Why is Maine a poor state? (Clinton, Peru: leasing, mover, vacation home)

[DavidoftheNorth]

Old Town's is a culture of conspicuous consumption. When times were good, they had practically every toy known to man; live today, gone tomorrow. Their proximity to Bangor allows many of the former millworkers to find new jobs to maintain their ways. If Old Town was isolated, like Millinocket, for example, you'd see a whole different attitude. Those folks are miserable and they can't agree on a course of action. See http://katahdincommons.com/index.php/board,2.0.html (broken link)

[DavidoftheNorth]

And here's a little more from The More Good News Department:

"Maine's private sector income shrinking

The government now provides more than 50% of Washington County’s personal income, and York County is the only county in Maine with a growing private sector share of personal income, according to a report released Tuesday by the Maine Heritage Policy Center, a think tank in Portland.

The report, which analyzed Bureau of Economic Analysis data from 1969 to 2005, says that every county in Maine, except York County, saw its share of personal income generated in the private sector shrink during that time. “Unfortunately, there will be an economic price paid as the private sector share continues to shrink since only the private sector can create new income and wealth,” J. Scott Moody, MHPC’s vice president of policy and chief economist, said in a press release.

York County was the only county to buck the trend with the private sector’s share of personal income increasing 10% to 68.1% in 2005. The report also said that Lincoln County has the largest private sector in the state, and has since 1970."
www.mainebiz.biz/daily.php (broken link)

[Mainer41]

I am also 3rd or maybe even 4th generation military. I joined because I didn't want to go to college after high school right away.I grew up in Washington county "Downeast" and did not even know we were considered a poor area until I moved away. I had a great childhood with the ocean at my front door and numerous lakes and streams within walking distance. As I've read on many posts here wealth is a relative term.My family all still lives in Maine and has to work hard for what they make but have always had more than they need and some left over for the niceties.I have not lived in Maine for over 20 years but still consider it home.

[7th generation]

Originally Posted by oceanfit185

Maine has some dirt poor towns. Towns with Mill closing seam to be the worste off. ie Lewiston Auburn, Augusta, Rumford, Mexico to name a few.

There are also some nice parts. Its a big State.

Well now you are talking about my neck of the woods. We are proud to call the western mountains home and yes the mills have either closed or at least downsized due to the cheap paper produced overseas. This in no way makes us a "dirt poor" nor undesirable locations for people interested to relocating here. It is inevitable that these companies have had a decline in supporting the towns and surrounding areas with much needed income. Yes we may not be as "wealthy" an area as our beautiful coast is,but we are proud and unwavering in our support and love of this land.

[DavidoftheNorth]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

which is better do you think?

I'm not sure - I think they only come as a unit, though in varying proportions.

[DavidoftheNorth]

Originally Posted by sfw1979

I keep being told that Maine is a poor state, is this true? I just moved here a few months ago ( we are military) and had never been here before. We like it, it's nice but wondering why everyone says is a poor state?

If one had to pick the one major reason it would probably be the fact that the major regional port became Boston, as opposed to Bangor, Portland or Newburyport(MA). Why Boston? Because that's where the brains, ambition and population density was. From there funnelled the majority of commerce and were located the related institutions. You could probably draw concentric rings of increasing radii around Boston and the distance would correspond with an average wealth factor, decreasing from the center. Climate conditions have also likely been a factor. Should these things still matter? Probably not as much as they did 50, 100, 200 years ago, but there's alot of momentum going against Maine developing a vibrant economy. The modern factors, and many will disagree with me on this, are relatively recently imposed environmental regulations, greedy unions that make manufacturing difficult to impossible, and the fact that the rest of the world is catching up quickly with the U.S. in terms of productivity.

That's the short answer.

[brightcopperkettles]

Man, I love reading the Maine board because I learn so much. Very interesting...

[wtcmedic911]

Mainers seem to LOVE to approve bills/votes on anything that spends money and if we have spare money then we make sure the governer spends it! (laptop program) however most maines dont seem to realize that when you spend a million or two for a new library, or firehouse or school who pays for it? In topsham for example they have a wonderful new town office they are building and all the other upgrades and guess what as you know, the NAVY IS LEAVING!! With thousands of military, families, etc. so i guess the new town office was the last chance to make it grand before the town has tumble weeds for a few years or so. Also i know SO many mainers on wealthfare, aid of some kind, who can work but its really easy not to work once you get on the system here. Also new members to our country that live in and around lewiston are given plenty of free healthcare, work tax free for 3 years, rent assistance, assistance in setting up business, grants and on and on. we are a kind group in maine even to our own demise.

[GregW]

The de-industrialization of Maine is happening all over the country. The long term effects IMHO will be catastrophic to the working and small business classes. This is not an accident; it is Federal government policy that had been created by both Republican and Democratic Congresses and administrations at the behest of the internationalists that bribe them with campaign contributions and post service very high paying jobs. The primary reason is short term profit. The secondary reason is to break down the economic progress of the working and middle classes during the 20th century. Using near slave labor and deplorable environmental devastation in Asia and South America is one of the major tools in this process. Whatever the techniques the results will be a financial economy of the have nothing or very little and the (our presidents favorites) have much and have mores.

The ironic thing is that the perpetrators of this disaster have been telling us about it for the last thirty years and have also been telling us that it is a good thing for the country and the people. It is not.

[DavidoftheNorth]

Originally Posted by GregW

The de-industrialization of Maine is happening all over the country. The long term effects IMHO will be catastrophic to the working and small business classes. This is not an accident; it is Federal government policy that had been created by both Republican and Democratic Congresses and administrations at the behest of the internationalists that bribe them with campaign contributions and post service very high paying jobs. The primary reason is short term profit. The secondary reason is to break down the economic progress of the working and middle classes during the 20th century. Using near slave labor and deplorable environmental devastation in Asia and South America is one of the major tools in this process. Whatever the techniques the results will be a financial economy of the have nothing or very little and the (our presidents favorites) have much and have mores.

The ironic thing is that the perpetrators of this disaster have been telling us about it for the last thirty years and have also been telling us that it is a good thing for the country and the people. It is not.

I think your initial statement is correct. However, I don't believe that the causes are due quite as much to the conspiratorial internationalist capitalists, as you suggest.

For the better part of the last 50 years there has been much heated discussion about the haves (read: U.S.) and the have nots (read: all other countries, basically, but especially South & Central America, Africa and a few other places). The politicians of America have responded to this in various ways such as funding UN programs, foreign aid, and trade initiatives like NAFTA. We were wonderful for doing that! Now we're starting to feel the consequences. We might have been a little naive about China, but by and large, I think, we were trying to show the world that we could behave as civilized co-inhabitants and not just warmongers. Wasn't it Churchill that said about China, "Let sleeping dogs lie."?

I do not think you are wrong to anticipate danger down the road if we, and that includes our Government, don't keep our wits about us.

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."