Breece Quoted in Press Herald Article on LePage Statement

James Breece, an economics professor at the University of Maine who is a member of the Bureau of Economic Analysis advisory group, was interviewed for a Portland Press Herald article about a statement issued by Gov. Paul LePage that equated Social Security with welfare, and his following clarification of the statement. LePage criticized the newspaper for making an “erroneous interpretation” of a media release from his office that dealt with a report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, according to the article. Breece said it’s not unheard of for people to pick apart components of the bureau’s personal income reports for political or other purposes, and a narrow focus offers perspective on how commerce, industry and governments are doing, as reflected in the pay that employees are receiving.

Including other figures compiled by the bureau provides a fuller picture of what “drives the economy,” the article states.