Sanctuary state

Maine has become a sanctuary for immigrants at the invitation of legislators and city officials who are accepting these people at the taxpayers’ expense, and in certain cases to the exclusion of actual citizens who need basic services and help with housing and food. Our governor has encouraged the intake of asylum seekers here in Maine.

Maine has become a sanctuary for women who decide they do not want to take responsibility for the baby they carry — a baby who is not safe in its own “inner sanctuary.” Our governor supports this law.

Maine has become a sanctuary for the gravely ill and elderly who, on their own, decide that they do not want to live any longer. Our governor has signed this new right-to-die law.

Whenever I go into a sanctuary, it is never to break any laws. I receive peace, hope, grace — even salvation. In the sanctuary of nature, I can see wonders, smell the freshness, feel the force of the outdoors and hear its response. It is a reflection of nature’s agenda. It is a gift of life — not death. And it is free.

Here in Maine, more people are dying than are being born — this is a fact. People are leaving Maine due to high taxes, lack of good paying jobs and an unsustainably high cost of living for basics needs. Young people are not building families. And now we have a law that takes away the very breath of the aged or infirmed. And it is not free.

What is happening to Maine? What kind of sanctuary is it, really? It seems it is on the road to becoming a national morgue.

Elizabeth Printy

Damariscotta

Drug price action

Prior to being a member of the Maine Senate, I worked for decades as a family physician in Auburn serving the city and surrounding communities. During that time, I saw the price of prescription drugs continually climb, making it harder and harder for the patients I treated to afford their medicines. As a doctor, it was extremely painful to watch the people I worked so closely with struggle to get the medicine I prescribed for them.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies and intermediaries involved in the prescription drug marketplace are raking in profits and paying their executives millions of dollars each year. It doesn’t take much reflection to realize how wrong this system is.

We know that there is no magic wand when it comes to reducing drug and health care prices, but we can’t kick the can down the road anymore. Mainers deserve action now.

That’s why I’m proud of the work the Senate Democrats have done this session to lower drug costs for Mainers. This was a top priority for me in particular before I was elected, and I’m glad to say that I feel we delivered on our promises to take action. The Senate Democrats put forth a bill package to address high drug costs and increase access to medication. LD 1162, 1272, 1499, and 1504 work to protect consumers, increase transparency, create programs to make medicine more affordable, go after the middlemen in the industry and more. The bills all sailed through the Senate with bipartisan, unanimous votes. We promised we would take action, and we delivered.

Sen. Ned Claxton

Auburn

Leave it to the beavers

The recent BDN article reporting on beaver damage to the Sunrise Trail noted that “The beaver who caused the damage will be trapped and relocated…” Just a gentle reminder to the editorial staff that the word “who” refers exclusively to people. Beavers are not people. Any beavers that may have read the article are due an apology, as they likely took umbrage at the implication they are, and rightly so.

Larry Balchen

Jonesport