Among the top priorities for newly selected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was his announced intention to form a bipartisan panel to cut massive spending that has led to an unsustainable $33 trillion national debt. The pragmatist in me cheers, but the cynic in me says asking Congress to cut spending is like asking Dracula to cut back on his consumption of blood.
Alex Lear
A Maine native and Colby College graduate, Alex has been covering coastal communities since 2001. He lives in the Portland area with his wife Lauren, 4-year-old daughter Alaina, and 7-year-old bulldog Walter. He has released four CDs of original music and does occasional research work for Marvel Comics' collected editions.
Alan Casavant and Michael Foley: Biddeford, Westbrook mayors back Levesque
As part of the Maine Mayors Coalition, we have had the pleasure of working with Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque on a range of statewide issues important to each of our cities for the last three years. Jason always looks at the big picture and what solutions will work best for our entire state, not just […]
Diane Grandmaison: Reelecting Sheline Lewiston’s mayor is ‘a must’
Voting to reelect Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline is a must. He listens to the people of Lewiston. He seeks solutions not revolutions. I will share the following example. When I met him, I had a conversation about Lewiston seniors not being represented in Lewiston. Being a 30-year member of AARP and attending monthly meetings at […]
Bruce Rioux: Auburn needs change in leadership
I’m voting for Jeff Harmon for Auburn’s mayor, and for different at-large and Ward 5 Auburn city councilors. Here is why. The current mayor is completing his third term. In that time he has handpicked a City Council, Planning Board, Auburn Water District, and other boards to ensure a majority of votes to promote his […]
Peg Hoffman: Lewiston needs Cooke on its council
The Lewiston City Council needs Billie Jayne Cooke. She believes it takes real, thoughtful action to improve the safety and quality of life of all Lewiston’s residents. She listens to her potential future constituents in Ward 5 who are expressing the need for change. She would work for consensus, with civility and respect for her […]
Jan Biron: Councilor Walker has done ‘so much’ for New Auburn
I am writing in the hope my fellow Auburn residents vote for Leroy Walker for Ward 5 city councilor on Nov. 7. He has done so much for the New Auburn area, from saving the St. Louis bells to spearheading the new clock tower and Anniversary Park, where the Hello-Ween event and Santa’s arrival to […]
Michelle Melaragno: Harmon, Mahr Damien offer changes necessary for Auburn
I will vote against the current status quo in Auburn. Let’s reject the steamrolling of environmental issues, the rampant bullying, private messages that belittle and threaten people who express concerns, public declarations calling residents and experts liars. My votes are for public officials who will listen to, respect, and properly represent the citizens of Auburn. […]
Clarence Page: Conspiracy culture has more of us thinking violence may be needed to fix America
Nearly a fourth of Americans (23%) agree that “things have gotten so far off track” that “true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country.”
Rich Lowry: Anti-Israel demonstrators hate the West
Not only have we largely stopped transmitting the story of our own civilization, we have substituted an alternative narrative that the West is reducible to racism, imperialism and colonialism.
Froma Harrop: Gun cultures need gun laws, too
No one who is not in the military or law enforcement should possess a military-style weapon. No one who has been deemed severely mentally ill should own any firearm. Those reforms shouldn’t be so hard to support, including in gun country.