COMMENTARY: 10th anniversary of USA Patriot Act a day to mourn

Columnists

Published
October 23, 2011

COMMENTARY: 10th anniversary of USA Patriot Act a day to mourn

On Wednesday, we mark the 10th anniversary of the USA Patriot Act, the first among many bipartisan government assaults on the Bill of Rights over the past decade. It is a time to mourn our lost freedoms.
Published
October 23, 2011

DANA MILBANK: Birthers are bipartisan in their quirky claims

Say what you will about the birthers, but don't call them partisan.
Published
October 23, 2011

KAY RAND: 1919 German essay accurately describes toxic stalemate in DC

The economic news gets more depressing each day. In the past week, just in Maine, Barber Foods announced 71 layoffs; Verso Paper, the permanent closure of a paper machine and the loss of 125 jobs; MaineToday Media, the reduction of 61 more positions; and Lowe's, the closure of two slow-performing stores.
Published
October 22, 2011

COMMENTARY: Snakes lurk in grass and on the Internet

Among my favorite personal axioms is the following: “All progress isn’t.” The evidence is everywhere.
Published
October 22, 2011

COMMENTARY: Chaz Bono extends concept of family values

History is rarely made on reality TV, but it has this season on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Published
October 22, 2011

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: Punch-out in the desert

On Tuesday night, seismologists at the Las Vegas Oceanographic Institute reported the first recorded movement of a hair on Mitt Romney’s head.
Published
October 22, 2011

MAINE COMPASS: Stately, old YMCA was irreplaceable house of memories

This last couple of weeks, I find myself taking a different route through Augusta to avoid the corner of Winthrop and State streets. It is just too hard to pass by the sad pile of rubble where the stately YMCA used to stand.
Published
October 21, 2011

JOSEPH REISERT: Voters react more to trends in economy than work by lawmakers

The public has so strongly and for such a long time so disapproved of the job our Congress is doing that we have lost sight of how bizarre it is that we should have a democratically elected government that regularly fails to please us.
Published
October 20, 2011

ANTHONY RONZIO: Newspapers begin era of new openness with readers, customers

It was my pleasure this year to serve as president of the Maine Press Assocation, which represents the state's newspaper industry. Last weekend, we had our annual conference, awards banquet and bowling tournament, which concluded my one-year term.
Published
October 19, 2011

GEORGE SMITH: Wild crops abound to harvest, put up as we fall toward winter

Warblers arrive in the spring garbed in colorful clothing, but they head back south in the fall dressed in drab colors. There's got to be a message there, but those of us who don't follow the birds south are too busy getting ready for winter to recognize it.