The peoples’ business needs to be conducted in the light of day

The peoples’ business needs to be conducted in the light of day
To the Editor;
    Reeling from the public relations disasters, which have emanated from their clown-like behavior in recent weeks, the Alfond Democrats have decided the best thing to do to save face is

to hide. It seems there is no place like the shadows for the Democrats to find solace for their self-inflicted wounds. So suddenly, there is no public in a public hearing.
    Justin Alfond has suspended the public disclosure rules for public hearings on the bills that come before committee. With the all distractions of the “Alfond and Eves Circus Revue,” the Democrat-led legislature has not fulfilled even half of its job obligation with just a couple weeks of session left to go. So with now the looming deadline in full view on the horizon, Alfond and Eves have decided the sideshows, freak-shows and all other manifestations of narcissism should be confined to the secrecy of the committee halls of Augusta.
    This is not the first time public notification rules have been suspended. Republicans have done so and shortened the notification time from two weeks to 48 hours. The “Honorable” Mr. Alfond has set no such secondary guidelines. With the proven history of the Maine Democrat Party, its penchant for cloak and dagger politics, backroom deals and special session tactics, the people of Maine will once again find themselves blindsided by the interests of lobbyists, who camp out in Augusta.
    You can be assured the organizations like MEA and the MPA will be waiting at the door for the last-minute notifications that will whisper out of President Alfond and Speaker Eves offices. And once again the Democrats will shut the people of Maine out of their government. That has familiar ring to it, doesn’t it? About 40 years worth or so.
    Justin Alfond has had an interesting approach to legislating the people’s business. The tactics of choice have been to stall, protest, whine, distract, ignore the debt, cry, moan, insult the Governor, attack the Governor, still ignore the debt, stall some more, whine some more, copy some of the Republican’s ideas, distract some more, ignore the debt … some more and then realize, “Oops, folks! We’re running out of time. Everybody out of Augusta! We need to do some legislating … and no peeking please!” This columnist has said it before and will say it again. Democrats thrive in secrecy but wilt under public scrutiny.
    Alfond has thrown a cloak over the whole legislative process and, instead of a dagger, he is wielding a shovel to cram every left wing legislative agenda down the throats of Maine people. Case in point. The Democrats are calling for $500,000 to study climate change … again. Haven’t we heard and paid for this “research” again and again … and again? But Mainers, once again, will have no say in the process and at the eleventh hour it will be foisted upon our wallets … again! Yet, still, we have not paid the hospital debt.
Andy Torbett
Atkinson