Why it’s time for Susan Collins to go

Many Mainers have been duped by the façade of moderation that Senator Collins wraps around herself. She continually acts like she’s a pragmatic moderate while her voting record reflects a person who walks the party line.

Her most recent vote to allow Trump to divert funds earmarked by Congress for our military to his wall after she repeatedly stated that the Constitution must be respected when it comes to which branch of government earmarks funding and where those funds must be spent is just the latest example of this GOP Senator saying one thing and then voting with her party.

Her support for the Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which increased deficits, favored the wealthy and weakened the Affordable Care Act was yet another example of her speaking out of both sides of her mouth despite her “ironclad” promise from Moscow Mitch that he would allow legislation to come to the Senate floor strengthening the ACA. That did not happen and yet she continues to tow the GOP party line.

Let’s also remember her support for Bret Kavanaugh despite his long record of being against women’s reproductive rights. Her statements of support down through the years for choice ring hollow.

The fact is this senator does not represent Maine or it’s people and she is not a moderate. Her record of support for the GOP hard line is there for all to see and it is long past time that she be retired to Aroostook County. The people of Maine need to elect a senator who more represents their interests.

Frank D’Agostino, 

Harpswell 

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Do we really need a bridge at all? 

As I read the commentaries under “Bridge battle continues” about the Frank J Woods bridge in the Sept. 24 edition of The Times Record, it is easy for me to see this as just another adversarial issue as we have so many heated issues on planet earth at this time; from neglected bridges, long time traffic problems, to wars in numerous countries simultaneously.  I see many divisions among people with little sign of a healthy unity. 

Why has maintenance of the Frank J Woods been ignored over the years?  This bridge has been rusting for a very long time! If we want to preserve something for historical reasons or simply out of common sense, we need to maintain the structure and at the very least, treat the metal to help prevent rust and deterioration!   

Is it possible this entire bridge debate is a sign that we must stop and question how we have been living and is there a more holistic way for humans to interact with each other as well as other aspects of the Natural world possible?  And I think we need to consider this question very deeply! 

Maybe we should remove the bridge altogether as well as remove the dam.  Let the river live and flow as it once did.  Let the river cleanse itself and return to supporting the various life forms it once did.   

There are two locations for crossing the Androscoggin River between Topsham and Brunswick.  What dictates that we must have a third bridge?   

So with this we are back to asking the question, how do we live and can we have a more harmonious approach to how we live and with a more sane and equitable economic system and system of sharing?  I must ask,  do we have the fortitude to acknowledge “our way’ might not be the best way?  If we cannot ask that question, who are we to make various demands concerning anything?” 

We have read about and seen the gross destruction of the planet that some people have the arrogance to call progress or development, yet at the same time we are crying “save the planet.” How can we have life if we are destroying life? 

Joseph Ciarrocca, 

Brunswick 

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