Having devoted much of my research, writing, and teaching to the topic of utopianism, or the allegedly perfect society, I have never felt the need to add “strategic” to “vision.” Nor, to my knowledge, have any other serious scholars and teachers. A serious vision by definition–and by history—should be implicitly strategic. Indeed, the term has […]
When I was growing up in Philadelphia portraits of George Washington and other leading Founding Fathers were found in every classroom in K-12 and college institution–and not just in offices but also in classrooms. I would like to see that tradition restarted or established in Maine. I have no idea if other cities and states […]
UME Ft Kent to give former Gov. LePage an honorary degree–ABOUT TIME! Recall his denunciation of all teachers as “a dime a dozen.” Read all about it in Friday’s Bangor Daily News story re interim Ft. Kent President (another non-Marxist, rest assured). I heard about a proposed honorary degree for our beloved ex-Governor a few […]
For years I’ve received a modest refund from the IRS. Not this year. Thanks to Senator Collins’ decisive vote with her fellow right-wing Republicans, I must now pay rather than receive. But then anyone dumb enough to continue to believe that “Our Senator” is some kind of moderate deserves to pay (more). I suspect that […]
Many Mainers mourn the departure of our outstanding two-term U.S. Representative, Bruce Poliquin. A man of quiet courage and conviction, Poliquin understood that his prime objective was to give the wealthiest Americans, including himself, ever more opportunities to increase their wealth and simultaneously to undermine further America’s already weak safety net for the rest of […]
The case has been made by many in Maine public higher education that passage of Question 4 will provide $49 million for upgrades and other improvements at all of Maine’s public universities, including UMaine. As UMaine’s new President recently explained in an e-mail, “Passage of Question 4 will create or modernize facilities that support academic […]
Having paid for my ticket on Saturday night to see “A Star is Born,” I quickly realized that the new movie with Lady Gaga was NOT about Maine’s senior senator but was instead a remake of a classic movie. I should have checked the early reviews. However, the simultaneous focus on Senator Collins for her […]
Endorsing Shawn Moody for Governor would merely make official the Board of Trustees’ right-wing Republican slant and ingratiate the Governor-elect with the UME System and perhaps increase state funding. Since Moody is already a Trustee of not only the UMaine System but also the UME Community College System, an endorsement would not violate the fantasy […]
Recall that Senator Collins’ recent commencement speeches at both UMaine and Colby stressed the need for civility inside the political arena and outside. This is the same tired rhetoric that makes too many Mainers believe that, when push comes to shove, Collins acts and votes that even-handed way in the Senate. Hardly true. Recall that […]
Many of us listened to your cliche-filled UME commencement address not that many years ago, and it is interesting that you’d get a return engagement this year. I don’t know of any other person ever getting a return engagement like you. But the Collins family and, by extension, the Republican Party nowadays controls public higher […]
