This is a semi-satirical letter. I’m going to use the time-honored comedic approach of quoting an elected official and describing the actions he took.
“Maine House and Senate Republicans today requested that Speaker of the House Gideon and Senate President Jackson call a special session of the Legislature to deal with the current regulations regarding the state shutdown. We now must wait to see their response to our letter. ” – Rep. Thomas Skolfield, May 2nd, 2020
“…we in the Maine Legislature need to be allowed to be part of the discussion surrounding the Wuhan virus restrictions. There are three branches of government. The executive, the judicial, and the legislative who represents you. Currently you are not being fully represented. ” – Rep. Thomas Skolfield, May 20th, 2020
“The folks in charge here need to somehow get a lesson in common sense. The Legislature needs to be called back into session for issues such this [sic] and for several other reasons as well.” – Rep. Thomas Skolfield, May 21st, 2020
When Senate President Troy Jackson and House Speaker Gideon tried to convene a special session of the Legislature this August, Rep. Thomas Skolfield didn’t even participate in the poll. What a difference two months makes, eh? The main propaganda line from the Maine GOP appears to argue for a session much more “narrowly focused” on the COVID-19 pandemic, when Speaker Gideon’s priorities for this session are “public school readiness, help with housing and nutrition needs, aid to small businesses and the tourism economy, adequate childcare, access to rural healthcare, [and] utilizing federal funding”. Maybe some legislators (and candidates like myself) do have enough common sense to know that bringing the legislature back into session in the middle of the pandemic requires extensive health precautions, which take time, and others need to somehow get a lesson in consistency.
Peter Bourgelais
Candidate, Maine House District 112
Phillips
We ought to feel sorry for Maine Republican legislators. They have spent considerable time and effort to complain about the need for a special session, only to reject having it when they are asked. The situation these legislators have put themselves in can only lead to silly explanations. Please recognize they now have no choice but to utter nonsense, and try not to laugh at them.
What!!,,
Politicians Playing Politics?
When Did That All Start?
I’m sure glad both parties don’t do it..
What a mess that would be.
Whew!
Everything Is Beautiful.
I’ve noticed a pattern with PP. When Democrats do something stupid, PP is very willing to blame them. When Republicans do something stupid, PP blames EVERYBODY. PP is blaming EVERYBODY quite a bit these days.
Vote them all out!!!!!
Wayne Kinney, that’s your perception. I see a philosophical gadfly.
Carry on, Private. It’s healthy to question ones own beliefs.
The problem here is not both sides are being told. Typical of an op-ed. Maybe some people should ask a Republican why they don’t want to go back instead of blasting them from the keyboard. You could also go to WVOM rewinds and look for the interviews from each side on this exact topic. I know people don’t like the news sources I provide yet they aren’t willing to listen too anything but their sources. I like WVOM show with George Hale and Rick Tyler because they have both sides on and listen without judgement. Their motto is confrontation through conversation. A concept not understood by a lot of you.