Reject Kavanaugh

The appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court would have long-lasting negative impacts on our liberties, our democracy and, for some, our very lives.

Kavanaugh believes presidents should be exempt from civil suits and criminal investigations. Considering there is already a credible investigation into possible conspiracy between the Trump campaign and an enemy power to undermine our elections, Kavanaugh should be rejected for this reason alone.

Women’s rights regarding their reproductive health is fundamental to the liberty of half the population. Polls show that 71 percent of Americans don’t believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned. The Federalist Society reportedly offered Kavanaugh as a prospective nominee based on his interest in overturning Roe v. Wade. To uphold the previous ruling of the Supreme Court as well as the opinion of the majority of citizens, Kavanaugh should be rejected. It’s likely his would be the last vote needed to at least fundamentally weaken, if not overturn, Roe.

Finally, Kavanaugh is a threat to the Affordable Care Act upon which millions rely for health insurance coverage. In 2011, Kavanaugh criticized the ACA in a dissent in an appeals court case that upheld the individual mandate. President Donald Trump has promised to repeal the ACA more than 68 times, saying opposition to the ACA would be a litmus test for judicial nominees.

Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King need to reject Kavanaugh’s nomination for these reasons. Like it or not, this may be the one vote for which they’ll be most remembered.

Laura Lander

Harpswell

Hydro line bad for environment

As white water rafting outfitters, we oppose Central Maine Power’s proposed massive transmission line through the Maine wilderness. This proposed transmission line, from Quebec to Massachusetts, would negatively impact critical terrestrial and aquatic habitat, pristine and remote trout streams, sections of the Appalachian Trail, the “forever wild” Kennebec River Gorge and the tourism economy of Maine.

The states of Vermont and New Hampshire have already rejected this project because of the negative impact it would have on their environment and economies.

We compliment the state of Massachusetts for its goal to reduce carbon emissions 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. However, there are more intelligent solutions to reduce carbon emissions and attain higher levels of alternate energy in Massachusetts. Solar arrays (residential and commercial) and onshore and offshore wind power are more intelligent and creative solutions than a destructive swath through the Maine wilderness.

Jim Murton

Owner

North Country Rivers

Bingham

Cliff Stevens

Owner

Moxie Outdoor Adventures

The Forks

Why Maine is the nation’s tailpipe

The math and science behind why Maine ends up being the dumping ground for the rest of the countries airborne pollution is really very simple.

As shown and taught in fourth-grade science, our Earth is spinning on an axis. Because the Earth’s circumference is about 25,000 miles, and we turn once every 24 hours, the Earth is turning at a little over 1,000 mph east to west, which is the reason the sun comes up in the east.

The 10 or 12 miles of atmosphere cannot quite keep up with it, giving our weather pattern an apparent west to east flow path. Same for the jet stream, an air tunnel we found when jets started traveling around the world at several miles up. Again, apparently west to east.

Any airborne pollution emitted by any state is picked up by both the jet stream and west to east air flow and dumped on the states to the east of the polluting state. These factors have been known and proven many years ago.

So Maine gets the airborne pollution dumped by any and all states to the west, no matter what our anti-pollution laws do to help. Case in point: a fish advisory exists on trout coming from pristine Maine waters because of high levels of mercury, which is carried into the state after it’s emitted from coal plants in Ohio.

So anyone who believes and votes for states rights (to pollute all they want) either does not know or does not believe that the Earth turns.

Larry Ferrell

Newport

McCain’s last gift

John McCain has given us a final gift: a respite from the daily onslaught of Trump news. A man more different from Donald Trump is hard to imagine. Too bad he won’t be here to witness the coming downfall of the corrupt president.

Peg Cruikshank

Corea

Yes on Question 1

I grew up helping my mom take care of my grandmother who had Alzheimer’s. Once it became too difficult for my mother to do it alone, with her schedule as a teacher, we got home care workers to come in to help her. We went through our grandmother’s entire life savings on home care workers, along with most of our savings, too. These people became part of our lives, caring for our grandmother.

Despite that, the workers, like Jillian, one of our longest serving home care workers, often lived without financial stability.

Now, I’m a home care worker, caring for others’ loved ones the same way Jillian cared for my grandmother. I care for amputees and MS patients in their homes.

But my family struggles to get by. A wage of $11 per hour to take care of others’ loved ones and no health insurance, while providing health care to seniors, just is not right.

Question 1, a universal home care referendum on the November ballot, can fix a broken system, giving workers the financial stability they need, recruiting more workers, and providing families the stability they want and parents the care they need.

John Koon-Dilorenzo

Bangor

Gun range questions

Several questions come to mind about the backyard shooting range on Pushaw Road in Bangor. How far do the bullets from the guns being shot travel if the shooter misses the target? What action has the owner of this range taken to ensure no one will get shot by a stray bullet, such as berms and other safety measures shooting ranges are required to have?

Has the owner had a safety expert come to document that he has the appropriate safety measures in place? What kind of liability coverage does this homeowner have to cover an injury that could occur from this activity in his yard? These are important questions.

Beth Gott

Kenduskeag