Letters to Editor of Boston Globe Today - Please Read

[Justice]

I noticed in this morning's Globe a fairly interesting set of LTE from various city employees. The letters are protesting the mayor's (DEM) stance in not negotiating with the unions.

Mind you, I am a supporter of unions generally. I am a supporter of negotiating. The City is saying the coffers are empty. The unions want more money. The mayor, who has historically enjoyed significant union support, is taking a tough stand.

In recent months, the unions have suggested they will protest/strike during the DNC this summer.

In fact, two letters have explicit references to protests/strikes during the Democratic National Convention this summer.

One letter concludes -- "Without that backbone , the DNC may be doomed to failure."

I am sorry - something is a bit fishy with these people (and I say people, as I am not blaming the unions generally).

Since 2000 the sizeable surplus has turned into a huge deficit, unemployment has skyrocketed, the administration has brought us to war, yet these people are going to protest the DEMOCRATIC national convention? Don't you think they should be doing everything possible to help Kerry get elected, so the success of the 90s (when pay raises were generous) will occur again? Don't you think they should be protesting in New York -- at the REPUBLICAN national convention?

Right -- protest the DNC in Boston, blame the DNC for what the republicans have created.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/letters/

[lovedems]

1. My uncle was telling me of a poll he saw that concerned the UAW

that stated (about) 60% of the union members thought the chimp was moral and had good family values and would vote for him. We were astounded that they would vote for a guy who has been on a mission to destroy unions and the the right to organize! Who are these people that vote against their own best interest in the name of good family values and morals?????

[Bill Todd]

2. Well, Boston IS where they happen to be located

And Boston is the city government that they have to deal with to try to fix the issues that are troubling them.

And the Democrats are the ones who are supposed to be protecting them from such problems rather than, say, patriotically giving the go-ahead and continuing support for the war that you mentioned, further expressing their profound sense of patriotism by expressing approval for the kind of American imperialism that may result in future similar wars plus, of course, require a very robust defense budget for the foreseeable future, talking about tax-breaks for corporations that are already contributing only about 1/3 the percentage of total tax revenue that they were contributing 3 - 4 decades ago, either standing by or actively cooperating in the dissolution of the social safety net that these people may need to depend upon should their current problems continue...

I'd say that these people are protesting in exactly the right place. And that their reference to a lack of 'backbone' is rather telling.

- bill