Topical articles from members of our community.

Freedom Revisited

It has now been well over a year since Republicans lost control of the presidency and both houses of Congress, yet rather than accept reality and work to improve their voter-appeal (articulating a coherent party platform would be a good start) they have contrived to mount an insurrection and undertake on a campaign of lies calling into question the integrity of an election they clearly lost by a wide margin. Equally offensive has been their effort to distract from an early failure to take the corona virus seriously by characterizing all efforts to defeat the pandemic as violations of God-given American freedoms. 

What these freedoms consist of is anyone’s guess. The Constitution, after all, makes no mention of a freedom to spread deadly disease. Then too, what ever happened to the notion that freedom isn’t free? –that it is paid for by true patriots such as the Ukrainians now giving their all for their country. For Republicans, meanwhile, patriotism seems to have no greater champions than a bunch of self-appointed militia wannabes intent on obstructing traffic from the comfort of their well-appointed trucks. 

Much has been said about the threat such Republican “protests” pose to our democratic traditions, but in truth they are attacks on the notion of government itself. According to English philosophers John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, government is based on an idea known as the “social contract,” a metaphorical agreement whereby at some point on our path to adulthood we all consent to join organized society. Hobbes in particular argued that this consent inevitably entails giving up certain freedoms in order to gain the blessings of human civilization—sacrificial freedoms like the ones today’s anti-vax truckers insist on asserting with such mindless conviction. 

Arguably the greatest blessing of American democracy is its grounding in the liberal ideology of thinkers like Locke and Hobbes, whose views were widely adopted by our Founding Fathers and have lighted our way ever since. It remains to be seen whether the principles they espoused will continue to prevail against those here at home and in Putin’s Russia who would sacrifice truth and the Common Good for subversive ends. 

Dave Inglehart

Bath

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Securing the Vote

Americans are told repeatedly that we can do something to help change things for the better, if we vote. But does each and every one of our votes still count?

Maine’s Independent Senator Angus King is spearheading a bill, designed to update the antiquated Electoral Count Act. He is joined by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).The bill, called the Electoral Count Modernization Act, would support free and fair elections in which all of our votes do indeed still count. Senator King maintains that new laws are needed to inhibit attempts to disenfranchise voters, and that those laws would help secure our election procedures from bad actors like last year’s January 6 insurrectionists, or those who try to overturn elections by shouting “fraud” when there is none.

A discussion draft of the Electoral Count Modernization Act was released in February. In the words of Senator King, “The bill would address many of the concerns vocalized by experts across the political spectrum with the current Electoral Count Act, including the role of the Vice President, how states certify electors, and the threshold needed to challenge election results.”

He goes on to say, “This is an incredibly important effort – but updating the Electoral Count Act should not be mistaken for a substitute for confronting the wider crises facing our democracy. I continue to support legislation to protect voting rights prior to Election Day, and strongly believe that we must clarify ambiguities in the electoral process after Election Day to truly ensure the will of the voters will prevail. Together, my colleagues and I… look forward to contributing to a strong, bipartisan effort aimed at resolving this issue and strengthening our democracy.”

There are many threats facing our democracy here and around the world. The war forced upon Ukrainians by Russia’s ex-KGB leader presents the most pressing example, creating both a political and humanitarian crisis. And the fact that there are those in this country who have openly expressed approval of Mr. Putin for his “strong leadership” provides ongoing evidence that we are not immune from such threats. We must protect and defend democracy to preserve our system of government and hand it over to our children. Ensuring the right and access to free and fair elections for each and every American is the surest way to accomplish this.

Linda Skernick

Bath

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Ranked-choice Voting in Maine

I have heard too many voters express relief that Maine will use Ranked Choice Voting in this year’s election for Governor. Unfortunately, this is not true. On May 23, 2017 Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court issued a unanimous opinion advising that Maine ranked-choice voting law conflicted with Maine’s Constitution so that it could not be used in General Elections for Governor, the Maine State Senate, or the Maine House of Representatives—these are offices for which plurality voting is specified in our Constitution. 

Maine has a tradition of electing governors with pluralities well below the level of a majority: Angus King won his first term as Governor in 1994 with 35% of the vote, John Baldacci won in 2006 with 38.1%, and Paul LePage won in 2010 with 37.6% (he won in 2014 with 48.2%). Since 1990 only two of our Governors were elected by a majority of voters: Angus King in 1998 by 58.6%, and Janet Mills in 2018 by 50.9%.

