There are a lot of things I don’t know. I don’t know why Donald Trump is unbothered by the fact that Russia provides Iran with satellite intelligence that allows Iran to target U.S. assets in the Middle East, including the recent destruction of an E-3 Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) plane on the […]
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor of the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
Troy Jackson for Maine governor | Letter
I’m enthusiastically voting for Troy Jackson for governor. Here’s why: I want the next governor to work to bring all of Maine together — we need job opportunities paying a living wage and affordable housing and child care in northern and interior Maine as well as in fast-growing coastal areas. I’m confident that Troy Jackson […]
Millionaires’ tax will be good for Maine | Letter
A proposal approved by Maine Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee last week slightly shifts the tax burden from middle and lower income people to the wealthy. It proposes a wealth tax of 2% for individuals with incomes over $1 million and couples earning over $2 million. For example, an individual with a taxable income […]
Help wildlife survive this season | Letter
This spring, there are a few things we can do to help the animals that are going to be on the move with warmer weather. Insects are hibernating under leaves and aren’t ready to come out until the nights are warmer. Wait to rake leaves and clean up the garden until the nighttime temperatures are […]
What the Muppets can teach us about Maine politics | Letter
For dreamers like me, the Rainbow Connection seems distant. Our political climate has abandoned what I consider the Muppet spirit: a celebration of wistfulness, a collective made strong by diversity and humble and transparent leadership. Contemporary politics has been like shadow puppets: projections designed to obscure the causes of our dysfunctional society. The Muppets offer […]
Platner’s past is the least of the Democrats’ concerns | Letter
Max Cooper’s letter of March 3 (“Don’t allow Maine to be embarrassed by Platner”) expressed anxiety and embarrassment over Graham Platner’s “tattoo” and “posts.” I share in distaste for the Totenkopf, but the Reddit posts, authored anonymously over a period of years when Platner was far from politics, are some of the strongest evidence that […]
An unresponsive representative is a bad representative | Letter
“No taxation without representation” was one of the rallying cries of the American Revolution. It reflected a simple belief, if the government expected our money, our obedience and our trust, then it owes us accountability. Apparently, elected officials no longer agree. I have contacted my state representative seven separate times with a simple question. Seven […]
Maine domestic violence services need proper support | Letter
Maine’s domestic violence resource centers are no longer able to meet the demand for ourservices. At Through These Doors, Cumberland County’s only domestic violence resource center, we were forced to reduce staffing levels due to flat funding from the state of Maine and reduced federal funds. TTD employees provide advocacy through our 24-hour crisis helpline, emergency shelter, support groups, local courthouses and […]
I wish Planned Parenthood would be there for all women | Letter
I grew up in a home where sex was not discussed. It goes without saying that birth control was off the table entirely. Thank goodness for Planned Parenthood. I knew about the clinic because they came to my school to answer questions. I had so many; about periods (menstruation), rubbers (condoms), the pill (birth control), […]
Susan Collins should know better | Letter
I have appreciated Susan Collins often. However, if she truly represents Maine voters, she’d only have to follow recent Maine referendum results, when — just last year — the broadly popular proposal to show an ID to vote got loaded up with far-right wish list items. It was defeated almost 2-1. Rather than supporting Trump’s […]