Access

There are a lot of things I love about living in Maine: The locally harvested food, the magnificent scenery even as I'm driving on the highway, that often caricatured but often real Yankee spirit. But most of all at this moment, I love how accessible the government of Maine is to its constituents. I have shaken hands with Congresswoman Chellie Pingree twice in the last few months and am confident that I could call up her office any time and get an answer about an issue. I mean, I don't expect Chellie to have time to call me back if she's out signing health reform bills or checking out her bed and breakfast business on North Haven, but I know that someone, most likely an enthusiastic young person from Maine, will get me an answer.

I grew up in San Diego and as politics there always felt a little muddled and very distant, what I witnessed at the dinner table a month ago blew my mind. Mary picked up the phone on a Saturday evening and dialed up Senator Jerry Davis to question him about a flyer he sent out with what she felt was misleading information about the upcoming referendum. His wife answered, then politely passed the phone to Jerry. He answered! On a Saturday night! Talking to a Senator!
This was new to me. I never even considered using the phone instead of a ballot to make my voice heard in politics.

A phone is much more effective in some instances.

Or a handshake- with my right hand while my left held a mimosa on a Sunday morning get together with my Congresswoman to hear about life in Congress.

I think the most important part is that now I feel I can get involved. I could actually run for office (I hear they get benefits) and change something (everyone should get benefits).

So the future of Maine with its one million people may be questionable (up or down), but as Snowe and Collins know, even the little states can be heard.
And even the newcomers can get involved.

With a state/city/island this small, why wouldn't you?