Deficit of humanity
I’m a poor man, born in a poor family, been poor all my life. The struggles for food, health, transportation, safety and spiritual well-being make jugglers of everyone without class security. To drop any one means hardship and pain. These are the dramas of poverty. Overshadowing my personal struggle is this political realm of power-brokers (elected and otherwise) deciding how much poorer I am to be.
I wonder, as politicians and bosses implement policies, if they think of the pain of broken teeth you can’t afford to fix. The despair of a person who loses a job and car in the same month with no way to process the stress. A woman escaping an abusive relationship, but can’t describe it on a million forms yet. The poverty, mental health issues and lack of services creating a Bermuda triangle for children and dependents. Do they know that their decisions can extend and expand people’s suffering?
The tax bill is comprised of many ledger lines. Those lines can determine our lives, define or dash our chances. Security, a healthy family, a fulfilling life; these are fragile propositions for many people.
These times demand hearts braver than division and miserliness; the values of those in power aren’t mine. Austerity violates the safety and dignity of those struggling in our society, generosity honors those.
The only deficit these politicians need concern themselves with is that of their humanity. My hope is in my community and abundance created through collective effort. I stand with the protesters.
Joshua Kauppila
Bangor
Anti-vaxxers endanger others
I was intrigued by Meg Haskell’s recent article about vaccinations and how the issue affects the people of Maine. Haskell perfectly outlined the issue of not vaccinating oneself and the effects that it can have on the people one comes in contact with during everyday life.
As a child of a registered nurse and a nurse practitioner, I have heard countless times that vaccinations are necessary to maintain a healthy life. This article really got me thinking about the issue and my overall opinion on the matter as a whole.
Vaccinations are a controversial topic for all of the wrong reasons. The way that I see it, anti-vaccinators do not have a strong reason against vaccinating their kids or themselves. Vaccines are here to prevent the outbreak of fatal diseases that plagued previous generations. Scientists have worked hard to provide alternatives to illness for people who are too ungrateful and ignorant to accept. These anti-vaccinators are not only endangering themselves, but also the people around them.
Mainers should not only be “urged” to get their vaccinations, but required. Many come up with convenient excuses as to why they did not get their vaccinations. Any excuse that potentially puts your life on the line is unacceptable. Nobody wants to see anyone die from a disease that can be prevented through one quick shot in the arm.
Let’s protect the wellbeing of everyone by preventing diseases, like the flu, from occurring in Maine.
Ben Cotton
Glenburn
EPA helps Casco Bay
Dec. 2 marked the 47th anniversary of the Environmental Protection Agency, calling for a reminder of the numerous positive impacts that the EPA has had in Maine.
Throughout its time, the EPA has been critical in protecting and restoring Maine’s Casco Bay. As a center for tourism, recreation and industrial production, Casco Bay has a deep history and is celebrated as a destination for its beautiful beaches, islands and seafood. Casco Bay has dealt with a number of environmental issues. Maine’s natural environment necessitates things like dumping snow and managing stormwater runoff. Monitoring and solving these issues is essential not only to the health of Casco Bay, but also Maine’s economy in general.
The EPA has provided Casco Bay with annual funding. The money has gone toward efforts to improve water quality by decreasing pollution and restoring habitats. The EPA has placed emphasis on restoring habitats like salt marshes and fish passage, as well as confronting issues like coastal acidification.
There also has been great effort to increase community education regarding the protection of Casco Bay. Public awareness of and engagement with the bay is crucial to its survival and ability to adapt to changing times.
The threat of climate change creates a more urgent need for resiliency and collective action from Maine’s communities. The EPA’s grants and planning have allowed for the construction of a nutrient council, which measures and evaluates nutrient loads in Casco Bay. The EPA’s contributions to the protection of Casco Bay in recent years have been significant and deserve recognition.
Charlotte Youkilis
Environment Maine
Brunswick
Collins betrayed Mainers on tax bill
Sen. Susan Collins has betrayed all the people in Maine who are not millionaires by voting for the Senate tax bill. And unless she actually still believes in the discredited theory of trickle-down economics, she has put the United States at risk by voting for a bill that will give away so much money to the wealthy and to large corporations while growing the deficit. The Republican Party will surely claim that cuts to Medicare and Social Security are crucial to balancing the budget. Will Collins vote with them then?
We were beginning to trust Collins to be independent enough to vote against her party’s proposals when they would be injurious to her constituents, but we now find that she is more interested in helping the Republican Party than in doing the right thing for the people of Maine. She is a disappointment.
Janet Redfield
Lincolnville
Trudy Miller
Northport
Blowing up debt for tax cuts
The gross federal debt is over $20.5 trillion, or $63,000 per person. The new tax law could increase that debt by another $1.5 trillion.
The main beneficiaries of the law will be the wealthy people who contributed to the campaign funds for the Republicans who passed this law. The rest of us will see marginal tax cuts (if any) or major tax increases.
What’s wrong with this picture? It’s not too late to let your representatives in Congress know your opinion.
Steven Colburn
Orono