The Red County firewall

To the Editor:
    The people of Maine endured a political firestorm in this past legislative session from the Democrats. From the moment they took their majority, they embarked on a partisan mission to undo every legislative accomplishment of the Republican Party.

    This narrow minded approach to governing was best exemplified recently as Maine Democrats voted down party lines against a bill to aid victims of sex trafficking, but then passed a Justin Alfond bill to promote wine tasting.
    This “blind leading the blind” mantra practiced by the Alfond/Eves Democrats is simply a parrot of the “my way or the highway” dogma preached by the Reid/Pelosi Democrats at the national level, where reaching across the aisle simply means to reach and pull Republicans to their side. All must obey. All must march in lockstep to the stamp of Nancy Pelosi’s stiletto heel or feel its sharp point in the back of their neck. One can then understand why Maine’s own whimpering Mike Michaud, Pelosi’s Puppy, meekly obeyed and voted against his own people, preventing them from keeping their health insurance.
    The Alfond “subvert the people at all costs” tactics left the Governor sharpening and resharpening the quill on his veto pen. Governor LePage set a record for vetoes sustained. He would not have been able to defend the people of Maine with such tenacity had it not been for the strength of conservatives in the legislature who worked hard to sustain those vetoes.
    In a recent conversation with an influential political operative and good friend, Jason Savage, I asked him what percentage of those vetoes sustained had been sustained by two or less votes. He didn’t have exact numbers with him but acknowledged that the percentage was pretty high. I further pressed him by asking which county was the most consistent in their votes to stop the overreach of the Alfond Democrats.
    Jason smiled because he knew where my questions were leading. He replied with this simple answer, “This is why we call Piscataquis County, ‘The Red County Firewall’.”
    Paul Davis (R-Sangerville) and Pete Johnson (R-Greenville) are the two representatives from Piscataquis County. Their two votes have made up what has become know in political circles as “The Red County Firewall”. Their votes have been about more than sustaining the Governor’s vetoes; they have been about defending the common sense of Maine people.
    It has been about demanding that our state government pay its bills just like Maine residents do.
    With the support of “The Red County Firewall”, Governor LePage was able to pay the hospitals the money due them, something the Alfond-led Democrats fought desperately to block. If you see Paul Davis or Pete Johnson, thank them for having the courage to hold the line against the firestorm of big government and selfish politicians. Thank them for being “The Red County Firewall” for the people of Maine!

Andy Torbett
Atkinson