Poliquin, Pingree fight for fishery
I’m writing on behalf of the Maine Sea Urchin and Sea Cucumber Association to praise Reps. Bruce Poliquin and Chellie Pingree for working together to achieve passage in Congress of a bill to eliminate onerous and unnecessary U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service inspections of Maine processed seafood exports. The sea urchin and sea cucumber industry supports hundreds of jobs Down East and along Portland’s waterfront, jobs that are threatened by federal bureaucracy and red tape. In an era of unprecedented political discord, Mainers should be proud that their two representatives in the House of Representatives successfully worked together on an issue that transcends politics: the health of Maine’s economy.
Sinuon Chao
Portland
Be the loyal opposition
Now that Donald Trump has won the election, we must come together as a nation, just as President Barack Obama said, but we must not forget that more Americans voted for Hillary Clinton than Trump, and we must not yield on the rights that we liberals cherish: a woman’s right to choose; recognition of love between man and woman, man and man and woman and woman; good schools for all; protection of the environment, clean air and clean water; and action on climate change.
People who chant “lock her up” and the leader of that chorus are not people of goodwill. We must be on guard against their meanness of spirit. The United States is a great democracy. People from all over the world want to come here to live in freedom and have the opportunity to better their lives. We should welcome them. They just want what our forebears wanted when they came here and created this great experiment in governance by the people. It is up to us to be the loyal opposition and protect the gains we have made over the years.
Ann Ebeling
Brooksville
Raise a voice against hatred
The aftermath of the election has hit home. I have an identical twin brother, and he has asked people in New York state, where he lives, who are opposed to Donald Trump’s policies to come to a meeting at his house to form an opposition political group. For this simple, peaceful and once-standard act of civic organization, my brother and his family have been threatened by three Trump supporters. My brother has been forced to send his two youngest children away from their home to protect them. I don’t know if they’ll be OK.
My brother is not alone. Across this country, people and their families have faced acts of harassment and violence in the days since the election because they dare to remain opposed to the presidential administration of Trump. In some cases, innocent people have been victimized simply because they are the wrong category of person, with the wrong religion, the wrong sexuality and the wrong color of skin.
These are the forces that the election of Trump has unleashed. It is our responsibility to counter these forces of hatred and violence with peace and love, not with silence. This is why, outside my work, on my own dime and time, I plan to raise my voice in the days ahead. I hope to hear other voices, raised in a spirit of peace and love, along with mine.
James Cook
Camden
Special Veterans Day
This Veterans Day was a special one for me. I attended a Veterans Day program at the Greenville school on Thursday. The kids and teachers always put on a great show, and this year was no exception.
On Friday, I had several errands to take care of in Dover-Foxcroft before lunch. Although snow flurries were predicted, my vehicle needed to be washed. Rowell’s garage had free car washes for veterans. That was a good start.
Next was groceries at Shaws. I was pleasantly surprised by a 10 percent discount for veterans. My vehicle has veteran’s plates, and when I returned to it, I saw an envelope under my windshield wiper. It was sealed with the words “Thank you” on it. When I opened it, the card read, “Your dedication and service to our country has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for all you have done. Good Luck.” That referred to the lottery scratch ticket in the envelope.
Although the ticket was not a winner, the card is priceless.
Next was a late lunch at the Nor’easter. Another welcome surprise was the 15 percent discount for veterans. All in all, it was a great day.
Jim McKeon
Beaver Cove
Left already on attack
After more than 200 years of a peaceful transition of power, some BDN bloggers are ready to attack the president elect. No congratulation, no well wishing, just right to negativity. You put the car in the ditch, as President Barack Obama said, now we will drive it out.
The lack of class and good old American spirit is completely missing. Their team lost big, and it will lose again in 2018. God bless America.
Dana Peterson
Trenton
Voters reject out-of-state donors
In the last two elections, it seems that people who have no ties to Maine are trying to influence issues on which we vote. These folks have little idea of our culture, and they are trying to impose their values on those of us who live and work here.
During the 2014 election, Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting raised $2 million to support a campaign to ban bear baiting, hounding and trapping, and only 3 percent coming from Maine donors, according to the Portland Press Herald. Then this year, billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent millions of his own money to back the campaign to expand background checks for gun sales and transfers.
Thankfully, both these questions were defeated. Thanks to the unprecedented voter turnout in the 2nd Congressional District, Gov. Paul LePage was re-elected in 2014, and Rep. Bruce Poliquin was re-elected in 2016 and an Electoral College vote will go to President-elect Donald Trump.
What Bloomberg and other out-of-state donors do not understand is our way of life. They need to stay out of our state, our politics and our way of life. We have done a great job since 1820, and we will continue to do so.
Bradford Hamel
South Addison