I was very disappointed to see that not one Republican supported the legislation to accept federal dollars under the Affordable Care Act and hospital repayment plan legislation.

I know many Republicans felt it was shabby politics to tie the two issues together, but keep in mind the two issues are related.

Everyone should have access to health care on more than an emergency basis. Common sense tells us that you’ll save hospital dollars to allow people to have a primary care physician.

And if there are those who care more about business in Maine than quality of life for Maine people, the boost to the economy with those hundreds of millions of health care dollars coming into the state shouldn’t be ignored.

Get people employed in good paying jobs providing health care services and get people healthy enough to work and in three years when the 100 percent match starts decreasing, our economy itself will be healthier and able to support the gradual reduction to a 90 percent match.

Healthy working people pay more taxes and use less government funded services.

No more studies. Better minds than those in the Maine Legislature have studied this issue to death and the ACA is the result.

Let’s give it a chance to work. I encourage the Republicans to accept the federal funds now and move forward instead of aligning themselves with the Big Guy’s bullying, buffoonery and partisan politics. Override the veto.

Crystal Bond

Belgrade Lakes