On the first night of the Democratic convention, United Autoworkers president Shawn Fain showed how to build working class support for the Harris-Walz ticket. And it wasn’t just his “Donald Trump is a Scab” t-shirt.
You're right about Trump and Vance not being able to support a program like you've described because of corporate/Wall Street backers, but are the Democrats really any better on that front? It seems to me that they're just as captured — maybe (likely?) more so — by Wall Street now. Everyone paid lip service to some of Bernie's proposals during the 2020 primaries, but they've totally dispensed with every aspect of it. (We did see a cursory vote for a minimum wage increase, but they only did it when they knew good and well it wouldn't pass. Sinema and Manchin took the "rotating villain" fall for that not passing, but the Democrats only had 42 votes, and they knew it. When ostensibly worker-friendly GOPers like Romney and Hawley attempted their own milder minimum wage increase, it was 100% ignored by Dems, and we never heard a word about minimum wage again. Imagine if both parties collaborated on a bill instead of pointing fingers.)
It seems to me that the working class and the middle class are who both parties want to talk about helping, but are ultimately totally ignored when the rubber meets the road. Yes, Harris seems to want to push something like price controls to bring grocery prices down. It seems like a dim, bad proposal on its face, not acknowledging any of the other factors that got us into this mess, but it's likely an empty campaign promise that probably will never even make it to the floor, and if it does, you better believe it will be constructed in a way that it will never actually get the votes, or will get struck down by the Supreme Court, or both. And that's by design.
The Harris campaign seems dead-set on having no platform outside of some bizarrely buzz-wordy platitudes and empty promises, and will change her opinion 180 degrees depending on who she's talking to, and Trump doesn't seem to have the will or coherence to actually follow through on, or believe in, much of anything. And both of them seem totally against policy, or basic governance. Our choices, ladies and gentlemen!
The Democrats are worse. They do so much harm to labor and few care when they do it. They make excuse after excuse, and the brainwashed blue voters eat up all the excuses, completely unable to even think critically anymore.
That might have been the case during the Clinton years, but not anymore. The Repubs have really turned crazy. After Trump goes I'd be happy to wail away on the Dems again.
"But Fain knows that the working class needs the Democrats to stop financialized mass layoffs. Hardly a day goes by without another corporation announcing layoffs while also engaging in stock buybacks. It’s a disease."
"Their unimaginable wealth was built stripping money out of the system, not investing in it."
Grateful to Les Leopold and Sean Fain for explaining this destructive practice.
The Democrats have completely destroyed workers in the past 3 years. With respect to those reading this, if you still think Democrats are a friend of the working class, you need to turn your brain back on.
I was one of those people who mocked MAGA voters for "voting against their own self interest". Yet what good did Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Biden EVER do for workers? They destroyed us!
Anybody concerned about the majority of ordinary of Americans needs to realize that the Democrats are the party that effectively destroys labor by sabotaging it, then they gaslight anybody who tries to draw attention to the sabotage.
I am a Georgia voter and I am very seriously considering supporting Trump this November. My husband and I both voted for Biden in 2020 and boy do we regret it.
Not that I expect anything from Trump. But I know full well that Kamala will do whatever the bankers ask. Trump has a narcissistic streak that makes it possible (albeit inprobable) that he would reign in the bankers in support of workers. Not to mention how the bankers have exposed the degradation of our legal system, by prosectuting Trump on bogus charge after bogus charge.
I can't help feeling that the guy whom the establishment just tried to murder might be better for me than the gal whom the establishment molded.
Re: the Sun. 9/8 Labor history Zoom mtg.-- time? List that and I'll be there.
As to the Ds listening... in all likelihood I won't have to break out the seasonings for the crow or hat I promised you I'd eat if this miraculous conversion occurs. And if they were to actually ACT on what they hear, I'll be in the ER post heart attack. So far I like Tim Walz, but I'm sure the neolib D elite will explain to him that conformity is not optional.
As a peasant autodidact, I taught myself to read at age 4 so read very quickly. Thus seldom have the patience for YouTube etc. However, I found a Best Doc 5/28/24 titled "The Men Who Stole The World (and got away with it)" about 2008, the millions of working people devastated by it, and how this behavior goes on. The comments are really interesting! Seems lots of us nobodies have figured out the vile econ reality, although some seem to believe the right wing explanations and cures.
Come to think of it, I didn't read a single comment expressing belief in Dem party reforms of the econ system. I'm going to go back and check to make sure.
As no longer subject to the cliche 9 to 5 or to required advanced college classes always at 8 or 8:30 a.m., I don't do mornings. So noon here on the west coast is good. I've returned to Western WA where unlike Cali, Native culture is quite visible. BTW, a reason we're called the left coast is that we face the future, not the tired old Atlantic Euro consensus.
I did re-read the comments for the YT film I mentioned. Out of 100+, one pro Dem. Three were a right wing thing I've seen before--Black people were the cause of '08 since banks were forced to make dicey home loans because of govt policies. Oh sure...never mind deregulation. How could anyone believe the least powerful among us could ever dominate suffering banksters?! Several comments noted that foreclosures resulted in a very wealthy few controlling profitable rental properties, etc. Also that the millions affected by loss of houses, wiped out savings, or denied their earned retirements were examples of how the trickle up econ is meant to work.
