After threatening to take his ball and go home, the boy did, leaving his playmate without a game and the spectators perplexed.

The boy had wanted his playmate to help pump more air into the ball, but they said is was overinflated already.

The spectators urged the players to get back together, but they could not compromise.

Then, the boy was shocked when his playmate invited another player, with a properly inflated ball, into his yard. Now the boy struggles even to keep his ball inflated, and has little enthusiasm for his truncated game, as he watches his neighbor play on a much bigger field.

One moral that can be drawn from this story is about gratitude. Expression of it creates growth and good will. A lack of gratitude is stifling.

Now the Shade Township/Central City area has two fire companies nearly on top of each other. For how long?

Nick Russian

Central City



The 1 percenters hold the trump cards

With America facing an uncertain financial future, thanks to the culture of deception in our government, there is a simple solution that can bring the reckless spending to a halt.

Since the top 1 percent of income earners contribute 40 percent of all tax revenue, they can put some serious pressure on the politicians to end this developing financial disaster. They can simply take an unpaid leave of absence from their income-tax generating activities. The resultant loss in tax revenue would force politicians to mend their ways or face a governmentwide shutdown.

Given President Obama’s communist leanings, the meteoric explosion of spending will drive us toward an economic Armageddon. Since when did we, as Americans, agree to become slaves to the ruling class?

I believe that if the high-wage earners took a stand on reducing their tax liabilities they could demand accountability to end the existing waste, fraud and abuse on current programs before any more new spending programs are foolishly enacted.

Obama is a narcissistic fool, and a dangerous one at that. Spending for feel-good programs such as government run health care might sound like warm and fuzzy economic fairness, but the fact is we cannot afford what we already have let alone more spending. When does this madness end?

Only the taxpayers can put a stop to it.

And they must once again risk their lives, fortunes and sacred honor and take a stand against oppressive irresponsible government spending.

Dr. Billy Choby

Latrobe



We are moralists, not anti-Obama

It seems that we, who are anti-Obama, are labeled racists. Black columnist Clarence Page implies this in his column printed on Sept. 21 in The Tribune-Democrat; and Nat Boscola echoed this in his letter of Sept. 23.

As for me, I did not vote for the man, not because of his color, but because he is the most pro-abortion, most liberal politician who ever danced across the political stage.

If one is not aware of this, just examine all his appointments to his cabinet and Supreme Court. With each appointment, planned parenthood and their ilk danced a jig; and so did the devil.

I am not a racist. I would vote for black activist Alan Keyes or black columnist Thomas Sowell in a heartbeat if either ran for office. I also would vote for Cal Thomas, the columnist, no matter what color he happens to be wearing.

But I am a moralist who is very much anti-Obama. There are millions who are anti-Obama but not racists for my reasons or for other reasons.

Call the Klu Klux Klan racists if you will.

But please don’t call the rest of us so.

For those of you who still think Obama is our Messiah, reread the recent articles submitted by writers – too numerous to mention – and try to prove them wrong.

Richard A. Ruth

Johnstown



Why the hoopla over national health care?

What’s so great about government-run health care? My monthly income is from Social Security and a small pension. I have Medicare insurance.

In October, I fell into a hole – the Medicare prescription coverage “donut hole.” If I don’t get sick for the remainder of the year, my Medicare insurance premiums, maintenance-care co-pays, and prescription drug costs will still take more than 40 percent of my monthly income.

I know there are many who are worse off than I am. I thank God that I am well enough to get a part-time job to make ends meet. There are those who cannot and are ineligible for Medicaid or PACE.

Medical costs continue to increase, and Medicare insurance premiums are going up. However, since inflation in general is stagnant, there will be no Social Security cost of living adjustment. Thus, we retirees’ standard of living will go down.

The government-run retirement system is unable to respond to the needs of those enrolled in the government-run health care system for retirees. Again, I ask, “What’s so great about government-run health care or government-run anything?

Roger C. Knepper

Geistown Borough