I read Mr. Blickenstaff's letter to The Union on Aug. 26. I think his explanation of what a liberal is (and the reason it may be perceived as a “dirty word”) is eloquently set out in his description. The problem therein is that there is no mention of the word “work.” This country was not built by slackers and deadbeats.

The government owes you absolutely zip. It would behoove you, Mr. Liberal, to heed the words of JFK re: Asking not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

On the other side of the coin, the far right has just as many maladies as the liberals. You might be on opposite poles, but you surely straddle the same fence. Personally, I think the more minimized and irrelevant both groups become, the better off our country would be.

Linda Nunes

Penn Valley