Rep. Laurel Libby is a licensed nurse. The American Nurses Association, the professional organization for all nurses in the U.S., has a 10-point code of ethics. Provision one is “The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person.” While Rep. Libby was not a direct health […]
Letters
Letters to the editor of the Sun Journal.
Susan Trask: DOGE is state-sponsored cruelty
I think that it is time to rename the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) to DOGC (Depart of Government Cruelty). The depth and scope of massive layoffs across the board in the name of finding “waste, fraud and abuse”) is appalling. The callous indifference to human suffering is staggering. To name but a few instances: […]
Ronald Lebel: Disappointed by changes to SJ’s delivery, publication policies
I write, as a 50-year subscriber, in response to the March 5 notice of changes to the paper’s delivery and publication policies, which are terribly disappointing. First, relying on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the paper reliably and timely is a fool’s errand. Second, when the National Trust for Local News purchased the paper, […]
Jacqueline Smith: Cuts are necessary before US goes bankrupt
For years I have heard people saying that government is out of control, spending way beyond its means, unable to maintain a balanced budget, etc., and that something needs to be done before our country is bankrupt. Today, people are demonstrating outrage because we finally have someone who is not afraid to do just that. […]
Bonnie Brown: EPA can’t accomplish critical goals with massive budget cut
When I was a child I lived next to the Androscoggin River. Sludge floats of toxic industrial waste flowed past my home and out to sea. Fish died by the millions. In 1970 President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency to protect our health through the health of the environment. Between 1971 and 1978, […]
Stephen Bien: Gov. Mills follows rule of law with sports
Gov. Janet Mills and President Trump had quite the dust-up the other day, but the headlines and the hot reaction that have followed miss the point. The issue is simply the rule of law, not the rightness or wrongness of transgender people in sports. Although many seem eager to make political hay out of the […]
Diane Jackson: Kudos to Collins for backing Social Security Fairness Act
I want to express my appreciation to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins for her support and the successful passage of the Social Security Fairness Act. The Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset unfairly targets our teachers, public safety workers and state employees. The restoration of full Social Security benefits is a win-win for hardworking Mainers […]
Robin Hackett: LD 175 tries to fix an unreal problem
Earlier this year Rep. Laurel Libby introduced to the Maine Legislature L.D. 175, which proposes an “Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Ensure That Only Citizens of the United States May Participate in Elections.” Our constitution currently states that “every” citizen of the United States living in Maine has the right to vote. This […]
Audrey Murphy: ‘We must stand up for our female athletes’
While watching the news recently, I was wondering what happened to all the women who stood up for women’s rights in the 1970s. Why are they not standing up today for the rights of women in sports? I saw a New York Times and a CNN report that says 79% of America, and 67% of […]
Krista White: ‘What has happened to Maine?’
The other day, I watched my six-year-old granddaughter receive two first-place awards for participating in her school’s Winter Olympics in Florida. As she stood on the center podium, her face radiated her accomplishments. I thought about the war we battle in Maine to protect girls in sports and locker rooms. I later asked my granddaughter […]