Write to us at startingpoint@globe.com. To subscribe, sign up here.A new Globe series — “Why Massachusetts lost its mojo — and how we get it back” — examines the reasons for the state’s lagging economy and what needs to be done to fix it. Today’s first installment prompted Starting Point to ask Trendlines columnist Larry Edelman about the genesis of the series and what readers can expect. Starting Point: First, what do you mean by Massachusetts losing its mojo?Larry: I mean our economy, once the envy of other states, has become a laggard, especially when it comes to creating new jobs and attracting companies and workers. How so? Here’s one telling stat I uncovered: Massachusetts added fewer private-sector jobs on a percentage basis than 41 other states over the last five years. Not only did we trail big rivals like Florida and Texas, we were outperformed by smaller states that are rarely seen as competitors.And residents are voting with their feet: Between 2020 and 2025, some 182,000 more residents moved out of Massachusetts than moved in. Tennessee, which had roughly the same population as Massachusetts in 2020, added almost 293,000 people.Harder to quantify, but just as real: We’ve lost our swagger, the collective confidence that we’re on top of the world. I started noticing a shift in sentiment about two years ago in conversations with business leaders and my coverage of economic data. Ever since I’ve been thinking about how the Globe could tell this story from many angles.What is messing with our vibe?It’s a toxic brew of a broken housing market, soaring living costs, high taxes, an aging population, and a hostile White House. And there’s a persistent disconnect between local political leaders and the business community, each with their own narrow focus.Besides the overview in your column today, what other stories will be in the series?I can’t give too much away, but my Globe colleagues have done a ton of on-the-ground reporting. I’ve done a lot of “telling” about the economy. They will be “showing” what’s actually going on. Readers should keep their eyes open for their stories. 🧩 4 Down: Hay unit | ☀️ 84° PleasantLindsay Clancy listens to medical testimony on Monday in her trial.Greg Derr/Greg Derr/Pool The Patriot Ledge‘Completely overwhelmed’: Lindsay Clancy’s journals, read aloud in her murder trial, show she was feeling overwhelmed after the birth of her third child and suffering from insomnia, anxiety, and depression.Lighthouse for sale: Who wants the nation’s oldest continually operated lighthouse? The feds are putting the site of Boston Light out for bid, with the provision that the beacon will shine on.Pushers to entrepreneurs to what? They were arrested for weed, then became cannabis entrepreneurs. What happens if November’s repeal ballot question passes — and legal recreational marijuana sales end?Social Democrats: A third of Democrats call themselves socialists. The Globe’s Larry Edelman explains what that actually means. Also, under Trump, the US government has taken equity stakes in more than 30 private companies.University news: Brown President Christina Paxson is stepping down next year, saying it’s “the best path for Brown” as it begins a new strategic planning process. Plus, UNH is adding three-year bachelor’s programs as more affordable options.Free transit? Pointing to Massachusetts’s fare-free experiment, Markey and Pressley press for a $25 billion federal free transit plan.Reflecting Pool: A DC prosecutor has moved to dismiss more flimsy vandalism cases over a botched Trump administration repair job.Failed rescue: Witnesses described the desperate attempt to save a Cambridge man from drowning off Martha’s Vineyard.By David BeardThe former president paints in his studio in Kennebunkport,C.A. Smith Photography🎨 A president’s paintbrush: George W. Bush’s paintings of Kennebunkport will be going on display at a fund-raiser in Maine.☕ Solving a problem: Dunkin is rolling out a special cup holder so motorists can carry its 48-ounce cup of coffee.🍴 Help! Independent restaurants keep closing. The Globe’s Devra First asks Boston to make it stop.😟 What stress? The Globe’s Stan Grossfeld tracks down tips from residents about soaking up the rays and exhaling stress.🖖 The Big Day: A love of poetry and literature drew Vicky and Charlie to each other.🎥 Top 25 documentaries: “Stop Making Sense” and Werner Herzog’s “Grizzly Man” made this list. (Hollywood Reporter)Thanks for reading Starting Point.This newsletter was edited by David Beard and produced by Ryan Orlecki.❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at startingpoint@globe.com.✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can sign up for your own copy.📬 Delivered Monday through Friday.Larry Edelman can be reached at larry.edelman@globe.com.
