FaceBook link:
Alan L. Maki Could someone tell me if the coalition pulling this Oct. 2 march together has some kind of written platform? If so, where do I read the entire document... any links someone can give me? thanks in advance.
From the Ed Schultz website: https://www.wegoted.com/events/detail.asp?eventID=37
ONE NATION shares the labor movement's policy agenda: An economy that works for all; good jobs, fair jobs, safe jobs, and more jobs; reforming Wall Street; rep...airing our immigration system; quality education for every child; and ensuring that everyone in America has the opportunity to contribute to and strengthen our country. Restoring workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively is at the heart of the policy agenda.
Midge Hough This is not really an Ed March. Please read this http://www.onenationworkingtogether.org/pages/dc-march
One Nation Working Together We're going to have a link to the full policy document up on the website soon. Keep checking back for more information!
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The reason I ask this question is because I was told by one of the organizers of this march that peace is "part" of the agenda. However, my concern is that the only ones I have heard mention anything about peace are the peace activists.
I have yet to hear Richard Trumka or anyone representing the AFL-CIO in this march explain:
How these dirty wars make us poor.
Answer the question:
How is Obama's and the Democrats' war economy working for working people?
Or state the very basic and fundamental fact that:
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are killing jobs as fast as they kill people.
There is a direct correlation between unemployment and militarism and war.
The fact is, when a Nation spends its resources on wars it is just about like tossing the wealth of the Nation out into the deepest depths of the ocean.
When we spend on war that is money that can't be spent creating a national public health care system and a national public child care system... two desperately needed universal social programs aimed at solving the problems of working people.
In fact, jobs are created by solving the problems of the working class, society and creating the things working people need to live decent lives.
If we stopped squandering the wealth of our country on militarism and these dirty wars for oil and regional domination while financing over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil protecting every two-bit, half-assed fascist bastard whose objective in life is providing Wall Street coupon clippers with cheap labor and natural resources and raw materials and manufactured products we could have free health care and child care for everyone in this country and these two programs alone would create over 15 million new, good, decent paying jobs.
It is nice that a full program is "in the works" and will be announce soon. But, I am wondering, based upon what I am reading and hearing if the leaders of the AFL-CIO or most of the other organizations involved in this aren't evading the links between joblessness and unemployment and militarism and war and solving the very real problems of the American people... all of which are linked together inseparably--- yet, where is this linkage?
I have been told the AFL-CIO "let peace organizations participate by marching and having table space." Is not the program and platform around which this march is being organized going to include linking employment to peace?
Am I not asking valid questions here?
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@Debbie; I just finished reading the link you provided... not one word about these wars or peace.
Also, I have noted two other things missing:
The need to enforce affirmative action and the need to "tax the rich."
Quite frankly, I don't think it is good enough to say: "Stay tuned; the program and platform will be coming out."
This program and platform should be open for discussion, dialog and debate before it is finalized.
I have been asking for months how people can participate in this; no responses from anyone.
If we are marching for jobs and justice, it makes no sense to me not to demand an end to these wars... unless someone can explain how any Nation can create jobs while spending not just millions, but billions and trillions of dollars on wars and militarism.
Should we be telling the Democrats we are going to be turning out to vote for them while they are killing our jobs while killing other people with our tax dollars?
I think I speak for quite a few people in saying we should be sending Barack Obama and the Democrats a much different message that goes something like this:
No peace; no votes.
No real health care reform; no votes.
No national public childcare centers; no votes.
No jobs; no votes.
It is reasonable to think that Obama and the Democrats can end these wars (and ending these wars does not include occupying the countries) and announce a program to get America back to work by solving the problems of our people--- by Election Day... November 2... they pushed through all this other crap for the benefit of Wall Street much quicker.
I think the fact that some, maybe most I don't know, of the organizations sponsoring this march are doing so as an effort to get out the vote for Democrats, most of whom don't deserve or votes on Election Day because they haven't done anything to earn our votes since they have been a majority in the House and Senate with a Democratic president.
I hope others will voice their comments and concerns here.
But please; I don't want to hear from anyone that I am against the Democrats or the Democratic Party... I have worked in the Democratic Party in three states where I have lived over the last 40 years and I am working very hard to elect Mark Dayton the next Democratic Governor of Minnesota who is campaigning on the theme: Tax the rich. Dayton also understands the "guns or butter" argument better than most.
Mark Dayton should be invited, if he hasn't already been, to address this march and rally so the people of our Nation get a chance to see and hear what a true liberal with some progressive viewpoints who isn't afraid to bring forward a left agenda really sounds like--- you know, what we thought we were getting with Barack Obama but we didn't.
Maybe I am wrong in the way I am looking at all of this; I am willing to listen.
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