Vote the bums out
To the editor:
Even though it’s been asked many times, I ask you are we better off today then we were four years ago? I say ‘hell no’ as unemployment is higher than it ever was, industries on U.S. soil are all going bankrupt or being shut down for lack of orders, and this has been going on ever since President Obama got elected by offering hope and change. Looks like he got what he hoped for and we got a little change.
This man had no experience in economics or foreign policy. As a senator from Chicago he always voted present because he never studied the issues and didn’t know the two most important words in the English language when voting — yes and no. His socialistic background was engrained in him since early childhood and he always was a government drone who made pretty speeches in front of a teleprompter and mesmerized the idiots who are allowed to vote in this country because of their inherent freedoms.
The shame of it all, is this man is allowed to campaign on our dime for another shot at the presidency when in fact he’s been doing it for four years since he’s been in office and accomplished nothing else. He hasn’t shown any respect for the private sector in this country — favored big government and union hacks and put this country on the road to socialism which leads to communism and we all know that this has never worked in countries around the world. When citizens are represented by a government that alludes to be their savior from the cradle to the grave, dependency on the government becomes engraved in their persona and they get very mean when every thing collapses around them.
If this country continues down the same old path of governance and the imminent crash of high technology, the Dark Ages will come back and it will be the survival of the fittest. We can only change the course of destiny by a common sense approach that will affect everyone in this country and accept the fact that we’re all at fault and start living within our means and pay off the astronomical debt and start over with a clean slate. Only then will we bring back our country to be the shining star to the world it once was — looked up to by every country of the world. And only then will other countries look upon our way of life as the standard model of prosperity for all. We have fought many wars to bring about social justice and it hasn’t worked. It only worked to kill generations of our young citizens. Nothing works better than being a good example and having strong ambitions.
In closing I want to remind the citizens who have common sense to vote the bums out. It’s not my intent to tell anyone who they should vote for but use due diligence to study the situation we’re in and the way you vote is in your hands with no one to blame but yourselves.
Wilfred Martin
Caribou
Gail Maynard will take your calls
To the editor:
I am a resident of House District 3: Woodland, Limestone, New Sweden, Van Buren, Grand Isle, Hamlin, Cyr PLT, Caswell and Connor. My job for the past 25 years has been as a legal advocate for people living in this area facing our most common problems — access to health care, making a living wage, taking care of their children and elders. I drive to work 50 miles a day on roads that badly need repair and worry about our ability to continue to effectively educate our children.
Fortunately District 3 has an exciting opportunity in this particular election to send Gail Maynard to the State Legislature. I know Gail personally. I can guarantee that she will speak for us — the residents of District 3 — in an intelligent, strong voice that will assure that we are included!
Gail Maynard and her husband Stanley run an organic cattle farm. They took over an abandoned farm in my neighborhood and have revitalized our area with their example and hard work. Gail knows what it takes to run a small business, raise a family, and also had a long and productive career as a teacher and principal.
Please vote for Gail Maynard for House District 3. She will be up and running at the start — and when she takes your calls — she will make certain that you are heard down in Augusta.
Rosemary Monahan
Woodland
To the editor:
It’s a tumultuous time in politics and this election seems to be bringing out the worst in many candidates. Recently, I was upset to find a flyer in my mailbox that was sent out by the Maine Republican Party on behalf of Carol McElwee, the Republican candidate for the House in Caribou. Receiving the flyer was not what upset me, but rather the contents of it. Inside the flyer was a host of information about David Martin, McElwee’s Democratic opponent, which simply was not true.
On Nov. 6, I will be supporting David Martin for legislature. Time and again, while on the city council, he has proven himself to be balanced and fair. As a public school teacher for 38 years, Mr. Martin strived to help the youth of this community reach for and accomplish their individual goals.
It should also be noted that Mr. Martin’s campaign has never attacked his opponent in any form during this election cycle. David Martin’s proven honesty and independent thinking make him a clear choice when deciding who would best represent Caribou citizens in Augusta this legislative session.
Anjanette Walsh
Caribou
To the editor:
As an educator, a mother, and a lifelong resident of Aroostook County, I would like to voice my support for Senator Troy Jackson.
In a world of political jokes, closed-door meetings, and questionable behavior, Troy Jackson is truly a diamond in the rough. Troy is real, honest, and trustworthy; certainly not what we are used to seeing in politics. Troy listens, really listens; he makes eye contact, asks questions, and he is honestly interested in what his people have to say. Troy calls us his people. He believes his role is to represent us, you and I. He works hard to protect us, and does his best to help move our state forward.
Troy believes in family; he believes in the importance of a free public education for all children, but his expectations do not stop at the word public. He believes in the necessity of advocacy for our public schools. He and I share many values, but perhaps the greatest value we share is our love of education and the belief that all Maine students deserve a great public school. Troy support schools; he protects schools, and he keeps his word.
Troy believes in the ladder of success, but he also believes in reaching out to help others achieve that success. Successful in the lumber industry, he certainly understands hard work. We need someone who won’t just represent us, we need someone who is one of us. Troy is one of the most honorable men I’ve ever had the privilege to know. I hope you will join me in supporting his bid for reelection on Nov. 6. Troy Jackson is the kind of leader we need in Augusta.
