Schools cutting programs
The Madawaska schools are facing a budgeting crisis. There are proposals to cut pay, positions and programs, to name a few. In the eyes of the community, this is not acceptable.
I have had the opportunity to sit on the sidelines during soccer games and overhear a few disgruntled parents criticize the coach. The coach has endured this for quite some time now.
With the threat of losing the program completely, I have to ask, “How does the coach look now, guys?”
Debbie Clayton
Hampden
Basic level of care
More than 135,000 Mainers are uninsured. More than $48.6 million Americans are uninsured. Although the Affordable Care Act will certainly help to reduce numbers of uninsured and will improve access to preventive services, it is not the cure for our dysfunctional health system.
For that, all parties — including citizens, health care systems, pharmaceutical companies and insurers — must agree that everyone deserves a basic level of health care.
Every day, in my work as a family physician, I meet people who are forgoing necessary testing and services due to cost. In this country we possess the innovation, creativity and intelligence to forge a system that meets the needs of all. A peek into the future reminds us that if we stay the course, far too many vulnerable people will be left without adequate care.
We do not want to be a country noted for vast wealth, yet having many sick and dying on the streets. That is not who we are.
Cynthia Dechenes, MD
Brunswick
Correct uncivil behavior
Socrates told us that the “unexamined life is not worth living.” If he was right, and I believe he was, then we are collectively turning our backs on a window to self-understanding: The way we drive our cars.
Twenty-five years ago, reckless and uncivil driving was a relative rarity in Maine. Now, it has become the norm. What has changed in the past quarter century? The answer sits right in front of us, if we would only look it in the face.
We have lost the ability to care about other people and to respect their boundaries. Worse yet, we seem incapable of seeing, and correcting, our own bad behavior. Driving habits are an indicator of what our values are and how we apply them to life in general.
We would do well to heed Socrates’ warning while we still can. Once this sort of destructive behavior gains sufficient momentum, it becomes unstoppable, and civil society collapses. The song of the canary in the mineshaft is faltering. The question is: Are we listening?
Henry Smith
Sorrento
Will miss Leboutillier
This is a hand raised in protest of the cancellation of the 33-year Maine Public Broadcasting Network’s Friday afternoon program “Down Memory Lane.”
As a 35-year member of MPBN, I have greatly enjoyed the voice of Toby Leboutillier and the golden oldie songs he introduced and also the excerpts from the BDN dating back into the mists of time. The fact that since 2002 Leboutillier did this as a volunteer does not diminish the value of his show to the commuting patients of the Lafayette Cancer Treatment Center and others of the greatest generation and the following not-so-great generations.
His was the Maine expression of wry commentary. This note is not a criticism of the Diane Rehm show, which is also excellent. It’s just to say he will be missed, and, well, thanks for the memories.
Lawrence Mutty, M.D.
Castine
BHS goal, continued help
Last January the Bangor Humane Society embarked on the ASPCA Rachel Rae $100K Challenge. Their challenge – adopt an additional 100 animals, in August, September and October. That’s a total of 1,179 adoptions. Thanks to the hard work of the BHS staff, the local
veterinary community which spayed/neutered each adopted pet, local media for promoting the challenge, and the greater Bangor community, BHS surpassed their goal, adopting 1,209 pets during this period – that’s 1,209 lives saved.
The BHS staff is a bit bummed out, because although they surpassed their challenge, BHS did not win a grant from the APSCA. However, the staff recognizes that with the help of the community they have done a wonderful thing. They have saved 330 more lives than they did in the same period last year. November is not quite over and they have already surpassed last year’s adoptions by 25 percent. BHS needs the continued support of the local media and veterinary community, as well as each and every one of us. How can we do that? When looking for a pet, adopt from BHS. Volunteer to help the BHS staff. Send them a donation. No matter how big or how small, all donations help.
Don Hanson
Bangor
@ Christie McNally,
Wow, what a crock. Collins certainly did trash Ambassador Rice for no other reason than a political one.
Ambassador Rice was doing her job. She delivered the talking points that she was given. If she had done other than that, then that would be a reason to criticize
her.
Collins was spouting the same talking points as Graham, Ayott and McCain. One could close one’s eyes and substitute anyone for the other. This is about getting Scott Brown back in the senate and taking on a close advisor to the President.
There is much to investigate here and Collins should do that, but she should do it in a honorable way, not as she has done here. If Collins were for real, she would be speaking to all the continued cuts to State and identifying our ‘leaders’ who voted for them.
And to speak about Ambassador Rice going on Sunday shows, is patently absurd and another reason dismiss Collins disgraceful witch hunt. The emperor Collins has no clothes.
If Rice was delivering the “talking points she was given” as you say then she was thrown to the wolves by a higher power and what does that say about her employers.
What I don’t get is why the talking points matter, what does it change? Nothing, it changes nothing, Saying it was a terrorist attack right after, or 14 days after Literary changes nothing. The families are not going to all of a sudden say, ohh it was a terrorist attack, then that fine that they died. They are not investigating anything that will help anything, they are investigating talking points, This investigating will help nothing and do nothing.
