Maine State Legislature

Latest Articles

High ideals and crazy dreams

Truthers hurt
I have nothing against conspiracy theories.
By AL DIAMON | April 28, 2010

Barring the way to public records

More Government Fees
The Maine Legislature is considering a move that will make it more difficult for concerned citizens to find out what their government is up to.
By JEFF INGLIS | March 17, 2010

‘By dehumanizing prisoners, we dehumanize ourselves.’
The 132-man supermax unit within the 925-man Maine State Prison is an expensive, taxpayer-funded torture chamber that for 18 years has sucked in mostly nonviolent, mostly mentally ill prisoners and ground them up by means of mind-destroying solitary confinement, officially sanctioned beatings, “restraint” devices resembling those in medieval dungeons, sexual humiliation, and psychiatric, medical, and legal neglect.
By LANCE TAPLEY | February 17, 2010

Second choice

The ills of instant-runoff voting
The word "instant" makes me suspicious.
By AL DIAMON | January 27, 2010

Brave new world

Styxx’s management sets an oddly pleasant menu
How many marriages are born or nursed in our city’s bars?
By BRIAN DUFF | October 28, 2009

Letters to the Portland Editor - August 14, 2009

Letters to the editor
Letters to the editor
By PORTLAND PHOENIX LETTERS | August 12, 2009

Some kind of salvation

Politics and other mistakes
In 2008, Sean Faircloth, then a state representative from Bangor, lost his bid to become Maine's attorney general, mostly because lots of legislators questioned his credibility. When your credibility is so shaky that even politicians notice, you have a serious problem. It's sort of like if atheists complained about your ungodliness.
By AL DIAMON | June 17, 2009

Out of the closet

Politics and other mistakes
I don't believe in gay stereotypes. With one exception.
By AL DIAMON | June 03, 2009

A kick-start for conservation

But Maine's new energy plan may not go far enough
To make the most of huge chunks of incoming federal economic-stimulus cash (and to get their hands on more of it in the first place), the Maine Legislature has to ramp up its energy-efficiency planning — on the double.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | May 20, 2009

Bigger is better

A smaller House
You've seen those obnoxious TV ads for phony products promising "natural male enhancement." Now, here's something that does exactly the opposite.
By AL DIAMON | May 20, 2009

After the battle

Where will same-sex marriage be in 2010?
In a fast-moving and historic couple of days in Augusta (pity they don't move so fast on other important issues), the Maine Legislature last week approved same-sex marriage, and Governor John Baldacci ended weeks of speculation about what he would do by signing it that very day.
By JEFF INGLIS | May 13, 2009

Play-by-play

On the front lines at the gay-marriage hearing
On the front lines at the gay-marriage hearing
By DEIRDRE FULTON + EMILY PARKHURST | April 30, 2009

Going to pot

State medical marijuana law advances
The state's medical-marijuana laws, which govern how patients can access pot for medical purposes, is on the brink of significant change.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | April 15, 2009

Do it to debt

Spending money to make money?
A friend of mine walked into the local bar during a recent happy hour and announced, "I'm furious at IGA."
By AL DIAMON | April 01, 2009

Same-sex marriage

Fighting for a basic civil right without repeating other states' mistakes
From the podium at EqualityMaine's 25th anniversary dinner last Saturday night, former state senator Ethan Strimling posed a question to the 630 people in attendance: If gay marriage were allowed in Maine, how many of you would tie the knot?
By DEIRDRE FULTON | March 25, 2009

Stuck in the middle with you

Alliance for Maine's Future thinks the Maine Legislature needs more moderates.
On the surface, moderation appears to be a simple concept. Avoid extremes. Seek compromise. ... It's sort of like being a hypocrite, except without most of the fun parts.
By AL DIAMON | February 25, 2009

The wrong man for hard times

State House Democrats need to stand up to the governor
Most Democrats see Barack Obama’s inauguration as a clear-cut, welcome turn to the left.
By LANCE TAPLEY | February 04, 2009

We started nothing

Politics and other mistakes
The first thing you have to understand about how the Maine Legislature works is: It doesn't. And it isn't supposed to.
By AL DIAMON | January 21, 2009

Hey guv: stop slashing!

State budget cuts just make the recession worse
It seems as if there’s no light at the end of the state’s gloomy fiscal tunnel.
By LANCE TAPLEY | December 31, 2008

Here come the bugs

Politics and other mistakes
I'm not one of those people who assumes that just because somebody casually mentions they're thinking about running for governor of Maine in 2010, that they should be restrained, subjected to electro-shock therapy, and deported to someplace where they can't do any harm.
By AL DIAMON | November 19, 2008