Podcasts about maine house

Episode 31: Libby v. FecteauLibby, et al. v. Fecteau, et al., argued before Circuit Judge Lara Montecalvo, Circuit Judge Seth Aframe, and District Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on June 5, 2025. Argued by Taylor Meehan of Consovoy McCarthy PLLC (on behalf of Laurel Libby, et al.), Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights (for Amicus Curiae United States, supporting appellant), and Jonathan Bolton, Maine Assistant Attorney General (on behalf of Ryan M. Fecteau, et al.).Background of the case, from the Brief of Appellants:In February, Libby took to Facebook to call attention to Maine's [transgender athlete] policy, borne out at this year's high school track-and-field state championship. The championship was a public event; the names, schools, and podium photos of participants were widely broadcast and readily accessible online. Libby re-posted already-public, truthful information showing the first-place girls' pole vaulter previously competed in boys' pole vault. That first-place finish propelled the athlete's high school team to win the girls' state championship by one point.Libby's post put Maine's policy in the national spotlight, prompting federal investigations regarding Maine's noncompliance with federal law. Days later, the Maine House censured Libby along a party-line vote of 75 to 70. The censure resolution called on Libby to “publicly apologize” for bringing “national attention” to Maine. H.R. Res. 1, 132nd Leg., 1st Reg. Sess. (Me. 2025). It denounced Libby's “statement criticizing the participation of transgender students in high school sports” as “reprehensible” and “incompatible with her duty and responsibilities as a Member of this House.” And while the resolution faulted Libby for identifying a “student athlete by [first] name” and “showing the minor in an athletic uniform” without “consent,” id., the post merely copied public information, showing podium photos from widely publicized state championship events, contained no threats, and violated no law. The resolution omitted that the Speaker and others regularly show minors on their social media, without any indication of consent from the subjects.Dissenting House members criticized the resolution as “a mockery of the censure process,” “set[ting] a standard … that the majority party, when they're displeased with a social media post that upsets them, can censure a member of the minority party.” Other representatives raised free-speech concerns and sought clarification on whether members who re-posted Libby's post could “expect censures to come forth on them as well.” The Speaker disclaimed knowledge of “any other censures.”After the censure resolution passed, the Speaker summoned Libby to the well of the House chamber and demanded she apologize. When Libby refused to recant her views, the Speaker found her in violation of Maine House Rule 401(11), providing that a member “guilty of a breach of any of the rules and orders of the House … may not be allowed to vote or speak … until the member has made satisfaction.”Ever since, Libby's district has had no voice or vote on the House floor. The Speaker has stopped Libby from speaking on any bill, including even posing a question in a recent debate on an equal rights amendment proposed for the state constitution.Statement of the Issue, from Brief of Appellants:Whether Plaintiffs are entitled to a preliminary injunction on their claims under the First and Fourteenth Amendments and the Guarantee Clause [of “a Republican Form of Government].”The Institute for Free Speech promotes and defends the political speech rights to freely speak, assemble, publish, and petition the government guaranteed by the First Amendment. If you're enjoying the Free Speech Arguments podcast, please subscribe and leave a review on your preferred podcast platform. To support the Institute's mission or inquire about legal assistance, please visit our website: www.ifs.org

Headlines: Trump Shows South African President Receipts of Genocide; Trump Administration Formally Accepts Qatari Jet to Replace Air Force One; SCOTUS orders Maine House to restore lawmaker vote; Christian author, bible teacher, Kay Arthur, dies at 91;PPS declares victory on $1.83B bond measure as early results show a lead; front-runners emerge in early results for PPS school board races. Interview: Robert Peters, Senior Research Fellow, Strategic Deterrence, The Heritage Foundation, on Trump’s Golden Dome. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bioptimizers https://Bioptimizers.com/toddEnter promo code TODD to get 10% off your order of MassZymes today.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital Bulwark Capital Management (bulwarkcapitalmgmt.com)Do you know how tariffs can affect your retirement?  Join Zach Abraham's FREE Webinar “Tariff Edition” THIS Thursday at 3:30 Pacific.  Sign up at KnowYourRiskRadio.com today.Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeSo, Jake Tapper says Conservative media was right*** with multiple asterisks… Here's what I mean by that…Episode Links:Jake Tapper: “Alex and I are here to say the conservative media was right and conservative media was correct and that there should be a lot of soul searching, not just among me, but among the legacy media.”Jake Tapper on Laura TrumpJay Bhattacharya confronts NIH bureaucrats with a fact that most Americans believe but that a complicit mainstream media has sheltered them from: NIH-sponsored research may have killed 1 million AmericansPeople at the NIH walked out on their boss's speech; they should be fired this moment.Maine Democrats just censured Rep. Laurel Libby and stripped her of voting rights in the Maine House because she defended women and girls.

On today's episode: Biden's office says his 'last known' prostate cancer screening was in 2014; Israel strikes Gaza; President Vladimir Putin visited Russia's Kursk region; German police arrest teens involved in far-right group; animals owned by Mexican cartels have been rescued; and a judge rules on a case involving migrants being sent to Africa. US immigration authorities appear to have begun deporting migrants to South Sudan, attorneys say. Supreme Court orders Maine House to restore vote of GOP lawmaker who ID-ed trans teen athlete online. Trump announces he's selected final 'Golden Dome' space missile defenses that would cost billions. Trump on Capitol Hill implores divided Republicans to unify behind his big tax cuts bill. Trump's Homeland Security secretary says habeas corpus lets him 'remove people from this country.' While Trump overhauls FEMA, Mississippi tornado survivors await assistance. Prosecutors charge McIver with pushing and grabbing agents while trying to stop mayor's arrest. Trump officials set new requirements for COVID vaccines in healthy adults and children. George Wendt, who played a beloved barfly on 'Cheers' and found another home onstage, dies at 76. Accuser gestures at Harvey Weinstein in courtroom confrontation. Cassie's mother says Sean 'Diddy' Combs demanded $20K because her daughter was seeing someone else. 20 people, health care business and church charged in sober living scheme in Arizona. Driver in custody after breaching Buffalo airport gate. Maintenance worker says inmate threatened to shank him if he didn't assist in New Orleans jail break. NY governor to visit Seneca Nation to apologize for state's role in boarding school. US stocks sink as S&P 500 falls to its first loss in 7 days. Home Depot says it doesn't expect to boost prices because of tariffs. Southwest Airlines will require chargers be kept out while in use because of battery fire concerns. The Thunder earn a statement win to open the Western Conference Finals, a Timberwolves star briefly exits with an injury, the defending Stanley Cup champions cruise to a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final, Aaron Judge and Will Warren lead the Yankees to victory and NFL stars will play flag football in L.A.  White Sox unveil a graphic installation honoring Pope Leo XIV and his World Series appearance. Indy 500 announces first grandstand sellout since 2016 with 350,000 expected for the race on Sunday. A suicide car bomber strikes a school bus in southwestern Pakistan, killing 5 people. The personal secretary and adviser to Mexico City's mayor are shot dead. Iran’s supreme leader rejects US stance on uranium enrichment. WHO members adopt a 'pandemic agreement' born out of the disjointed global COVID response. New EU and UK sanctions target Russia's shadow fleet of tankers illicitly transporting oil. —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate. Theme music The News Tonight, used under license from Soundstripe. YouTube clearance: ZR2MOTROGI4XAHRX

AP correspondent Ed Donahue reports on a Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Maine lawmaker.

Nearly one year after President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in the hopes of stopping certification of the 2020 election, the Maine House of Representatives debated a resolution commemorating the assault on Congress that ultimately led to the conviction of more than 1,270 rioters.

This Day in Maine for Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

This Day in Maine Wednesday, April 30, 2025

We explore how censorship is impacting institutions — from universities to law firms to the Maine House of Representatives. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 01:40 Federal government cuts Columbia's funding 16:57 Updates on the Mahmoud Khalil case 27:01 Ed Martin's Georgetown letter 34:59 Trump targeting law firms 55:01 Maine House censure of Rep. Laurel Libby 01:03:37 Outro Guests: - Will Creeley, FIRE's legal director - Conor Fitzpatrick, FIRE's supervising senior attorney - Lindsie Rank, FIRE's director of campus rights advocacy  Enjoy listening to the podcast? Donate to FIRE today and get exclusive content like member webinars, special episodes, and more. If you became a FIRE Member through a donation to FIRE at thefire.org and would like access to Substack's paid subscriber podcast feed, please email sotospeak@thefire.org. Show notes: - “DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA announce initial cancelation of grants and contracts to Columbia University worth $400 million” U.S. Department of Justice (2025) - HHS, ED, and GSA follow up letter to Columbia. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Government Services Administration (2025) - “Columbia yields to Trump in battle over federal funding” The Wall Street Journal (2025) - “Advancing our work to combat discrimination, harassment, and antisemitism at Columbia” Columbia University (2025)   - “Columbia caves to feds — and sets a dangerous precedent” FIRE (2025) - “ED, HHS, and GSA Respond to Columbia University's Actions to Comply with Joint Task Force Pre-Conditions” U.S. Department of Education (2025) - “FIRE demands answers from Trump admin officials on arrest of Mahmoud Khalil” FIRE (2025) - “Brief of Amici Curiae in Support of Petitioner's Motion for Preliminary Injunction - Khalil v. Joyce” FIRE (2025) - “​​We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio via X (2025) - “‘ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a radical foreign Pro-Hamas student on the campus of @Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come.' President Donald J. Trump” The White House via X (2025) - “WATCH: White House downplays stock market declines as ‘a snapshot'” PBS NewsHour (2025) - “Secretary Rubio's remarks to the press” U.S. Department of State (2025) - “Mahmoud Khalil. Notice to appear.” Habeeb Habeeb via X (2025) - “Alien and Sedition Acts” National Archives (1798) - Ed Martin's letter to Georgetown Law Dean William Treanor. (2025) - Dean Treanor's response to Ed Martin. (2025) - “Trump, Perkins Coie and John Adams” The Wall Street Journal (2025) - “Suspension of Security Clearances and Evaluation of Government Contracts” The White House (2025) - “Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP” The White House (2025) - “Addressing risks from Paul Weiss” The White House (2025) - “Lawyers who anger the Feds face new penalties by decree” The CATO Institute (2025) - “Today, President Donald J. Trump agreed to withdraw his March 14, 2025 Executive Order regarding the Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP law firm (‘Paul, Weiss'), which has entered into the following agreement with the President…” President Trump via TruthSocial (2025) - “Head of Paul, Weiss says firm would not have survived without deal with Trump” The New York Times (2025) - “House resolution relating to the censure of Representative Laurel D. Libby of Auburn by the Maine House of Representatives” Maine House of Representatives (2025) - “Maine's censure of lawmaker for post about trans student-athlete is an attack on free speech” FIRE (2025) - “Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby disagreed with biological males competing in women's sports, and now, the Maine State House is censuring her.” Sen. Kennedy via X (2025) - “The open society and its enemies” Karl Popper (1945) - “Cyber rights: Defending free speech in the digital age” Mike Godwin (1995)

In this episode, Riley interviews Maine State Representative Laurel Libby, who has gained national attention for her outspoken stance on women's sports and the participation of biological males. Libby discusses her recent censure in the Maine House, the public's response to her position, and her legal actions to reclaim her voice and representation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2/27/2025 Hour 3 Laurel Libby; State representative in Maine to discuss the Maine House of Reps censuring her for trying to keep boys from cheating in girls’ sports. And on the Maine House Speaker deleting his X account after his constituents reacted. .For more coverage on the issues that matter to you visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 3-6pm. To join the conversation, check us out on social media: @WMAL @VinceCoglianese. Executive Producer: Corey Inganamort @TheBirdWords See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the podcast, Channa interviews Rep. Gary Friedmann (D-Bar Harbor), who is currently serving his first term in the Maine House of Representatives. Friedmann shares why he decided to run for office; his frustrations with the lack of bipartisanship when it comes to the supplemental budget; two bills he is sponsoring surrounding affordable… The post Podcast: Rep. Gary Friedmann on Maine's budget deadlock and the fight for affordable housing first appeared on Maine Beacon.

From the Williams Broadcasting Studio "The Bottom Line wiht special guest Ryan Fecteau with the Maine House of Representatives.