You have answered your own question. Makes any kind of response pointless.
Because this whole discussion on this issue is stupid. Was any story ever broke. The White house started releasing more information as it came in. If I remember correctly this investigation was only started after all the information was out.
Edit: You responded by the way.
See That’s the problem. The White House didn’t release “more information as it came in.” They did it three weeks later.
yet we know what happened, no need to investigate.
That I am afraid is the whole point.. why is the WH stalling?
Stallinga about what? We know the information about that night.
Most investigations, including local police investigations, with hold some info that is key to the investigation.
Susan Rice was given her talking points by the CIA. Sometimes they change things to protect the people on the ground in these areas that feed them information. Giving people instant or early access to every bit of informatiion the CIA has available is not always a good thing.
And we now know that the CIA had a lot of CYA to cover on this one.
We also know the talking points were redacted, likely by the White House.
Actually, there is no proof that the White House changed anything so you shouldn’t speculate.
But according to testimony we know it wasn’t the CIA. According to the director he knew immediately. Pass on information immediately.
It is possible someone at State did it… otherwise its the White House
Proof?
I would say that as we know it wasn’t the CIA or defense it had to be State or the WH. You need to prove it wasn’t them.
No you need to prove your assertion.
You know as well as I do that the proof is being buried as deep as they can manage.
Really, cause I know exactly what happend that night, everyone does.
The subject of this thread is not what happened that night but what happened in the administration in the following days and weeks. Who made the decision to attempt the coverup? Who made the decision to not send help?
In your first senetence you tell me its not about that night, then in your last question you are asking about something that happened that night. Also what cover up? The administration said it was a terrorist attack 13 days later. There was not pressure at the time to do so. This investigation will not help the USA in any way shape or form. Its literary about talking points.
Anyone with a lick of common sense knowledge about the middle east knows that there are not spontaneous demonstrations that include RPG’s and machine guns.
No they were redacted by other security entities.
Nice try.
Gee, I hope your criticisms also extend to Reagan over the 200 marines blown up in Lebanon (not to mention Iran Contra and his secret wars in Central America to prop up horrid dicators there), and to Bush for lying us into Iraq, and to McSAME for singing “Bomb bomb bomb Iran.”, and to the all the rest of the rotten horrid CORRUPT right wing rottenness this country has had to endure over the years, As to Benghazi, it was a tragedy, and there is no scandal of any kind so enough of that nonsense, Those responsible will be hunted down and eliminated, and security assessments have already been adjusted and improved dramatically. This was a very confusing situation as all such incidents are, and they are investigating. So enough of the HYPOCRITICAL and NONSENSICAL and EMPTY right wing politically motivated witch hunt, and SHAME on Collins for parroting right wing baseless talking points. VERY disappointing.
My nephew was one of those marines who died in Lebanon. The problem was bleeding heart liberals who were so concerned about some civilian getting shot and the bad publicity that would result that the soldiers guarding the facility had unloaded weapons.
The same sort of skewed priorities that made us vulnerable in Libya to an attack. Same with the Cole incident. .
Umm, you mean exactly what should happen. Civilians should not be killed.
Pure BS.
Reagan was the Commander-in-Chief who ordered that the US Marines were based in a poorly protected land base and then allowed them to not take proper security procedures all the whole they could have just as effectively been based off of a secure US Carrier Task Force.
You know damn well that immediately after something like that happens the facts aren’t all known.
They overflew the area with drones…. they had real time intell. Events went on for seven hours. They moved troops into position to help. They had phones calls from staff that there were machine guns and RPG’s. Common sense would tell anyone that it wasn’t a “spontaneous demonstration” over a little known internet film clip.
Common sense tells me this is Republicans exploiting deaths for political gain and it’s sickening.
Or perhaps Republicans hiding complicity… and not wanting the world to know. That’s sickening.
We went to war because of non-existent WMDs. Your party has absolutely no credibility on these kinds of matters. Your feigned outrage on this is sickening. Your “I know you are, but what am I?” routine doesn’t change that and it never will, so you can stop doing it already.
Romney was making political hay of it almost instantaneously, and well before any of the facts were in. I would say the timing of his statements was unfortunate (to put it politely), not to mention the big grin on his face. Now that’s what I would call disgusting.
I do not know Susan Rice and up until the aftermath of the Benghazi attacks I would guess that very few Americans even knew she existed or what position she held. I could care less if she is appointed Secretary of State or not. Four Americans lost their lives in the Benghazi attack and that is a horrible thing. Senator Collins as well as Senators McCain and Graham are right in saying that the American people have a right to know what happened on that tragic day. We as Americans have not only the right but a duty to question the actions of our elected and appointed officials. It is commendable that the afore mentioned Senators are as concerned about not only the 4 tragic deaths but also information that was released to the American people. I do have some questions concerning the motivation of Senators Collins, McCain and Graham however. Senator Collins in the same statement in which she declared that she had reservations about Ms. Rice’s abilities to become Secretary of State went on to endorse Senator John Kerry (D-Mass) for the job. I found that strange in as much as no one has been nominated to replace Mrs. Clinton as Secretary of State. Prior to the United States invading Iraq and as justification for the attack a then sitting Secretary of State went before the United Nations and proclaimed that Iraq had a weapons of mass destruction program. He even went on in great length to detail how they were being. manufactured in labs contained in trailer trucks. Almost 4500 brave Americans have died as a result of that invasion and almost ten years later not one weapon of mass destruction has been found. I don’t seem to recall Senators Collins, McCain or Graham being as outraged over those almost 4500 American deaths as they have been about the 4 in Benghazi.
