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9. Amy Fried, Ken Fredette, & Cynthia Dill Looking Forward

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9. Amy Fried, Ken Fredette, & Cynthia Dill Looking Forward 9. Amy Fried, Ken Fredette, & Cynthia Dill Looking Forward November 7, 2013 ing the Muskie School of Public Service and the University Introduction of Maine School of Law, as well as a master’s degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Ken o look ahead, we have three distinguished and has worked as a political consultant at the state and na- accomplished citizens who combine busy profes- tional levels, having aided in the political campaigns of sional careers with very active participation in former Maine Governor John McKernan and former U.S. T Senator Bob Dole. Closer to home, he has served on the Maine public life. Two are attorneys, one is a college professor. Board of Appeals in the town of Newport and coaches soc- cer in Regional School Unit 19. Amy Fried is the college professor. She holds a B.A. degree from San Francisco State University and a Ph.D. Cynthia Dill is a practicing attorney in the Portland from the University of Minnesota, and has taught at the firm of Troubh Heisler. She holds a B.A. from the Univer- University of Maine since 1997, where she is my colleague sity of Vermont and a law degree from Northeastern Uni- in the Political Science versity. She has served in Department. Her specialty both Maine’s local and is public opinion and poll- state governments, includ- ing. Amy is the author of ing terms on the Cape Pathways to Polling,33 a Elizabeth Town Council, in highly regarded examina- the Maine House of Rep- tion of the polling profes- resentatives, and in the sion in the United States. Maine Senate; and was the Her biweekly column on Democratic Party nomi- Maine politics and gov- nee for the United States ernment in the Bangor Senate in 2012. Cynthia Daily News enjoys a large has been active in further- statewide audience. Amy ing the legal interests of is the recipient of several disabled persons, having distinguished awards rec- won a major award for ognizing her contributions this work in 2009. She also to both scholarship and leads a project to expand public service. high-speed Internet service to Maine’s rural areas. Ken Fredette practices Previous speakers in the law in Newport ME and is series have examined the the Republican Leader in causes and consequences the Maine House of Rep- of the present-day dysfunc- resentatives, where he serves in his second term. Ken holds tion in our politics. We asked our panelists to consider the three degrees from the University of Maine System, includ- political prospects in Maine and Washington, going for- ward. “Do you see us continuing along the present trajec- ________________________________________________________ tory, improving or worsening? Why? And what will it take to alter the current trajectory?” Our first speaker is Amy 33Amy Fried, Pathways to Polling: Crisis, Cooperation and the Making of Public Opinion Professions, Routledge, New York, 2012. Fried. (K.P.) POLITICS THEN AND NOW: IN MAINE AND THE NATION 381 Prof. Amy Fried Besides these serious problems, we’ve also heard a lot about bipartisanship as a Maine tradition. There were Some Positive Signs in Maine some really remarkable stories from Gov. Ken Curtis, I want to start by thank- Libby Mitchell, and Peter Mills about the way that Maine ing Dick Barringer and Ken people have governed themselves in the past; and that’s Palmer for organizing this what most Americans and Mainers care about. They care series, as well as the spon- about government being able to do things, to make deci- sors and attendees for sup- sions that improve their lives; they want to see solutions. porting it. Having listened That’s what’s been undermined in Washington. The Con- to all the talks, I’ve been gress has obviously been very ineffective; and while the struck by what an excellent House stood out in the last month, the Senate has had its series it’s been; and it’s go- own problems with the huge increase in the number of ing to live on as I recom- filibusters. Tom Allen, George Mitchell, and Angus King mend it to my friends and all talked about this as an important matter. colleagues, and assign some I could say more about what’s wrong today, and why. I of the lectures to my classes. might talk about the difficulty that our own citizens often Amy Fried Yes, there will be a quiz af- have, dealing with conflict and debate; the need to teach terward! people how to differ civilly and to debate productively; I’ve already used some of the material, in particular and how civics education should emphasize this. But I the lecture by Barney Frank. Frank spoke about when want today to focus on some more positive signs in Maine he first came to Congress and couldn’t be open about and glimmers of hope for the nation’s future. his sexuality. Then he became the first out-member of Maine has plenty of issues, of course: healthcare costs, Congress and the first married gay person in the Con- an aging of population, slow economic growth, all kinds gress. Now, “being gay is more highly approved by of things; but we still have a lot going for us. Unlike what the American people than being a member of the Con- unfolded in Washington, Maine avoided a government gress!” I told this story when discussing with the class shutdown this past spring. As imperfect as this state bud- Congressman Michael Michaud’s recent decision to re- get was, by general agreement – no matter one’s ideology veal his sexual orientation, a step that certainly would or partisan position – it got passed and we managed to do have been impossible not long ago. It’s something that something. reveals the kind of change that both Maine and the U.S. Second, most debates in Maine politics continue to be as a whole have experienced. conducted with civility and mutual respect. Nationally, as The distinguished speakers before me have laid out we see more name-calling, polarization, and a degree of a parade of horribles, mostly concerning our national nastiness, there remains much civility and respect here. politics; and identified some important problems that Some may think of a particular exception, of course; but deserve our attention. it’s much better here than what we are seeing nationally. One is the redistricting of A third Maine advantage is that the moderate center has “Most Americans and U.S. House seats to make been preserved here. We have U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Mainers care about them safe and secure; who will be coming up for re-election and has no primary challenger at present. In this time in U.S. history, that’s government being able as a result, the most ex- treme candidate tends to pretty remarkable. In a lot of other states, a center-right to do things, to make win the primary and then Republican like Susan Collins would have been “prima- decisions that improve election to the House. ried” from the right; and there would have been a lot of Some of those members money placed behind her challenger. Perhaps there is no their lives; they want to – and this seems to be one willing to do it; but sometimes people just come out see solutions.” more typical of Republi- of the woodwork, as we’ve seen in other states. There may now be a bit of a swing back towards mod- – Amy Fried cans right now – tend to be disciplined or intimi- eration in the nation. This was seen in some of the most re- dated by national groups cent elections – as, Chris Christie’s victory in New Jersey, that will go into a race and fund their primary election and the moderate-left Democrat Terry McAuliffe winning opponent. So, individuals and organizations with very the governorship of Virginia. In Alabama there was an deep pockets are having an impact. Another theme has election primary where the more business-oriented and been the more general place of money in politics and the conservative Republican won over a Tea Party candidate. difficulty in regulating it, given U.S. Supreme Court de- So, there’s a bit of a moderate swing going on. Still, Su- cisions such as Citizens United. san Collins’ not having a primary challenger shows that 82 POLITICS THEN AND NOW: IN MAINE AND THE NATION there’s something different happening here. ated new kinds of festivals. One festival organizer was just Fourth, Maine has shown a continuing commitment to elected to the City Council; and we elected a 22 year-old citizen participation by restoring same-day voter registra- to the council. Former U.S. Senator William Cohen might tion in 2011, after it was repealed by the Republican Leg- have been just about that age when he was first elected islature and governor. You can look around the country to the City Council; and former Governor John Baldacci and see many states where voting has been similarly re- wasn’t too far behind. We in Bangor have this tradition of stricted in various ways. Maine people were able to come bringing in young people who then grow politically. together and bring back same-day registration; and stand I don’t want to sound Pollyanna-ish, because it’s not for a very important tradition in Maine, citizen involve- as if everything in Maine is perfect. A negative right now ment and voting. We still tend to be in the top five nation- is that if you look at polling, there is widespread support ally for voting turnout in every election, and often in the for expanding healthcare in Maine through Medicaid; but top three.
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