Gov. LePage seems to have misunderstood, or has never had a lesson in American government.

Our founding fathers established our divided system of government in response to the tyranny of King George over the citizens of the American colonies. In their wisdom, they vowed never again to submit to any tyrant or dictator. They created a government divided into three equal branches; the Executive, the Congress and the Judiciary.

Each exerts checks and balances on the other to stem any tyrannical actions by the other. The executive/governor proposes legislation and cannot enact any law on his own. The Congress/Legislature proposes and enacts legislation. The Judiciary may rule enacted legislation as unconstitutional.

It appears that Gov. LePage sees his powers to be akin to that of King George, dictating to the Maine Legislature what, when and how to enact his legislation or suffer the consequences.

The Republican-controlled Legislature is relinquishing its role as a check on a governor bent on ruling the state of Maine as his personal kingdom. LePage has sent his message. This is not how a democracy works.

The 61 percent of Maine voters should beware of the path the governor has taken. After all, Hitler began his reign by burning books (removing murals) and having his “brown shirt thugs” intimidate any who opposed his goals (overpowering presence of state troopers at budget hearings and radical Republican legislators defending his goals at all cost).

Robert Michaud, Jay