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Takes government, workers uniting
It is really very simple: If business is only responsible for making as much profit as possible, business will make a great effort to pay its workers as little as possible. That is what happened in the past. It took the unions and the government to achieve a more just balance.
If those who detest unions and government regulations prevail, we will return to the horrors of the past. But if people understand the need for workers and the government to unite, we will deal with our problems in a much more positive way.
We must deal with a globalized world in which those who put profit above all are once again exploiting the working class while destroying the American middle class. The fact is that corporations are profiting by taking advantage of the new source of underpaid and nonunionized workers.
To solve this, the workers of the world must once again unite. American workers must take joy in the economic improvement of the world’s working class.
Our history shows that those who put profit above all will not willingly share. They must be made to be more just, and it is only the workers, along with a progressive government, who can bring this about.
GERALD H. PASKE
Wichita
Limit spending
Collective bargaining is good. What is bad is when labor unions collect money from members, pay union leaders exorbitant salaries and financially support politicians so they will support the union’s agenda.
Corporations are good because they can amass the capital necessary for large ventures, spreading the risk and gain among those who choose to invest. What is bad is when the executives start paying themselves exorbitant salaries and financially supporting politicians so they will support the corporate interests.
Unfortunately, the people’s interests are not being represented by the government today, because money talks and the politicians are listening to those who have it – corporate America and the labor unions.
How do we, the people, make our voices heard again? Unions need to be restricted to collective bargaining, and corporations should be limited to raising capital and operating the enterprises they have created. Neither unions nor corporations should be allowed to be involved in political action committees, lobbying government or contributing to the campaign of any politician.
But because the genie is out of the bottle, you can bet that the money controlled by both sides will be used to stop that from ever happening.
JERRY W. DAVIDSON
Valley Center
Need term limits
Columnist Davis Merritt wrote: “The people we sent to Washington, D.C., continued to shirk their responsibility to us all, choosing instead to focus on being re-elected and thus enabled to extend their irresponsibility” (Dec. 23 Opinion). Right on.
The simple solution to this problem is to limit the president, each senator and each representative to one six-year term, with a one-third turnover of Congress every two years. To make the required constitutional amendment more acceptable to those who would have to approve it, lawmakers could be “grandfathered.”
I harbor the crazy notion that while they are in our employment, members of Congress and the president should spend their time conscientiously representing us, not campaigning for themselves or anyone else.
It is not uncommon for us to send to Washington people of modest means who then, after a few terms, retire with substantial fortunes. Kudos to Merritt for spotlighting this serious issue.
DAVID GUDEMAN
Wichita
No Presidents Day
Nearly every American takes pride that our national government is built upon three distinct branches. “Separate but equal” is the catchphrase. The checks and balances of the tripod make our government system stable (in ideal conditions, when each branch takes its role seriously).
I have great respect for our past U.S. presidents. However, there is no “Supreme Court Day.” There is no holiday to honor the Congress, with a paid day off for most American workers. To have Presidents Day and honor one branch of our government, while ignoring the other two legs of the tripod, smacks of favoritism and prejudice.
Presidents Day should be stricken from the calendar as a holiday. Let us take pride in our history and remember our presidents solemnly, but privately.
JAMES A. MARPLES
Esbon
