COLUMN: Left union ideals out

Mary Souza (March 3) obviously has no respect for the working class of citizens. Her constant reference to profit as the only source of employment belies her bias. Her ilk is demonstrated by anachronistic references to past attitudes toward labor during struggles of the working class to share in the GDP. Since unions did not gain legitimacy until the Great Depression, they are still a relatively new form of political power with which the country must recognize.

Furthermore, government employment was once a product of the "Spoils System" whereby political hacks controlled it all. After a president was assassinated the Civil Service System was created so government entities could employ the most qualified employees not beholden to said hacks. In order to keep these qualified employees from moving to more lucrative private sector employment, benefits such as pensions were created with a matching contribution system. The benefits were always considered withheld wages to retain these employees.

Only in times of economic distress do those who decided to work for more pay in the private sector begin to look at the government workers, who might have made wiser choices, with envy and malice.

Also there are many more references that Souza could have found to supplement her views than the few biased ones she chose as facts. Rupert Murdoch is not a modern Moses.

JIM FOLEY

Coeur d'Alene