King from away
I watched an ad for Angus King for Senate that used the same tactics DCP Midstream used so successfully here in Searsport. They are the ones trying to put one of the biggest propane tanks in the world — 22.7 million gallons — in one of the smallest villages.
They came to Searsport and convinced many that only folks “from away” opposed their tank. Of course that was a lie, but it divided our town. Many of us opposing their tank are most certainly not “from away.” And now King is telling us the same thing. It’s people “from away” that want him to lose. That’s just another lie, but he is very convincing. And isn’t he from Virginia anyway?
Remember when he was governor? He filled his cabinet and regulatory agencies with paper company executives on leave from their real jobs. They had their way with our state, and we are still trying to recover. He brags about saving special places for our kids, yet he opposes a north woods national park. He’s only for whatever enriches him personally. It makes me wonder why the Sierra Club endorses him — something’s up.
I’m going to vote for Democrat Cynthia Dill because she supports the park. It is one of our best opportunities for growth. Let’s not blow our future by voting for someone who calls himself an independent when he is really just an opportunist.
Harlan McLaughlin
Searsport
School choice
I think it is clear that school choice is a harmful path for public schools in Maine to take. Maine’s public schools are open and accessible for every child regardless of economic status, race or religion.
To suggest that school choice would mean parents could choose to enroll their child in any school for any reason without compromising the sending or receiving school is ludicrous. People always have the option to send their students to private schools or pay the going rate to have them educated at a public school out of their residential area.
If we start slowly dismantling the way we provide public education for all Maine students by stripping enrollments from struggling schools, leaving in attendance only those pupils who are financially unable to choose another school, what is the outcome? Hopefully Mainers will be informed about how school choice would affect school budgets and local control. Do we want to be the state that ensures the best for only the entitled? Or do we want to continue the quest to offer the very best public education for all students? This is a noble calling, but it is doable.
The Maine Department of Education has convened a stakeholders group to develop a “public school choice model” to be reported out to the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee by January 14, 2013, and the committee is authorized to introduce a bill related to the report to the first regular session of the 126th Legislature.
Marilyn Temple Tardy
Palmyra
A candidate’s credibility
I have recently seen an ad for Republican Charlie Summers touting his experience and qualities. This comes after out-of-state, secretly funded ads tried to promote Democrat Cynthia Dill to negatively affect independent Angus King, and after out-of-state Chamber of Commerce ads invaded Maine. Enough out-of-state liars are trying to affect Maine elections, because the Republicans are worried about Sen. Olympia Snowe’s seat and are worried that King is truly independent.
But now there’s an ad from the Republican candidate’s campaign touting Summers’ good qualities. The ad neglects to mention, however, that he betrayed his political mentor and former employer Snowe by not endorsing her when she was running because he was catering to the extreme-right tea party.
The ad fails to mention that as secretary of state, he jumped in with Republican Party Chair Charlie Webster on a sham voter fraud investigation that is really part of the nationwide right-wing strategy of voter suppression designed to harm one of our most precious rights in a democracy.
The ad fails to mention that as secretary of state, he is in charge of the election process in Maine but refused to remove his conflict of interest by resigning as secretary of state while running in an election for U.S. Senate. These things make me question the credibility of Summers. I think Maine would do well with the independent voice and respect for Maine people that former Gov. King has shown us.
Randy Schwartz
Manchester
Mitt for America
Some people say Mitt Romney is the same as President Barack Obama. They have to be looking at Massachusetts health care and nothing else. Mitt Romney is nothing like Obama in any other consideration. We have had Obama for four miserable years. The nation accepted the promise of his fine words and it turned out badly. We now know what four more years of Obama will do to America. Let’s vote for Romney and give America a chance at survival.
Cindi Rosso
Palmyra
Standardized testing
I have just read the Sept. 20 BDN article “ School official on leave.”
I’m a retired classroom teacher of nearly 47 years. Your article, giving light to a local school’s standardized testing improprieties, raises serious questions. The measurement of student achievement and progress is a key factor in school improvement and curriculum development. It aids in the process of identifying, developing and refining best practices for all students ranging from the gifted and talented to those with special needs. Important decisions are made based on valid feedback on student progress.
