James Myall
@jamesxmyall.bsky.social
Maine-based economic policy analyst. British-American, recovering historian.
Posts are my own views, not my organization's.
Posts are my own views, not my organization's.
1939 was the year with two Thanksgivings, as President Roosevelt moved the holiday from Nov 30 to Nov 23 to encourage more holiday shopping. Maine’s Republican Governor Lewis Barrows was so opposed, he refused to eat turkey at a Nov 23 event, opening a can of sardines at the table instead.
November 26, 2025 at 9:17 PM
1939 was the year with two Thanksgivings, as President Roosevelt moved the holiday from Nov 30 to Nov 23 to encourage more holiday shopping. Maine’s Republican Governor Lewis Barrows was so opposed, he refused to eat turkey at a Nov 23 event, opening a can of sardines at the table instead.
Interesting that this seems to contradict the trends in the national food security survey though.
November 22, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Interesting that this seems to contradict the trends in the national food security survey though.
Aside from the fascism, so much of this is backwards.
Undocumented immigrants are construction workers
They pick fruits and vegetables for low wages
They commit crimes at lower rates than citizens
They pay into Social Security without drawing it down
They're even more likely to use transit
Undocumented immigrants are construction workers
They pick fruits and vegetables for low wages
They commit crimes at lower rates than citizens
They pay into Social Security without drawing it down
They're even more likely to use transit
November 20, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Aside from the fascism, so much of this is backwards.
Undocumented immigrants are construction workers
They pick fruits and vegetables for low wages
They commit crimes at lower rates than citizens
They pay into Social Security without drawing it down
They're even more likely to use transit
Undocumented immigrants are construction workers
They pick fruits and vegetables for low wages
They commit crimes at lower rates than citizens
They pay into Social Security without drawing it down
They're even more likely to use transit
See study here that uses data from Texas. www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/ni...
November 20, 2025 at 4:44 PM
See study here that uses data from Texas. www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/ni...
"Whites live under the despotism of an oligarchy of officials, who rule them as they please, and exact from them votes and actions that are in direct opposition with the very interest of the white class." - New Orleans Tribune, Nov 13, 1866
November 18, 2025 at 3:47 PM
"Whites live under the despotism of an oligarchy of officials, who rule them as they please, and exact from them votes and actions that are in direct opposition with the very interest of the white class." - New Orleans Tribune, Nov 13, 1866
Update on Canadian boycott of Maine - in October, 209,000 crossed from Canada to Maine at ports of entry, down from 270,000 in Oct 2024. That's a 22% drop. So far Maine's seen 692,000 fewer crossings since February compared to the year before #mepolitics
November 17, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Update on Canadian boycott of Maine - in October, 209,000 crossed from Canada to Maine at ports of entry, down from 270,000 in Oct 2024. That's a 22% drop. So far Maine's seen 692,000 fewer crossings since February compared to the year before #mepolitics
This kind of this has long struck me as weird. UK code names for military operations are generic and more like codes, while US military operations have bombastic names like PR exercises
The UK’s equivalent of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM was Operation Telic (a Greek work meaning “purposeful”)
The UK’s equivalent of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM was Operation Telic (a Greek work meaning “purposeful”)
November 16, 2025 at 7:04 PM
This kind of this has long struck me as weird. UK code names for military operations are generic and more like codes, while US military operations have bombastic names like PR exercises
The UK’s equivalent of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM was Operation Telic (a Greek work meaning “purposeful”)
The UK’s equivalent of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM was Operation Telic (a Greek work meaning “purposeful”)
Good news as SNAP benefits in Maine have begun arriving on people's cards on schedule #mepolitics
November 10, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Good news as SNAP benefits in Maine have begun arriving on people's cards on schedule #mepolitics
I regularly get unsolicited invites to political fundraising events in my work email. I think it’s because I’m a registered lobbyist, which is a little troubling. Anyway, this one was particularly fun #mepolitics
November 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I regularly get unsolicited invites to political fundraising events in my work email. I think it’s because I’m a registered lobbyist, which is a little troubling. Anyway, this one was particularly fun #mepolitics
Over on FB, Senator Dick Bradstreet and Gov LePage are celebrating their food drive. But one table of canned goods won’t come close to helping all 6,000 of Bradstreet’s constituents who will get partial or no SNAP because of the president. It can’t substitute for federal/state help #mepolitics
November 7, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Over on FB, Senator Dick Bradstreet and Gov LePage are celebrating their food drive. But one table of canned goods won’t come close to helping all 6,000 of Bradstreet’s constituents who will get partial or no SNAP because of the president. It can’t substitute for federal/state help #mepolitics
I'm fascinated by how closely these results on ostensibly non-partisan ballot question are essentially mirror images of each other. Sadly, I don't think we have any exit polls, but it seems there was very little ticket-splitting on these votes. #mepolitics
November 6, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I'm fascinated by how closely these results on ostensibly non-partisan ballot question are essentially mirror images of each other. Sadly, I don't think we have any exit polls, but it seems there was very little ticket-splitting on these votes. #mepolitics
Don't wait for Republican leadership. Work with individual Republicans who have hundreds or thousands of vulnerable constituents at risk. Make opponents of food security take votes on the record against it. #mepolitics
www.mainepublic.org/politics/202...
