Tag Archives: Donald Trump

Republicans have lost their way when it comes to improving America

The Democratic Party seeks to contribute to the common good in a number of ways. Democrats seek higher wages for workers, better conditions for the sick and elderly, and more rights for the marginalized. Whether or not their policies actually achieve these goals, it’s clear they are aiming toward improvements in our society. Republicans, historically, […]

Political parties have corrupted our democracy

The biggest problem in politics right now is not Donald Trump. It’s also not Nancy Pelosi. It’s the concept of base-driven elections. In a normal democratic society, the goal of politics and elections would be to convince the most people that your policies are right and that you’re the most capable leader.   And when […]

Stop feeding the partisan beast

The psychologist Abraham Maslow identified the feeling of belonging as a central human need, ranked only behind physical safety and sustenance in his eponymous “Hierarchy of Needs.” Humans need to be accepted, to feel part of a group, even from a very young age. This is, perhaps, a primal response based on the safety of […]

Picking the primary winners: Democratic edition

With eight weeks to go until Maine voters select their party nominees for governor, the Republican and Democratic primaries are still wide open. No obvious frontrunners have emerged, and no public polling has been released. So, in the absence of quantifiable data, I’ll make some very subjective guesses about where these races are going. I’ll […]

Progressives don’t need more protests. They need a better argument.

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, including thousands in Maine, participated in this weekend’s Women’s March. It was a massive show of force from those outraged by the persistent cultural and institutional misogyny in our country, exemplified by our current president and his repulsive attitude toward women. Demonstrations of this magnitude are noteworthy, and often serve […]

LePage’s about face on gun background checks

You may have heard the phrase, “Molon Labe.” It means “Come and take them.” It was a defiant call used by King Leonidas of Sparta when his army was asked to lay down their weapons by the Persians during the battle of Thermopylae. It was made popular via a film called “300,” in which a […]

What if Chellie Pingree runs for governor?

Maine’s 2018 race for governor is shaping up to be a scrum. Roughly 20 candidates are expected to join the fray by the end of the year, and both the GOP and Democratic primaries so far lack clear frontrunners. Sen. Susan Collins would have dominated the field, but she announced last month that she’s staying […]

Political parties are destroying public policy in Maine

  Political parties are meant to help win elections. By providing their extensive behind-the-scenes networks, parties lend their infrastructure to their chosen candidates to bolster their chances of getting elected. In this way, parties can be very effective. In fact, the parties have been so effective in providing electoral infrastructure that they’ve locked our nation […]

How not to lobby Susan Collins

If you want to influence Susan Collins on a key vote, the last person you’d enlist to help is Gov. Paul LePage. But that’s exactly what the Trump administration did when they flew Maine’s governor to Washington for a press conference on Friday. Looking like a nervous kid waiting in the principal’s office after spray […]