Herbig listens
Have you ever wondered if legislators ever listen or talk to the everyday people they represent? Rep. Erin Herbig of Belfast does.
Contacting her to ask if we could meet to discuss an important matter, I didn’t expect to hear back from her right away, but I did. On her way to Augusta for a meeting the next week, she stopped at my home to visit with me. I thought we might talk for a half hour, but she stayed for an hour and a half. She was able to see that what happens in Belfast occurs all across the state. How refreshing to have a representative who can see that larger picture and understand where efficiencies can be found.
Please vote for Herbig to serve Waldo County in the state Senate this November.
Pam Chase
Liberty
Zeigler for House District 96
A few years ago, I was campaigning, working very hard to win the seat for House District 96 in Waldo County. Now, two candidates are running for my old seat. From my experience and my research into both candidates, there is clearly only one person who has the qualities, intelligence and experience for our votes. That is Stanley Paige Zeigler.
Zeigler has the education, experience, knowledge and honesty that we want in a representative.
He is retired after 35 years of being a captain in the Merchant Marine. He has made tough decisions and had to stand by them. He is a father and a husband. He has worked in the logging industry and as a licensed ambulance attendant. He has shown community service by being on the RSU 3 school board and town committees. He has shown that he works for and cares about the people in his district by his actions, not just words.
Zeigler can represent both women and men and their concerns in Augusta. Life is complicated in Augusta. Working as a representative means giving time, energy and tapping into life’s experiences to make good, informed and educated decisions. Zeigler will represent all of us with an open mind and with vast life experiences that will bring maturity and intelligence to the State House. Having been in one term already means he will be working from day one as well.
Please vote for Zeigler to representative District 96 for a second term.
Christine Burstein
Lincolnville
King no independent
Zak Ringelstein is the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. The differences between him and Republican Eric Brakey are obvious. What may not be obvious, though, are differences with independent Sen. Angus King.
For example, Ringelstein supports measures to cut student debt. He wants to abolish usurious penalties — late fees, garnished wages and Social Security checks, etc. — designed to keep people in debt with ever higher payback rates and penalty fines. Compare that to King, who voted to roll back parts of the Dodd-Frank Act, which was put in place in the wake of the 2008 financial meltdown caused by predatory lending.
It is not a coincidence that King has received more than $175,000 to date from the financial and investments industries that want these consumer and student lending protections to go away. As profit-driven companies, these consumer protections put in place by Dodd-Frank would likely affect their stockholders and they will donate to anyone who will maintain the status quo. Compare that to Ringelstein, who is not taking any corporate or PAC contributions. This frees him from special interests to truly represent the people of Maine in the Senate.
Another area where there is a clear difference is regarding military budgets and war policies. Ringelstein wants to provide needed services our veterans deserve and end the state of universal war for profit we have been in for the past 17 years. One of King’s largest individual sources of campaign contributions is military arms contractor General Dynamics.
King is not as independent as he would like people to think.
Jeffrey Kaplan
Biddeford
Nice to hear from Poliquin
I’ve gotten two letters from Rep. Bruce Poliquin. Of course, they say he’s busy being involved and constructive in Washington. I appreciate his writing.
To be honest, I’d love to hear he’s done an about-face on climate change.
Here in Maine, climate change is something to be reckoned with. Farmers in Aroostook County are adjusting their crops and planting schedules. The Maine Department of Transportation is putting in larger culverts along the coast, in anticipation of heavier rains. And the senior housing here in town is putting solar panels on the roofs.
Back home, we here in Maine understand Poliquin has much bigger issues to deal with. He’s in Washington to literally hand out the big bucks. Poliquin and other Republicans cut taxes for the well-to-do and corporations.
The representative writes nice letters. And because he’s in Congress, we pay for his postage. As Bangor Daily News readers know, it’s always nice to hear from our grownup kids with great jobs, great houses and lives, and great stories. We know we’ll get great photos in December.
It’s always nice to hear from Poliquin. He’s always doing well.
Robb Cook
Lubec
Slow climate change
I think that saying the recent Gwynne Dyer column “This is our last chance to avoid a ‘hothouse Earth’” was shocking would be the understatement of the century. It is horrifying to think that we are on the brink of such devastation, but we cannot let fear paralyze us. We still have the opportunity to curb our greenhouse gas emissions by stopping our use of fossil fuels and by moving to clean, renewable energy.
Right now, Environment Maine and its national partner, Environment America, are working to transition colleges and universities to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. These schools are sites of massive energy use but also of innovation, research and higher education, making them ideal for this shift to clean energy.
We have to do what we can to slow the effects of climate change: individuals can change their lifestyles to be more environmentally friendly; governments can implement laws that set communities on a sustainable path; and institutions like colleges and universities can commit to 100 percent renewable energy and lead the clean energy revolution.
Audrey Davis
Portland