Yesterday was Labor Day, which has been a federal holiday since 1894.
It honors the work, sacrifices, and contributions of American workers.
However, labor unions have been in rapid decline since the Presidency of Ronald Reagan, ironically himself the only President to be a labor union leader, as head of the Screen Actors Guild in the 1940s and early 1950s.
If it was not for workers in all fields of industry and business, plus public government workers, America would not have accomplished its economic greatness over the generations.
And yet, not one word from President Donald Trump, who has spent his life exploiting workers in his real estate businesses, and often not paying contractors or workers the pay they are due, and avoiding it in court cases.
Labor Unions have brought about the following (no special order):
Weekends off for most workers
Paid Vacations
Paid Sick Leave
Family and Medical Leave
Child Labor Laws
Social Security
Minimum Wage
8 Hour Work Day
Overtime Pay
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Health Care, Dental, and Vision Coverage
Collective Bargaining Rights
Work Breaks
Wrongful Termination Laws
Age Discrimination Laws
Raises in Wages
Sexual Harassment Laws
Americans With Disabilities Act
Holiday Pay
Military Leave
Equal Pay Act
Workers Compensation
Civil Rights Laws
Federal Holidays Off
Sadly, less than ten percent of all workers now have the benefits of being members of a labor union, while in the 1960s and 1970s, one out of three workers were labor union members. The Northeast and the Pacific Coast are the areas of most labor unions that are doing well, while so called “right to work” laws keep workers in the South and much of the center of the nation relatively poor by comparison, as we have a new “Gilded Age” of business running rampant over workers, reminding us of the late 19th century.
While a mass shooting was happening in Texas and a hurricane tearing up the Bahamas, Trump was busy playing golf this weekend.
‘Is Chuck Schumer actively trying to blackball progressive candidates?’
By Jake Johnson (09.03.2019)
https://www.salon.com/2019/09/03/is-chuck-schumer-actively-trying-to-blackball-progressive-candidates/
Months after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee [DSCC] formally announced it would blacklist consultants who work with primary challengers against incumbent Democrats, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee — controlled by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer [D–New York] — is reportedly taking the policy of its House counterpart “one step further” by undermining progressive candidates attempting to flip Republican-held seats.
…
There’s aerial footage of the destruction in the Bahamas. Past presidents would have pledged to help with disaster cleanup and recovery. Guarantee you that Trump won’t do so.
So, you expect the DSCC to be indifferent to the primary process in one of the most important battleground states that could decide Senate control in 2021? You know, the body whose core mission is to maximize the number of Democrats in the Senate? Nominating the wrong person is a great way to flip the Senate red, you’d better believe they will work to encourage the candidate they think has the best chance of winning. Progressives are free to run in Massachusetts, hence Elizabeth Warren. It’s not the ideology being left wing, it’s electability in a state that frequently votes red.
We’re in Trump territory in our state. A progressive spouting Medicare-for-All and the Green New Deal would lose an election where we are. Sheesh, even Biden would lose where we are. Too many voters in the area listening to Breitbart, Rush and Fox News.
Our neck of the woods is rural, lots of farming, a few small Mayberry towns. Demographics are primarily white, middle aged and over. A lot of people in the area are religious conservatives and their socially conservative views is why they quite frequently vote Republican every election.
Former Republican asks, “So, you expect the DSCC to be indifferent to the primary process in one of the most important battleground states that could decide Senate control in 2021?â€
Yes.
The job of a DCCC and DSCC chairperson is to get people affiliated with the Democratic Party elected.
It is not the job of a DCCC or DSCC chairperson to control specifically just who exactly—and they want corporate Democrats—is allowed to be a general-election Democratic Party nominee for the U.S. House or U.S. Senate.
This is about controlling the political party, the Democratic Party, to as much an extent as those who are already have control—and they are corporate Democrats—can succeed. It is why both the DCCC and DSCC have recently opted to threaten consulting firms to not work with actual progressive candidates.
