Dear Ms O'Brien,

I am writing to take issue with your assertion in the Press-Herald [on April 13] that "people have absolutely had it with big-government, Democratic regimes."

For the past seven years, we have had a Republican in the White House, and for most of that time we also had Republican majorities in both the House and Senate. During this time, the federal budget has gone from $1,789,216 [million] in 2000 to $2,730,241 [million] in 2007 (http://origin.www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy09/pdf/hist.pdf, Table 1.1).

Now, remind me, please, which party is the party of big government?

Sincerely,

Garrett Fitzgerald
Brewer, Maine