Lewiston and Auburn are considering the benefits of becoming one city. Many say that the communities are too different to merge. But there are differences as large within each city. New Auburn, working so hard to maintain its identity, is distinct from West Auburn, downtown Auburn, or Danville. (Danville was separate from Auburn, until it […]
Op-Eds
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On North Korea and Iran, will Trump back down or double down?
NEW YORK — Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s comprehensive documentary series on the Vietnam War is filled with the stories and voices of ordinary soldiers on all sides of the conflict. But the most tragic aspect of the tale, for me, was to hear Lyndon Johnson on tape, before full U.S. engagement, admitting that the […]
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MainePERS favors passage of Question 4
Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS) proposed Question 4 and is in favor of this constitutional amendment. Bipartisan supermajorities of both houses of the state Legislature voted in favor of Question 4. On Nov. 7, we encourage Mainers to also vote “yes” on Question 4. The first question voters might ask when considering Question 4 is, […]
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The Trump-McConnell detente
That was some chaotic scene in the White House Rose Garden Monday. After lunch with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, the president assured combative reporters and the country that the two are getting along just fine, in spite of the Senate’s failure to repeal and replace Obamacare and an uncertain future over tax reform, […]
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Donald Trump — the poster boy for white privilege
Perhaps you remember Barack Obama’s so-called “patriotism problem.” It was that some people said he didn’t have any. The claim was based on the flimsiest of evidence: his failure to wear an American flag pin on his lapel and a picture, widely circulated online, that purported to show him with hands clasped instead of over […]
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Lewiston and Auburn merger: PRO: Choosing the path that will define our future
The movement to join our Twin Cities is about making government work better for all of us — particularly maximizing the value of every tax dollar we pay. It is also about making LA a better place for our children and grandchildren. This is our mission and responsibility, and on Nov. 7 we have the […]
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North Korea poses cyberattack threat
WASHINGTON — It turns out that North Korea isn’t just a nuclear threat. It’s also a cyberthreat, and in some ways, this may be more frightening. Launched largely anonymously, cyberattacks can cripple essential infrastructure — power grids, financial networks, transportation systems — and inflict social disorder and political anarchy. Immediate retaliation is difficult. All this […]
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Trump refuses to be pinned down on issues
To paraphrase Groucho Marx, President Donald Trump has a position on the Lamar Alexander/Patty Murray health care deal, and if you don’t like it, he has another one. Within hours, Trump veered wildly on the bipartisan compromise on Obamacare that the Tennessee Republican and the Washington Democrat forged at his personal urging. At times supportive, […]
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Trump has a history of indifference to suffering
The story of Donald Trump and health coverage rightly starts with the story of Donald Trump and William Trump. William was born in 1999, fighting for his life. He suffered seizures, and his breathing stopped twice. William’s medical bills were enormous. That’s when Donald tried to remove the infant from the Trump family health plan. […]
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Pence the voice of calm in Washington
If a metaphor could be used for this White House, it might be a two-sided coin with President Trump the head and Vice President Mike Pence the tail. The president tends toward the bombastic to get people’s attention and make his points, while his vice president is calm and measured in his response to questions, […]