Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com.
Why I listen to Curry
I have known Chip Curry and his family for the 16 years I have lived in Belfast. I look up to him for reasons that have zero to do with politics. I consider him a decent and caring person, dedicated to his family and community. When he reaches out, I am certain to listen!
In many ways, I try to emulate Curry. He is level-headed, listens well, and considers education for all people as a path to success for the future of Waldo County. He is always looking out for others, while caring very much for his family. To me, he is a great role model to aspire to. I am not at his level. Hence, aspire.
I will vote for him, and what he represents. I hope others will as well.
Eric Sanders
Belfast
Milne’s service and leadership
After decades serving our country and earning multiple decorations for valor and heroism on the battlefield, Col. Duncan Milne achieved his lifelong dream of returning home to Maine. His experience and commitment in all his accomplishments will make him an excellent state senator.
A few examples include building thousands of careers providing family wages and full benefits, being a national speaker on issues impacting disenfranchised communities, serving as president of the Dixon Center for Military and Veteran Services and assistant chief of staff for operations of the Third Marines Aircraft Wing, and piloting an AH-IW attack helicopter.
With his professional background and proven leadership skills and abilities, we have no doubt that Milne will work very hard finding solutions to support small businesses.
Please join us in voting for Duncan Milne as our state senator for District 11.
Ron and Agnes Stauble
Unity
Keep Golden in Congress
Mainers want Jared Golden in Washington. We know political issues in the U.S. impact our Democracy and the quality of our lives as well as the rest of the country. Golden’s got what it takes to get things done in Washington. His military service, and work as a junior congressman, addressing election reform and promoting labor unions that members of congress faced opposition and had little success with in the past. Golden faced these head on.
As a first-term congressman, he worked to expand access to affordable healthcare, protecting Social Security and Medicare, supported Maine’s labor force, helped veterans with mental health and substance abuse issues, military widows receive pensions untaxed, co-sponsored election reform and anti-corruption legislation, worked to protect the environment, postal service and maintain national monuments.
Sylvia Ingerson
Farmington
Savage first and Gideon second
We can stop holding our nose! When we vote, I mean. Because of ranked-choice voting, a vote for an independent candidate no longer means the candidate you don’t like will win. If you, like me, enjoyed U.S. Senate candidate Lisa Savage’s poise and intelligence at the first televised debate, vote for her.
Savage does not believe that corporations deserve the same rights as human beings; she supports overturning Citizens (aka Corporations) United.
Yes, people should put Savage as their first choice. Then vote for Sara Gideon as their second choice. Even if Savage does not win, a vote will go to Sara Gideon – no fear that Susan Collins will stay in the Senate, continuing to support President Donald Trump.
Chalmers Hardenbergh
Freeport
How are we paying for this?
I’m having a difficult time understanding why the entire media industry in America is relatively silent about the spending free for all being orchestrated by the president and both houses of Congress with an election almost a month away. We have even e ssentially heard “we can come down a trillion dollars if the other side will come up a trillion.”
There is no question our government had to act and the need continues, but to recklessly continue burying our grandchildren with our debt with very little or no oversight should be on the news, both printed and televised, every day.
With presidential debates upon us, I would very much like to see Donald Trump and Joe Biden look a group of 18- to 40-year old voters in the eye and explain to them how they, the young voters, will be able to pay for all the promises made to seniors regarding Social Security and Medicare, public sector retirement benefits, pension guarantees for the private sector, life-long disability payments to millions of private, public, and military recipients, trillions of dollars in bonds, natural disasters past and present, and the already crushing national debt, while being able to maintain a standard of living anywhere near that of their parents or grandparents.
Maybe the BDN could start this by asking Maine’s current list of leaders and leader wannabes how they would answer that question without regurgitating the standard “grow the economy,” “reduce spending,” “pay their fair share,” etc. We have heard them all.
Richard Ginn
Bucksport
Gideon will protect rural health care
My husband and I moved to Eastport in 2014 with stars in our eyes. We were heading to a beautiful, isolated part of Maine. Even though the closest hospital, in Calais, is 30 minutes away, we were not concerned.
I didn’t realize how lucky we were to have reliable health care until we made an emergency 2 a.m. drive up the road to the Calais Regional Hospital a couple of years later. Republicans in Washington are doing all in their power to hack away at the care we depend upon. Which is one reason I am voting for Sara Gideon for the U.S. Senate.
Gideon has made rural health care a top priority. She has been working to provide increased funding and resources for community health centers and rural hospitals; to put caps on the cost of insulin and other prescription drugs; to expand Mainers’ access to health care that is affordable; to protect people with pre-existing conditions; to prod the federal government to keep our hospitals open and provide jobs for Maine people.
Sen. Susan Collins, on the other hand, has zigged and zagged on the Affordable Care Act.
I urge Mainers to read Gideon’s health care agenda. Based on her tenacious work as Maine’s Speaker of the House, I know she will work even harder for us in Washington.
Anne Stanley
Eastport