LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Feudalistic Society

Unions originally formed out of a grass-roots campaign by workers suffering under unsafe working conditions, long hours and short weekends with little compensation and abusive bosses. They formed out of ordinary people doing ordinary jobs in ordinary factories often described as "sweat shops." Leaders rose through the ranks, risking their very lives to make a difference for themselves, their families and their fellow man.

They accomplished these goals while working with most employers to reduce lost production due to accidents, increasing production through incentives and bonus plans and retaining experienced workers with pensions and medical benefits. With time, the original leadership retired, giving way to new blood. The new leadership, no longer satisfied with dealing with ordinary folks, began to gravitate toward higher paid employees where more revenue through union dues could be generated. Industries involving, auto, dock, textile, trucking, oil drilling, shipping, construction, etc.

Government, seeing how much money and power the unions possessed, began pressuring to become part of them. Most union leaders seeing the opportunity to raise even more revenue working within government quickly agreed. Others who held to the more traditional role of unions remaining independent of outside and government influences were investigated and charged with crimes involving corruption and were imprisoned. Those who willingly got out of the way were allowed to live, while others like James "Jimmy" Hoffa were murdered.

Ultimately government got its way; unions no longer represented nongovernment workers and, with the union's blessing, were free to tax to death all the industries whose workers they had formerly represented. Now the government was free to pump up the salaries and benefits of government employees. Their representation shifted to government workers as their revenue sources shifted to teachers, firefighters, police, and administrative offices involving every department within government. Union dues continue to grow at every level of government including cities, counties, states and the federal government.

The problem is industry produces products that can be sold on the market and makes the country richer. Increasing union dues used to depend on growing these industries when they used to represent the workers who depended on them. While government produces nothing that can be sold on the open market. Increasing union dues from these workers depends on increased red tape, higher taxes and growing the bureaucracy, which destroys the economy and makes the country poor.

For these reasons, ever since government hijacked the "unions," they are no longer beneficial but, in fact, responsible for enslaving the people, while government's power continues to grow and government workers prosper. We now have a feudalistic society like that of medieval days, commonly referred to as the "Dark Ages." America is now divided into two camps, the "haves" that make up our government like the nobles of days of old, and the "have-nots," everyone else who can be compared with the surfs and peasants of ages past.

Lorne DeWitt

Brooksville

Gifted Program Failing

The new gifted program at Explorer K-8 is failing our children. My son had to transfer from Brooksville to Explorer to stay in the gifted program after it was removed from all schools and placed at one.

What I mean when I say failing the students is that in order to attend this school most students on the east side of the county now must ride a bus one and a half hours to school and more than two hours home. My son now returns home at 6 p.m. every school night. With one to two hours of homework to complete each night, this leaves very little time before bed.

I have contacted the school board, with no reply from them. The transportation department states it is the school causing students to return home late. The school states it's the transportation department's fault. I have asked that the bus route be split up so students can return home at a decent time, but received no reply from the school board.

I feel the new superintendent is not aware of the needs of this county and its communities. Maybe it's time we change all the school board members we can this election. Then maybe, just maybe, they will liaison to the community and our needs.

Paul Whelan

Brooksville

Choose Carefully

Americans have one man from each of the two major parties striving to become our next president.

One of them will energize our men and women in uniform and make them proud to be where they are.

The other will cause an untold number of retirements and one-term departures from both officer and enlisted ranks. He will also jeopardize future recruiting efforts.

Count on it.

We voters hold in our hands their future and the future of our country. Vote accordingly.

Jack Waldron

USAF Retired

Brooksville

Reaching New Heights

County Administrator David Hamilton sets an example in urging academic advances in job-related specialties when he requests tuition support clearly offered in policy by the county's human resources department. His performance standards will reach new heights. I did a 60-hour dual master's at Ohio University in political science and public administration while a county administrator in southeastern Ohio, and, as a result, brought many programs to bear upon a constituency who benefited dramatically as a result. It takes some 90 credit hours or so, plus a thesis, for a Ph.D.

I had bookkeepers for tracking money with activities. What I was able to do was crunch dollars in allocations, employee benefits and allow draw-down funding in quarterly amounts, as well as assure line-item budget restraints to separate funds to activities. It was important to do quantitative analysis so that outcomes justified cost projections. Then, as Hamilton advances in course work, he remains conscripted to the academic mindset and models.

Among other considerations is to accomplish in government with fewer resources, considerations Hamilton has already undertaken in his current administrative zeal to meet shortfalls in revenue without depriving an energetic constituency in Hernando County from significant services our magnificent board of county commissioners virtually want to assure every segment of the community.

Let us all welcome Hamilton's ambitious view for an academic doctorate, a very challenging endeavor. I've done doctoral studies and no challenge I know demanded more of me as so much was at stake maintaining high grades and spending hours and hours in the library for research papers to the doctoral committee for issues that are fresh and progressive but within the perspective by the committee based on their expectations.

Yet, hundreds and thousands of subjects have been presented for doctoral review. Hamilton will need to wedge a specific study, unique in its impact to win over the doctoral committee and complete his orals. I wish I could help him, but I also wish him well and urge he do all within his command to win his doctorate.

Deron Mikal

Brooksville

Pay To Play

I don't know where so many people have a concept that Florida is a play land. Not so. Having lived in several states and Europe, I have never heard of so many demands for play areas. And, best yet, for free.

I was brought up on Long Island, and in the town where I lived there was no park. The nearest was Hempstead Lake State Park, where you get a ride on a swing and have a picnic lunch. I played baseball on a boys team for years, playing on a sand lot. We were all very fortunate. No parents supervised us; we made the rules. We didn't pay a nickel. My parents were only interested in my school grades. Neither cared where I hit a ball.

All know that this country is hurting. When the recreation department wanted to charge $20 for the use of a ball field, some parents got upset. One suggested that we should ask businesses to fork over some cash. I've had businesses of my own and never failed. But, this is time to tell you that businesses are tapped out. They can't handle a give-a-way program.

I know that managing a team gives adults something to do and talk about. There is always an alternative. Pile the kids into your car and take them to the museums that are available. Become a volunteer for Ad-Litem if you are really interested in children. While you're looking for another hobby, don't forget to praise that child to high heaven when he or she comes home from school with all "A's." He or she might wind up graduating from college cum laude and be eligible to apply for a position with a future.

Helga Curtis

Brooksville