Several weeks ago, a Canadian citizen, following his GPS to find the shortest way home, strayed across the border into Maine.

Any civilized country would have welcomed him, offered sympathy for his lost condition, given him a map, and invited him to come again and stay longer next time — “Maine: Worth a Visit, Worth a Lifetime.”

Instead, he was stopped, his truck inspected, some pot was found, the law books were opened and thrown at him. Draconian laws, and especially some really stupid ones, should be used with discretion on lost foreigners. They probably have different ones.

Pot is less destructive than alcohol and is on the edge of legislation in some states. I do not know the details of the negotiations but the result was his truck was confiscated, he may have been fined in addition, and as near as I can tell, he was left on the roadside with thumb out, hitching a ride home.

I feel that stealing the only means of transport from a lost stranger is a major sin. We should be ashamed of ourselves.

And what was achieved? Well, we got a used truck and a pound of pot. And we mistreated a stranger who will curse the state of Maine for the rest of his life, perhaps America as well. And we put a large black blotch on the state as a tourist destination and a friendly welcoming place.

Heck of a job, boys.

John H. Thomson

North Berwick 

Gov. LePage faces skeptic; and reader with suggestions 

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has two definitions for hypocrite: “1: A person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion. 2: A person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.”

Gov. LePage, who was sworn in last week as our new governor, has already shown his hypocrisy and that of the voters who put him there on a platform of austerity, no more taxes, less government, cut government programs, end un-employment insurance, lower the deficit, etc.

But what is the first thing the in-coming Gov. LePage has done? Placed his 22-year-old daughter in a $41,000 state government position! With all the benefits that go with this job — health insurance, pension benefits, etc. — the yearly total may well be over $80,000.

So assuming a four-year stint, the taxpayers of Maine will be forking out a hefty $360,000 for this one nepotistic position. And all the other great administrative jobs Gov. LePage will be creating, all paid for by the already strapped taxpayers of Maine.

Here is how they all can save and redeem themselves, however : Do it all for free! No salary, no benefits, no health insurance, no nothing. That way they cannot be accused of being hypocrites.

Doing their jobs for free will please the tea party Republicans who elected Gov. LePage to accomplish the tea party platform of less government and less spending, thus shielding themselves from being called hypocrites, and saving lots of Maine taxpayer dollars to boot.

Here is what Maine taxpayers and reporters should be doing in the coming four years: monitor and keep a close eye on everything Gov. LePage will be recommending and implementing.

I can assure you that the word “hypocrite” will not fully define what Gov.LePage and his tea party team will really stand for during his term in office.

James Chasse

St. Agatha 

Will Maine start down the road to economic prosperity in 2011?

Even before Gov. LePage took the oath of office, the whiners, hand-wringers and some irrationally biased special interest groups flooded your newspaper with articles and letters.

For example, many argue that conservation and protection of natural resources must be preserved at any cost and cannot be compromised. No doubt Maine’s lakes, streams, forests and scenic seacoasts are important state assets.

But this fanaticism and unyielding passion to protect the state’s natural resources and environment are preventing any significant private-sector business investment and overall economic growth. How can Maine ever achieve economic prosperity if it doesn’t have a balanced, noncompeting public policy between preservation of natural resources and economic development?

Hopefully in 2011 a balanced discussion of this issue will appear in your newspaper and occur in Augusta. What new/revised tax, regulatory and public policy measures are essential to begin efforts leading to economic prosperity to Maine?

Why not have a regular feature article containing reports on economic growth success stories from around the country, and practical ideas for creating significant job growth from business experts and pro-business organizations and individuals?

Let’s face it, Maine’s natural resources cannot come close to generating enough revenue from tourism, taxes, royalties, permits, fines and fees to prevent the impending collapse of Maine’s economy and bring real prosperity to its people.

Continuing to manage, at any cost, much of these “resources” in a manner that restricts access and limits public use and economic development will undoubtedly lead to stringing rusty cables across all roads entering Maine.

Bill Underwood

Springvale

Maine’s lucky Rep. Pingree didn’t get her way on taxes 

If I may paraphrase P. J. O’Rourke’s hilarious book, “Don’t Vote: It Only Encourages the Bastards,” please don’t vote for Rep. Chellie Pingree again! It only encourages her.

After a campaign of demagoguery designed to appeal to the misinformed and uninformed, she’s returned to Congress, and moved even more to the left. If it was up to Rep. Pingree, we’d have faced the most massive tax hike in history on Jan. 1.

She shamefully promotes class warfare and envy with her “soak the rich” rhetoric. She’s either economically illiterate or a socialist bent on destroying capitalism. Under capitalism, the consumer is king. When we perceive that those whose enterprise, talent and ingenuity have made our lives richer, we make them richer, whether they be Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Bill Gates or Tom Brady.

Those folks don’t keep that money under their mattress. They invest it, in enterprises that satisfy consumer needs better than anyone else, or they lose it. Consumers decide!

The alternative is for the money to go in taxes to the federal government, where politicians and bureaucrats plan what we consumers want and need and at what price. They decide!

True, the deficit needs to be dealt with, but not through increased taxation. We need to cut government spending. As someone who has served in the top echelons of two different executive branch agencies, I can tell you the waste is mind-boggling, and its extent can only be thoroughly believed by someone who’s seen it “up close and personal.”

Porter D. Leighton

Falmouth

Recollections of Korean War spur wishes for troops today

As someone whose friends are way too old to survive in Afghanistan or Iraq, I can relate about a colder climate: Korea circa 1950-51, in one of the coldest winters in Korea’s history. As luck would have it, my Marine Corps buddy arrived just in time to push back the invading North Korean armies. Things were going fine, but then China, with its massive army, decided to aid its ally, North Korea.

Long story short, my buddy got shot and endured one hell of a retreat back to an embarcation area, braving the cold and cannon fire and nursing a wound. But it seems when you’re a kid you always look at the bright side.

He said to me, “Jack, this is great. I’m going home in time for Christmas.” He survived. We both went back to college and he re-entered the military, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. When I recall seeing him at a Navy hospital years ago, I am reminded of all our young men and women serving now in harm’s way and, as an old retired veteran, pray for them every day. Hopefully God is listening.

A Happy New Year to all, but more so to our brave men and women serving this wonderful country of ours. God bless you!

Frank Slason

Somerville

 

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