The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

To The Eagle,

I wait patiently for our weekly source of local news but mostly for the opinion section with the ongoing battle of wits, although some seem to be a bit short of the requisite wits.

One frequent writer seems to be articulate and knowledgeable. Another that comes to mind is articulate but seems to have confused socialism with various dictatorships around the world who claim to be socialist. These dictators have told their easily led populous that they are a socialist society but what they have is exactly the opposite. Cuba, North Korea and many others historically have all suffered under that system.

True socialistic countries are the Scandinavian ones along with other well functioning societies such as Germany, unlike writer number two's distorted view. On a recent survey dealing with issues of social importance, these above mentioned were the most contented and productive countries on earth.

The third frequent writer is apparently trapped in a ‘everything is fine, nothing to see here citizen so just move along' mode and his writings are so ridiculous on their own that this writer won't address them. It would be akin to ‘piling it on' to even mention this person. Writer number one knows the facts of what he says and has proof enough for anyone not caught in cognitive dissonance.

In our country we already have quite a few socialist ideals working for us. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, safety nets for those in dire need, free education through grade 12. This is all socialism and by adding cradle to grave single payer health care we could join the rest of the industrialized world. America could be a great country but the direction we're currently on is taking us in the opposite direction. It doesn't make a great country to encourage violence against other races, religions or anything else a person doesn't understand or agree with. Socialism puts its citizens first while capitalism puts corporations and profit ahead of human needs.

The current so called health care bill the grand old party is trying to ram down our collective throats is another example of the rich getting richer while the poorest of the poor are literally dropped off the edge of society. This does not make America great. It is troubling that there are those that can't or won't see this. The reason I haven't used names is I don't feel like embarrassing any of the writers portrayed, so will let you the reader assign names to the ones I described. Have fun, good luck, educate yourselves and we may yet make America great.

James Roberts

Elochoman Valley