Two major articles in the Press Herald this morning clearly illustrate, to me anyway, the kind of backwards thinking about fixing the economy & attracting new families plaguing the state.

1. We rank 49th in internet connectivity. The top speeds in Maine are far below the top speeds in NH, MA, and other New England states.  In case you didn’t know Boston is being widely hailed as the new Silicon Valley. Boston is RIGHT THERE. If we got our stuff together, even a little, I’m betting we could lure some of those companies, and therefore jobs and people up here. Will we do that with the slowest internet in the country? No. No we won’t. Not even a chance.

2.  Gov. Le Page is railing about how we need to lower the working age in Maine from 16 to 12, and apparently this will save the economy. I’m not really sure how making it easier for 12-yr-olds to work is going to do anything to fix the economy. Also, kids under 16 can easily apply for a work permit, and have for years.

Does anyone else see a problem/correlation between these two headlines? What kind of thinking is going on here? I mean, I’m all for helping out farming families, but is allowing 12-yr-olds the right to work without the protections a work permit affords really going to promote the widespread economy boost this state needs? Is it going to attract businesses or families, or is it going to get us back in the national spotlight because our governor is trying to roll back child labor laws that have been in place for decades?