Letters to the Editor

Workers Need Protection From Business Bullies

Editor, Times-Dispatch

Big business is spending tens of millions of dollars to convince editorial writers to oppose the EFCA for one reason: They want to keep on bullying workers so they don't join unions.

You offer no data to support your claim that unions are bad for Virginia's economy. Let me offer some for the other side: According to a recent study by the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Virginians would recover nearly $1 billion more in annual wages if unionized workers doubled to 10 percent from the current rate of 5 percent. That's good for Virginians and good for Virginia's economy.

Unions raise workers' wages and make their workplaces safer. Union workers are more productive and more innovative than non-union workers. Strengthening unions is the way to rebuild America. Creating more good union jobs is the way to get our economy growing again.

Unfortunately, the playing field is dramatically tilted against workers. In 2007 alone, 29,559 workers received back pay from employers in cases alleging illegal firings and other violations of their federally protected frights, according to the National Labor Relations Board.

The EFCA would make it harder for employers to bully their workers. It would allow workers to join a union if a majority signed up to do so. Majority sign-up has been legal since 1935, and millions of workers have formed unions that way.

H. Joseph Ayers, President,

Practice Do-It-Yourself Stimulation: Buy Things!

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

I am a small business owner and as with many others, our sales are down about 50 percent. The president's speech left me feeling as if I had just left the theater after watching a movie in which the good guys triumph over the bad guys and everyone lives happily ever after.

As I see it, until those 93 or 94 people out of 100 who still have jobs go out and buy something, go out to eat, replace that old vanity that's falling apart, and just spend some money, this depression isn't going to end.

The government doesn't have enough money to spend in order to fix this economy -- however those 93 or 94 out of 100 do. We don't need to go back to the insane, out-of-control spending of the past, but if we all do our part responsibly, we can recover. It's going to take one man spending for another man to hire.

How great it will be if Obama is able to turn our economy around. But the only way I see that happening is if all the people (Democrats and Republicans alike) give him a hand to help ourselves.

For those who can, please go out and buy something and give your local merchant a reason to hire those workers back. In case you haven't noticed -- prices are great.

Lisa Berry. Powhatan.

To End Gridlock, Change Redistricting

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

Throughout American history, partisan political pressure has exerted undue influence on the reapportionment that occurs every 10 years as majority parties often aim to draw district lines that create safe seats for their own political affiliates and leave their political enemies isolated in other districts. This frequently results in expansive, oddly shaped districts that embrace geographical regions with vastly different (and sometimes conflicting) political interests. History has taught us that such gerrymandering only results in districts that are strongly red or strongly blue, leading to uncompetitive House races and high re-election rates for most congressmen.

As a result of this lack of true political competition, congressional leaders are less pressured to acknowledge public opinion and are often so highly partisan that Washington becomes gridlocked and negotiations between the two parties become incredibly difficult. Likewise, as voters are faced with uncompetitive races and a lack of real choice in candidates, turnout at midterm elections is often frighteningly low (lower than 30 percent in some districts).

Only through a nonpartisan or bipartisan redistricting system -- true political reform that will encourage a national discussion of the issues at the local level in each district -- can voter turnout, enthusiasm, and political awareness be increased. Redrawing partisan district lines every 10 years will only continue to fuel the partisan divide and governmental gridlock in Washington, supporting a system through which representatives choose the electorate rather than the electorate choosing the representatives.

David Casalapsi. Midlothian.