In response to a Jan. 31-Feb. 6 Bayside Times letter by Bob Friedrich (“Don’t give political parties labels”), about the “bad” Republicans and the “good” Democrats, the Democrats want to extend unemployment, the Republicans do not. They want to pay for it.
When we give $4 billion a year to oil companies that made billions, we cannot give it to unemployed people who need it. In 1990, the Democrats extended unemployment for 13 weeks. Then-President George H.W. Bush vetoed it.
When the national debt was low, then-President George W. Bush started two wars and cut taxes two times. He did not pay for them.
The Democrats stand for working people. The Republicans stand for big business. Some 71 percent of Americans support raising the minimum wage. The Republicans in Congress are against raising the minimum wage.
Peter Diamant
Bayside
