Claire Corkins “Ways of Seeing” article regarding a family trip to Ireland, brought back fond memories of my own trips there. Her perspective on learning from other countries certainly echoes Ralph Nader’s similar wisdom. One of the most important lessons is how real democracy works. I heard an interview with a man reputed to be a “man of wisdom.” When asked about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he called him a “spoiler.” There is certainly a gross lack of wisdom there and an obvious ignorance of how other countries run their elections.

European nations typically have multiple candidates.  Rather than two parties of generally wealthy elites, perpetuating our rule-by-the-rich system, those nations have a genuine freedom to choose candidates who support the common people. That yields a much smaller wealth chasm between the rich and poor.

When asked why he doesn’t promote fair taxes on the rich, our illustrious governor, Phil Scott (“Mr. Veto”) stated that he could count on the fingers of one hand the number of wealthy people not paying their fair share. One of those fingers should point back at him. His lie was clearly revealed by the petition put together by brilliant Middlebury College professor, Ellen Oxfeld, and signed by 50 of the wealthiest Vermonters. It stated words to the effect that they were dismayed by the wreckage of our infrastructure caused by lack of available funds, which could be ameliorated by fair taxation. Our wealthy governor must have a lot of fingers on his hand.

The editorial, on the same page, praising Howard Dean’s policy of “living within our means” ignores his wealth and that of his family, with their close ties to the Bush crime family. “Our means” are immensely greater than he will admit. I have had past associations with Dean and can attest to his dishonesty.

The “man of wisdom” mentioned at the beginning, went on with the tired old refrains of American exceptionalism, which are totally refuted by looking abroad. A couple of weeks after arriving in England in the late sixties, I remarked to my brother that we heard, in the U.S., never ending claims of freedom. I didn’t remember one mention of English freedom but saw a much greater incidence of it there.

I came to learn during my years of bumming around Europe and living for spells in a number of places, that the countries with the greatest happiness and freedom were the most democratic socialist ones. Here we have been indoctrinated, by the wealthy class, to loathe the idea of socialism. The rich don’t want their freedom to rape the poorer people impinged upon.

I recently read an article by an African American woman who was married to a Finnish basketball player. After five years of dwelling there, she was ecstatic about living in Finland, the “happiest country,” where she felt none of the prejudice so blatant here. People take care of each other. Parents have no qualms about putting a six-year-old on a bus to travel anywhere in the country. She went on and on.

I have an old article by the then-Danish ambassador to the U.S. Denmark was then considered to be the happiest country, but he talked about how the long tentacles of corporatism were making inroads. He was worried, for good reason. Time confirmed his worries.

When are we going to wake up to the reality that we are willingly being trod upon by the jack boots of major wealthy criminals? There are many of us and few of them. It is well past time to honor the wisdom of Ralph and Claire, regarding needed lessons, and assume our real power. Concerned citizens far outnumber the corrupt corporatists.

When Ralph Nader released his book, “Unsafe at Any Speed,” General Motors went to great lengths to smear him. Ralph, one of the world’s least corruptible men, later defeated GM in a lawsuit, prompting them to apologize before Congress. David vs. Goliath? Among the copious “freedoms” claimed here, apparently the freedom to run for office on a platform of truth, seems to have missed the boat.

Will R.F.K. Jr. forever have the “spoiler” label attached to him? It is interesting that he, too, once called Nader a spoiler — a pretty stupid statement for a man of his brilliance. Is he now suffering the karma of accepting the “lie told a thousand times?” He is a world-renowned scientist, but in my book, has too many flaws to be president

Joe Gleason

Brisport