Subject: Clarification, and Fellowship: Hi Larry, Thanks for printing my email, and for taking the time to comment. You know little about me, so after reading your reply, and thoughts, I feel as if I need to paint a bit of a picture for you. When our two children were young, and we were struggling to find a home that we could afford to buy--mid 1980's,-- my wife was home raising the children, and I was a partner in a deck building business. My two partners could not get along, so it was two against one, and the business was sold. We had been here in New Jersey less than two years, living in a rented home in Blackwood, and now I was without income. Having only been a partner for about a year, my share of the sale, was miniscule. Fortunately, I fought to get our buy-in money back, and was successful. That was the money we had paid for me to become a partner, and was returned to us at the signing of papers to complete the sale of the business. That was all the money we had to make a down payment on a home. I went to work for one of our customers. Worked my way up the ladder to becoming a project manager, then the early 90's recession hit, and my next project was cancelled, and I was laid off. My experience had been one of working my way up to a position of management, feeling good, looking ahead, then having the rug pulled out from under me, through forces out of my control--three times previous to the last two positions. That was it. No more would I be beholden to an employer, and I went to work for myself. In the meantime, my wife had taken a part-time position as a food services worker at Mullica Elementary school. We had moved from Blackwood, to our present home here in Mullica. After working at the school for a few months, my wife realized that she wanted to become a teacher. We talked about the future, and decided that we would work together to get her through school, and if everything worked out, we could plan for our future. That future planned for, was our eventual retirement. You see it took nine years of school for my wife to graduate, and pass her state test for teacher certification. She graduated Magna Cum Laude. While she was going to school, she was also raising our children, taking care of the home, and putting meals on the table. I was working day and night. I worked at building my business during the day, and worked at a local restaurant at night, and took advantage of every opportunity I had to fill in, or take side jobs in order to make some extra money. I gave up seven and a half years of being home at night with my growing children and my wife to help her, and us. Those years I can never get back, but it was what we had to do. After all of that time in school, my wife still had to work a year as an teacher's aid, while she waited for an opening to teach. Before that year was over, the principal offered her a guarantee of a job, if she would go back to school and obtain certification to teach the learning disabled. So, once again she attended summer classes and night school. We spent more money on education, and that fall she was given a full time job as a teacher. My God, the happiness we felt when we first looked at her contract. Suddenly, we had an extra $30,000 coming in after all those years of hard work, and we had benefits for our children. No more would I have to make a checklist of monthly bills to see which ones I had to pay, and which ones could be put off until I could work harder to make a few extra bucks. We started late in life. My wife will be 73 before she can retire with full benefits. Since that first year of teaching, she has had to go back to school two more times, for additional certifications. The last one cost us $8,000.00. We did not receive one penny to help, but it had to be done for job security. My wife has continued to get straight A's. Our children are now grown, and on their own. We are healthy, and continue to move forward even though the past eight years of Bushanomics have caused us to seriously curtail spending money on movies, meals out, etc. We continue to maintain and drive two cars that are 12 or more years old. We have cut back, just as many have had to do. Now, I want you to understand that we are not deadbeats. We have not only paid our way through hard work and perserverance, but have also paid our share of taxes all along, and will of course, continue to do so. Twenty five to thirty years ago we knew people who lost their jobs and benefits, after working for twenty or more years on a job. We were here and aware of these things happening. My being drafted into the military and eight months in Vietnam were over. We were just starting our married lives out. We saw NAFTA start. We made decisions to try to take care of ourselves. When we made the decision to put my wife through school and to try to put ourselves in a solid position when we got old, the economy and the experiences we all have been living through thanks to big business and politicians, were difficult, but not as threatening as today's reality is. For you to say, we are indifferent, and don't give a damn about anyone else because we've got our's, is a mistake on your part. Granted, you did not have much of a picture, but as often happens when one has an idea in their head, it is hard to see all sides. You do not walk in our shoes, were not with us during the struggle, are not with us now, as we continue to struggle, just as I have not taken a step in your shoes. We have been to that place more than once, when there is nowhere else to go but up, and we clawed our way up. To ask us to give up everything we have worked for is rediculous. To belittle us, and catagorize us as being one of the enemy really gets to me. We are in the fight too. We do care, and continue to do whatever we can. My wife is doing one of the most noble jobs one can do, and she works hard at it every single day and night. Her "big, more than the rate of inflation raise" is hardly what you think it is. Whenever she has to go to the doctor to take care of a problem, most likely brought on by the myriad of sickness' that come to school with infected or infested children who's parents cannot afford to stay home and miss a day's pay, we are thankful that we have benefits to help. We both want to see this country run properly, and for the hard working to not be taken advantage of, and for people who want to work, and pull themselves up, to be able to get a job, and for healthcare for everyone, without the tremendous cost. I'd would also like to see free elections--elections where all candidates had free access to the media, without the coruption that comes because money has to be raised for access to the media and the voters. That in my mind, would be one way to start us on the road to prosperity for all. And kindly, look again at the last email that I sent you, and comment on the end of it. I think that is where the meat is, as well as the math. Best Wishes to All,

RESPONSE: Please understand that my comments were in no way personal...but a generalization about the reality as I see it regarding most government employees...that includes cops, clerical and teachers. You state; "For you to say, we are indifferent, and don't give a damn about anyone else because we've got ours, is a mistake on your part." I stand by the comment as a generalization and not as a personal indictment.

The reality is that for the past couple of decades, government employees have received basically yearly salary increases above the inflation rate. With about -- at best 15% of workers unionized...most workers have lost ground to inflation over the past two decades with Republicans in ascendancy. Under the policies with Conservatives in asendency we are re-visiting the Gilded Age of extreme concentrated wealth in the hands of the few in America. 'The share of national income taken down by the wealthiest 1% rose from 14.6% in 2003 to 17.4% in 2005." Further the middle classes who are not government employees have lost ground while both the super rich and government employees have overall ended up better off. According to the Census Bureau the 'real household median income in 2006 was actually 2.2% lower than in 1999.'

I hold to the belief that the only way the health care crisis in our country will be redressed is when government employees feel the pain that more and more private sector workers are experiencing with a declining income and less and less employer provided health care. I repeat...the basic view...not of all...but of way too many...is we have ours and thus we only give empty lip service to the rest of the middle class who are losing ground. Even the damned Democratic candidates who are left in play...are not talking about government guaranteed health care...they talk about making health care affordable to all. This is a CON worthy of the Republicans...it keeps the insurance companies with their unnecessary profit motive decision making in the health care mix. That is why health care is so expensive...and it ain't changing until everyone feels the pain.

I went back and re-read your closing remarks about the tax increases proposed by Corzine. The fact is that taxes have only been lowered and the deficit grown...only when Democrats are in control today is there any kind of realistic attempt for fiscal sanity...and yes, that involves raising taxes. As noted here, when the Democrats of late have proposed increased government spending for say children health care...they call for raised taxes...and the IDIOT Republicans say they will not support tax increases on the rich and they vote to uphold the Bush veto...this as this CORRUPT administration continues to push up the deficits and lies about balanced budgets sometime in the distant future if we give even more tax cuts to all. That my friend is IDIOCY. I repeat, we all should be in the street calling for a revolution for fairness. But that ain't happening as long as government employees are being bought off on the backs of the middle class.