Unions created the middle class

To the editors:

Not so many years ago, American manufacturers turned their employees into slave laborers with long working hours, poor pay and a total lack of respect for their efforts.

I'm talking about the auto industry at that time. The garment industry wasn't much better with its harsh exploitation of child labor.

After bloody strikes, unions were formed and a lot of wrongs were made right. Over the years a strong middle class was formed to the benefit of this great country.

Since then, a constant effort has been made to destroy the middle-class unions. These modern-day slavers came up with a great plan; find slave labor in other countries like China, many South American countries and Mexico.

These American greed mongers think they have found a way to destroy our middle class and return them to utter despair.

What these fools aren't taking into consideration is the simple fact that this foreign slave labor, in time, will revolt like the American worker did years ago and turn the tide on them.

They will want unions and better working conditions and higher wages.

I guess then profits will drop like their patriotism. They will come back to the American middle-class worker with their tails between their legs. I hope I live long enough to see this great day.

JOHN TOMINSKY

LAS VEGAS

Gun nuts

To the editor:

There is no question that mental health issues are at the forefront of the gun debate, and rightly so. It should be obvious to question the mental health of anyone who insists they have a right to a military weapon outside of a war zone, unless they're trying to create one. And their childish and dangerously paranoiac imaginations are creating just that.

Then they pass that on to their children in the name of "freedom?" Perhaps we should simply arm the children on their way to school. That way Mommy and Daddy can spend their time at the shooting range, preparing for the government takeover.

"Guns across America?" How absurd. We're already there, and that, dear citizens, is questionable mental health.

MICHAEL LECKRONE

LAS VEGAS

Looted the fund

To the editor:

I'm writing this letter because Victor Moss (Monday letter) was totally out of line in saying Social Security is welfare for seniors.

We're receiving what we paid in. My husband is 81 and has paid into Social Security (together with his employer) since he was 12 years old, and he continued to pay in until he retired when he was 76. I don't think that he thinks he's getting a handout.

Social Security wouldn't be bankrupt if the government had kept its sticky fingers out of the fund.

PATRICIA SEARS

HENDERSON

Illegal immigrants

To the editor:

Now there is a plan to allow those who sneaked into the country illegally to become citizens.

They broke the law. That makes them criminals. Is that the kind of people we want as citizens? They can have a double ceremony: Swear in citizens and register them as ex-felons.

Do we need another 11 million criminals? I think not.

EDWARD DODRILL

LAS VEGAS

Filibuster reform fails

To the editor:

For the past four years, the Democrats have had the majority in the Senate but have complained because the Republicans have used the filibuster to block what the majority of Americans want.

Last month, for the third time, Democrats had the opportunity to fix the filibuster, and they failed to do so. The Democrats who blocked reform are Max Baucus (Mont.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Mark Pryor (Ark.). I also blame Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and President Obama for failing to provide the leadership to make it happen.

I'm sure in a few days, when the Republicans start filibustering everything again, the Democrats will cry, "We can't do anything because the Republicans are filibustering." When Democrats have the chance to fix the problem and they don't, it makes it their fault. Just like the whole fiscal cliff deal, which was an artificial crisis created by Congress, this process is phony, and it just gives Democrats cover to let the Republicans have their way while pretending to oppose issues they secretly support.

I'm particularly ashamed of my two senators from California, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. On behalf of the sane people from California, I apologize. And I say to the entire Senate: Shame on you.

MARC PERKEL

GILROY, CALIF.

Corporate politics

To the editor:

I would love to see two nonpartisan, intelligent people, without any foolish rhetoric or party talking points, have a debate on national television as to why our country is so politically divided.

It appears we have become flocks of followers who don't take enough time to sort out actuality from spoof. There is a faithful flock that follows Rush Limbaugh and another flock that follows "FOX and Friends." There are opposing flocks that follow MSNBC.

Let's survey some past times.

When President Reagan served, the corporations were in control and the political division was not a threat to our economy.

When President Clinton served, the corporations were on the sidelines, and even though the economy was thriving, a feverish political division began. Remember the fat cats' impeachment process in a great economy?

Then we had the corporation-elected President Bush, whose administration wrecked the economy and created a stupid war, but the flocks united with little or no political divide.

Now, in today's era of non-corporate President Obama, the political divide is so frightening that states are spewing secession and gun toters are screaming civil war. This will never occur; it is just the corporations' way of enticing their loyal flocks to spew their idiotic rhetoric.

We need corporations. What we don't need is greed and misled flocks spewing hatred.

DON ELLIS

HENDERSON