To the Journal editor:

How did federal employees become the enemy or the scapegoat for our nation’s problems, according to some members of Congress?  

Federal employees are our neighbors who keep us safe at airports, protect our food and water supplies, predict our weather and manage our national parks, forests and wildlife refuges for the greater good based on laws and science. Federal employees are not becoming millionaires in their jobs; they are just average citizens. The starting annual salary for a GS-5 entry level position with most agencies is approximately $35,000.

If Congress abolishes federal agencies and downsizes the federal workforce, what could happen? Federal public lands (currently owned by all of us) might be sold to the highest bidders, and the land and agencies would then be run by and for the benefit of profit motive corporations.

All those awesome shoreline areas in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore might no longer be open to the public. Keep out signs could become common. Or maybe the area would be full of condos stretching for miles along the shore. So much for enjoyment by the locals or ordinary tourists.

Instead of being about keeping health care costs from drastically increasing for many and protecting food benefits for the needy in our community, the current federal government shutdown seems to be about lining the pockets of corporations at the expense of the electorate. It would be nice if our Congress would work for all of us and the greater good of our country instead of giving tax breaks to the very rich, name calling those not in their political party, and marching away from Democracy.

This closure of the government is hurting hundreds of Upper Peninsula federal workers and their families. Please voice your concerns to your representatives and  consider attending a demonstration in support of federal workers this Thursday, Oct. 30 from 4 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. by the traffic light in Munising. And if you can, please bring a canned good donation for the local food bank. Thanks!