Editorial Page Editor Greg Kesich’s column equating the mortgage interest deduction on Americans’ homes with food stamps and other welfare payments is the height of the arrogance of the intellectual elite that on a daily basis tries to convince us that up is down and black is white (“Government assistance benefits more than the usual suspects,” April 8).

Allowing people who earn income and pay income taxes to pay less taxes and keep more of the income they earned is not the same as giving welfare payments to people who don’t earn a living and don’t pay income taxes.

How embarrassing that Mr. Kesich is so obtuse that this has to be spelled out to him, and how sad that the Portland Press Herald allows such fantasy to be published. Perhaps a simple drawing in crayons would help.

Apparently, in a moment of clarity, Mr. Kesich recognizes the all-too-obvious fatal flaw in his “argument” that taking less in taxes from those who produce may not intuitively seem the same as giving the money to those who don’t produce or pay taxes.

He cleverly disposes of this silly argument with the witty “but that’s just rhetoric.” Really! I suspect, at least to those who work, produce and pay taxes, that that is the point!

It is this kind of liberal philosophy disguised as “thinking” that allows our leaders and presumably the Press Herald and Mr. Kesich to actually take the position that our country can continue to spend trillions more than it takes in every single year without our children or theirs ever having to pay the bill or face the music.

Mr. Kesich should consider demanding a refund from whatever institution of higher education he attended that didn’t disabuse him of such notions.

Michael K. Martin

Cumberland Foreside