“We the people.” It has a wonderful ring.

Something happened to “we the people” on the road from our homes to Augusta. It has become, “I, the governor,” and “we, the party.”

“We the people” have been ignored, and arrogantly overridden. We have all heard of judicial arrogance and tyranny (the Terri Schiavo case). In Maine, we have gubernatorial tyranny and arrogance, in the name of party unity. It doesn’t matter that twice before, we the people turned down special-rights legislation. It doesn’t matter that our Maine statutes require borrowing over a certain base amount to go to referendum. The forum of open debate, respect and discussion has ceased to exist, overcome by party arrogance and shameful disrespect toward those who represent many of us.

In talking with Democrat and Republican alike over the last several weeks, they are saying “enough already.” Some even despair that we cannot change our government. But we can.

I want to encourage all people of every stripe to sign the Taxpayer Bill of Rights petition and the two people’s veto (borrowing and special rights) petitions to put these decisions back before “we the people.”

This is a good first step to restoring the power of our government back into our hands.

We the people have the final say. We can change Maine’s future from business-as-usual to one of fiscally responsible care of its citizens.

Gregory Swift, Casco

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