Trump’s ‘war on immigrants’
The opinion offered by the Washington Post’s Marc Thiessen that Sen. Richard Durbin and the Democrats should have kept their mouths shut regarding President Donald Trump’s most recent racist tirade is, in my opinion, nothing less than misguided and irresponsible. Thiessen suggests that the Democrats ruined their chances for saving DACA by choosing to expose the president’s reprehensible comments.
Whatever sympathies one holds for the “Dreamers,” I personally reject that the Democrats should cave in to Trump’s bullying game, one that promises to gain and fund everything that he wants to continue his “war on immigrants.” In exchange for the Democrats’ support, the president’s condescendingly dangles before the Democrats one issue, the possible preservation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
That’s playing Trump and the Republicans’ game, which is clearly one of political coercion and a very far cry from anything resembling cooperation or finding a common ground.
Diane Smith
Holden
Give Congress a clean sweep
It should now be apparent to even the most obtuse citizen than the Congress of the United States is populated almost exclusively by self-serving political wonks who not only do not know how to govern but have forgotten the two most important concepts under which they were elected:
1. They are servants of the American People.
2. They are required and obligated to meet with their opposition and find a way to legislate by negotiation and exchange of ideas with that opposition with a creative and workable result.
A clean sweep of both parties members from both chambers is indicated to me so we may find elected officials who remember who they serve and why they serve.
Frederick Mendel
Sherman
Shameful government shutdown
I am sure this is a difficult time for everyone in the Senate. I certainly wish Sen. Susan Collins well as she tries to salvage the reputation of both Congress and the Republican Party by coming up with a compassionate, decent solution to the shutdown.
I would add that Congress seems to be reaping what it has sown. On the one hand, thanks to recent events in the Senate — such as Republican treatment of former President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, the partisan no-consultation, no-outside input, assault on the Affordable Care Act, failure to acknowledge bigotry in the White House, and Republican shutdowns in the past — Democrats are not inclined to play nice in response to the Republican budget agenda.
On the other, it seems to me that Congress as a whole is rather like a college kid who has put off working on a major assignment until the last minute instead of working on it over time. The result is a crisis, a poorer than necessary outcome, loss of sleep and a damaged reputation.
I hope Collins is as embarrassed by the whole thing as I am.
Jim Owen
Belfast
Support ranked-choice voting
The current people’s veto effort to restore ranked-choice voting applies only to the seven elections that do not conflict with the Maine Constitution. It could, therefore, be used for the June primary elections for Maine House, Maine Senate, governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate, and it can be used in the November general elections for U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
In the upcoming June primaries with at least 10 Democrats and five Republicans running for governor, without a run-off system such as ranked-choice voting, we could easily have major party nominees “winning” with just around 20 percent of the vote or even less. The thought of that is very disturbing. Therefore, the upcoming June primaries are a perfect case for using ranked-choice voting, which gives us an instant runoff system and brings us winners of elections who win with margins much closer to actual majorities and much better reflecting the true will of the people.
For many decades ranked-choice voting has been used in a few cities in the U.S. and nations around the world. It is simple, further empowers voters and is completely nonpartisan. Anyone can go online and use a Google search to find sample ranked-choice ballots used in many places to see just how simple it is.
Please support the people’s veto effort to restore ranked-choice voting, and help put the brakes on the bad trend of the blocking of referendums passed by the people of Maine.
Ron Bilancia
Brewer
Failure to stop elder abuse
Eldercare protection from abuse is a joke in Maine. Commercials on TV and posters on bulletin boards at eldercare facilities advocate that we report abuse to the Department of Health and Human Services when an elderly person is being abuse or exploited. Some of us are mandated reporters, and even that is a joke.
My mother was being abuse and neglected, and I reported it to the Department of Health and Human Services only to be told the level of abuse did not fit their criteria. My mother was suffering in silence, was ordered by the judge to be moved to a safer environment, but the judge did not remove the guardians who allowed the abuse to happen in the first place. There really are many things wrong with the campaign to stop elder abuse when those who try to get help for them are met with opposition, unfair legal practices, biased judges and guardians ad litem.
Where do the elderly turn for help? What do they do when they can’t speak up for themselves and others try to do it for them? If you are not the elderly person’s guardian, you may as well not even try to intervene.
I know my mother is not the only elderly person who has not gotten any justice in Maine. I know there are many families who have gone through the same things as mine. At least the judge ordered she be moved to safety. It’s just not enough to let our loved ones continue to suffer in silence.
Sylvia Healy-knox
Ogunquit