Ben Bragdon

Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel

Latest

Published
May 5, 2023

View from Away: Enough with fake newspapers where propaganda masquerades as news

Campaign sleight of hand comes in many forms. Illinoisans are learning more about a particularly deceitful stratagem called Local Government Information Services — an innocuous name for what amounts to an affront to the institution of a free press and, more broadly, American democracy. During last year’s midterm election season, Illinois residents began seeing in […]
Published
May 3, 2023

Our View: Rainstorm shows how climate change will hit home

More frequent and more intense storms are already a reality. Without meaningful action on climate, they will worsen.
Published
May 2, 2023

Matthew Yglesias: Only Mitch McConnell can save the US from default

America is hurtling toward a historic and potentially cataclysmic default — and its best hope for avoiding it may be one of the least popular men in Washington: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Don’t mistake passage of a plan to raise the debt ceiling for progress. The bill, passed by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives […]
Published
May 1, 2023

Commentary: Better, safer workplaces are worth fighting for

Jessica James didn’t have to die. Last year, James was killed three months short of her 33rd birthday at FedEx’s World Hub in Memphis, Tennessee. The forklift she was driving flipped over, crushing her underneath. Her death was no unforeseeable freak accident. James was driving on a metal ramp to deliver a load of packages […]
Published
April 30, 2023

Our View: Welfare of Maine kids must be our top priority

A new report shows the challenges they face. Rather than argue about the root of the problems, we have to push harder for available solutions.
Published
April 29, 2023

Editorial: Harry Belafonte’s ‘rebellious heart’

A poignant irony came wrapped in the news that Harry Belafonte had died of congestive heart failure Tuesday at age 96. Surely, one easily imagines, the iconic singer, actor and activist would take issue with that diagnosis. Although his body had failed after almost a century of history-making activism and award-winning artistic achievements, his spirit […]
Published
April 29, 2023

Commentary: The US should help civilians escaping Sudan’s violence — before it gets worse

Sudan has descended into chaos as rival military leaders fight for power in the East African nation. Since the violence broke out April 15 in Khartoum, the capital, hundreds have been killed. The U.S. Embassy was shut down after the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team 6 and the Army’s special forces evacuated American diplomatic staff. But […]
Published
April 26, 2023

Our View: Rail company responsible for Maine derailment should face consequences

CPKC should be held accountable for its mismanaged effort since the incident.
Published
April 24, 2023

Our View: Maine’s school funding formula needs an update

State money is allocated unfairly in many cases, leading to inequities between wealthy districts and those that are less affluent.
Published
April 20, 2023

Tom Waddell: Teach the real history of race in America

Critical Race Theory, or CRT, encourages accurate teaching of our nation’s history. If we don’t teach our children accurate history, young people will never learn from our nation’s failures or appreciate its successes. Unfortunately, some people only want to teach children a whitewashed version of history that portrays America as the mythical shining city on […]