Every Sunday there is air of desperation underlying Jim Fossel’s efforts to paint a veneer of reasonableness around Republican actions in Maine and in the country. Last Sunday’s paint job attempted to restore a sense of normalcy around former Gov. Paul LePage. Fossel is certainly entitled to his opinions but not the facts.

He charges Gov. Mills with reckless spending policies, comparing the $8.1 billion general fund budget under LePage in 2010 with Mills’ current $11.3 billion. But that was 15 years ago. Accounting for inflation, what would $8 billion look like today? The answer: $11.88 billion. It’s clear that Mills has not only held the budget but has miraculously expanded programs that benefit Mainers.

These programs include the free community college program for Mainers — something Fossel thinks is a bad idea — along with the expansion of Medicaid. Fossel makes it sound like no one supported the Medicaid expansion, but let’s remember it was put to a referendum that the majority of Mainers supported. An estimated 410,000 Mainers are now on Medicaid. Would Fossel want the Republicans to end those two programs?

The real headline is that Mills has held the budget to below the rate of inflation while expanding programs to benefit all Mainers. Not a bad legacy after all.

Richard Kessler
Bath