Category Archives: Economy

Trump won’t bring the paper industry back to Maine

The BDN Editorial Board sort of beat me to the punch here, but their article makes a similar point in a different way, so I’m still posting my take. Donald Trump won the election on a false hope. He said and promised many things that brought him the support that delivered him the presidency, but […]

Judging by History, a European Ban on Maine Lobster Might Really Happen

Earlier this year, Sweden complained about finding American lobsters in nearby waters and called for a ban on imports of the crustacean. Last week, the EU took a major step forward in the process for pursuing such a ban when a scientific review body said that Sweden’s complaint has merit. That means that a further review will now be […]

How to Fix Trade

One of the key issues underlying the political currents driving the election this year is free trade. The candidates frequently discuss the topic itself, but trade is also an indirect cause or contributor to the broader sentiments defining each political side. On the right you have supporters of Donald Trump looking warily at the rest of the […]

As National Monument Controversy Continues, Dueling Sides Should Draw Lessons from Nepal

There are a few staple topics for current Maine media: drugs, the paper industry, comments by Governor LePage, and the proposed national monument by Baxter State Park. So far, this blog has touched on the first three. I figure it is about time to talk about the fourth. Elliotsville Plantation, Inc. (EPI) wants to give […]

Maine Nicked by Offshore Scandals Embroiling Other Countries

The fallout of last month’s Panama Papers leak seems to only be growing. A massive leak of information from a Panamanian law firm that helped set up shell companies in tax havens turned out to include a lot of famous names. The stereotypical use for these firms is to hide money from tax authorities, sometimes […]

Why New Balance Factories Will Close If TPP Passes—The Deal Explained

The Trans Pacific Partnership. A name simultaneously so grand and so vague that it’s easy to find it either ominous or inspirational, depending on your disposition. At the highest level, the TPP is pretty easy to understand. It’s a big free trade agreement—the biggest ever in fact—between some Pacific Rim countries. Start delving into the […]