Maine Policy Minute: Volume 28, Number 1

(Three-Minute Read)

Policy in Brief:

In this issue of Maine Policy Review, authors provided insights into pressing concerns for Maine’s policymakers, business leaders, educators, and citizens. They highlight research regarding critical challenges faced by Maine—and the nation—in industry, workforce, health, education, and politics. This “Maine Policy Minute” provides a synopsis of the authors and arguments contained in Volume 28, Number 1 of Maine Policy Review.

Fascinating Features:

In, “Local Politics from Away,” transplanted Mainer and college student Matthew Bourque reflects on the strength and character of Maine’s political traditions including independent thinking and politicians who put ideas over political party.

Joseph W. McDonnell, a professor of public policy in management at the Muskie School at the University of Southern Maine, argues in “Maine’s Workforce Challenges in an Age of Artificial Intelligence” that to accommodate changes wrought by increased automation and the move towards artificial intelligence, Maine needs to upgrade the skills of its workforce in what is becoming a rapidly changing economy.

Gisela Hoecherl-Alden, assistant dean and director of language instruction at Boston University, discusses in “Twenty-First-Century Language Education at the University of Maine: A Road Map” ways to bring the University of Maine’s language program in line with recent changes at other universities in New England. She argues that this would allow UMaine to attract students who focus on global professional issues through double-degree programs in STEM and other subjects.

“Reshaping Maine Woods Destinations for Twenty-First-Century Tourists,” highlights the many encouraging new ventures helping to revitalize the economy and communities of Maine’s rim counties through tourism and recreation. The research team focuses on initiatives launched through a partnership between the 16-member Maine Woods Consortium and the Maine Office of Tourism designed to reinvigorate Maine Woods’ recreation and hospitality offerings and to enrich amenities in the region’s gateway communities.

In “Health Status and Access to Care among Maine’s Low-Income Childless Adults: Implications for State Medicaid Expansion,” researchers examined the demographic characteristics, health status, and access to care among Maine’s low-income childless adults. The authors explore possibilities for policymakers, providers, and other stakeholders in implementing the expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

“What is ‘Too Cold?’ Recess and Physical Education Weather Policies in Maine Elementary Schools” explores the weather policies concerning outdoor recess and physical education at Maine’s elementary schools. The research team uncovered the vast differences in weather policies throughout the state. The article highlights the gap in understanding about the actual number of missed outdoor recess days per year and provides information to help administrators understand how changes to recess policies could increase outdoor recreation time for students.

“Circular Food Systems in Maine: Findings from an Interdisciplinary Study of Food Waste Management” uses five case studies to explore the challenges and opportunities for reducing food waste in Maine. It shows how surplus food can be used in agricultural and industrial processes and identifies possible policy interventions to minimize food waste in Maine. Further, this study provides insights into the value of interdisciplinary work.

In “The Independent Party Panacea?” Daniel M. Shea, professor of government at Colby College, uses Maine as an example of how the addition of a third party to the 2020 presidential election will not solve America’s political woes, but instead lead to disappointment, gridlock and frustration, and an increasing crisis of legitimacy in American politics.

In “Maine’s 2018 Election: Bonds Continue to Hold,” James Melcher, professor of political science at the University of Maine at Farmington, explores the statewide bond races of the 2018 election and highlights trends throughout the recent past regarding which types of bonds have been passed and what kinds of referenda found the easiest path to victory.

In “Not Ready for Prime Time: A Response to ‘Universal Basic Income: Policy Options at National, State, and Local Levels,” Dave Canarie, an attorney and adjunct faculty member at the University of Southern Maine, responds to Michael Howard’s 2018 Maine Policy Review commentary regarding universal basic income. He argues that universal basic income is an idea that sounds great in theory but struggles when considered in detail.

Dig Deeper:

Please click the following link to access the entire issue of MPR free through digital commons. (77 pages, multi-hour read) https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr/

From MPR’s Archive:

Bourque, Matthew. 2019. “Local Politics from Away.Maine Policy Review 28(1): 6-7.

Canarie, Dave. 2019. “Not Ready for Prime Time: A Response to ‘Universal Basic Income: Policy Options at National, State, and Local Levels.Maine Policy Review 28(1): 76-78.

Croll, Zach, and Erika C. Ziller. 2019. “Health Status and Access to Care among Maine’s Low-Income Childless Adults: Implications for State Medicaid Expansion.Maine Policy Review 28(1): 38-48.

Hoecherl-Alden, Gisela. 2019. “Twenty-First-Century Language Education at the University of Maine: A Road Map.Maine Policy Review 28(1): 17-27.

Horton, Skyler, Hannah Nadeau, Andrew Flynn, Taylor Patterson, Shayla Rose Kleisinger, and Brieanne Berry. 2019. “Circular Food Systems in Maine: Findings from an Interdisciplinary Study of Food Waste Management.Maine Policy Review 28(1): 59-71.

Jacobs, Lauren E., Anush Y. Hansen, Christopher J. Nightingale, and Robert Lehnard. 2019. “What is ‘Too Cold?’ Recess and Physical Education Weather Policies in Maine Elementary Schools.Maine Policy Review 28(1): 49-58.

McDonnell, Joseph W. 2019. “Maine’s Workforce Challenges in an Age of Artificial Intelligence. Maine Policy Review 28(1): 11-16.

Melcher, James. 2019. “Maine’s 2018 Election: Bonds Continue to Hold.Maine Policy Review 28(1): 74-75.

Shea, Daniel M. 2019. “The Independent Party Panacea?Maine Policy Review 28(1): 8-10.

Vail, David J., Donna Moreland, and Mike Wilson. 2019. “Reshaping Maine Woods Destinations for Twenty-First-Century Tourists.Maine Policy Review 28(1): 28-37.