The employee/employer relationship

The government consists of people employed by "we the people" to represent us and do our business. Why is it that when our employees fail to do their duty and government grinds to a halt our employees feel they have the right to deny us, the taxpayers (their employers), the use of our own parks and open-air memorials?

Even now, some of us face tickets and prosecution for acts of civil disobedience, removing barricades and entering parks and public property (paid for with our tax dollars). We the people should stand with these taxpayers who took it upon themselves to protest the cavalier, arrogant behavior demonstrated by our employees in attempting to deny use of open-air public property by the owners of that property. We the people must make it clear to the government (our employees) that we will not tolerate the closing of public spaces simply because our employees have failed to meet their responsibilities.

After all, these same employees have negotiated contracts and passed legislation that assures that no federal employee loses wages because of a "government shutdown". This is payment delayed but not denied for services which were not rendered. Private businesses and individuals have suffered losses because of the overreach of politicians and bureaucrats who out of spite ordered that as much pain as possible be inflicted on the public during this shutdown. Apparently, we must educate those in Washington, D.C. of the proper employee/employer relationship.

ROBERT TRANKLE, Chaffee, Mo.