M.D. Harmon engages in wishful thinking at each of the bullet points in his Nov. 9 column, “In this election victory, there are losers worth mentioning.”

In large part, he’s wishing for the worst and not for the best.

Republicans: The Republican Party doesn’t need to “get its message across better.”

It needs to have an inclusive, fact-based message that truly unites and doesn’t divide.

Minorities in leadership roles are just window-dressing; what about a Republican gathering with more than a camera-ready smattering of black and brown faces?

Doctors, et al.: Obamacare didn’t “take over” health insurance.

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Obamacare is a framework for insurance companies to actually cover us. And Obamacare’s framework for results-oriented medical care can bring down costs.

Job-seekers: Many economists predict that employment will swing up cyclically, by 12 million jobs.

Whoever is in the White House will take credit.

Taxpayers: To cut into our deficit, taxes eventually have to go up for everyone.

That’s just arithmetic.

The challenge is to do so equitably; lowering taxes on the rich has not created jobs so far.

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Devout Christians and Jews: Maybe the Catholic laity failed to resist a supposed assault on their liberties because they didn’t consider it an assault.

And how will same-sex marriage force people to “face new and increasing assaults on the practice of their faith in public life”?

What about religious fundamentalists assaulting our constitutional division of church and state?

Democrats: They’ll do fine.

Hope for no change? Obama and his administration will be happy to be accountable for the continuation of improvements that are already under way.

We don’t need to accept Harmon’s proffered ill wishes.

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He might take a cue from Mitt Romney’s concession speech urging our citizens to support the president and pray for him.

Tim Baehr

Portland

Reopened fishways would help alewives, water quality 

Many flaws exist in the 1995 and 2007 laws that closed fishways on the St. Croix River. This law diminished alewife populations, which support water quality. The closing of these fishways violates the Clean Water Act, lowers water quality and decreases other fish populations. All fishways should be opened immediately and indefinitely on the St. Croix River to correct these issues.

The closing of fishways violates the Clean Water Act by blocking native fish species from reaching their natural habitat. Closed fishways prevent alewives from naturally cycling phosphorus from upstream lake and river ecosystems where they spawn.

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Excess phosphorus leads to algal blooms, which lower water quality by limiting water clarity, sunlight availability and nutrient availability. Young alewives consume phosphorus when they spawn and move downstream, controlling the overall flux of phosphorus, which improves Maine’s lakes’ and rivers’ water quality.

False opinions have stated that alewives decrease smallmouth bass populations when they actually increase them. Smallmouth bass and other freshwater and saltwater fish, such as salmon, brown trout, largemouth bass, cod, stripped bass, haddock and even lobster, feed on alewives.

Many scientific journals have proven a symbiotic relationship between alewives and other fish species. If you don’t believe the science, ask the fishing and lobster industries, which opposed this law from its start. Restoring alewife populations directly improves other fish species populations and fishing industries.

Gov. LePage and state Attorney General William Schneider are naive to deny alewives’ ecological significance and the Clean Water Act. No wonder comments weren’t made for months.

These fishways need to be opened at all sites on the St. Croix River system to restore alewife populations, directly improving water quality, fish populations and fishing industries while respecting the Clean Water Act.

Marcus Goldbas

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Cape Elizabeth

Surge in visitors necessary to fill additional lodgings 

I think it’s wonderful that all these hotel chains want to invest in Maine. Now all we need is a convention center to help fill these rooms.

Bill Preston

Scarborough

Apparent Libya coverup may be tied to election

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The terrorist attack on the Benghazi, Libya, U.S. Consulate compound on Sept. 11 is an undeniable fact! It was witnessed on live video and validated by a high-ranking State Department official during congressional hearings last month. The American ambassador to Libya along with his aide and two Navy SEALs were murdered in this attack.

Where is the outrage? Where is the coverage of this event by the so-called mainstream media?

Why hasn’t this paper more accurately and fully covered this tragedy? Could it be that they were helping the administration in what appears to have been a coverup so close to the election?

I have three direct questions for President Obama:

1) Why wasn’t our consulate protected by better security on the anniversary day of 9/11 (especially since it had been attacked many times leading up to this date)?

2) Why did you send our ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, to five Sunday morning talk shows to adamantly proclaim that this was a “spontaneous event of a mob”? This was done several days after the attack, when you had the opportunity to personally witness the assault via videotape and drones circling the compound during the attack.

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3) Finally, Mr. President, this attack lasted more than seven hours while these brave Americans, two being Navy SEALs, urgently requested help at least three times. Our military had fighter jets less than one hour from responding and Special Forces help about two hours away.

You didn’t hesitate to ask the SEALs for help in risking their lives to kill Osama bin Laden. Why in heaven’s name didn’t you respond to their cries for help?

You stated in a campaign speech, “It’s all about trust.” Well, is it?

William Goff

Gorham

 


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