It seems like only yesterday — and in diplomatic terms it was — that the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress were assuring us the nuclear deal with Iran was something to celebrate, as one might laud the winning of a Nobel Peace Prize. More sober thinkers, fearing Tehran would never comply with the agreement, […]
Op-Eds
Posted inOp-Eds
Republican opposition to Trump wilts
NEW YORK — The Republican surrender has begun. Having described Donald Trump as an unacceptable, unconservative, dangerous demagogue, the party establishment appears to be making its peace with the man who keeps winning primaries. The Wall Street Journal editorial page argued vociferously against Trump for months, pointing out that he is a huckster and a […]
advertisement
Posted inOp-Eds
An air of violence in this campaign
WASHINGTON — By international and historical standards, political violence is exceedingly rare in the United States. The last serious outburst was 1968 with its bloody Democratic-convention riots. By that standard, 2016 is, as yet, tame. It may not remain so. The political thuggery that shut down a Donald Trump rally in Chicago last week may […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Don’t gamble with the fate of our veterans
Supporting those who have fought for our country must be a clear priority for policymakers. The Commission to Strengthen and Align the Services Provided to Maine’s Veterans released a report in January outlining necessary improvements to help Maine’s veterans. The report led to the introduction of four bills, LDs 1602, 1611, 1612 and 1625, championed by […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Reform proposal available that would fix welfare system
Mainers know welfare is broken. They have seen with their own eyes that the system is susceptible to fraud and abuse. Meanwhile, they see that its successes at lifting Mainers out of poverty are too few and far between. The ranks of Mainers, including children, who live in extreme poverty are growing. Homelessness continues to […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Proposed $12 minimum wage would cost jobs
Proponents of a higher minimum wage in Maine, led by the state AFL-CIO, have gathered enough signatures to put a proposed $12 minimum wage initiative to a vote this November. But does the proposed 60 percent increase in the state’s minimum wage, from $7.50 to $12 per hour by 2020, go too far too fast? […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Legislation aims to improve teacher quality
There is an important bill before the Maine Legislature — An Act to Improve the Quality of Teachers. The bill sets forth several steps for improving the quality of Maine teachers. As parents, we need new teachers to show strong potential to become good educators. This bill raises the bar to help ensure qualified, dedicated, […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Testing in schools has a positive side
During the past year, many Maine students and parents have confronted public schools in an effort to opt out of state and federal mandated standardized testing. These students and parents are frustrated by their very real perception of over-testing that detracts from instructional time. They also argue that these mandated tests give a false picture […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Party of Trump vs. Merrick Garland
PHOENIX — In a span of about 12 hours, Americans were given definitive evidence that the Republican Party is now in thrall to its most ideologically and tactically extreme forces while the Democrats still look to the center ground and to compromise. Exhibit A: The results of Tuesday’s primaries. Exhibit B: President Obama’s nomination of […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Some good news for discouraged workers
WASHINGTON — Surprise: America’s discouraged workers are finding jobs — or so it seems. Unanticipated by many economists, this is good news for the country (and, assuming it continues, probably for Democrats this fall). Ever since the Great Recession, economists have worried that the severity and length of the slump would forever consign many workers […]