Listening to recent debates about the pros and cons of limiting time teens spend in tanning booths or beds, we couldn’t help but reflect on the thousands of new bills introduced all across the country every year designed to establish added government controls over our lives. It seems to us that government intervention has gone a bit too far in recent years, but we fear we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg.

We’re a nation of laws, which in many ways is a good thing. However, government leaders at many levels tend to overstep their bounds in today’s world, assuming responsibility for decision-making rights, which should, in truth, remain in the hands of families and individuals.

Maine has its fair share of new bills introduced each legislative session and it is guilty of spending far too much time on personal issues with not enough debate on some of the more critical matters. Over the years, we’ve all watched in disgust when precious time appears to have been wasted on less important bills, while matters of major importance waited in the sidelines.

Many of the bills coming before our legislators today would, if passed, further hinder our freedoms. A look back 10, 20, or 30 years ago to customs and practices which were a matter of choice will show that we’ve lost a lot of rights, folks. It makes you wonder if government at all levels feels that precious few decisions should be left up to the private citizen.

If you read newspapers (print editions or online), listen to the radio, or watch television news, hardly a week goes by when you don’t hear of yet another bill being introduced, which in one way or another takes away our right to decide for ourselves how to live our lives.

Sadly, the government will never run out of issues in which one segment of the population or another feels new controls should be established. So far, we’re still allowed to wake up or go to sleep at our own discretion, eat our meals when we like, shop where we prefer, etc., but that’s today. What tomorrow will bring, nobody knows.

Maine people, who pride themselves on being self-reliant and independent thinkers, are finding they’re caught up in the loss of rights which those in other states have been encountering in recent years.

We hope Maine people hang on for dear life to their rights as individuals. Government has its own role; let’s keep it as simple and as unobtrusive as possible.