www.mainepublic.org/politics/202...
November 4, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Don't wait for Republican leadership. Work with individual Republicans who have hundreds or thousands of vulnerable constituents at risk. Make opponents of food security take votes on the record against it. #mepolitics
www.mainepublic.org/politics/202...
www.mainepublic.org/politics/202...
By 1922, folks were happy to see the end of Cabbage Night and its replacement by Halloween. (BDT Oct 31, 1922, p 6)
October 31, 2025 at 10:24 PM
By 1922, folks were happy to see the end of Cabbage Night and its replacement by Halloween. (BDT Oct 31, 1922, p 6)
Have a safe Cabbage Night, everyone!
Bath [Maine] Daily Times, Nov 1, 1893, p4
Bath [Maine] Daily Times, Nov 1, 1893, p4
October 31, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Have a safe Cabbage Night, everyone!
Bath [Maine] Daily Times, Nov 1, 1893, p4
Bath [Maine] Daily Times, Nov 1, 1893, p4
This didn’t have to be a partisan battle. Republican governors in Vermont and Virginia recognize the need to keep people fed. Too bad Republicans in Maine are too busy scoring cheap points.
October 30, 2025 at 9:31 PM
This didn’t have to be a partisan battle. Republican governors in Vermont and Virginia recognize the need to keep people fed. Too bad Republicans in Maine are too busy scoring cheap points.
We actually got border entry data despite the shutdown. The upward trend continued in September, but still 24% fewer authorized entries than the year before #mepolitics
October 28, 2025 at 10:32 PM
We actually got border entry data despite the shutdown. The upward trend continued in September, but still 24% fewer authorized entries than the year before #mepolitics
Ending weapons sales to Israel had majority support among Mainers in August. (UNH poll)
October 27, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Ending weapons sales to Israel had majority support among Mainers in August. (UNH poll)
1902 - President Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter Alice (18) adopts a Maine Coon Cat during a family trip to Lincolnville.
The White House renovations mentioned in the article include the construction of the East Wing
Lewiston Daily Sun, Nov 12, 1902
The White House renovations mentioned in the article include the construction of the East Wing
Lewiston Daily Sun, Nov 12, 1902
October 25, 2025 at 12:25 AM
1902 - President Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter Alice (18) adopts a Maine Coon Cat during a family trip to Lincolnville.
The White House renovations mentioned in the article include the construction of the East Wing
Lewiston Daily Sun, Nov 12, 1902
The White House renovations mentioned in the article include the construction of the East Wing
Lewiston Daily Sun, Nov 12, 1902
Nero builds a Golden House for himself, AD 64.
Suetonius, Nero 31.1-2
Suetonius, Nero 31.1-2
October 22, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Nero builds a Golden House for himself, AD 64.
Suetonius, Nero 31.1-2
Suetonius, Nero 31.1-2
October 21, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Because Canadians traditionally made up 2/3 of border crossers, the disparity between the decline in Canadian crossings and everyone else (basically Americans) is even larger than the chart above suggests. American crossing is almost flat while Canadians are staying away.
October 20, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Because Canadians traditionally made up 2/3 of border crossers, the disparity between the decline in Canadian crossings and everyone else (basically Americans) is even larger than the chart above suggests. American crossing is almost flat while Canadians are staying away.
Border crossing numbers update - the US data is delayed due to the shutdown, so here are some numbers from Statistics Canada. They do a nice job breaking out where travelers come from as well, so you can see Canadian visitors are driving the declining border crossing numbers #mepolitics
October 20, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Border crossing numbers update - the US data is delayed due to the shutdown, so here are some numbers from Statistics Canada. They do a nice job breaking out where travelers come from as well, so you can see Canadian visitors are driving the declining border crossing numbers #mepolitics