seven hours at a time,” which prompted Senate Minority Leader Jeff Timberlake to joke “You obviously don’t know my wife.”
Assistant House Minority Leader Joel Stetkis countered that, even during socially distanced sessions at the Augusta Civic Center, lawmakers went out to dinner and sat an hour or two a few feet away, without masks.
And so it went. Democrats noted masks are still recommended for public transportation and hospitals, and that some businesses still require masking. Republicans, including Timberlake, said they’d “followed all the rules,” made strenuous efforts to become vaccinated, and that it’s time to ease off.
It’s hard not to be sympathetic. The pandemic has been harder and longer than anyone imagined and May 24 was “mask freedom” day for reluctant wearers.
“Why not wait a little longer?” Democrats said. “Why not now?” Republicans responded.
In the end, it was the Ds against the Rs, with masks required in all public areas and House and Senate chambers, rather than optional – and, according to CDC, safe, at least for the vaccinated.
GOP leaders’ predictions that some Republican House members would disobey was borne out, as six Republicans and one Libertarian independent showed up Monday without masks.
During the council meeting, after repeated questioning by Republicans, Fecteau said Capitol Security would enforce the rules.
But, after some conversation with Capitol Police on Monday, the members proceeded on their way. Fecteau then removed them from their committees, which will have little effect immediately, since committee work is done, but will pose a dilemma for sessions still to come.
There’s plenty to dislike here, no matter your point of view. The open dissension and theatrical insults that marked former Gov. Paul LePage’s time may have faded, but they’ve left their mark.
Still, it’s in the interest of the majority to attend to the concerns of the minority, if relations are ever to return to what we once thought “normal.” Earlier on, an olive branch could have been extended on a dozen Republican bills attempting to establish some review of the Governor’s emergency powers, which had never been extended this broadly, or for as long, before.
Democrats’ response was always that the Legislature could vote, by majority, to end the emergency, but because there’s no statute or even relevant case law – emergencies are governed only by the state constitution – a cooperative effort to lay out future emergency procedures could have happened. But it didn’t.
Now, the game will be played out. Much less will have been accomplished than in most sessions, and measured against the needs of a citizenry still in shock over what’s happened to us, it’s an even more unfortunate outcome.
Douglas Rooks has been a Maine editor, commentator, reporter and author since 1984. His new book is “First Franco: Albert Beliveau in Law, Politics and Love.” Visit the website, https://douglasrooks.weebly.com/#/ or e-mail: drooks@tds.net
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