GOP SUPPORTS THE ONE PERCENT; COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE 99 PERCENT OF US

WE ARE THE 99%
photo: Ove Overmyer

Rochester, N.Y.-- The supercommittee negotiations have failed. Why? Because elected Republicans simply refused to make billionaires and big corporations lift even one finger to help reduce the debt. In fact, they’re still demanding perks for their biggest benefactors, the top 1 percent. The same people who put them in office and same people who pull their puppet strings.

Instead, here’s who elected Republicans think should shoulder the burden-- seniors on Medicare. Middle class families who want to send their children to college. Every American receiving Social Security. The unemployed and all those who are suffering the most in this economy. Whose is left? If you or your loved ones fall into any of these catagories, and I think you do, it's time to get into the streets and make some noise.

There’s no other word for GOP behavior but disgraceful. Democratic senators didn't stand for it. We at the Voice Reporter won’t stand for it. And I know you won’t, either. It’s time to unite with one clear voice and demand that Republicans stop putting the wealthy at the head of the line. Please expose them for who they truly are-- they are minions for the world's richest CEO's and America's wealthiest bankers and could care less about democracy and the common good.

When we look back on this supercommittee's exploits, we’ve ended up at this stalemate because these radicalized Republicans refuse to think rationally. If we don’t stand our ground now – and if we allow them to take the White House and the Senate in 2012 – we will lose our ability to stop them from unraveling our social safety net right out from under the Americans whose lives depend on it.

Labor leaders who support the GOP should step aside

We thought twice about sharing this publicly, but it's high time we air some dirty laundry in our local labor circles. Someone had to eventually say this, so why not us? Also, there are some folks that have left us no alternative. That’s why today we are speaking out, and saying “no more.” It's a brand new day.

It’s time for Republicans to listen to the vast majority of Americans and stop putting billionaires before the rest of the country. It's a simple request. Will that ever happen? Maybe, maybe not. But until that happens, it's time for folks in the labor community to stop supporting Republicans. The line in the sand has been drawn a long time ago and you better make sense of it right now. We have said this before and we will say it again, if you don't consider yourself a "wealthy" person, you have no business supporting the GOP at any level of government. Period. Even if it makes your personal job that much easier.

In 2011, the political fulcrum has shifted so far right that Ronald Reagan couldn't even get elected as a Republican. And while we're at it, shame on the working families, labor leaders and folks who voted for Republican candidates this past election cycle. Obviously, you can not see the forest through the trees. You are only contributing to your own demise. You slapped the face of every hard working union and family member we collectively represent. Whatever your reasons for voting for GOP candidates, they will never trump the "bigger picture" aspect of moving the American Labor Movement forward.

The question remains, when will you sidestep your own personal, petty predicaments and understand you have a collective principled responsibility to a higher order of things? Our recommendation to these labor leaders is get out of the way or switch to an organizing model of operations. For some of you, your time has come and gone. It's almost 2012-- it's a whole new ball game now in case you haven't noticed.

-Commentary by Ove Overmyer
This op-ed is the expressed written opinion of the author only and does not reflect the view of CSEA as an organization.