Thumbs up to the Sun Journal editorial, “Dirigo Health: Fix it or nix it” (March 1).

The Dirigo Health program, Gov. Baldacci’s brainchild, sorely needs emergency surgery. Massive taxpayer trauma has been contracted, out of millions prescribed by Dirigo administrators, to keep a sick financial picture alive.

Will Baldacci scrub up and take in hand his governmental scalpel to excise the diseased aspects of Dirigo? Not any time soon, given his recent addition of thousands of new people to the program. His diagnosis? A transfusion of “new blood” may cure the patient.

Baldacci has fingered the pulse of Maine citizens and knows of their willingness to be long suffering. Maine people relish digesting high taxes and excessive state spending. Need proof? They repeatedly send Democrats to the State House, don’t they?

Bouquets to the Sun Journal for its healthy prescription, written for Baldacci’s ingestion; it’s been a bit long in coming. The patient, Dirigo Health, is nearly in extremis.

Yes, Baldacci has created a financial sore on the body politic of Maine. Still, I wager he will not operate any time soon to rehabilitate the patient; it’s an election year and personal, political house calls are his priority.

John W. Benoit, Rangeley