"Bob; When you are old enough to apply for social security, I hope that you refuse to accept it because the American Labor movement got that legislation for you."

Archie, self employed people pay both the employee's AND the employer's portion of social security withholding. That's 15.3% of my gross income. When I reach retirement age, the government will be willing to ration back to me my own money. Wheeee! I should be grateful to the American Labor movement for that?!? It could be a heck of a lot more money if I was allowed to put it into a simple passbook savings account at my credit union....

"Many hard working folks (without skills) are struggling to make a decent living in order to stay off welfare. I commend these people, while folks like you seem content to condemn and belittle them."

Wrong Archie. I've walked in their shoes. I believe that drive and ambition and ingenuity should all be reasons a person advances in the workforce. I believe a person should be paid according to what their labor is worth to the people employing them, not what a union says is a set minimum living standard for anyone who happens to belong to that union.

"It's a lousy .10¢ an hour we're talking about BOB. It's not about what teachers make vs. high-paid blue collar workers that you want to shift the subject to because it fits your argument."

It doesn't just fit my argument Archie, it's a primary reason that I see organized labor in the light that I do! I didn't think you could defend a starting wage for an unskilled UAW employee that is higher than that of someone with a Masters Degree teaching college courses. I was right.

"If the bosses of large corporations would treat their lower level employees fairly, then perhaps these workers would not be soliciting unions to come in to represent them in negotiations with their scrooge employers."

....I see unions trying to infiltrate businesses, seeing opportunities to line the pockets of union bosses here in Colorado, and I see the employees rejecting the union representation in favor of fair employers. It happened a couple years ago with casino workers in Cripple Creek. That's good. ...and it flies in the face of your "any union is better than no union" philosophy.

"Show a little compassion for those who don't have it as good as you do."

I do. I pay taxes. I don't support labor policies that drive up the cost of goods and services. Both of those activities help people less fortunate than myself.

Bob