In a recent letter to the editor, state Sen. Tom Davis states: "But when government decides, as it always does, to do more, it is a mistake to assume public and private spending are the same."

And: "Private individuals, guided by the free market to produce what consumers need, always spend money more productively than politicians and bureaucrats." (My italics added.)

I would suggest that Sen. Davis be careful when proclaiming his perceptions as universal truths.

My research as an economist and life experience have taught me that "always" and "never" statements have tended to make me look foolish.

Davis Folsom

Beaufort