Did you know that sewage sludge or biosolids when applied to farmland can contaminate soil, water and food with PFAS? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Bill Pluecker, Maine House of Representatives, farmer and Public Policy organizer for the Main Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.  PFAS are a class of toxic chemicals known as “forever chemicals.” Representative Pluecker will explain the impact of PFAS contamination on Maine farmers, responsible parties, ways to prevent further contamination and potential farmer compensation.Related Websites: https://barnraisingmedia.com/the-farm-bill-must-support-farmers-affected-by-pfas-contaminated-sewage-sludge/ https://civileats.com/2024/12/18/why-are-pesticide-companies-fighting-state-laws-to-address-pfas/ https://pfasproject.com/ www.mofga.org

Join Ben and Rahul for their in-depth discussion of Ben's recent three-week jury trial in which Ben represented a little girl who developed cerebral palsy following the development of necrotizing enterocolitis in the NICU.  Ben discusses how decision-making guided by big data led to him and his client to turning down an $11 million offer after closing arguments to take a verdict.  He discusses what he learned following extensive discussions with jurors following the trial. Ben describes how this verdict influences his thinking about data, risk and approach to trial moving forward.About Ben Gideonhttps://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/Ben grew up in Portland, Maine, attended public schools and graduated from Deering High School in 1989. Ben's father, Martin Rogoff, was a prominent member of the Maine Law School faculty, so Ben grew up immersed in discussions of the law. Ben began to develop his legal skills early in life through nightly arguments with his father at the dinner table.In high school, Ben played varsity soccer and was the captain of the hockey team. Following high school, Ben attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Ben attempted to walk on to the Cornell hockey team, but was eventually cut from the team, ending his hockey career. Depressed and disappointed at this failure, Ben became a poor student, failed several classes, and was told he was being suspended from college on academic probation.After rehabilitating himself through some community college courses, Ben was able to gain re-admission to Cornell and to complete his degree. Ben applied to law school and was admitted to Boston University School of Law. There, Ben was a standout student. His grades were so exceptional after his first year that he was accepted as a transfer student to Yale Law School where he earned his law degree.Ben began his career in private practice at a large, multi-national law firm, Latham & Watkins, in New York City. He practiced there for several years before deciding to return to Maine to join Berman & Simmons, PA, Maine's largest plaintiff's law firm.EDUCATIONCornell University, 1993Yale Law School, 1999RECOGNITIONSThe Inner Circle of Advocates, 100 of the Best Plaintiff Lawyers in the U.S., 2019-presentAmerican College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 2020-present, Top 1% of all lawyersAmerica's Top 100 Attorneys ― Listed in Maine for Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, and Products Liability, 2017The Best Lawyers in America ― 2013–present; “Lawyer of the Year,” 2016–presentSuper Lawyers ― “Super Lawyer,” 2013–presentMartindale-Hubbell ― Top Rated “AV Preeminent”Chambers & Partners USA ― Listed for Litigation: Medical Malpractice & Insurance and Mainly PlaintiffBenchmark Litigation ― “Litigation Star”AVVO — Rated 10.0 out of 10MEMBERSHIPSMaine Board of Overseers of the Bar, Professional Ethics CommissionMaine State Bar AssociationAmerican Association for Justice (AAJ)American Bar AssociationGovernor, Maine Trial Lawyers AssociationADMISSIONSMaine (2003)U.S. District Court, District of Maine (2010)Vermont (2016)New Hampshire (2010)U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (2002)New York (2000) A Leader at Berman & SimmonsDuring his years at Berman & Simmons, Ben rose from an associate to become an owner and practice leader at the firm. Ben was instrumental in helping the firm re-invent its approach to litigating and trying cases; expanded its areas of practice expertise; and recruited and trained many talented lawyers.During his 17 years at Berman & Simmons, Ben enjoyed many great successes and some disappointing failures, but overall managed to build the most successful plaintiff's personal injury and medical malpractice practice in the State of Maine. Ben achieved success in a broad range of different types of plaintiff's cases—police civil rights, product liability, medical malpractice, nursing home, maritime and industrial accidents.Early in his career, Ben achieved a landmark civil rights verdict against a police officer for violating his client's civil rights with a Taser shooting. The verdict was affirmed on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.In 2014, after 4 ½ year of litigation, Ben achieved a record-setting $22.5 million jury verdict in Burlington, Vermont, on behalf of a utility lineman who lost both of his legs during a high-voltage powerline switching operation.Ben followed his Vermont verdict with a verdict of $1.75 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice trial in Bangor, Maine.More recently, Ben recovered $2.5 million in a medical malpractice case tried to a jury in New Hampshire.Over the past decade, no other plaintiff's lawyer in Maine can match Ben's level of success on behalf of his clients, which include:Recovering more than $130 million in verdicts and settlementsAchieving 31 verdicts or settlements in excess of $ 1 millionRecovering more than $50 million for the victims of medical malpracticeRecovering tens of millions of dollars for victims of car and trucking accidents.Recovering more than $11 million in actions against major automobile manufacturers, including Toyota, Hyundai, and Fiat ChryslerRecovering more than $15 million from power and electrical utility companiesRecovering millions of dollars for families of the victims of the El Faro maritime disasterRecovering more than $5 million from 3 trials and several settlements of medical malpractice and personal injury against the U.S. GovernmentRecovering millions of dollars for victims of nursing home negligence and abuseRecovering millions of dollars for victims of dangerous and defective productsPeer RecognitionBen's accomplishments, professionalism and character have won him the recognition of his peers. Ben has been named in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013 and was named “Lawyer of the Year” for the State of Maine twice. Ben has been listed in Super Lawyers every year since 2013. He has received the top rating of “AV Preeminent” from Martindale-Hubbell and has a 10.0 out 10 rating on AVVO.In 2019, Ben became only the second lawyer in Maine to be inducted into the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of the best 100 plaintiff lawyers in the United States.Here is how the Inner Circle describes its criteria for membership:Membership CriteriaMembership in The Inner Circle of Advocates is by invitation and based on criteria that include an applicant's performance and success in the courtroom. The Inner Circle carefully evaluates experience, reputation, judicial references, and peer evaluations to identify the best 100 trial lawyers in the country. Typically, applicants are expected to have at least three verdicts of one million dollars or a recent verdict in excess of ten million dollars to be considered for membership. The Inner Circle looks for cutting edge lawyers in their jurisdiction who are active courtroom lawyers with a willingness to learn and teach about our craft and to be part of a close-knit, sharing group of professional colleagues. Membership in The Inner Circle of Advocates is not just an accolade, it is a commitment to participate in a unique laboratory of professional advancement.In 2020, Ben was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), an invitation-only group limited to the top 1% of lawyers. Here is how ACTL describes the qualifications required for membership:Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province.Founding Gideon Asen LLCAfter 17 years at Berman & Simmons, in November 2020, Ben decided to leave one firm he loved and had helped to build, to form a new law firm, Gideon Asen LLC.“I was very proud of everything we accomplished at Berman & Simmons,” Ben said, “but I was excited by the challenge of building a new firm that could be even better.”Ben's first step was to recruit Taylor Asen to join him.“Taylor and I have a common mission,” Ben said. “Although we're separated by 12 years, Taylor also attended Yale Law School and completed prestigious Federal clerkships. He's insanely smart.”“But perhaps more important, Taylor and I share a common vision of a plaintiff's law firm where clients have access to exceptional lawyers and service. We are both supremely competitive and don't tolerate mediocrity. We believe we owe it to our clients to give them the very best, and that is what Gideon Asen will provide.”Podcast, Writing and TeachingBen enjoys thinking about the practice of trial law and strategies for success and is a frequent writer and speaker on trial topics.Ben co-hosts a podcast called Elawvate! which focuses on the human factors and guiding principles that drive successful lawyers and law firms.Personal Life and InterestsBen lives in Freeport, Maine, with his wife, Sara Gideon, and three children, Julian, Aleksandr, and Anna Josephine. Sara is a former two-term Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and was the 2020 Democratic Nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine. When Ben is not practicing law, he enjoys skiing at Sugarloaf, fishing in Casco Bay, hiking, canoeing, traveling and just spending time with his family.

Tell us whatcha' think! Send a text to us, here!Katrina Smith, a member of the Maine House of Representatives, District 62, discusses her fight against a bill to make Maine a sanctuary state for minors struggling with gender dysphoria. She shares her experience of winning the battle by exposing the bill early on and generating national pressure. However, she also talks about the challenges of dealing with a Democrat super majority in the state and the passage of a radical abortion bill that included transgender services. The conversation highlights the importance of informed consent and the need to support legislators in their fight against controversial cultural issues.Katrina serves on the Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business committee, but the fight against cultural issues has been her primary concern. Katrina is currently running for re-election for her seat in the Main House of Representatives.Recently she spearheaded, and won the fight against the first bill that tried to make Maine a sanctuary state for children struggling with gender dysphoria, LD 1735.Contact Katrina: Katrinaformaine@gmail.comKatrina's PRE ResultsSupport the Show.DONATE TODAY!www.ParentsRightsInEducation.com

Tell us whatcha' think! Send a text to us, here!In this conversation, Suzanne Gallgaher covers various news topics related to parents' rights and education. The principal themes include the selection of Tim Walz as Kamala Harris's vice president, the censorship of pro-Trump parking spots in Keller, Texas, the dismissal of a complaint in an accidental COVID-19 vaccination case in Vermont, and the Biden administration's new Title IX regulation. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding school district policies and advocating for parents' rights.Trans Refuge Bill: https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/07/dont-fall-for-tim-walzs-centrist-facade/PREScore Shoutout  Name: Cory Raymond  Running for: Maine House of Representatives, District 41  Bio: Cory is a proud native Mainer and his  most important job is being a father to his 7 year old daughter and a husband.  He works in a healthcare setting and has served on Norway, Maine and Winthrop, Maine Fire Departments.  His Top 3 Priorities are: Reinvigorate EducationMake Maine more affordablePrioritize Public Safety  PreScore: 96%  Profile Page Link: https://parentsrightsineducation.com/publish_on_pre/cory-raymond/Support the Show.DONATE TODAY!www.ParentsRightsInEducation.com

In This Episode Erin and Weer'd discuss: how ATF Agents violated Bureau policy in the killing of Bryan Malinowski; the gun control legislation which has passed the Maine House of Representatives at the urging of Governor Janet Mills; Biden's plan to restrict private firearm sales under the Safer Communities Act; a National Shooting Sports Foundation report which found that the vast majority of magazines in public possession are over 10 rounds; SCOTUS granting cert to the "Frames and Receivers" case. Weer'd fisks David Hogg's debate against Spike Cohen in New Hampshire; Oddball talks about the Linux xz_utils supply chain attack; and David talks about America's Rifle, the AR-15 Did you know that we have a Patreon? Join now for the low, low cost of $4/month (that's $1/podcast) and you'll get to listen to our podcast on Friday instead of Mondays, as well as patron-only content like mag dump episodes, our hilarious blooper reels and film tracks. Show Notes Main Topic ATF Agents Violated Policy, Failed to Use Body Cameras During Deadly Arkansas SWAT Raid Sweeping gun legislation approved by Maine lawmakers after mass shooting Biden to close ‘gun-show loophole' and expand background checks for firearms NSSF Report Reveals Firearm Magazines with Capacity Over 10 Rounds is National Standard Supreme Court has granted Cert in our challenge to ATF's frames and receivers Final Rule! Weer'd Audio Fisk Guns In America: Debate on Gun Control with David Hogg and Spike Cohen HWFO Highlights from the David Hogg vs. Spike Cohen Debate at Dartmouth Why Did David Hogg Pull Out of Gun Debate When He Found Out It's Against Colion Noir? ACP: The Bloomberg Conspiracy Parkland shooting families reach $127.5m settlement over FBI inaction National Firearms act 1934 Gun Control Act of 1968 The Brady Bill of 1993 The Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 Safest States in America Weer'd World: Images of the Antis: A Twofer How mass killers pick out venues where their victims are sitting ducks Wikipedia: Colt AR-15 Wikipedia: Semi-automatic firearm Oddball's Corner Pocket XZ Utils Supply Chain Attack: A Threat Actor Spent Two Years to Implement a Linux Backdoor Gun Lovers and Other Strangers The Black Rifle The Black Rifle II Retro Black Rifle BPC: We Have An AR At Home, Part 1 BPC: We Have An AR At Home, Part 2 BPC: We Have An AR At Home, Part 3 BPC: We Have An AR At Home, Part 4 BPC: We Have An AR At Home, Part 5 BPC: We Have An AR At Home, Part 6 BPC: We Have An AR At Home, Part 7 BPC: AR Maintenance 101 Brownells MidwayUSA Forgotten Weapons: The AR15 is Becoming C&R Eligible Brena Bock Author Page David Bock Author Page Team And More  

This Day In Maine for Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Michael Fisher, Claire Fox, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Ann Luther, Rick Lyles, Judith Lyles, Wendilee O'Brien, Lane Sturtevant, Leah Taylor, and Linda Washburn. Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics This month: We will talk about the history of the Electoral College and how it's working in the 21st century. What reforms are needed, and which are possible? What is the NPV compact, and how would it work? Is it right for Maine? Guest/s: Mike Saxl, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and Managing Principal of Maine Street Solutions, the leading proponent of the National Popular Vote in Maine www.verrill-law.com/michael-v-saxl/ Kate Shaw, Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, co-host of the Supreme Court podcast Strict Scrutiny www.law.upenn.edu/faculty/kateshaw To learn more about this topic: Our View: It's time to pick the president by national popular vote | Portland Press Herald, Editorial, January, 2024 www.pressherald.com/2024/01/14/our-view-its-time-to-pick-the-president-by-national-popular-vote-2/ No thanks to national popular vote | Bangor Daily News, Matt Gagnon op-ed, January, 2024, www.bangordailynews.com/2024/01/10/opinion/opinion-contributor/national-popular-vote-problems/ Arguments against national popular vote compact fall short | Bangor Daily News, Amy Fried op-ed, January, 2024, www.bangordailynews.com/2024/01/30/opinion/opinion-contributor/arguments-against-national-popular-vote-compact-fall-short-joam40zk0w/ Yarmouth representative pitches National Popular Vote plan | Spectrum News, January, 2024, spectrumlocalnews.com/me/maine/politics/2024/01/08/yarmouth-representative-pitches-national-popular-vote-plan-for-presidential-elections National Popular Vote | National Conference of State Legislatures, December, 2023, shows state-by-state passage, www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/national-popular-vote Majority of Americans continue to favor moving away from Electoral College | Pew Research, September, 2023, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/09/25/majority-of-americans-continue-to-favor-moving-away-from-electoral-college/ “A Mystifying and Distorting Factor”: The Electoral College and American Democracy | Michigan Law Review, Katharine Shaw, 2022, repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8442&context=mlr The National Popular Vote, Explained | Brennan Center for Justice, December, 2020, www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/national-popular-vote-explained?utm_medium=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&utm_source=PANTHEON_STRIPPED The Electoral College is flawed — so are the alternatives: Experts | ABC News, December, 2020, abcnews.go.com/Politics/electoral-college-flawed-alternatives/story?id=74708394 Why We Need A National Popular Vote | Robert Reich, m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn8rWMVGlfQ About the host: Ann currently serves as Treasurer of the League of Women Voters of Maine and leads the LWVME Advocacy Team. She served as President of LWVME from 2003 to 2007 and as co-president from 2007-2009. In her work for the League, Ann has worked for greater public understanding of public policy issues and for the League's priority issues in Clean Elections & Campaign Finance Reform, Voting Rights, Ethics in Government, Ranked Choice Voting, and Repeal of Term Limits. Representing LWVME at Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, she served that coalition as co-president from 2006 to 2011. She remains on the board of MCCE and serves as Treasurer. She is active in the LWV-Downeast and hosts their monthly radio show, The Democracy Forum, on WERU FM Community Radio -which started out in 2004 as an recurring special, and became a regular monthly program in 2012. She was the 2013 recipient of the Baldwin Award from the ACLU of Maine for her work on voting rights and elections. She joined the League in 1998 when she retired as Senior Vice President at SEI Investments. Ann was a founder of the MDI Restorative Justice Program, 1999 – 2000, and served on its Executive Board. The post Democracy Forum 2/16/24: National Popular Vote: What do we need? How can we get it? first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

On April 14, 2021, a committee of the Maine House heard citizen testimony on the Convention of States Action resolution. In addition to local supporters, COS Senior Vice President for Legislative Affairs Rita Peters testifies in favor of COS Action's Article V resolution for proposing term limits, fiscal restraints, and limits on the size and scope of the federal government.

