After reading the two Letters Oct. 21 “Pray and Vote” by Mr. Jerry Waterman and Oct. 25 “Socialism Destroys Freedom by Mr. Kerry Huck I had to chuckle when Mr. Waterman cited the quote from Winston Churchill “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”

Albert Einstein was a socialist I hardly think his brilliant mind fits the description of being envious, ignorant nor does it typify failure.

Regarding envy Churchill is arrogantly defending Great Wealth regardless of how it is obtained. Louis Brandeis the famous Supreme Court Justice warned us by saying ” We can have Democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of the few but you can’t have both!”

Emphasizing Churchill words “The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries” does Mr. Waterman understand Churchill is not only mocking the poor but the whole idea of caring for one another? Churchill’s subliminal message, why feel sorry for the distressed you silly fool, turn your back and walk away.

Mr. Huck sources the Milton Friedman quote “The Society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither.” That quote is so 1984, so Orwellian but it unveiled the Republican group think that both Huck and Waterman employ against the socialist ideal of equality.

Friedman is promoting the capitalist philosophy of paranoia! Watch out! Everyone is suspect, a competitor ready to pounce and dominate you. In other words to be a successful you must trust no one, exhibit no qualms about stepping on fingers and hands when climbing the ladder. In the eyes of an authoritarian pro monopolist capitalist’s like Trump, Freidman and Churchill equality is sign of human weakness.

The two Letters by Mr. Waterman and Huck beg the question. Do we want a more diverse, equitable, inclusive workplace laced with integrity or a capitalistic barbaric market laced with suspicion, unleashed dog eat dog viscousness that is being advocated by the Heritage Foundation or Project 2025 and embraced by Trump.

In all my 59 years of activism I can truthfully claim I have yet to hear economists like Friedman or any Republican office holder proclaim they support a living wage.