Recently, I received two emails. One email, with the subject line “Maine Democrats make case for expansion of Medicaid,” was about how the state’s Democratic leaders will exert public pressure on Gov. Paul LePage to give up his resistance and follow other Republican governors.

In the second email, the headline read “Justin Alfond: Not Paying Hospital Bills A ‘Meaningful Cut’.” Maine GOP released video of Alfond pushing a plan to ignore Maine’s Hospital Debt — a longstanding policy of Democrats using the hospitals as a piggy bank for other state costs, such as the growing welfare rolls.

Hospitals are laying people off. They are charging higher rates and I believe it is because the state is not paying its bills to the hospitals. The only possible outcome is health care that is more expensive and a shortage of available services.

Not paying hospitals has been an issue since at least the Baldacci Administration. It is irresponsible and unethical.

Augusta (Republicans and Democrats alike) must act responsibly and within the state’s means.

Tim McClure, Lisbon Falls