Why the rush to pass right to work? The Republicans have all the power and could pass this anytime during this short session. Perhaps, should the public became aware of what Republicans are busily twisting and distorting, just maybe if the public began to consider their words, they may begin to question the wisdom behind this legislation.

This initiative is a Trojan horse, and I shall use the governor’s words to illustrate. In the recent State of the State address, Gov. Mitch Daniels, referring to the state of the economy, reflected: “We have made steady progress, coming from nowhere to the top tier in every ranking: No. 6 according to the nation’s site selectors, No. 6 according to CEO Magazine, No. 5 according to real estate decision-makers.”

Furthermore, he added: “In 2010, the most recent data we have, Indiana incomes grew at the eighth-fastest rate in the country.” And, “Our Economic Development Corporation captured a record 219 new jobs transactions in 2011.”

The following can be found by clicking on the State’s Department of Education website in an article on homelessness and poverty. It completely contradicts the governor’s words. The article states, “...Factors contributing to wage declines include a steep drop in the number and bargaining power of unionized workers.”

The Republicans, of which I am one, can’t have their cake and eat it too. A favorite Hoosier idiom is: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” If the governor’s words are accurate with regard to the economy and we have become the envy of the states, then there must be a union-busting agenda behind the motivation to pass what the governor and legislators refer to as a four-line bill that simply gives a worker the freedom to choose.

JULIAN SMITH

Hope