A Military Family Speaks Out

With two sons serving in the Army, I am speaking out, not only against LD1781, but against the ever increasing and bloated so-called federal “defense budget.” While I support my sons and everyone serving in the military, I am unequivocally opposed to U.S. foreign policy and what this government is sending them to do around the world.

This country has been on a permanent war footing for decades now and spends upwards of 60 percent of our discretionary tax dollars on war. Since 9/11, that total exceeds $1 trillion.

What infuriates me more than anything else is the fact that the overwhelming amount of those BILLIONS of dollars is spent on the military industrial complex, the profiteers of war. Contrast this with the chump change this country spends on our kids while they are serving and when they come home broken and disabled.

LD1781, a $60 million taxpayer giveaway to Bath Iron Works, is immoral. Maine is a cash poor state with countless unmet human, infrastructure, and social needs. Bath Ironworks and their parent, General Dynamics, sit atop the list of war profiteers with billions of dollars in annual profits.

The federal government and the Maine Legislature cannot continue to give anything to the profiteers of war while there are so many unmet needs here at home, and while our troops are neglected and treated like cannon fodder.

And please, don’t thank them or me for their service to America’s wars of aggression and exploitation.

Regis Tremblay,

Brunswick

Re: President’s Demands for ‘Loyalty’

On this Presidents’ Day, recent reports of demands for “loyalty” bring to mind a profound defining of that word as set out in a speech given by former Secretary of State Dean Acheson at a tribute dinner held for former President Harry Truman:

“Loyalty — is not something which is understood solely by considering those who give it. It requires an understanding of him who inspires it. The finest loyalty is not apt to be inspired by a man unless he inspires both respect and affection. Respect comes for many reasons. It is enough here to say that it springs from the fundamental purposes of a man’s life and from his methods of achieving them, his manner of conducting himself in his relations with others. President Truman’s fundamental purpose and burning passion has been to serve his country and his fellow citizens. This devoted love of the United States has been the only rival which Mrs. Truman has had. It has never been obscured or deflected by thought of himself, by personal ambition or desire for position. What he has wanted for the United States is what every decent citizen has wanted for his own family, his own neighbors, his own community and country. It has not been to have it big or rich or powerful for these ends themselves. It has not been to use its power to dictate either to its own people or to other people …. He has sought in every way to give full scope for ability, energy and initiative to create abundance beyond anything we have thought possible. But he has sought to do more. He has sought to make a kind and compassionate country whose institutions would truly reflect, both at home and abroad, the kind and compassionate nature of its people. He has sought to keep opportunity open to all and to mold political and economic life so that the weak and unfortunate are not trampled and forgotten, and so that all who honestly strive to do the best they can may fairly share in the abundance which this country creates. These are purposes which excite the respect and enthusiasm of all who have been fortunate enough to work with him.”

Ervin D. Snyder,

Brunswick

Restrict Lobbying

In the wake of the latest mass shooting isn’t it time to move forward and change our laws to reduce the ability for politicians to be courted by lobbyists? It is time to put an end to this shameless interference in our government workings.

Lobbying in our country is not new. It has been around since the beginning, escalated after the Civil War and took off in the second half of the 20th century, now protected under the “Freedom of Speech” clause. Today our politicians are in the pockets of the NRA and Big Pharma.

Lobbyists wield too much influence over our government. The public’s best interests are being compromised. Mass shootings with assault-style weapons that are our “right” to have are now the norm. What is the purpose of a weapon that can fire at least 45 bullets a minute? These weapons are only of use for mass destruction in war situations. Unfortunately, the weapon of choice in most of these mass shootings is the popular AR-15 rifle, the weapon used in the Vietnam war. In 2015 over a million were bought. After the recent Parkland, Florida, incident the stock went up for the manufacturer of this weapon.

Why does the general public need a gun that is classified as an assault-style weapon?

We are also in an opioid epidemic with drugs that were promoted as safe. How come doctors are prescribing opioids to teenagers instead of providing other safer methods to help with pain management? Greed is the the biggest reason. It is very profitable for the NRA and Big Pharma to make sure our representatives do not pass restrictions on their guns and drugs.

