To The Editor: Thomas Jefferson said, “My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.” Today, many people agree with Jefferson because they see our national politicians as being bought and paid for by special interest groups. Although labor unions deny it and blame large corporations for influence peddling, the union contributions to national politicians have far exceeded that of all U.S. corporations combined. Moreover, the unions have contributed an enormous amount of money to one party: the Democrats. This is how the money was allocated from 1990-2010, a period during which Republicans controlled Congress for eight of those years: AFSCME: Democrats, $40,281,900; Republicans, $547,700. IBEW: Democrats, $29,705,600; Republicans $679,000. SEIU: Democrats, $26,368,470; Republicans, $98,700. CWA: Democrats, $26,305,500; Republicans $125,300. Laborers: Democrats, $25,374,000; Republicans, $2,138,000. UAW: Democrats, $25,082,200; Republicans $182,700. AFL-CIO: Democrats, $17,124,300; Republicans, $713,500. Teamsters: Democrats, $24,926,400; Republicans,1,822,000. International Longshoremen & Warehouse: Democrats, $22,465,075; Republicans, $1,953,485. American Federation of Teachers, Democrats, $25,682,800; Republicans $200,000. United Food & Commercial Workers: Democrats, $23,182,000; Republicans, $334,200. Sheet Metal Workers: Democrats, $16,347,200; Republicans, $342,800. Machinists & Aerospace Workers, $23,875,600; Republicans, $226,300. Plumbers & Pipefitters: Democrats,$14,790,000 ; Republicans, $818,500. Operating Engineers: Democrats, 13,840,000; Republicans, $2,309,500. Airline Pilots: Democrats,$12,806,600; Republicans, $2,398,300. International Assoc. of Firefighters: Democrats, $12,421,700; Republicans, $2,685,400. United Transportation Workers: Democrats, $11,807,000; Republicans, $1,459,300. Ironworkers: Democrats, $11,638,900; Republicans, $936,000. American Postal Workers: Democrats, $11,633,100; Republicans $544,300. Nat’l. Federal Employees Assoc.: Democrats, $8,135,400; Republicans,$2,294,600. Seafarers International: Democrats, $6,726,800; Republicans,$1,281,300. Total: Democrats, $408,055,500; Republicans, $22,137,400. Amazing, isn’t it? The unions favored Democrats by an astounding 814 percent. It makes you wonder exactly what they were “buying” with all that money. Could it have been influence and control over the government policies that affect unions? Of course, it is. The lopsided money indicates that they were not influencing Republicans. Unions want to increase membership because the officials are paid from the dues garnished from each worker’s paycheck. UAW workers at General Motors plants pay $952.32 annually in union dues. Second, the Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union ($23,875,600), which represents workers at Boeing’s Seattle, Wash. plants, had the Obama Justice Department issue a restraining order against Boeing and is suing to stop the company from building a new plant in Greenville, SC. South Carolina is a right-to-work state and would hire non-union workers. The union believes it is so powerful and has many friends in high places that will pass legislation reserved by the Constitution to the individual states. The unions are shameless in their grab for power. Why isn’t the Obama administration more concerned with the rights of the 92 percent of American families that are not members of unions? The answer lies in that $408,055,500. GERALD F. STAHECKER Seaville (ED. NOTE: Facts and figures were taken from the “The Cowboys and Tea Parties Magazine,” March 16, 2011.)