So much to scribble about this week, but first, let me say “Mission accomplished!” as our hurricane relief effort, through the American Legion here in Damariscotta, delivered a trailer load of supplies to some very needy folks in Fountain, Fla. For those of you who might say “Where?” it is a little community just north of Panama City, Fla., out on the Panhandle.
Yours truly drove the truck and witnessed the devastation firsthand. And folks, let me tell you, it is very hard to describe what mile after mile of trees broken off halfway up their trunks and so many roofs with trees either down on them or through them looks like. Power lines galore, just danglin’, or poles snapped off completely.
Upon arriving at a small community center, I was greeted by a gentleman named Jim Bowers, a legion commander in the area, along with about a dozen residents to help unload the truck. To say these people were grateful is kind of an understatement, as they had just lost almost all they had in life, but still had a positive outlook. By the grace of God, they were still alive and they were looking forward.
They asked so many questions about my town and were astounded that such a small community could reach out and do what we did. One lady got pretty tearful, describing the night of the storm and how scary it was. Sent chills up my spine just listening to her.
They wanted to know all about Rob and Mark, who own hardware stores, and John and Bob, who own a very big retail department store, and so many others who contributed. And they especially wanted to hear about our own Legion, Wells-Hussey Post 42, and all the people who make up our post.
And not that they weren’t super grateful, but the question kept coming up: Why did this little town of Damariscotta, and the surrounding communities, reach out to an area so far away that had been hit with such a disaster? The best answer I could come up with was: “We’re Mainers and we could help, somehow, in our own little way!” I hope to have some pictures next week of the destruction.
On to the world of dysfunction, better known as politics. Maybe you are a little like me, not truly understanding how something works until you start using it. Well, that was me trying to figure out this ranked-choice deal at the voting booth. Got it now, and only wished we had it in 2010, as we might very well have not had to put up with eight years of embarrassment from the govnah’s office on how not to treat people and how to manage by intimidation.
That said, the people spoke. We wanted to use this method in voting and voted for it not once, but twice. OK, so I believe it’s now the will of the people. But to no one’s surprise, Mr. Poliquin is crying foul and threatening to sue.
I’m not surprised. Here is a guy who tried to dodge the land taxes in Phippsburg on his oceanfront property, claiming “tree growth,” which didn’t set too well, who made a career of wealth on Wall Street only to come back to Maine and spend a ton of money to get elected so he could continue to rub elbows with the affluent in Washington.
It would seem to me that the right thing to do would be what his fellow Republican, Mr. Moody, did: show some class, concede gracefully, and move on down the road! But after watching so many of his disgusting political ads, his actions don’t surprise me at all!
POTUS, POTUS, POTUS. My goodness, you just keep steppin’ in it. Have we heard a peep, since the election, about all the notorious people about ready to invade our southwestern borders? Two hundred and twenty million dollars, for what? And the worst natural disaster, probably, in modern times in America, with the horrible fires and loss of life in California, and all you have to offer is “we have to manage the forest better?” This area that has been affected by climate change as much as anywhere in our country, and that’s the best we get from POTUS?
Or how about the leader of this great country going to our longtime ally in France to help celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the ending of World War I, and he can’t even go to a cemetery to honor the fallen because he might get wet? I’m sure he has another pair of Gucci shoes with him. He stays holed up in a hotel room, mad at the world! At the end of the day, all he can talk about is “fake news,” yet when a reporter puts the heat on him, all he can do is try to bully his way out of the questioning. Why didn’t he just answer the questions?
Folks, we can do better than this. America will survive this deplorable situation we have in the White House for sure, but we only have two years to come up with a solution, or someone qualified to hold the honor of POTUS, with respect to America’s people and her belief that all men are created equal, with life, liberty, and justice for all. Something our current POTUS never learned!
Enough already! Have a great week and we’ll see ya down the road. Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone.
Larry Sidelinger
Yankee Pride Transport
Damariscotta
