No horse slaughter
Few things are as hotly debated right now as American debt and congressional partisanship. Next Thursday, the Senate will vote on the crucial Udall-Kirk amendment to block tax dollars from going to horse slaughter plants. It’s an opportunity to promote industry and humane treatment for horses while avoiding long-term negative impacts.
Taking funding from agricultural industries that feed and employ Americans to reopen inherently cruel, foreign-demand-driven horse slaughter plants puts American agricultural industries at risk and long-term food safety, environment and community health in peril.
The Udall-Kirk amendment, which has bipartisan support, would prohibit this, keeping tax dollars working for us. Sen. Susan Collins should support both our current industry and our long-term well-being by voting yes on this amendment next week.
Lisa Horn
Sanford
Connection for cancer survivors
On May 11, I attended my first High Tea for the Caring Connections celebration in Bangor. It was a meaningful experience to sit among other breast cancer patients with whom I attend therapeutic meetings at the YMCA every week. Our facilitators, along with many of the doctors, nurses and technicians who have cared for many of us, also sat among us. We watched a video of interviews, recently filmed, with several of our members’ contributions. I don’t believe there was an unsmiling face in the crowd, nor a dry eye. Everyone in the room had a real understanding of the pain and loss endured, the fear and faith experienced. We honored givers and survivors and remembered those fallen along the way.
Anyone who is going through breast cancer or has in the past should join Caring Connections at the YMCA. It’s free. I attend the weekly meeting and join in the swimming exercise after each meeting. No matter how differently we each dress, talk, worship, eat or seek treatment for cancer, we all have a deep connection: We are survivors. And this bond helps us all hold on and recover from the disease and from the trauma. This caring connection helps us realize we are survivors and reconnect with life.
Sue Thibodeau Baumgardner
Prospect
Russell for state Senate
I remember when Rep. Diane Russell told me that she was going to introduce an amendment at Maine’s Democratic Convention to require superdelegates to follow the will of the voters, I thought that a nice idea, but it’s never going to happen.
But, much to my surprise, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton supporters voted overwhelmingly to require superdelegates beginning in 2020 to follow the will of the voters, something that will strengthen our democratic process, thanks in large part to Russell’s bold leadership.
Russell has a history of defying convention to stand up and win strong democratic reforms that improve our system and our way of life here in Maine, which is why this June 14 we need to vote for her to keep representing Portland in the state Senate.
Russell knows how to get things done for Maine. She is a strong, principled progressive, who first and foremost is fighting to create economic opportunity for working families in Maine.
It’s Russell’s fierce determination to do what’s right, no matter what the political obstacle. That makes her the right person to represent Portland in the state Senate. Russell will stand up to Gov. Paul LePage’s reckless policies, take issues to the voters when she needs to and will dare us to dream and fight for the type of reforms that we know are necessary.
Reducing the clout of superdelegates is just the beginning of Russell’s fight, and I can’t wait to see what’s next when we elect her to represent Portland in the Maine Senate.
Whit Jones
Portland
No gun problem here
It figures that retired police Chief Robert Schwartz would buy into the Bloomberg attempt to create more hassles for Maine gun owners. If it were such a great idea, why is so much money to support it coming from out of state? If it was so worthy, why couldn’t just Maine anti-gun folks donate the money needed?
By far the largest supporter is Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety and I resent that New York money trying to make Maine like that place. Maine doesn’t have a gun problem.
Maine people are better than those flatlanders who even want to limit soft drinks. This is just New York foolishness and Maine people want no part of it.
When Everytown for Gun Safety shows me how many people out of the state have been prosecuted for illegally selling handguns purchased, then perhaps I might listen. Until then, why add more laws to be ignored by the criminals?
George Fogg
North Yarmouth
Make a national monument
In 1975, my husband and I started to come to Maine from the Washington, D.C., area. We camped on Mount Desert Island and fell in love with Acadia National Park. We often returned to be near the spectacular beauty of the park and absorb the power and serenity before returning to the urban area and our busy lives.
In September 1989, we moved full time to Hancock County to be near Acadia. We continue to visit Acadia many times a year. We are local and state taxpayers, buy services and goods from local vendors and volunteer for many local organizations. We are grateful for the marvelous gifts from the land owners who donated to form Acadia.
Having a national monument in northern Maine would help bring economic development to the depressed Katahdin region. Visitors to Acadia National Park spend millions of dollars every year at surrounding stores, restaurants, hotels and other places in Hancock County and Maine. Having a North Woods national monument also would give generations of young and old people from near and far a quiet, powerful, beautiful place to go to in order to restore their ability to function in this busy world. Some might even decide to move to Maine and become contributing taxpayers of this marvelous state. Please encourage President Barack Obama to designate the North Woods as a national monument.
Pam and Phil Person
Orland