In this episode, we'll be joined by the authors of the book, "The Maine House." If you've ever dreamed of what a perfect beach cottage, lake house, or home in the woods would feel and look like, you're going to absolutely love this conversation. Maura McEvoy, Basha Burwell, and Kathleen Hackett will take us on a journey through the stunning homes and breathtaking landscapes of Maine.https://www.slowstylehome.com/episodes/the-maine-houseTo learn all about this podcast and the Slow Style Framework, go to:www.slowstylehome.com The Style Matters podcast is now Slow Style Home! Click here for the latest episode.

Phil and Josh come back for E183 of the GSP interviewing the 2017 ARCA Series Champion and Maine House of Representative Member Austin Theriault.  The guys talk to Austin about his racing return at the Oxford 250 super late model race and his results at Oxford Plains and his involvement with the Travis Mills Foundation and how this race will assist in fund raising.  Phil and Josh also ask Austin about his driver development program and connection with Team Hornaday, his NASCAR career in all three major series and his thoughts on the differences in how drivers behave in and out of the race car today relative to when Austin was a prospect himself.  Josh asks Austin about his other role as a House Member for his local district and what how the responsibilities there coordinate with racing. Phil and Josh then get into the Cup and XFinity events at Watkins Glen, which saw dominant performances for William Byron and Ty Gibbs respectively.  However, the XFinity event had an interesting finish due to the ongoing rivalry between Gibbs and eventual race winner Sam Mayer.  The guys get into the issues with the Next Gen Car and how it has affected the product, the pace of the race itself and what they saw between the two young guns.  Other key players and points are discussed heading to Daytona. The crew gets into their drafts for the FallBrawl fantasy football league and how they both got the worst grades based on analytics but definitely aren't out of the mix.  Josh discusses injuries and key battles for the Jaguars while Phil laments the continued QB saga behind Brock Purdy for San Francisco.   A leaner GSP Roundup covers the SRX season finale at Lucas Oil Raceway, NHRA at Brainerd, MotoGP/Moto2 at Austria, Supercars at The Bend, Indy NXT at Gateway, F2 at Zandvoort and IMSA GT at Virginia International Raceway.  Formula 1 returns from their summer break for the Dutch Grand Prix, with Phil and Josh previewing and picking whoever will finish behind FL.  IndyCar has their last oval race of 2023 at Gateway, so the guys pick whether they believe Josef Newgarden will sweep all of them or not along with wild cards.  NASCAR Cup and XFinity race at Daytona, which means the Tate Fogleman Algorithm makes a return.  The crew make their picks and wild cards while Josh lets us know who TF believes could win at the World's Center of Racing.  The Craftsman Truck Series returns to the Milwaukee Mile for their second playoff race, so can Ty Majeski make it 2-2 or will one of the other contenders advance? Josh lets us know about all things gaming and iRacing in the Sim Segment before Show Close.

This Day in Maine Tuesday, June 20, 2023

At this week's Round Table, Erina, Jack, Kenisha, Madeline, and Skyla spoke with Maine State Senator Chloe Maxmin , the youngest woman elected to the Maine House and Senate, and a relentless voice in the fight for progressive politics+climate change. She waged back-to-back successful campaigns in 2018+2020, winning a House district that had a 16 point Republican advantage, then going on to unseat the highest-ranking Republican in the Maine Senate. Maxmin decided NOT to seek another term in order to devote her focus to grassroots organizing outside of Maine via her organization, Dirt Road Organizing, building on more than thirteen years of community organizing with a focus on climate change, including co-founding Divest Harvard, a campaign calling on her alma mater Harvard University to divest from fossil fuels that ultimately drew 70,000 supporters. Chloe's goal is to activate and support lots of young progressive candidates in rural communities across the country, and share her successful blueprint for how the Democratic Party can rebuild bridges with these rural voters, long abandoned by the Dem Party. She believes she can make a bigger impact by getting lots of folks elected instead of just getting herself elected. As you can imagine, all this made for a very interesting conversation on many levels! We talked about what motivated Chloe to get involved in work like this at such an early age, challenges she faced, and how she's overcome them in her campaigns and in office. We talked about what it's like to amplify a movement of progressive politics in rural Maine, what it was like to be the first Democrat ever elected in her district, and how to build a broader base of support in the service of working towards what's best for EVERYONE, in a bipartisan way, within a very partisan political environment . We talked about urban vs rural divides, and how to move beyond generalizations of rural life outside the city, politically, socially, and intellectually. We talked about the primacy of building power together and aligning around values; as Chloe notes, she never met a Republican who wanted fewer good jobs or more expensive health care–where things devolve are around politics and party. And we talked about the power of local politics and recognizing that the vast majority of decisions that affect people's everyday lives happen in state legislatures. A signature lesson Chloe learned in state office is that the best policy doesn't happen WITHOUT grassroots organizing—and that movement building is vital for getting good people elected and keeping them in office. Here's to it. Thank you for listening! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/nextgenpolitics/message

This Day in Maine January 24, 2022

Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross discusses her historic new role and top priorities

This Day in Maine December 7, 2022

With decisions made on legislative leadership and referenda signatures being submitted, what’s next for politics and policy in Maine is becoming more clear. On this episode of the Beacon Podcast, Esther, Ben and Mike discuss the Our Power referendum, the selection of Rachel Talbot Ross as Speaker of the Maine House and more. Ask a…

This Day in Maine November 17, 2022

In 2018, Canyon Woodward teamed up with his friend and fellow climate activist, Chloe Maxmin, to manage her campaign running for the Maine House of Representatives. She became the first Democrat to ever represent her district. Two years later, he organized her state senate run, which saw her become the youngest female state senator in Maine's history.  A champion ultra runner, Canyon sees parallels between trail running and the campaign trail. Running also gives him a respite from the demands of politics, whether he's on the old logging paths of his native North Carolina or competing in the UTMB. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode324.   Thank you to Patreon,  Athletic Greens, and Tracksmith for sponsoring this episode.    Come join us on Patreon! Do you enjoy Together Runs? Then you won't want to miss our bi-weekly Travel Together Run episodes, available only through Patreon! They'll give you an immersive experience of exciting locations, along with workouts and long runs. Southern California and a run along the Chicago lakefront with Lindsey Hein are up first. We'll have conversations about those runs, discussing your answers to Tina's questions and talking about your thoughts. Other benefits include monthly Q&A Zoom chats with Tina and other Patreon members, the opportunity to ask questions of upcoming guests, and blog posts on topics of your choice.  Go here to check out the different levels - we'd love to see you there!   AG1 is an easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. It promotes gut health with prebiotics, probiotics, and naturally occurring enzymes; supports your immune system with Vitamin C, zinc, healing mushrooms, and more; provides magnesium to boost energy; and it's packed with superfoods, adaptogens, and antioxidants to help recovery.  It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get five free travel packs and a free one year's supply of vitamin D3+K2 with your subscription.   Tracksmith is an independent running brand inspired by a deep love of the sport. For years the brand has elevated running wear using best-in-class materials and timeless silhouettes that perform at the highest level. Now, they're doing the same with footwear. The Eliot Runner was developed to meet the rigorous demands of committed runners, providing the perfect balance of cushioning and responsiveness with classic Tracksmith style. A limited run will be available in December. You can see it here and reserve your spot in line today.   Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real.  If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them.  Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram  Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe?  You can find out here. "Thank you" to Canyon.  We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

How can Democrats turn around politics in rural America? Today on the show, I chat with Chloe Maxmin, who is the youngest woman ever to serve in the Maine State Senate at 28 years old. She was elected in 2020 after unseating a two-term Republican incumbent and (former) Senate minority leader. In 2018, she served in the Maine House of Representatives after becoming the first Democrat to win a rural conservative district. Join me as we talk about Senator Maxmin's new co-authored book, “Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why our Future Depends on It."

Hosted by Andrew Keen, Keen On features conversations with some of the world's leading thinkers and writers about the economic, political, and technological issues being discussed in the news, right now. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Chloe Maxmin, author of Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends on It. Chloe Maxmin, hailing from rural Maine, is the youngest woman ever to serve in the Maine State Senate, at 29 years old. She was elected in 2020 after unseating a two-term Republican incumbent and (former) Senate Minority Leader. In 2018, she served in the Maine House of Representatives after becoming the first Democrat to win a rural conservative district. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Relevant Links: https://www.dirtroadrevival.com https://www.instagram.com/chloe.maxmin/ https://www.instagram.com/canyonwoodward/ Chloe Maxmin Hailing from rural Maine, Chloe is the youngest woman ever to serve in the Maine State Senate, at 28 years old. She was elected in 2020 after unseating a two-term Republican incumbent and (former) Senate Minority Leader. In 2018, she served in the Maine House of Representatives after becoming the first Democrat to win a rural conservative district. She also received an honors degree from Harvard College, where she co-founded Divest Harvard. Chloe is the recipient of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes and the Brower Youth Award. She was also named a “Green Hero” by Rolling Stone. She was named the 2020 Legislator of the Year by the Maine Council on Aging. Canyon Woodward Canyon was born, raised, and homeschooled in the Appalachian Mountains of rural North Carolina and the North Cascades of Washington. He was the campaign manager for Chloe Maxmin's successful 2018 and 2020 campaigns. He was previously regional field director for Bernie Sanders 2016, field director for Jane Hipps for NC Senate, and vice chair of the NC District 11 Democrats. He earned an honors degree in social studies from Harvard College, where the bulk of his education took place outside of the classroom co- coordinating (with Chloe) Divest Harvard, a 70,000+person movement that succeeded in pressuring Harvard to divest its $53 billion endowment from fossil fuels. He is also an avid trail runner.

In December 2020 when Ryan Fecteau was elected Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, the Democrat was both the youngest person in that role in the United States and the first openly gay Speaker of the Maine House. The 29-year-old revisits some of his life's milestones and his path into politics

This week, Simone examines some of the gaps in our campaign finance laws that have allowed foreign entities to spend money to influence our elections.She focuses on a recent story that took place in Maine, speaking with two state legislators who introduced bills to combat foreign interference in their state – a bigger concern than most would expect, especially considering the cause of their concern comes not from a hostile foreign government, but from one of our closest allies.Guests:Aaron McKean serves as Legal Counsel for State and Local Reform at Campaign Legal Center, working with state and local partners to develop and advocate for campaign finance reforms that lift the voices of voters and lead to a more transparent democracy. Prior to joining CLC, Aaron was a legislative attorney at the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan legislative service agency, drafting legislation for members of the Wisconsin Legislature. He also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Azerbaijan from 2009 to 2011. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.Senator Richard A. Bennett a former President of the Maine Senate, has 14 years of public service in the Senate and House. He has represented western Maine since 2020 and earlier for four terms in the Maine Senate, from 1996 to 2004. From 1990 to 1994 he served two terms in the Maine House of Representatives. He has earned a reputation as a reformer and staunch advocate for fiscal discipline, balanced budgets, term limits, governmental accountability, and Maine's precious outdoors heritage. Senator Bennett is a Maine native and has family roots in Oxford County going back over two centuries.Kyle Bailey is a former state legislator and social entrepreneur with nearly two decades of experience managing candidate campaigns, ballot measure campaigns, and start-up nonprofits. Kyle managed the ballot campaign that won the nation's first statewide ranked choice voting law in Maine in 2016, and the 2018 ballot measure campaign that protected the voter-approved law from legislative repeal. In 2012, he led in-state fundraising for the 2012 campaign that won the nation's first statewide ballot measure campaign for the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Links:“Maine Misses Chance to Fight Foreign Election Interference” (Campaign Legal Center)“Maine judge quashes Hydro-Quebec power line plan for now” (Marketplace)“Mainers Again Flex Their Independence to Protect Their Vote” (The American Leader)Protect Maine ElectionsAbout CLCDemocracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization which advances democracy through law at the federal, state and local levels, fighting for every American's right to responsive government and a fair opportunity to participate in and affect the democratic process. You can visit us on the web at campaignlegalcenter.org.

This Day in Maine for Thursday, April 14, 2022.

This conversation with Maura McEvoy, Basha Burwell and Kathleen Hackett, the women responsible for creating this stunning book, gave me such pleasure and I hope you'll feel the same.

