In an interview with this paper, Rep. Jared Golden said he was voting against President Biden’s Build Back Better bill because of his concerns over state and local tax (SALT) deduction limits. It was an odd explanation, since every other Democrat in Congress, regardless of their opinions on SALT, saw the historic benefits of this legislation and voted to support it.

In the same interview, Golden claimed he wanted to focus on access to pre-K and kids living in poverty. It’s unclear why the interviewer, Colin Woodard, didn’t push back on this assertion. If Golden actually cared about access to pre-K, he should have voted for this bill, and increased access to pre-K. If Golden actually cared about children living in poverty, he should have voted for this bill, and reduced the number of children living in poverty by expanding the Child Tax Credit.

Build Back Better is transformative, once-in-a-generation legislation. By voting against it with an explanation sure to please fiscal conservatives in CD2, Golden made clear he values his re-election above all else. Golden ended up on the wrong side of history with this vote. Mainers deserve more from their leaders.

Wells Lyons
Brunswick