Although my politics lean to the left, I try to keep an open mind. So each Sunday I read Jim Fossel. I generally find his views reasonable even if I disagree with them. This was not the case on Nov. 7 (“Maine senators sidelined in great debate”).

What I took away from the column was that because neither of Maine’s U.S. senators, Republican Susan Collins and independent Angus King, are key players in attempts to pass the Build Back Better bill that the Biden administration is anti-bipartisanship.

Fossel skips over the just-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill, mentioning it only once in passing, completely ignoring the fact that Republicans from both the House and the Senate voted for it.

I find his attacks on Democrats being anti-bipartisan particularly rich considering the obstructionist actions of former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and many other Republicans, who have done everything they can to stop both President Biden and former President Obama from accomplishing anything regardless of merit and passed tax cuts for business and the rich without a single Democrat vote.

To attack Joe Biden as anti-bipartisan is just plain ridiculous. There are certainly Democrats in the House and Senate, although I would argue they do not include most of the leadership, who are determined to push extremely progressive legislation, but I bet they would gladly accept Republican votes.

Not that that is likely considering the backlash anyone who veers from the Republican playbook is likely to suffer (e.g., Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger).

In addition, many Republicans who voted against the stimulus have been taking credit for the benefits to their states. Undoubtedly they will be cutting ribbons for future projects funded by a Build Back Better bill they rejected.

Holly Rahmlow

Readfield

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