This Day in Maine for Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

Producer/Host: Linda Washburn NOTE: This program will be broadcast on 2/16/22 at 4pm. We are making it available on the archives prior to the air date in honor of Black History Month. This panel discussion was co-hosted by the Greater Bangor Area Branch of the NAACP and the University of Maine Alumni Association (UMAA) as part of eastern and central Maine’s 2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration January 17, 2022. The entire event was streamed live on YouTube and is available in the UMAA YouTube archive. Our thanks to the University for making this recording available to WERU listeners. Aysha Vear, Associate Director of Marketing and Engagement, UMAA, managed the UMAA YouTube stream of the event; downloaded the video file and sent audio file to LW to edit the panel discussion for WERU broadcast. Some of the topics covered include: -civil rights -social justice -legal efforts to ‘right’, the ‘wrongs’ of history -“owning” our history -education opportunities for Maine students to learn about marginalized people and cultures in Maine -Do you think our actions in-between Martin Luther King Jr.’s MLK Birthday Celebrations would meet his expectations? -direction on how to ensure civil rights for all people through community engagement Moderator: John N. Diamond, President of the UMAA Panelists: Maulian Dana,Tribal Ambassador, Penobscot Nation Richard Evans (MD), Maine State Representative David Patrick, Racial Equity and Justice Educator Rachel Talbot Ross, Assistant Majority Leader, Maine House of Representatives The post WERU Special: A Conversation About the State of Civil Rights in Maine Broadcast date: 2/16/22 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

2 - 1-22 THE MAINE HOUSE PARTY by Maine's Coast 93.1

These are hard times to keep your spirits up. Thinking you might need a bit of a boost, I'd like to introduce you to two young people who give me hope about the future of American politics. The first is Chloe Maxmin. I met her a few years ago when, still in her early-twenties and an unapologetic progressive, she had been elected to the Maine House of Representatives. She was the first Democrat ever to represent her district — Maine's Lincoln County, the state's most rural. The county also among the poorest, where 1 in 5 children grow up in poverty. And it's staunchly conservative, having voted Republican by an average of 16 percentage points in the preceding three elections.When I met her, Maxmin was preparing to run for the state Senate. Several old Maine pols (I lived in Maine back in the last century and know its politics quite well) told me she didn't stand a chance. But in 2020 she won — and in the process, knocked off the state Senate's Republican leader, the most powerful Republican politician in Maine.How did she pull off these upsets? I'll get to that in a moment. Maxmin exudes optimism, energy, and tenacity. She is also very smart. She says she'd always imagined running when she was in her thirties. She thought she needed a couple of graduate degrees, a settled life, and maybe a family to welcome her home. But in 2018, as the climate crisis worsened, she realized there was no need and no time to wait.The second person I'd like to introduce you to managed both her campaigns. Canyon Woodward was brought up in a rural part of Southern Appalachia. Maxmin and Woodward met each other in college and decided that the only way to begin solving the climate crisis and the injustices it was spawning was to get involved in politics from the ground up. Both had watched for years as rural America was abandoned by Democrats. They decided to buck that tide.So, how did Maxmin and Woodward do it? They developed the most grass-roots of all grass-roots strategies. Maxmin herself knocked on tens of thousands of doors. She connected with persuadable Trump voters who had never before spoken with a Democratic candidate. But she didn't just talk to them. She had conversations with them, then followed up with more conversation. Those conversations were about “kitchen-table” issues — problems that were on the voters' minds, as well as their thoughts and values. As she describes it, during her campaign for the Maine House she walked down a dirt road leading to a nondescript trailer. After knocking on the door, it cracked open to reveal a man who was reluctant to hear from her. She introduced herself nonetheless and asked him about the issues he cared about most in the coming election. After they talked for a time, he told her: “You're the first person to listen to me. Everyone judges what my house looks like. They don't bother to knock. I'm grateful that you came. I'm going to vote for you.”When I asked about her approach to politics, Maxmin told me rural communities are moral communities that respond more to personal stories and values than to specific policies. Building trusting relationships is the key. This takes time and effort and demands humility and a willingness to learn. As Maxmin and Woodward explain in their book, Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends On It (to be published in March):“Things move at the speed of relationship in rural America. You don't jump straight into business and take care of things as quickly as possible. An essential part of the culture of living and organizing in rural America is slowing down and building relationships. It is the touchstone on which our future—and all hope of transforming how we relate to politics and one another—depends. And a good relationship starts with a handshake. This small gesture is about establishing a modicum of trust and human connection. To show up, look someone in the eye, and shake their hand is to plant the seeds of possibility and connection. It's also what is lacking in today's politics. A voter told us one day, “I don't identify with either party. I vote for the person.  I vote for whoever has the firmest handshake.” Maxmin has already got a “green new deal” bill through the legislature. She's well on her way to being one of the nation's most effective state legislators on climate justice.What's the larger political picture here? The Democratic Party's abandonment of rural America has proved a strategic mistake. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won almost every urban center, but Trump swept the vast stretches of less populated country in between. Exit polling revealed that Trump won nearly two-thirds of the rural vote, while losing by a similar margin in cities and evenly splitting the suburban vote. When the American electoral system was created, over 95 percent of Americans lived in rural communities. Now, fewer than 20 percent do. But the nation's electoral system remains locked in the founders' two eighteenth century inventions — both of them premised on America's widely-dispersed rural population: the Electoral College, and a Senate in which each state gets two senators. As Americans have clustered in megalopolises along the East, West, and Gulf coasts, the Electoral College has become increasingly unrepresentative. Democratic presidential candidates have won the popular vote in seven out of the past eight elections dating back to 1988, but the Electoral College has elected Republican candidates in three of them. The same power imbalance is now reflected in the Supreme Court, where Republican presidents who failed to win the popular vote have appointed five of the nine sitting justices.The Senate is also becoming less and less representative of America. Today, the ten most populous states in the union are home to half the US population, but their twenty senators make up only a fifth of the US Senate. The other half of the population, spread out over forty smaller states, elects four-fifths of the Senate. This means half of the country gets four times the number of US senators per person as the other half. A state like California, with 40 million people, has the same number of senators as Wyoming, with 579,000.It will be many years (if ever) before these anachronisms are remedied. Entrenched power doesn't easily yield to reform. So as a practical matter — at least in the foreseeable future — the only way Democrats can retain and enlarge their political power is by winning over more of rural America. Maxmin and Woodward are charting the way.Thanks for subscribing to my letter. If you'd like to support this effort and receive the full package, please consider a paid or gift subscription. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

"These are interconnected crises that have come together over a very long period of time. The good news is tools are now available. Tools are now being built at a significant scale that can reach into places that they never have before.” Tom Davidson, the award-winning Founder and CEO of EVERFI, joins Jenn to discuss how his three-term run in the Maine House of Representatives led him to an interest in education tech, EVERFI's mission to address social topics that go beyond traditional curriculum, having honest conversations about handling today's mounting pressures and the relationship between financial, physical and mental health.

