To borrow a Palinism, I would like to "refudiate" some of my friend, Mrs. Eppenbaugh's statements of October 19, in which he paid homage to his corporate masters.
Poor Mr. Eppenbaugh bemoaned the fact that he has been relegated to a diet of leaves and bark, and is unable to draw a bead on small children if they dare trample his petunias. This is an exaggeration of his opinions much like his exaggeration of mine. Nowhere did I say the government should coddle everyone. And in his diligence in researching my past letters, he had obviously overlooked my letter of April 2010 in which I took President Obama to task for a variety of things, including the Patriot Act.
Mr. Eppenbaugh doesn't believe in governmental regulation. Sir, have you ever read the department of health's inspection reports of area eateries that are published in the Times-Union? Perhaps you don't mind an occasional case of botulism, but I would prefer to avoid it. These inspections are safeguards against this happening.
Deregulation of Wall Street gave us the near collapse of the world economy. Deregulation of oil companies gave us the BP oil disaster. Deregulation of the mining industry gave us the deaths of 29 miners at the Upper Big Branch Mines. Deregulation gave us the recall of half a billion salmonella contaminated eggs. Having worked in the food industry for 10 years, I could tell you stories that should scare the bejeezus out of the average consumer. The fact is business will not and cannot be trusted to regulate itself.
On the subject of outsourcing, imagine if you can being called into your employer's office and being told, "Gary, the average hourly wage in Bangledesh is 21 cents per hour. We can make a ton of money by moving operations over there. Unfortunately, we no longer need your services," or another scenario, "Gary, we will be replacing you with an HIB Visa worker that will work for a fraction of what we pay you. You will be expected to train your replacement to be eligible for your severance package."
You see, sometimes good people are the victims of circumstances beyond their control. I expect the government to provide a safety net for these people. If private business cannot or will not provide a potentially life saving commodity, like health insurance, at an affordable price, I expect the government to intervene. If this makes me a socialist, a marxist, or whatever you want to call me, then so be it.
Mr. Eppenbaugh, you seem to yearn for a return to the days of the gilded age, or robber barons, of company stores; a time of hunger and desperation and workers had no rights. I will leave you with the words of activist, Emma Goldman, during the panic of 1893 when unemployment was above 20 percent. "Well then, demonstrate before the palaces of the rich. Demand work, if they do not give you work, demand bread. If they deny you both, then take bread."
