This election was not about our national identity or a reflection of who we are as a collection of people. Rather, it centered on whether our most essential requirements as citizens were being served by our government. A resounding number of voters told Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party that the answer to […]
Op-Eds
Opinion columns from the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
Commentary: The fall of the Berlin Wall showed us how quickly transformative change can happen
In 1987, celebrating the 750th anniversary of its founding, the two sides of Berlin — the capitalist West and the socialist East — spent the year competing to see who could showcase the best cultural, historical and political events. On a hot summer day in June, I was among the U.S. Army and Air Force […]
Ray Vensel: A glimmer of hope for public education
Gov. Mills’ executive order to establish a commission to study school construction policy and funding is an important step to keeping taxpayer funds from going to private schools, the columnist writes.
Opinion: Three priorities for New England in lame duck session
The upcoming Dec. 20 deadline should be looked on as an opportunity for Congress.
Commentary: Don’t fail our children by abolishing the Department of Education
Imagine a school where a child grappling with anxiety or depression walks the halls without access to vital mental health support — no counselors, no programs, just in silence. This unsettling scenario could become a reality if Republican proposals to abolish the Department of Education gain traction, jeopardizing not only educational standards but the emotional […]
Douglas Rooks: Ranked-choice voting fails, but Clean Election endures
Ranked choice is causing confusion. Meanwhile, clean elections show their worth, the columnist writes.
Commentary: Turning election anxiety into positive action
The 2024 election has come and gone, leaving a nation still reeling from the aftershocks of a deeply divisive campaign season. Regardless of party affiliation, Americans from all walks of life are grappling with the weight of uncertainty. Anxiety, fear and a sense of unease linger in the air, a potent mix of emotions that […]
Opinion: Trump is likely to make Americans miserable again
The next four years may take our nation into the authoritarian mold all too familiar to the people of Hungary, Russia, China and North Korea.
Opinion: The president isn’t some omnipotent supervillain
We are also a nation of laws. Everything you might be fearful of cannot come to pass.
Maine Compass: The struggle to just exist in the face of anti-trans rhetoric
I am only a person. Yet the weight of anti-trans rhetoric bears down on me, Rien Finch writes.