Share the wealth

God bless America. The federal government has improved the lot of the neediest among us. They are no longer "hungry," they are "food insecure." Their numbers grew from 33.6 million in 2001 to 38.2 million in 2004. Trending the growth through 2006 would increase their number to 41.3 million people going to bed every night hungry. President Bush continues to insist that our economy is healthy and his tax cuts are working and should be made permanent. I am glad for those companies that are making record profits and the people earning a million dollars a year whose tax cuts allow then to buy a new $45,000 car every year. Yet, since 2001, we have seen a marked increase in the number of poor, homeless, uninsured, personal and national debt, college tuition, interest on student loans, foreclosures and bankruptcy filings. The economy is never healthy enough to raise the minimum wage. One can only hope that the new Democratic Congress will take notice of statistics that have been ignored by the current administration and work for an equitable distribution of wealth so that the promise of America is realized by more of those who are working hard to achieve it. I also look forward to more transparency in government, true sharing of ideas without "treason" labels being attached to those who disagree and a return to supporting the Constitution -- not the president. Nick Reina, Milmay - Courier Post, December 7, 2006