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Union Members Kick Off Convention in Denver |
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More than 2,000 union members and their families converged in Denver Aug. 24 to begin the 2008 Democratic National Convention—and the fall’s unprecedented union mobilization—with an afternoon rally.
Union delegates to the convention were joined by working families from across Colorado who came out to mobilize for a massive effort to elect Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Joe Biden as president and vice president this fall.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney cited the high stakes in the election and the differences between the records of Obama and Sen. John McCain on the issues that matter to working families. He said the union movement gathered for the rally, and the political effort unions already are carrying out, will make the critical difference in the election.
It is important to note that we are united in our determination to Turn Around America. And by “united” I mean all of us—the AFL-CIO, the NEA, Change to Win, 17 million members, 28 million potential voters from union households—all of us together. We are united behind two champions of a better America—Barack Obama and Joe Biden—an incredible choice.
Brothers and sisters, the work that all of us in this room will do, and the work that union members from every union in every state will do, will bring home the crucial working class vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden
Sweeney laid out the program to energize and educate union members and their families, noting the role of union member-to-member contact through door-to-door walks, local union mail, phone banks, worksite visits and online outreach.
Union leaders got the attendees revved up for the fight for good jobs, fair trade, an economy that works for all, retirement security, health care and the Employee Free Choice Act.
AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker said the Employee Free Choice Act is at the heart of rebuilding an economy that works for everyone. Union members, she said, will spread the word to all delegates at the convention about repairing the Bush-McCain corporate-driven economy.
As labor delegates, we have a special responsibility this week: To make sure every delegate understands as well as we do that we cannot turn around America unless we restore the free choice of working people to come together in unions and bargain for better wages and benefits and a real voice on the job.
Barack Obama gets it—he knows the Employee Free Choice Act is key to rebuilding our middle class and restoring hope to working America. He’s a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act and pledges to sign it. Barack Obama has earned a 98 percent voting record for working families. John McCain, on the other hand, has a stunning record of voting with President Bush 89 percent of the time since Bush took office.
The last thing we need is John McSame and four more years of the Bush disaster!
Between now and Election Day, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka said, “we need to make it personal–we need to make it our business to educate folks.”
We need to tell them that if they care about holding on to their jobs, their health care, their pensions and their homes–if they care about child care, pay equity for women workers–if they want to leave their children a better, fairer, more decent America than the one that was given to us there’s only going to be one candidate on the ballot this fall who’s earned their votes…only one candidate who believes that the way things are isn’t the way things have to be and his name is Barack Obama!
Union delegates who attended the rally said they were excited to be part of a unified, enthusiastic movement ready to win the election for pro-worker candidates.
Maria Cordone, an IAM member from Maryland, is a superdelegate to the convention.
I think that this country is in for a change and I think that this is going to happen at this convention. It will be a unifying convention, with the process being taken out into this country so people can see the excitement that is building up here because of the unity.
Jeff Radjewski, an IBEW member and delegate from Michigan, also noted the historic nature of this year’s election and its importance to working families.
I’m extremely excited. I remember as a young kid, my mother would watch these conventions until the wee hours of the morning. And never in a million years did I think that I would be a delegate at one of these and able to make change. It’s a huge responsibility, but at the same time it makes me think of where I come from. The disparity of the gap between the richest people in this country and the poorest, or the working people, is getting wider and wider. I think that Joe Biden and Obama have lived what the working people are going through right now, and so they can best identify with the needs and what the future should be for the working people in this country.
USW President Leo Gerard summed up the challenge—and the opportunity—facing working families.
This is our generation’s opportunity for change. Obama is the person who can lead that change and if we all put out shoulder to the wheel, this will be our FDR moment.
Paid for by the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education Political Contributions Committee, www.aflcio.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
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This critical analysis reveals that Obama, Biden, and the Democratic Party offer nothing for working people.