What should be investigated is the reduction of funding for security for our Ambassadors. The republicans have cut funding by millions over the last 3 years.
that is why they rather investigate talking points, instead of things that would actually help.
Where is the letter you responded to?
Somehow the letter about Susan Collins/Susan Rice got deleted. It was there earlier in the day and when I came back to the Letters, this one was gone.
Good question. Someone seems to have removed the letter from Christie McNally. It was an apologia for Susan Collins.
Strange, huh ?
We should start an investigation and begin with Collin’s office.
Ms. McNally, if Senator Collins were focusing on what failures in security at the consulate caused these deaths, I might treat her inquiry as legitimate. Such an inquiry would necessarily look at Congressional failure to respond to State Department requests for better security finding.
Instead, Senator Collins is focusing on a single round of interviews in which Ambassador Rice merely re-stated the CIA’s talking points. No one died because of those talking points. No future deaths will be avoided were we to investigate those talking points. If Senator Collins wishes to investigate speech, she should focus on the statements by Condaleezza Rice leading up to the Iraq War which falsely warned of mushroom clouds. There we have misstatements that caused over 4000 American soldiers to lose their lives.
Amb. Rice lied about the debacle in Libya to cover-up the Obama disaster that caused the death of 4 Americans. Rice should do jail time and Obama should be impeached for this treasonous behavior. Nothing is expendable to win an election, billions of dollars or people’s lives.
Don’t you mean CIA disaster? Hyperbolic to the end.
BS. Stupid, partisan comment, Bonney. Turn off Faux News. You’ll find a decidedly more peaceful outlook to life.
Does it frustrate you that no matter how hard the right wing is trying, Bengazi just won’t become a scandal?
Seriously, the narrative from you folks changes with every new revelation. The facts of the case don’t matter to you, what matters is standing against the Democrats, facts be damned.
Ummm. that is completely wrong. We know exactly what happened in libya. The talking points after the attack didn’t go back and re-kill those 4 Americans. Also, say they did call it a terrorist attack right after, those 4 americans would still be dead. They are not investigating how the americans dies, but the talking points afterwards. You seriously think what they said after the attack killed those americans?
Rice knew she was lying, but the administration gambled that they could bury the whole incident and present it as not their fault. Rice was put out there thinking her appearance where Hiliary really should have been would grease the path for her to become secretary of state.
By purposely ordering the administration to lie to the American public for political reasons, (to make sure this incident did not damage Obama’s election chances), Obama committed treason. He should be impeached, tried, and put before a firing squad.
The story came out 13 days later with no pressure to do so. THis whole investigation resulted in the Admin saying it was a terroirst attack, and GOP saying why didn’t you call it earlier.
You have put off that test for hydrophobia too long, Bonny. It is time to see your doctor before you start advocating the lynching of the President and Ambassador Rice.
Yep, that test is way overdue. LOL
I see you are still just a plain old hypothetical wacko whom I’m sure supported Condi Rice’s appointment.
Condi Rice also talked about aluminum tubes that she said could only be used as centrifuge components, implying as part of a uranium enrichment program for a nuclear weapon. The State Dept at the very same time was saying, no, the type of aluminum was not suitable for centrifuges, but for missile casings. Big difference, although C. Rice’s sensational description, in line with the Bush admin talking points across the board and laid on thick, is what prevailed… Collins, McCain, Graham all supported C. Rice as SoS.
Personally I DON’T support Susan Rice as SoS, but the reasons are not because of Libya and the disingenuous BS coming out of the embarrassing GOP theatrics and posturing.
Good letters all.
……
You said it. I happens when people watch “reality” shows thinking they are actually real.
What’s that have to do with driving?
Dr. Dechenes, unfortunately, that IS who we are… Attacks on social safety nets that are intended to keep the sick and elderly off the streets are failing, and the streets are seeing more and more of these people. The GOP is NOW ferociously attacking “entitlements” instead of attacking INEQUALITY in incomes, in wealth, in opportunity, in tax policies, and in OBSCENE military spending…
That IS who we are… even in spite of elections, the attacks continue against those least represented, least able to defend themselves, ENRICHING those with the most, those that profit from wars, death and destruction… THAT IS WHO WE ARE…
The only thing missing in Dr. Dechenes letter is the physical fact of people dying in the streets. She has already defined the situation. The only thing left is for the actual fact of people dying in the streets.
Dr. Dechenes: I couldn’t agree more. I’m sure you’re working with other care docs to end fee-for-service, give more latitude to nurses, end drug maker kickbacks, and connect reimbursements with outcomes.