America was founded on human rights. The right to speak out, to organize, to worship, but what we still haven't secured is the right to food. Although a signatory, the United States has famously declined to ratify the international covenant on economic, social, and cultural rights, which recognizes the right to food. As one of four countries in the world who have signed but not ratified, the US sites existing protections against hunger and food insecurity in Federal long. Over the past couple of years, a national alliance has been emerging to change that, and seek to amend state constitution to include the right to food. This group of advocates, state legislators, legal experts, community organizers, food and farm organizations, and those with lived experience of hunger, are coming together as a national community of practice to take action in their respective states towards securing constitutional amendments for the right to food. First is the state of Maine.   Prior to the pandemic, the US Department of Agriculture reported that 13.6% of Maine households are food insecure, a rate far higher than the national average of 11.7%. We can safely assume that figure is higher now due to the pandemic, if Maine is tracking with the rest of the United States. The Maine people face a critical choice and historic moment this November, to amend their constitution to declare that they have a natural inherent and unalienable right to food. The resolution that the voters will ratify was finally passed after three tries over six years, by 73% of the Maine house and 70% of the Maine Senate this past summer. Now Maine voters will decide if they want to enshrine the right to grow and access the nourishing food of their choosing, with dignity and self-determination in the constitution of the State of Maine. Welcome to "Rights Not Charity." This podcast series is about a big idea, ensuring everyone has enough food. Not as a charitable gift, but as a fundamental human right. My name is Alison Cohen, and I'm the Senior Director of Programs at WhyHunger, a global nonprofit organization working to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food in the US and around the world. Senator Craig Hickman is a Harvard graduate and a local business owner, running a successful organic farm and bed and breakfast with his husband. He served in the Maine House of Representatives for eight years, sponsoring fighting for measures that promote food sovereignty, protect individual rights and civil liberties, combat poverty and hunger, and support rural economic development. Senator Hickman currently represents Senate District 14 in Maine. He is the first black lawmaker in Maine to serve in both chambers of the legislature. He first introduced the bill that we're going to discuss today to the legislature in 2015. Welcome, Senator Hickman, and congratulations on clearing the legislative hurdles so that the people of Maine can decide the future of food and farming in their state. Sen. Craig - Thank you, Alison, it's great to be here. Alison - Heather Retberg, our other guest, is a farmer and homeschooling mother in Penobscot, Maine. Together with her husband, Phil, they live and work on Quill's End Farm, a grass-based farm and micro dairy. The health of the animals they raise and the nutrient dense food they produce is rooted in ecologically healthy, regenerative stewardship of the land. Quill's End Farm has been a leader in the efforts for food sovereignty in Maine toward community self-determination, food exchanges, seeking to protect traditional food ways, increase access to Maine raised food, and encourage more community-based food production. Heather is also a member of Food for Maine's Future, a community-based organization, working to build solidarity and alliances between rural people in Maine and around the world. Their farmer members have been pushing the local foods movement to incorporate issues like land reform and the need for political organizing to push back against the well-funded agribusiness lobby. Heather and Senator Craig Hickman have been co-designers and tireless advocates in the State of Maine for food sovereignty. The constitutional resolution for the right to food is a key stepping stone to securing food sovereignty in the State of Maine. Welcome to you, Heather. Heather - Thank you, Alison. It's good to be with you. Alison - So, let's get started, let's have this conversation. The right to food as a concept and practice goes beyond the right to be free from hunger. It encompasses such qualities as dignity, adequacy, and sufficient income, so that food isn't in competition with other essential needs such as healthcare and housing. The US does not legally protect the right of people to feed themselves according to these particular qualities, if it did, I would argue, we wouldn't see rates of hunger hovering at 11% of the population over the past four decades. The right to food ballot question is at its core about freedom of choice and accessing nourishing food. If Mainers vote "Yes" on the ballot question on November 2nd, what will it mean for Mainers' freedom of choice in accessing nourishing food? Can we start with you, Craig? Sen. Craig - I don't know that most people know this, but in 2010, The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates 80% of our nation's food, declared in US court that people "Have no fundamental right to obtain and consume the food they wish, and therefore have no fundamental right to their own bodily and physical health." They also claimed that there was no deeply rooted historical tradition of unfettered access to foods of all kinds. I think that the people of Maine would take issue with that. But our own bodily and fiscal health is not our own when the government agency that increasingly controls more and more of our food supply states that our right to our own health, our right to feed ourselves and our families, the food we want to eat is not a fundamental right of liberty. And when that agency prevails in court, because for the time being, the rule of law backs them up, well, the people are not well-served. Most people don't know that they don't have a right to the food of their own choosing. The people thought they did. If they knew this phantom right was being stripped away, little by little, and in some cases by leaps and bounds, on what legal ground will we stand if we cannot obtain the food we wish to eat, if you can't get your favorite food anymore from your favorite farmer, because your farmer has gone out of business. In the last 10 years, we have seen dozens of farm raids around the country. We have seen states suing farmers, farm customers suing states to establish their rights to acquire the food they wish. We have seen multi-national biotechnology corporations suing farmers for patent theft. We have seen seeds become the legal property of those same corporations here in Maine. We have seen an overly aggressive regulatory body tell farmers to their face that they will take their food away from them or find them because they have run a file of the law. We are losing access to the food we desire to the integrity of our food and to our own bodily and physical health. So if we vote to protect our right to the food of our own choosing by ratifying this constitutional amendment at the ballot box, we will shift the power away from corporations and toward the people. And I simply can't think of anything more important to Maine people than independence and liberty and freedom to work out their nutritional regimen as they see fit. Alison - Heather, you've been involved in this advocacy issue for quite some time yourself, and I'd like to invite you to share your vision and understanding of this right to food amendment from a farmer's perspective and from your experience in walking along this path, alongside Craig for the last 10-11 years. Heather - It's interesting to hear you frame the question that way. It doesn't seem like it's been 10 or 11 years, in a way it feels like we just started, and it also feels like we've been doing it forever. I came to this work, not at all as an advocate, but just as a farmer. The experience on our farm is our state's regulatory agency was such that in 2009, we were going to have to either stop several of the primary enterprises that we were doing, or be mandated to build infrastructure that was beyond the scale of our farm to afford, but also to sustainably continue. So I came into it thinking that our inspector had said that we should just go to our State Capitol and weigh in the process because lawmakers needed to hear from farmers before they changed the rules. So I came into it thinking that it was really about scale appropriate regulation, and that we just had to communicate with our legislators because they couldn't see what was happening out in the field, away from the State Capitol. But what I found out as it went along was that wasn't really at all the case. The more we asked questions about who is making those decisions and why didn't the people have a voice anymore, and why were we being administratively redefined. We came to understand that by losing the ability to not just control, but even have access to language and how we were defined, small farms could very easily disappear from the landscape. And indeed that is what had been happening in rural Maine for the last 60 years. So through that legislative process, we were exposed to a different idea and that was to instead work with our own community, to define ourselves and define our own food exchanges. And as we did that, again, we just kept asking questions, who's making the decisions right now? Who do those decisions benefit? What kind of relationships did we want to have in our community? And then how would we enshrine those values into law? And the further along we went, the more the conversation shifted away from a regulatory framework and more and more into an understanding that what we were talking about was rights. That people were losing the access to the food of their choosing. Losing access to healthful food. And we became pretty convinced that we needed to regain a voice in the decision-making that was some counterbalance to the industrial lobbyists, the grocery lobbies, the dairy lobbies, all of those better funded groups that because of their funding had more access to legislators and then also more access to law. So instead we came to our towns. We drafted local laws that represented the values and the relationships we were trying to maintain. And then over time, that led to meeting now Senator Craig Hickman and the then governor's office. We started working together and really kicking around how do we regain this power that we've lost to define ourselves and our food exchanges. After food sovereignty was recognized by our state legislature in 2017, we went back to thinking about this rights-based framework and working on language to ensure that in the most foundational, most powerful form of law that exists: a constitutional amendment in our Bill of Rights that we could ensure that people would have a right to food. That people would have a right to save and exchange seeds. And that people would have a right to grow and raise and produce and consume foods that they're choosing for their own health. And really regain that agency that this shift in power towards corporate control of our food supply and our food policy had stripped from us. So that was how I came into it. Alison - It's so inspiring and deeply nuanced, I think the way in which this has evolved and gotten to this point. When we were pretty comfortable, I think in the US and talking about civil and political rights, but deeply uncomfortable talking about economic rights, meanwhile, or maybe I should say all the while, corporations are gaining more and more in power. So at core, I am getting to understand this effort around a constitutional amendment on the right to food to be about so much more than the very, very important and necessary work of abating hunger. The right to food, this constitutional amendment, it's had legislative supporters, Craig, as I understand it, on both sides of the political aisle. Including Republican congressperson, Billy Bob Faulkingham, who was a co-sponsor of the bill. And often as we know, by inserting human rights into a political discussion, especially if we're talking about economic, social or cultural rights, there's a fairly predictable rift that emerges along party lines. So how have you overcome that hurdle in debate and in the dialogue since the beginning of your advocacy for this amendment? And why do you believe the right to food fundamentally should be a nonpartisan issue? Sen. Craig - Anybody who wants to live needs to eat. So that covers Republicans and Democrats and unenrolled voters. It covers libertarians and democratic socialists and any other political identification people have, green independent we have in Maine, it goes on. If you want to live, you need to eat. Politics is strange. Representative, Billy Bob Faulkingham is a Republican who put this bill in because I wasn't in the legislature when it was introduced this time. Because I had termed out of the house and was not running for the Senate, I actually came into the Senate in a special election. And so once I arrived in the Senate, this bill had received more votes in the House of Representatives that it had ever had before. And a lot of that had to do with the fact that a Republican this time sponsored it. And so he brought more members of his party to the table. They wouldn't vote for it when I introduced it, but they voted for it when he introduced it. So you can interview those folks to figure out what changed their minds, because the language of the resolution remains exactly the same. But again, that's politics. The policy is good, this shouldn't be a partisan issue. It's a basic human right. Protecting my right to choose my body's food. I can't imagine why anyone would deny that. The more food choices we have, the more food producers we have, the more community embedded food options, increased food production, the availability and accessibility of food, food price competition. And that will benefit everyone, including the hungry. Thirty years ago, maybe more, the people of this state through their representatives put into law that it is the policy of the state to be food self-sufficient, and that means all things. It means we're supposed to buy most of our food for our institutions, the Maine farmers and food producers. And it means that individuals should be able, to the extent possible, to provide for themselves the food they wish to eat. If they can't grow it, and if they can't produce it, then they clearly want to be able to find it around them. We have food deserts in Maine. Washington County in particular like none you've ever seen. And while that is the policy of the state, we still import 90% of the food we consume. And as Heather said, that it has a lot to do with food policy that has been directed by government agencies that have been co-opted regulatory capture by corporations. It's sorry to say, but having served on the committee that oversees our food supplies for six years and having chaired the committee on the house side for two terms, I can tell you unequivocally, the Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry exists to protect corporate interests. It says that it cares about the people, but I passed the law four years ago that required the department to do a public relations campaign, to promote food self-sufficiency for the people. And it was framed around the idea of Victory Gardens and all of that after World War II, where the USDA ran a public campaign, to make sure that people were growing their backyard gardens and raising their backyard pigs and chickens. I wanted the State of Maine to run a similar program for the time to allow for folks to understand that, to combat hunger and to decrease our reliance on food from away that people really did need to get involved in community gardens and to the extent that they could, wherever they lived, if their zoning allowed for it to grow their own food. We funded it in the legislature, but the department never implemented that program. And so it tells me that it wasn't interested in doing what the people asked it to do to its representatives. And so we find ourselves having to take back all of our own power. Fannie Lou Hamer said it, if you can grow your own food and feed yourself, nobody can push you around and tell you what to do. Mainers are by nature a libertarian people. We don't want anyone to tell us what to do. We believe in live and let live, so long as I'm not hurting anybody else, I should be able to do whatever I want. Food is life, and if you have a right to life, we have a right to food. And that means we have a right to the food and we wish to eat for our own bodily health and wellbeing. And I can't imagine a more non-partisan issue than that. Alison - There's so much about this effort that is about restoring democracy in many, many ways. It's really about looking at where the power sits, and if it's not with the people, it's not ultimately democracy. So, many, many different tributaries I think we could go down here, but our time is short. And so I do have another question, Heather, what message do you want to convey to voters in Maine on the ballot question they'll be considering in November? Why should they vote "Yes" for the right to food constitutional amendment? Heather - There are so many good reasons to do this that it sometimes can be hard to distill them. And I am notorious for speaking in paragraphs and not short sentences. I'm going to try. I've heard that said, I think maybe by you before, Alison, but that this really is a watershed moment in our nation's history. And certainly Maine has this opportunity to lead the way in securing the right to food in our constitution. We know from prohibition times as Maine goes, so goes the nation. The other bullet points, if I may, are just that this absolutely shifts the concentration of power from the corporations that control our food supply to us as individuals. And it really secures our agency, our liberty, and it gives us as individual citizens, a greater voice in the decision making. Not just about our food, but about the relationships that we have with each other in our communities. It's important to know that a right enumerated is to protect individuals, not a provision from the government. If you look at the other rights, there are 24 right now in our Bill of Rights in Maine, it's about the government securing and protecting legal space. But it doesn't provide guns, for example, though we have the right to keep and bear arms. It doesn't tell people what they should say, though we have the freedom of speech. It doesn't dictate what type of religion, though we have the freedom of religion. So the same is true for food. And then it becomes a metric to inform and guide lawmaking and policy priorities, but it doesn't make law and policy. And that I think is really important when we think about a future vision that is about a much more food-resilient Maine and thinking about what that might look like with town planning, edible landscapes, and compost, and collecting rainwater and all those things. So just people know, it exists to secure our individual rights. It's not a provision from the government and I am going let Craig share the slogan that I think it's important for people to hear as right to that. Sen. Craig - You mean the one that goes something like, "The right to food is right for me, vote yes on question three?" Heather - Yes. Alison - Can you say that again, Craig? Can you just say that again, loud and proud? Sen. Craig - The right to food is right for me, vote yes on question three. Alison - That's awesome, thank you both so much. I wanted to just end on this reflective note. Heather, I've been reading your Quills End Farm newsletters over the last year or so, as I've gotten to know you better. And you included a quote in your most recent newsletter that I'd love to hear your thoughts on. The quote was from Nelson Mandela, and it came at the tail end of your announcement to the readers of your newsletter, that this amendment passed both legislative bodies would be on the ballot box in November. And the quote reads, "It always feels impossible until it's done." How was this reflective of your experience to date in your advocacy work in particular? And how might it inspire the folks who are listening, who are also advocating for a rights not charity approach to ending hunger and protecting community food systems in their own states? Heather - A dear friend of mine and fellow advocate, Bonnie Preston, especially after losses would say that to me. She said, "Remember, Heather, it always feels impossible until it's done." It could be one of our downfalls, but I tend to approach this work with great humility. And sometimes that can lead to a feeling of it'll never happen. The forces against us are too great. There's the department, there's the all the food lobbies, there's the industrial farm organizations. But really, I think what comes to light when I think about that is this moment when, back in the beginning in 2011 or 2012, my colleague, Bonnie, invited then Congressman Mike Michaud to come to our area. And we invited him to grange in North Blue Hill. And somebody asked the question, just point blank, "When do you think the Congress is gonna recognize food sovereignty?" And Mike Michaud looked at me and it was clear that food sovereignty was a foreign language, he didn't know the words or what they meant. And when I gave him a nutshell definition on the side there that it was about self-determination of food supply. He looked back at the questioner and he just kind of laughed because it was so impossible, there's no way that would happen. So those were kind of the moments when the mountain appeared most of the time, we just kept stepping one step at a time and stayed on the path. But there were definitely times when those mountains became visible and each time we tried, more people joined and still, and yet we would lose. And each time we won, it felt like could have lost, it could have gone a different way if it hadn't been for this one person who really believed in having that one more conversation with their representative or their Senator. And then those legislators, it always took people who are willing to stand up to their party and work against the party for the constituents or for the principles of the thing. It was impossible until it happened. Alison - Let's get it done, right? Sen. Craig - Let's do it. Alison - Craig, do you have any final thoughts before we wrap up? Sen. Craig – Just to sort of extend that, you have to fight misinformation all the time. Throughout this process, we've heard everything from this right, if it is declared in our constitution, we'll preempt and, or overturn every single law, rule, regulation, municipal ordinance, zoning requirement out there, all of that is false. The declaration of a right does not touch statute or ordinance. Those are also legal instruments. Everything will remain the same unless, or until someone challenges something and maybe a court will say, "Yeah, maybe you did go a little too far with that regulation or that rule." But unless or until that happens, nothing changes. We are putting solid ground into our constitution. Quite frankly, it should be article 2A of our Declaration of Rights. It should come directly after all power is inherent in the people. As farmers, everything happens from the ground up except for rain, and this is where we put our feet in solid ground. And we put that into a constitution that would have never imagined needing it. When the founders drafted the words of our constitution, they all fed themselves. And so nobody ever thought we would have to defend this right until we now realize we do. And Maine is at the end of the line, and we always have to remember that we cannot take our food supply for granted. When the trucks stop coming, we starve. Grocery store shelves are still not refilled from this ongoing pandemic that we find ourselves in. And so we don't need to wait for say another part of an industry, which is going on right now in Maine where organic dairy farms have lost their holler and will no longer have a market for their milk in 2022. We need to stop waiting for that to happen. We need to take care of ourselves as my mother, wise as she was, always used to say, "Every tub stands on its own bottom." That is what "Yes" means. Alison - That's fantastic. I really appreciate how this conversation for me has illuminated constitutional amendment around the right to food, to ultimately be about the scaffolding, putting the scaffolding in place so that we can continue to find our way forward in erecting policies and other pathways to really support the freedom of food choice. Thank you both so, so very much for being with us today, and I hope you know that you have many observers and supporters around the country that are behind you and really looking forward to a successful outcome on November 2nd. So if you're inspired by what you've heard today, please check out our other podcasts and keep up to date with the Global Solidarity Alliance for Food, Health, and Social Justice by visiting www.rightsnotcharity.org. The Alliance is an international research, education and advocacy effort. You can find a transcript of today's discussion at http://rightsnotcharity.org/podcasts. This is Alison Cohen with WhyHunger.

A politician agreed to be on the show! We had the privilege of speaking with Speaker Ryan Fecteau who is serving his first term as Speaker of the House and fourth term in the Maine House of Representatives. Fecteau is both the youngest presiding officer in the United States and first openly gay Speaker in Maine’s history. We chatted about being a “cafeteria Catholic,” what it took to ban conversion therapy in Maine and if there is really a “gay politican” group chat or not!

Réflexions d'après l'élection Pete, Arjuna, and RoboGonzales reflect on Pete's unsuccessful campaign for the Maine House of Representatives, and Pete's future plans given the Giant Fascism Countdown Timer(tm) hovering over Washington DC. Stay tuned for Part 2, where Pete will finish up with his advice for future candidates, answer your other questions, and probably spend a lot of time talking about the history and politics of a country he isn't a citizen of...yet. Yes, Arjuna knows it's not poutine without cheese curds, but he didn't have any at the time. Shout out to Bill for his cameo! Links: Record scratch sound effect: https://freesound.org/people/nixphoeni/sounds/16467/ Intro music is La Baguette by Alexander Nakarada, downloaded from https://freepd.com/world.php. Paying for Prescription Drugs Around the World: Why Is the U.S. an Outlier? Yanis Varoufakis on DIE LINKE and Leftism in Europe TrueAnon Episode 123: The Stupid France of Mr. Macron innerFrench Intermediate French Podcast It’s Not Just in Your Head podcast, Episode 9: Mental Health in Rural America Your Angry Reactions to the Narcissist Local Candidates Online Forum Franklin County, ME 10/12/2020 Network Stuff This podcast is a production of the We Can Make This Work (Probably) Network follow us below to keep up with this show and discover our many other podcasts! The place for those with questionable taste! ProbablyWork.com Twitter | Facebook | Instagram: @ProbablyWork Email: ProbablyWorkPod@gmail.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thoughtscast/support

Dr. Glenn Cummings became the 13th President of the University of Southern Maine on July 1, 2015. He served as Interim President of the University of Maine at Augusta previous to coming to USM. Beginning in 2009, Dr. Cummings served President Obama as Deputy Assistant Secretary within the U.S. Department of Education; he was part of a team that designed President Obama's plan to boost America's graduation rate by 2020. He also chaired the Department's Green Initiative, which focused on increasing the teaching and learning of sustainability principles in American education. Dr. Cummings is a former Speaker of the House in the Maine House of Representatives, Majority Leader, and Chairman of the state's Joint Committee of Education and Cultural Affairs, where he sponsored the successful bill to create the state community college system. His academic career began in Gorham, ME as a high school history teacher and department head. He served as an administrator and faculty member within the Maine Community College System and was a long-serving member of the USM faculty, most recently as an assistant professor of Educational Leadership, teaching in the masters and doctoral degree programs. Dr. Cummings obtained his Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania where his doctoral dissertation focused on environmental sustainability in American Higher Education. He previously earned a Masters of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Brown University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio Wesleyan University.Follow the USM Career & Employment Hub on Instagram @usmcareerhubCareer & Employment Hub's website: http://usm.maine.edu/careerhubReach out to Alex about the podcast at alex.carrier.hitchcox@maine.edu

Uh oh, looks like Evan left this description blank. So much space for activities. What are we gonna do with that young man??Track.Mexican Cactus - Jean - Jacques Perrey

NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan talks with Maine Representative Ryan Fecteau, who was recently elected as the first openly gay speaker of the Maine House, the youngest speaker currently serving in the country, and the first speaker in Maine's history to come from his hometown.

On this mini-episode of Agree to Disagree on NEWS CENTER Maine, Phil and Ethan dive into what we know from election day on the races impacting Maine. The next edition will take on everything that is still undecided. In this one they look at how Collins secured a record fifth term in the US Senate, how Golden squeaked out a victory in a race that was supposed to be a cakewalk, why the Maine House reduced Democratic rule while the Maine senate expanded it, and how a political earthquake in Portland is rumbling through City Hall.