Taxpayers expect these decisions are based upon sound and valid input. We entrust our educators — public officials, too — to discharge their duties and responsibilities in a manner that does not give the perception of impropriety or misconduct. Examples of excellence in all professions and public service should be acknowledged. So, too, should activity that falls below the public’s expectation of right, integrity and accountability.
I trust most would agree that a prompt, thorough and objective investigation will occur and the results should be made public. All parties, including the Maine Department of Education, should be interviewed. A good beginning question might be, “What did you know, and when did you know it?”
Standardized testing procedures should be followed to avoid the suggestion its results have been rigged. Adding these apparent flawed results to other student results who followed clearly established and stated procedures would further undermine the educational decision process that will most certainly follow.
Ted Berkey
Addison
M. T. Tardy, R. Schwartz: good letters.
Cindi Rosso–We only know what four more years of Obama will do if we keep our obfuscating republican majorities in the house and senate. Hopefully he will be given some legislation worthy of his signature in his second term.
And your man Mitt…….A vote for Romney is a vote for plutocracy.
Another term for Obama will lead to what? A kleptocracy A mobocracy? A theocracy? A bureaucracy or more likely autocracy?
Whatever “cracy” we will get will surely be not good for freedom and liberty.
No, the theocracy would come from the Rs/TPers. As for the others, they also would seem more possible with a conservative government.
No the theocracy would come from Sharia, and that can ONLY come with a “liberal”/socialist government. and will if we don’t stop it.
I don’t worry about Sharia in the US and you shouldn’t either (into misappropriate labeling and conspiracies are you?). I don’t remember if you represent the conservative Christian wing but I worry more about their stances, leading to a conservative Christian theocracy.
Do you really think liberals bring Sharia law? It’s not the liberal trying to legislate morals.
Sure they are. Governing bodies set moral codes all the time. The current moral code set forth by progressives is that property earned by one person really doesn’t belong to that individual but to the collective. “You didn’t build that.” Liberals intend to codify that moral code in tax law.
Liberals are so bold as to think this government was formed by “We the people.” Where could they have gotten such a crazy idea? Next liberals will be telling us that we are a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
We need to privatize everything: roads, schools, the military, the post office, the fire department, the police department, you name it. Then we will live in a government-free libertarian paradise like Somalia! Then a businessman can truly claim that he is self-made!
That is not the inference of the Warren and Obama statement and you know it. It has nothing to do with privatizing public works like roads and the police or living in Somalia. It is the mere setting of a public obligation thus a moral code.
Just like that was not the inference of Obama’s “you didn’t build” that statement. You appear to be in favor of out-of-context statements only when they hurt the opposing candidate.
They’re also comfortable with the fact that Romney completely changed many of his positions last week during the debate. Seems they don’t care much about the substance of the issues.
Romney’s Plutocracy eliminates the thought that some of the commoners helped contribute to his wealth.
If you think being liberal is also being socialist, you need to do some studying.
Please note that liberal was in quotes. The term liberal has been usurped by the progressive movement and the progressives are definitly socialists. A real liberal would never support government takeover education, or support a government operated welfare industry.
Yeah – and “Conservative” is in quotes. There is no republican party, just a shambles of politicians dangling tea bag philosophy over the 47 per centers.
I find it funny that one day liberals are accused of taking god out of government and schools, then the next they’re accused of wanting to impose the ultra-conservative sharia law on everyone.
It doesn’t make any sense.
Most of what the so called Liberals do and say make no sense any way.
I am not sure that they”Liberals” even see where they are “Progressing” toward.
You’re the one saying those things though. It’s you that isn’t making sense.
Your Tea Party – dominated GOP is in full reverse. The main goals are to eliminate Social Security and Medicare to plug the deficit. Tax cuts for the upper class will remain along with major support for the oil companies. Forget “Conservative.” Ike is no longer. His fear of creating a military industrial complex will become even more of a reality if Romney gets in and boosts Defense spending by Trillions.
