I planned to begin this alleged column this week with some witty banter from Ms. Pigette, the vocal/local candidate for U.S.Senate who does not have a controversial tattoo. Then the fallout from the Washington Merry-Go-Round reached our shores.

I am, of course, referring to the federal government shutdown, caused by the inability of the Republicans and Democrats (a pox on both their houses) to sit down and hammer out a deal to block a halt to the federal food assistance program for those in need. 

It is called SNAP. That is government shorthand for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It is a program that provides groceries for about 42 million Americans in need. That is about 12% of the nation.

I know it seems strange that we have neighbors who depend upon federal food programs to feed their kids and themselves. After all, don’t we live in a community that sports homes with million-dollar price tags, where zillion-dollar yachts grace our harbors, and Italian cars worth hundreds of thousands are seen parked on Townsend Avenue.

Wake up, friends. Welcome to reality. According to Maine government records, 283 neighboring households receive SNAP benefits. This includes 101 households in Boothbay, 118 in Boothbay Harbor, 51 in Edgecomb, and 13 in Southport. Now, I know we have friends and neighbors who will quickly jump into the whys and how comes, and other reasons we have neighbors who receive federal taxpayer-funded assistance. Let’s debate those questions at a later date, after we address the immediate needs of those in need..

We just can’t pretend to ignore the possibility that there will soon be hungry children, adults, and, yes, elderly folks living in our midst who depend on the vanishing federal SNAP program. The Community Resources Council board of directors is trying to temporarily fill that gap by approving the purchase of $250 Hannaford gift cards for the 283 families facing loss of federal SNAP benefits. That is a good start. The local not-for-profit community group is working to coordinate groups and agencies to pool resources to provide additional assistance. Again, a good start.

For some strange reason, our alleged national leaders seem to be unable or unwilling to act and support the very programs they created to help the voters in need who sent them to Washington in the first place. Neighbors helping neighbors is a cherished American tradition.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we have an election in a couple of weeks. No, despite all the TV/internet folderol about the dozens of hopefuls seeking to become candidates for governor/senate in the May primary, we have a pair of questions seeking immediate voter approval.

Question One seeks to require voters to show approved identification to our election clerks in order to obtain access to the ballot box and cast a vote. Current Maine law requires voters to provide proof of residency and identity when they register to vote, and all voters must register before obtaining a ballot. Once registered, voters are not required to show ID again to vote. Question One also establishes a series of new requirements regulating absentee ballots.

Question Two would allow family and household members to petition a judge and have a loved one’s guns temporarily taken if they’re suspected of being a danger to themselves or others. Law enforcement officials can also petition a judge to have someone’s guns removed. It is called a red flag law and would replace Maine’s yellow flag law, requiring law enforcement officials to obtain a medical assessment showing the person is at potential risk of harm before seeking a court order to remove his firearm. Maine’s Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, opposes Question One, arguing the current law provides law enforcement and the courts adequate tools to balance public safety concerns with individual rights. Since the 2023 Lewiston mass shootings, about 500 yellow flag requests have been filed.

In both Questions, in case you are interested in her opinion, Ms. Pigette told me the old saw applies. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Last week, if you happen to  be silly enough to believe polls taken in October for an election scheduled next May, a New Hampshire University poll had oysterman Graham Platner (58%) leading Gov. Janet Mills (24%) in the race for the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. Senate. Three days later, after someone discovered Platner had a chest tattoo that may have (or may not have) been linked to the Nazis, and made improper social media posts, the polls switched. A SoCal Strategies poll gave Mills 41% and Patner 36%.

FYI, Platner is not the first young U.S. Marine to wake up in a strange country, with a strange new tattoo, in an unfamiliar place, wishing he had not ordered one more beer.

Until next time ...