Traverse City Record-Eagle

Opinion

January 4, 2013

Letters to the Editor: 01/04/2013

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The union model

In reaction to a recent Fred Goldberg Sunday column, I would like to counter his assault on Gov. Rick Snyder by redirecting some of its dialogue. Claiming that Snyder is derelict in signing the right-to-work law is quite shameful considering the governor's proven integrity and passion to serve the best interest of all Michigan residents.

Suggesting that business leaders don't appreciate and support good employees and that the work environment can be compared to Third World companies is outrageous. A successful company meets its employee needs while fulfilling OSHA regulations and meeting insurance standards. A good business plan requires flexibility, adaptability, speed and innovation.

The union model has never appreciated this. A sound business and its employees recognize that pure economics (micro and macro) dictate the boundaries of profits and wages for all.

Rick Clark

Thompsonville

Protect kidney program

As someone who has been personally impacted by kidney disease, I urge our state representatives to protect Medicare's End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) program from looming budget cuts. At a time when the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission already reports low margins for dialysis providers, further cuts to Medicare's ESRD program will threaten kidney patients' access to care and overall quality.

Please protect kidney patients by preventing any further cuts to Medicare's ESRD program from taking effect. Social Security is a fixed income and for some retirees, that is their only income.

Judy Vetula

Traverse City

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