April Flagg
Caribou
Redefining marriage isn’t in society’s best interest
To the editor:
The government recognizes the benefits that marriage between one man and one woman brings to society. For example the ability to produce new citizens and raise them in a stable home with a mom and a dad. History shows us that this is the basis for a well-functioning society.
Homosexual couples can do neither of these things (the first is biologically impossible, the second goes against the definition of being homosexual), so why change the definition of marriage to include homosexuals?
The focus of this debate needs to be on what’s best for society.
“Yes on 1” proponents have framed the debate in focusing in on only one couple. That is, saying, “Why not let Steve and Bill get married?” Which is very hard for most people to say ’no’ to. There is another perspective however, which is not to focus on the individual couple, but on society as a whole. People need to ask, “Is same-sex marriage good for society?”
If Prop 1 passes (legalizing same-sex marriage in the state of Maine), who will be next to change the definition of marriage? Courts look at precedence and if same-sex unions are made legal, then that will be the standard with which to follow. And what is the basis of the change? Personal preference, spelled out in a loving, committed relationship — that’s all. The “Yes on 1” campaign says that same sex couples should have the legal right to marry because they are “loving and committed.” Those are good qualities in any relationship, but should they be the only qualifiers for marriage?
If the precedent set for approving same-sex marriage is a “loving, committed relationship,” then legally it seems next to impossible to argue against polygamy, for example. After all, couldn’t three people be in a “loving, committed relationship?” What about four? Five? More than that, the precedent is set to allow couples who are loving and committed of any age to get married and of (most) family relations (step-sister or step-brother, for example). Is opening this legal door really what’s best for society?
Chris Hearn
New Sweden
Simple questions often lead to the most interesting stories
I think one of the best ways to get closer to your family is through genealogy. The more people you talk with, the more you understand how much we all have in common, no matter how different our lives seem. As I talked to little-known relatives, I became closer to them, and it was easier to make those bonds stronger.
Piecing together the life stories of my grandmothers; I began to see how difficult their lives must have been, partially for the individualities of their personal lives, but also for the times in which they lived and how that affected their lives as women. My Italian grandmother was born in Italy and married here in America. She married a successful barber/surgeon who was quite influential in the background politics of Meriden, Connecticut. She raised her stepson and eight children of her own. She also ran a market, and a tavern attached to the family home, and rented rooms to boarders. She bore a tremendous burden, which shows much too clearly in the difference between her engagement photo, and one taken about 20 years later. She was clearly a strong woman, but her strength was developed for the needs her family, not a personal strength. She died from a stroke at the age of 52. I wonder if that was because of the difficult life she lived, which was imposed upon her by her native culture, and was not relieved by 19th century American neighborhood life.
My Irish grandmother, Nana, was strong in a different way. Nana was raised by an American-born Irish woman who was twice widowed, and who began her professional life in her teens. Nana grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, having survived the polio outbreak which killed her stepfather and which left her with a damaged foot. Nana worked both before and after her marriages, and basically supported my grandfather who lived in Maine for most of their marriage. She too carried many burdens for her family, but they were imposed more by her own choice rather than cultural demands. Nana was strong, and independent, and I hear, was a happier woman.
I call upon their stories and those of others in my family to remind me that I am not alone in whatever I am feeling. Someone whose blood runs through my veins has probably survived something similar; or something much worse. I have a great deal to be grateful for, and I know it more now than I did before I studied my family’s past.
Take the opportunity that genealogy offers to get to know the lives of others. Talk to relatives that you have avoided. Ask questions of close relatives you already know well; they don’t have to be awkward or scary questions. They can be simple questions, it’s amazing what your interest will bring to your life, and give to theirs. Start the year out fresh, resolution or not, ready to take on what life gives you, stronger because of the people that got you here.
Editor’s note: Columnist Nina Brawn of Dover-Foxcroft, who has been doing genealogy for over 30 years, is a freelance genealogy researcher, speaker and teacher. Reader e-mails are welcome at ninabrawn@gmail.com. The Aroostook County Genealogical Society meets the fourth Monday of the month except in July and December at the Cary Medical Center’s Chan Education Center, 163 Van Buren Road, Caribou, at 6:30 p.m. Guests and prospective members are always welcome. FMI contact Edwin “J” Bullard at 492-5501.
Life Lesson 45: Do not allow your tongue to become a sharp and deadly weapon
It was Oct. 25, 1967 and the harvest season was not over. According to Wayne Knight (a popular radio host), the farmers were just about 40 percent done. I had finished picking potatoes well over a week before but my mother was still working day and night on a potato harvester and my father’s job as a welder for Gould & Smith required him to be out in the fields until late evening. I had spent the day at my grandmother’s house. It was my 12th birthday and my grandmother had baked a plain white cake, topped with her scrumptious boiled frosting. She and Uncle Billie had also given me money, a string of multi-colored lollipops and an old fashioned quill pen and ink; perfect for writing stories and poems. I just couldn’t wait to see what wonders awaited me when Mom and I got home.
