Union Perspectives

It took a pandemic to get workers to realize how much power they actually have. Calling their movement “Striketober”, workers from John Deer Tractor, members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees in Hollywood, education employees, healthcare workers, prison guards, and employees from Kellogg and Nabisco, among others are realizing they have the power with employers to make or break the business. In August, 4.3 million workers walked off their jobs. This is the highest number of employees to quit their jobs in the 21 years that the Jobs Openings and Labor Turnover Survey has been tracking these jobs, according to Robert Reich, who calls this movement “an unofficial general strike.” Striketober is the war of the 99 percent vs the 1 percent, and the 99 percent must win to keep our country in a democracy. These strikers are examples of inequality that is ripping our country apart and other countries around the world. The top 1 Percent evaded $163,000,000,000 in taxes,

The death of our country will be by a thousand small injuries inflicted by the ambitions of politicians for their own shortsighted gains and taking bribes for their votes. These politicians enter politics earning $174,000, but end up bringing home an income in the millions for voting the way special interests instruct them to. Take Senator Joe Manchin, he received $1,004,820 from “Securities & Investment,” $826,403 from “Lawyers/Law Firms,” $24,750 from “Tellurian Inc” and $19,900 “Starkey Hearing Technology.” Senator Krysten Sinema received $2,263,684 from “Retired,” $1,655,535 from “Lawyers/Law Firms,” $55,845 from “Davita Inc.,” and $54,900 from “Crescent Capital Group.” These two bulked at President Biden’s attempts to help the little people. Unfortunately, Manchin and Sinema are just two of the many who have sold their votes to the highest bidder. The citizens take the durability of our country for granted and refuse to vote out or condemn people who sell their votes to the

Do you know where you stand? What are your political affiliations? Where do you fit in? Are you a populist, a progressive, a libertarian, independent, moderate, centrist, Democrat or a conservative right-wing Republican? Chances are if you vote, you will fit into one or two of these aforementioned groups. What does each of these groups stand for? The populist pits the common good against special interests, the little person against the establishment, rural interests against urban. The progressive wants to remake the Democratic party, often referred to as “netroots”. They want to end wars, energy independence, open transparent government, and promoting civil liberties. The libertarians want to be left alone, minimal government, very little taxes, national defense, and the legalization of drugs and are especially opposed to the legislation of morality. Independents are moderates or centrists. They do not vote for a party but for a candidate that appeals to them the most. Republicans, wh