Editor:

It was interesting to pick up my copy of the October 21 Sunday Gazette-Mail and not only read but feel the panic in the paper's choices of what to print less than two weeks from the election. Stories on the front page try to convince us, the uneducated masses, that Obama really is not having a major impact on coal, (really). Or, "War on coal rhetoric masks fundamentals of issues."

Tell the miners in Southern West Virginia they really don't know what they are feeling or living. Then the Perspective page tells us ("Broken Budgets, Broken Families") the State cannot afford more federal cuts. The kicker is this headline, "Paul Ryan budget: A profile showing cowardice, cruelty" from our own Jay Rockefeller. This country's about to wake up and all of the hand wringing from the elite, and anxiety from the press show they know we are going in a different direction, and boy do we Mountaineers need a different direction.

Jere Gaeger

Charleston

Buy American made or union made products

Editor:

The articles in Sunday, Oct. 28 Paul Nyden and Nedra Rhone were great articles about BUY AMERICAN.

All American consumers that call these United States home, need to write and call their city, state and government elected officials and demand them to purchase only American made or union made products to help turn the American economy around.

The next time you go shopping, look for the products made in America. Ask the store manager or store clerks where the American made or union made products are located in their store. If they don't have an American made section, tell them to make a section in their store or you will take your business to a store that does. Flex your consumer muscle.

Tell them to support American jobs and boost the economy and that you want to have the peace of mind that the products you are buying are of the highest quality and safe. To find American made products, you can go to: americansworking.com, madeinusa.com, stillmadeinusa.com, madeinusa.org, unionlabel.com, unionmade.com, theunionbootpro.com, madeinusaforever.com.

Mike Matthews

President

Kanawha Valley Labor Council, AFL-CIO

Charleston

Sue Thorn supports coal miners

Editor:

Coal is a big part of West Virginia's history, economy and future. Rep. David McKinley has been airing commercials that state his unerring support for the coal industry. He is without question a friend of coal producers, but is he a friend of coal miners?

It is abundantly clear the coal companies are impressed with Rep. David McKinley. He has received contributions from Arch Coal, Consol, Mepco, Don Blankenship and Murray Energy. Murray Energy owns the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah, which was recently fined $1 million for violations that directly contributed to the deaths of six coal miners. McKinley received more than $21,000 from Patriot Coal. Obviously, David McKinley is a friend of coal companies.

Coal miners should be aware that Rep. McKinley voted against the Coal Mine Safety Act introduced by Senators Rockefeller and Manchin. Instead, McKinley voted for a watered-down version introduced by Rep. Shelly Moore Capito. McKinley voted against federal regulation of combustible dust. A coal dust explosion killed 29 coal miners at Upper Big Branch. McKinley voted for H.R. 4078, a bill to dismantle the federal regulatory system and halt all new regulations costing more than $50 million. McKinley voted for the bill, and against an amendment by Rep. George Miller to exclude combustible dust regulation from that legislation. McKinley also voted against an amendment to exclude regulations regarding black lung disease.

Sue Thorn supports coal miners, the working class people and us common middle class folks. Sue Thorn is an excellent choice to replace David McKinley in Congress.

Bill Weiss

Westover