To the Editor:

I am a democrat and it is unlikely that I will vote for whoever is chosen to represent the Republican Party, in the coming presidential election. But, more importantly, I am first an American citizen. As a citizen, I am sad and embarrassed by the demagoguery displayed by Newt Gingrich. I am eighty six years old and have lived during the administrations of fifteen presidents. And, although I often disagreed with their policies, I did not feel that any of them were morally unworthy to serve as president of our country. This is not true of my opinion of Mr. Gingrich.

It is public knowledge that Mr. Gingrich left both his first wife and his second wife while having affairs with other women, but this alone does not necessarily constitute his unacceptability. It seems obvious that he used these women for support of his political career, and he cast them aside when they were in need of his support. This constitutes both lack of commitment to his wives and exploitation of them to further his career in politics. This indicates his unworthiness. But, there is more.

Gingrich shows his arrogance and narcissism at every public appearance. He makes meaningless and unsupported statements in an authoritarian manner that leads the uninformed to cheer and offer support. It is not necessary for me to show many examples of his equivocation; one should suffice. "Obama is the greatest food-stamp president in American history," and the poor should prefer a paycheck to food stamps. The nuance before a Southern audience is palpable. In his words and demeanor he is insulting to the President and therefore to the very office of the President. There is no excuse for his lack of respect, and his unwarranted attacks are unprecedented. Disrespect of our President makes him appear weak in the eyes of other world leaders.

Governor Daniels reflected what real Republicans believe. "The status of 'loyal opposition' imposes on those out of power some serious responsibilities: to show respect for the Presidency and its occupant, to express agreement where it exists." Gingrich does not stand in that tradition, or of that of the Republican Party and leaders such as Robert Taft (Mr. Republican), Everett Dirksen, Dwight Eisenhower and Gerald Ford. As I stated, I am a Democrat, but I respect those who hold opposite views of government. One must also remember that the Republican Party once stood for civil rights and it was the Republican Party that first introduced the Equal Rights Amendment. To the real Republicans I say, please reject this counterfeit Republican, Newt Gingrich.

 

January 3, 2012

To the Editor:

In reading the article, "A Gathering Storm Over 'Right to Work' in Indiana", I 
couldn't help thinking of all the efforts around the country to weaken unions 
and impoverish workers. I thought of the workers who constructed the railroads, 
the workers in the steel mills in Pittsburgh and Youngstown, and those who worked 
in the clay pits of St. Louis. These were low paying jobs until workers 
organized in unions. These union workers brought about pensions, health 
insurance, decent wages, and the eight hour day; all of which are being eroded 
in a society that has no understanding of the history of union struggles. 

The argument put forth by Right to Work advocates that Right to Work legislation 
brings in new industry is fallacious. Tennessee, a Right to Work state, is often 
pointed to as a success in bringing in new industry like the Japanese auto 
plants. But it wasn't Right to Work that encouraged these companies to locate in 
Tennessee. It was lucrative packages of tax incentives, infrastructure 
construction, and other inducements offered by both the state and local 
governments. Companies are not encouraged to locate in states only or mostly 
because of low wages. In addition to tax incentives and infrastructure 
inducements, good schools, available housing, and low crime rates provide 
necessary incentives for locating in a community.

Harry E. Berndt

150 Parsons Ave.

Webster Groves, MO 63119

Phone: 314-962-1749

Email: hberndt1926@sbcglobal.net

Word count - 244

 

 

Newt, the Historian

By Harry E. Berndt

 

I am an historian, says Newt

I have the inside track

Of things that others just guess at

And therefore cannot attack, because

I have the facts.

 

I am a consummate scholar

With facts and figures for sale

I offer advice for the dollar

To those who can't afford to fail

 

As an historian I offer advice

I never offer to lobby

But for those who can pay the price

I can talk to my friends in that body

That body known for its vice

 

 

 

Maggie's Kiss

I got a kiss today from a favorite miss

It came right out of the blue –

It was the kiss that Maggie gave. – To who?

To me. A never to be forgotten bliss –this kiss.

From this two year old miss – my great granddaughter.

 

I wonder will she remember this day – a day

I could not forget. I could never forget

The day I got from this miss

The great grandfather's first kiss.

 

Running

I use to run

But no one else would run.

People thought I was crazy.

It was fun to run, and I thought

Those other people were just lazy.

I no longer run

It's no longer fun – I walk

Now, it seems, everyone runs

And I can only walk and run, but

Mostly I just walk.

Workers' Power and Budgetary Considerations

 

By Harry E. Berndt

 

The International Day of Labor, May Day, originated in the United States on May 1, 1886, but it is celebrated in every country accept the United States and Canada. In 1894, the United States Congress initiated Labor Day, to be celebrated on the first Monday of September. There are those who think that the creation of Labor Day was an attempt to keep American workers separated from the workers from around the world. Indeed, workers in the United States have been made to believe that they are "Middle Class", and that their interests are the same as the interests of corporations. The working classes in Europe recognize that their interests are different from those of corporations, and they form political parties to put forth their interests. As a result, workers in the United States work longer hours, have fewer benefits, are less secure, and endure more part time and temporary work than do workers in Europe. Workers who think of themselves as middle class suffer from the American malady of false consciousness. Much of this is due to the demise of unionism in the United States.

