Monday, September 05, 2005

Happy Labor Day

Today is Labor Day and as this Statesman editorial shows that the state of labor in this country is not good, As unions erode, U.S. workers lose:
A healthy labor movement helps balance the enormous influence of business in American politics. Here, the Texas AFL-CIO remains a rare voice speaking up for workers' interests in the halls of state government, though its influence, too, has declined under Republican administrations.
I believe many people in this country have forgotten what it was like for the average worker before unions. Many, many people sacrificed their lives for the right of workers to unionize. That is what this holiday is about, it's a day to thank all of those that came before us and fought so hard that the worker could get an honest day's pay for an honest day's work and be able to provide a better life for his children. Yes, politics plays into this. It's is no coincidence that as the so-called conservatives, I call 'em corporatists, have taken power in our country all of this has happened. Poverty is up in our country and the middle class is shrinking.

I wrote earlier in the week about the Texas Democratic Fund which is a new organization of lawyers and labor that intend to once again fund grassroots efforts to assist the Democratic Party in Texas. This is an important front in the resurgance of the Democratic Party in Texas. We must embrace policies that help the poor and middle class and highlight the corruption, greed and lack of empathy for their fellow man.


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