DEAR EDITOR:

It’s time to defend the public sector.

The attacks on the domain, particularly public education, social services and the public sector unions that are linked to these services are coming in rapid-fire succession, sometimes in an overwhelming barrage where the victims have little time to comprehend what is happening and respond effectively.

This should come as no surprise. The attacks are part of a well-orchestrated, decades-long campaign, initiated by the corporate sector, which is intent on ensuring that government policy be crafted in its own self-interests, which they disingenuously equate to the public good. They are promoting raw, free market capitalism, which includes the privatization of government services, including education; the elimination of government regulations on businesses whenever possible; the reduction of taxes on corporations and the rich; the elimination of workers’ rights and their wages and benefits; and so on.

To promote their agenda, corporations have donated generously to the election campaigns and have created their own research institutions in order to produce reports that can influence the media and turn public opinion in their favor.

As a result, government funding for public education has dropped tremendously across the country, resulting in massive layoffs of teachers, and the cost of public higher education has shifted to students and their families by raising tuition astronomically. Public sector unions have lost bargaining rights, and the wages and benefits of working people have declined. Government services have been slashed, but corporate and wealthy individual taxes have plunged. All these trends have contributed to a historically high growth of income inequality.

GEORGE PHILLIPS

Youngstown