In the June 15 Maine Sunday Telegram, you printed a column by Michael Cuzzi (“Poliquin’s nomination confirms GOP’s major shift to the right”).

Mr. Cuzzi attacks the campaign of Troy Jackson as being one of “liberal populism that is suspicious of – if not outright hostile to – virtually any profit-making endeavor of significant size and scope. . . . Not every business can be small, locally owned, zero-emissions, unionized and solar-powered. And if that is the threshold of ‘acceptability’ for a business to acquire a social license to operate in Maine, then our economy – and our people – will continue to suffer.”

This is a biased and inaccurate description of the locavore and “public commons” movements here in the state of Maine.

In 2006, the Brookings Institution issued a report titled “Charting Maine’s Future: An Action Plan for Promoting Sustainable Prosperity and Quality of Place.” In it was this line: “Critical to Maine clusters’ growth and growth prospects, meanwhile, is the growth of small businesses.” Note the words “sustainable” and “small.”

Again from the Brookings report: “As the search for quality places grows in importance, Maine possesses a globally known ‘brand’ built on images of livable communities, stunning scenery, and great recreational opportunities. Likewise, as ‘innovation’ drives more of the economy, Maine’s reputation for Yankee ingenuity and resourcefulness matters more. On several counts, in short, Maine is surprisingly well-positioned for the future.”

We must not open our doors to big-time oligarchs intent on mining our resources (natural and human) for all they are worth, putting the money in their own pockets and walking out of the state.

If this is the kind of job creation that Emily Cain will represent in D.C., then I am even happier that I cast my vote for Troy Jackson in the primary.

Betsy Garrold

Knox

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