Ben Bragdon

Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel

Latest

Published
October 24, 2019

View from Away: What a teen’s suicide teaches us about sex trafficking

The medical community has recognized for years that emotional trauma like grief, neglect or PTSD can manifest with physical symptoms like hypertension, sleeplessness or weight gain. The converse is also true: physical trauma can have lasting effects on a soul. Such seems to be the case with a Houston teen named Leticia Serrano, who was […]
Published
October 23, 2019

Timothy L. O’Brien: A true public servant deals Trump a crushing blow

A career civil servant who is a West Point graduate, soldier, officer, military attache and veteran diplomat told Congress on Tuesday that President Donald Trump personally and explicitly tried to force Ukraine’s president to investigate Trump’s political opponents by withholding crucial military aid and a coveted White House meeting. William Taylor testified that the U.S. […]
Published
October 23, 2019

Our View: When fake sites and trolls beat facts, we all lose

Fueled by social media and cynical politics, misinformation is rampant, and we are all paying the price.
Published
October 23, 2019

View from Away: President Trump keeps digging himself a deeper hole

The Trump presidency has entered a new and disturbing phase. As if an impeachment inquiry wasn’t enough, Trump keeps digging himself a deeper hole. Abandoning allies as he cedes northern Syria to Turkey. Planning to host the Group of 7 meeting at his golf resort. Stonewalling the impeachment inquiry. Insulting the speaker of the House. […]
Published
October 21, 2019

Commentary: Americans have spent 230 years trying to rein in presidential misconduct

Many presidents, starting with Thomas Jefferson, have faced calls for impeachment. Most presidents and members of their administrations, starting with the presidency of George Washington, have come under fire for serious breaches of law and conduct. How can we understand our present crisis against the long record of presidential wrongdoing? Until the presidency of Richard […]
Published
October 21, 2019

Our View: We are having the wrong debate over school meals eligibility

We should be talking about how to expand school meals, not arguing over whether students deserve them.
Published
October 21, 2019

Commentary: ‘Marijuana banking’ would benefit almost everyone

The Secure And Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, which would grant banks a safe harbor to do business with legitimate firms within the marijuana industry, recently passed a House vote with bipartisan support and is now headed to the Senate. One of marijuana legalization’s biggest remaining questions may soon have an answer, and that’s good […]
Published
October 20, 2019

Councilor: Waterville leaders should welcome input

Letter
Published
October 19, 2019

View from Away: Cummings a true patriot

Cummings, who died early Thursday morning at the age of 68, used his verve and influential words to defend his native Baltimore and crusade for the less advantaged.
Published
October 19, 2019

View from Away: Hosting the G-7 summit as his flagging Doral resort could bring Trump a massive windfall

Brazen is the only word for it. Well, that and emoluments. The White House announced Thursday that the next meeting of the G-7 — the leaders of seven of the world’s biggest economies — will take place at President Trump’s for-profit Doral golf resort in Miami in June. Even if the president’s family business, the […]