A recent op-ed made the point that political parties, among other groups, portray their opponents as subhuman (“Trump’s politics are the politics of illusion,” July 24). This is a step towards slavery and/or extermination. Word used in former President Donald Trump’s speeches (vermin, garbage, refuse and animals) prove the point that “MAGA” language dehumanizes those […]

Donald Trump’s words do not sound presidential. They fail to inspire us to trust in his leadership of America. He says that he alone can fix whatever he believes is wrong in our lives as citizens. His is the vision not of a resident, but of a dictator. Nelson Hart Gorham

Citizens are struggling to understand why the town of Bridgton has a Land Use Code in place that puts hundreds of residents in the path of particulate matter (PM) 2.5, that is not visible to the naked eye, and is known to aggravate heart and lung conditions. The EPA recognizes and continues to strengthen its […]

Newspaper headlines sway public opinion. Reading actual news articles may get skipped, but the headlines? They’re scanned. Examples of the spin: ‘The S&P 500 has rallied, but there is still a 58% chance of a recession” or: ‘The age-old question looks different now. Will it matter to young voters?” Opinions, often published under analysis, give […]

As the Press Herald reports (“Island communities ask Gov. Mills to intervene to get ferry service back on track,” July 24), there have been cancellations of ferry services to various Maine islands because of problems related to hiring and retaining crew members. Those problems, in turn, are because of pay, as well as licensing requirements. […]

The recent column about the professional wrestlers who introduced Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention (“When Hulk Hogan talks, brother, we’d better pay attention,” July 31) raises a significant irony. Professional wrestling, of course, is staged; the conflicts and the violence are not real. So, having these wrestlers tout their toughness and attribute toughness […]

That Joe Biden is a cunning old devil. Here is what I think he did. After that disappointing debate, his resolve began to weaken. He’s an octogenarian, not a stupidinarian. Biden could see the looming prospect of Hannibal Lecter, er, I mean Donald Trump, smugly riding down Pennsylvania Avenue to the inauguration with Project 2025 […]

Recently, my wife took me to the Brunswick Commons: one thousand acres of land kept in “general commonage.” I could not avoid thinking about what some might say about it: property held in common smacks of socialism, it’s downright un-American. Instead of being put to productive use, the land is left for those engaged in […]