In announcing the nomination of Linda McMahon, a former professional wrestling executive, to his cabinet, President-elect Donald Trump proclaimed, “As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decision for families.” It’s a reference to school vouchers, a priority for […]
Ben Bragdon
Staff Writer
Ben Bragdon is managing editor of the Sun Journal. Prior to that, he was deputy managing editor for news at the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. Ben was previously editorial page editor for those newspapers and Central Maine Sunday for more than 10 years. Before that, he was managing editor for weekly newspapers at Current Publishing in Westbrook. He began his career as a reporter at the Piscataquis Observer in Dover-Foxcroft and editor at the Moosehead Messenger in Greenville. He has a bachelor’s degree in history from Boston University.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
View from Away: Cryptocurrencies triumphed alongside Trump on Election Day. Let’s finally get some rules in place
Donald J. Trump won big on Nov. 5, and so did cryptocurrencies. The crypto kingpins who poured a fortune into his campaign coffers were rewarded with flattering remarks on the campaign trail and even a pledge to create a new U.S. strategic reserve of digital currencies. Prices soared after the election. In case anyone wondered […]
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Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: The IRS shows what government efficiency really looks like
Between all the talk of fiscal commissions and efficiency agencies, it seems like the question of the day is how to make the U.S. government operate more proficiently. There is no shortage of ideas on what should be cut and by how much. Before any actions are taken, officials should take a look at a […]
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, News
Central Maine arrest log: Nov. 23-29
Augusta- and Waterville-area arrests for Nov. 23-29, 2024.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: A better way to pay for extending the Trump tax cuts
One of the first orders of business in 2025 for Congress and the incoming administration will be the extension of President Donald Trump’s signature 2017 tax law, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), most of whose individual provisions are set to expire late next year. There’s one problem: America’s debt trajectory is unsustainable. Even […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Trump’s rock the boat transition picks supported by most Americans, poll says
President-elect Donald Trump has rocked the boat and roiled critics with some of his controversial transition picks and campaign promises but most Americans believe that’s just what he should be doing. Nearly six in 10 American adults approve of the way Trump is handling his transition, according to a CBS/YouGov poll, a shocker for the […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Is bird flu a risk yet to people?
You may have encountered the term “ bird flu” increasingly online and in the media. It refers to a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A, classified as H5N1. Wild birds carry and transmit this flu, though most do not get sick from it. However, it has been detected in birds and mammals at farms such […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Douglas Rooks: Maine’s easy access to voting has its downsides
Rather than seek to end-run the two-party system, we could try to reform it, the columnist writes.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Plant a seed, change the world
In my role as an ecology professor for the past 20 years, I’ve thought a lot about climate change and ecosystem collapse, which naturally makes me a fun person to be around. I’ve also voted in every election since I turned 18. My experience and education give me faith in the power of small acts. […]
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: How super glue saved my childhood Thanksgivings
For most kids, Grandma and Grandpa’s house is their favorite place to visit. Filled with toys and endless affection, treats and hugs. For ordinary people, Thanksgiving is a particularly special time to spend with family. That wasn’t my childhood. Don’t worry — this isn’t a sob story. My grandparents were an intense breed of Irish […]