Readers Write (Jan. 19): Wisconsin politics, Sen. Klobuchar, manufacturing

Government workers in Wisconsin are so upset at having to make small financial sacrifices (as the rest of us have had to do in the last few years) that they wish to recall their governor ("1-million-plus sign on to Walker recall vote" Jan. 18).

They might look to Greece, which is likely to go bankrupt in part because its government workers have refused to face reality and accept financial sacrifice.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has worked courageously to balance his state's budget. I hope his constituents will support his efforts.

CHRIS SCHONNING, ANDOVER

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Something interesting happened on the way to the Republicans' march to total domination: They discovered (to their horror) that the "little people" (i.e., citizens) react badly to having the rights their forefathers died to attain being stripped away by an obnoxious, right-wing government.

That cold breeze that soon-to-be-ex-Gov. Walker is feeling are the winds of democracy, coming to sweep him and his anti-middle-class cronies out of office.

DONALD J. VOGE, CRYSTAL

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It seems that U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar has her followers -- letters published Sunday had nothing but praise for her. What wasn't brought up is that the legislation she cosponsors on intellectual property is a step toward censorship of the Internet.

That bill would allow the entertainment industry to sue or block any website that may have alleged copyrighted material as well as having any links to a site with copyrighted material.

Anyone who may add pictures, music or videos to their social site would be in the crosshairs even though most people are not trying to profit from this but are just showing some creativity to their friends (and respecting "fair use").

In addition, Klobuchar has voted for bills to block auditing the Federal Reserve, to keep the atrocious Patriot Act in place, to buy airport scanners that are unsafe and to allow the military to be used in this country whenever any so-called terrorists are suspected.

She may vote on bills that are for the benefit of people, but she seems to be severely lacking in protecting our rights. Is she is still fit to represent us?

CURT FREDERICK, CEDAR

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In order to understand why so many influential websites are protesting what purports to be anti-copyright-piracy legislation, one should understand just what the bill provides.

If it is implausible that this would happen to such prestigious sites as nytimes.com or cnn.com or Facebook (and does anyone doubt that people post copyright-violating material to Facebook every minute?), that means action would be taken only against low-prestige sites.

Under the act, if you personally wanted someone's blog taken down, you'd just post a comment to the site that included copyrighted material.

Bloggers who couldn't afford a high-powered lawyer would be shut down by the feds, and those who could afford a lawyer might get their day in court 14 months later. You'll be rid of them at least until then. And it will help line lawyers' pockets.

MICHAEL HARDY, MINNEAPOLIS

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Even as factory production in this country has increased by about a third during the last 10 years, the number of workers in factories has actually decreased by about the same amount.

Workers are competing more and more with computerized machines that make things. The machines are becoming more efficient faster than the workers.

So-called unskilled jobs are disappearing. More people need to learn how to work with the machines rather than hopelessly compete with them.

Either that, or become educated and skilled to do something other than basic production work. Employers constantly complain they have unfilled jobs because there are not enough qualified people to fill them.

The answer is basic. Increase governments' revenue and direct the funds to schooling. In effect, many Republican elected officials resist that, because they oppose an increase in taxes on anybody for any reason.

JIM BARTOS, BROOKLYN PARK

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