In just about six weeks, we are all going to have the opportunity to vote for a chief executive in Maine, AKA the governor, as well as various candidates to represent us in the Legislature. Both are very important. A chief executive has significant power, and when we have a really great one, great things can happen. On the other hand, a bad executive can cause havoc for the state, which is where the Legislature comes in. They are the check on executive power.
So, it seems to me that it is up to us to be as informed as possible about all the candidates, including the incumbents. In the next few weeks, the Journal Tribune will begin its political coverage. It will be straight reporting, just the facts. The paper will not be endorsing any candidates, but rather doing our best to help you make informed decisions about who to vote for, as we can.
I don’t want to sound like a broken record ”“ a technology now abandoned ”“ but I must remind all of you of the great opportunity to share your thoughts in our opinion section. You may have noticed that we have made changes to the format of it in recent weeks. For example, we no longer have an editorial. Instead, I have encouraged all employees to contribute to the conversation using our opinion pages. They will speak for themselves.
The Journal Tribune, your local daily newspaper, is a vehicle to get facts to you and allow citizens to share their opinions and the reasons behind them. Please share yours. When we share the reasons for our opinions, and those reasons make sense to others, we influence their opinions. This is one of the greatest freedoms we have. And all of us are unusually blessed to have a local, daily paper serving us.
The Journal Tribune is the only daily newspaper in York County. Every day, we bring you the local news ”“ more local news than any other source can. So use this valuable resource. Read about the candidates. Be as informed as you can be, and get your point across in the opinion section. As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato said nearly 2,500 years ago, “One of the penalties of not participating in politics is ”¦ we will be governed by our inferiors.”
Thanks for reading, and have a wicked awesome week.
— Bruce M. Hardina is the publisher of the Journal Tribune, a singer/songwriter, a philosopher, a student of life and the human experience, a columnist, an entrepreneur and a family man. Contact him via email at bhardina@journaltribune.com or mail a note to Journal Tribune, Attn: Bruce Hardina, 457 Alfred St., Biddeford, ME 04005.
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