For My Dad

I have not had a chance to do in-depth reading regarding the secret free trade deal "between a handful of senior Democrats and the Bush administration," although I hope to get more up to speed over the next several days. However, I did want to go ahead and mention it because reforming our trade policy is an extremely important issue. And because those members of the Democratic party who would sell out American workers need to be taken to task when they support such legislation and policies. So, I wil post more details as I have time to do some more thorough reading and research.

But, for the time being I want to share some personal insight into this issue and explain some of the reasons that deals such as the one mentioned above have come to be very important to me. But first, here is here is tidbit from the article linked to above:

TEAMSTERS SAY THEY WILL “FIGHT LIKE HELL” AGAINST THE DEAL: Teamsters President James Hoffa released a statement saying “Democratic leaders in Congress joined with the Bush administration yesterday to announce a trade ‘deal’ that sells out American workers” and that the Teamsters “will fight like hell to oppose this shortsighted agreement.” Particularly interest was Hoffa’s declaration that “I am baffled as to why there is such eagerness to give this president - who is unwilling to enforce current labor and trade laws — a victory” and his inquiry about “why there was so much urgency to have a ‘deal’” in the first place. Put another way, trade is the one area where if Democrats don’t do anything at all, they could create the strategic pause in bilateral trade deals called on by leading economists like EPI’s Jeff Faux and leading presidential candidates like Hillary Clinton. Why, then, would they instead move forward with a deal - especially one that has them embrace one of the most unpopular presidents in contemporary American history? Is K Street cash really that powerful?

Following this piece of information, I am very proud to say that my Dad is a Teamster. When talking about free trade deals and anti-union policies that would create more insecurity for American workers, most of media never discuss the real and immediate impact that such policies have on working Americans and families. I, like many kids fortunate enough to have parents who provided them with a decent home and opportunites, grew up taking much of what I had for granted. Since I have gotten older and have started working and pretty much supporting myself, I am now starting to realize how difficult it is to make a decent living. My Dad has worked very hard day in and day out and has given 110% to his job throughout his life and is one of the increasingly fewer number of American workers who are members of a union and thus have some negotiating power with the companies that would exploit years of hard work and dedication by selling them out in the form of outsourced jobs and declining wages and benefits all for the sake of more and more profits that will benefit few people. This is the real underlying issue of free trade and anti-union economic policies: people like my Dad do hard work all their lives to support themselves and their families and they deserve to be protected from the greedy individuals and companies who influence such policies and the politicians who are complicit in passing and implementing legislation that screws workers.

Thus, any legislation that would further diminish the rights of unions and their ability to protect people like my Dad who get up for work at 2:00 and 3:00 am to work 12 and 16 hour days driving trucks and that would accomodate more outsourcing needs to be stopped. This issue in general is about decent jobs, wages, adequate benefits, and secure retirment and pensions for people once they have spent a lifetime working. But, this is also about dignity. I love to hear my Dad tell stories about negotiations that he has been part of and helped to lead between his local chapter and the management of the company that he works for. When he tells these stories it illustrates in a very real and concrete way how unions can provide a way for workers to demand acknowledgement for their hard work and dedication and stand up for themselves against entities that would otherwise have astronomically more power than the people who perform the day to day jobs that make these entities successful and profitable.

I am a Democrat and a Liberal and there are not many, if any, Republicans these days whom I would ever consider voting for. Thus, I will vote Democratic, but I do not support the actions of any Democrats who are supportive of this secret trade deal with the Bush administration. Furthermore, because I will vote for and support Democrats in other capacities, I want to make it clear that there are plenty of Democrats who don't support such policies. And for the Democrats who do: there are many, many people just like me (as well as people who have traditionally voted Republican or leaned toward the Republican side of the aisle but are fed up with this shit and with Repbulicans in general) who get really pissed off when you sell out their Dads. My Dad is certainly not a Democrat and not a Liberal and we disagree on many political issues, but he did, just like me, vote for Kerry in 2004 becuase of issues like social security and unions. Yes, Kerry might have been little more than the lesser of two evils on these issues and many others, but there are plenty of new Democratic politicians in office worth supporting and plenty of seasoned politicians who would be much better leaders for the Democratic party!