I, too, was appalled by many of the arguments in George McGovern's recent piece on how labor must stop expecting "more" in the LA Times and Milwaukee Journal. So appalled, in fact, that I sent him a personal message detailing how the most pressing economic problem is hardly working people expecting too much, but rather the wealth and power of the richest 1%.

However, I think it is only fair to look at McGovern's career-long record of support for labor and the poor and with his writings like The Essential America (a 2004 book where he forcefully denounces the war in Iraq and NAFTA-style "free trade", a major break from the standard pro-corporate babble emanating from leading Democrats).

This current commentary is entirely out of character with his basic philosophy and record. While McGovern's incorrect arguments need to be publicly refuted with letters to the editor and in the blogosphere, he remains progressive leader of deep integrity who was seemingly led astray. In my view, when our progressive leaders get off-track--as happens with Paul Wellstone, Jesse Jackson, and anyone else you care to name--the most appropriate response is one of dialog rather than denunciation.Roger Bybee, Milwaukee, Wis.