John Balentine is reliably contrary to anything that lends a hand to those in need. Like his fellow conservative trustafarians, he believes that Americans are basically lazy and disincentivized when they receive that $600 check. I suspect he has no children or close relatives whose lives have been rescued by that weekly check. He denigrates Dr. Anthony Fauci for rightly correcting himself and reversing his position on masks. Yet Balentine has no problem with Donald Trump’s never admitting his errors, let alone his 20,000-plus lies, hundreds of which have cost untold American lives. Balentine’s “last straw” was a magazine’s feature article on Fauci shown relaxing at his home, yet he’s just fine with Trump’s playing golf during some of the worst days in America’s history. Balentine’s imperious disdain for common folk is my pet peeve.

Stephen Romanoff
Falmouth