Some politicians and billionaires believe government should implement
the corporate economic principle of "survival-of-the-fittest” instead of the
well-honored system of seniority. Bill
Gates and Microsoft engage in this corporate management style and that is one of the main reasons we see this in attacks against public employee unions (for a more detailed analysis of this point read Chris Hayes' brilliant book Twilight of the Elites).
Then there is the principle that little to no government is
best for the economy that was championed by Milton Friedman and President
Ronald Reagan. In addition, there is the
economic principle (also by Mr. Friedman and President Reagan) that no
interference whatsoever should come from government, communities or unions (and for an excellent read on
the devastating global impact of these two principles pickup Naomi Klein’s book
Shock Therapy).
Now this leads me to the main question: so why are current and termed-out and allegedly pro-union Democrats leading this hate parade? Although I expect the reasons are many, one
thing I know is certain; some of these politicians lacked honest commitment to workers rights from the start.
Recently the labor movement has wisely recognized the critical
need to identify and support those politicians who in bad and good times will fight
for economic and social equality for all workers and who will not give in to the
temptations of money from the wealthy. Yet at the
same time, labor must exercise caution and identify those politicians who have
shown in their actions or in their moral character that they will only stand
for workers’ rights when times are good.
Today’s political environment of hate towards workers and especially organized labor is a testament to how
important that analysis really is because we have these current and termed-out Democrats
chasing after the billionaires’ money whether the money is in the form of contributions
or in the form of highly-paid and prestige sounding non-profit jobs. Yet, at the same time, they hold themselves
out as believers in equality for all workers and members of their communities.
Now before I finish, allow me to make one point. I recognize and thank the California politicians that continue to fight for workers’ justice; however, even
they have to admit some of their colleagues have embraced the anti-union agendas
of the wealthy mainly for their own personal gains. Yet, no matter how few these greedy Democrats,
we must hold them accountable for their greed and the harm they cause.
This leads me to a question that is the subject of another post. What are we going to do about these “friends”
of labor and perpetuators of our society’s social ills before it is too late?
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