Your Views: Letters to the editor - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York

The letter to the editor of The Observer-Dispatch in Utica, NY that is reproduced here articulates the demands of the demonstrations on Wall St. and at other cities around the country even though the author of the letter does not mention those demonstrations.
Your Views: Letters to the editor - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York: Class warfare defined differently
Why is it that Republicans and the corporate news media always play the “class warfare” card whenever someone stands up for the middle class and those in need? President Obama proposes a tax increase for those making more than $1 million and let the rhetoric begin.
You want to know what I think class warfare is?
Class warfare is crushing collective bargaining, like Republicans have done in Wisconsin and Ohio.
Class warfare is privatizing Medicare so the private health insurance industry can make more money while crippling benefits for middle class Americans, like Congressman Paul Ryan has proposed.
Class warfare is voter suppression by requiring photo IDs, closing DMV offices and shortening the time for early voting, like they have done in many Republican controlled states.
Class warfare is taking over local community government with state appointed managers, like the Republican Governor of Michigan has done.
Class warfare is letting those responsible for the economic disaster in 2008 get away scot free to make more money, while the people their actions put out of work are still struggling to find work. Class warfare is opposing consumer protection from predator lending.
Trickledown economics does not work. We’ve had the Bush tax cuts primarily benefitting the wealthy for 10 years. Where are the jobs? You have seen the statistics. During the Bush years, we had virtually no job growth, where we had some 20 million jobs during the Clinton years, when taxes were increased for the wealthy.
WILLIAM GAZITANO
Utica