UNIONS: Support American workers

In response to a March 18 item titled "GOP: Dems behind Failure," Mr. Brad Anderson blames the Democratic Party for all the nation's ails while ignoring fundamental truths. It makes me wonder what planet he's on because under "W's" watch came the housing and banking failures with Wall Street losing close to half its value sending the nation to the toilet, then bailing out AIG and the banks with trillions with no oversight. Where did that money go?

Mr. Anderson selectively blames teachers and city and state labor unions for local financial problems, but doesn't include our heroes in the police and fire unions. Are some unions good? He needs to blame the people who budget and spend the public's money. Have governors and legislators or the mayors and council members slashed their salaries? No. Why blame workers? Mr. Anderson groups city, state employees and teachers together because they are represented by "Democratic Unions." What's wrong with that? Democratic: fairness, one-person one-vote, equality. Union: organized, support.

Why be against unions as they are the voice or lobby for the American worker. Corporations and special interests like the NRA spend millions on lobbyists to influence and impose their will. The American worker only has unions and Democrats to look out for their interests collectively. Just read American history. The elite has always kept the working class as human wage slaves.

On dividing the country. No party has infused and incited more hate, threatened and perpetuated lies (health care) as the Party of No - the Grand Obstructionist Party the Republicans. After Dick Armey left Congress, his PR firm created the strategy of disrupting the Democrats' town halls, calling themselves Tea Baggers and that morphed in to the Tea Party. Remember Senator Boehner saying his "Sole mission in the Senate is to block the efforts of the president?" Not to be a statesman, but to do nothing. "The only compromise is if the president comes to our side." Also Newt Gingrich perfected the strategy of talking over an opponent. Now it's common practice on Faux News.

MIKE MARTEN

Coeur d'Alene