I had to chuckle after reading Buddy Doyle’s letter of July 22 (“Maine not open for business but embarrassment”.

Maine is no different now than it was 50 years ago except for one thing: it has debt through unfunded liabilities. That’s like a Christmas present the people of Maine will forever be responsible for.

The debt of pensions was brought on by politicians, Democrat, Republican and independents alike. The Maine people were so busy raising their families and eking out a living to feed those families that they were trusting their government to run things efficiently at the Blaine House. They took that trust and spent every dime of it Mainers had given them.

A boy asked his father how the people in Maine reacted to the Great Depression, the man said, “Son, they didn’t know any difference. It was the same as always.”

That man was my father-in-law. He was living on his own at 11, taking care of his sister and special-needs brother. He joined the National Guard at 14 until they found out his age, and served in World War II in a tank until the war was over.

So when Doyle refers to Maine history, he shouldn’t refer to the politicians who have over the years filled their own pockets and had their own agendas. He should look to the people who have worked hard and paid the high taxes to live here.

Politicians have created division where there was none and taken the pride and dignity of Maine people and made them dependent on a system that can no longer take care of them.

Eileen Turner

Washington

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