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Letter: Need a new name for ‘middle class’ in Iowa
Op-Ed · January 16, 2015
Over the past few months State Senator Bob Dvorsky has repeated political rhetoric so often that it is time to set the record straight.
In nearly every issue of the Times in which he has his Perspective article he uses the term “middle class” and the topic of investing in worker training to fill Iowa jobs. I find the label “middle class” to be offensive and condescending. It implies that there are indeed different calibers of people, when in fact he should be referring to “middle income” Iowans. After all, he never uses the label “lower class” for low income people or “upper class” for wealthy people.
I strongly believe that some low income people are very high class while some wealthy people are of an obvious lower class character.
So Senator Dvorsky, if you’re going to label people, keep it on an equal basis.
The topic of worker training for Iowans to successfully get employment is the problem why people can’t get jobs. A person can no longer just go get a job because our legislature has mandated a required certification for nearly any form of work. Job training programs are nothing more than money making schemes to make politicians look good.
For example, before you can weatherize windows for HACAP, you must get certified. To get certified you must pay for a class which has a teacher usually at a community college that is receiving state funds for job training. Just to put plastic on windows.
The plumbing, mechanical, and electrical apprenticeship programs which last several years primarily use on the job training to produce skilled employees. Of course, the apprentices have to attend classes and pay fees as well. Before these programs started anyone could and did learn on the job without the use of taxpayer dollars. There is a shortage of workers in these fields due to the bureaucratic rules and requirements.
I would ask Senator Dvorsky and all of our Legislators why there are no job training or certification requirements to serve in our State Legislature? God only knows we could all use better qualified Legislators.
Rod Hanson, West Branch
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