Letters to the editor, September 2
August 31, 2012 1:12PM
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Updated: October 3, 2012 6:03AM
Labor unions need to refocus
on the interests of members
Many Americans will celebrate the 130th anniversary of Labor Day with hamburgers and hot dogs. Despite the name, most Americans forget the holiday was originally conceived by the labor movement to reflect on the social and economic achievements of America’s workers.
At its pinnacle, the labor movement fought to bring employees better pay, working conditions and benefits. Today, labor unions have drastically shifted their agendas from acting as the voice of workers to using their members as cash cows for political power to affect issues far from the workplace. Often, the issues are at odds with their members’ interests.
Legislation like the Employee Rights Act would demand unions be accountable to their members and give workers more control over their money.
It’s been generations since we’ve updated our labor laws. The labor leaders who celebrated Labor Day decades ago stood on the same side as their members, but today, too often that’s not the case.
It’s time to stand for employees and give them the ability to control their destinies. It’s time for the passage of the ERA and a new agenda for Labor Day.
Rick Berman
The Center for Union Facts
Washington, D.C.
Democrats use scare tactics against Romney, Ryan
In a predictable move right out of the Chicago political playbook, Democrats stepped up their strategy of scare tactics and misinformation about Mitt Romney’s choice for vice president, Paul Ryan.
Of course, their campaign will try to misrepresent, confuse, distort and deflect from President Barack Obama’s dismal record by tearing down their opponent and will fail to offer little in the way of a substantive alternative.
There are two ways to have the biggest house on the block. The American way is to build it yourself; Obama and his minions are taking the second option, which is to tear everyone else’s down.
The Dems have failed to offer any meaningful solutions to the problems we face as a nation (except to raise taxes on the evil rich) which are: the economy, runaway national debt and entitlement reform. The Democrats have resorted to class warfare and scare tactics. I hope people will see through this and will convict, for the crime of misinformation, the desperate Obama and his Chicago goons.
Obama’s campaign spokesman, David Axelrod, portrayed Ryan as an extreme right-wing ideologue. Like your guy isn’t the polar opposite left-wing version who promised to govern from the middle?
Harry Reid also parroted in making baseless accusations of Romney’s failure to pay taxes for the last decade.
I believe America still wants bold leaders with bold plans, who have the courage to do the right things for our country.
Scott Walker demonstrated this in Wisconsin and, in November, my bet will be on Romney-Ryan.
Jeff Eenigenburg
DeMotte
