I have known Sen. Angus King since his early television days, through his governorship and now his eight years in the U. S. Senate. My sense is that he identifies as an independent so that he can be a consensus builder without regard to party affiliation. He is a thoughtful moderate who uses civility, respect and good old Maine common sense to solve problems.
When I look at Congress today I’m stunned by the sudden lurch to the left led by the progressive extremists in the Democratic party. This is deepening the existing divide with the Republicans. We are at a historic tipping point in our country and it needs to stop.
There was a similar situation at the end of the Civil War. Maine’s most famous Civil War hero was Joshua Chamberlin. In addition to his military genius he had the decency and integrity of character to order his troops to stand down with no jeering or cheering during the surrender ceremony. It was a respectful and somber event that allowed the healing process to begin from the greatest divide in our country’s history.
Now is the time for someone like Sen. King who has such decency and integrity to restore bipartisanship to the Senate as our founders had intended. Sen. King could simply stop letting the Democrats take his vote for granted and insist that negotiations and compromise with the other side of the isle occur to garner his much needed vote.
Dave Kamila
Litchfield
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