Letters
For shame, Republicans are acting as if George W. Bush did not exist.
He had ample opportunity to destroy so many of our institutions, but they insist that Obama not be allowed to keep any of his promises.
We voted to allow his ideals a chance. Congress is acting as if our mandate is moot, and only their august misjudgments are valid. Give his ideas a chance, these compromises dilute and distort his ideals.
The tea party espouses an economic plan that their idol, Ronald Reagan gave up on, as a failed plan. Trickle-down economics are a farce and a con. This Congress has only divided our country even more.
Loyal Republicans are attempting to stay loyal, but the tea party is dividing their own party. In fact, the Congress is becoming the tool of the very wealthy and the corporations.
The Supreme Court, thanks to G.W. Bush, is now a tool of the tea party. His appointees have already allowed the rich and the corporations, to give unlimited funds to candidates; which is a road map to buying elections.
Fundraising is already taking far too much of our elected officials' time and efforts, which are better used to do jobs we elected them to do.
The only way to save our economy is by putting people to work and allowing their tax money to revive our struggling country.
Sure, the ideal of a rugged independent American, depicted by John Wayne, an individual who never needed assistance.
That was yesterday, when 90 percent of Americans lived on subsistence capable, farming communities.
The more we specialize, the more we need to depend on each other, and need government safety nets, such as Social security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment and disability insurance.
Save America, keep Obama, and vote out the tea party and save both the country, and the Republican party they have hijacked.
Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Dave Gebhard
We must make California a right-to-work state.
A "right-to-work" law is a statute that prohibits union security agreements, or agreements between labor unions and employers that govern the extent to which an established union can require employees' membership, payment of union dues, or fees as a condition of employment, either before or after hiring.
Right-to-work laws exist in 23 U.S. states. Such laws are allowed under the 1947 federal Taft-Hartley Act.
A couple of related facts:
1) Between 2000 and 2008 one person per minute left a non right-to-work state and moved to a right-to-work state.
2) California until early 2010 had a manufacturing plant that assembled Toyota Corollas. Corolla manufacturing did not move to China. It moved to a new Toyota manufacturing facility in Mississippi. There are eight Toyota manufacturing plants in the United States (all in right-to-work states) that manufacture Toyota vehicles and engines.
A right-to-work state does not ban unions. Unions can and many times do still exist but they must survive based on their merit to the workers. The workers are not forced to pay union dues nor support a union as a condition of employment.
California needs to attract and keep businesses and jobs to financially survive. And to fund our extensive environmental protection desires. We need to keep workers not just welfare recipients.
It will be a difficult battle as unions fund most of the previously golden states democratic legislators, but we must use the upcoming November election to bring the jobs back to California. Please spread the word.
Ed Calkins lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Ed Calkins
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