[TheRealVille]

The union negotiated my wages and benefits for me. I learned my trade and became a very good mechanic, by all accounts. I considered it my privilege to represent my local and myself with integrity on the job. Soon after my apprenticeship ended I started running work and spent most of my career in supervision. Most of the hands I worked with over the years were good democrats, as was I. When the democrats began to upbraid their republican counterparts and cast aspersions on their character to gain an advantage we began to part ways. Unlike you, I don't see anything inherantly noble about today's democrat. I have seen them do and say whatever they thought would help them to gain an edge, and I mean anything.

Again, unlike you, I was there when wages and conditions were making great strides in negotiations. I know what unions really are, they're labor organizations not political organizations. And certainly not another arm of the democratic party. I've seen people like you all my life too. Yet another Johnny come lately, who thinks he knows it all. Unions guarantee employers amply trained journeymen ready and capable to fullfill the calling of their craft. Professional people like bankers, lawyers, doctors and the uber educated, are the daddy's of the idea that America's craftsmen are somehow inferior to them, not republicans. But, I know in your case it's more gratifing to buy into the age old lie that "Democrats are for the working man." We who make the refineries, schools, hospitals, bridges and you name it, come up out of the ground know we are in every way their equal and in my mind, and on many occasions, their better. If you really do have a degree you know how arrogant the university level academia are, unless you went to a very small school. The liberal prof is the progenitor of the today's liberal democrat, not Roosevelt or Truman.

To borrow your words, "let me go real slow for you", I don't have to be a democrat to be a good American or a good union man. And, I will never vote for any candidate who is openly supportive of principles which are in direct conflict with God's written Word such as abortion and gay rights. Much less the merchandisers of slander ala the likes of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. I won't be in violation of any union precepts because of my politics. From where I stand you would vote for Satan himself if he declared for the democratic ticket. You cite graphs and tables generated from liberal think tanks and choose to ignore any evidence that exposes the hypocracy of the left. Some treehugger tells you it wouldn't be good to run a pipeline across Nebraska. A state that is already criss crossed with hundreds of pipelines. And predictably you jump right on board. They oppose the use of fossil fuels, not the pipelines that carry the fossil fuels. It's all about the global warming ruse. When you think about it, there isn't a whole lot of difference between the story line of how Godzilla, born of nuclear waste came into being, and global warming. There isn't any evidence to support either story but, the subplot potential is endless.

I earned my wage and my retirement and, I've left a wake of on schedule/on budget buildings and structures to prove it. You're blowing up the wrong pant leg with that weak stuff.

First bold: Just curious as to your trade? For no other reason than to be curious to what another union construction guy did on the job.

2nd bold: I'm a "johnny come lately", if you think 22 years in the trade isn't much.

3rd bold: But, you do realize that Washington republicans, and republican governors of states, do try everything in their power to union bust, right? Just look at Ohio, WI. and our very own Ernie Fletcher, just to name a few.

Last bold: What's in the Bible never comes into play in my voting, but I totally agree with your right to take it into consideration. But, I will always vote against people that try to take away American citizens equal rights.