Trump dishonors presidency
I didn’t realize just how much I have been affected by this present administration until recently. I received a catalog, which I’ve had in previous years, from The White House Historical Association. It contains Christmas ornaments, china, clothing items, toys, all with various emblems, logos of the White House. I have previously enjoyed looking at their wares, but suddenly realized my lips were curled.
President Donald Trump has so dishonored the office of the president, and besmirched the institution and the image of the White House that I unconsciously reacted in this way. His paranoia regarding former President Barack Obama, his constant lies and infantile hitting out at anyone who disagrees with him have disrupted any progress that could have been made in Washington and made the U.S. a laughingstock to the rest of the free world.
One thing I’m sure of is that I’m not the only loyal American to be embarrassed and enraged by the present administration. Washington is surely full of well-intentioned senators and representatives who are mired in the “mud season” created by Trump.
Thank you, Sen. Susan Collins, for your decision to stay the course, and thanks to Sen. Angus King. I am proud of both our senators for their vigilant and honest attempts to do their best for Maine and for the American people. I believe they both subscribe to something President Rutherford B. Hayes said: “He serves his Party best who serves his Country best.”
All I can say is, “Hurry up, Bob Mueller. The country can’t stand this much longer.”
Thelma H. White
Sorrento
Death of ‘Big John’
The ancestors of “Big John” the bear needed three items to make bear hunting fairer: sling shots so they can shoot back, huge sums of money to bait the guides and hunters, and trained Martians to track the hunters. Let’s become bear fair.
Jim Barrows
Brownville
Fishing intertidal zone
Rockweed is a fish. I pronounce that because I am a fisherman, and I fish for rockweed.
We, the people of Maine, have a right to fish in the intertidal zone. That is not the right to catch fish, but the right to ply the ancient trade of fishing. Because if fishing is to catch fish, what is a clam, a periwinkle, or a bloodworm? Those are as similar to fish as your job is to mine.
When I say we have a right to fish, what I mean is you have the right to fish if you can get a license. Were you born into a lobster clan? Does the town you live in have clam flats and will the shellfish board issue you a license? Did you get an elver, scallop, or urchin license decades ago when they were open fisheries and renew them each year till now? That is how you get those licenses. For the rest of us, there’s picking periwinkles and digging worms, or depending on how the Maine Supreme Judicial Court rules in an appeal of a superior court ruling that barred harvesting in intertidal zones with landowner permission, fishing for rockweed.
But if the rockweed isn’t ours, there is still hope. That retired professor may let you harvest the peninsula he summers on, or that trust fund heir may let you harvest the ledge that forms the cove his home overlooks. Failing all else, you might get hired to mow their lawns.
Dave Olsen
Columbia
Tax carbon emissions
One can just follow the money to see who funded the few studies that deny climate change — big oil. They can’t help themselves; the climate deniers in Congress get huge sums from the oil companies in political contributions. Just as we accept the science of modern medical treatment when we are sick, we should accept the modern science that tells us that climate change is real and it is largely caused by man’s activities.
Yes, it is not an exact science, just like medicine, and weather predictions are not exact, but we ignore doctors’ orders and weather forecasts at our peril. Although we cannot point to the recent occurrences of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria as absolute proof of climate change, hurricane energy comes from warm air and warm oceans. As the air and oceans become warmer, the intensity of storms increases. Until we do something about our use of carbon, we will be leaving a world to our children worse than we found it.
Let’s learn from history. Cigarette taxes have been highly effective in reducing smoking. Similarly, leading economists agree that the best method to reduce carbon output is through a carbon fee. To ease the impact of the fee on the people, they propose that the fee be returned directly to the people in the form of a dividend. Let’s let our legislators know that we support the Citizens’ Climate Lobby program for a carbon fee and dividend.
Jeffrey Jones
Bangor
Paradis for Belfast mayor
It is with pleasure that I endorse Samantha Paradis for mayor of Belfast. Paradis is a gifted nurse at Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast and a leader in Waldo County.
I met Paradis when she started the group Aging Well in Waldo County. I found it odd that a young woman would have such passion for the needs of the aging. Her strong, intelligent leadership has brought together a diverse group of dedicated elders. The monthly meetings are notable in that they begin and end on time, with much accomplished in the meantime.
As I age, it fills me with pleasure to see members of the next generation coming up strong and capable, people like Paradis. I encourage those of you who can vote in this election to show up at the polls and vote for this bright light on the horizon.
It is a gift to have such an accomplished woman in Belfast aspiring to be the new mayor of our county seat.
Jennifer Hill
Waldo
Election notice
The BDN will stop accepting letters and OpEds related to the Nov. 7 election on Oct. 28. Not all submissions can be published.