The view of the river
It’s really swell that the abandoned asphalt tanks at the southern end of the Bangor waterfront are being demolished, “giving pedestrians on the waterfront footpath a less-obstructed view of the river,” according to the Bangor Daily News on Jan. 31. But what about the view for the hundreds of motorists and pedestrians whose view of the waterfront and Brewer is totally obstructed by the Waterfront Concerts venue? The high fence extends from Tim Horton’s almost to Railroad Street.
Don’t Bangor’s taxpayers and visitors have a right to enjoy the view that the city spent years and tens of thousands of dollars improving? Apparently not.
Michael P. Gleason
Bangor
An idea to help Maine and the environment
If Gov. Janet Mills would like to help Maine and the environment, she should have the state sue New York for billions of dollars for all the garbage they used to dump in the ocean. Their dumping hasn’t helped our fisheries or climate change.
Richard Jerabek
Orrington
US looks more like Russia
I want to thank the BDN for trying to make me feel better with the recent editorial, “Democracy is damaged, not dead after impeachment failures.” It’s too bad the BDN is so wrong.
With the acquittal of President Donald Trump, I believe that Republicans have legitimized cheating in elections. It might be “ wrong” (thank you, Sen. Susan Collins), but apparently it is not impeachable to use our tax dollars to pressure foreign governments and then stonewall Congress and withhold any potential evidence of wrongdoing.
There have been examples of Republicans rigging the election system for years; gerrymandering and voter suppression are only two of the latest. Now the door has been opened wide; anything goes. In that world, filled with misinformation and extortion, the cheaters will always win because they are able to manipulate the electorate. That world is not democracy, it’s Russia.
Warner Vaughan
St. George
Out of touch with the times
Many readers have suggested that Sen. Susan Collins has lost touch with Maine. What surprises me is how out of touch she seems to be with Washington. How could any observer of Washington politicians have thought that the president was going to amend his ways after his impeachment? People don’t change, especially when they believe their behavior got them to where they are.
When the president doubled down on his alarming vindictive behavior after the impeachment, it was Collins who changed when she claimed that the president was only angry, not emboldened after impeachment. How naive and how out of touch with the reality of these troubling times.
John Contreni
Greenville
Reasons to vote against the CMP proposal
I have recently been troubled by the proposal to allow Central Maine Power to build a transmission line through the mountains of western Maine, from Quebec to Lewiston. This line would be 150 feet wide by 145 miles long, cutting through nature and disturbing the habitats of animals. One-third of this transmission line would be built where currently there are no paved roads, powerlines, or towns. I believe the construction of this line would destroy the natural beauty of western Maine.
As an avid outdoorsman, I appreciate Maine and its natural beauty. I understand that CMP is not building a new city, and that the transmission line is not going to take up very much space, but the line would disturb a part of Maine that could never be replaced.
Another reason that I am troubled by CMP’s new transmission line is that the power that is transferred through the line is for Massachusetts. Maine would give up its land for the benefit of Massachusetts. This just does not seem right to me.
The final nail in the coffin is that J.D. Power has recently ranked CMP among the worst utilities.
Let’s hope that the people of Maine decide to vote this down and keep Maine beautiful.
Colby Fournier
Glenburn