I qualify for the description of “middle class” because I am still managing to keep from slipping into the under class, although if Mr. Obama has his way a great many of us won’t, particularly widows on Social Security.

We DO love our hundred-year-old house over in the hill country, where Charles lived before we joined our lives, but we can’t ranch on 20 acres and we cannot become as self-sufficient as possible without raising animals and crops. It is not safe to live there in the current economic situation and we rely on ourselves, not the government, for what we need.

Paradise is in our MINDS. We love each other, the animals, what we are building exclusively by our own efforts, not living in the city, and even the shabby old house I inherited which we are enlarging all by ourselves. We’re working to protect ourselves and those we love from the coming Greater Depression. We do without things that most Americans think indispensible. Not having cable TV will buy three cows a year, and we can eat them if Detroit comes to our area. Foregoing dinner and the movies twice buys a good French Alpine Dairy goat. We do splendidly with one cell ‘phone and a magic box that gets us Internet anywhere cell ‘phones work. We don’t eat fast food or drink Cokes all day long. In short, we make choices. We defer gratification. We EARNED what we have over long lifetimes of following the rules. We do not apologize for having two residences. We defrauded no one to get them. The “homeless” have no claim on the fruits of our labor and sacrifices, and I explain this only because most of the electorate has forgotten what being responsible for their own lives and choices means.

The real question is why you supposed instantly that we live on the Ponderosa and have a mansion on a hill, as well. Not that it would matter so long as we hadn’t gotten them through unethical or illegal behavior. Happiness is where you find it and security is the result of character and choices. The politics of envy are always great vote getters, but they do not lead to safety, security, or happiness for anyone other than politicians.

Linda Brady Traynham

The Texas Ring is a casual organization of friends–most of whom have been published on Whiskey and Gunpowder–as well as a site where similar articles are published. One is not invited to become a member because one has appeared on Morning Whiskey. Other than Richard Marmo, a longtime friend and widely-published writer, and Gary’s find of the fabulous Tex Norton, each member attracted my attention by commenting on something which appeared in W&G or on another site. I responded, they replied, and all our lives are richer for the friendships which developed. (Being a member of the Ring is NOT a guarantee that a writer’s work will make W&G. There is no nepotism, to use the word loosely.)

I do commend http://www.thetexasring.com to you. We think it interesting, insightful, frequently amusing, and full of principles and logic. It contains articles of the same caliber you find here.

NO one else has a better right than I to invite someone to join the Ring other than Gary Gibson because the Ring was our brain-child. All it takes is the ability to write well, sound principles, and a desire for the camaraderie of like-minded others. Far from condescending to Mr. Calderwood, I proffered friendship if he has time and an interest in corresponding. I hope he does. I stand by my original statement: he wrote a splendid article.

LInda Brady Traynham

Let’s start with the easy charge, that I “deigned” to comment on Mr. Calderwood’s article . It really wasn’t difficult. I thought he wrote an excellent piece, and, having nice manners, myself, I said so.

Do you advocate litmus tests before one may comment here? If so, what are you standards and what qualifies YOU to insult ME? (I would prefer to underline or italicize those words, but those options are not available.)

What qualifies ME to express an opinion is that I am a professional editor AND I am a frequent guest writer on this site. From the second qualification you may infer, correctly, that I am acquainted thoroughly with the issues involved; the first should indicate to the meanest intelligence that others pay me for my opinion and to fix what is wrong. My clients include Fortune 500 companies. In my professional opinion, Mr. Calderwood’s article was well-written, well-organized, factual, useful, and interesting.

Speaking in my capacity is a Counselor, I suggest you try saying something nice. It might change your whole attitude, which could use it.

Linda Brady Traynham

In the interest of disclosure, I’ll have to visit the Texas Ring and, perhaps, I can make beter sense of what you’re saying.