48 percent mandate
Upon reading the Nov. 11 BDN column “A rough ride for Mainers over the next four years of LePage,” I had to respond. It states, in part, “Over 50 percent of Maine voters backed Mike Michaud and Eliot Cutler.”
For four years, Mainers have had to listen to and deal with the statements from liberals that Gov. Paul LePage was only elected by 38 percent of the vote in 2010. Four years later, with 48 percent of the vote, a clear mandate from the voters, in my opinion, here they are at it again.
I’ve grown weary and bleary-eyed from all the campaign ads and signs, but I cannot be silent over this. LePage was re-elected governor in 2014, whether you like it or not, not Mike Michaud or Eliot Cutler, so obviously a plurality of the voters liked what they saw him do in his first term as governor. So please give it a rest.
Debora Riley
Northport
Attorney general rule making
Regarding the Nov. 10 BDN editorial concerning the governor wanting to eliminate the requirement that the attorney general sign off on rules developed by state departments, the comment that “the attorney general’s office has held up just one rule out of hundreds proposed on average each year” and the comments that follow are a slap in the face to citizen stakeholders and state employees who have worked hundreds of hours to write those rules.
The “one rule out of hundreds” this past year is the one implementing a revised law on vital records access that went into effect in September 2011. Those rules were first held up by the retirement of the rulemaking coordinator, then by a hiring freeze, and in late 2013 by the a deputy attorney general. Her first review of the rules changed a very important “shall” to “may” cancelling a primary intent of the revised law. Seven months later, we received her newest re-write, which three stakeholders are going over line-by-line. The many changes will take hours to analyze to determine their impact. Stakeholders will meet again in December to, it is hoped, finalize the rules and schedule a public hearing on them.
The public and municipal officials have waited three years for these rules. Unless asked to assist with a specific part of the text, the attorney general’s office should not interfere with rulemaking. Someone from that office can always attend a stakeholder meeting or public hearing and make comments just like other citizens.
Helen A. Shaw
Rockport
Onward Program worked
I am sad to learn that the University of Maine has decided to close the Onward Program, which has been a great support for nontraditional students. These are students who did not start college right after high school but after several — often many — years in the Maine workforce. Onward students are anywhere from their late 20s to their 40s, even 50s.
Over my 44 years at UMaine, I found that Onward students were better motivated than most 18- to 21-year-old traditional students. The Onward students had better class attendance, better class participation and made grades at least as good as the traditional students, on the average. If the graduation rate for Onward students is lower than that for traditional students, I suspect it is because the adult Onward students need to continue working in order to support their families. But there are many success stories of Onward students who graduated and went on to have better jobs.
With so many layoffs from factory closings, etc., Maine workers need the Onward program more than ever to give them new opportunities for employment, as well as to have more enriched lives through higher education at UMaine. To best serve the state of Maine, UMaine should give more — not less — support to nontraditional adult students. The state should give more funds to UMaine for this purpose.
G. William Farthing
Professor of Psychology, Emeritus
Bangor
The no-fly pledge
As evidence grows of dramatic changes in our climate because of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, we all wonder what we can do to make a difference. One immediate and effective response is to reduce or eliminate casual, short-distance air travel.
Air travel is the fastest growing contributor to climate change — over the period 2002 to 2050, the overall contribution of air travel to climate change is expected to increase from 3.5 percent to 6 to 10 percent. Flying produces a lot more carbon dioxide than any other mode of travel, and short-term flights are disproportionately polluting because most of the fuel is used getting to cruising height and then almost immediately landing. What’s more, the carbon dioxide released in the upper atmosphere is far more damaging than that released on the ground.
Over a year ago, I signed a pledge to fly only in cases of emergency. You, too, can take the pledge. The Gold Pledge limits any flights to emergencies only. The Silver Pledge limits flights to not more than two short-haul flights, or one long-haul flight, except in an emergency. Find the pledge at http://www.350maine.org/no_fly_pledge.
Karen Marysdaughter
Monroe
Help others, Tim Cook
On Oct. 30, Apple CEO Tim Cook released a compelling, heartfelt statement publicly acknowledging that he is a gay man. I applaud his courage and appreciate his understanding of the positive impact his decision can have on contemporary culture. His work as an openly gay activist can begin. And there is much work to do.
Life has not suddenly become easy for the young LGBTQ person in the hinterland who is still terrified of having their secret sexual orientation discovered. The bullying will continue. The disowned LGBTQ youth will be locked out of their families and homes and move to the streets and shelters, broken-hearted and alone. And tragically, LGBTQ youth will be demoralized and turn to drugs, alcohol and risky sexual behavior at an alarmingly higher rate than their straight peers; and more tragically, they will attempt and succeed at suicide at an even much higher rate than their straight peers.
As a 55-year-old gay man who left the closet at age 19, I joyfully welcome Tim Cook to a freer, honest life, and I wish him all the love and acceptance that he deserves as a member of the human family. I also challenge him to use his wealth, position, power and culturally-imbued privilege to fight homophobia, racism, sexism and classism on a global level. It’s the least he can do to honor all the folks who have invested their energy, time and lives in fighting these related oppressions — and set the stage for his dramatic coming out party.
David Weeda
Bucksport