“A liberal is likely to be lax when recommending a tax. With a glut in his heart and his brain low a quart, he will give you the shirts off our backs.” -F.R. Duplantier

Lane/Tommy: Do you know the definition of socialism? Webster’s New World Dictionary defines socialism “as a system of ownership of the means of production and distribution by society rather than by individuals.” We believe socialism is when the government takes all our money and gives us back what they believe we need.

Lane: My opinion is that Maine is already heading down the path to socialism. The copious amount of nonprofit agencies coupled with our state government having large social programs creates an atmosphere that stymies growth and is a direct cause of our high tax burden. We have too many people riding in the cart instead of pulling it. I have said many times that we cannot tax ourselves into prosperity but that has been the theme of our state government.

Tommy: Are our local and state governments growing too large? Government has become the largest sector of Maine’s gross state product. This causes an oppressive tax burden which inhibits growth in the business sector which in turn hurts the individual’s chance of better employment.

Lane/Tommy: Is Maine spending too much money for social services and is it being spent wisely? We have seen the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) become a behemoth that has lost control and accountability of hundreds of millions of dollars. It has destroyed its credibility by bungling Medicaid payments to health care providers. The time has come to pull back the DHHS bridle in order to curb its wonton spending.

Lane: I believe that Maine has a welfare system that is not only too large but is also in a state of disrepair. Taking care of our fellow citizens in need is one thing. However, when welfare becomes a career and family tradition we will all be in deep trouble. Relying on social programs instead of creating a vibrant economy will certainly lead to our downfall.

Tommy: Socialism costs money and that money comes in the form of taxes. It also tends to hinder individual achievement because there is less incentive for improvement. Getting something for nothing does little to improve one’s work ethic.

Lane/Tommy: Have we become a state that takes care of some people’s needs and wants by placing a heavy tax burden on those who want to work for a living? Is the solution more low-income housing so Mainers can stay and work the low-paying jobs?

Lane: It is time to give our children a future in Maine that includes better employment opportunities. Our heavy tax burden drives away both businesses and citizens alike. Socialism is not the answer. It’s the problem!

Tommy: Remember the words of President John F. Kennedy? “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Socialism is at odds with a free market society. Capitalism works best when it is not burdened by high taxes and overrun by oppressive regulations. Maine is the perfect example of that.

Lane: I have a problem when a minority wants to spend money from taxes collected from others under the guise of doing good for others. There certainly are needs to be met but we must be careful when trying to solve problems with money from others. To me, the daycare center located in the Windham School Department has an appearance of helping some citizens while excluding other similar businesses located around Windham.

Yes, there is a need for childcare in our community but should it be in a publicly owned building run by our tax dollars? This gives one so-called nonprofit group a huge advantage simply by its location. Why wasn’t this daycare center put out for bid to all the other businesses? Isn’t the purpose of a school to educate our children, not take care of them 24/7?

Other groups want our tax dollars used for various purposes, like a dog park for example. That does nothing for me. It is time to swing away from socialism and fall back on the founding principles of this country. Make money the old-fashioned way, earn it!

Tommy Gleason and Lane Hiltunen are Windham residents who are interested in forming a commune somewhere in Windham on town-owned property. If interested, please call 1-800-WE-LUV-TAXES. Operators are standing by.