I was rather put off by Cal Thomas’ column, “Democrats use bipartisanship as a tool to pick GOP’s pockets” (Star-Advertiser, Sept. 4).

I consider myself a fierce independent. I am not what I call an “automatic Democrat.” But what Thomas sees as obstruction, I see as moral response. Compromise with cruelty is no virtue.

And this administration has shown that cruelty by passing legislation that enriches the wealthy while hypocritically having lamented in the past about fiscal responsibility. Having exploded the national debt, it has shown no regard for those without wealth. Indeed, the Republicans’ answer to the debt will be to lower or eliminate benefits for the needy.

The GOP reminds me of Shaw’s character Tanner in his play, “Man and Superman,” who said, “I am a gentleman: I live by robbing the poor.”

Paul C. Franke

Salt Lake

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