Replacing ignorant juries with informed ones could be an important criminal justice reform. As a general rule, then, we propose that judges should tell jurors the range of sentences, including the statutory maximum and any mandatory minimums, that a defendant would face upon conviction.
Op-Eds
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Congress is passing up a chance to close a tax loophole — and the racial wealth gap
Earlier this year, as part of the American Families Plan, the Biden administration proposed closing a nearly century-old loophole called “step-up in basis,” saying it is “exacerbating inequality.” While many can take advantage of that rule, those who benefit the most are in the top 1% of income earners (earning more than $1 million of income). That group is disproportionately white.
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Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Cal Thomas: You’ve got to be taught to love
We are all now considered members of cliques and groups that must be appeased, not individuals who are members of a union that must be preserved. We live in fear of offending anyone and being tarred with indelible stains of various -isms and -phobias. Who can safely describe what America means? Can anyone agree to a definition, or would they fear being attacked by others who have different ideas?
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion, Perspective
Rangeley’s ‘Doc’ Grant was a parachuting pioneer
Grant had been well known for dashing adventures in the Farmington area, where he also ran a restaurant on the town’s Main Street.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion, Perspective
A 5 year old takes enormous steps while her dad makes sure they’re remembered
Alaina started kindergarten this month — not only a critical rite of passage for her, but also for my wife Lauren and me. Somehow, we kept that little wrinkly blob — which has grown into the spirited, cheerful and insightful cherub she is now — alive and mostly out of trouble all these years.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Glenn Cummings: Invest in Lewiston-Auburn campus to promote economic prosperity in Maine
To kick off the LA to BA initiative, we will undertake a community needs assessment to ensure that we are hearing a variety of viewpoints and addressing the most pressing needs in relation to bachelor’s degree attainment. This will include one-on-one interviews with community leaders, representatives from various backgrounds, and community members.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Mark Ellis and Christian Berle: The Senate just achieved a generational win with infrastructure. It can do the same with equality
The stars are now aligned for lawmakers in Washington to pass clear and comprehensive federal nondiscrimination protections that will make certain every LGBTQ American is fully protected under the law, no matter their zip code. Momentum is building as more than eight in 10 Americans favor a federal LGBTQ nondiscrimination law, including 68% of Republicans.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Leonard Pitts Jr.: Managing a mentally unbalanced president
The question of how to manage a mentally unbalanced president should never have devolved to Gen. Mark Milley to begin with, should never have become his responsibility.
That it did speaks to the unadulterated cowardice of the political party that protected Trump, made excuses for him, lied for him, at every step of the way.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Bob Neal: The Countryman: Can Republicans find relevance?
Perhaps no one better personifies today’s Republican Party than U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. And perhaps nothing better illustrates the spot Republicans have put themselves in than the recall referendum this week in California.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Leonard Pitts Jr.: Activism is not a popularity contest
It is important to remember that the corporation, the politician and the activist answer to different masters. Activism is often a threat to the status quo, while business and politics are its bedrock. And while business and politics are about appealing to people in mass numbers, activism is designed to make people uncomfortable.