Every vote for Republicans and their fossil fuel rulers brings your planet and our grandchildren closer to extinction.

We cannot continue to allow the fossil fuel industries like Koch Industries to continue to rule the Republican party on state and federal levels.

In Maine, for example, rich libertarian fossil fuel money went into the failed candidacy of 2nd Congressional District Republican Dale Crafts. It continues money through the Cato Institute to the Maine Policy Institute and the state chapter of the American Legislative Executive Council, to which some right-wing, climate change-denying Republican state legislators belong.

The fossil fuel lobby’s agenda is motivated to undermine Democratic governors, deny climate change, abolish pollution control laws, privatize basic services such as education and power, more tax cuts for the rich, voter suppression and the elimination of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

The disaster in Texas is a prime example of what happens when the fossil fuel industry takes full control over the Republican governance of a state. Sen. Ted Cruz, recipient of tens of thousands of dollars for the fossil fuel industry there, is a prime example of how profits and politics have more of a priority than the health and welfare of Texas families.

We have to stop the fossil fuel industry’s involvement in Main politics or suffer the same fate as Texas, where power and profits take precedence over our right to vote and the quality of everyday life.

Patrick Eisenhart
Lewiston

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