This week, on Episode 18 of Agree to Disagree with Phil and Ethan on News Center Maine we have a special election edition of the show. In this episode, Phil and Ethan make all their Election Day predictions on who will win which races and why. They predict whether Donald Trump will win re-election, whether Joe Biden will win CD2, whether Sara Gideon will unseat Susan Collins, how Dale Crafts will do against Jared Golden, how Chellie Pingree will fare against Jay Allen, whether he US Senate will remain in Republican hands and whether Democrats will expand their majority in the Maine House. All that, plus a couple of surprises Plus, both Ethan and Phil were on the hotseat last week, so we’ll see how they did and, of course, they answer last week’s trivia question and offer a new one for this week.

Sara Gideon , speaker of the Maine House of Representatives who lives in Freeport and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, joins us for a Your Vote 2020 interview.

Sara Gideon , speaker of the Maine House of Representatives who lives in Freeport and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, joins us for a Your Vote 2020 interview.

National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD) is observed each year on September 27 to raise awareness about the continuing and disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS on gay, bisexual, and queer men in the United States.Ren welcomes two of Maine’s most distinguished gay men, Representatives Matt Moonen and Ryan Fecteau. Join us as we discuss policy making during a pandemic, LGBTQ+ law making, marriage equality, conversation therapy, queer healthcare, drag queens, PrEP policy, and what makes being gay in Maine so special! Like, subscribe and review!Please note the we are still producing episodes, but are a little off schedule due to the pandemic. Thank you for your understanding and patience.Ren Morrill (Host) - Ren is The Three Letter Podcast’s creator and host. He is a Maine native with a life long passion for HIV/AIDS. He works for Frannie Peabody Center as the prevention program coordinator. He also serves as the co-chair of Pride Portland’s HIV Advisory Board.Matt Moonen - Representative Matt Moonen is serving his fourth term in the Maine House of Representatives representing Portland district 38 (along with 7 other representatives from Portland). He has served as House chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary and as a member of the Taxation Committee. Matt is a longtime leader in progressive politics in Maine, and currently serves as the Executive Director of Equality Maine.Rep. Moonen is also the Majority Leader. In this position, he serves as head of the Democratic caucus of 89 members. He convenes Democratic members to discuss legislation and provide guidance on policy. His office provides staff and support to all the Democratic members of the House. He is also the executive director of Equality Maine, a member of the HIV Advisory Committee for the State of Maine, and lives in Portland with his husband, Jeremy Kennedy. Representative Ryan Fecteau - Rep. Ryan Fecteau is a third-term member of the Maine House of Representatives representing Biddeford district 11, along with Victoria Foley in district 12.. After his election, Fecteau became the third-youngest member of the legislature and the youngest openly gay state representative in the United StatesFecteau was born and raised in Biddeford and attended Biddeford High School. He completed a four-year degree at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he studied political science and theology and religious studies. He previously chaired the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development committee in the 128th Legislature and now serves as the Assistant House Majority Leader.He operates a retail store in Ogunquit, Maine, and lives in Biddeford with his goldendoodle, Pancake.•Online Absentee Ballot Request •Maine Voter Registration and Voter Guide•Free home HIV test-kits from the following agencies:•Frannie Peabody Center - 207-749-6818•FPC’s PrEP guide•Health Equity Alliance - 207-990-3626 •Maine Access Points•Ryan (and Pancake’s) Instagram•Equality Maine

Vote for Pete. No, not that Pete. The one with the hard to pronounce last name... NO THE OTHER ONE. The ProbablyWork extended space time continuum has its annual breakdown with special guest and Maine House of Representatives candidate Pete Bourgelais, who answers your questions and talks about various Maine state policy issues, like adding dental coverage to MaineCare (Maine's Medicaid program) and rural broadband. Also there's stuff about skittles and a food review with our very own Handsome Harry. To learn more about Pete's campaign and how to contribute, check out the links below. Support Pete Bougeiais: Link to donate $5 Clean Election Qualifying Checks if you live in Maine district 112: https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/ethics/cleanelection/home.pl?submit=submit&trans_type=candidate US citizens outside of Maine District 112 can send donations, maximum of $100, made out to "Pete Bourgelais For Maine House" to 8 Pinkham Hill Road Phillips, ME 04966 Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook @Pete4MEHouse Join the Probably Jam Game Jam: https://itch.io/jam/probablyjam2 Other Links of Interest: Map of House District 112: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2013/House/hr112.pdf Dental care article #1: https://mainebeacon.com/dental-care-is-health-care-says-lawmaker-looking-to-fix-mainecares-lack-of-coverage/ Dental care article #2: https://mainebeacon.com/critical-dental-care-for-low-income-adults-gets-second-chance-before-maine-legislature/ Andrew Yang Chapo Trap House interview: https://soundcloud.com/chapo-trap-house/bonus-the-andrew-yang-interview Domestic violence article from the TANGBHVRIG segment: https://mainebeacon.com/taking-stand-for-safety-of-indigenous-women-legislature-passes-tribal-vawa/ CDC Handwashing page: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html Text of that bill: https://mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0571&item=9&snum=129 GFDC Broadband plan: http://www.greaterfranklin.com/resources/broadband Article on ISPs not building out fiber networks: https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/24/17882842/us-internet-broadband-map-isp-fcc-wireless-competition Article on municipal fiber in TN: https://www.isemag.com/2020/01/telcom-rural-fiber-electric-utility-cooperatives-rewards-chattanooga-tennessee/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

