The letter in Thursday’s Tribune about “Democratic scare tactics directed to older people” requires a response and a thorough fact-check.

The author denies that Republicans threaten Social Security. In fact, the Social Security overhaul proposed by Republicans reduces benefits by raising the retirement age for everyone, and it changes the way benefits are indexed.

Over time, this would reduce Social Security as we know it to a small retirement benefit.

The letter states that coal-fired power plants are closing because of EPA regulations, as if the decline of coal were entirely due to the EPA.

To be fair, one would have to also point the finger at banks that are reluctant to finance them, insurance companies that are reluctant to insure them and investors who prefer to invest in clean energy sources. And, of course, the power companies themselves, which will likely turn to natural gas to fuel the next generation, for a variety of very good reasons.

The next item in the familiar litany of right-wing talking points was corporate taxes. As nearly everyone knows by now, it doesn’t matter what the corporate tax rate is.

The wealthiest Americans and the most profitable corporations utilize a system of loopholes, shelters and subsidies to reduce their tax burdens to a level working Americans can only envy.

Exxon, General Electric, Bank of America, Boeing and many other wildly profitable corporations manage to pay no federal income tax at all.

Addressing all the misinformation in the letter would require more space than is available.

However, the ironic placement, on the same page, of the editorial describing Gov. Kasich’s disdainful treatment of those who protested the closing of the ORV correctional facility makes my point better than I ever could.

So does the governor’s plan to end collective bargaining for public employees, starve local governments and balance the state’s budget on the backs of working families.

The keys to solving the problems we face are the things that made our country great: opportunity, equality and shared sacrifice.

All three are sadly absent from the Republican agenda.

Abby Fowler

Ironton