There is a difference between governments (local, state, federal) and corporations.

The job for corporations is to make lots of money for stockholders and CEOs. We hear “restructuring” when a corporation is laying off employees while raking in billion-dollar profits and paying little or no taxes. Employees are considered a disposable expense.

Governments exist to take care of those with special needs; to make repairs to bridges and roads; it may be a watchdog for how our food is processed; or help a preschooler’s ability to enter school (aren’t the dollars spent for Head Start a better investment than the cost of prisons — how many college graduates do you see behind bars?).

Governments may not be perfect, but isn’t it up to us to make them better, not destroy them? Like a cooperative, we all support governments and, in return, governments should even the playing field, giving everyone a fair opportunity.

But do we all support it?

The trend of the last 30 years is to drown governments in the bathtub and cut all revenues. Corporate taxes have never been lower, and taxes have shifted in scale from corporations and the wealthy to individuals.

We are very far from being a socialist country. We can be a capitalist democracy and care about our people. Examples are Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan and Switzerland; all have a health care system that cares for everyone.

We just need to want it and support it.

Diane Poirier, Lewiston