In reading the recent Cal Thomas column, “Are Republicans really ‘divisive’?” July, 10, page A4, he claims it is liberalism and its ideology that is causing all our problems. Mr. Thomas, before you accuse liberalism of all our problems you might want to look in the mirror.
Was it liberalism that caused the red lining of minority neighborhoods in the 50′s and 60′s, taking away any chance of minority homeownership, or opportunity to fund the development of small businesses to strengthen those neighborhoods, neighborhoods that even today have never come back? No, it was the Republicans and banking supporters.
Was it liberalism that made every effort to block any increase to the minimum wage over the past 50 years, a wage that tends to be for low paying jobs held by minorities? A wage that was about 55% of the median income in the 60′s, a wage that you could actually live on. No, it was the Republicans who again and again obstructed any efforts to raise it, to protect their corporate constituency. Today, it is now less than 35% of the median income. Just think if we had a minimum wage equal to 55% of median income today, like in the 60′s, literally millions of people would not even qualify for any type of government assistance.
Is it liberalism that refuses to provide reasonable health care to all its citizens, especially for poorer minorities, like every other developed country in the world? No, it is Republicans. They want a for-profit system where if you get sick chances are your financial well being will also take a major hit and could well spell financial ruin. Think about these two points: One, we have the most expensive healthcare in the world, and we do not even rank in the top ten for health outcomes. Second, in the EU, 2% of personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills, in the U.S. its 20%, or ten times higher. That is the health care system the Republicans want, because they have never put forth any other plan.
Because Republicans especially conservatives have done a good job of supporting structural racism, inequality, and staying silent as their leader tries to divide this country at every turn, I would say, no, Mr. Thomas, you are wrong, Republicans are the ones who are divisive.
Jon A. Reske, West Springfield
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July 12, 2020 at 01:47AM
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Yes, it is the Republicans that are dividing America (Letters) - masslive.com
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