Maine Republican leaders dabbling in national politics

On Thursday, Senate Leaders Carol Weston and Richard Rosen, and House Leaders Josh Tardy and Bob Crosthwaite faxed a letter to Maine Congressmen Tom Allen and Mike Michaud, both Democrats, urging them to convince their Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), to call the U.S. Congress back to Washington to address the nation’s energy issues.  Last week, by one vote, Congress voted to adjourn for summer vacation without taking up the topic.

 The full text of the letter, which was faxed to the Washington offices of Allen and Michaud, as well as the office of Speaker Pelosi, appears below. 

Republicans have been taking steps to own the energy issue in Maine, hoping they can ride the energy wave to victory on Election Day.  Earlier this week, Weston and Tardy teamed up to issue a statement calling for a special legislative session to pump $10 million into Maine’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

It’s still uncertain whether the tactics of the GOP, specifically their recent foray into the federal energy debate, will pay off.  One thing is true, however; this assertive behavior is a change of pace for the Republican leaders, who are usually about a day late and a dollar short on the issues.  Whether the voters will embrace them as true public servants, or reject them as political opportunists remains to be seen.

 ***Full text of the letter sent by Republican leaders to Congressmen Allen and Michaud 

August 7, 2008

The Honorable Tom Allen
1127 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Michael Michaud
1724 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20514

Dear Congressmen Allen and Michaud,

The people of Maine, perhaps now more than ever, require leadership from their delegation to Washington. Fuel costs have already had a significant impact on our tourism and manufacturing industries, and the rising cost of heating oil has many Mainers—our poor, elderly and disabled neighbors, in particular—wondering how they will survive the winter.

We write today to urge you both to take a leading role in tackling our nation’s energy crisis. Last week, by one single vote, Congress adjourned for a summer recess without addressing any substantive energy policies. This was a poor decision. The people of Maine, and all of America, should be afforded the peace of mind that their federal government is taking action during these critical times.

The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives has the authority to bring members of Congress back to Washington for a special session. Together, you can reach out to your colleagues in the House and build support for a special session to address the nation’s energy burden. If enough members who voted to adjourn realize their error, they could become a force that Speaker Nancy Pelosi cannot ignore.

Congress is not bearing the weight of this energy crisis alone. We are doing what we can at the state level to make sure our fellow Mainers stay warm this winter. Unfortunately, our options are limited, but we are exhausting the few we have. We have called on Governor Baldacci to call the Maine Legislature back for a special session to give legislators the authority to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by $10 million. It is a small step, but it is the biggest one we can take.

Your work in convincing Speaker Pelosi to call a special session of Congress to address the nation’s energy crisis is vital. The people of Maine depend on you.

Sincerely,

Carol Weston
Senate Republican Leader

Richard Rosen
Assistant Senate Republican Leader

Joshua Tardy
House Republican Leader

Robert Crosthwaite
Assistant House Republican Leader

cc: Speaker Nancy Pelosi