Spectacular Fireworks
To the City of Bangor, Bangor Savings, and each and all of the organizations involved:
The Fourth of July fireworks were spectacular! Thank you.
Michael P. Gleason
Bangor
Not just a slogan
While I find the reality of Marianne Williamson having enough support to qualify for the Democratic primary debates discouraging, I think the press’ treatment of her is unhelpful. I spent 2016 running around with my hair on fire saying, ‘If the best we can do is make fun of Trump, then he will laugh his way to the White House.’ Williamson is no Trump but …
I would suggest there is some truth worth examining in Williamson’s assertion that Trump didn’t win by saying he had a plan, but by having a slogan. And further, I would suggest that this is not far off from Bernie Sanders’ stock answer that problems will be solved when the American people rise up in resistance. Both are appealing, viscerally, to a fuzzy-minded portion of the electorate who can’t be bothered with facts but can be swayed by visions. Williamson is no Sanders but…
Trump did not win on a slogan alone, he won on his appeal to our worst impulses, the Republican party using wedge issues to win votes. And because the craven party of Clinton suppressed the development of a deep Democratic bench in service of their own ambitions.
The Democratic party cannot depend on having a candidate who can win on personal appeal. Those who want to defeat Trump will have to get out the vote in sufficient numbers across the country. In my experience of voter intransigence, that will be no easy task. It would be helped by sustained serious investigative reporting on why Americans don’t vote.
Annlinn Kruger
Bar Harbor
Collins works to protect horses
I would like to thank Senator Susan Collins for co-leading the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act. This bill is vital to ending the export of American horses to dinner tables abroad, as well as prohibiting the reopening of horse slaughterhouses within the U.S.
Congress has continuously voted to block funding for inspection of domestic horse slaughterhouses, but “kill buyers” purchase horses and ship them to Canada and Mexico for slaughter for human consumption. The horses are placed in overcrowded trucks for more than twenty-four hours without food, water, or rest. They are then inhumanely slaughtered, and their meat is shipped to Europe and Asia. This horse meat is unsafe for human consumption because, unlike other food-producing animals, American horses are not raised for this purpose and are given medications that are toxic to humans. This bill will protect both human and equine health.
Americans have consistently signaled their desire for positive action as thousands of horses continue to suffer, and the SAFE Act is the solution. Eighty percent of Americans agree that there should be a permanent ban on the slaughter of our horses. I applaud Sen. Collins’ efforts to answer this call from the American people.
Sara Amundson
President
Humane Society Legislative Fund
Washington, D.C.
A bipartisan energy future
Maine has been a leader in renewable energy, and stands to make positive gains both economically and with jobs created by renewables. However, a major problem is that other states have lagged behind in developing renewable energy infrastructure. These states pollute the air that Mainers breathe, as Maine is the ” tailpipe of the nation.”
A new national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) is being introduced by Democratic Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico. The bill would require every state to increase annual sales of electricity from renewable sources by at least the federal standard. No state is at a disadvantage because the policy is focused only on the growth of new renewables. Maine’s state RES puts growth of renewables ahead of the proposed national plan. This means Maine could opt-out, or stay in the federal program and sell energy credits to other states.
Senator Collins recently introduced a bill on energy storage, the BEST Act, and that supports extension of the electric vehicle tax credits. These programs would be well served by a national goal for renewable energy, as the RES would lay the foundation for both energy storage and electric vehicles programs to thrive.
Udall’s RES bill holds other states accountable, while greatly benefiting Maine. Senator Collins should cosponsor the RES bill to show bipartisan support for our renewable energy future.
Nancy Gilbert
Durham