If you support a progressive agenda, then support a progressive candidate.
I am remiss for having neglected to post an entry on Labor Day. Here's a belated acknowlegement...
Radio Netherlands' excellent The State We're In program had an interesting segement on the right to unionize and Wal-Mart's concerted efforts to block people from exercising that right. Not surprisingly, the corporate behemoth refused to subject itself to journalistic questioning on their labor relations' practices.
RNW also pointed out that the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights' Article 23, Section 4 states: Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Additionally, the New York state constitution's Bill of Rights (Article I, Section 17) ensures: Employees shall have the right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing.
If we had a government of, for and by the people instead of a government of, for and by the corporations, then maybe these enshrined rights might actually be respected.
Fortunately, there is a presidential candidate who actually recognizes both the importance of unions and the danger of corporatacracy.
Hint: He's not a Democrat.
Perhaps this is why Ralph Nader is at 6 percent in the polls in the heavily unionized state of Michigan, despite being completely ignored* by the, you guessed it, the corporate media.
(*-I'm referring to the real definition of ignored, not the manipulative fake definition put for by St. John and his GOP allies)
This is why neither of the two corporate parties want Nader, Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney or anyone else in the debates. They KNOW that if smaller party and independent candidates may actually become competitive if their views actually get heard by a mass audience.
How do the corporate party candidates know this? They just look at the numbers.
In a recent Zogby poll, people were presented with the following statement: I believe the United States' system is broken and cannot be fixed by traditional two-party politics and elections.
44 percent of respondants answered Yes, the two-party system is inadequate; and that to address our nation's problems, we need true multipartyism like is found in every other democracy in the world.
The discontent is out there. Despite a media blackout against smaller party and independent candidates, people are still gravitating toward them.
Imagine would what happen if unions started endorsing candidates who actually supported policies that benefited workers!
Imagine if workers actually demanded accountability by refusing to vote for candidates and officials who pushed anti-worker policies.
Imagine if voters actually took advantage of all the electoral options available instead of self-limiting to bad and hideous.
An informed workforce is an empowered workforce. The corporations know this and they make sure the politicians they control know this. So it's up to the citizenry to inform themselves because the corporate media isn't helping them.
CANDIDATE WEBSITES
Ralph Nader/Matt Gonzalez, independent
Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente, Green Party
Bob Barr/Wayne Root, Libertarian Party
Note: if you know of any other national campaign websites, please leave them in the notes section and I will add them.
2 comments:
First off I must say I do not like either of the major party candidates. I would vote libertarian but Barr's track record doesn't convince me he is libertarian, and not just a nazi with a hippie girlfriend.
The time for unions has past though, and has now become a neo Luddite concept. Look at the success Toyota, Honda and Hyundai have had in the auto industry in this country in regions where Ford/GM have bailed and how anti union their labor is, and compare it to the insolvency of Ford/GM. I'm not talking about the poor sales, I'm talking about negative networths because of over commitment to unions.
I worked insurance collections for a cancer hospital in NYC. Do you know who was the absolute worse paying plans? The unions. It was like pulling teeth and frequently they never paid leaving their members stuck with the bill.
The idea of organized labor works up until the point that the organized labor becomes an entity unto itself. At that point it starts having its own agenda which starts diverging from the needs and concerns of its members.
OSHA and other federal agencies and regulations now protect the health and welfare of workers.
So what role does the union serve now?
You make some good points, to which I will respond more later.
But I thought about this theme when I read an article on how at least 100 Muslim meatpackers in Colorado were fired in violation of their freedom of religion rights and how their union was taking up the case.
Post a Comment