July 8, 2020--Trump's Fish Story

Back in Washington Trump keeps his eye on the Dow Jones average. Though it doesn't at all, he claims it is the best measure of how well the economy is faring.

Up here in Maine we keep an eye on other things. For example, the wholesale price of lobster. It is thought to indicate how well the local economy is doing.

Trump was up in Maine a couple of weeks ago, visiting a factory that manufactures swabs that are used for coronavirus testing.

Of course he refused to wear a mask and thus after he left the swabs manufactured that day had to be thrown away.

At a meeting with lobstermen there was a lot of talk about the crustacean and the sorry state of the fishing industry. In response Trump told lie after lie.

No matter the subject, he obviously is incapable of telling the truth.

With the wholesale price of lobsters hovering at record lows, Trump blamed the collapsed market on Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Conveniently ignoring the fact that he has been president for almost four years and during that time the price has been declining precipitously.

Trump bellowed, "President Obama destroyed the lobster and fishing industry in Maine. Now it's back bigger and better than anyone ever thought possible. Enjoy your lobstering and fishing. Make lots of money!"

Fact checking reveals that Maine's lobster industry reached its peak in 2016, the last year of Obama's second term with 132 million pounds caught at a value of $540 million. But during the first three years of Trump's presidency Maine's fishermen sold less that $500 million worth a year.

At the end of the day, there is no evidence that Trump stopped on the way back to Washington at a lobster pound to pick up a couple of shedders.