At this point the following have announced they are running for Governor:

Democratic Party: Janet Mills and John Glowa

Republican Party: Paul LePage

Maine Green Independent Party: Michael Barden

Libertarian Party: no announced candidates yet and

Michael Heath, and Tom Saviello are unaffiliated individuals who have announced they are running independent campaigns.

Candidates are currently gathering signatures from voters. Party Candidates must collect at least 2,000 validated signatures from members of their respective Parties by March 15, 2022. Non-Party Candidates must submit at least 4,000 validated signatures by June 1, 2022 and must remain unenrolled from March 1st until the general election in order to remain qualified as an unenrolled candidate.

At this point it appears highly likely there will be at least three candidates on the November Ballot for Governor, and it is possible there will be four candidates. The winner is likely to be decided by a plurality of the voters.

Remembering Governor Paul LePage, what advice do I give voters? First carefully consider whether it is advisable to sign Candidate’s Petitions. If a candidate doesn’t get enough signatures, they cannot be on the ballot. While one should vote for one’s preference in any Primary election, I believe the most important consideration in November’s General Election will be: do you want to see Paul LePage back in Blaine House in January of 2023? If not, you need to do everything you can to ensure that one of his opponents has the plurality. Paul’s supporters are already in full swing to win the race!

Bruce Hauptli

Bath

Topical articles from members of our community.

Maine’s Democratic Traditions

Like many people in my generation, I gave up on network television, and hence the 24-hour news cycle, over a decade ago. This December, however, as broadcasts blared incessantly from a family member’s television, I was reminded how large, looming and apocalyptic network news can be – challenging all of us to believe we can make a difference in this expansive, complicated world.

I suppose, though, there is a reason “Think Globally, Act Locally” is a saying with a long legacy. It provides hope, slicing a pie otherwise too big to bite into manageable pieces. In Maine we are fortunate to benefit from policies designed to keep power in the hands of our people.

Citizens Initiatives

Did you know that fewer than half of the 50 States provide the opportunity for a citizen’s initiative to alter State statute? The recent “Yes on 1 Campaign” to block CMP’s transmission line is a recent high-stakes and successful example. The only other state on the East Coast that gives this type of power to its people is Massachusetts. 

Citizen Referendum

Similar to the citizens’ initiative, but not exactly the same, the referendum allows citizens to either uphold or appeal a recently enacted law. It also exists in fewer than half of the 50 States. It was recently used to bring the leverage of ranked choice voting (RCV) to Maine’s populace sooner, rather than later.

Ranked Choice Voting

Only two States in the entire country have enacted RCV statewide – Maine and Alaska! Why does RCV matter? Because it allows one to vote passionately and practically. If your preferred candidate happens to be outside or on the fringes of the one of the two major parties, you can still cast your vote for that person without risk of “splitting the vote” or “throwing the election.” If your first-choice candidate doesn’t receive a threshold of votes, then your vote is credited to your second choice candidate. 

Electoral Votes

It’s not new news that Maine is only one of two states to split its electoral votes; however, the fact that Maine has been doing this since 1972 does not make it any less noteworthy. In fact, recent history makes it all the more so. Maine’s electoral votes have only been split twice – in the two most recent presidential elections. While the answer to the nation’s electoral college woes is complicated, no doubt an alternative to the “winner take all” system better reflects the diversity of the citizens within a state’s borders.  

How did Maine so disproportionately end up with so many policies that taken together exist in far fewer than half the States? I attribute it to Maine’s people, who are fiercely independent yet intrinsically woven together, caring for each other as much as they care for themselves. What we have to recognize now is that, as Mainers, we need to stay involved to keep it that way. We really can make a difference!

Jean Guzzetti

Bath

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Making Political Donations Count

The midterm election is less than 10 months away. Besides supporting Maine Democrats up and down the ballot, we Democrats need to do what we can to maintain our majority in the Senate and House. Every day we receive requests for funding from candidates as well as Democratic committees and PACs. How do we choose which to support so that our contributions will make the most difference?  

Sending money to a specific candidate or to national Democratic committees and PACs is certainly one way to go; however, supporting organizations focused on voter turnout may deliver the most bang for the buck. For one thing, it is likely that competitive federal and gubernatorial candidate campaigns and their allied PACs will be well funded. For another, voter turnout is bound to be just as critical in 2022 as it was in 2021, and remobilizing the Blue Wave will be challenging as midterm turnout is typically lower, especially among voters whose party is in power. While candidates and PACs often include activities to support voter turnout, there are organizations specifically focused on voter registration (VR) and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) activities, getting Democratic-leaning voters registered and to the polls.  

