To the editor:
By most measures, Rep. Bruce Poliquin is a very successful man: Harvard-educated, self-made multi-millionaire, and twice elected to Congress. You might also consider him a successful politician, but I do not.
As November approaches, expect a campaign blitz portraying Poliquin as a worker bee for Maine related micro-issues. But look beneath the veneer, and you will discover who Poliquin is really working for. Poliquin is one of 60 members of the House Committee on Financial Services. Vulnerable House members are assigned to this very large committee because its lobbyists are a mother lode of money for re-election campaigns.
Money talks, and it helps explain why Poliquin fails us on the macro-issues of deficit, debt and Trump. Poliquin masquerades as a deficit hawk. He supports a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which is a stupid idea because everyone knows budgets cannot be balanced during times of war and economic recessions. The national economy has been expanding for more than 7 years, and our country should now be paying down its debt. Instead, Poliquin voted to cut taxes and increase our deficit and debt.
And, finally, Poliquin has been silent on the president. Donald Trump is a stain on the presidency, and his words and deeds are undermining our democracy. And what does Poliquin say and do? Nothing, just silence. He clearly values his political career more than our country.
Stephen Freeman
Presque Isle
