“There’s a large mustard-mine near here. And the moral of that is, the more there is of mine, the less there is of yours.” -The Duchess from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

I have concluded that the more politicians claim they are different proves to me that the more they are the same. The recent debate ranging from ObamaCare to the bonds package just approved by the Maine Legislature along with the political has-beens hanging onto the coat-tails of the so-called Tea Party movement shows the politics has not changed, it’s just the method has changed to dupe us into believing that something really is different so we should vote for them. I would want to believe that the purpose of the tea parties is to toss everyone out of office, no matter what party, in order to have a clean start in order to bring the direction of our nation back to its original roots.

What I’m hinting at here is that the United States was founded on the principle of taxation with representation without the threat of tyranny to ensure personal freedoms. We now have a president and Congress that are forcing us to pay for health care and if we don’t want to have health insurance, we will be fined for the lack of it. I guess that’s the new definition of freedom.

When I first heard of the Tea Party I had great thoughts and hopes that it would succeed as another political party with a significant following. But, unfortunately, politicians will suck the blood of anything in order to succeed at what they do best. No, it’s not to serve us. It’s for their own survival, and therein lies the problem. If the Tea Party movement wants to change American politics, then they must also change American politicians. One of their biggest mistakes is to take a political failure like Sarah Palin and elevate her to a status she does not deserve. As a failed candidate for vice president and a governor who resigned, what are her qualifications? Oh yeah, she’s pretty and gathers the attention of the press.

Since I am bashing Republicans, what’s up with them in Augusta over approving bonds to go to the voters? Let me make one point clear and that is I would rather have the voters decide our financial future rather than the pickpockets in Disgusta continuing their disgustful waste of our money. It is obvious that they will sell their souls, if they have one, just to stay in office. State Sen. Peter Mills is one of those who voted to send the bond issue to the voters and I will state this much, I never considered him a true Republican in the first place but I am willing to bet that the majority of false Republicans in charge of their party in Windham do. Heck, most of them believe we should increase taxes and spending, and that’s why I believe we must replace every elected official in every office at every level. To be truthful, there is just a very small minority of politicians I could vote for but I have decided to keep that my business so as not to influence anyone’s vote.

Now, I must waste part of this column to write about a Windham councilor as I have recently obtained a copy of an e-mail under the Freedom of Information Act. I personally feel that all elected officials are supposed to represent all of their constituents but I know that human nature makes that almost totally impossible. I now believe that Windham has a town councilor who failed to follow the Windham Town Charter and should, as a minimum, be censured and possibly removed. Carol Waig posted comments on Facebook and had budget discussions directly with town staff. An e-mail to the town manager from the council chairperson described her comments containing such things as “putting up an ‘expletive’ fight and other items that are inappropriate.” Now, do I expect any action by the town council? Yes, I do and that’s when a snowball fight happens in Hell.

I am sick and tired of the poor leadership and accountability of all government officials in Maine at all levels and it doesn’t matter where they are elected or appointed. I blame that on the lack of constant vigilance by the voters of Maine. I am sick of my tax dollars being wasted by those who couldn’t drive a truck out of a wet paper bag. It’s no wonder why so many of my friends found another state to live in.

Lane Hiltunen lives in Windham, for now.

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