Would anyone be surprised if John Baldacci takes a job with Iberdrola when he leaves the governorship? Iberdrola are the folks from Spain waiting in the wings to harvest the wind blowing off Maine’s shore and to take control of the new grid that CMP will build to bring that electricity to homes and businesses.

The surprise is that none of the gubernatorial candidates seem to know it is happening. Either they have their heads in the sand or are patiently waiting for their turn four or eight years from now.

The real surprise is that the people of Maine sit by and let the economic future be drained away by people from away as we bicker among ourselves about the details of how best to generate and deliver electricity.

The people of Maine own the wind blowing offshore. The shallow-water turbine technology needed to build that electricity-generating capacity exists now.

Maine companies such as Cianbro and Reed & Reed have the skills needed to build such a system. All that is necessary is for the government to collaborate with the private sector to generate the financing for the public to own it.

The Legislature either doesn’t know or doesn’t care. The executive branch clearly knows the potential but has sat on its hands for eight years while Iberdrola got ready to take over the financial future.

The people of Maine will sadly pay the price in the rates for electricity generated by the wind they already own.

James Tierney, Auburn