Should the federal government create a national park in the North Woods? It’s a question that divides many in Maine. Some fear the effects of more federal control in the state. Others say a new park will bring economic growth to a depressed region.

The push for labels on “genetically modi-fied” or engineered food is one of those social movements that sounds unimpeachable — like “Free the Whales” or “Save the Planet.”

Coming from the “big sky country” of Montana where beautiful views are common around every bend in the road, I am still impressed by the green hills overlooking Point Reyes, the coastal cliffs plunging into the Pacific at Big Sur, and the vistas at San Simeon once enjoyed by Randolph Hearst.