Dear Editor:

Today the United States has: the highest inflation in 40 years, is at or nearing record homicide rates in our major cities, New York City has declared a state of emergency over polio, our national debt is 125% of gross national product, we are spending billions on another foreign war, and are hiring 87,000 new IRS agents, some with a job description of “willing to use deadly force”, while passing record high spending bills.

Today, in Maine, we have: fuel oil prices near $5, businesses closing because they cannot hire people, our current labor participation rate is falling and approaching lockdown lows, we have record high drug deaths, Portland has had four shootings in a week, and we have been ordered to shut down part of our lobster industry.

The real mystery is why 29% of likely think the country is moving in the right direction.

Joe Grant

Wiscasset