web02.fireside.fm Sun, 26 Apr 2026 19:54:10 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Tatter - Episodes Tagged with “Maine” https://tatter.fireside.fm/tags/maine Thu, 07 Jun 2018 12:00:00 -0400 This is a podcast exploring issues in politics and policy. Each episode features conversation with at least one subject matter expert, with a goal of helping listeners better understand the topic. en-us episodic Politics and Policy Michael Sargent This is a podcast exploring issues in politics and policy. Each episode features conversation with at least one subject matter expert, with a goal of helping listeners better understand the topic. no politics, policy, law Michael Sargent profsargent@gmail.com Episode 14: Spoiled https://tatter.fireside.fm/14 56064cfd-275e-4974-be22-37c0a6234c45 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 12:00:00 -0400 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent Once upon a time, I was an enthusiastic supporter of ranked-choice voting. But after reading a bit more, and after this conversation with two political scientists, I'm not so sure anymore. 27:34 no In elections with three or more candidates, spoiler effects are thought to occur when one candidate, one with supporters who are ideologically similar to those of another candidate, garners enough support that a third, ideologically dissimilar or even opposite, candidate can win without a majority. For example, in the 2014 Maine gubernatorial general election, Democratic nominee Mike Michaud received 43.4% of the vote, while independent candidate Eliot Cutler received 8.4%. Because Cutler's issue positions (e.g., pro-choice, supportive of marriage equality, pro-union) aligned him more closely with Democrats than the Republican opponent, many have suggested that Cutler's participation in the election drew enough support away from Michaud to prevent what otherwise would have been a Democratic victory. As it was, Republican Paul LePage was elected with 48.2% of the vote, less than a true majority. Vote-count systems that allow a candidate to win with merely a plurality (i.e., the greatest number of votes, but less than a majority) are vulnerable to spoiler effects. In response to apparent spoiler effects such as this one, and (as some have argued) Ralph Nader's impact on the 2000 U.S. presidential election, some reformers have advocated for the use of ranked-choice voting. In this episode, I talk with political scientists Jason McDaniel (https://politicalscience.sfsu.edu/people/25298/jason-mcdaniel) and Jack Santucci (http://www.jacksantucci.com/) about the potential rewards--but also risks--associated with ranked-choice voting. The risks include ones that could be detrimental to the interests of low-income citizens, and less educated ones. EPISODE LINKS 2013 Op-ed from Minnesota (Lawrence Jacobs & Joanne Miller) (http://www.startribune.com/new-minneapolis-voting-rules-could-diminish-equality/218598731/) 2014 Op-ed from Minnesota (Jacobs & Miller redux) (http://www.startribune.com/ranked-choice-voting-by-the-data-still-flawed/245283691/) FAQ on ranked-choice voting in Maine (http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/rankedchoicefaq.html) A timeline of actions on ranked choice voting in Maine (http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/pdf/rcvtimeline.pdf) William Poundstone's "Gaming The Vote" (https://www.amazon.com/Gaming-Vote-Elections-Arent-About/dp/0809048922) Special Guests: Jack Santucci and Jason McDaniel. In elections with three or more candidates, spoiler effects are thought to occur when one candidate, one with supporters who are ideologically similar to those of another candidate, garners enough support that a third, ideologically dissimilar or even opposite, candidate can win without a majority. For example, in the 2014 Maine gubernatorial general election, Democratic nominee Mike Michaud received 43.4% of the vote, while independent candidate Eliot Cutler received 8.4%. Because Cutler's issue positions (e.g., pro-choice, supportive of marriage equality, pro-union) aligned him more closely with Democrats than the Republican opponent, many have suggested that Cutler's participation in the election drew enough support away from Michaud to prevent what otherwise would have been a Democratic victory. As it was, Republican Paul LePage was elected with 48.2% of the vote, less than a true majority.

Vote-count systems that allow a candidate to win with merely a plurality (i.e., the greatest number of votes, but less than a majority) are vulnerable to spoiler effects. In response to apparent spoiler effects such as this one, and (as some have argued) Ralph Nader's impact on the 2000 U.S. presidential election, some reformers have advocated for the use of ranked-choice voting. In this episode, I talk with political scientists Jason McDaniel and Jack Santucci about the potential rewards--but also risks--associated with ranked-choice voting. The risks include ones that could be detrimental to the interests of low-income citizens, and less educated ones.

EPISODE LINKS
2013 Op-ed from Minnesota (Lawrence Jacobs & Joanne Miller)

2014 Op-ed from Minnesota (Jacobs & Miller redux)

FAQ on ranked-choice voting in Maine

A timeline of actions on ranked choice voting in Maine

William Poundstone's "Gaming The Vote"

Special Guests: Jack Santucci and Jason McDaniel.

]]> In elections with three or more candidates, spoiler effects are thought to occur when one candidate, one with supporters who are ideologically similar to those of another candidate, garners enough support that a third, ideologically dissimilar or even opposite, candidate can win without a majority. For example, in the 2014 Maine gubernatorial general election, Democratic nominee Mike Michaud received 43.4% of the vote, while independent candidate Eliot Cutler received 8.4%. Because Cutler's issue positions (e.g., pro-choice, supportive of marriage equality, pro-union) aligned him more closely with Democrats than the Republican opponent, many have suggested that Cutler's participation in the election drew enough support away from Michaud to prevent what otherwise would have been a Democratic victory. As it was, Republican Paul LePage was elected with 48.2% of the vote, less than a true majority.

