After the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, there have been many calls for reexamining the U.S.-Saudi relationship, even for imposing sanctions. As an economist, I understand there are diplomatic fine points to this relationship that lie beyond my expertise, but still: It is worth reviewing the economic and exchange-based reasons why U.S.-Saudi relations have been so […]
politics
Posted inPerspective, sj-web
About Saudia Arabia
Area 2,149,690 sq km: All of it land, no water. Thus it’s mostly sandy desert. It’s about 1/5 the size of the United States. It has 2,640 km of coastline. People Population: 28,571,770 (July 2017) 37 percent are immigrants 83.8 percent are in urban areas Arabic is the official language Religion Muslim is the official […]
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Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
People before politics before people
The headline on Nov. 5, 1936, in the Fairview Republican read something like, “Landon wins Maine, Vermont and Major County.” The weekly newspaper was gently poking its readers and itself, aligning them with a bunch of crusty Yankees as the only majorities for Alf Landon against FDR’s steamrolling re-election. Fairview and Major County in northwestern […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Yes, the US sometimes supports warlords and dictators — so when should we stop?
“He may be an S.O.B., but he’s our S.O.B.” That maxim, sometimes attributed to President Franklin Roosevelt, has frequently served as a credo for U.S. foreign policy. During the Cold War, the United States made common cause with too many dictators to count. A partial list includes: Fulgencio Batista, Anastasio Somoza, Ferdinand Marcos, Mobutu Sese […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Records show state lawmaker with felony conviction has hunted game with guns
A state lawmaker who is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms has tagged deer, turkey and moose using firearms hunting permits issued by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, according to state records. DIFW records obtained by the Portland Press Herald show that state Rep. Jeffrey Pierce, R-Dresden, has registered game […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Central Maine Medical Center calls on Poliquin to pull health care ad
A new political advertisement from U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin’s congressional campaign features a politics-heavy gathering at a Lewiston hot dog stand that includes a local doctor touting the two-term Republican’s health care record. At one point in the 30-second spot, the camera zooms in for a close-up of the physician’s name embroidered on his white […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Campaign starts for paid sick days for Maine workers
Mainers may get the chance to follow the lead of 10 other states that mandate employers offer paid sick days to their employees. “I’m proud to be part of a group of worker, family and health care advocates who have taken the first step in submitting language for a referendum to guarantee access to earned […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Seth Carey hoped beer could win him votes at Bates College
Republican district attorney candidate Seth Carey hoped to use beer to try to snag some extra votes from Bates College students in Lewiston. But his plans to hold a free keg party Saturday at an Auburn bar after the football game between Bates and Colby colleges fell apart late Friday when the establishment’s owner pulled […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
PUC delays CMP transmission line decision
Regulators who have the power to approve or derail a plan to build a 145-mile transmission line through Maine are delaying their decision. Maine’s Public Utilities Commission, which had been expected to issue a decision by year’s end on Central Maine Power’s plan to bring hydropower from Quebec to markets in Massachusetts, filed an order […]
Posted inNation / World
Police arrest 56-year-old Florida man in pipe bomb investigation
A man in Florida has been arrested in connection with the suspected mail bombs sent to high profile figures, authorities said Friday. The arrest came after authorities responded to two more devices on Friday – one in Florida, the other in New York – pushing the total number of packages found by law enforcement to […]