Open Letter to Senator Troy D. Jackson on COVID-19

Dear Senator Troy Jackson,

Please understand I'm writing because Govenor Mills is not responding to calls, emails, letters or faxes. Also I know you're from potato country and I want you to know my wife and I buy Maine potatoes, regardless of price.

Sir, I can't imagine how you must be going crazy knowing that Govenor Mills is not planning to fully open the State by Memorial Day... I've been told folks can't even book rooms for any time this year. Clearly the Govenor is not listening to either party now.

One thing you can do is demand the governor publish a generic list of those who have died. It should show where people actually died (some have died in Florida, etc...), how old they were and what underlying conditions they had if any. By my calculations, ten healthy Mainers have perished thus far. Yes I said ten. All of this sucks but people die and we all deserve to know where Maine's "hotspots" are.

Bottom line... We should not be closing down Maine for the tourist season. We should be advertising that Maine is open, Maine is healthy and Maine is offering free testing for out of state folks who are coming to Summer in Maine. 

Sincerely,

Dave Beemer

Bath, Maine

1st Letter to Govenor Mills, April 15th

2nd Letter to Govenor Mills, April 29th

Note: Maine is one of five States that does not have a lieutenant governor. In Maine the president of the Senate serves that role.

President of Maine's Senate, The Honorable Troy D. Jackson

Open Letter to Governor Janet Mills #2 on COVID-19

The Honorable Janet Mills
Governor of Maine
1 State House Station
Augusta, ME  04333

Dear Governor Mills,

COVID-19 is very close to me. My dear friends and next door neighbors both had it and beat it. Sue Johnson, age 83, feeble and a cancer survivor. If Hitler couldn't kill her during the Blitz there was no way she was going to let COVID-19 take her out. Tim Johnson, age 82, has broken more bones in his body than anyone I know. He was sick as a dog but is doing fine now.

Every death is a shame but right now there are only 51 COVID-19 victims in Maine and yet the state is basically SHUT DOWN. Of these 51 deaths some actually died out of state. If you're a Maine resident and got caught in Florida during the shut down and died in Florida, etc... your death is reported as a Maine death. Furthermore, the age and comorbidity of the vast majority of the COVID-19 deaths are not being taking into consideration. I think it's safe to say that only 10% of Maine's death total are healthy people being stuck down by a new virus.

It's evident that Maine is not taking into consideration the unintended consequences of shutting down vast swaths of our economy. How many doctor appointments have been canceled? How many visits to the emergency room have been put off. How many depressed Mainer's are going to take their lives? How many bored, stressed, etc... Mainers are going to overdose? How many Mainers are going to beat their children or spouses?

Maine is "Vacation Land" and yet under your Executive Order hotels are not allowed to book any reservations. Before you continue to exercise power, that you don't possess, to violate our Constitutional rights and disrespect the thousands who died so we could live free, please look at the names of those who have died. Look at their ages. Look at what state they actually died in. Look at what else contributed to their deaths. It's pretty straight forward, this virus is not the killer you have been lead to believe.

Governor Mills, you're in a position to actually make a difference. Get someone to show you the data… It can be put on one page!  Get our state open and come up with a plan to encourage tourists to visit (I think offering free testing at the boarder to non-residents would be super smart) and let's not completely break our already fragile economy.

David Beemer
Bath, Maine
Former Naval Officer
Small Business Owner

Historically the upside down flag is a distress signal. Having our Constitutional Rights trampled by a Governor in order to save a few dozen lives puts at risk the very principles upon which thousands offered and gave their life, liberty and sacred honor to create and defend this country from enemies both foreign and domestic.