Democratic U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud got it right last week when they crossed party lines and voted with House Republicans to rebuke President Obama for his administration’s conduct in the Libyan civil war.

The resolution, sponsored by the Republican speaker of the House, John Boehner, calls on the president to refrain from introducing ground troops into the conflict, now in its third month, and to turn over documents that influenced his decision to intervene as part of a NATO-led coalition.

Maine has real problems with its economy, the cost of health care, education and energy and a state government that does not take in enough revenue to keep the promises of the past. There should be plenty for lawmakers to do.

With bills to reduce the size of the House and Senate – or to do away with one body of the Legislature alltogether – apparently going nowhere, legislative leadership has come up with the next best thing.

If two idle paper mills, and the associated jobs, can be saved, it will take bold action.