Why is Maine refusing $3 million in federal grant dollars to help young people who need mental health counseling and support services? Why won’t the state accept federal dollars to expand Medicaid (MaineCare) so that many more Mainers can have access to health care when the federal government will pay the overwhelming majority of the costs? This makes no sense. We send our tax dollars to Washington. We should benefit from the federal taxes we pay.

Mr. LePage has instructed Executive Departments not to talk with the press (unless  a part of the press that he selects), so we don’t have any answers to those questions. The Legislature needs to step in. The Legislature has the power of the purse. The Legislature creates laws. We deserve legislators who will get answers for us. We need legislators who will not only vote for Medicaid expansion but will also vote to override Mr. LePage’s vetoes as well. 

In short, we need people like Jonathan Fulford in the State Senate. He has made it clear that he supports health care for all of us in Maine. Jonathan will support his constituents’ right to healthcare all the way through the legislative process, including voting to override Mr. LePage’s vetoes if necessary. I’m voting for Jonathan Fulford for State Senate. If you believe everyone in Maine deserves access to health care, I urge you to do the same. 

Joan Federman lives in Stockton Springs