We definitely need to clean up the “swamp” in Washington and at the state levels. A good start is to reduce how politicians can be influenced by money so they can honestly focus on the real needs of the people who voted them into office. Time to put a stop to donations to political campaigns by lobbyists. It only serves one purpose: To enrich the pockets of big companies.

Christine Wolfe,

Freeport

Wanting Answers from the Maine Republican Party

This circle does not square: The spokesman for the Maine Republican Party says it did not know who was behind an anonymous website propagating fake news about a Democratic candidate. Yet it turns out the executive director of the Maine Republican Party now acknowledges he was behind the site. If the executive director of the Maine Republican Party is not the party, who is the party? If the spokesman for the party speaks without clearing their statement with the party’s executive director, who does he clear it with? Clearly, the Maine Republican Party has a lot of explaining to do. The questions keep mounting! Maybe the Russians have the answers …

Richard J. Kessler,

Bath

General Dynamics Does Not Need Financial Aid

There is a small group of Maine legislature members and representatives who think it’s a good idea to give General Dynamics $60 million dollars of Maine citizens money.

General Dynamics is a very wealthy company. You can do a brief internet search and discover much information on General Dynamics and their stock values.

Within the past two weeks, General Dynamics purchased another corporation at a cost of $6 billion-$9 billion. Their income is derived from the defense industries and General Dynamics has numerous locations in the U.S. as well as in other countries. Financial aid is something they do not need. Although, increasing profits is what any corporation focuses on and if they can get free money, they will not turn it down.

Some people are exploiting the fear of workers losing jobs at Bath Iron Works. Bath Iron Works/General Dynamics has a number of shipbuilding contracts with the government. Citizens tax money is what pays General Dynamics initially. So giving more tax money to General Dynamics is simply foolish when one considers the money that is necessary for the state of Maine to function. I truly doubt Bath Iron Works will be folding any time soon with the profits General Dynamics is making.

We all know Maine is in need of repair; bridges, highways, secondary roads are a disaster, schools require a great deal of money and other businesses are asking for free money from Maine citizens as well. It’s the citizens that provide tax money to the state and federal government! Why would anyone want to be charged twice and pay twice which is essentially what would be happening to give more money to corporations.

It is foolish and irresponsible to give money to a very large organization with multiple divisions and who do not need the money. Any suspicion about why these representatives are pushing this General Dynamics free money issue is certainly warranted.

General Dynamics has already received free money from Maine. It appears they are trying to get free money from Connecticut as well — “The Day — General Dynamics doesn’t need Connecticut’s money.” (www.theday.com/article/20180204/O P03/180209865)

If General Dynamics feels it is being victimized by any resistance to giving them free money, how should Maine citizens feel about giving their tax dollars to a very wealthy corporation that does not need any assistance?

Joseph Ciarrocca,

Brunswick

Make mobile home park dwellers the owners

My husband and I live in a mobile home park. There are more than 600 mobile homes parks in Maine. Ours is unique. Why it it unique? Because everyone who lives in our park is one part owner. We do not consider it even a park. We consider it a community.

You see, Brunswick Bay Mobile Cooperative came to be in 2008. Our park was for sale and the Cooperative Development Institute organized the residents to help the residents buy the park. We formed a cooperative and now we are members of that cooperative where we have a voice in how our lot rent is spent — and no one is making a profit. Our community is safe, maintained and affordable.

The cooperative life changed me personally by knowing I own my property and no longer rent. I have a voice and active part in something that makes change happen with the entire community. We get together in meetings to solve challenges and make improvements to the community. This is something I couldn’t do on my own. This is a place now to settle down and call home.

Maine needs more parks like ours. There are now eight like ours, but many other parks are vulnerable and need security.

HB LD1338 needs full support. This bill would encourage business and park owners to sell to workers or residents, by providing some tax relief. We need affordable housing, we need more people-powered community solutions, we need security in our communities.

Kathleen Yearsley,

Brunswick