Respect the Trades — and the Fields: The Backbone ofAmerica Is Being Taken for Granted
- Gene Johnson
- Aug 4
- 2 min read
By Gene Johnson Jr
Chair, Republican Party of Merced County (RPMC)
President of the Merced County Republican Assembly
Without plumbers, we’d be knee-deep in disease. Without electricians, our society would
shut down within hours. No lights, no hospitals, no refrigeration. Civilization depends on these
people.
And yet—somehow—they’re treated as second-class citizens in the economic food chain.
Here in California, a public school teacher with ten years of service can earn $85,000 or
more, with summers off, a pension, and union protections. Meanwhile, the electrician who
wires that teacher’s classroom?
He brings his own tools, works in the heat or rain, pays for insurance out of pocket, and might
be lucky to earn the same—with none of the benefits.
The Common-Sense Reality
A mechanic buys $10,000 worth of tools before turning a wrench.
A farmer invests a lifetime into land, seed, equipment, and risk—only to be buried under taxes, lawsuits, and water shutoffs from Sacramento.
A farmworker wakes before dawn to labor 10 hours in 100-degree fields so America can eat—no pension, no tenure, no union lobbying for raises.
A roofer risks his life to protect your home.
A welder, HVAC tech, or concrete worker keeps the world standing, but still gets called
"unskilled" by politicians who’ve never lifted a hammer.
Meanwhile, every election year, school districts come asking for more money. Bonds, parcel
taxes, "special needs." And the voters say yes—again and again—because we believe in
education.
But maybe it’s time we ask:
Where’s the respect for the tradesman who keeps the schools running?
Where’s the tax relief for the guy who can’t afford a union lobbyist?
Why is the plumber and the peach picker paying for a pension they’ll never get?
This Isn’t Anti-Teacher. It’s Pro-Fairness.
We’re not here to pit workers against each other. But let’s tell the truth:
The guy fixing the sewer under the school gets no vacation, no tenure, and no
pension—yet pays the taxes that fund all three.
And in California, we’ve built a system that too often overlooks this. That’s why more and
more tradespeople, small business owners, farmers, and working-class citizens are turning
toward the Republican Party—because we’re the ones standing up for work ethic, fairness,
and economic sanity.
It’s Time to Restore Respect
We need a culture shift:
Respect the trades.
Respect the farmer.
Respect the laborer in the field.
Defend their right to fair pay and real opportunity.
Stop ignoring the backbone of America while we fund another bureaucratic expansion.
This isn’t just about wages. It’s about dignity. It’s about truth. And it’s time we said it out loud.
Gene Johnson Jr
Chair, Merced County Republican Party
References:
National Education Association. (2024). Rankings of the States 2023 and Estimates of School Statistics 2024. nea.org
California Department of Education. Certificated Salaries & Benefits Report. cde.ca.gov
Axios (May 2024). California has the highest average teacher salaries. axios.com
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. bls.gov
Harvard Gazette (Oct. 2023). Why blue-collar voters are shifting toward the GOP.
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