When was Maine greatest?

Mairin York, 5, brother Evan, 6, and mother Meghan, all of Bangor, make their way along Lamoine Beach, a popular local swimming beach with views of Mount Desert Island and the mountains of Acadia National Park, on April 22, 2016. (Micky Bedell | BDN)

Mairin York, 5, brother Evan, 6, and mother Meghan, all of Bangor, make their way along Lamoine Beach, a popular local swimming beach with views of Mount Desert Island and the mountains of Acadia National Park, on April 22, 2016. (Micky Bedell | BDN)

If you had to pick a year in history when America was the greatest, what would it be?

A new survey asked Americans this question, and it got many, many different answers. Perhaps it became more an exercise in revealing individual perspective.

Donald Trump supporters, for instance, overwhelmingly selected years before 9/11. But they definitely didn’t agree on which year, according to the online poll by Morning Consult.

As the New York Times explained:

When asked to select America’s greatest year, Trump supporters offered a wide range of answers, with no distinct pattern. The most popular choice was the year 2000. But 1955, 1960, 1970 and 1985 were also popular.

Democrats, meanwhile, were more likely to select a year in the 1990s or closer to today.

What was the most popular year overall? It was 2000.

Do you remember it? A new century, with Y2K behind everyone. Unemployment rates were low. Sept. 11 hadn’t happened.

In Maine that year, the Legislature banned all racist or derogatory town names. And this might make you smile: Having survived Dutch elm disease and a nearby hall renovation, a 150-year-old Elm tree earned a special dedication at UMaine.

Of course many polls have asked Americans whether they prefer the past or the present. In a Pew poll conducted in March, more conservative voters felt life was getting worse.

As Pew wrote:

Republican and Republican-leaning voters are more than twice as likely as Democratic voters to say life in this country has gotten worse over the past half-century for people like them (66% to 28%).

When was Maine greatest, do you think? Or are its best days ahead?