Dear Editor:

I appreciate the honesty of science, math, and logic. These disciplines have brought us the wonders of the modern world. Let’s bring them into Maine politics.

Republicans, in recent debates, have used state rankings (1 to 50) from the Maine Policy Institute. Higher scores are worse (50 is dead last) and the data has been verified and corrected to October’s numbers. The scores are: 35th in business climate, 40th in education, 40th in individual income tax, 41st in education, 45th in corporate tax, 47th in median household income, 47th in infrastructure, 48th in home affordability, 48th in overall economy, 48th in healthcare spending as a share of income, 49th in education score decline, 50th in home price growth, and 50th in overall child well-being decline. The mean is 45, the median is 47, and the mode is 48. Using this data and comparing it to the other states, Maine would rank around 47th. Using the same process, Utah would be near or at the top of the best states with a mean of 14, a median of 12, and a mode of 5.

Not surprisingly, according to WalletHub, Maine has one of the highest rates of adult depression at 48th and ranks 42nd on emotional and physical wellbeing. The same source has Utah as one of the happiest states in the country at number 3.

Why the difference? Democrats have controlled our House of Representatives, our State Senate, and our Governorship for the last eight years. Democrats have held unified control for most of the preceding decades. Utah is our opposite; they have been solid Republican for decades. Maine’s problem is not Washington D.C., it is Democrats in Augusta.

A rating from Pew research offers a different and compelling reason for Maine's misery and Utah’s satisfaction. When looking at highly religious adults, Utah is near the top at 6th and Maine is near last at 47th.

This fall offers Mainers an opportunity for a happier, more meaningful life. Join a church and on Nov. 3, vote for change and put Republicans in office.

Joe Grant

Wiscasset