James Jackson: Republicans hurt veterans, workers, women

In 2002, George W. Bush signed a bill from the Republican-controlled Congress which was a tax break for factory owners to close their factories here and ship the jobs to China. Six million factory jobs were lost during the Bush years.

In 2006, Bush signed a bill to send the U.S. Postal Service deeply into the red by requiring it to pay $5 billion more into benefits and retirement than necessary each year, resulting in 140,000 layoffs. Democrats tried to reverse both bills, but Republicans blocked them. How many veterans lost jobs because of these two bills? Republicans didn’t care.

Ronald Reagan enters the White House, immediately reducing a program helping reduce homelessness from $280 million to $90 million. Huge increase in homelessness followed, including many veterans. Examples of unpatriotic behavior by Republicans.

Nearly all Republicans hate unions. Union membership in private industry declined from 27 percent in 1981 to 7 percent today. They hate the minimum wage and are against equal pay for women; they voted to hurt seniors; they tried to weaken child labor protections; they’re lying about the need for restrictive voter ID laws aimed at preventing Democrats from voting. Only poorly informed people could think Republican politicians are patriotic.

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 12:37 PM with the headline "James Jackson: Republicans hurt veterans, workers, women."