Last spring, my tween was begging for more independence, starting with being allowed to walk home from school alone. The mile-plus walk involves crossing a few busy streets. I was hesitant; she doesn’t have a phone, so she had no way to contact me if something went wrong. But we practiced a few times (with […]
Op-Eds
Opinion columns from the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
Douglas Rooks: One party owns shutdown politics
The facts are simple. Only Republicans have ever shut down a federal or state government, and only Republicans think it’s a good idea.
Nedra Rhone: Manufacturers need a lesson in toxic chemicals transparency
Some American chemical companies have an important lesson to learn: It doesn’t pay to keep secrets. Earlier this month, DuPont and four other companies filed a suit to prevent The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Rome News-Tribune from obtaining certain documents. Those legal filings reveal how much the chemical companies are paying to settle a lawsuit […]
Commentary: Too many lives are lost to gun violence. That’s a fact, not a fear tactic.
Maine gun safety advocates support laws that do not jeopardize the rights of law-abiding citizens to purchase a firearm.
Commentary: License to kill – Brookfield’s dams and Maine’s rivers
A major July fish kill on one of Maine’s most revered fisheries shows why Mainers must be concerned as Brookfield seeks to renew its dam licenses.
Commentary: Free Maine community college tuition program must be made permanent
Meeting with high school sophomores recently, I had to equivocate about the availability of free college; nobody is sure they’ll have the option. That’s a problem.
Commentary: Maine Clean Trucks proposal carries major economic and environmental benefits
The rule is reasonable and not one-size-fits-all; it will never rush a zero-emission vehicle into a heavy-duty job it’s not ready for.
Commentary: Trump is rotten but shouldn’t be kicked off the ballot
If people don’t want him back in the White House, it’s simple: Don’t vote for him.
Commentary: Significant bipartisan breakthroughs seldom make headlines
My first legislative session featured several impressive examples of cross-party collaboration. Why wasn’t more made of them?
Jim Fossel: Take a long, hard look at No Labels
It’s met the requirements to become a Maine political party; if it chooses to do so, it could cause extraordinary chaos.