Since the election on Nov. 6, Jared Golden’s behavior has been a model of civility. He beat Bruce Poliquin fair and square. The courts have upheld Maine’s ranked-choice voting system through several challenges and one judge even said RCV improves citizens’ First Amendment rights by allowing them to state their opinions of all candidates, not […]
Ben Lounsbury
Posted inLetters, sj-web
RCV and the November election
Whether you like or dislike ranked-choice voting, don’t forget that there will be two voting formats on the November ballot: One-vote voting choice for those serving in Augusta, with ranked-choice voting for those hoping to serve in Washington. For governor of Maine, there will be four candidates, but voters will be allowed to make only […]
advertisement
Posted inLetters, sj-web
Sheats will reach across the aisles
I have spoken to Bettyann Sheats many times in her role as my Maine House representative. I have found her to be very intelligent, very well-informed, and very determined to “do the right thing.” Her first concern is the people of her district. She respects the rights of all citizens, whatever their party affiliations. She […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Ranked choice voting and independents
Ranked-choice voting does not favor Republicans or Democrats. It does help independents, moderates and third-party candidates. That might be why both major parties are uncomfortable with it. The major parties might lose seats to candidates who do not tow a hard left-leaning or hard right-leaning party line, i.e. candidates who would be more willing to […]
Posted inLetters, sj-web
Fair funding for highway maintenance
Maine needs to raise more money for the highway fund. The state faces a shortfall of about $50 million per year. It could be done by raising the gas and diesel taxes 7 cents above the current levels of 30 cents per gallon, which were set in 1993. That would raise the price of vehicle […]
Posted inLetters, sj-web
Resuscitate ranked-choice voting
In 2016, Mainers decided that they wanted to use ranked-choice voting to elect their state and national representatives. They knew that RCV would allow them to express support for candidates they really liked without “wasting” their vote and would allow all candidates to compete on a more level field. RCV would help reduce polarization and […]
Posted inLetters, sj-web
Lee will uphold the laws
Citizens of Maine are rightly upset that their legislators have failed to enact most of the referendums that were passed by popular vote last November. A recent comment by Jason Levesque at the Auburn mayoral debate suggested that Auburn residents might be in for more of the same disregard for voter sovereignty at the local […]
Posted inLetters, sj-web
LePage headline misleading
Gov. Paul LePage’s assertion that 7,600 Mainers fought for the Confederacy is another example of his willingness to create fake news and to mislead the people of Maine. The Sun Journal printed an excellent front page article on the subject (Aug. 23), the crux of which was that LePage presented no evidence for his statements […]
Posted inLetters
Medicare for all
The House Republicans’ recent passage of a health care bill (“Trumpcare”) without waiting for the Congressional Budget Office to evaluate it was an egregious flaunting of the grave responsibilities Congressmen have to their constituents and to their country. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, was one of them. He should be ashamed. The GOP bill would take $880 […]
Posted inLetters
Chance for ranked choice voting
I thank the people of Maine for passing the ranked-choice voting referendum in November. The race for Sen. Angus King’s seat is shaping up to be quite interesting more than a year before the election. Sen. King will be running again, but Gov. Paul LePage and State Sen. Eric Brakey have already expressed interest in […]