What a difference a year makes.

It was, for instance, only last winter that, as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate, I called for an ordinance to remove Bush from our town limits on charges of war criminality. The “Youtube” video of this was widely replayed and the international response was strong and supportive.

However, some local reactions to this call for indictment of the president were less than favorable. Town officials shuddered and swiftly rejected the idea. Selectman Kristi Bryant scorned the effort and called it a campaign stunt in the paper. Who’s laughing at Bush’s antics now, as we are undone by his unbearable legacy of greed, criminality and corruption?

Our campaign also correctly forecasted the economic crisis far earlier than any other candidates, with specific emergency measures to counteract the impending disaster.Had serious debate been allowed to enter the national conversation from candidates free from the major parties’ controls, who knows how much we could have helped Mainers?

Now it’s more acceptable to call for Bush’s prosecution and for accountability to our laws on the overreaching of power. However this needful dialogue comes too little, too late. Denial and delay have proven deadly for our economy, and the primary perpetrator walks free. I hope independent candidates will be taken more seriously. We called accurately for change before it became easy and this is the mark of leadership, which Maine needs now, more than ever.

Laurie Dobson

Kennebunkport