In answer to Tom Schleck’s letter to the editor on Sept. 9 titled “Cutting programs good for economy,” I submit the following. This letter is a good example of what a far-far-right Republican is all about. It upsets me to no end when Republicans receive union benefits on my tax dollar.

He talks against raising the minimum wage being raised by office holders instead of the people who pay them to set them. Mr. Schleck’s exact words were the government needs to hold down costs for all, particularly in shelter and education. This is a good example of taking from the less fortunate by the Republicans. The Republicans are all for giving welfare to the filthy rich and the top 1 percent. If the fast-food establishments were free to offer starting wages to new employees now it would be in the neighborhood of $4 per hour.

Anyone with common sense knows the unions support the Democratic Party and the Democrats support unions. They both support raising the minimum wage. In Mr. Schleck’s letter he also endorsed Peggy Bennett for Minnesota representative. Now Peggy is a school teacher. I would bet she belonged to the teachers’ union. How can someone run as a Republican and belong to a union? The Republicans try everything they can to bust the unions. Just look what they have done in Wisconsin. It is obvious to me she has no scruples, either.

I certainly don’t understand how a person can belong to a union and then vote Republican. Now Mr. Schleck I will tell you where we should start cutting. We spend more on defense than the next 13 countries under us put together. Why is this necessary? We have to stop being the police force of the world. We have to stop sticking our nose in other countries’ business, especially the Mideast.

If we do this they won’t bother us. Stay out of these civil wars unless NATO wants to get involved. These people have been fighting for over 500 years. The U.S. alone is not going to stop them. We have sacrificed enough of our young troops.

 

Wayne Thorson

Albert Lea