Obama selects Biden to reassure the US ruling elite
By Patrick Martin
25 August 2008
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/aug2008/bide-a25_prn.shtml
“Today, neither party has any substantial popular base. In both parties there is only one true “constituency”: the financial aristocracy that dominates economic and political life and controls the mass media, and whose interests determine government policy, both foreign and domestic. The selection of Biden, the senator from a small state with only three electoral votes, whose own presidential bids have failed miserably for lack of popular support, underscores the immense chasm separating the entire political establishment from the broad mass of the American people.”
…
Working people have no stake in the outcome of the Obama-McCain contest, which will determine, for the American ruling elite, who will be their commander-in-chief over the next four years. The task facing the working class is to break with the two-party system and build an independent political movement based on a socialist and internationalist program.”
Before you start criticizing Obama and Biden, and forewarning that we re all ‘doomed’ by voting for this ticket, just remember that they are in fact human beings and ARE willing to listen to what the American people want. This is not the case with McCain, and certainly has NOT been the case with Bush. Sadly, our government has gone hopelessly astray, but I really believe that Obama wants to bring things back to the grass roots of Democratic ideology. I’ve been a Democrat all my life, as my parents have been, and as my grandparents have been, and we have seen many, many changes and metamorphosis occurring within the party for several decades. You are basing the bulk of your information and opinion on the World Socialist Web site, and as the name implies, it already states its bias. You cannot be too hasty in your judgments, as per the WSWS, because the political process of this country has always tethered on the edge of a delicate balance between being too liberal and being too conservative. I am a Democrat, but I believe many aspects of our government should be social(ized), as many progressive Democrats already believe. I would not be willing to completely do away with the Democratic party, because by its very nature, it will change to what the people (populists) want. It always has. The problem with electing a Republican is that by their nature, they do not want change, and they are very happy with the status quo. Considering there are two candidates with any real possibility to be elected, it would be far better to elect a president that openly admits we need a new direction, and also openly states some of the changes that he is willing to strive for. I’d much rather take my chances with Obama, because at least with him, I can be hopeful. With McCain, I will have lost all hope in this country, because I cannot even imagine what the state of our country, our economy, our social structure, including Social Security, Medicare and unemployment compensation, our world wide credibility, etc. would be like. It frightens the hell out of me, and it should you as well. I DO NOT WANT MY SON TO BE DRAFTED, because he will be, no doubt. I DO NOT WANT MY CHILDREN see their opportunities for a secure and financially stable life be washed away, because some idiot thinks that EVERYTHING IS JUST FINE. WE have the opportunity to work with the hand that has been given us, and WORK is the operative word. I truly believe that an Obama administration will be a very good thing for this country, because at least with that, we have something very positive with which to build upon, and something very hopeful to look forward to.
will they be caged in ‘free speech zones’ and treated like prisoners or will they be the guards who bash the heads of protesters? The democrats support a police state and not freedom to protest. Why should labor support them? We will be rounded up and caged if we dare to protest when they betray us yet again.
In response to the statement “the democrats support a police state and not freedom to protest” is totally false. Where are you getting that from? However, the Republicans are doing a very good job insinuating one into our country. Take a look around; have you been aware of the freedoms that we have already lost since Bush took office. In order for you to make such a statement, it is obvious there is so much you just don’t know.
The Democrats do NOT support a police state nor do they hinder the freedom to protest. Where do you get your information from? You are wrong about this.
It was interesting to sit there and listen to the rhetoric and watch the crowd response. It is a little scary to see that so much of labor is just not thinking about the consequences of the total package of what the democrats want to do. All we are going to have is a more intense victim mentality in this country and people expecting the government to provide for all their needs. Just ridiculous!
In recent years of “accept no responsibility” excuse-making, people tend to wash their hands of any blame for electing people who then turn around and stab them in the back. The result has been unfettered corporate attacks on working class families, and attacks on our basic freedoms.
In 2008 we all have a chance to return America to we the people.
There are striking differences between McCain and Obama.
Obama supports the Employee Free Choice Act. McCain doesn’t.
McCain wants to tax workers’ medical benefits, limit SCHIP funding for children’s health care, and open the door for a complete corporate takeover of our nation’ health care system. McCain’s “health care” proposals are deadly. In the interests of accuracy let’s call them what they are: “medical industry profits proposals”. Obama’s health care plan, although not perfect, would protect children, and make health care more affordable and accessible to low and middle income households.
