Democracy Forum 11/18/16

Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine    
Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Participatory Democracy

Program Topic: Election Reflections

Key Discussion Points:
What just happened?
Why were we surprised?
What role did voter suppression play in the election?
And what does it mean for the future of democracy?

Guests:
Prof. Mark Brewer, Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine https://umaine.edu/polisci/faculty-and-staff/mark-brewer/
Kathy Colliton-Gonzalez is Senior Counsel at Demos, a national civil rights organization, where she participates in litigation and policy advocacy to ensure an inclusive democracy and equal opportunity for all. FMI: www.demos.org

The all-volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes:
Linda Hoskins
Ann Luther
Pam Person
Leah Taylor
Linda Washburn
FMI re League of Women Voters of Maine: www.lwvme.org

RadioActive 11/17/16

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Standing Rock Day of Solidarity Actions, the Minimum Wage Referendum Passes in Maine and the Annual Solidarity Harvest Efforts

Key Discussion Points:
1) Tuesday marked a day of national action in solidarity with Standing Rock Sioux’s resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), which is slated to carry Bakken shale oil through sacred grounds and underneath the Missouri River, a drinking water source for millions.
2) Numerous rallies took place across Maine, including over 65 people in Ellsworth and over 200 in Bangor. Today we hear from three Penobscot women who spoke at the Bangor rally before people marched to the federal building. A number of Wabananki tribal members and other Mainers have been or currently are at Standing Rock. On December 2nd another delegation will travel our with supplies.
3) On this past election day, 4 states voted to pass a minimum wage increase. In Maine, voters passed Question 4, approving a $12 an hour minimum wag by 2020. We speak with labor organizer Jack McKay about this and the annual Solidarity Harvest, a Thanksgiving effort focusing on laid off workers in the area, while examining systemic changes needed to increase food security in the state.

Guests:
Dawn Neptune Adams, Penobcsot Nation, Sunlight Media Collective
June Sappiel, Penobscot Nation, Standing Rock Water Protector
Sherri Mitchell, Penobscot Nation, Indigenous Rights Attorney
Jack McKay, director of Food AND Medicine, president of Eastern Maine Labor Council