Posts by David Lee Giles
Abraham Lincoln and Lessons for Today
After finishing Brought Forth on This Continent: Abraham Lincoln and American Immigration, I found myself thinking deeply about how the same challenges that brought about Abraham Lincoln and the Republican party still resonate today. The book explores how immigration shaped the political and economic thinking of Lincoln and the early Republican movement. It also highlights…
Read MorePermission vs. Progress: How Maine’s Certificate of Need Laws Limit Rural Healthcare
What Henry Ford and the Auto Industry Can Teach Us about Healthcare in Maine The Declining State of Maine Healthcare Across Maine, something quiet is happening. It isn’t trending on social media.It isn’t dominating headlines. And yet, day after day, it makes itself known — first in living rooms, then along stretches of highway, and…
Read MoreFree Markets and the Role of Government in Maine
Introduction When I think about what actually drives prosperity in a place like Maine—especially in our rural communities—I keep coming back to a simple truth. At their core, free markets and government framework are not competitors; they are partners with very different roles. Free markets generate opportunity, innovation, and growth. However, they do so only…
Read MoreLocal Solutions for Rural Maine Housing
Local solutions for rural Maine housing aren’t going to come from Augusta mandates or one-size-fits-all programs. They’re going to come from practical tools, local initiative, and communities working together to solve real problems. In rual Maine the housing shortage isn’t theoretical—it’s something that we as families, workers, and employers feel every day. That’s why I’ve…
Read MoreWhy Public Schools Matter to Capitalism and Communities
📖 Estimated reading time: ~10 minutes Key Snippet Why do public schools matter for capitalism and community?Public schools. Capitalism. Community — these three pillars rise and fall together. Strong economies and strong communities start with strong public schools. If we abandon them instead of reforming them, we risk weakening capitalism, civic responsibility, and the local…
Read MoreAchieving a Better Life in Maine and LD 1735
Summary On May 6, 2025, I stood before the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation to speak in support of LD 1735 An Act to Provide an Income Tax Deduction for Certain Contributions to a Qualified Achieving a Better Life Experience Program Account — a bill that brings fairness, dignity, and opportunity to Maine families saving…
Read MoreHealthcare as a Public Good in a Free Market
📖 Estimated reading time: ~6 minutes Introduction This article takes a high-level, conceptual view — one meant to spark conversation, not division. It challenges us to see healthcare as a public good—an essential part of our nation’s economic and civic foundation, not another partisan battleground. By viewing health through this lens, we can better understand…
Read MoreRanked-Choice Voting in Maine
📖 Estimated reading time: ~5 minutes Featured Snippet By requiring candidates to earn a majority through successive rounds of vote redistribution, ranked-choice voting (RCV) changes how campaigns communicate, build coalitions, and engage voters. Winning now depends on broad appeal, second-choice strategy, and a deep understanding of how votes transfer during elimination rounds. Summary In Maine…
Read MoreSemi-Open Primaries in Maine
Under the Maine semi-open primaries system, unenrolled voters can now participate in one party’s primary without having to join that party.This change could reshape campaigns statewide, forcing candidates to build broader coalitions early, connect with independents from the start, and think strategically about ranked-choice voting (RCV) long before November.
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