Ethan Striming

Apparently, #janetmills watches ITA. You should too! Go to wmtw.com/inthearena to see the full podcast. @patcallaghan6.bsky.social @strim.bsky.social @wmtwchannel8.bsky.social #mepolitics

Ep 61 of wmtw.com/inthearena is up where our analysts deep dive on #JanetMills entry into the US Senate race against #SusanCollins, and what this means for @grahamformaine.bsky.social and @jordanwood.bsky.social. W/ @patcallaghan6.bsky.social @strim.bsky.social @wmtwchannel8.bsky.social #mepolitics

Well, not choosing sides here, but Biden only got 33% of the vote in that same election. So, you can’t really bash Bernie’s team with that stat. They lost by less than 1%. And they crushed the caucus in 2016. Bernie’s message has always tapped a pretty deep vein in Maine.

Opinion: Landlord study shows Portland renters are saving $500 a month thanks to rent control (oops!) - Maine Beacon This past winter, the Rental Housing Alliance — a landlord group led by corporate landlord Brit Vitalius (whose name you might know because his group led the failed fights against rent control in Port...

A landlord-funded study meant to discredit Portland’s rent control ended up proving it works — showing tenants are saving about $500 a month, Opinion columnist @strim.bsky.social writes. Read his full piece below!

Is that a rule of journalism, or just a rule when asking a question about whether Collins is doing good by the country?

Is it “no”?

Is Sen. Susan Collins using her power as Chair of Appropriations to resolve the budget crisis? Get the full episode of In The Arena at WMTW.com/inthearena.com @patcallaghan6.bsky.social @strim.bsky.social @wmtwchannel8.bsky.social #mainepolitics

New episode of ITA is up. Find it at WMTW.com/inthearena Charlie Kirk, @jimmykimmel.com @grahamformaine.bsky.social Janet Mills, Susan Collins all on the agenda where we play “Fishy or Fragrant”

@patcallaghan6.bsky.social @strim.bsky.social @wmtwchannel8.bsky.social

Opinion: Susan Collins is no moderate and Trump knows it - Maine Beacon This summer, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Pres. Donald Trump told Republicans to “vote the exact opposite of Senator Susan Collins.” I couldn't agree with him more. Because if ...

Earlier this summer, Pres. Donald Trump took to Truth Social to tell Republicans to “vote the opposite of Susan Collins” in a hidden attempt to make her appear to be moderate. The truth? Collins has voted with Trump 96% of the time.

Click the link below to read @strim.bsky.social's full column!

Opinion: I will miss Bill Diamond - Maine Beacon Twenty years ago, I met Bill Diamond, who died recently, when he took the seat next to mine in the Maine Senate. I was in my second term. He had served in the Senate for four years back in the 1980s. ...

Opinion writer Ethan Strimling pays tribute to the late Bill Diamond, who served Maine for 40 years between the House, Senate, and as Sec. of State. Despite their differences, Ethan remembers Diamond as a mentor, friend, and leader who was "more progressive than he let on."

Read the full story:

Opinion: Candidates for governor can win running clean – and they should do it. - Maine Beacon To state the obvious, one of the biggest problems in politics today is the influence of wealthy donors. Republicans are certainly the leaders in drinking from this spigot and working at the behest of ...

Maine’s Clean Elections system gives candidates millions in public funding—freeing them from wealthy donors & giving them more time to meet voters. While most current governor candidates are chasing private money, @strim.bsky.social argues running clean isn’t just ethical, it’s a winning strategy.

In The Arena is back! Ep. 55 dropped. We deep dive on the Collins race, do a lightning round catching up on recent news, and pay tribute to Bill Diamond. go to wmtw.com/inthearena for full episode. @patcallaghan6.bsky.social @strim.bsky.social @terrystackhouse.bsky.social @wmtwchannel8.bsky.social

Well, if you listen to the beginning of the clip @patcallaghan6.bsky.social is asking if Collins' criticism of JFK rings hollow after voting to convince. To that, I am saying, emphatically, yes. But we mince words. I agree 100% that her criticism is both meager, qualified, and many deaths too late.

WMTW clocks Susan Collins on RFK Jr.: “Does that ring hollow when she complains about his actions when in fact she voted to support him and confirm him?”

#mesen #mepolitics

That would be fair if I were claiming that she said her vote was wrong, but the clip is referencing our discussion around her disagreeing, mildly, with RFK.

Please read this full thread and join in urging Congress to stop the removal of hundreds of unaccompanied Guatemalan children from the U.S.

