Thursday, March 5, 2015

The Congressional Progressive Caucus proposes: "Principles for Trade: A Model for Global Progress"... but is it just more idle talk and hypocrisy intended to stave off grassroots and rank-and-file action?

Like most nice-sounding documents we get from the Democrats nowadays these are mere words from these Democrats hiding behind a progressive label who know full well these words will be ignored by the majority of those in the House and Senate; and the president--- Obama--- who they all they support even though Obama is carrying out Wall Streets thoroughly reactionary, warmongering agenda: austerity here at home to pay for Wall Street's very profitable dirty wars.



This statement in calling for the enforcement of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights and workers' rights is especially hypocritical since not one member of the "Progressive Caucus" has ever called for the repeal of "At-Will Employment" legislation, the most heinously repressive anti-worker, anti-democratic legislation intended to thwart and stymie union organizing. Even the "Communist Control Act of 1954" authored by the great "liberal" Hubert H. Humphrey does not come close to the reactionary impact of "At-Will Employment" legislation which imposes silence on the entire working class because employers are provided the freedom to fire any worker--- including many workers employed under the "protection" of union contracts--- provided these employers don't state a reason for firing employees.



Even though not one single member of the Congressional "Progressive Caucus" has had the courage to stand in opposition to these thoroughly reactionary "At-Will Employment" laws, they hypocritically refer to the United States as some kind of bastion in support of human rights and human decency when nothing could be further from the truth as a combination of "At-Will Employment," the Taft-Hartley Act and the Communist Control Act of 1954 attest to; where, in what country, can one find more reactionary, repressive and undemocratic legislation in violation of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights and in complete violation of the intent of the United Nations' Universal Declarationof Human Rights?



As good as such statements like this “Principles for Trade: A Model for Global Progress” sound, the words are meaningless until these members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus take the lead in repealing "At-Will Employment" legislation, the Taft-Hartley Act and the Communist Control Act of 1954.



The combination of these repressive and reactionary measures assures workers have had no voice in the decision-making process in their places of employment, in the communities where workers reside and in the halls of Congress and that workers will have no voice in the future... including when it comes to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) or the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).



How can rank-and-file workers challenge the Wall Street agenda when it comes to trade policies and legislation when they can be fired the minute they open their mouths voicing opinions their employers do not approve of?



How can workers defend their rights and their livelihoods and their jobs when by voicing their opinions and concerns on these very matters they risk losing the very jobs these politicians hypocritically claim to be interested in protecting?


There has been no legislation proposed by these members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the Basic Income Guarantee nor for a Full Employment Act which makes it mandatory for the president and Congress to attain and maintain full employment.


We get more words with no legislative action to back up the nice sounding words.




Check out what the Congressional Progressive Caucus has to
say about trade and human rights keeping in mind their hypocrisy:

http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/uploads/Final%20Principles%20for%20Trade%203-4-151.pdf