As a resident of Albert Lea since July of 1979, I found the Dec. 17 Republican Party letter to the editor a profound disappointment in so many ways.  Especially disappointing was a lack of present-day insight and disregard of American history.

Albert Leans who are unemployed through no fault of their own do not need yet another intelligent and committed community member to disrespect them. Labor unions fought for decades for basic human rights in the workplace including a fair wage, health benefits, work comp protections, strong OSHA rules and, of course, when unemployed through no fault of their own — unemployment compensation benefits. The recent history is clearly a Republican Party who under eight years of George W. Bush allowed Wall Street to wreck the economy, including pension funds for too many, plus the running up of a over a trillion dollars in debt for the invasion of Iraq — a country which did not attack us on 9/11 and did not at any have nuclear weapons. This huge debt created by Republicans is the problem and not our local Albert Leans who through no fault of their own are receiving unemployment compensation benefits.

Then great news! Gov. Mark Dayton. Let me write that again. Gov. Mark Dayton signs into law the Medicaid for all the poor bill. Will the Republican Party letter writer of Dec. 17 also attack Medicaid for the poorest Albert Leans?

Ted Hinnenkamp

Albert Lea