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This week, Alex sits down with entrepreneur & advocate Betsy Sweet. Serra Speaks is a production of Serra Public Affairs. If you haven't already, please review us on Apple Podcasts! It's an important way to help new listeners discover the show. Episode transcripts are available on our website. Say hello on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
As part of Maine Public's coverage of election issues throughout the year, we feature this Your Vote 2020 interview with candidates who will be on the ballot during the primary election on July 14. Two Democratic primary candidates for U.S. Senate will be interviewed to learn about their views on current events, the issues they are prioritizing, and what they feel voters need to know about them.
As part of Maine Public's coverage of election issues throughout the year, we feature this Your Vote 2020 interview with candidates who will be on the ballot during the primary election on July 14. Two Democratic primary candidates for U.S. Senate will be interviewed to learn about their views on current events, the issues they are prioritizing, and what they feel voters need to know about them.
Betsy Sweet is a Senate candidate for the state of Maine; she joined us on the show to talk about her campaign, her life long role as an activitist, how she will defeat Susan Collins, and why its time to step up and make a difference.
Hello! Welcome to another episode of Inside The Newsroom where today we welcome Betsy Sweet to the podcast! Betsy’s a veteran of Maine politics and is running for U.S. Senate, where she must defeat Sara Gideon and Bre Kidman in July’s Democratic primary, before taking on Republican incumbent Susan Collins. Our conversation centered around the ridiculous nature of U.S. elections that sees voters bombarded with political ads and door knocking for two years, before it all starts again for the next cycle. And we went deep into campaign finance laws and the history behind Citizens United, which allows corporations to fund candidates in the name of free speech. Up top is the podcast, down below is the post-game, but first my top stories of the week. Enjoy! ✊Picks of the WeekElon Musk — He’s back! The billionaire tech mogul appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast for the second time, a year after smoking a blunt live on airFossil Fuel Bailout — Oil prices have tanked to their lowest in 15 years, but instead of keeping to their capitalist principles, oil firms are seeking a bailoutBibi Netanyahu — Israel’s Prime Minister is on the verge of forming a unity government delaying the country’s fourth general election in a year ❤️❤️❤️How You Like Me Now? ❤️❤️❤️Before you read on, please like this edition of Inside The Newsroom by clicking the ❤️ up top. That way I’ll appear in clever algorithms and more people will be able to read.Job CornerMore than 350 active journalism jobs, internships and freelance gigs are currently listed, with no position posted before March 1. Companies include CNN, the BBC, the NBA and Telemundo. Spread the word far and wide!Who is Betsy Sweet?There’s a saying that in order to know what a person is about, look at what they’ve done. Betsy’s been helping others for almost 40 years, whether it was writing and helping to pass the first Family Medical Leave Act in the country, getting rid of environmental toxins from building materials and children’s toys, or expanding the Human Rights Act in Maine, Betsy’s record speaks for itself. If and when Betsy wins June’s Democratic primary, she must topple Republican incumbent Susan Collins, who’s been a U.S. Senator from Maine since 1997. One of the most vulnerable Republicans in the country, Collins is against Medicare For All and the Green New Deal, and has voted with Donald Trump 67 percent of the time since he assumed office. Betsy 👇A Brief History of Maine PoliticsAs is often the case with many states, there’s a disconnect between Maine’s presidential and U.S. Senate voting history. Apart from Maine’s 2nd congressional district giving Donald Trump a single collegiate vote in 2016, the Pine Tree State has voted blue solidly since George H. W. Bush swept the country in 1988. Meanwhile, Betsy’s vying to become the first Democratic senator to represent the state since George J. Mitchell did so in 1995 — current senator Angus King has a mixed history but was elected as an independent in 2012.Credit: 270toWinThis is a massive part of U.S. politics that’s all too often glossed over, with most outlets labelling Maine a blue state, or West Virginia, for example, a red state, when in reality neither is any color other than purple. That’s why Betsy is running on a platform of issues that shouldn’t be seen as left or right, but rather up and down, supporting the average voter against big-money interests of corporations and billionaires.Where Do Campaign Contributions Go Once a Campaign Ends?It’s a question I’ve always wondered, especially on the presidential level where campaigns can be left with millions of dollars after they’re suspended. The 2020 Democratic primary field raised an estimated $2 billion million between the two dozen or so candidates, including the $1 billion Michael Bloomberg and $315 million Tom Steyer dropped on their campaigns. There are many paths candidates take. If you’re Elizabeth Warren, you might use the $11 million in hand to pay the $5.9 million monthly payment it cost to run your campaign. If you’re Beto O’Rourke, you might make donations to organizations including Everytown For Gun Safety and March For Our Lives, which champion gun control and is something Beto holds close to his heart after the El Paso mass shooting that left 20 dead last year. If you’re Mini Mike Bloomberg, you might transfer a cool $18 million