The motivational difference between Johnny Appleseed and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud is that Johnny was prone to growing apples instead of governments.

Michaud’s political campaign plan champions creation of a new state agency: Office of Inspector General to oversee performance of the Department of Health and Human Services. Estimated cost: $578,000 yearly.

Never mind there already exists a successful legislative watchdog agency known as the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability that recently straightened out the Maine Turnpike Authority, leading to criminal prosecution of its former director. That office successfully has led several other high profile investigations in the recent past.

Michaud’s proposal, if he’s elected governor and Democrats enact it, positions him to appoint the inspector general for an irregular four-year term. This inspector general would not be answerable to him (as governor) as is common practice; removal of the appointee would be for “cause,” passing the buck to someone else.

I find it strange that Michaud seeks to create this new state agency mirroring one in Washington overseeing the Department of Veteran Affairs, an agency that for years reported problems at the VA that Michaud allegedly ignored and what is now a scandal. Michaud is the ranking Democrat on the congressional committee that received the reports.

Why promote an inspector general process that failed in Washington? And one Michaud didn’t honor?

Michaud has charged Gov. Paul LePage with over-politicizing Maine’s welfare fraud, thereby demonizing poor families. Wonder what Michaud considers the magnitude of fraud that renders it fit for comment?

Michaud has spent plural terms in Washington, helping build federal bureaucracy. Now, he’s come home to embellish Augusta’s State House officialdom by creating an agency duplicative of an existing legislative procedure.

How pesky is Michaud’s proposal? Candidate Eliot Cutler, formerly a Washington Democrat insider, opposes it.

John Benoit

Manchester