 Tim rents his home as a short-term rental on summer weekends. Why is this so scary to everyone else?  We discuss eleven fears about short-term rentals, one of which is legitimate. Fear not, we have a non-governmental solution for that one. All others will be #ASSUAGED!!!  11 Fears About Short Term Home Rentals Fear #1 - Home rentals hurt a town's "character" Fear #2 - Home rentals make housing less affordable Fear #3 - Home rentals are unsafe Fear #4 - Home rentals are not in compliance with building codes Fear #5 - Home rentals are not licensed and inspected as lodging places Fear #6 - Home rentals are preparing and serving food without a license Fear #7 - Home rentals are not ADA / FHA compliant for accessibility for people with disabilities Fear #8 - Home rentals do not have adequate insurance Fear #9 - Home rentals are not paying taxes Fear #10 - Home rentals are unfair competition to hotels Fear #11 - Home rentals are creating nuisances Use hashtag #ana027 to reference this episode in a tweet, post, or comment View full show notes at http://anarchitecturepodcast.com/ana027.----more----Intro   Tim rents his home as a short-term rental on summer weekends. Why is this so scary to everyone else?   We discuss eleven fears about short-term rentals, one of which is legitimate. Fear not, we have a non-governmental solution for that one.   Discussion   Tim's experiences renting his primary residence as a short-term rental on Airbnb Initial setup Moving out every weekend Strangers in your house Reputations on AirBNB Piercings, tattoos, and hardcore music Faith in humanity - people tend to be respectful of other people and of their property Airbnb facilitates peer-to-peer exchanges Fully utilize real capital assets Much more personal experience Short-term rental is nothing new, but it has become much easier Setting up a listing Airbnb bans Transient occupancy - less than 30 days ADUs and STRs Accessory dwelling units - a loophole to allow affordable forms of housing in restrictive single-family residence zones Presenting 20 minutes of deeply researched content in three minutes 11 Fears About Short Term Home Rentals Fear #1 - Home rentals hurt a town's "character" Fear #2 - Home rentals make housing less affordable Fear #3 - Home rentals are unsafe Fear #4 - Home rentals are not in compliance with building codes Fear #5 - Home rentals are not licensed and inspected as lodging places Fear #6 - Home rentals are preparing and serving food without a license Fear #7 - Home rentals are not ADA / FHA compliant for accessibility for people with disabilities Fear #8 - Home rentals do not have adequate insurance Fear #9 - Home rentals are not paying taxes Fear #10 - Home rentals are unfair competition to hotels Fear #11 - Home rentals are creating nuisances Fear #1 - Home rentals hurt a town's "character" Character - "The main or essential nature, especially as strongly marked or serving to distinguish" Joe is now a NIMBY "Character" is the free space in the middle of the board in NIMBY Bingo Apart from a potential increase in nuisances (discussed later), is a short-term rental use of a single-family home substantially different from long-term occupancy? Vacation rentals are out of character in... Vacationland...? Maine was built around vacationers 15% of homes in Maine are vacation homes. This is the highest percentage of vacation homes in the United States, and five times the national average of about 3%. This has been true every decade as far back as 1940 when 10% of homes in Maine were vacation homes. There were 3,700 AirBNB listings in Maine in 2016, which is less than 1% of homes and less than 5% of vacation homes. As long as there have been vacation homes, there has been short-term rental of vacation homes Homes used to be used in more flexible ways The ability to rent one's home on a short-term basis is a long-established property right. Removing this right should be considered a form of regulatory taking Visitors reinforce many of the things that are essential to maintaining a town's character Fear #2 - Short-term rentals make housing less affordable Maine - Less than 1% of homes are on Airbnb, less than 5% of vacation homes 2018 Study in Santa Monica CA - Short-term rental ban has had no significant impact on long-term rental prices 2015 NYC study AirDNA - problems with data Zillow - reliable data? Statistical analysis, not direct comparison Built-in bias - Investors may tend to buy properties for short-term rentals in areas that are already appreciating In NYC, short-term rentals have taken 5,000+ units off the rental market in a city of 3 million housing units with 25,000 housing starts a year, resulting in an increase of a whopping 0.5% per year in rent. Researcher was cherry-picked to get the same results he got in Canada by NYC's powerful hotel union who funded the study These results are not transferable outside of NYC Primary residences rented short-term, rooms in a primary residence rented short-term, and vacation homes rented short term would not come back on to the housing market if STRs are banned Kea Wilson at Strong Towns - renting one unit short-term allows her to keep her other units affordable. Short-term rentals optimize inefficiencies and vacancies in the housing market How Airbnb got started - subsidizing the founders' rent Tim covers 60-70% of his annual mortgage by renting during the summer season Tim's town could change one number in the zoning ordinance to double the potential capacity for housing to be built incrementally, yet they think short-term rentals are causing housing unaffordability? Fear #3 - Short-term rentals are unsafe Safety of homes vs. hotels There are approximately 91 million single-family dwellings in the US and about 2,200 deaths from fire each year. That’s one fire death per 41,000 single family dwellings. Hotels are relatively safer, with only 15 fire deaths out of about 4.8 million hotel rooms in the US. That’s 1 fire death per 320,000 hotel rooms. There are also 48 deaths from carbon monoxide from heating appliances in US homes, which is 1 death in 2.8 million homes annually. Hotels, even brand name chains, have had carbon monoxide poisonings as well. A 2012 USA Today investigation found eight carbon monoxide deaths in hotels over a three-year period. This averages to 1 carbon monoxide death in 1.8 million hotel rooms per year, which is more risky than the rate of 1 carbon monoxide death in 2.8 million homes. Short-term rentals have a different risk profile than single-family homes:  Smoking is one of the leading causes of deadly residential fires, and most home rental hosts probably don’t allow smoking. Home rentals owners are also more likely to have smoke detectors. Only about 67% of single-family homes have smoke detectors, while a recent study showed that at least 80% of AirBNB hosts reported having smoke detectors (there may be more who have them but didn’t report it). While this is not perfect, it is more comparable to multi-family housing in which 88% of units have smoke detectors. AirBNB hosts can advertise smoke detectors and other safety features on their listing. AirBNB provides free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to its hosts. In Maine, most short-term rentals probably happen in the summer when people aren’t using heating equipment or making fires in the fireplace. In Maine, Title 22 2501 requires one-family rental hosts to post signage in every bedroom notifying renters that the unit is not inspected by the DHHS, so the renters should be aware that the risks are commensurate with a single-family home, not a licensed lodging facility. Insurers issuing policies for short-term home rental units may require safety features like smoke detectors. The primary concern with a transient occupancy is unfamiliarity with the building and egress paths. Most single-family dwellings have fairly simple layouts with obvious egress paths. Deaths in short-term rentals? One death in Taiwan from CO poisoning Family of four died in gas leak in Mexico One death in an Airbnb in the USA - from a rope swing If we conservatively assume that rope swings may claim the lives of one AirBNB guest per year, that’s one death per 550,000 AirBNB listings in America. That is almost twice as safe as the 1 fire death per 320,000 hotel rooms. Of course these numbers are too small to justify these types of comparisons. The reality is that hotels are generally very safe, and so are short-term home rentals. Making your short-term rental safe Maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, provide fire extinguishers, provide emergency contact information, and provide first aid kits. Fear #4 - Home rentals are not in compliance with building codes The Maine State Fire Marshal has the following statement on their “Bed & Breakfast Life Safety Requirements” page on their website at https://www.maine.gov/dps/fmo/plans/bed_breakfast.html: “You are allowed to rent to 3 outsiders without needing State approval. At 2 people per bed, that equals 1 bedroom (the 2nd rental bedroom might include a 4th person).” This appears to suggest that any short-term rental unit with more than one bedroom should be classified as a Lodging or Rooming House occupancy, requiring sprinklers, a fire alarm system, fire-rated stairways, etc., as well as a change of use permit from the State Fire Marshal. Tim believes this is an incorrect interpretation of both the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code and the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code. Number of Occupants - NFPA 101 Life Safety Code defines a one-family dwelling as occupied by members of a single family with not more than three outsiders. The most conservative interpretation of this is four people, not three. Depending on the size of the family, and definition of “family,” there could be many more than four people and it could still be considered a one-family dwelling. Number of Occupants per Bedroom - A limit on the number of occupants does not mean a limit on the number of bedrooms. It would have been easy for the NFPA to define a one-family dwelling by the number of bedrooms, but they chose not to do that for good reason. There are many instances in the code where the use classification of a building depends on the use and number of occupants rather than the spatial configuration (Assembly >50 occupants, Healthcare with >4 people incapable of self-preservation). It is an oversimplification to say that two bedrooms equals four occupants. Short-Term vs. Long-Term Occupancy - These distinctions in the code between lodging houses and one-family dwellings apply to both transient occupancy of the unit (meaning short-term rental less than 30 days per NFPA) as well as permanent occupancy of the unit (meaning long-term rental or owner-occupancy). There is no distinction, in either the NFPA or the Maine Building Code, between short-term and long-term occupancy of one-family dwelling units. This last point means that if their Office requires two-bedroom homes used as short-term rentals to comply with the requirements for transient Lodging Houses, they would have to require every single house in the State of Maine with two or more bedrooms to apply for a change of use permit as a permanent Rooming House, and to install a sprinkler system, fire alarm system, fire-rated exit stairs, etc. Clearly this is not the intent of the NFPA.  The State Fire Marshal has a more nuanced (and correct) understanding of the code than what their website statement implies. Concern is that towns will incorporate this incorrect interpretation into their land use ordinances There is some reasonable limit on the number of occupants in a single-family residence - a "family" plus three outsiders - but not a specific number "Family" is sometimes defined as "a single housekeeping unit." It does not mean relation by blood or marriage. Towns should stick to the language of NFPA 101 if trying to incorporate this requirement into their ordinance Fear #5 - Short-term rentals are not licensed and inspected as lodging places Laws and regulations are a hot mess of contradictions and confusion Departmental "Rules" are what get enforced, and bypass democratic checks and balances Innkeepers, lodging houses, victualers, campgrounds, lodging places, cottages, vacation rentals, hotels, inns, private homes, guest homes - which one are short-term home rentals? How to write a departmental rule - cut and paste the law, then change it to say whatever the hell you want it to say In Maine, private homes shall not be considered a lodging place and subject to a license where not more than three (or five?) rooms are let Fear #6 - Home rentals are preparing and serving food without a license Stop the victualization of short-term rental guests This is already covered in licensing laws and land use ordinances. Next. Fear #7 - Home rentals are not ADA / FHA compliant for accessibility for people with disabilities ADA physical access requirements generally don't apply to single family homes FHA physical access requirements generally don't apply to building with less than 3 dwelling units, or existing building unless substantially altered We don't give legal advice. Better call Saul. Are short-term rentals "public accommodations?" Probably not - more like a private lease agreement Even if ADA did apply, units might not be required to be modified to retrofit physical access features unless undergoing substantial alterations Airbnb allows people to search for accessibility features, creating a market incentive to provide them Fear #8 - Home rentals do not have adequate insurance Many owner-occupied homeowner’s policies may exclude coverage for short-term rental, and there may be some home rental hosts who are not properly insured, whether they know it or not. However there are policies available that provide coverage for the homeowner as a principal residence while also allowing a certain number of short-term rental days during the year. Our Liberty Mutual policy covering up to 180 days of short-term rentals costs us about $1000 more than a typical homeowner’s policy. AirBNB provides liability insurance for all of its hosts, however hosts should review the adequacy of this coverage with their insurance provider. If a home rental host does not have adequate coverage, they are taking a huge financial risk upon themselves and may lose their home if they lose a lawsuit. However, this is a financial decision each host needs to make, and I don’t see a role for a Planning Board or Town Council in prescribing what types of financial products a homeowner should or should not buy. Fear #9 - Home rentals are not paying taxes Income tax - Airbnb makes it easier to document rental income, and possibly to audit it. Sales / Lodging Tax - In Maine and several other states, AirBNB automatically collects and remits the 9% lodging tax to the State. This has improved compliance and income for the state. Taxation without representation Property tax - Short-term home rental owners who are not permanent residents pay property taxes without burdening the school system and other services as residents do. Fear #10 - Home rentals are unfair competition to hotels Maine Innkeepers Association - a nice sounding name for the hotel industry lobbying group Tim's town has an 80 room hotel being built... Why would they build this if short-term rentals are driving hotels out of business? Hotels and inns who choose to rent more rooms to more people for more money present greater potential risks to their occupants than home rentals, with respect to fire and life safety, health and sanitation, food service, and security.  In exchange for a greater opportunity for profit, hotels creating these risks subject themselves to the State’s licensing requirements, licensing fees, inspections, and building code requirements for sprinklers, fire alarms, protected stairways, etc.  Home rentals do create competition for hotels, but there is nothing unfair about them. Hosts of single-family homes are not breaking any laws or building codes, are not avoiding licensure or taxes, and are not putting their guests in harm’s way.  STRs are competing, fair and square. We offer a better product at a better price in better locations than hotels can. A hotel is where you go while you are waiting to experience a place. A home rental IS the experience of a place. Fear #11 - Home rentals are creating nuisances Nuisances are a legitimate concern, and the only legitimate fear on this list. Nuisances are property rights violations according to libertarian theory Noise Regulations Subjective, difficult to measure and enforce This aggression will not stand Dependent on content and context, not just volume, frequency, and duration Existing limitations - Code / Family plus three outsiders, Licensure / up to three bedrooms (in Maine) House rules - no parties, limit number of occupants Parking This is a public space management problem Tim's town has very detailed regulations in place Parking violations are easy to enforce Short-term rental guests are allowed to park on public streets unless there is a parking restriction in place One more reason to destatalize Tim's solution: Home Rental Mediation service Neighbors file anonymous complaints Mediation service contacts rental host and negotiate ways to mitigate nuisances that are acceptable to the neighbors Communications between hosts and neighbors remain anonymous (if desired) Better than calling the cops Home rental hosts may be the best candidates to provide mediation services Fears ASSUAGED!!!   Links/Resources   Maine 15% of homes are vacation homes, 10% in 1940: https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/census/historic/vacation.html 3,700 AirBNB hosts in Maine in 2016: https://www.pressherald.com/2017/02/22/maine-airbnb-hosts-earned-26-million-in-2016/ The Effects of Short-Term Rental Regulations: Evidence From the City of Santa Monica, by Cayrua Chaves Fonseca: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3328485“Using a dataset of Airbnb listings in the area surrounding the city of Los Angeles, I find that the ordinance has reduced the number of entire homes listed on Airbnb in Santa Monica by approximately 61%. I also study the impacts of this regulation on the long-term rental market and I find no evidence of a significant effect of the ordinance on residential rents in Santa Monica. “ CityLab article on 2018 NYC Short-Term Rental study by David Wachsmuth: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/03/what-airbnb-did-to-new-york-city/552749/ 91,241,000 single family homes in USA in 2009: https://www.answers.com/Q/How_many_single_family_homes_are_there_in_the_United_States 2,165 average annual fire deaths in single-family homes (2014-2016) = 80.2% of 2,700 deaths in all residential occupancies: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v19i1.pdf 4.8 million hotel rooms in USA: https://www.quora.com/How-many-hotel-rooms-are-there-in-the-US 15 average annual fire deaths in hotels / motels (2014-2016): https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v19i4.pdf 48 average annual carbon monoxide deaths from heating appliances in USA homes (2002 - 2012). Other CO deaths from tools, generators, etc. are assumed not to be relevant to this discussion: https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/pdfs/2012NonFireCODeaths.pdf 8 hotel carbon monoxide deaths over 3 years in USA (2012): https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2012/11/15/hotels-carbon-monoxide/1707789/ 67% of fires in one- and two-family homes had smoke detectors present (Table 13). 88% of apartments have smoke detectors (Table 16): https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics-and-reports/Detection-and-signaling/ossmokealarmstables.pdf At least 80% of a sample of AirBNB hosts report having smoke detectors: https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/early/2018/05/28/injuryprev-2018-042740 AirBNB free smoke / carbon monoxide detectors: https://www.airbnb.com/trust - click the Home Safety menu item. AirBNB rope swing death: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-death-at-an-airbnb-rental-puts-the-tech-company-in-the-hot-seat_us_5640db66e4b0b24aee4b18f7 550,000 AirBNB listings in the USA in 2015: https://www.airdna.co/blog/2015-in-review-airbnb-data-for-the-usa Maine State Fire Marshal “Bed & Breakfast Life Safety Requirements” webpage: https://www.maine.gov/dps/fmo/plans/bed_breakfast.html“You are allowed to rent to 3 outsiders without needing State approval. At 2 people per bed, that equals 1 bedroom (the 2nd rental bedroom might include a 4th person).” NFPA 101 2009 24.1.1.1 One- and Two-Family Dwellings are defined as: “Those buildings containing not more than two dwelling units in which each dwelling unit is occupied by members of a single family with not more than three outsiders, if any, accommodated in rented rooms"The commentary in Appendix A gives examples illustrating that this “family” can be a family renting the unit from a landlord (not just the homeowner’s family), along with up to three additional outsiders:“An individual or a couple (two people) who rent a house from a landlord and then sublease space for up to three individuals should be considered a family renting to a maximum of three outsiders, and the house should be regulated as a single-family dwelling in accordance with Chapter 24. (NFPA 101 2009 A6.1.8.1.1(1))” Maine Rules Relating to Lodging Establishments: https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/10/144/144c206.doc “Private homes shall not be deemed or considered lodging places and subject to a license where not more than 3 rooms are let. (2003 10-144 Ch. 206 1-B.18, exception noted after definition 32)” Referenced law Maine MRSA Title 22 2501: http://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/22/title22sec2501.html "Private homes are not deemed or considered lodging places and subject to a license when not more than 5 rooms are let;" ADA / FHA Case Law: http://www.bhgrlaw.com/blog/housing-provider-obligations-under-the-fha-and-ada-do-i-need-to-allow-service-assistance-animals-in-my-short-term-vacation-rental/“   The FHA applies broadly to housing, whether or not federal assistance is required. More specifically, the FHA applies to “dwellings,” which are occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence. See, 42 U.S.C. § 3602(b). While the term “residence” is not defined in the FHA, courts have interpreted it to mean “a temporary or permanent dwelling place, abode or habitation to which one intends to return as distinguished from the place of temporary sojourn or transient visit.” See e.g., United States v. Hughes Memorial Home, 396 F.Supp. 544 (W.D. Va. 1975). Thus, while a temporary residence may fall under the FHA, a mere “transient visit” does not. Courts have found a number of temporary residences to be dwellings under the FHA including, without limitation, homeless shelters, timeshare units, summer bungalows to which one regularly returns, migrant farm worker cabins, a womens’ shelter, and a drug and alcohol treatment facility. See e.g., Telesca v. Kings Creek Condo. Ass’n, 390 Fed. Appx. 877 (11th Cir. 2010); Home Quest Mortg. LLC v. Am. Family Mut. Ins. Co., 340 F.Supp. 2d 1177 (D. Kansas 2004); Connecticut Hosp. v. City of New London, 129 F.Supp.2d 123, 133 (D. Conn. 2001); Schwarz v. City of Treasure Island, 544 F.3d 1201, 1214 (11th Cir. 2008).”“...     Individually-owned residential condominiums units are generally not considered “public accommodations” subject to the ADA Champlin v. Sovereign Residential Servs., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 115274 (M.D. Fla). However, a condominium building may be considered a public accommodation if it is “virtually indistinguishable from a hotel.” Id. The Court in Champlin discussed Access 4 All, Inc. v. Atlantic Hotel Condominium Association, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41600 (S.D. Fla.), in which a condominium building was in fact considered a public accommodation. In that case, there was no governing condominium association board, certain units were operated as hotel units, the governing documents defined the hotel units, a separate entity was retained to manage room reservations, and every unit owner had the option to include his or her unit in the rental program."An individually-owned condominium unit that is rented out as a short-term vacation rental of 30 days or less arguably does not fall under the ADA if the condominium building is not operated like a hotel.” AirBNB host protection liability insurance: https://www.airbnb.com/host-protection-insurance Maine Innkeepers Association testimony to the State legislature, raising every one of these unfounded fears in order to seek monopolizing governmental protections for their industry’s special interests: http://legislature.maine.gov/bills/getTestimonyDoc.asp?id=26701“...The spread of unlicensed lodging places needs to be stopped, at least the spread in high risk applications and we believe that overnight lodging is where this danger starts.” AirBNB Neighbor Complaints: https://www.airbnb.com/neighbors“After you fill out the form, you’ll get a confirmation email with a case number and a copy of your responses. Our team will review your complaint. If we match it with an active Airbnb listing, we’ll send your message to the host when possible.  

This conversation between former NRCM Executive Director Brownie Carson and Deputy Director Joan Welsh covers their time at NRCM and their transitions from NRCM to the Maine State House. After leaving NRCM, Joan served in the Maine House of Representatives, and Brownie is currently in his second term in the Maine Senate. Coincidentally, they’ve both served on the Joint Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources. Hear more in the latest “Maine Environment: Frontline Voices.”

