The Aug. 13 editorial, “Our View: Stagnant workforce means no new jobs” (Page A4), simply repeated what the paper reported in a lengthy front-page article on Aug. 7: The state’s Department of Labor predicted virtually zero job growth during the 10-year period between 2016 and 2026.
The editorial restated the obvious serious problems that this worker shortage poses, namely that companies will not invest and grow if they can’t find enough and proper workers and that out-of-state workers will not move here if there are no jobs.
It went on to say that the problem is due to the state’s aging population and declining birth rate and noted some organizations’ hopeful suggestions, including utilizing some underemployed groups like disaffected youths and people with disabilities.
Unbelievably, no one pointed to the likely reason for a good part of the worker shortage staring them right in the face: abortion. State and federal records show there have been over 125,000 abortions in Maine since 1973, the year of the Roe v. Wade ruling. Is it irrational to think that a good number of them would be in the workforce today?
Wouldn’t it make sense to consider promoting programs that support women so that they wouldn’t feel compelled to have an abortion and avoid programs that do?
Think about it. Maine’s economic future requires that we do.
Carl J. Maddaleni
Scarborough
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