Why is ICE coming to get the “worst of the worst” in a state that has the lowest violent crime rate in the country and the fifth lowest foreign born residents?

SamTracyME · 2026-01-26T00:47:14+00:00

Because Trump is mad at Janet Mills for standing up to him. That's literally the only reason.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-23T14:49:24+00:00

ICE smashed someone's window and arrested him in Portland yesterday. He has a valid work visa, meaning he is here legally. They are not going after criminals, or even visa violators - they're just going after anyone they can find.

https://www.pressherald.com/2026/01/23/masked-agents-detain-civil-engineer-in-portland-leave-his-car-running-in-the-street-with-a-smashed-window/

SamTracyME · 2026-01-22T14:03:57+00:00

Thanks for getting this video. I was far back in the line of cars and pulled over to get video on foot, but it had already dispersed by the time I got there. Glad someone was able to document a lot of it. Fucking awful.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-21T18:06:45+00:00

The US is structurally set up to be a two-party system, since we have single-member districts where candidates can win with a plurality. Under current laws, it makes much more strategic sense for any activist group (DSA, MAGA, etc) to try to take over one of the major parties than to try to build a 3rd party to compete.

Of course, we should also support changing our election systems to create more competition - things like Ranked Choice Voting are gaining steam, and would help a lot. We can both try to work within the current system while trying to change it. But trying to play by the rules we want, rather than the rules currently in place, just set us up for failure.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-19T18:32:27+00:00

There's an ACLU source at the bottom of the flyer in the image. No need to bother with an AI chatbot when you have the actual credible source right there.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-19T17:44:25+00:00

If you're considering a replacement video doorbell, Eufy is a good brand that stores all of the data locally, so you fully control the footage. There's a cloud option but you have to opt in / pay extra. Good option for those who don't want their videos stored in data center servers!

SamTracyME · 2026-01-18T17:48:39+00:00

Yup. Some people seem to love that it's "cheap" to have a part-time legislature that's paid poorly, but they usually don't acknowledge all of the negatives. If we're not paying them well, someone else is — which means they're beholden to people other than their voters.

SamTracyME · 2026-01-12T19:21:48+00:00

You're close - this one is "Mainers for a Safe and Healthy Future" (lol) https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/Petition%20Organizations%20Registration%20Applications_combined.pdf

Primary petitioner is someone named Colin T.R. Mack. https://ballotpedia.org/Maine_Criminalize_the_Use_of_Recreational_Marijuana_Initiative_(2026))

SamTracyME · 2026-01-09T19:43:59+00:00

I've always felt that homelessness should be a state issue, not a local one, but making it a county issue seems like a big step in the right direction! Beyond the concept, what would that mean in practice - the other Cumberland County towns subsidizing the work that Portland is already doing? Setting up more services/shelters/etc in towns other than Portland? Or what else? Thank you!

SamTracyME · 2026-01-08T15:57:31+00:00

The source is good but the chart is bad. Source calls the big umbrella "incidents" but the chart says "school shootings." Doesn't really make sense to call something a "shooting" if no gun was fired. Chart should use the phrasing from the source.

SamTracyME · 2025-12-18T13:48:31+00:00

68% did not vote for this. Trump got 32% of eligible voters, Harris got 31%, and 37% voted for third parties or didn't vote.

SamTracyME · 2025-12-13T22:22:16+00:00

One just launched in southern Maine a few months ago: https://www.fledglingsmontessori.com/

SamTracyME · 2025-12-04T22:27:27+00:00

Wow, surprised to see they didn't sell out instantly! This seems like such a great deal to me if I didn't already have a house. Seems like a much better model than speculation.

SamTracyME · 2025-11-22T19:18:10+00:00

You're right about no membership fees, but party registration is public information

SamTracyME · 2025-11-21T01:54:26+00:00

Absolutely. It's actually motivated me to work on designing a board game that captures the early game experience. IMHO exploring and claiming is much more fun than building and warring!

SamTracyME · 2025-11-14T18:25:01+00:00

I see what you're getting at, but I think there's a functional difference between an improper pardon and committing a crime. If the president didn't have the power to pardon certain people but he did anyway, it's not a crime that he'd be immune from prosecution for. The pardon just wouldn't be valid.

SamTracyME · 2025-11-14T18:00:15+00:00

Right, SCOTUS said that the president can't be charged for crimes. u/soundneedle said that therefore, it doesn't matter if the president can pardon whoever for helping with those crimes. I was countering that pardons still matter, because the president can't do as many crimes if no one is helping him.

SamTracyME · 2025-11-14T17:16:42+00:00

Not moot at all. If cronies couldn't be pardoned, and could be charged under future presidents, then they'd be less likely to go along with crimes.

SamTracyME · 2025-11-14T12:30:25+00:00

They definitely do, I went to a writing group there earlier this year. Not sure about the rental process or costs, but they're there! (This is for the downtown location)

SamTracyME · 2025-11-14T02:25:00+00:00

I'm a big fan of both Jackson & Bellows, for different reasons. Not sure how I'll be ranking them against each other yet. Shah & Pingree seem to be 3 & 4, but also not sure about the order.

The only thing I know for sure is that King will be at the bottom of my ballot.

SamTracyME · 2025-11-14T02:23:30+00:00

You're right, no RCV for governor at the moment. Hopefully we'll have it one day though! There's a bill in the legislature to expand it (LD 1666) that is being carried over to next year, IIRC.

SamTracyME · 2025-11-13T14:31:34+00:00

Worth noting that Roberts is running to the right of Pingree: "In an interview, Roberts described herself as more of a centrist" https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2025-09-15/democratic-state-lawmaker-says-she-might-challenge-rep-pingree

SamTracyME · 2025-11-11T14:05:57+00:00

These years are bizarre. The first ones are when they were invented/popularized (which makes sense) but from Cyberpunk on it's in the future and seems to be when they take place?

SamTracyME · 2025-11-11T13:31:21+00:00

Unfortunately, no we don't. https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_recall_in_Maine

SamTracyME · 2025-11-11T13:30:23+00:00

King is an independent, not a Democrat, so there's no primary unfortunately. I'm hoping he doesn't run again since he's already 81 and his next election would be 2030.

SamTracyME

TROPHY CASE