You should open up the Socialistic Medical Care Program provided for Ryan and the rest of the Washington big wigs. Total government coverage – no co-pay required. Got anything like it? If so, share it with the rest of us 47 percenters.
You obviously are unaware of the perils facing the 47 percenters blackballed by Romney.
Republican majority in the Senate? Where have you been? Maybe the Senate would have passed a budget or even voted on one in the last couple of years if there was a Republican majority in the Senate. The Democrats had the majorities in the House and Senate during President Obama’s first two years and he was a member of the Democratic majority in the two years prior to that.
Cindi Rosso–You must be rich as that is the only reason I can see for voting for reversible Mittens, the tax cut is all he has to offer, after all he must pay back his backers Randy Schwartz–Charlie Summers would be a puppet for ALEX, Grover Norquest and anything the Republicans tell him to do, regardless of its affect on Maine. He should resign from Sec. of State as you have stated.
Harlan, face it. Dill doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in you know where of winning. KING for Senate!
Marilyn, yup, school choice is a dangerous gimmick. We need to support our local schools. Although a very limited number of specialty PUBLIC charter schools such as Magnet and Hinckley are ok.
Randy, yup, Summers and his ilk are rotten and Summers deserves to be beaten to shreds at the polls for his LIES along with his Buffoon Buddy the other Charlie the goofball Webster.
Cindy, you are right that Mitt is nothing like Obama. MittTwit is a cardboard FRAUD and consummate LIAR who hates half the country, LIES with every breath, and plays constant musical chairs with his own positions on every imaginable issue. He needs to have a debate with himself and decide just who and what he is so he can stop LYING with every word. PS: Obama inherited a nation losing 800,000 jobs a months thanks to YOUR party’s GREAT TEAPUBLICAN RECESSION. We have now added 5million jobs and are adding over 100,000 jobs a month. And we are not going back.
Cindi Rosso . . . take a deep breath and BACK AWAY from Fix News.
Your man, Mitt The Flipper, is a character that best summarizes all that we dislike about smarmy politicians. The man has no core beliefs and will say and do anything because he wants to be President . .it’s all ABOUT HIM . .not what he wants to do for America.
What Mitt is selling is a return to what has not worked.
No way!
Harlan McLaughlin – Do you NEVER vote for anyone who once was “from away?” My ancestors didn’t arrive in this country from England until 1629. Am I from away?
Harlan, Sierra Club sponsored by your WIND stimulis money. wwindtaskforce.org
Cindi Rosso- I am sure that Mr. Romney will appreciate your support, until the day after the election. Just as Mr. Obama will appreciate his support, until the day after the election. Regardless of who wins, if we elect another Democrat or Republican, we will deserve everything we get. Both of these parties are responsible for driving our country into the ditch and fiddling while Rome burns. They fight like two kids in the back seat of a car on a long road trip. By the time they make it to Pennsylvania avenue, they are so burdened with favors that they couldn’t take care of the average American, even if they wanted to. A vote for either of these two is a vote for more of the same. Thank you sir, may I have another.
Harlan McLaughlin,
Cynthia Dill?? More ‘progressive’ than King (if possible), and certainly not a believer in inherent private property rights. I cannot believe how these people keep getting elected, and the fact that the People are so ignorant of their founding documents to elect them!WL – Undeclared, but registered
After suffering eight miserable years under the Bush administration, it’s hard to believe that some people – Cindi Rosso – would want to go back.
Going back means including Charlie Summers in the retreat. As Randy Schwartz says, Charlie is right in lock step with the Tea Party. A party that wants to suppress voting rights of minorities, eliminate oldsters from driving, and worst of all – kill Social Security and Medicare.
Romney is not a diplomat. His foreign relations expertise is zero. Under Bush, he and Cheney and the rest of the Cabinet scoffed at the warnings of an imminent attack on the USA by Bin Laden. Obama took out Bin Laden. Bush refused to. There’s lots more. All good news for thems that have it. Nothing for the 47 per centers.