to the DNC, making it the largest transfer by a presidential campaign in recent history. If you’re one of the many senators or representatives, you might transfer funds from your presidential campaign to your congressional campaign, so long as they don’t surpass limits on what donors had already contributed. Which raises the next question: How much does all the ad spending benefit local economies?Ad Spend in the Local EconomyWe know that more than $2 billion was raised by Democratic candidates in the 2020 primary race and the majority of that will have been spent in advertising. This means that early voting states such as Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina felt a real cash injection from not only the increased advertising, but also from campaigns and reporters spending money on hotels, in restaurants and on rental cars for example. Research conducted by Rebecca Lessum, an assistant professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon University, and Carly Urban, an associate professor of economics at Montana State University, found that increased spending in a state around a primary can increase total per capita earnings in that quarter by up to 25 percent.If you follow elections in other countries, you’ll know that the U.S. system is an anomaly in that there’s barely a break in political campaigning. As soon as the current presidential cycle ends in November, it’ll be a few short months before activity resumes toward the 2022 midterms, if not right away. Compare that to the UK’s campaigning rules, which states that the official campaign period is limited to 25 working days. It’s why Betsy is among a growing number of people calling for limits to the campaign period in the U.S., so not to desensitize voters from the onslaught of campaign material.Citizens United IncPerhaps the main reason why U.S. presidential campaigns are so damn long is the money involved. Betsy and I discussed the need to reduce the influence money has on politicians and their policies, which in turn fuels the endless campaigning. That’s where Citizens United enters the fray, which was a landmark case in 2010 that ruled that political spending is a form of free speech protected under the First Amendment, and opened the door for corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on political advertising. While the increased spending will inevitably benefit local economies, it reduces the power of each voter and allows lobbyists to buy candidates and elections.But it wasn’t always like this and doesn’t have to be this way. Between 1907 and 1970, a series of acts were passed limiting the influence of money in politics. And in 1971, Congress passed the Federal Election Campaign Act, which strengthened the requirement for candidates to publicly report their campaign finance and put limits on the amount they could receive in one go. But then in 2010, Citizens United paved the way for the open season system the U.S. has today. A full history can be found in the below video…Last week…#75 — Alex Schiffer (The Athletic) on the grind of making the jump from local to national journalism#74 — Major Garrett (CBS News) on the difference between asking Barack Obama and Donald Trump questions in the White House press briefing room… Next week#77 — Francesco Marconi on the future of artificial intelligence and machine learning in journalism#78 — Mark Gamaba (U.S. House Candidate OR) on his 30-year career in photo journalism and now running for national officeRelated podcasts…#73 — Nick Rubando (U.S. House Candidate OH) on winning the Democratic nomination for Ohio’s 5th district and November’s general election#68 — Mckayla Wilkes (U.S. House Candidate MD) on America’s draconian At-Will employment laws, and the need for Universal Basic Income#64 — Paula Jean Swearingen (U.S. Senate Candidate WV) on West Virginia’s toxic history with coal mining, and the impact of Alexandria Ocasio-CortezThanks for making it all the way to the bottom. Please like and share this edition of Inside The Newsroom by clicking the ❤️ below. That way I’ll appear in clever algorithms and more people will be able to read.If you haven’t already, please consider subscribing to get a newsletter about a cool news topic in your inbox every time I publish (1-2 times a week). You can find me on Twitter at @DanielLevitt32 and email me corrections/feedback or even a guest you’d like me to get on the podcast at daniellevitt32@gmail.com. Get on the email list at insidethenewsroom.substack.com
Guest Betsy Sweet on her campaign to upset Maine’s ever popular Susan Collins. Also, just what is really going on with Reopen America protests?
Guest Betsy Sweet on her campaign to upset Maine’s ever popular Susan Collins. Also, just what is really going on with Reopen America protests?
Guest Betsy Sweet on her campaign to upset Maine’s ever popular Susan Collins. Also, just what is really going on with Reopen America protests?
Guest Betsy Sweet on her campaign to upset Maine’s ever popular Susan Collins. Also, just what is really going on with Reopen America protests?
There's a lot about money in politics that is flawed. But how do we fix it? Betsy Sweet is running for U.S. Senate in Maine with a passion for getting money out of politics, and she has a history of work on the issue. Betsy helped write the Clean Elections Act in Maine, the nation's first full public funding system for state legislative and gubernatorial races. She ran for governor as a "Clean Elections Act" candidate and is now hoping to secure the Democratic nomination to take on Senator Susan Collins in 2020, a must-win seat for Democrats in their bid to retake the majority in the Senate. Betsy joins the Money in Politics podcast to discuss how money can corrode politics, and some ideas she has to "reform Democracy."