Vote-count systems that allow a candidate to win with merely a plurality (i.e., the greatest number of votes, but less than a majority) are vulnerable to spoiler effects. In response to apparent spoiler effects such as this one, and (as some have argued) Ralph Nader's impact on the 2000 U.S. presidential election, some reformers have advocated for the use of ranked-choice voting. In this episode, I talk with political scientists Jason McDaniel and Jack Santucci about the potential rewards--but also risks--associated with ranked-choice voting. The risks include ones that could be detrimental to the interests of low-income citizens, and less educated ones.

EPISODE LINKS
2013 Op-ed from Minnesota (Lawrence Jacobs & Joanne Miller)

2014 Op-ed from Minnesota (Jacobs & Miller redux)

FAQ on ranked-choice voting in Maine

A timeline of actions on ranked choice voting in Maine

William Poundstone's "Gaming The Vote"

Special Guests: Jack Santucci and Jason McDaniel.

]]> Episode 11: Magic Carpet Ride https://tatter.fireside.fm/11 6ad3254d-c4c8-4529-9427-ae0af45b2cd2 Wed, 16 May 2018 05:00:00 -0400 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent This is the full interview I did with Lucas St. Clair, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House seat in the Second Congressional District of Maine. 26:09 yes Lucas St. Clair is famous (or, for some, infamous) for leading the successful effort to persuade former U.S. President Barack Obama to designate 87,500 acres in northern Maine as the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (https://www.nps.gov/kaww/index.htm). Now, St. Clair is running for Congress in Maine's Second Congressional District. As a follow-up to the "I-95 Northernmost (https://tatter.fireside.fm/10)" episode of Tatter, in which St. Clair was discussed and briefly quoted, this episode features the entirety of my interview with him. Special Guest: Lucas St. Clair. Lucas St. Clair is famous (or, for some, infamous) for leading the successful effort to persuade former U.S. President Barack Obama to designate 87,500 acres in northern Maine as the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Now, St. Clair is running for Congress in Maine's Second Congressional District. As a follow-up to the "I-95 Northernmost" episode of Tatter, in which St. Clair was discussed and briefly quoted, this episode features the entirety of my interview with him.

Special Guest: Lucas St. Clair.

]]> Lucas St. Clair is famous (or, for some, infamous) for leading the successful effort to persuade former U.S. President Barack Obama to designate 87,500 acres in northern Maine as the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Now, St. Clair is running for Congress in Maine's Second Congressional District. As a follow-up to the "I-95 Northernmost" episode of Tatter, in which St. Clair was discussed and briefly quoted, this episode features the entirety of my interview with him.

Special Guest: Lucas St. Clair.

]]> Episode 10: I-95 Northernmost https://tatter.fireside.fm/10 e4708400-93bc-4c3a-aaf9-9f625d72fa96 Mon, 14 May 2018 05:00:00 -0400 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent This episode features a discussion of the Second Congressional District of Maine, the status of eight of its counties as "pivot counties," and the upcoming election of its representative to the U.S. House. 28:35 yes Maine political writer Al Diamon (The Daily Bulldog (http://www.dailybulldog.com/db/) and The Forecaster (http://www.theforecaster.net/)) and political scientist Amy Fried (University of Maine (https://umaine.edu/polisci/faculty-and-staff/amy-fried/) and The Bangor Daily News (http://pollways.bangordailynews.com/author/asfried/)) discuss Maine's Second Congressional District, the district's pivot from Democratic presidential candidates to Donald Trump, and the upcoming election of its representative to the U.S. House. The episode ends with an excerpt from a recent interview with Democratic candidate Lucas St. Clair (https://www.stclairforcongress.com/), an interview that will be the basis of the next episode of Tatter. Special Guests: Al Diamon and Amy Fried. Maine political writer Al Diamon (The Daily Bulldog and The Forecaster) and political scientist Amy Fried (University of Maine and The Bangor Daily News) discuss Maine's Second Congressional District, the district's pivot from Democratic presidential candidates to Donald Trump, and the upcoming election of its representative to the U.S. House. The episode ends with an excerpt from a recent interview with Democratic candidate Lucas St. Clair, an interview that will be the basis of the next episode of Tatter.

Special Guests: Al Diamon and Amy Fried.

]]> Maine political writer Al Diamon (The Daily Bulldog and The Forecaster) and political scientist Amy Fried (University of Maine and The Bangor Daily News) discuss Maine's Second Congressional District, the district's pivot from Democratic presidential candidates to Donald Trump, and the upcoming election of its representative to the U.S. House. The episode ends with an excerpt from a recent interview with Democratic candidate Lucas St. Clair, an interview that will be the basis of the next episode of Tatter.

Special Guests: Al Diamon and Amy Fried.