 

Today workers have no reluctance about crossing picket lines to take the jobs of fellow workers. This is because very few think of themselves as working class, a status that is undefined or defined imperfectly in this country. Those of us who depend almost entirely on the weekly or monthly paycheck, and who are subject to termination with scant recourse to appeals, are working class, no matter what our salary happens to be or how we are led to perceive our positions. It is wealth, not wages or status perceptions that determine our class position. The office has become the new factory, but the tenants think of themselves as management, or at least as Associates, rather than workers. Above them are Team Leaders, rather than supervisors or bosses. People are downsized, not laid off or fired. The changing nature of work and the symbolic dissonance accompanying it is a partial reason for workers' misunderstanding of their true status and the need for worker coalescence. Workers who cross the picket lines to take jobs from other workers may be referred to as replacement workers, but that is merely a euphemism for scab.

 

Every day we read of more corporations downsizing, which used to be called being laid-off or fired. The unemployment figure reported by the Department of Labor for June, 2011, is 9.1%. Not considered unemployed are the millions of workers who are employed part-time, are temporary employees, or who fall into the newly created category of contingency employee. Also not considered unemployed are students, many of whom are in school simply because they cannot find suitable employment. The truth is that we simply cannot employ all of our people. Corporations find it to their advantage to hire part-time and temporary workers, and to move their operations to low wage and regulation soft countries. Outsourcing, too, has become de rigueur, as the government and business tell us that in the global economy outsourcing is necessary to create new jobs for Americans. All of this is in the name of competing in the global economy.

 

Sad to say, corporations are not alone in hiring part-time rather than full-time employees. A report by the trustees of public universities indicates that the number of part-time instructors has nearly doubled since 1970, and that 55 percent of Ph.D.'s in English and foreign language failed to get full time positions. Many colleges have three and even five part-time instructors for every full time faculty member. This is very dangerous for the future of higher education. Young men and women who might naturally be drawn to scholarly pursuits in academia could be turned off if their prospects were only part-time employment. Education can also be faulted for not teaching labor history, except only minimally in some universities and not at all in secondary schools. It is no wonder that the population as a whole has little or no understanding of the importance of unions in the economic history of the country.

 

The present legislative moves in a large number of States, and in the Congress of the United States, are indicative of the attitude pervasive in our government today. Legislators feel no compunction about budgetary cuts directed toward reducing the benefits of workers and the power of unions.. After all, we all have to sacrifice: that is, all except corporations, the rich, and the Legislators.

THE SOCIALIZATION OF WORK

 

 

 

Workers in the United States have been made to believe that they are "Middle Class", and that their interests are the same as the interests of corporations. As a result, workers in the United States work longer hours, have fewer benefits, are less secure, and endure more part time and temporary work than do workers in Europe. Workers who think of themselves as middle class suffer from the American malady of false consciousness. Much of this is due to the demise of unionism in the United States. Workers have no compunction today crossing picket lines to take the jobs of fellow workers. This is because very few think of themselves as working class, a status that is undefined or defined imperfectly in this country.     

 

Those of us who depend almost entirely on the weekly or monthly pay check, and who are subject to termination with scant recourse to appeals, are working class, no matter what our salary happens to be or how we are led to perceive our positions. It is wealth, not wages or status perceptions, that determine our class position. The office has become the new factory, but the tenants think of themselves as management, or at least as Associates, rather than worker. Above them are Team Leaders, rather than supervisors or bosses. People are downsized, not laid off or fired. The changing nature of work and the symbolic dissonance accompanying it is a partial reason for workers' misunderstanding of their true status and the need for worker coalescence. Workers who cross the picket lines to take jobs from other workers may be referred to as replacement workers, but that is merely a euphemism for scab.

    Every day we read of more corporations downsizing, which used to be called being laid-off or fired. The unemployment figure reported by the Department of Labor for July is 5.0%. Not considered unemployed are the millions of workers who are employed part-time, are temporary employees, or who fall into the newly created category of contingency employee. Also not considered unemployed are students, many of whom are in school simply because they cannot find suitable employment. They are given the impression that their education is necessary because of the high tech needs of the corporations. Although it is true that there are hard to fill high tech positions, it is also true that a very large portion of work is dumbed-down, and relies on software programs which limit the intellectual demands on the worker. The truth is that we simply cannot employ all of our people. Corporations find it to their advantage to hire part-time and temporary workers, and to move their operations to low wage and regulation soft countries. Outsourcing, too, has become de rigueur, as the government and business tell us that in the global economy outsourcing is necessary to create new jobs for Americans. All of this is in the name of competing in the global economy.

Sad to say, corporations are not alone in hiring part-time rather than full-time employees. A report by the trustees of public universities indicates that the number of part-time instructors has nearly doubled since 1970, and that 55 percent of Ph.D.'s in English and foreign language failed to get full time positions. Many colleges have three and even five part-time instructors for every full time faculty member. I believe that this is very dangerous for the future of higher education. Young men and women who might naturally be drawn to scholarly pursuits in academia could be turned off if their prospects were only part-time employment. Education can also be faulted for not teaching labor history, except in only minimally in some universities and not at all in secondary schools. It s no wonder that the population as a whole has little or no understanding of the importance of unions in the economic history of the country.