U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in attend a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017. (Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — In a striking shift of tone, President Donald Trump abandoned his aggressive rhetoric toward North Korea on […]
politics
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Angus King urges Mainers to consider health insurance
LEWISTON — With just five weeks left in a shortened open enrollment period, U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, on Monday urged Mainers to seriously consider their health insurance options, including insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. “Health care saves lives, but health insurance also saves lives,” King told about two dozen people at Central […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Bruce Poliquin backs sexual harassment training for members of Congress
In the wake of reports that female lawmakers were harassed by U.S. House colleagues, a Maine congressman is among those pushing for mandatory, annual sexual harassment training. “It is fundamental to an employee’s safety for he or she to always feel comfortable at their workplace, and it’s past time Capitol Hill move in that direction,” […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Independent Alan Caron jumps into governor's race
Alan Caron (submitted photo) By the age when most people graduate from high school, Alan Caron was a ninth-grade dropout, married with two children, loading tractor-trailers on the night shift to scrape by. It’s not exactly the typical background for someone vying to serve as the next governor of Maine. But Caron, a Freeport resident […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lawmakers return to consider Paul LePage's veto of marijuana law
PORTLAND (AP) — Maine lawmakers are returning to Augusta following Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill to regulate and tax the sale of marijuana. A two-thirds vote of lawmakers present Monday evening will determine whether or not the veto stands. The bill that establishes rules for the retail sale of recreational marijuana was […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Expanding Medicaid a hot issue on Tuesday's ballot
If the Medicaid expansion referendum on Tuesday’s ballot is approved by voters, at least 70,000 low-income Mainers would likely enroll in the federal program to secure health care coverage that many of them lack. For proponents, Question 2 is a way to boost the economy and save lives, paid for mostly by the federal government, […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Poliquin, Pingree weigh in on House tax bill
U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin (AP file photo) Calling for “fairer and lower taxes for Maine families,” U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin on Thursday said of his initial review of a proposed sweeping tax overhaul in Congress that it “could have a significant impact on the amount of take-home pay in people’s paychecks.” The House plan unveiled […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
New Libertarian PAC plans to promote Eric Brakey's U.S. Senate bid
State Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, discusses legislation at the State House in Augusta in 2015. (AP file photo) A new political action committee devoted to supporting “pro-freedom and pro-liberty candidates across the country” vowed Thursday to lend a hand to Republican Eric Brakey’s U.S. Senate campaign in Maine. The Protect Freedom PAC said it has […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Susan Collins seeks to block Russian meddling in U.S. elections
Concerned that Russian efforts to interfere with American elections “continue to this very day,” U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said Thursday that the nation must beef up security to fend off cyberattacks by foreign hackers. The Maine Republican said if an adversary succeeded in compromising a U.S. election, it would “undermine public confidence in free and […]
Posted inNation / World
Republicans’ tax plan lowers mortgage interest deduction cap, cuts tax breaks
WASHINGTON — House Republican leaders on Thursday proposed legislation that would overhaul the U.S. tax code and jettison numerous tax breaks that Americans and businesses have used for years to limit their taxable income. The release of the proposals launched into motion a frantic political effort that could impact almost every American. In a number […]