You're right about Trump and Vance not being able to support a program like you've described because of corporate/Wall Street backers, but are the Democrats really any better on that front? It seems to me that they're just as captured — maybe (likely?) more so — by Wall Street now. Everyone paid lip service to some of Bernie's proposals during the 2020 primaries, but they've totally dispensed with every aspect of it. (We did see a cursory vote for a minimum wage increase, but they only did it when they knew good and well it wouldn't pass. Sinema and Manchin took the "rotating villain" fall for that not passing, but the Democrats only had 42 votes, and they knew it. When ostensibly worker-friendly GOPers like Romney and Hawley attempted their own milder minimum wage increase, it was 100% ignored by Dems, and we never heard a word about minimum wage again. Imagine if both parties collaborated on a bill instead of pointing fingers.)
It seems to me that the working class and the middle class are who both parties want to talk about helping, but are ultimately totally ignored when the rubber meets the road. Yes, Harris seems to want to push something like price controls to bring grocery prices down. It seems like a dim, bad proposal on its face, not acknowledging any of the other factors that got us into this mess, but it's likely an empty campaign promise that probably will never even make it to the floor, and if it does, you better believe it will be constructed in a way that it will never actually get the votes, or will get struck down by the Supreme Court, or both. And that's by design.
The Harris campaign seems dead-set on having no platform outside of some bizarrely buzz-wordy platitudes and empty promises, and will change her opinion 180 degrees depending on who she's talking to, and Trump doesn't seem to have the will or coherence to actually follow through on, or believe in, much of anything. And both of them seem totally against policy, or basic governance. Our choices, ladies and gentlemen!
Can't argue with your argument. Thx for sending.
The Democrats are worse. They do so much harm to labor and few care when they do it. They make excuse after excuse, and the brainwashed blue voters eat up all the excuses, completely unable to even think critically anymore.
That might have been the case during the Clinton years, but not anymore. The Repubs have really turned crazy. After Trump goes I'd be happy to wail away on the Dems again.
"But Fain knows that the working class needs the Democrats to stop financialized mass layoffs. Hardly a day goes by without another corporation announcing layoffs while also engaging in stock buybacks. It’s a disease."
"Their unimaginable wealth was built stripping money out of the system, not investing in it."
Grateful to Les Leopold and Sean Fain for explaining this destructive practice.
The Democrats have completely destroyed workers in the past 3 years. With respect to those reading this, if you still think Democrats are a friend of the working class, you need to turn your brain back on.
I was one of those people who mocked MAGA voters for "voting against their own self interest". Yet what good did Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Biden EVER do for workers? They destroyed us!
Anybody concerned about the majority of ordinary of Americans needs to realize that the Democrats are the party that effectively destroys labor by sabotaging it, then they gaslight anybody who tries to draw attention to the sabotage.
I am a Georgia voter and I am very seriously considering supporting Trump this November. My husband and I both voted for Biden in 2020 and boy do we regret it.
Not that I expect anything from Trump. But I know full well that Kamala will do whatever the bankers ask. Trump has a narcissistic streak that makes it possible (albeit inprobable) that he would reign in the bankers in support of workers. Not to mention how the bankers have exposed the degradation of our legal system, by prosectuting Trump on bogus charge after bogus charge.
I can't help feeling that the guy whom the establishment just tried to murder might be better for me than the gal whom the establishment molded.
Re: the Sun. 9/8 Labor history Zoom mtg.-- time? List that and I'll be there.
As to the Ds listening... in all likelihood I won't have to break out the seasonings for the crow or hat I promised you I'd eat if this miraculous conversion occurs. And if they were to actually ACT on what they hear, I'll be in the ER post heart attack. So far I like Tim Walz, but I'm sure the neolib D elite will explain to him that conformity is not optional.
As a peasant autodidact, I taught myself to read at age 4 so read very quickly. Thus seldom have the patience for YouTube etc. However, I found a Best Doc 5/28/24 titled "The Men Who Stole The World (and got away with it)" about 2008, the millions of working people devastated by it, and how this behavior goes on. The comments are really interesting! Seems lots of us nobodies have figured out the vile econ reality, although some seem to believe the right wing explanations and cures.
Come to think of it, I didn't read a single comment expressing belief in Dem party reforms of the econ system. I'm going to go back and check to make sure.
Well said. The event is from 3 to 5 pm. Will send another note next week. I think I'll probably start babbling around 3:15.
As no longer subject to the cliche 9 to 5 or to required advanced college classes always at 8 or 8:30 a.m., I don't do mornings. So noon here on the west coast is good. I've returned to Western WA where unlike Cali, Native culture is quite visible. BTW, a reason we're called the left coast is that we face the future, not the tired old Atlantic Euro consensus.
I did re-read the comments for the YT film I mentioned. Out of 100+, one pro Dem. Three were a right wing thing I've seen before--Black people were the cause of '08 since banks were forced to make dicey home loans because of govt policies. Oh sure...never mind deregulation. How could anyone believe the least powerful among us could ever dominate suffering banksters?! Several comments noted that foreclosures resulted in a very wealthy few controlling profitable rental properties, etc. Also that the millions affected by loss of houses, wiped out savings, or denied their earned retirements were examples of how the trickle up econ is meant to work.