Are
you fed up?
Let's
talk about the politics and economics of livelihood from a working
class point of view
Published
by: Alan
L. Maki... a rank-and-file
working class activist
Retired member of Unite-H.E.R.E. Local 17
Contact
info: Phone:
651-587-5541
E-mail:
red_finn@live.com
Check out my blog on
the Internet: The Podunk
Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/
There
is a crisis Wall Street's bribed politicians and and over-paid
pundits and “economists” refuse to talk about:
The
“cost-of-living crisis” which every single working class
family has to grapple with in trying to make ends meet on constantly
dwindling pay-checks.
As
prices rise our pay-checks dwindle because we can't purchase as much.
As
workers we create the wealth from which Wall Street profits but we
get less and less in return for our labor and the Wall Street
parasites exploiting us get more and more.
We, as workers,
have a right to have a say in the decision-making process. In spite
of all the talk about democracy, workers have been systematically
excluded from the political and economic decision-making processes
which affects our lives.
No one
wants to talk about the relationship between wages and
cost-of-living; what goods and services we can purchase
with our wages... or, what we can't purchase with our wages--- things like health care.
When we
can't purchase the basic necessities of life with our wages we are
poor.
Why is it so hard for the over-paid pundits and party hacks to figure out what poverty is?
Politicians
bribed by employers use the levers of government like Minimum Wage
legislation to hold wages down but do nothing to keep prices from
rising.
Prices
rise for several reasons.
The two
main reasons for rapid price increases are bloated military
spending and monopoly price-fixing.
When
the government will pay any price for anything from oil and gas to
food, medicine and clothing to keep the military machine going this
pushes up the prices of everything we need to live, too.
Monopoly
price-fixing. The huge monopolies set their prices based on what they
think the market will bear. It makes no difference to them whether
people can afford to eat or access health care or drive to work at
their poverty wage paying jobs. Maximum profits is their only
concern.
In spite of all the talk about “free markets”
there is very little free market when the huge monopolies dominate
the economy and life of the country.
We need
a government of, by and for the people--- We
The People; isn't this supposed to be what our country
is about?
We need
a government which will use its power to bring the Minimum Wage in
line with actual “cost-of-living” factors.
Working
people without jobs are going to be poor.
Politicians
talk about “jobs, jobs, jobs” but once elected refuse to make
themselves legislatively responsible for attaining and maintaining
full employment.
The
hypocrisy is endless and never-ending just like the wars, poverty and
unemployment.
We need
a government which will work for peace, people and the environment
first.
Wall
Street is running this country; this is the main problem.
As
working people, we need to challenge Wall Street for political and
economic power. Power should not be in the hands of the greedy few
who find wars more profitable than peace. Poverty amidst such
tremendous wealth is morally unacceptable.
This is
the richest country in the world. If we can't put an end to poverty
what other country can?
These
wars are making us all poor as the wealth of the Nation created by
workers is squandered on militarism and wars.
The
large pool of unemployed, under-employed and workers employed at
poverty wages drives all wages down.
These
Wall Street employers profit from low wages in the same way they
profit from these never-ending dirty wars.
Wages
going down; prices going up. This is what has created the
“cost-of-living crisis” no one wants to talk about.
Working
class families caught up in this “cost-of-living crisis” are
cautioned to “be patient” and more “frugal.” We are preached
to by the politicians that we must be satisfied with “inching our
way to economic justice;” that reforms must be carried out
“incrementally” in “baby steps” so as not to offend the Wall
Street overlords.
Democrats
are pushing a form of “populist economics” using progressive
sounding rhetoric but free from real solutions to our problems which
doesn't consider the link between lack of healthcare, crumbling
infrastructure, underfunded public schools, poverty, unemployment,
racism and militarism and wars.
As a
society, we need these Wall Street parasites about as much as dogs
need ticks and fleas.
The
“cost-of-living” crisis is about poverty.
Politicians
can put on a huge “bi-partisan” blitz to drum up support for
their dirty wars.
Politicians
can put on a blitz to finance stadiums for the billionaire owners of
professional sports teams.
So, why
can't these same politicians put on a blitz to end this
“cost-of-living crisis” and poverty?
Politics
in this country is like buying a package of pork chops at the
super-market... the bad ones are always hidden on the bottom... and
we sure got a bad one with Donald Trump but Hillary Clinton was just
as bad leaving us with little choice... just like buying the family
pack of pork chops--- the bad ones are hidden and covered with a
couple good ones. Everything becomes a racket under capitalism... and
workers are forced to pay the price... be the price war or the
“cost-of-living crisis” neither of which Wall Street's bribed
politicians from the Democratic or Republican parties are ever going
to do anything about.
Working people need a new political
party.
Our agenda would be very straightforward and
simple:
Campaign for a “21st
Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity”
We are fed up with politicians campaigning on
promises of “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” and then failing to make
themselves legislatively responsible for attaining and maintaining
full employment.
We are fed up with our tax dollars being squandered
on militarism and wars instead of being used to create jobs by
solving the problems of the people and defending our living
environment… its time to beat swords into plowshares. Put people to
work solving the problems of the people.
A National Public Health Care System would create
over twelve-million new jobs paying real living wages providing
people with free health care--- general medical, eyes, ears,
dental, family planning and mental health--- through a network of
neighborhood and community health care centers; this is a better use
of our tax-dollars than wasting our human and financial resources on
a far flung empire of over 800 U.S. military bases around the world.
Or, it could be financed the same way Social Security is financed.
Public funding. Public administration. Public delivery… nothing
controversial; just like public education.
A National Public Child Care System would create over
three-million new jobs providing working class families with free
child care.
We need to restore C.E.T.A., WPA and CCC.
“At
Will Employment” legislation in states across the country needs to
be rescinded to expand democracy in the workplace and provide workers
with the right to freely participate in the communities where they
live.
All attacks on immigrant workers, documented and
undocumented, need to end.
Planned Parenthood needs to be
defended and programs expanded.
We insist Congress and the president enact full
employment legislation which makes them legislatively responsible for
attaining and maintaining full employment; assure everyone who wants
a job employment at real living wages in line with the actual
cost-of-living.
Full employment would provide stability for Social
Security; everyone paying in; everyone getting something out.
Pensions must be honored and protected. The Wall Street swindle of
pension funds must end. Restore the Glass-Steagall Act.
We are
entitled to a Peace Dividend.
Let's
talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for a change.
