Democracy Forum 3/18/16

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

Issue: Participatory Democracy

Program Topic: Whose Democracy Is It? Wealth and Income Inequality, Money in Politics

Key Discussion Points:
a) The great American experiment in democracy was founded on the ideal of a sovereign people —
government responsive to the will of the people. Does American democracy still serve that ideal?
b) Are policy outcomes today more responsive to wealthy donors than to the majority voters?
c) Is the new populism evident in the current presidential primaries fed by voter frustration with government? Is
money in politics somehow responsible for that frustration?
d) If it’s not practical or even wise to think of eliminating income and power disparities, do we even have a
problem?
e) What are some practical solutions?

Guests:
Mark Schmitt, Director of the Political Reform Program at New America
www.newamerica.org/experts/mark-schmitt/

Tony Corrado, Professor of Government at Colby College
www.brookings.edu/experts/corradoa?view=bio

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RadioActive 3/17/16

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Public Hearing on LD 1649 An Act to Modernize Maine Solar Power Policy and Encourage Economic Development

Key Discussion Points:
1) Today we hear excerpts from yesterday’s public hearing on LD 1649 An Act to Modernize Maine Solar Power Policy and Encourage Economic Development before the legislature’s Joint Committee3 on energy Utilities and Technology.
2) LD 1649 is the product of a long negotiation of stakeholders, including solar installers, electric power companies (Central Maine Power and Emera Maine), the State Office of the Public Advocate, and environmental organizations.
3) Maine lags far behind other states in the region in solar power, much of this attributed to the lack of supportive public policy and consequent financial support.

Guests:
Pete Lafond, Falmouth
Joe Hardy, Wells
Brooks Winter, Island Institute
Julie Rosenbach, Sustainability coordinator, South Portland
Glenn Brand, Sierra Club Maine
Kimberly Darling, Falmouth
Nancy Smith,Grow Smart
Vaughn Woodruff, Insource Renewables

legislature.maine.gov/bills/testimony.html?snum=127&PID=1456#
legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?PID=1456&snum=127&paper=HP1120

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 3/17/16

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

The Apple vs FBI encryption case goes on, and will for some time. A former National Security Advisor has said that the FBI is looking for a precedent in the Apple case. What does that mean? And what could the implications be if the FBI succeeds in having Apple gut its security system under government order? Let’s speculate a bit.

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Wabanaki Windows 3/15/16

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Engineer: Amy Browne

Program Topic: Native American slavery in New England

Key Discussion Points:
a) Background, slavery in Europe, UK, Spain, Africa and Caribbean
b) Economics of slavery in New England
c) Slavery as the cause of Pequot and King Phillips Wars
e) Wabanaki influence on British policy towards Indian slavery and later influence on African slavery during the Civil War and in Court cases afterwards

Guest:
Dr. Margaret Ellen Newell, Associate Professor of History at Ohio State University and author of ‘Brethren by Nature’ about New England Indians, Colonists, and the Origins of American Slavery

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