We're joined by Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, Assistant Majority Leader in the Maine House of Representatives to discuss the historic accomplishments of the 129th session of the Maine Legislature, and to talk about the challenges they hit while trying to join the National Popular Vote Compact. We're on iTunes: http://apple.co/2tCd0Dn Google Play: http://bit.ly/2tEpOJb Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=139322 TuneIn: http://bit.ly/2svIk6F ... and now Spotify! https://spoti.fi/2NpeIT3 Please subscribe, share us with your friends and write a review! Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/NobodyKnewPod and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NobodyKnewPod/

Producer/Host: Steve Kahl Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Key Discussion Points a) solar power net metering b) electric vehicle rebates c) Maine Renewable Portfolio Standard Guests: Sophie Janeway, Natural Resources Council of Maine Nicole Grohoski, Maine House representative

The beta rolls on and brings with it a couple of fresh talking points for the show and its listeners to tackle this week with Josh. Warsong Gulch has been open for a couple of weeks now in the beta and Arathi Basin just opened days ago, and with those come the bloodthirsty PvP testers looking to see how things perform on the battlegrounds. After that we break down stream sniping, after some comments made by streamer Sodapoppin ignited the forums this past week on the issue. Then, we welcome back vanilla WoW level designer John Staats, for the first of a lengthy ongoing segment all about the design of vanilla WoW's instances.  Listen in to part one of this series, as John tells us all about how he built one of the most beloved dungeons in MMORPG history, Blackrock Depths. The show then rounds out with a great call with a sitting member of the state of Maine's House of Representatives, about that one time that WoW got caught up in politics, and also a follow up call from last week, for a slightly different angle on the Trollgodx issue at the dueling tournament. Highlights Below: Calling Countdown #1 - Beta BG's w/ Ayle, Fried, Khano, & Nano - 2:50 Calling Countdown #2 - Stream Sniping w/ Boosh & Gleb - 31:35 Calling Countdown #3 - The Making of Blackrock Depths w/ John Staats, Gromboli, & Vilius - 50:55 Calling Countdown #4 - When WoW Met Politics w/ Colleen Madigan, Maine - House of Representatives (D) - 1:52:35 Calling Countdown #5 - Trollgodx Part Two - Blizzard Should Consider Some Action w/ Emmortal, Sabara, & Trabadab - 2:20:25   Buy 'The WoW Diary' by John Staats on Amazon @ https://www.amazon.com/WoW-Diary-Journal-Computer-Development/dp/B07LB927QF Find John Staats on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/johnstaats_wir?lang=en Directly download here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/countdowntoclassic/C2C_Episode_108_Final.mp3 Also listen @ Spotify here (Spotify takes a couple of hours to upload after posting, check back later if not there): https://open.spotify.com/show/38mHWjscNorJr7OFeNu8X5?si=c6JKxJeSRCeLQPSIlKJL8w Or @ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/countdown-to-classic/id1352967778 Or @ Stitcher: http://stitcher.com/s?fid=174762&refid=stpr Join the Countdown To Classic Discord here: https://discord.gg/2xJAwNf Find Ayle @ https://classicwow.live/ And on Twitch @  https://www.twitch.tv/aylegaming Find Fried on Twitch @ https://twitch.tv/fri3d_ Find Khano on Twitch @ https://twitch.tv/khanotv Find Nano on Twitch @ https://twitch.tv/nanonost And on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/nano_warcraft?lang=en Find Boosh on Twitch @ https://twitch.tv/booshies Pick up awesome Countdown To Classic show rewards @ Patreon: patreon.com/countdowntoclassic Or grab some awesome Countdown To Classic merch @ Red Bubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/joshcorbo82?ref=artist_title_name&asc=u Or support the show with a tip @ Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/Y8Y3D2TT Or simply show your support by leaving the show a review at iTunes or by telling a friend! Write in to Josh at feedback@countdowntoclassic.com or get in touch on social media: Follow Josh on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/count2classic?lang=en And on FB @ https://www.facebook.com/countdowntoclassic/ Subscribe on YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/countdowntoclassic Find Josh’s movie podcast, The Sinner Files @ https://www.sinnerfiles.com/

Producer/Host: Steve Kahl Key Discussion Points a) Problems with CMP billing and service b) proposed Maine Power Delivery Authority c) How consumer-owned utilities have benefited other states Guests: Seth Berry, Maine House representative Nicole Grohowski, Maine House representative

New Mexico is committing more than three million dollars to boost census participation, especially on tribal lands and rural areas.The Maine House of Representatives passed a bill banning the use of mascots or imagery related to Native Americans in schools

On Friday, Sept. 7, publisher Lisa DeSisto sat down with Cummings, who began his academic career in Gorham as a high school history teacher and department head. He served as a faculty member at the Southern Maine Community College and was a long-serving member of the USM faculty. Prior to becoming president of USM, Cummings served as interim president of the University of Maine at Augusta. In 2010, he served former Pres. Barack Obama as deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education and took over as president and executive director of the Good Will-Hinckley organization. Cummings is also a former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, Majority Leader, and chairman of the state’s Joint Committee of Education and Cultural Affairs.

On Friday, Sept. 7, 2018, publisher Lisa DeSisto sat down with Cummings, who began his academic career in Gorham as a high school history teacher and department head. He served as a faculty member at the Southern Maine Community College and was a long-serving member of the USM faculty. Prior to becoming president of USM, Cummings served as interim president of the University of Maine at Augusta. In 2010, he served former Pres. Barack Obama as deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education and took over as president and executive director of the Good Will-Hinckley organization. Cummings is also a former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, Majority Leader, and chairman of the state’s Joint Committee of Education and Cultural Affairs.

NEWS CENTER Maine's Don Carrigan sits down with Republican gubernatorial candidate Sen. Mark Dion of Portland. He is a lawyer, a former police officer and served as sheriff of Cumberland County. Dion has previously served in the Maine House and is currently serving in the Senate.

NEWS CENTER Maine's Don Carrigan sits down with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Eves of North Berwick. He is a family counselor who currently manages a mental health agency. He served eight years in the Maine House of Representatives, including two terms as speaker of the House.

NEWS CENTER Maine's Don Carrigan sits down with Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Ken Fredette of Newport. He is a lawyer, an officer in the Maine Air National Guard and the current Republican leader in the Maine House of Representatives.

NEWS CENTER Maine's Don Carrigan sits down with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Janet Mills of Farmington. She is the attorney general of Maine, a position she has held for the past five and a half years. She is a former prosecutor and district attorney and operated her own law practice. She served three terms in the Maine House of Representatives.

NEWS CENTER Maine's Don Carrigan sits down with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Diane Russell of Portland. Russell has worked as a cashier and for nonprofit organizations but is best known as a legislator and political activist. She served four terms in the Maine House. She helped lead several successful citizen referendum campaigns, and was a leader of  Bernie Sanders supporters at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree moved to Maine in the 1970s, and after graduating from College of the Atlantic, she and her husband started a small farm on the island of North Haven. In the early 1980s, she started a knitting business that grew to ten year-round employees, producing knitting kits and books that were sold in hundreds of stores across the country. She was elected to the Maine Senate in 1992. After serving four terms, including two as Senate majority leader, she went on to become the national president of Common Cause. In 2008, Pingree was elected to Congress to serve Maine’s 1st District, and she was the first woman ever to be elected to represent this district. Pingree is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations and has gained national recognition for her leadership on food and agriculture reform, improving assistance programs for veterans, supporting coastal communities, and other issues important to Maine and the nation.  Hannah Pingree was elected for four terms to the Maine House of Representatives, where she served as the house chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, House majority leader, and speaker of the House. In the Legislature, she represented eleven island and coastal towns in Knox and Hancock Counties. In Augusta, she focused on issues of health care and public health, economic development, housing, fishing, environmental protection, and access to broadband and alternative energy. After being term-limited from the legislature, she has worked as the business manager of her family’s inn, restaurant, and farm, and she manages North Haven Sustainable Housing, an organization that builds housing for year-round residents and island seniors. She hosts a weekly MPBN public affairs show and serves on her local school board. Pingree, her husband, two small children, and their black lab, Willie, all live on the island of North Haven. https://www.themainemag.com/radio/radio-guests/hannah-chellie-pingree/

Portland Press Herald Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich and columnists Bill Nemitz, Cynthia Dill, and Alan Caron discuss three big stories of the week: the passage through the House of the American Healthcare Act and why Rep. Bruce Poliquin kept his vote secret until game time, a provisional vote in Maine to have us join the Atlantic time zone if Massachusetts and New Hampshire do the same, and Gov. Paul LePage's oppositional appearance in Washington D.C. to discuss the economic impact of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Related: Rep. Poliquin supports health bill, says only 7% of Mainers affected. Facts show otherwise Maine House votes to join Atlantic time zone, if New Hampshire and Massachusetts do the same LePage, advocate offer dueling testimony in Washington on Katahdin-area monument  

Interesting week, with people who are actually spamming to make money. This virtual spamming has gone worst with making you believe that a family member is in actual danger, just to ask you for ransom money. Included in this week's discussion are reasons why you can't always trust Google's top featured answers, and as being discussed repeatedly, how to make your passwords more secure with the new guidelines. These and more only on CraigPeterson.com. --- Related articles: Why You Can’t Always Trust Google’s Top Featured Answers http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/why-you-cant-always-trust-googles-top-featured-answers/12335  Script kiddies pwn 1000s of Windows boxes using leaked NSA hack tools http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/script-kiddies-pwn-1000s-of-windows-boxes-using-leaked-nsa-hack-tools/12338  We’re about to test out hacking the Earth’s climate. That should scare and inspire you. http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/were-about-to-test-out-hacking-the-earths-climate-that-should-scare-and-inspire-you/12342  New password guidelines say everything we thought about passwords is wrong http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/new-password-guidelines-say-everything-we-thought-about-passwords-is-wrong/12345  FCC details plan to roll back net neutrality rules http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/fcc-details-plan-to-roll-back-net-neutrality-rules/12348  Uber responds to report that it tracked devices after its app was deleted http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/uber-responds-to-report-that-it-tracked-devices-after-its-app-was-deleted/12351  Utah parents warn of terrifying ‘virtual kidnapping’ scam http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/utah-parents-warn-of-terrifying-virtual-kidnapping-scam/12354  Apple cuts App Store affiliate commission from 7% to 2.5% http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/apple-cuts-app-store-affiliate-commission-from-7-to-2-5/12362  Maine House votes to join Atlantic time zone, if New Hampshire and Massachusetts do the same http://craigpeterson.com/radio-show/maine-house-votes-to-join-atlantic-time-zone-if-new-hampshire-and-massachusetts-do-the-same/12359  --- More stories and tech updates at: www.craigpeterson.com Don't miss an episode from Craig. Subscribe and give us a rating: www.craigpeterson.com/itunes Follow me on Twitter for the latest in tech at: www.twitter.com/craigpeterson For questions, call or text: 855-385-5553

Producer/Editor/Host: Amy Browne Engineer: Joel Mann Topic: Governor LePage’s recent behavior and efforts to address it. Last night he stormed out of an event at UMaine Farmington, calling 2 protesters “idiots”. The previous day he held a meeting that legally should have been public, but access was denied to legislators, media and the public. He has declared the Natural Resources Council of Maine and the Maine People’s Alliance– 2 of the state’s largest environmental and social justice groups– “enemies”. Efforts to impeach him were defeated earlier this year, but his controversial behavior keeps those efforts alive. Meanwhile his supporters praise his “plain talking” style. On today’s call in show we’re asking “What do YOU think?” Guests: Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Mark Eves FMI: www.speakereves.com/ Rebecca Halbrook, retired attorney working on impeachment efforts and a new group called “Mainers for Government Accountability”. FMI: www.facebook.com/ImpeachGovLePage/?fref=ts Mike Tipping, Communications Director for the Maine People’s Alliance, cohost of “The Beacon” podcast which airs on WERU Tuesday afternoons at 4 and author of As Maine Went: Paul LePage and the Tea Party Takeover FMI: www.mainepeoplesalliance.org/ The post Maine Currents 4/27/16 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Ron Lanton - with True North Political Solutions brings another Health Policy Check-Up Segment with State Rep. Heidi Brooks with the state of Maine House of Representatives. She is a native of the Lewiston-Auburn area and graduated in the top 10 of her high school class. Brooks went on to earn a bachelor's degree at Boston College and a medical degree at New York Medical College. After completing an internship and residency in internal medicine at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton, Mass., she returned to Maine.  Brooks has been actively involved in the community as a volunteer with the Maine People's Alliance, where she serves as co-chair of the board. She is the secretary of the Maine Democratic Party-Democratic State Committee. She is a grateful graduate of the 2012 class of Emerge Maine, a training program for Democratic women. She serves on the local Head Start board. They discuss MAC Drug Pricing Transparency and other pressing issues to our pharmacy industry.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Producer/Host: Amy Browne Tomorrow will be a historic day in Augusta, as orders to impeach Governor LePage will be introduced and debated by the Maine House of Representatives. And whether the impeachment order ultimately succeeds or not, supporters say LePage’s behavior must be addressed. Today on Maine Currents we'll be talking with two of the grassroots organizers behind the efforts to impeach LePage, Rebecca Halbrook and Hendrik Gideonse. We’ll hear from Dawn Neptune Adams, the woman who was shouted down by LePage supporters as she tried to speak at a pro-impeachment rally last week. And we’ll talk with the sponsor of the impeachment order, Representative Ben Chipman of Portland. FMI re the grassroots efforts to impeach LePage: www.facebook.com/ImpeachGovLePage/?fref=ts The post Maine Currents 1/13/16 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Ron Lanton - with True North Political Solutions brings another Health Policy Check-Up Segment with State Rep. Heidi Brooks with the state of Maine House of Representatives. She is a native of the Lewiston-Auburn area and graduated in the top 10 of her high school class. Brooks went on to earn a bachelor's degree at Boston College and a medical degree at New York Medical College. After completing an internship and residency in internal medicine at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton, Mass., she returned to Maine.  Brooks has been actively involved in the community as a volunteer with the Maine People's Alliance, where she serves as co-chair of the board. She is the secretary of the Maine Democratic Party-Democratic State Committee. She is a grateful graduate of the 2012 class of Emerge Maine, a training program for Democratic women. She serves on the local Head Start board. They discuss MAC Drug Pricing Transparency and other pressing issues to our pharmacy in

Eleven months ago, we noted the incredible energy in the Maine Legislature around improving Internet access. Maine State Representative Norm Higgins joins us this week for Community Broadband [no-glossary]Bits[/no-glossary] Podcast episode 180. Rep. Norm Higgins, a newcomer to the Legislature, pushed hard for legislation to encourage municipal open access networks as well as removing barriers … Continue reading "Maine House Representative Pushes for Better Internet Access – Community Broadband Bits Podcast 180" ★ Support this podcast ★

Lawrence S. Bliss, commonly known as Larry Bliss, is an American educator and former politician from the state of Maine. A Democrat, he served in the Maine House of Representitives (2000–2008) and the Maine Senate (2008–2011). He resigned as a senator on April 15, 2011 after accepting a position as an administrator in the University of California system and leaving the state of Maine.

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Studio Engineer: Amy Browne Topic: Clean Elections: What has Maine learned over its ten year history?? Guests: Ann Luther, Co-Chair, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections; Anne Perry, State Representative, District 31, Calais; John Brautigam, legal counsel, ME Citizens for Clean Elections; Hannah Pingree, Speaker of the House, Maine House of Representatives How does Maine’s “Clean Elections” law work? What factors led to the law? What have been its impacts? The post Talk of the Towns 10/22/10 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.