"Endorsed by your Local Firefighter" or endorsed by others the tab attached to the campaign sign reads. Why do we care?

Our economic foundation is built upon people making goods they sell in markets. Service purveyors sell services we purchase with taxes paid from manufactured products.

Because it is their livelihood, service-purveyors want to sell as much service as the market will bear.

Consider the distinction between public-employee unions like police and market-sector unions like machinists. Machinists must compete in the market place and are "market regulated." Public-employee unions are paid with the taxes levied by government and are "politically-regulated."

It is essential for public-employee unions to elect politicians who will bend to their will because politicians enact the laws that collect the taxes we pay.

By controlling the political landscape, providers can sell more services to us than we need or want.

In Tukwila, three council members are from the public-employee sector. During this election, make note of who endorses these candidates.

In Des Moines, PDC records tell us, a Political Action Committee (Community for Des Moines) is registered with the stated purpose to defeat incumbents Steenrod and Petersen and candidates Back and Foote.

Contributors include the Des Moines Police Guild, Washington Teamsters and King County Labor Council. Obviously, city employees, many of whom are not residents, are attempting to claim those positions for their political bag.

There is nothing illegal about it. Selection remains a voter's choice. Just be forewarned that those endorsements you see have a motive behind them and the motive is not necessarily for your own good.

Paul Willoughby

Tukwila