Why is wealth redistribution OK for some?

During Wednesday night's final presidential debate, Sen. John McCain took more than one swipe at Sen. Barack Obama as someone who wants to "spread the wealth" in America. It was codespeak for "Sen. Obama will raise taxes on the rich and force them to 'redistribute' their wealth to the middle class."

If John McCain has such a big issue with spreading the wealth, then why is he just fine with having the American taxpayer spread the wealth to corporate America in the form of bailouts for Wall Street, AIG, banks, airlines and on and on? It's OK for ordinary Americans to subsidize Wall Street while the rich, many of whom live and work on Wall Street, don't have to subsidize anyone?

Sorry, Sen. McCain, but you can't have it both ways. If we subsidize you, my friend, then you're going to have to subsidize us. Trickle-down economics, I think you call it.

ELAINE LABALME
Mt. Lebanon

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Fulton Co. values

After reading the Oct. 5 article "McCain Strong in Border County," I would like to defend the residents of Fulton County. I grew up in Fulton County in a little town named Burnt Cabins, population roughly 250. I attended Forbes Road Junior Senior High School (grades 7-12 in one building) and was one of the 40 members of the graduating class of 1995.

Most people who know Fulton County only from this article probably assume the population is not supportive of Barack Obama because they are uneducated and racist. I disagree. I think the people of Fulton County don't support Obama for a variety of reasons that are much more substantial. They do not believe the government owes them anything. They don't envy people who make over $250,000. Most of them would not trade their modest way of life for anything. Redistribution of wealth is what you do when you kill more pheasant than your family needs and you share them with your neighbor. They still cherish their guns and their Bibles. They still know all of their neighbors and can count on them for help when they need it.

You could say Fulton County represents what most of Pennsylvania used to be -- a place where people were self-sufficient and helped their neighbors. We should all be so lucky to live in such a backward place.

MICHAEL POLETO
Franklin Park

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Incomplete picture

I was intrigued by the Oct. 5 headline "McCain Strong in Border County," being from the "border county" of Somerset and familiar with Fulton County. I anticipated discussion of the traditional conservatism of people in this area, which long predates the present election and party slates. Growing up in a family of Democrats put me in a decided minority in my high school class during the 1960 and 1964 elections!

This article, however, prominently featured ignorant, racist quotes and seemed designed to cast the Democrat operating the Dott Store as the solitary voice of reason. Ignorance and racism, sadly, know no geographic boundaries. The quotes sickened me. But am I wrong to feel this article chose to highlight the most inflammatory comments? After all, Soviet-controlled media used disinformation to plant ideas, not by outright fabrication, but through choosing what to highlight or suppress.

I am a daughter of the community Mr. Obama portrayed as "bitter" and clinging to "guns, religion and antipathy to people who aren't like them." As a Democrat, I'm sad to say I too often see liberals themselves expressing "antipathy to people who aren't like them" -- in this case, conservative rural McCain supporters -- and attacking what they don't understand. My mother's neighbors are churchgoers and hunters, and indeed conservative -- but also kind, decent and loving. They don't spout quotable hatred toward anyone. Still, it's not surprising they are slow to trust the intentions of -- or vote for -- those who don't know them but judge them bitter, superstitious and hate-filled.

SUSAN WRIGHT
South Fayette

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Willfully ignorant

I was shocked by the blatant racism, ignorance and un-Christian sentiments quoted in the Oct. 5 article on Fulton County voters.

To Charles Sipes: I can only say, read the Constitution and don't skip the amendments. Your ignorance is exceeded only by your radical anti-American rhetoric.

To Don Peck: Unless you're Native American, your family came from somewhere "foreign." Sen. Obama was born in the United States and lives in the United States. He's no more or less "foreign" than the rest of us.

To Floyd Palmer: Unless you make $250,000 a year, there is no increase in capital gains tax. The middle class, working poor and elderly will fare better under Obama's tax plan.

To Bill Watson, who questions the patriotism of a U.S. senator: You apparently think it's OK to vote for someone whose husband belonged to a secessionist party.

To Gerald Chalupka: How much of that Dollar General stuff says "made in the USA"?

To anyone who believes Sen. Obama wants to take your hunting rifle away, chill out, he doesn't.

To "some voters" who think Mr. Obama is both a Christian (true) and a Muslim (false), read up on John McCain's Catholic-hating pal Rev. John Hagee and the pastor/witch hunter Thomas Muthee who "anointed" Sarah Palin. Then take out your Bibles and turn to Matthew 7:12 for a lesson that is the basis for all major religions and fundamental human rights.

Thank God there are enough good people in Pennsylvania who understand this country was founded to escape intolerance -- not promote it -- to offset the votes of the willfully ignorant.

CATHERINE HALUSCHAK
Kennedy

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No thanks

In regard to the Oct. 11 letter of Michael Schneider ("Stop GOP Insanity"): I suppose he would like to have more Democrats like Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Barney Frank and Chris Dodd in power, for they have accomplished so much in their two years as the majority party in Congress.

And then they could be led by the most liberal ex-senator Barack Obama. Heaven forbid!

ROBERT BIZUB
Monroeville

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Picking Sides: Barack Obama

When that hypothetical phone rings at 3 a.m., we need someone who considers the options carefully before responding. We don't need an impulsive president who reacts from the gut. In this election, Sen. Obama responds. Sen. McCain acts impulsively. Our president must represent us, the people, to the world. We don't need "just folks" for this job. We need grace, diplomacy, compassion and wisdom -- our better selves. We need someone who rejects the politics of fear and sound bites, someone who speaks to us and for us reasonably. Again, it's Obama. Neither man is perfect, but Obama is the clear choice.

KAYTE WATTAM
Bellevue

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Picking Sides: John McCain

According to Wikipedia, socialists mainly share the belief that capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth into a small section of society that controls capital and creates an unequal society. All socialists advocate the creation of an egalitarian society, in which wealth and power are distributed more evenly. In Obama's own words last weekend to the plumber in Ohio, he said he doesn't want to punish him for building a successful business, he just thinks "when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." That alone is why I will not be voting for Barack Obama. That, my friends, is socialism.

MARY BETH CIRUCCI
Monroeville

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