Vote Collins
As a mother, I have come to see the importance of independent thinking. I hope to instill in my daughter and son not only an internal sense of confidence in their ideas and beliefs but also a willingness to listen to others and to respectfully consider differing points of view. It is with that in mind that I write to express my support for Sen. Susan Collins in her bid for re-election.
A New York Times article listed Collins as one of the top two senators most likely to “buck her party.” Contrast that with her opponent, Shenna Bellows, who was noted to be the most liberal candidate in the entire country by the same paper.
Our senator listens to and works with both sides of the aisle to solve the problems facing our state and our nation. She is the type of leader I want my children to see representing Maine. A partisan like Bellows is not. I hope you will join me in voting for Collins on Nov. 4.
Sarah Day
Yarmouth
Fulford for Mainers
Have you noticed all the signs that are cropping up around Waldo County saying, “Fulford for State Senate”? These signs were made from materials that supporters dug out of their barns, garages and basements. These signs were made by volunteers who believe strongly that Jonathan Fulford is the best candidate for Waldo County.
Jonathan is running his campaign according to the Maine Clean Election Act. He can accept no funds from outside groups or entities. In fact, the only contributions the Fulford campaign received is seed money donated by individuals using their own personal funds (no business credit cards accepted), capped at $100 per individual, and $1,500 total.
Jonathan chose to run a Clean Elections campaign in order that he not be beholden to anyone but his constituents when elected. He wants to help Mainers — real Mainers. He wants to work to improve the lives of the working middle and lower classes, the elderly and, yes, the poor as well. He wants to find ways to allow us all to enjoy energy at a reasonable price without damaging Maine’s precious natural resources.
You won’t see expensive TV ads, nor will you receive expensively printed flyers. You might receive a phone call or a knock on your door from a volunteer, or from Jonathan himself. He wants to personally talk to everyone in Waldo County, to hear what concerns local folks have so that he can better serve us when he gets to the State House.
Carol Gater
Belfast
Trust hunting laws
I recently read a letter about the bear hunt referendum by a man who declared the cruelty of our current bear hunting practices. He claimed we should stalk bear the same as we hunt deer. I have spent many hours in the woods, and I have seen many deer and moose, but in my entire life only seen two bears.
Guess where the writer lives: New Jersey. Let’s not let people without experience sway our opinions. The Garden State — which once banned bear hunting — was forced to re-institute the bear hunt, including the use of bear bait, in 2010 amid rising complaints of nuisance bears.
Furthermore, how is bear baiting cruel? The bear gets lots of goodies to eat and its life is ended quickly and humanely. If you don’t want bears in your neighborhood, realize that their population needs to be controlled.
Our Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife does a great job of managing the deer population by the issuing of a limited number of any-deer permits. I trust their judgment regarding our bear hunting laws.
Marie Nadeau
Hampden
Blodgett accomplishments
To take nothing away from the inductees to the first edition of the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame, it seems an egregious oversight not to include Cindy Blodgett. She earned four high school gold balls and was a four-time Kodak All America selection while at the University of Maine. She was the second woman in NCAA history to lead the nation in scoring four consecutive years, made four consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament and broke 20 school records while at the University of Maine, went to four America East Championships, was the 10th leading scorer in NCAA history and had a career in the WNBA. These are amazing accomplishments.
Gary Parker
Bangor
Kornfield’s experience
Public education has a passionate advocate in Rep. Victoria Kornfield of Bangor. I have the privilege of serving with her on the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, which I co-chair.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of Bangor High School graduates know her as Kornfield, or affectionately as Mrs. K. For 30 years, she led classes known for being engaging, rigorous and, yes, fun, all at the same time. Mutual respect and a joy of learning together were the hallmarks of Kornfield’s classroom.
The Legislature is lucky to benefit from Kornfield’s experience. She knows firsthand how schools work and how students learn. Her voice as a public school teacher is invaluable on our committee and to the people of Maine.
Time and time again, Kornfield demonstrated her commitment to making sure that students — wherever they are in the state of Maine — have the best public education possible. She worked to increase access to early education and pushed for college preparedness and affordability. She advocated for the wise use of taxpayer dollars and protected local control. She fought for our schools by insisting that the state pays its fair share for public education. Now, as co-chair of the Task Force to End Student Hunger, Kornfield is working hard to ensure that students have both the healthy food and academic foundation they need to succeed.
It was wonderful to see Kornfield at work. I look forward to seeing what else she will accomplish in the Legislature.
Bruce MacDonald
House Chair
Education and Cultural Affairs Committee
Boothbay
Don’t repeat 2010
Can’t we see the handwriting on the wall? And if we can see the obvious, why are we still arguing about who will debate or not debate whom for governor?
Last election we got a governor without support of the majority. We got a governor with only 39 percent of the vote clearly because: 1) He wasn’t approved by the majority of voters; and 2) The other candidates split the vote between themselves.
November 2014, guess what’s coming again?
Isn’t it time for the independent and Democratic candidate for governor to join forces and defeat the present incumbent? Or do we want more of the same, perhaps more vetoes, embarrassing gaffes, bluster and arrogance? Isn’t it clear?
Steve Collins
Northport