Partnerships, legislation seem at odds with logic
Reporter Editor:
Article Launched: 09/06/2007 07:02:27 AM PDT

Perusal of a recent edition of The Reporter provided some points to consider.

First was an article indicating the Teamsters union was about to seek an injunction to prevent Mexican truckers from carrying cargo anywhere in the United States ("Teamsters to ask court to halt Mexican trucks," The Reporter, Aug. 30).

Curiously, the union was joined by the Sierra Club and the Public Citizen. Additionally, it has the full support of AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. The main argument is that it would open the highways to dangerous trucks over the Labor Day weekend.

The article was immediately followed by one titled "Unions sue over crackdown on hiring of illegal aliens" (The Reporter, Aug. 30).

It seems the union (AFL-CIO) feels this is a union-busting tool. Interestingly, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a suit to force the Bush administration to halt the plan.

There seems to be a bit of a dichotomy in these two issues. One lawsuit seeks to prevent Mexican truckers from operating in the United States, while the other suit wants to allow the continued hiring illegal aliens.

I guess it depends upon whose ox is being gored.

This does cause one to wonder why a union would support the hiring of illegal aliens. Maybe someone has failed to define the word "illegal" to the satisfaction of the unions. Anyway, this bears some further thought.

To further confuse the average Californian, both houses of the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 924, to place on the Feb. 5 ballot, an initiative asking voters if President Bush should end the occupation of Iraq and begin the "immediate, complete, safe and orderly withdrawal" of troops.

Maybe the Legislature should take a refresher course on the contents of the Constitution of the United States of America. Section 10 of our Constitution prohibits any state from entering into any compacts or agreements with another state or with a foreign power.

One would think our leaders would have more important issues, over which they do have control, to discuss and resolve.

But then it seems apparent many have problems with the meaning of words and with the delineation of powers.

Ray Schoch, Vacaville

http://www.thereporter.com/letters/ci_6816544