In 2017 Paul LePage retrofitted Maine’s Department of Labor with ReEmployME, a new system that was promoted as a way to streamline the filing process while saving on costs – the standard Republican sales pitch. Three years later, under the worst of circumstances, Mainers are learning the hard way how spectacularly Republican policies fail and how these very policies are designed intentionally to do so.

Republican policies hurt people. Period. They cut funding and personnel for government systems meant to serve as lifelines for us. When Democrats are elected to clean up the mess, so much damage is already done that no capable administration could repair it all.

Had Gov. Mills attempted to replace a brand-new ReEmployME system before COVID-19, at a time when unemployment was historically low, she’d have been crucified. It’s an impossible scenario that loops over and over again throughout history.

It is disgusting that a major political party uses its resources and power to ensure our government operates dysfunctionally. Republicans break everything, Democrats are tasked with the impossible and they take the blame for actions of the most crooked and corrupt among us while Republicans get re-elected and the cycle resumes.

Break the cycle. Vote Democratic in November.

Kirstan Watson

Arundel