With respect to Senator Sherrod Brown’s address repeated in the March 8 edition of The Register-Herald, entitled “Working too hard for too little,” I find it typical of Senator Brown. First, I wish to note that over the years, when I have written to Senator Brown regarding some concern, he has always responded cogently, indicating that he had at least read my letter, even if I totally disagreed with his conclusions. This is unlike what I most often received from the Republicans, especially John Boehner, and now Boehner’s replacement, Congressman Warren Davidson, thus far, who either do not respond or send some nonsensical form letter that does not address the issue at all.
What I find so frustrating about Senator Brown is that he is obviously an intelligent man with a heart for the people he serves. Typical of him, most of his analysis as to the issues regarding workers in Ohio and across the nation is very much spot on. He well describes the desires of many workers and small business owners today. But just like his responses to my letters, his solutions are inappropriate and 180 degrees out of phase with reality.
For instance, he cites the case of a Steven Hill who owns Sparano’s Pizza in Columbus and who evidently is a Brown supporter. I don’t know if Mr. Hill wrote to Senator Brown because his pizzeria was not making enough money or because his business is not paying his workers enough, or what since it is not stated. But Senator Brown’s “solutions” will not help either case. All an immediate increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour along with mandated family leave and the other typical liberal-based “solutions” will do is jeopardize Mr. Hill’s business (especially his bottom line profits) and livelihood. Since Mr. Hill’s pizzeria is probably not engaged in interstate commerce, he will not be required to comply with federally mandated employment standards. However, his customers who work for such companies will be. While some may be paid more (not likely as most workers who will be retained will already be exceeding the mandated minimums), many will be laid off and be unable to afford to continue to frequent his pizzeria. As is proven time and again, such mandates will hurt most the very ones they are intended to help the most.
It is too bad that Senator Brown continues to espouse the same old tired liberal mantras and “solutions” that have stifled our individual ingenuity along with our spirit of rugged individualism and entrepreneurship rather seeking that which made America great, economically, in the first place, and that is the right of property wherein one gets to keep the rewards of his ingenuity and hard work, and not share it with bloated Federal and State Governments seeking the exact opposite.
Donald R. Shrader
Eaton
