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  • Published
    July 11, 2012

    GEORGE SMITH: No center, no moderates, no independents in politics

    Sen. Margaret Chase Smith inspired my participation in politics during a 4-H trip to Washington, D.C., in 1969. For a kid from a small Maine town, meeting Smith was like meeting the president.

  • Published
    July 10, 2012

    MIKE TIPPING: ‘Gestapo’ comment not most shocking of LePage’s statements

    The most shocking part of Gov. Paul LePage's recent comments about the Affordable Care Act isn't actually the part where he called the Internal Revenue Service the "new Gestapo."

  • Published
    July 9, 2012

    Winthrop school budget needs support

    The Winthrop School Department, as a member of Alternative Organizational Structure 97, continues to reflect the excellence that has characterized the efforts of staff, students, and parents throughout the state. We are one of the very few school districts in Maine to have an increase in our student population, and our high school is ranked at No. 20 in academic strength and quality, as measured by the Maine DOE indicators and No. 13 in the latest Maine high school rankings released by US News; we are the only high school in central Maine to receive this national recognition.

  • Published
    July 8, 2012

    Maine’s common sense needed with school health program cuts

    Having a personal connection to Maine, I have always appreciated the state for its virtues, including its independent political streak. As a member of Congressman Tom Allen's campaign staff and one of his first legislative assistants, I learned to appreciate that Mainers value principle over politics and Tom always had support back home for his efforts to bridge the partisan gap in Washington. In the end, common sense prevails in Maine and the public good outweighs that of a select few. For that reason, the state is a policy leader in areas such as education and public health.

  • Published
    July 7, 2012

    Supreme Court plunges us into the abyss

    "And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."

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  • Published
    July 3, 2012

    Freedom of campaign money damaging our democracy

    Independence Day is the perfect time to explore the complexities of our freedom of speech.

  • Published
    June 30, 2012

    ‘Independence forever’ two words that convey our hope every July 4

    Many political documents are nothing more than statements of a moment. They're outdated almost as quickly as a daily newspaper.

  • Published
    June 30, 2012

    ‘Cold civil war’ describes nonviolent, but deeply devisive political conflict

    Much ink has been spilled (and Internet bandwidth occupied) recently by various opinionators decrying the lack of "compromise" in our highly charged political system.

  • Published
    June 29, 2012

    JOSEPH REISERT: Court immigration ruling deprives states of an element of sovereignty

    On Monday, a majority of the US Supreme Court justices wrote that our constitutional system of federalism "adopts the principle that both the National and State Governments have elements of sovereignty that the other is bound to respect."

  • Published
    June 28, 2012

    MAINE COMPASS: Internet sales tax not a partisan issue, but a matter of fairness

    George Smith (column, "Internet sales tax a terrible idea," June 20) makes the case that if Gov. Paul LePage and Rep. Chellie Pingree agree on an issue, it must be a bad idea. He also says that perhaps Maine should simply eliminate the sales tax and repeal the requirement that sales taxes are due on out-of-state purchases.