Has LePage become a Socialist?

In the past month, Gov. Paul LePage has hinted he may be willing to allow the state budget to grow by $300 million a year to expand health care to 55,000 more people, has proposed $100 million in new state government borrowing on roads and infrastructure, wants $100 million in new state borrowing for a new prison, and he’s demanding the Legislature borrow $200 million to pay the hospitals. And if we repay the hospitals, LePage says he’ll allow another $100 million in bonds to be spent!

That is over $3.5 billion in expanded government spending over the next decade! How come I had to serve when John Baldacci was governor? Baldacci’s budget got smaller by the time he left office.

As I always say, Republicans don’t ever actually want smaller government. It’s simply a talking point. They just want to spend on different things than Democrats.

That said, if LePage expands government to insure more people, build much-needed infrastructure, and inject millions into our economy to create jobs, count me in.