Views in brief

We make the wheels on the bus go 'round

IN RESPONSE to "Getting behind the drivers": This is not just a local, regional, or statewide issue: it's nationwide.

I drive for a school bus company in Texas, and though we aren't treated too badly overall, we are considered subcontractors. As such, we aren't eligible for any form of full-time benefits, and are barely paid enough to afford the fuel to get to work and not much else. Our drivers are, unfortunately, what would be considered "bottom of the barrel," because they're poor and unable to find any other full-time employment. Many are sick, with no way to treat the ailments because they can't afford it; those are the ones who were washed out of their original professions because of the ailments they have.

Once upon a time, school bus drivers were considered an important part of the school district; now, they are barely tolerated "necessary evils."

My company actually pays better than others: There is one that just did away with a majority of its buses, and replaced them with 15-passenger vans and sedans, so they could pay the drivers even less, since they don't have to qualify for the Class B commercial license!

Since when did we value our children so little that we put their safety in the hands of non-professional drivers?
Anna, Texarkana, Texas

Standing up for trans rights

IN RESPONSE to "We all need to stand up for each other": This article was insightful and thought-provoking. I feel like I understand what it must be like for the trans population. Thank you to the author for opening my eyes.
Sharon Whitworth, Brighton, Mass.

The importance of socialists

IN RESPONSE to "Defending time-honored principles": Like Guy Miller, I too am a non-member of the International Socialist Organization (ISO), and was formerly in the U.S. Socialist Workers Party. I hold no special brief for the ISO and I have my differences with them, but my impressions of the group coincide with Guy's.

I would add that not only would there have been no Chicago teachers' strike without the intervention of the ISO and Solidarity, but the Wisconsin Uprising of 2011 would not have been as big, or as galvanizing, without the involvement of these two groups at a very early stage.
David Altman, Milwaukee, Wis.

How gentrification has changed Minnesota

IN RESPONSE to "What drives gentrification": The disparity of wealth in this country is responsible for gentrification. In small towns around Minnesota, it used to be that many families had small cottages around local lakes where they could retreat to. Most were middle class and it did not cost much for taxes on the lakes.

Then, the very well-to-do and rich came in and would buy two cottages, tear them down and build huge mansions on the lake. This drove up the price of lake shore property and the taxes. Many of these people were from out of state or out of the area. Some would only come and stay there for a couple of weeks a year.

The resorts in these areas were offered money they couldn't refuse to sell their land, or else possibly lose it due to the increased taxes. Mom-and-pop resorts that once provided recreation to many closed and were replaced with mansions on the lake for a few. Even lake land handed down to the next generation is now hard to hang on to and keep in the family due to the high cost of taxes and the low wages in the small rural area towns.

The rich can afford to buy up the land as an investment and a much needed tax deduction, which also contributes to a rise in taxes to the other less affluent who cannot even afford to hold on to the family cabins because of the rich that have taken over a source of pleasure for the rural population.

The rich do not set up businesses in these towns, they help increase the tax base by raising the taxes on the lakes--but decrease the quality of life for many locals.
Rick Windom, from the Internet