McCain’s out of Iraq policy? There is no such thing. Obama, on the other hand, has a plan to safely withdraw our troops from Iraq, and end the illegal US occupation of that nation. The McCain/Bush/ Cheney war has so far cost the American public $3 trillion! That’s $10,000 for every man, woman, and child in our nation! Just think of what that money could have done if it had been used for the good of we the people!
McCain likes publicly-funded, private schools. Obama is a strong supporter of public education. Strengthening public education is one of his priorities.
America’s infrastructure is falling apart. McCain’s answer? Award no-bid contracts to corporations, many of which are controlled by foreign investors. That’s what is happening today under Bush/Cheney/McCain. Halliburton, Blackwater, Bechtol, and other GOP-friendly conglomerates are raking in record, unjustified profits, but delivering shoddy or no results. Obama’s plan is to hire US workers to fix our roads, bridges, public buildings, etc., thereby keeping US money in the US! A huge number of jobs paying family-sustaining wages would be created under an Obama presidency.
McCain’s trade policy? Ship more of our jobs offshore! Obama, on the other hand, says that unless there are worker-friendly amendments to current, flawed trade policies, the US will withdraw from them.
Energy independence? McCain says more oil drilling today will reduce gas prices. He fails to mention that it would take a decade for newly-discovered oil to make it to the local gas pump, and that the saving would be just two pennies per gallon. Oh good! In 2018 you’ll be able to save two whole cents per gallon! (Given the record, price-gouging profits EXXON and other energy monopoly companies enjoy, by 2018 we’ll all be too poor to afford a car.) Obama has a plan to move us to energy independence. Obama’s plan also addresses the problem of global warming.
McCain has no plan to deal with the lack of affordable housing. His “solution” is to allow more predatory lending! Obama promises to stop predatory lending , and to make mortgage rates affordable.
McCain (incredibly) voted against increased funding for veteran’s health care. Obama has consistently supported veterans!
McCain wants to privatize Social Security. Obama plans to strengthen it.
McCain’s favors more tax breaks to the already filthy rich. Obama wants to end those tax giveaways to multi-millionaires and billionaires and instead use the money for the good of the rest of us
Whether it be properly funding public education (including college) or job creation, peace, health care, energy, tax fairness, support for veterans, rebuilding America, or strengthening America’s labor movement, Barack Obama and Joe Biden is your ticket. There is no doubt about that.
Last year eight visionaries in the Democratic Party embarked on the road to the White House. Today, only Barack Obama remains. He will be the candidate of the Democratic Party. Backers of Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Joe Biden and John Edwards will close ranks behind Obama. Good, sincere compassionate Democrats, Independents, and Republicans will rally behind Obama. Each of them wants what is best for America, and they know that Obama shares their desire for a better day. Each of them care about kids and health care and jobs and peace, and they want to do all they can to reverse the horrible problems created by the Bush/Cheney/McCain Administration.
To end up where I started: We will live with the result of our vote in November. If you elect more of the same you’ll get more of the same. That is a given. McCain is a standard bearer for more of the same.
If you want change, if you want hope for a better future, you’ll vote the Obama/Biden ticket in November.
Thanks, Rich A. for your post. I’m beginning to think that the reason our country is in such bad shape is that many people are not looking at the facts and making an effort to understand the things that are happening in this country. Perhaps it is pure ignorance that we have the leaders we do.
If you all want change it is not the new President that will do it Obama or McCain.If we do not find some way to get rid of the fools in Congress nothing will change.We traded a do nothing Republican Congress for a Democratic Congress that has done even less.Don’t tell me that the Republicans have caused it this bunch of fools can not see past getting re-elected no matter what the cost to the American People.Someone wrote on here the other day that the definiton of Stupid is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results and that someone is right.We keep sending the same people back to Congress and nothing changes.A new President will make little difference no matter what party they belong to.All of you are correct to a certain extend but change in our government must begin with the people we have elected to represent us all these many years.Change will begin when we all go to the polls and vote against the incumbent fools that do not represent us now.