Keep fighting, Poliquin
U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin will and must continue his challenge to the ranked-choice voting system and the constitutionality of the results. He will because it is his choice as a citizen of this republic, and he has the freedom to do so. He must because he is a representative of the voters in the 2nd Congressional District who twice voted against ranked-choice voting and feel disenfranchised by the results of the new voting system.
It bears repeating that those who decry the challenges to ranked-choice voting as an effort to erode the voter’s confidence in the voting process spent millions in an effort to erode the voter’s confidence in the voting process in order to pass ranked-choice voting. To one eligible citizen there is given one vote. That is the Constitution and, as Poliquin took an oath to defend the Constitution, he is required by that oath to challenge this attack on the very foundation of our republic.
In this light, the argument and subsequent mockery of Poliquin that he did not fully criticize ranked-choice voting during the election and that this somehow invalidates his challenge is at best irrelevant and at worst laughable. Poliquin is bound by his oaths of public servitude to his constituents, the integrity of this republic, and the ideals set forth in the Constitution of the United States. Yet, he is, of course, free to violate these oaths, as some do, for personal ease and deflection of responsibility, but the erosion of the individual voting rights of the citizen will only continue.
No, Poliquin is bound to see this through, to finish this task. In so doing, perhaps, he can raise the awareness of the, too often, apathetic voter. Maybe there can arise enough passion to repeal this travesty.
Andy Torbett
Atkinson
Paid sick leave needed
I support earned paid sick days for Maine workers, and I strongly urge others to do the same.
My first job out of college was at a plant that manufactures kitchen countertops. I remember a three-week period during which I was extremely ill, but I had no paid sick days so I had to push through just to pay my rent that month.
At first, it seemed that I was going in to work sick simply because I was being forced to choose between losing my job, or my apartment. However, when I finally did get myself to a doctor I found out I had been fighting “walking pneumonia,” which could have easily taken my life.
Mainers are hard-working. Mainers are tough. But no Mainer should have to make decisions like these. Four out of six New England States have already passed similar legislation. If Maine does the same, it would finally give 198,000 workers (half our workforce) the ability to take a day off with pay so they can recover from an illness, come back to work more productive and still pay their bills.
Robert Esty-Kendall
Glenburn
Real-life good samaritans
On Dec. 5, my wife and I were traveling north on Interstate 95 about a half-mile from the Sherman exit.
Two deer were standing on the highway. Because of the darkness, I hit and killed both of them.
Even though the airbags did not deploy, my car was a total loss. The traffic was going by, in the passing lane, through the glass and debris.
However, within a couple of minutes, a pickup pulling a trailer went by and then stopped. Two men came back to our car to offer assistance. It was two guys we knew — Darrell and Nick McCrum from Mars Hill.
They waited with us until the state trooper arrived and the tow truck was on the way to pick up the car. Then we traveled with them to Mars Hill, where Darrell McCrum loaned me a car to go home and to get a rental car in Presque Isle the next morning.
When these guys stopped they didn’t realize it was people they knew. However, they wanted to help the one who had just had a bad experience.
Most of the news we hear these days seems to be bad news. However, these two guys care about people and they showed it by their actions. They went out of their way to help us that night and we will always be grateful.
It reminds me of a story, told by Jesus, in Luke 10:30-35 of the Holy Bible.
That night Darrell and Nick McCrum were modern day examples of the Good Samaritan.
Pastor H. M. Carter
Blaine