I was away for much of the month of February, so I just came across the piece by David Farmer in your Feb. 4 edition that used me as a strawman for his criticism of “rich dudes” who might run for president of the United States, governor of Maine or, implicitly, any other public office – unless they run under the banner of Mr. Farmer’s Democratic Party.

It is critical to our democracy that every citizen’s vote has value, and is felt by the voter to have value. Enacting a national popular vote will ensure that every vote has value; and is not lost due to the particular majority party of the voting district. No longer will Piscataquis Democrats or York Republicans have reason to say, “My vote doesn’t matter.”

Democrats are laying the whip to the foundations of our Republic. Those who represent us are either standing aside in mute obeisance or taking their beating in silence. What can be learned from the whimpers of the cowed, distant in the still?

Thank you to the BDN for the Feb. 21 editorial suggesting our increased climate change awareness might translate into increased action. It joins increased media coverage on climate concerns, much from the younger generation. Although the BDN identifies shortcomings of the Green New Deal, we must not dismiss its loud, clear statement from youth, amplified by student strikes across Europe and elsewhere.

There is an expectation in this Republic that the duly elected representative of the people will represent the people. Not so for the voters of Congressional District 2 (CD2) in the state of Maine. As the freshman representative from New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has established herself as the standard bearer of the Democrat Party, Jared Golden, the freshman representative from Maine who campaigned on standing up to his party, is content to offer his silence as consent.

There is a simple way to sell the Green New Deal to at least 35 percent of the county. All they need is a mind-numbing chant.

Any member of the public wishing to follow official documents pertaining to the criminal trial against Roger J. Stone, Jr. brought by the U.S. Department of Justice -- or any case filed in federal courts -- may do so through the court’s electronic filing system. Observers simply create an account through something called the PACER Case Locator (pcl.uscourts.gov).

While the extent of this global emergency is daunting, there is a ray of hope in HR 763, The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This nonpartisan solution is estimated to reduce America’s carbon pollution by at least 40 percent within 12 years, while returning a carbon dividend to all Americans monthly.

Unlike every other elected office, a presidential candidate can (and five times in our history has) win election without winning the majority of votes cast. Think about that. Except for the presidency, all federal, state, and local elected positions (whether selectmen and women, state legislators, governors,congressional and senatorial positions -- even dog catchers and coroners, where elected!) must win the most votes from all eligible voters to win.

Climate change is a polarizing issue everywhere, including Congress. So far it has been impossible to pass bipartisan legislation to address it. Citizens Climate Lobby, a national nonpartisan organization, is working on this. They helped bring about last month’s introduction of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act by a bipartisan group in the U.S. House of Representatives.

But in view of my three years there and a different direction in my life, I will not seek re-election to the board. I would say someone with children in SAD 4 would be better suited as a board member.

Prejudice, its many layers unfolded, invariably yield an influence unhealthy to society. More than the nostalgic lampoon of quirky Americana in a Hollywood taint, geographical prejudice, at its extreme, has been a combative divide between regions of our society with often tragic results. Surprising as it would seem, the Democrat Party has made geographical prejudice a hallmark of their political agenda.

As I listened with anticipation to President Donald Trump outline his administration’s vision for leading our country forward in his State of the Union address, I was disappointed he didn't talk about one of the most important issues of our time: the threat to our country, our world and our entire global economy of climate change, especially given the bipartisan bill just introduced in the House of Representatives.

I was listening to a President Donald Trump interview over the weekend. He said they’ve already started to build the wall -- big parts, it’s going to be beautiful -- with money they had on hand. So what I’d like to know is, why was there a shutdown? Or is that another lie?

If only it were a lost art and we had left it there long ago. Its device and scheme is a plague upon our nation's soul. So it has followed us from distant shores, infectious and diseased, to raise its ugly bulbous head in a legislative eruption of taxation.

The soldiers who identify as members of the transgender community serve our country and protect our freedoms in the U.S. military. Patriot hero soldiers from the LGBTQ+ community have given their lives or have come home from many wars with arms or legs blown off.

Hope springs eternal or so the poets say But nothing seems poetic in Washington today Battle on the wind, stalemate all a'grind The blame, The game as who can best opine

The cure at the southern border is to identify the problem first. The number one problem is illegal drugs. The greatest percentage of illegal drugs cross the border by legal points of entry. We need more inspectors and electronic equipment to get this under control.