Not a better way to vote
We’ve tried ranked choice voting, and four things are now crystal clear.
First, for some Maine races it’s unconstitutional. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court told us that months ago, and it’s extremely unlikely that two-thirds of the Legislature will ever agree on a constitutional amendment to change that.
Second, it’s ridiculously slow. It took eight days to get results. Maybe the process would be a little faster on a second try, but substantial delay is inherent and unavoidable.
Third, it’s very expensive. We’ll never know exactly what it cost, but extra work for town and state officials, transferring ballots to Augusta, and putting everything into a computer for processing must add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. This could have provided thousands of meals for hungry children or filled thousands of potholes or improved our jails, to name a few better uses.
Fourth, at least this time, it made no difference. The candidates who had the most votes in the first place both won, so nothing was changed by going through the whole fiasco. It would be a rare occasion when someone other than the original front-runner was the final winner. There’s no reason to believe a candidate with more second choice votes would serve better than the person who got the most first place votes.
Based on what we now know, I hope the next Legislature will promptly vote to kill ranked-choice voting once and for all. How can anyone still think it’s a better system?
Lawrence E. Merrill
Bangor
Secure our border
It is a defenseless position to argue the separation of children from parents, and smart leaders don’t put themselves in that position. However, separation is not new and happens daily. This is never a consideration when the courts commit a felon parent to jail nor is it a consideration when military personnel are separated on assignment. We are left in this position because we do not have border security.
Try flying back from overseas without being checked upon entering or even driving back from Canada. Why should there suddenly be a free pass if you come through Mexico? The border has to be closed, otherwise next year we will be dealing with the same number of illegal crossings. If Mexico was forced to quarter them at the border while legal entry is applied, Mexico would not let them enter.
If the criminal elements are making life so difficult to live in their native land why not solve the problem and make these beautiful countries safe? The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have secured our east and west borders and Canada shares security in the north, Mexico is the problem. Mexico does not permit free entry except to encourage transit and illegal entry to the United States. We should increase our consular services in these countries to accommodate legal application as part of securing the border.
Ted Raia
Camden
CMP’s hydro deal
Central Maine Power rates increased by 18 percent this past January. It is being investigated for many double- and triple-billing spikes, and for failing to answer our public safety departments’ questions about downed power lines in our communities during this past October’s wind storm. Now the BDN reports that CMP has signed a contract to supply Massachusetts with renewable energy from Canada.
Since the proposed route would traverse Maine, our state’s approval ought to have been required before CMP negotiated such a plan — especially since the proposed route would damage our environment. Further, would Maine benefit from this proposal?
CMP has a record of greed, indifference, incompetence and arrogance. CMP treats us Mainers like ignorant fools who can be abused and bilked endlessly. Let’s create a referendum question that would replace CMP with an honest, competent firm. It would make for a refreshing change.
William S. Solomon
Frankfort
Climate steps for Poliquin
As a resident in Maine’s 1st Congressional District, I want to express my congratulations to 2nd Congressional District voters for several initiatives undertaken by Rep. Bruce Poliquin in support of action against climate change.
These initiatives have generated quite a bit of momentum for efforts to mitigate the effects of the earth’s atmospheric warming. I’d like to ask my fellow Mainers in the 2nd District to contact Poliquin and ask him to take two more important steps related to climate change action.
First, ask him to research and support the carbon fee and dividend proposal developed by the Citizens Climate Lobby. This proposal outlines a terrific first step in reducing carbon emissions while avoiding large impacts on our economy.
Second, ask him to join the Climate Solutions Caucus in the House of Representatives. Congresspersons are required to join this caucus in pairs, one from each major party, and this guarantees the bipartisan nature of the caucus. Poliquin could find no more suitable partner with whom to join the Climate Solutions Caucus than our own 1st District representative, Chellie Pingree, who is eager to join.
Poliquin has climate change action momentum. Please contact him and urge him to use that momentum to achieve even more success in the fight against global warming.
Robert McKillop
Portland
Outcry over detained immigrants
In regards to the children being separated from their parents: first, some of the pictures being circulated showing children in cages were taken during the Obama administration (where was the outcry then?). The children now being separated are the children of immigrants who chose to endanger the lives of their children by not crossing at recognized points and asking for asylum.
Additionally, many of the children being detained without family are the unaccompanied minors who are picked up crossing illegally. Finally, if a U.S. citizen is arrested and detained, his or her children are “detained” and placed in foster care unless a qualified guardian can be located to care for the child until the parent is released from custody.
How are the children of immigrants who cross the border illegally (by definition, breaking the law) different from U.S. citizens accused of breaking the law?
William Chapman
Rockport