SEE HERE

I generally like Lance Tapley’s writing — even when we disagree. However, in his article in the May 31-June 7 issue on “The Democratic Deal,” he missed the truth.

Last week when James Jeffords made a dramatic decision in Washington, I heard one commentator remark that Senator Jeffords had caught so many off guard because no one expected that he — a politician — would make this decision based on simply doing what is right.

I acknowledge my desire to run for governor and believe that we could have run an excellent campaign, with a strong prospect of winning. However, so will John Baldacci. I respect him as a politician for his excellent voting record in Congress and his understanding of the needs of Maine’s working families. I decided that the differences were not great enough for a competition between two leaders who believe in the same things when there are critical issues — such as education and prescription drugs — that are not being addressed on the national level.

The possibilities in the US Senate race are very different. I will compete in a race where the Republican candidate and I differ dramatically on important issues — education, health care, and the future of the economy.

I will run a strong campaign. Just this week, over 150 current and former Maine legislators and Democratic Party leaders endorsed my candidacy at a rally at the Statehouse. From Eleanor Clift of the McLaughlin Group to USA Today, people acknowledge that Collins faces a tough race and her seat is vulnerable.

I’ve worked hard for the last eight years in the state and I will bring vision, courage, and a record of solving problems that are of great concern for Maine people. I will take the issues where we have experienced great success in Maine — particularly prescription-drug pricing — to the federal level.

I spoke with many people from communities all over the state of Maine about my choices and the path was very clear. They are concerned about what’s happening in Congress and they want new leadership in Washington to fight for them. I have been very fortunate to serve in public office and I have always tried to act based on what I thought would benefit the people I serve.

Lance presents a cynical media view that is misguided and misses a very simple point. I am running for Senate because someone needs to stand up for Maine values in Washington, DC and fight for affordable prescription drugs, good jobs and a higher minimum wage, a clean environment, and quality education for all children.

Chellie Pingree

North Haven

RUN, CHELLIE, RUN

Why is Lance Tapley smiling?

I found Lance Tapley’s article about Chellie Pingree’s campaign for US Senate, “The Democratic Deal,” offensive and sexist.

Chellie Pingree is a visionary leader who knows how to get things done. As Senate Majority Leader in the Maine legislature, she led the fight against the powerful pharmaceutical industry to lower the prices of prescription drugs for seniors in Maine. The Maine Rx Program was passed with virtually unanimous support

Chellie is not afraid of a tough fight and has often come out victorious when media and others said it could not be done. She will make a great US Senator!

“Willing maiden”? Even if there was the male equivalent archetype, would any reporter have the nerve to describe a man with Chellie’s outstanding record in such terms?

Karen Geraghty

Portland

THE CONTINUING SAGA

I cannot let my friend, Ms. Helton provide your readers with such incorrect information as she did in her latest letter (June 15, 2001, page 8). In that letter she said that the “city” reported at a meeting she attended in April, that the city’s interpretation of the census data shows young families are moving to the suburbs.

If a city official told her this, then they were wrong, and since the only census data released in April related to state, county, and the 15 largest cities, I suspect no city official made such a statement. The census information will never be able to provide us with the data to make such a claim. The census did not ask people where they moved from. Just because the population of one area is increasing and the population of another area is decreasing, you cannot make an assumption that one correlates to the other.

I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that most of the suburban growth is probably coming from people from away moving to Maine (such as maybe, yourself). I will also suggest that our school-age population decrease (which is clearly decreasing), is more a function of the end of the second baby boom. You may recall that from about 1946 to 1964 the US experienced a baby-boom as servicemen returning from the war married and started having children. As that generation became of age to reproduce they created a second baby-boom. It is a well known sociological fact that this second wave ended a few years ago and the Portland school populations are now showing the results of this.

So you cannot take one set of facts and make assumptions without having more information than we will ever have from the census data.

I note that you avoided my question in my last letter and did not tell us whether you considered my partner, Ben, and I to be a family and thus whether we meet the test of being acceptable for your “family” neighborhood.

You may also recall that I said my mother lives just down the street from the new condos you are so concerned are destroying your “family” neighborhood. You have yet to invite her to a meeting of your neighborhood association. Or are you only looking for your neighborhood association to be for property owners of single-family properties?

Steven Scharf

Portland

CONCURRANCE

We dined (supped?) at the Saltwater Grille a few weeks ago. Your reviewer’s dinner (see http://www.portlandphoenix.com/archive/food/01/06/15/grille.html) could have mimicked our own lackluster meal. The only differences were: The open kitchen’s vent hood malfunctioned filling the “heated” room with choking smoke. The air temp must have been in the high 80s when, suddenly, we couldn’t breath. We ate nearly the same meals as your reviewer. I failed to taste the lobster in my seafood stew. We ordered a wine from the extensive list only to be told after we waited, and waited and waited, without bread, without water, without any attention for 15 minutes or more, that they were out of it. However, a table was seated behind us at least 10 minutes AFTER we arrived and they ordered the bottle that we wanted. It arrived on their table. HUH? I ordered another type, we drank it out of WATER glasses. This was an expensive 50 dollar-plus bottle out of WATER GLASSES? Delicious, but served with all the flourish of a can of Coke. We order another bottle. Our appetizers now finished, the plates languished on the table, and our main courses arrived without the apps being cleared. We worked our way through our main courses, and still no wait staff to tell us or serve us our bread, or our second bottle of wine (that I ordered, I’m sure of it). Finally the waitress, so prim and proper, brought another bottle out, after we were finished with our meals but it was the wrong one!!

Desserts were leaden. Coffee was soapy water. We were celebrating our anniversary, up from New Jersey for the weekend. What a waste of money.

Warren Bobrow

Morris Township, New Jersey

 

To be fair, it should be noted that the Saltwater Grille had just opened at the time of this letter writer’s meal, and was in its third weekend at the time of our review. — ed.

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