Bergren's record is hardly bipartisan

Editor:

I have read that Bob Bergren is willing to reach across the aisle so we need him back in Helena. According to an article in this paper, Republican bills received short shrift from the speaker of the House during the last Legislature. As his justification for doing so, Mr. Bergren implied that they all addressed trivial issues. So what are the facts? Speaker Bergren refused to allow a hearing on a Republican-sponsored right-to-work bills. Is a Montanan's right to work a trivial issue?

If unions are offering workers such a good deal, why do they have to force workers to join? And does't forced union membership in this "land of the free" smack of tyranny? In another unprecedented move, Mr. Bergren scheduled votes on pending bills for the busiest day of the session. Moreover, he scheduled only Democrat bills for the morning session, leaving Republican bills for the afternoon. Was his aim to pressure Republicans to support bills they were't happy with in hopes they would have Democrat support for their bills later in the day? Or would Mr. Bergren argue that parental notification of a daughter's planned abortion is also a trivial issue? Yet that same daughter needs parental approval to be given an aspirin at school.

Loretta Park

Havre

Editor:

I have read that Bob Bergren is willing to reach across the aisle so we need him back in Helena. According to an article in this paper, Republican bills received short shrift from the speaker of the House during the last Legislature. As his justification for doing so, Mr. Bergren implied that they all addressed trivial issues. So what are the facts? Speaker Bergren refused to allow a hearing on a Republican-sponsored right-to-work bills. Is a Montanan's right to work a trivial issue?

If unions are offering workers such a good deal, why do they have to force workers to join? And does't forced union membership in this "land of the free" smack of tyranny? In another unprecedented move, Mr. Bergren scheduled votes on pending bills for the busiest day of the session. Moreover, he scheduled only Democrat bills for the morning session, leaving Republican bills for the afternoon. Was his aim to pressure Republicans to support bills they were't happy with in hopes they would have Democrat support for their bills later in the day? Or would Mr. Bergren argue that parental notification of a daughter's planned abortion is also a trivial issue? Yet that same daughter needs parental approval to be given an aspirin at school.

Loretta Park

Havre