I am responding to Thomas Shields’ advocacy (Aug. 6) for the so called “free market” approach to economics. In a free market, the biggest pigs get the largest share of the trough. He doesn’t take account of the facts that little pigs may contribute to the trough out of proportion to their take-away.

Regarding the Associated Press article (Aug. 6) about older workers getting hurt more often, it is sad that older people often can’t retire in spite of diminishing strength and agility. Medicare only pays 80 percent of medical care, has an increasing deductible and doesn’t cover drugs in many cases. Those people don’t necessarily want to work — they have to in order to pay for health insurance.

It is time to make some decisions about the cost of medical care. Most everyone blames insurers but medical providers deserve a large share of the blame.

Marilyn Burgess, Leeds

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