Opinion: A tale of two cities confronting tyranny (or not) - Maine Beacon Last week, Portland’s City Council went into an unusual and last-minute closed door meeting to discuss whether the city should accept federal funds to upgrade the tourist experience at our airport in ...

Opinion Columnist Ethan Strimling calls out Portland’s City Council for secretly accepting federal airport funds tied to ICE compliance, calling the move “unfortunate” compared to Lincoln County’s open rejection of similar money. Click below to read @strim.bsky.social's full column!

Opinion: Vote ‘Yes’ on Question 2 to improve gun safety in Maine - Maine Beacon Nearly two years ago, Maine’s yellow flag law failed to remove over 15 guns, 19 high capacity magazines, and hundreds of unused bullets from a home less than 15 miles from the Just-In-Time Recreation ...

And here's the offending column

mainebeacon.com/opinion-vote...

I think I looked fabulous that day. And yes, a Red Flag law likely would have prevented the massacre in Lewiston. Vote yes on Q2.

Opinion: Why you should vote no on Question 1 to save absentee voting - Maine Beacon In perhaps the most honestly written question ever put before Maine voters (thank you Secretary of State Shenna Bellows), Question 1 on the ballot this November speaks for itself: “Do you want to chan...

In his latest column, @strim.bsky.social urges Mainers to vote "No" to Question 1 on the November ballot, as it's a GOP-backed proposal that would roll back absentee voting, restrict drop boxes, eliminate prepaid postage, and add a strict photo ID requirement. Click below to read his full piece!

Opinion: Hey Portland! It’s past time for a $20 an hour minimum wage - Maine Beacon Next week, Portland’s City Council has a chance to dramatically improve the prospects of 11,000 of the city’s lowest-income residents, by voting to send a question to voters asking if they want to rai...

Portland’s City Council could give voters a chance to raise the minimum wage to $20/hour by 2029. Over 11,000 low-wage workers could see a real difference in their lives — but only if the council sends the proposal to the ballot, writes columnist @strim.bsky.social.

Opinion: Vote ‘Yes’ on Question 2 to improve gun safety in Maine - Maine Beacon Nearly two years ago, Maine’s yellow flag law failed to remove over 15 guns, 19 high capacity magazines, and hundreds of unused bullets from a home less than 15 miles from the Just-In-Time Recreation ...

Maine’s yellow flag law is “cumbersome, inefficient,” and failed to prevent the Lewiston shooting, writes @strim.bsky.social. Passing Question 2 would let families act quickly to remove guns from someone who poses a threat, potentially saving lives. Read Ethan's full column below.

Opinion: Why is Collins so useless when she should have so much power? - Maine Beacon When Susan Collins ran for re-election in 2020, one of her main arguments for returning to the U.S. Senate was that, if elected to a fifth term, her seniority and power would be non-pareil in terms of...

mainebeacon.com/opinion-why-...

What’s this from?

I gave my party an F for taxing the wrong people (the poor and middle class, instead of the rich) in order to raise the revenue needed to ensure Mainers have health care and get a good education.

Professors Harriman & Strimling issue report cards for the 132nd Maine Legislature on Ep. 54 of In The Arena. They also note when their own parties earned an F.
Full episode here: youtu.be/Q07P8Pe4ua4 and wherever you listen to podcasts. @inthearenamaine.bsky.social @wmtw.bsky.social

Ep 54 of In The Arena is here:
youtu.be/Q07P8Pe4ua4
@strim.bsky.social & Phil Harriman offer grades to the 132nd Maine Legislature, and award at least one "A" to the "other side." @inthearenamaine.bsky.social @wmtw.bsky.social

Opinion: How discrimination against trans people is also an economic inequality issue - Maine Beacon If there is one issue that marked this legislative session in a way that no other one issue has, it was the full court attacks led by Pres. Donald Trump, GOP state Rep. Laurel Libby, and all the MAGA ...

In this year’s legislative session, no issue drew more fire than attacks on trans rights. @strim.bsky.social argues the efforts to roll back trans people’s rights weren’t just ideological — they were targeted efforts to strip away economic protections from some of Maine’s most vulnerable residents.

Ep 54 is up where @strim.bsky.social and Phil grade the legislature. Toward the end, @patcallaghan6.bsky.social asked each to find their better angels and give the opposing party an A for something. Here is a tease. Go to www.wmtw.com/inthearena for the full episode. @wmtwchannel8.bsky.social

Ep. 53 of In The Arena is here: youtu.be/9wcV-jhrOQQ
@strim.bsky.social & Phil Harriman dig into the messages behind municipal election results, and the frenzy of activity in Augusta as lawmakers scramble to finish their work for the session.
@wmtw.bsky.social @inthearenamaine.bsky.social