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Don Sorenson is an authentic breath of fresh air! I always enjoy his lengthy, common-sense letters to the Tribune derived from his personal experiences and his sharp-eyed view of what is happening in today’s culture. His sight is not clouded by all the political dust that is being kicked up by anti-Trumpers. He is speaking what he knows is accurate based on his long life and how attitudes have changed and morphed from being proud to be a hard-working citizen to something less than that in many cases. The most recent letter regarding the possible work requirement for able-bodied men and women who are currently receiving government benefits such as Medicaid (please don’t confuse this with Medicare, a program for older or disabled people), SNAP (food stamps) and other free benefits was spot on. These programs are lifelines for some low-income families. For individuals and heads of households who are able to fill many of the open jobs we see advertised daily, it’s a cop-out. The traditional method of providing for one’s needs is to work for them. I have personal experience from my employment at the Department of Social Services in upstate New York where I grew up. It was no different then, but today it’s on a huge scale due to the influx of non-citizens who are covered by these welfare programs in many states, including New York and Minnesota.

Mr. Sorenson, please keep speaking and writing what so many people know but are afraid to tell, especially in a public forum. Thank you for a clear head and a good vocabulary!

Sandy Olson
Northwood