I am right there with Lisa Savage on General Dynamics’ request for $60 million in Maine taxpayers’ money (”No more tax breaks for General Dynamics and BIW,” letter, Dec. 3). The U.S. House of Representatives’ and Rep. Chellie Pingree’s already voted on Nov. 14 to increase military spending beyond the current cap to the tune of $700 billion. When will it end?

Our legislators are frittering away our hard-earned tax dollars on massive weapons systems and military build up. What are we saddled with? No comprehensive health care, a deteriorated educational system, overwhelming student debt, people living on the streets and eating at soup kitchens as in 1929, a Pentagon that is the largest polluter in the world plus huge national debt that we, our children and grandchildren will scrape by to pay. All while, according to the Washington Post, the Pentagon wastes $25 billion a year — that we know of.

Our national security is truly at stake due to government budgeting that does not consider the people first. Perhaps our legislators fear people unlike us around the world. Perhaps that is why the U.S. has a presence in 172 countries. We the people are not afraid of people; we are afraid for our families who are suffering and dying from the inhumane budgetary decisions Congress is making.

Please contact Reps. Pingree and Bruce Poliquin and Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King. Ask them to stop taking contributions from military contractors; decrease military funding by eliminating weapons programs, closing bases and pulling out of wars; ensure the military completes an audit (the only U.S. government agency out of compliance) and redirect the funding to job-producing programs. Ask your state legislators to use the $60 million BIW is requesting to make the Clean Elections fund whole and to support

health care.

Ginny Schneider

Portland