Ro Khanna talks politics with Cenk. 2020 Senate candidate is running to unseat Sen. Susan Collins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis at our southern border, a vigil called Lights for Liberty will take place all across the country and the world on Friday, July 12th. We talk with the event's creator, Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin, an activist, attorney, and host of the online program #ResistanceLive, who says the event is aimed at creating a sense of common cause around one of the most profound crises of our time. Also, with the Senate race in Maine beginning to draw national attention, we chat with progressive Democrat Betsy Sweet about her plan to unseat Republican Susan Collins. Links: Find a Lights for Liberty event near you: https://www.lightsforliberty.org/localevents A map of immigrant detention centers in the US: https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/detention-statistics #ResistanceLive: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC85eSMgCIdzVn4y_CBCrvag Betsy Sweet's campaign website: https://betsysweet.com/
Today Heidi Henry and Murri Briel, the Heartland Mamas Podcast discusses Military parades on 4th of July, why that is WRONG, how to celebrate as a responsible citizen, the costs of Military Parades to local government, the Parks Service and the Nation. Plus the dangers to our Democracy to behave as an authoritarian state like N Korea and Russia. It dishonors our past and gives us a glimpse at autocracy.Featuring Senate races of Martha McSally in AZ and a shout out to Mark Kelley her challenger and Susan Collins of Maine and shouts out to her challengers Sara Gideon, Bre Kidman and Betsy Sweet. Also a nod that She has a GOP challenger and that Maine is a Choice State so there could be 2 Democrats vying for Collins seat in the General!!Plus a shout out to Andrew Yang.Link to our You Tube video - Please subscribe to our You Tube Channel, give us a like and a follow on all social media Heartland Mamashttps://youtu.be/fMCPgo4mvgY
Keeping Up with Betsy Sweet, Democratic Candidate for US Senate by Cynthia Dill
Trump's bizarre interview with ABC News. Jurors ask what 'under oath' means during deliberations. Attorney Janika White LIVE on the trial process. Trump vs. AOC. Betsy Sweet LIVE on her campaign to unseat Sen. Susan Collins. A Border Patrol officer in Arizona calls immigrants derogatory names and slurs; he's now accused of hitting a man with his truck.Cohost: Brooke ThomasGuests: Janika White & Betsy Sweet See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this episode, lobbyist Betsy Sweet talks about spending her summers on North Haven and her love of the state of Maine.
NEWS CENTER Maine's Don Carrigan sits down with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Betsy Sweet of Hallowell. She is a mental health counselor and owns a business that lobbies the Legislature on issue for the disabled, mentally ill, the elderly and for women. She is a longtime Democratic activist and organizer, and is the former director of the Maine Women’s Lobby.
Maine Currents | WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives
“Democracy Lives in Truth” Rally & Welcoming City Resolutions in Maine Producer/Host: Amy Browne Engineer: Joel Mann Segment 1: Speakers at Saturday’s “Democracy Lives in Truth” rally in Bangor: Sean Faircloth, Kimberly Hammill, Stacy Leafsong and James Varner The rally and march that preceded it were hosted by Mainers for Accountable Leadership and cosponsored by Indivisible: Bangor, Standing For The Common Good, Bangor Racial and Economic Justice Coalition, Food AND Medicine Peace and the Justice Center of Eastern Maine. FMI: Mainers for Accountable Leadership www.facebook.com/groups/223438051414968/ Indivisible: Bangor www.facebook.com/groups/indivisiblebangor/ Standing for the Common Good www.facebook.com/groups/245994745824081/ Bangor Racial & Economic Justice Coalition www.facebook.com/BangorREJC/ Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine www.facebook.com/Peace-Justice-Center-of-Eastern-Maine-102131166536360/ Food AND Medicine: www.facebook.com/foodandmedicineme/ Segment 2: Several towns in Maine have joined others across the country in adopting what are known as “Welcoming City” resolutions. Today we're going to talk with some of the organizers: Nicolle Littrell of Belfast, Becca Shaw Glaser of Rockland, Elisabeth Goodridge of Appleton and Betsy Sweet of Hallowell. FMI: Details on Belfast’s petition for a resolution: www.change.org/p/please-sign-to-support-adoption-of-this-resolution-to-make-belfast-maine-a-welcoming-city-for-all BelFem (group organizing Belfast’s efforts to pass a resolution): www.facebook.com/belfemgroup Village Soup article about Rockland’s resolution passing: knox.villagesoup.com/p/rockland-council-oks-diversity-resolve/1632942 Appleton’s Resolution reads: “Appleton is a home to people from all walks of life, whose heritage and origins are diverse, and is a community whose well-being depends on the security, serenity, and mutual respect of all its citizens. Therefore, Appleton is resolved to respect the dignity of all people, promote civil discourse, and honor diversity in all forms. We as a town and individuals will work to make our community a place where all people feel safe in their homes, on the streets, in our schools, and within the community at large. Appleton is resolved to be a community where all people are welcome.” Maine Currents- independent local news, views and culture, every Wednesday at 4pm on WERU-FM and weru.org The post Maine Currents 3/15/17 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.