Protect Maine’s bears
Maine became a state in 1820. In 1821, it passed what appears to be the nation’s first animal protection legislation. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the oldest animal protection organization, wasn’t founded in the U.S. until 1866.
Back in 1821 and ever since, Mainers have demonstrated they are moral and independent people, unafraid to be the first to protect those in need.
Today, though, Maine has the notorious distinction of being the last state to allow all three practices of bear baiting, hounding and trapping.
A “yes” vote on Question 1 in November will prohibit these three specific brands of cruelty to our bears, nothing more. The “slippery slope” argument from opponents to fair chase is nothing more than fear mongering.
Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting seeks only to help protect Maine’s bears, and, once that’s done, they will close up shop.
Carole Hunnewell
Brunswick
Remove chemicals
In reading the July 29 BDN article on the topic of phthalates, “Dozens call on Maine to regulate chemicals found in plastic household products,” I was shocked to find these chemicals can enter the body through skin contact, eating and inhaling airborne particles. I understand there are many untested and potentially dangerous chemicals in modern-day plastics, but if phthalates leech into the environment this easily, then I believe they should be a top priority among chemicals. Put simply, I can’t stop breathing just because I want to avoid these chemicals, so the only alternative is to take them out of the air I breathe.
Further research led me to find that these hormone-disrupting phthalates cause reproductive harm in men, pregnancy loss in women, asthma, ADHD and developmental changes in children. It may be too early to take these chemicals out of our plastics — even though the European Union is in the process of doing just that — but this proposal to require disclosure of phthalates in Maine products seems like a good first step.
Luis Paniagua
Brunswick
Fair deal
Stable and thriving communities are anchored in jobs that pay decent wages and benefits. The 71 percent of Americans who support raising the minimum wage, according to a new CNN Money poll, understand this. But the situation unfolding at FairPoint Communications shows that, if we want our communities to flourish, it’s not enough to support a pay boost for low-wage workers. We should also oppose corporations that try to slash the pay and benefits of workers who already have achieved a decent standard of living through unionization and hard-fought struggles engaged in over many years.
It often seems like the nation’s corporate elite, the 1 percent, will never be happy until most workers have been reduced to the lowest wages. The hedge fund companies that own the bulk of FairPoint are trying to achieve this low goal right now. If they succeed, our communities will lose not only good service from well-trained and dedicated communication workers, they will also lose jobs that pay decent wages that are spent in our local businesses.
If members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Communications Workers of America in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are forced to strike or are locked out as a result of FairPoint’s job-killing ultimatums at the bargaining table, community members should support the workers by joining them on their picket lines, by contacting legislators and legislative candidates for support and by flooding the company with demands for a fair deal at FairPoint.
John Curtis
Surry
Back on track
Gov. Paul LePage’s campaign wants Mainers to think he has made our state a better place, but in reality he has abandoned those most in need of help and proven to be difficult to work with.
In 2011, LePage slashed budgets, creating a $372 million reduction in tax revenue and disregarding critics who said the budget shortfall would need to be rectified in the future. When a $32 million state budget fix was needed this year, the Legislature handedly vetoed LePage’s proposed budget.
Rather than negotiate, LePage left it up the Legislature to pass its own budget, which it did. This outburst earned LePage his place in the history books as the first Maine governor in recent history to sit out of the budget development process.
LePage’s campaign also points to a drop in unemployment and an improved bond approval rating. However, they fail to account for lackluster job creation and the fact that many Mainers have simply stopped looking for work and are therefore not counted in unemployment figures. As for the credit rating, how can one attribute this to LePage when he can’t even get a balanced budget passed and instead leaves it up to the Democratic-led Legislature?
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud has an outstanding and extensive track record working in Congress for the interests of everyday Mainers. LePage has demonstrated he doesn’t have the patience and civility needed to effectively govern Maine. It’s time to get Maine back on track with Michaud.
Michael Sears
Falmouth
Power plan
I agree with Hugh Maynard who, in his July 29 BDN letter, urged Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to support the Clean Power Plan. If passed and implemented, it should help deal with several of the problems caused by climate change and boost our economy at the same time.
I applaud and thank Collins for her action in co-sponsoring with Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, the Super Pollutant Act of 2014. They are leading a bipartisan effort, finding common ground on critical climate legislation.
The Super Pollutant Act of 2014 will decrease methane seepage from landfills, wastewater plants and pipelines, and use alternative chemicals in refrigeration and air conditioning. It also addresses the pollution caused by black carbon through international efforts to reduce emissions by providing assistance to help developing nations to lower the sulfur content of their diesel fuels, and to develop markets for clean cookstoves.
These particular pollutants are often overlooked in discussions of global warming yet are highly detrimental to human and ecological health.
Perhaps Murphy will join her in co-sponsoring legislation for the Clean Power Plan and some important legislation will come out of Washington.
Duffy Schade
Gouldsboro