Pete Scobby (Letters, Nov. 3) rails against “conservatives” for a host of financial and governmental abuses including “stealing” his retirement funds with “deregulation of the financial industry.” Rather than conservatives, the object of his scorn should be corporatists and crony capitalists of both parties in bed with Wall Street and others for their own mutual benefit.

Popular belief paints Republicans as the exclusive patrons of such, but this is false. Democrats are equally guilty. Look no further than the roles Congressman Frank and Sens. Dodd and Schumer played in the housing/financial bust and the amount of money Wall Street poured into the Obama electoral coffers.

True conservatives despise crony capitalism and are against government bailouts and takeovers, including those started by the Bush administration and expanded by the Obama administration. Party affiliation has no bearing on what is right or wrong.

Conservatives understand that in spite of its imperfections, when allowed to operate in an environment free of excessive government interference, free-market capitalism provides the most good for the most people. No other system provides more incentive or opportunity for anyone willing to work. Conservatives are not the enemy. Neither is free-market capitalism. Corporatists/crony capitalists and their dirty politician patrons are.

Mike Gross

Spokane