If you are an actual progressive, Former Republican, this means the corporate Democrats are working against you—Colorado’s John Hickenlooper is anti-Medicare for All and a pro-fracker (one who is actually suitable to be affiliated with the Republican Party)—while wanting the people, including people who are actual progressives, to vote for them.
It is also a con job.
D – You don’t understand. Probably because you don’t live in a conservative, strongly Republican area like we’re, unfortunately, stuck in. Elizabeth Warren can win in Massachusetts because it’s a more liberal area, which is more strongly Democratic. In a more conservative area, she would lose.
Exactly, Former Republican. In our area, if it were Trump vs. Bernie in 2020, Bernie would lose. It’s been that way for several decades. Religious and social views are a key factor.
D – The cold reality is that “pure progressives†won’t win in many – or even most – areas.
Norbrook explains about that in his blog. https://cendax.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/a-lesson-for-liberals/
If anyone is interested, CNN is going to be showing some town halls tomorrow night focusing on climate change. Top 10 candidates will be featured. Town halls start at 5 pm EST.
Thanks for letting us know about that. We’ll be sure to tune in.
In regards to Medicare For All, people want to know how much is it going to cost, how is it going to be paid for, how is it going to affect their employer based insurance, etc. Quite frankly, I think we need a town hall on this subject, where the candidates can go more in depth about their health care plans and have more time to address such questions.
Top 3 will be on during prime time.
Speaking of the climate change town halls, a first step in assessing proposals to address climate change.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2019/09/04/a-first-step-in-assessing-proposals-to-address-climate-change/
LOL! In a press conference today, the stupid, fake “president” insisted several times that Alabama was in Dorian’s path, despite evidence to the contrary. A map he had looked like someone used a Sharpie to falsely extend the forecast towards Alabama.
https://twitter.com/DavidNakamura/status/1169325627171848192
Falsifying a forecast is illegal, it turns out. Not that Trump is much of a stickler for the law, but here’s U.S. Code, Title: 18, Section: 2074 on False Weather Reports: “Whoever knowingly issues or publishes any counterfeit weather forecast or warning of weather conditions falsely representing such forecast or warning to have been issued or published by the Weather Bureau, United States Signal Service, or other branch of the Government service, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both.â€
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2074
Dump’s personality disorders told him he had to be right because he is a super genius and the chosen one. So he got out his crayons and “corrected the mapâ€.
More likely, one of the staffers at Adult Day Care 1600 marked up the map to soothe the Toddler-in-Chief.
Honestly, I doubt that DJT could find Alabama on a map.
The other funny thing about the sharpie mark is that it mostly adds the Florida panhandle — it barely touches Alabama at all.
This would make the perfect skit for when SNL comes back on the airwaves.
Dumb Donald needs no assistance in making him appear stupid or embarrassing. Does it all by just being.
I wonder if Trump tried to alter his report cards as a kid?
More likely Daddy paid someone to alter them, or to overlook them, kind of like the parents who paid bribes to get their mediocre kids into great colleges.
Been listening to the town halls. What I like about Elizabeth Warren is that she is able to make politics and policy personal. Especially when she talks about her own story. I think that style has a strong appeal to voters.
I’m agreeing with The Hill. My prediction is also that it will be a Biden vs. Warren race.
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/455736-joe-biden-versus-elizabeth-warren-may-be-the-ultimate-primary-battle
I agree with what CNN had to say about Mayor Pete in their assessment of the town halls. Definitely shows why he’s in the top 5.
———————–
Buttigieg may lack the soaring rhetoric, but he brings the kind of historic sweep to politics that many Democrats saw in their Presidents John Kennedy and Obama.
Like Obama in 2008, he is presenting himself as an intellectual and unifying candidate who can ease the nation’s polarization and reach parts of the electorate closed to other candidates.
Seeking to show he could build coalitions even with conservative heartland voters, Buttigieg called on Americans to see global warming through a religious lens.
“You know, if you believe that God is watching as poison is being belched into the air of creation, and people are being harmed by it, countries are at risk in low lying areas, what do you suppose God thinks of that?” Buttigieg asked.