The Republicans’ attempt to blame the current problems this country faces on the “Democratically controlled, do-nothing Congress” is completely hypocritical and misleading. Although the majority side of the argument is technically true, the Senate has a one-seat majority held by soon-to-be-Republican, Joe Lieberman.

A 10-seat majority or 60 votes is required to get anything accomplished. The Republicans have set record filibusters, totaling more than 70 for the session. Many bills have never hit the floor due to threats of a veto. Hypocritical Republicans staged political theater, asking for up-and-down votes, while threatening the implementation of the nuclear option when they were in charge.

During this economic crisis, numerous bills blocked by Republicans would have helped Mainers. These bills contained efforts to enforce equal pay for equal work, heating assistance for low-income families, the ability for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, and health insurance for children.

Even with the thin majority, Democrats were able to pass the first minimum wage increase in a decade, ethics reform, a major increase in benefits for veterans, a new GI Bill, the implementation of the 9/11 committee recommendations, improved health care and an increase in pay for the military, increase in student aid, regulations on student aid lenders, and a fiscally responsible budget.

The Republicans ruled for 12 years and created the mess. The thought that it can be solved by a razor-thin majority in less than two years is laughable.

Wes Sirois, Greene