]]> Episode 4: Multifunctional https://tatter.fireside.fm/4 8c7711b0-3eef-4af3-805e-490ff72199f0 Sun, 19 Nov 2017 10:00:00 -0500 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent Extended excerpts from my conversation with Hannah Harleen, formerly Vera Velvet of Voulez-Vous Burlesque. 28:12 no Hannah Harleen lives in South Portland, Maine, and is a former radio personality and burlesque performer. She performed as Vera Velvet in the Voulez-Vous Burlesque (https://www.facebook.com/VoulezVousBurlesque/) company of Portland. We talk about burlesque, commercial stripping, pears, a vice-principal, boobs, and more. Special Guest: Hannah Harleen. Hannah Harleen lives in South Portland, Maine, and is a former radio personality and burlesque performer. She performed as Vera Velvet in the Voulez-Vous Burlesque company of Portland. We talk about burlesque, commercial stripping, pears, a vice-principal, boobs, and more.

Special Guest: Hannah Harleen.

]]> Hannah Harleen lives in South Portland, Maine, and is a former radio personality and burlesque performer. She performed as Vera Velvet in the Voulez-Vous Burlesque company of Portland. We talk about burlesque, commercial stripping, pears, a vice-principal, boobs, and more.

Special Guest: Hannah Harleen.

]]> Episode 3: Sugar, Pt. 2 https://tatter.fireside.fm/3 bbb55b36-aeb4-4333-ad2b-3390fb60d021 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 10:00:00 -0500 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent Extended excerpts from my conversation with Heidi Sawyer. 28:19 yes Heidi Sawyer leads the Lewiston Rocks Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/LewistonRocks/) and website (https://lewistonrocks.org/). She agreed to sit for a lengthy conversation, and these excerpts constitute Part 1 of what I'm posting. She was too interesting for just one episode. Special Guest: Heidi Sawyer. Heidi Sawyer leads the Lewiston Rocks Facebook group and website. She agreed to sit for a lengthy conversation, and these excerpts constitute Part 1 of what I'm posting. She was too interesting for just one episode.

Special Guest: Heidi Sawyer.

]]> Heidi Sawyer leads the Lewiston Rocks Facebook group and website. She agreed to sit for a lengthy conversation, and these excerpts constitute Part 1 of what I'm posting. She was too interesting for just one episode.

Special Guest: Heidi Sawyer.

]]> Episode 2: Sugar, Pt. 1 https://tatter.fireside.fm/2 b7f35e63-90d6-40c4-a7ad-a63c92d80de5 Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:00:00 -0400 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent Extended excerpts from my interview with Heidi Sawyer. 36:50 yes Heidi Sawyer leads the Lewiston Rocks Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/LewistonRocks/) and website (https://lewistonrocks.org/). She agreed to sit for a lengthy conversation, and these excerpts constitute Part 1 of what I'm posting. She was too interesting for just one episode. Special Guest: Heidi Sawyer. Heidi Sawyer leads the Lewiston Rocks Facebook group and website. She agreed to sit for a lengthy conversation, and these excerpts constitute Part 1 of what I'm posting. She was too interesting for just one episode.

Special Guest: Heidi Sawyer.

]]> Heidi Sawyer leads the Lewiston Rocks Facebook group and website. She agreed to sit for a lengthy conversation, and these excerpts constitute Part 1 of what I'm posting. She was too interesting for just one episode.

Special Guest: Heidi Sawyer.

]]> Episode 1: Doughboy https://tatter.fireside.fm/1 1f9c600b-07e5-41da-9950-df9db0d568d7 Sun, 08 Oct 2017 12:00:00 -0400 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent Extended excerpts from my interview with Thomas "Bummah" Gurney. 40:11 yes Thomas "Bummah" Gurney is a local musician in the community I now call home. He is famous locally (or, in some quarters, infamous) for such songs as "Dirty Lew" (https://youtu.be/6YTkxr3j2HQ) and "Infested" (https://youtu.be/N_H37tgk4Vo). I had so much fun interviewing him that I decided to feature him in the first episode of this new podcast. We talk about Lewiston/Auburn, his music, and his story. Welcome to Tatter. Special Guest: Thomas "Bummah" Gurney. Thomas "Bummah" Gurney is a local musician in the community I now call home. He is famous locally (or, in some quarters, infamous) for such songs as "Dirty Lew" (https://youtu.be/6YTkxr3j2HQ) and "Infested" (https://youtu.be/N_H37tgk4Vo). I had so much fun interviewing him that I decided to feature him in the first episode of this new podcast. We talk about Lewiston/Auburn, his music, and his story. Welcome to Tatter.

Special Guest: Thomas "Bummah" Gurney.

]]> Thomas "Bummah" Gurney is a local musician in the community I now call home. He is famous locally (or, in some quarters, infamous) for such songs as "Dirty Lew" (https://youtu.be/6YTkxr3j2HQ) and "Infested" (https://youtu.be/N_H37tgk4Vo). I had so much fun interviewing him that I decided to feature him in the first episode of this new podcast. We talk about Lewiston/Auburn, his music, and his story. Welcome to Tatter.

Special Guest: Thomas "Bummah" Gurney.

]]>