Welcome to Maine
I would suggest we have signs greeting visitors to our great state stating: “Sorry about our governor, welcome to Maine.”
On the back side of the signs, a message to visitors as the leave: “Take our governor, please!”
Allen Williams
Biddeford
Expect LePage’s arrest
When I read the paper and learned of Gov. Paul LePage exacting personal retribution on a political opponent, my thought was that this is an impeachable offense.
As I learned more about his million dollar extortion of a private company, potentially in conspiracy against a nonprofit, charitable organization, my thoughts (albeit, as a former resident of both New Jersey and Illinois) immediately turned to a grand jury criminal indictment.
Then I learned about his terroristic threats against lawmakers from the Lewiston-Auburn area and homicidal threats against a Bangor Daily News cartoonist.
My assumption was that I’ll read of his arrest one morning.
Jeff Siemer
Stockton Springs
Seniors protected in budget
On behalf of our 230,000 members in Maine, AARP congratulates the Maine Legislature for working together in the spirit of bipartisanship to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto on June 30 and pass the state budget, which includes restored funding for programs critical to many of Maine’s most at-risk residents. In particular, AARP Maine fought hard for funding for the Medicare Savings Program and the Drugs for the Elderly program, both of which provide access to essential health care and prescription drug coverage for seniors and adults with disabilities.
The Legislature made the best decision to ensure tens of thousands of Mainers will still have access to the health care programs and services they need. The Medicare Savings Program covers Medicare Part B premiums, which pay for doctor visits, preventive care, ambulance services and outpatient care. It also covers Medicare Part D prescription drug costs and co-payments. If the proposed cuts had been approved, 40,000 seniors and adults with disabilities would have been cut from the program.
Maine’s Drugs for the Elderly program helps pay for prescription drugs for low-income Mainers who are age 62 or older and not yet eligible for Medicare. If the proposed cuts were approved, even more individuals would have lost their prescription drug coverage through the program.
AARP members voiced their concerns about the proposed cuts to the Drugs for the Elderly and Medicare Savings Program throughout the session. We even delivered hundreds of petitions from Maine residents to legislative leadership. We are pleased that their voices and the voices of Maine’s most vulnerable residents were heard in Augusta.
Rena Heath
AARP Maine Advocacy Volunteer
Hallowell
Rainbow church
In response to the ever-expansive July 1 BDN column by David Farmer and the June 27 BDN editorial, it appears that a new religion has been culled from our Constitution. Is U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy a prophet who writes regarding a marriage lasting into the afterlife? This, too, teaches against the gift of marriage, which is given to a man and woman who complement each other physically and emotionally for family creation, rearing and protection as well as companionship in our worldly journey.
Farmer praises former Gov. John Baldacci, civil rights lawyer Mary Bonauto and others as saintly in their actions, and invokes rebellion to Catholic teaching as noble. These are people who wanted nothing to do with God’s natural order during the campaign of “conversations.” That Farmer resorts to labeling as bigots and haters those who don’t recognize the Supreme Court’s prescription for “lives of loneliness” prevention is indicative that the rainbow church is not so resplendent as advertised.
Donald Mendell
Palmyra
LePage and Eves
Gov. Paul LePage is truly a breath of fresh air in a corrupt political capital. He is presently being taken to task for sticking his finger in the hole of that corrupt dike that was being facilitated by the likes of Democratic Speaker of the House Mark Eves.
Eves apparently saw no unethical or illegal corruption in applying for a position at a facility that receives some funding from the state. He apparently didn’t look for the ethical avenue to gain that position, by resigning his political position before applying for a position in an organization that obtains some funding from the state government of which he is a member.
It is truly even more questionable for a legislator who has fought against funding for charter schools to seek that position in the first place.
Eves wants everything both ways, and why not, as he is a member of a corrupt unethical group in Augusta, where apparently anything goes, unless it is rebuked by a governor that is having none of this type of foolishness and is apparently the only one in Augusta that is placing his reputation on the line to fight this type of corruption.
Eves needs a good lawyer to ensure that he gets his entitlements from his political position. Eves can keep on suing and reveal his true colors, and see if his constituents return him to office. Thanks LePage for bringing this one of many unethical practices to light.
Roger Bryce
Brewer
Support EMMC nurses
For the past few months, Eastern Maine Medical Center and its nurses have been negotiating a new contract without success. The nurses need staffing policies and procedures improved to provide “very good care,” as EMMC requires. I hope the community gets involved to support its nurses.
EMMC nurses work extremely hard. I worked 10-plus years there, not in nursing, and can attest to the problems the EMMC nurses face regarding work assignments versus patient safety.
Hospital infections are affected by staffing levels. Those infections, such as MRSA and VRE, can kill patients. EMMC can quote all the statistics they wish, after all, the hospital pays those health care reviewers hundreds of thousands dollars. Those studies amount to a large industry.
The nurses need all Mainers to support them this time.
Raymond Sheely
Veazie
Volunteer thanks
I simply want to commend the people of the Willimantic-Gilford area for their support of Maine Volunteer Responders during the search for Robert Burton, the murder suspect hiding in the woods in that area.
We were simply overwhelmed with their gratitude, and our thanks go out to them. It is our mission to protect and assist communities of Maine in times of crisis, but their support and encouragement has galvanized our resolve.
Garfield Holmes
Bristol