Web Letters: Labor's New Push

I'm a proud member of the NEA retired. Dear god, let's make it happen! We no longer have the luxury of electing idiots.

JAMES PINETTE

Caribou, ME

No Democratic candidate in recent decades has placed on the agenda the repeal of the infamous Taft-Hartley labor act that was passed over Harry Truman's veto.

With all his fine words of concern for the working American, Barack Obama has not mentioned a word about repealing Taft-Hartley or even modifiying it. How are workers to protect themselves if the law makes union organization as difficult as it is today?

Only one candidate has consistently called for the repeal of Taft-Hartley. Ralph Nader is that candidate, and he has made that a campaign promise since he ran against Bill Clinton in 1996. AFL-CIO president John Sweeney refused Nader his support back then. Instead, he backed Clinton, as he has Al Gore, John Kerry and now Obama. Labor does not know who its real friends are, at least labor's bosses do not.

The same may be said of the left intelligensia that tries to ignore Nader, but he will not go away.

If the left supported him, he would have a stronger voice to force the Democrats to the left. The only pull the Dems feel is to the right, and that's why they lose the White House. Then they blame Nader for their stupidity and cowardice. The same may be said for the left, its journals and journalists in particular.

Alvin D. Hofer

St. Petersburg, FL