Category Archives: Economic impact

The Economics of Nature

Anthropocene, Bird life, Commodification of nature, Economic impact, Economics, Ecosystem services, Environmental Ethics, Happiness, Markets, Nature, Non-market valuation, Opinion, Orono Bog Boardwalk, Utilitarianism, Values
By

We went for the first time this year to the Orono Bog Boardwalk on Monday morning.  This is an absolute gem of a resource for the Penobscot Valley community, giving people easy access to a part of our Acadian landscape that is not often so easily visited.  If you have never been there you will […]

Question 1: Rent Seeking Run Amok

Citizens' Initiative, Economic impact, Economics, Gambling, Maine, Maine Politics, Maine Question 1, Opinion, Public Policy, Rent Seeking, Taxes
By

Mailboxes are flooded with direct mail fliers.  The roadsides are littered with plastic signs.  We are admonished to Vote Yes On Question 1 on November 7.  This is one of the clearest examples of rent seeking behavior I have ever seen.  It is text book quality. Rent seeking occurs when an economic actor, in this […]