I would like to straighten out the person who wrote a letter published Jan. 9 headlined “Where are these alleged slaves?” that bashed my letter published Dec. 29.

It seems as though he thinks that my saying that the Republicans want the less fortunate to work as slaves meant that slavery has not been abolished. Well, everyone with just plain common sense knew exactly what I was talking about except him. The Democrats are doing all they can to get the minimum wage raised, and the Republicans are fighting tooth and nail to keep the less fortunate working for slave wages.

This is probably the way I should have said it. Then people like you that don’t seem to have any common sense would probably get the right message.

If the minimum wage had been raised every year since it started by the cost-of-living increases each year it would be $10.60 an hour now. Does anyone think this is too much? I don’t think so.

I talked to a good friend of mine who is under assisted medical care. He told me that no dentist in Albert Lea will honor this insurance. He has to go to Rochester. I would have to guess that his insurance doesn’t pay as much as other insurance companies. I don’t think of any other reason for it to be denied. If this isn’t the best example for how a Republican thinks, then I don’t know what is — someone who probably makes $200 an hour talking against people who work for minimum wages.

If you don’t feel ashamed, I do for you, and I would guess there are a lot of people in town who do, too. I want to thank all the people who tell me the first thing they do when they get their paper is to look and see if I have a letter in it because they enjoy them so much. One of these people was a local mayor. I also want to thank the two state representatives who let me know of their appreciation, also. I ran into an old friend of mine and he wanted to know who was writing my letters for me. He didn’t believe I could write such good letters. This was probably the best compliment I can think of. To hear someone think I have a ghost writer … I would guess this would make anyone feel good. I would like to thank the rest of you who took the time to read my letter and remember what President Harry Truman said. “If you want live like a Republican, you have to vote Democrat.”

 

Wayne Thorson

Albert Lea