More than 50 years ago, President Eisenhower observed that if we balanced the federal budget, did not import more than we exported, met our balance of payments, and thus avoided inflation, his administration could do more for the average American workers than all the expensive social welfare programs Congress could think of.

The older I become, the more I think “Ike” was, in the main, correct. He was inherently conservative, but not a radical reactionary.

In her book, “Fire on the Mountain,” Joy Davidman, the wife of Clive Staples Lewis, the well-known Christian apologist, gave a modern interpretation of the Ten Commandments. Among other things, she pointed out that inflation is a swindle. We just have to figure out exactly who benefits from inflation, who is hurt the most, and inform the electorate. Neither political party has done a good job informing the public on this particular issue.

Richmond Parker

Auburn