VR and GOTV organizations worth considering include The Voter Participation Center, which focuses on registering people of color, unmarried women, and young people; The Center for Voter Information, which targets registering a broader population; and The Everybody Votes Campaign, which focuses on site-based voter registration efforts targeting communities of color. There are many national organizations such as Rock the Vote working on voter turnout, including supporting and training local grassroots groups. There are also organizations that have a broader approach, such as Stacy Abram’s Fair Fight, which, in addition to supporting voter turnout, also supports voter protection and progressive leaders. Then there are organizations such as Indivisible that have multiple missions, including providing local groups with tools to win elections, and Sister District, whichfocuses on voter turnout and supporting down-ballot races in key states.   

For more information, consider websites such as Blue Tent, which helps progressive donors give with maximum impact by evaluating both electoral and nonprofit organizations, and Charity Navigator, whichevaluates 501(c)(3) charitable organizations that support voting rights.  

Finally, don’t delay. Donating now, early in the election cycle, will have the biggest impact. VR and GOTV activities are most successful if they occur early and often, and can be especially effective if they bring local grassroots organizations into the process for training and collaboration, which takes time and money. Don’t underestimate the importance of making even a small donation. Small donors make a difference—in 2020, at least 20 million small donors gave a record-breaking $4 billion to federal races. Let’s dig deep again in 2022 to support our Maine Democratic candidates and our national Democratic agenda.  

Larry Hobel and Diana Staring

Days Ferry

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Why I’m Involved

I am a Democrat.

Today’s political culture – be it statewide or nationwide – is failing my generation. Because of the pressing issues facing our country, we have been asked to put band-aids over gaping wounds. We have stepped forward to share our voices to protect the safety of our environment and ourselves, regardless of sex, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, and all other characteristics that makeup who we are. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to raise my voice during a time of hardship for our country. 

Not infrequently I see a post on my Instagram feed, a notification on my phone, or a news story that makes me wonder: Why? Why is this happening? How could it have been prevented? And not infrequently I wonder what I can do to help. How can I speak for those who cannot? How can I play a part? 

I have always valued the well-being of others and the promotion of compassion for all. I am most passionate about Civil Rights issues, as well as ensuring the safety and well-being of our schools, and on a larger scale, our planet. As a young person, I believe that my voice is important in keeping our democracy alive. I believe that my voice is important in advocating for myself and others. I believe that my voice is important in maintaining my place – and rights – in this country. I believe that we all must speak out when we see injustice. Protest. Advocate. Practice passive resistance. Communicate. Share stories. 

I am involved in politics to do all of these things. When in college, I plan to be a journalism major with a minor in political sciences. I want to spend my life experiencing cultures different from my own and hearing stories from individuals. I want to learn more about governmental policies and decision-making processes. I want to continue advocating for my passions and priorities.

We, as a county, state, and nation, must work together to achieve our goals for each other and for ourselves.

I am a Democrat, and proud to be one. 

Addie Hinds

Grade 10, Morse High School

Topical articles from members of our community.

At a time when Republican culture warriors have been trying to make “Merry Christmas” the country’s only acceptable yuletide greeting (“Happy Holidays” apparently raising fears of a vast anti-Christian conspiracy), we Democrats have reason to observe another seasonal tradition—the New Year’s resolution; if only to help put such petty, partisan distractions behind us. 

Indeed, the occasion for this tradition becomes all the more urgent in view of a litany of ongoing threats to our democracy in the form of bogus charges of election fraud, resistance to preventative treatments for a raging pandemic, a general flouting of science and the rule of law, and a daily erosion of standards of civil discourse.

As Democrats, our response on every level—national, state and local—must be to counter such efforts with a steady stream of truth-telling: testifying to the fair and decisive results of the 2020 election, promoting the use of authorized vaccines and precautions, insisting on the prosecution of all those involved in the deadly insurrection of a year ago, and expressing our solidarity on a wide range of issues.

To this end, the editors of this newsletter hereby invite its readers to submit essays up to 500 words in length on topics of their choice, the text of which to be included in the body of an email and sent to: editor@sagadahocdems.org. Please specify the name to appear in a by-line, and also please note that while incisive argument will be welcomed, vitriol will not. Due to space constraints, articles may be held for publication in later editions. 

