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There’s frequent floor
I imagine that the polarization of our society into “the best” and “the left” harms us all. It provides stress and anger to our lives and leads to a authorities that’s so dysfunctional it’s unable to move one other CARES Act throughout a time of true nationwide emergency.
Nevertheless, it could be that the sphere of frequent floor is larger than we think about. Whereas there are clear factors of distinction, there might also be areas on which we will agree. Most of us need our kids to obtain training, wherever we would reside. We would like our offspring to discover a path that results in a job that compensates them effectively sufficient to boost a household. And we’d wish to see them obtain this with out buying crushing debt.
All of us need entry to well being care with no need to fret that it’ll bankrupt our household. We would like Social Safety and Medicare to stay sturdy for present and future elders.
In a rustic that represents roughly 4 % of the world’s inhabitants, we home over 20 % of the world’s prisoners. Early intervention and job coaching for at-risk youth could be cheaper and result in a better outcome. Couldn’t we agree on this? And are we actually OK with one out of six families in Maine being meals insecure?
If we lowered the decibels and talked to one another, we would be capable to resolve some issues. And we might most likely agree: sufficient with the detrimental adverts.
Carey Donovan
Bernard
The place is the Republican Occasion?
The place is the true Republican Occasion? Once I began voting in 1961 the Republican Occasion was a part of a viable two-party system that makes up America. However I’m now asking myself in in the present day’s political local weather: the place is the true Republican Occasion?
As a commentator recently wrote, “America wants a Republican Occasion that represents bizarre folks and solves extraordinary issues.” However the present Republican Occasion has change into the cult of Donald Trump supporting his misinformation, rejection of the norms of governance, divisiveness, abuse of our allies, abuse of immigrant youngsters, and so on.
Over time, the Republican Occasion can declare many accomplishments and its elected representatives supported key laws encouraging immigration, enacting legal guidelines for civil rights, voting rights, nationwide environmental coverage, and so on. which the present administration is making an attempt to water down or eliminate. Because the commentator additionally wrote, “The present Republican Occasion has turned its again on its former achievements. It now undermines environmental rules, rejects science, particularly local weather science, withdraws from worldwide accords together with nuclear weapons restraints, and is more and more racist.”
As well as, they’ve misplaced their means on the response to the COVID-19 epidemic and rejected basic needs of the American public concerning inexpensive well being care, protection for pre-existing circumstances, and so on.
Will the true Republican Occasion please get up and be counted? We should overwhelmingly reject a president who disputes the validity of absentee ( mail-in) ballots, and will not agree to an orderly transition of energy if he loses.
Richard Dressler
Glenburn
Science ought to inform coverage
In a column titled “Science and politics don’t combine,” Matthew Gagnon misinterprets the phrase “we imagine science is actual” that seems on some yard-posted indicators. Gagnon interprets it to be an conceited accusation that “science deniers” both don’t perceive science or could flippantly deny something that scientists say.
A extra correct interpretation of the intent of the phrase is that scientific analysis is our greatest supply of information on these subjects the place science may be utilized. Science doesn’t inform us what our values and targets needs to be. Science doesn’t say that we must always attempt to protect human lives or a wholesome atmosphere. But it surely has loads to say about easy methods to attain these targets. The place scientific information is related, public coverage selections needs to be based mostly on that information. Inconvenient truths shouldn’t be denied as a result of they battle with what one needs to be true.
Gagnon says “Politics adjustments every part. When coverage is tied into scientific conclusions, significantly when it’s funded by self-interested politicians, it is ready to be — and infrequently is — manipulated and corrupted by that self-interest.” His implication is that politicians who assist the Nationwide Science Basis and the Nationwide Institutes of Well being can inform scientists what conclusions to attract. This isn’t true.
Politicians can’t inform scientists what conclusions to attract from their analysis. Relatively, the issue is that some politicians and others deny scientific findings that battle with their private wants and targets.
Invoice Farthing
Bangor
Voting is a robust instrument
Our particular person proper to vote is probably the most highly effective instrument we have now in shaping the management of our nationwide, state and native governments. Huge Cash is at all times making an attempt to affect our elections, however finally the result is set by the voters. If we select to not vote, then we’re leaving these necessary selections as much as others and forfeiting our proper to criticize the outcomes.
On this pandemic yr, absentee voting provides us the chance to vote safely and permits us time to make knowledgeable selections. We are going to obtain the poll forward of election day, and we will analysis the candidate’s place on points earlier than we forged our vote. What number of instances have folks been within the voting sales space and located themselves choosing a little-known candidate based mostly on the letter after their identify? Within the races the place ranked alternative voting is allowed, folks could wish to present assist for an underdog candidate who extra really represents their values by rating them first with out the worry of splitting the vote.
Voters can get hold of an software for his or her no-excuse absentee poll now by requesting one from their municipal clerk, or they’ll request it electronically via the maine.gov web site. Accomplished ballots are as a consequence of municipal clerks by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Request a poll early, return the poll early, and don’t neglect to signal the again of the return envelope!
Eric Boothroyd
Dover-Foxcroft
