Health Care What will happen if the Supreme Court strikes down the Affordable Care Act? Last week, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in California v Texas, a lawsuit backed by 18 state attorneys general and the Trump administration, which asks […] James Myall Posted November 18, 2020 Tags Affordable Care Act, Federal, Health Care, Medicaid, Prescription Drugs
Maine’s Economy Maine’s unequal pandemic recession and recovery Maine’s economy is making a slow but steady recovery from the depths of the downturn spurred by the arrival of the coronavirus and COVID-19. But like the […] James Myall Posted October 20, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Jobs, Racial Equity
Jobs and Income New federal rules give shady lenders green light to scam Mainers Payday lenders are exploiting loopholes to evade Maine’s consumer protection laws. Their shadowy practices are leaving Mainers in the lurch. Now, the Trump administration is floating a rule change that would let predatory corporations fleece […] Jody Harris Posted October 2, 2020 Tags Consumer Protection, Federal
Maine’s Economy New Census data highlights cracks in the economy – even before COVID New data released Thursday by the US Census Bureau show that many Mainers were already experiencing hardship before the COVID-19 pandemic and revealed the tenuous nature of the economic gains the state enjoyed in […] James Myall Posted September 18, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Economy, Food Insecurity, Health Care, Poverty, Unemployment
Jobs and Income Despite modest recovery, pandemic hardship lingers for tens of thousands of Mainers Tens of thousands of Maine households are still struggling to afford basic needs such as groceries and rent, according to the latest data from the US Census […] James Myall Posted September 16, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Incomes, Unemployment
Maine’s Economy Trump’s executive actions don’t let Senate Republicans off the hook The recent executive actions by President Donald Trump offer only a false sense of relief to the tens of thousands of Mainers who have seen their incomes […] James Myall Posted August 11, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Unemployment
Jobs and Income Data reveals return to work not affected by $600 unemployment boost There’s no relationship between expanded Unemployment Compensation payments and individuals’ likelihood of returning to work, according to two recent studies. One, by researchers at Yale University, finds that more generous UC payments are not […] James Myall Posted July 31, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Unemployment
Taxes and Budget Forecasted 3-year, $1.4 billion revenue shortfall reinforces need federal, state action to protect critical jobs and services New revenue projections released by state officials on Wednesday reiterate that Maine faces jaw-dropping revenue shortfalls that demand a strong federal response and a willingness by state […] Sarah Austin Posted July 29, 2020 Tags Budget, Coronavirus
Maine’s Economy Consumer Finance Watchdog Agency Delivers a Gut Punch to Maine Consumers Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released new regulations on payday lenders. Instead of reigning in the notoriously greedy industry, the Bureau eliminated common sense […] Jody Harris Posted July 17, 2020 Tags Consumer Protection, Federal
Maine’s Economy 86,000 Mainers face steep income losses if Congress doesn’t extend pandemic unemployment benefits The economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic is unprecedented in our lifetimes. The urgent public health requirement that Mainers stay home as much as possible has […] James Myall Posted July 16, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Incomes, Unemployment