Marxism claim traced to unqualified blogger

A Sept. 19 letter to the editor falsely linked to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin a claim that the United States is falling into Marxism. An Internet search quickly reveals that Stanislav Mishin is the author of the editorial that appeared in Pravda on April 27, from which this was excerpted. Verify at Pravda (http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/

columnists/107459-0/).

Mishin is a blogger. A search on his e-mail address, provided on his blog (Mat Rodina at Blogspot.com), reveals he is a resident of the United States. His blog lists no references to his credentials, and a search on his name only turns up a couple of articles posted on conservative blogs, including the nativist The American Party. He is essentially a nobody, who happens to be a conservative blogger.

Thomas J. Hickey

Iowa City