As we embark on this effort to help repair our country’s moral and political infrastructure, let our resolution echo the words of one of our most revered presidents, as follows: “That we here highly resolve that these assaults on our democracy shall not go unanswered, and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” 

Dave Inglehart
Bath

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As if the last year’s Republican assault on the Capitol were not appalling enough, Maine Democrats now learn that Paul LePage, who openly refers to himself as “Donald Trump before Donald Trump,” is waging a third campaign for governor.

As governor, LePage’s slogan was “Put Maine People Ahead of Politics” yet he went on to rail against Democrats as “crazy socialists,” vetoing every bill they put forward in his attempt to force the elimination of Maine’s state income tax. In total, LePage vetoed 642 bills, legislation designed to benefit Mainers across the political spectrum: protection of Maine’s fisheries against invasive species, life-saving treatment for drug overdoses, and improved background checks for childcare facilities. At the same time, he simply ignored voter-approved referendums, insisting that they were merely “suggestions,” not mandates—a clear breach of Maine law. 

How would Maine fare under LePage during the covid crisis? As governor, he vetoed five bills and a voter-approved referendum supporting Medicaid expansion, denying Mainers billions of federal dollars in aid. Like Trump, LePage ignores science, choosing “solutions” that serve his own political ends. Rather than mask and vaccine mandates, for example, LePage proposes, “What you should do is let them all have it, get that natural immunity and that’s when you’re going to achieve herd immunity.” This at a time when in states with low vaccination rates omicron has increased 1000% in two weeks and pediatric admissions are soaring. The guinea pigs here would be Maine’s children.

And yet LePage continues to enjoy strong support among Republicans in the 2^ndCongressional District, while Governor Mills is widely viewed as a soft candidate. A recent survey showed that “44% of Maine registered Democrats were either undecided about voting for her or tending toward Maine Senate President, Troy Jackson. By almost two to one, voters who do not support LePage would choose Jackson over Mills.” (SurveyUSA).  The good news is that Jackson has stated that he will not challenge Mills in her campaign for re-election: “Though we may have our differences, Governor Janet Mills has been a strong leader throughout a once-in-a-lifetime public health crisis and has been an integral partner on many issues I care deeply about. She has my support in 2022.” 

As attorney general, Janet Mills stood tough against then-Governor LePage’s uninformed, extreme, and self-serving policies, and on her first day in office ordered the implementation of Medicaid expansion. She has supported Mainers throughout the severe challenges of Covid and climate change, with solutions that have often required forced choices. In ways that her predecessor could only pretend to, she has put Maine’s people ahead of politics and shown that successful governance requires flexibility, input from divergent perspectives, and educated responses. 

The upcoming 2022 election will not be easy for Democrats. We must fight hard, and remain united, for fragmentation at this stage would be a recipe for disaster. Remember, in 2010, Paul LePage won with just 38% in a five-way race.  

Donna Walsh Inglehart
Bath

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As a lifelong progressive Democrat, I am very concerned. I see rigid lines being drawn within the party. I hear a deep animosity toward Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema from many, and I understand why. I’ve done a lot of soul-searching these last months and a good bit of pragmatism has found its way into my thinking as we look to the 2022 and 2024 elections. 

Dems, we need to get out of our silos. We are becoming too rigid in what we want our elected officials to do. We and they are not willing to budge under any circumstances. This is an attitude that will get us nowhere and could result in Paul LePage’s winning the governor’s race once again and a Republican in the White House.

My hope is we can come together as a party. To do this, we don’t need to give up our dreams for the country. We do, however, need to accept reality. Is it not possible to select fewer goals that can be accepted by all of us? We don’t have much time left before we lose the House and possibly the Senate. Let’s concentrate on what we can do and then get it done: voting rights, child tax credit, universal pre-K, and climate change. It doesn’t matter if we agree on one, two, three, or four of these goals. Any of them will bring lasting and monumental changes for the country. Children will be brought out of food insecurity and poverty. Primary caregivers will be able to return to the workforce knowing that their children are safe in school. More of the population will find it easier to cast their votes, and the planet could be on its way to salvation. This is a win-win for everyone. 

Please, let us join together and make 2022 and 2024 count. 
 

Pamela Wischkaemper
Arrowsic