On Nov. 24, an article entitled “Brain drain in Maine overstated, study says” reported a study by the University of Maine’s Office of Institutional Studies, focusing on a survey of the class of 2005. The story tended to play down problems arising from Maine’s Democrat-dominated government policies which have been anti-business, thus anti-job creation.

The 120th Legislature recognized that fact in 1993-94 and convened a task force to study “brain drain.” It is noted that most nonpartisan organizations rating state business climates give Maine a very low grade. In the article, certain pieces of essential data were omitted. The article said that 700 graduates responded to the survey, but it did not mention how many graduates there were in all. Usually a 30 to 40 percent response to a survey is considered good.

Are we to assume that those in this group are graduates from the Orono campus only, or, does it cover the entire UMaine system? It said 73.9 percent of those responding were employed full-time, and “nearly” two-thirds of those were in Maine. There were “many” employed and in graduate school. Would those Maine graduates be in Maine if not for graduate school?

I think the public deserves more complete data in order to justify the article’s title and conclusions. Why didn’t the Associated Press reporter probe this for more facts? Why didn’t the Sun Journal check it out?

Can’t a story be more factual than this slanted mediocrity?

Rep. Thomas F. Shields, Auburn