“Daddy is bringing supper home for us and your birthday gift is in my lunch bucket. Go ahead and open it,” Mom told me as she stepped into the shower. With great anticipation, I lifted the cover of the bucket and opened the plain paper bag inside. A silver plated, square faced watch sat evenly positioned in a clear plastic case. Mom must have picked it up at a small convenience store on her way home that night. I slammed the dinner bucket cover shut and with my arms folded in front of my chest, I stomped out of the kitchen and into the living room. “Do you like your gift, Hon?” My mother entered the room clad in her pajamas. Her towel dried hair lay on her shoulders and her eyes were deep red from her long day battling wind and potato dust on the back of the harvester. She asked me again, “Bin, do you like the watch? I couldn’t resist it when I saw it in the store.”
How I wish I could go back in time and rewind the moments that followed. “No! As a matter of fact, I don’t like it,” I spat. “You know I hate silver. Did you really think I would like something from a darned old grocery store?”
Before Mom had time to respond, my father entered the house, his arms filled with bags. “Happy Birthday, Bin!” He gave me a big hug and I buried my face in his dark blue work shirt, comforted by the familiar smells of welding rod fumes, red hot steel, and crisp autumn air. I was so ashamed of my behavior that I could not look at my mother.
We dined on Italian sandwiches, Humpty Dumpty barbecue chips, and whoopee pies with large white candles in the center. I never saw the watch again, but when I went to bed that night, there was a small card propped against my end table lamp that said, “Happy Birthday, Belinda. We love you. Mom and Dad.” Inside that card was a twenty dollar bill and a pink, rectangular enamel pin that read, quite ironically, “World’s Sweetest Daughter.”
In the course of my life, I have received a number of gifts, and I am sad to say there are many I cannot recall. I will always remember the silver watch, however, and that priceless life lesson hidden there in my mother’s black lunch bucket.
Editor’s Note: Belinda Wilcox Ouellette lives Connor TWP with her husband Dale and their Goldendoodle Barney. They are currently working on building a home in Caribou. You may contact Belinda online at: dbwouellette@maine.rr.com.
Legislators who can understand Aroostook needs
To the editor:
Two years ago, I attended a legislative committee hearing on the Maine AllCare bill for universal single-payer health care. The room was full of consumers and providers of health care who testified for the bill. The only testimony opposed to the bill was offered by one insurance representative. The Republican-controlled committee voted “ought not to pass,” and the bill died.
In a public forum, I asked Aroostook legislators if they had read the bill. Not only had our Republican legislators in Aroostook not read it, they didn’t even know of its existence. They explained that there are just too many bills, thousands, for them to read all.
Soon after, those same Aroostook Republicans voted with their majority in the legislature to pass their own health care law. At one of the Governor’s town hall-style meetings, I asked if there had been any cost-benefit analysis done to compare the two bills. The governor’s response was to tout his opinion about the benefits of the bill and about the evils of the Canadian system. He didn’t show any indication that he had actually read either bill or understood the unfortunate costs and other consequences of the law on rural residents, seniors, and many others. I learned later that many legislators did not even read the bill they voted for.
There were people who did read that bill, understood the detrimental effects, and warned legislators about them. They were not listened to. Who were legislators listening to? At a recent forum in Houlton, Rep. Joyce Fitzpatrick defended the bill by referring to her own experience in the insurance industry, and Sen. Roger Sherman defended it and the recent “fix” with references to Craig Green, a local insurance agent.
Health care is only one example of problematic legislation passed in this legislature that is, I fear, not clearly understood by the legislators passing them. Should our government even be considering bills that legislators have no time to read or research enough to understand?
I have attended several forums in this election cycle which focused on various issues of concern to Aroostook residents. The League of Women Voters of Maine (LOWV) attempted to sponsor three public forums focused on health, education, and the Aroostook economy. All Aroostook County candidates for the state legislature except those involved in the Presque Isle forum at City Hall were invited. Because of their nonpartisan policy, the LOWV could not continue with their sponsorship when all Republicans declined to participate by the deadline date for response.
As the local organizer, I decided to go through with the forums on my own and kept the invitation open to all Republicans. None came. The chair of the Aroostook County Republican Committee (ACRC) explained in an e-mail to me why they weren’t coming: “We had an ACRC meeting today; it appears that our candidates are committed and concentrating on their own districts and door-to-door contacts with the voters.” He told a reporter from Fiddlehead Focus the lack of Republican participation was “unintended.”
Republicans are not too committed to participate in forums sponsored by Leaders Encouraging Aroostook Development (LEAD) for which candidates were given a much shorter notice. Why would all of them refuse to participate in a forum sponsored by the LOWV? Think about it before you vote, and consider carefully who would best represent your needs in Augusta.
A special “thank you” to all Aroostook County Democratic candidates who are showing up for all of these forums, regardless of the sponsor; for being prepared, thoughtful, and knowledgeable about the issues; and most of all for being willing and eager to talk straight with all voters about the most important issues.
Alice Bolstridge
Presque Isle
