5 Reasons Why I Am Pro-Labor

1.      I Grew Up in a Working Class Neighborhood

I grew up in a large northern rust-belt city. My father worked as a pipefitter for the railroad, my friends’ dads worked for the steel mills and in the auto industry. About 80% of the parents of my high school classmates were blue-collar workers.

 Thanks to unionization and collective bargaining these workers were able to live the American Dream by making payments on mortgages and purchasing late model cars. One by one the houses in my working class neighborhood began sprouting television antennae.

 2.      Working Class People are Heavily Invested in their Communities

These workers coach youth sports teams, lend muscle on community projects, and continually deposit money in the emergency needs jars found at convenience stores and elsewhere. They volunteer for EMT and Fire Department duty. Their volunteerism includes local churches and community groups, such as the Lions and Kiwanis.

 3.      I Believe in Collective Bargaining

Through union lobbying and government regulations the work week was lowered from 12 hour days/6 days a week to 8 hour days/5 days a week. Pension funds were established to help retired workers subsist. Through OSHA dangerous and unsanitary working conditions diminished.
 
One has only to read about the nineteenth century robber barons or the living conditions of the meat packing plant workers in Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” to understand the many positive contributions of unionization and collective bargaining for the American worker. It seems that Big Business rarely establishes wages, benefits, and working conditions in the interest of its workers. But, business seems much more interested in the bottom line, the percentage of profit, and its stockholders.

 So, it seems that I am pro-union. In spite of the fact that we still don’t know what happened to Jimmy Hoffa, I am. Unions provide protection for the individual worker against abuses of the employer. Unions require the employer to abide by the negotiated contract when good will breaks down.

 4.      Capitalists Constantly Attack Workers Salaries & Benefits

The only voices advocating abolishing unions are capitalists. Often they disdain the worker as lazy. Some suggest that workers start their own businesses if they want to bring home more income.  And we are supposed to emulate these people?

I find it even more disturbing that republican led state governments, such as Wisconsin, are also attacking public service employees unions. Their employees are the ones that make state offices and agencies run. Isn’t this policy short-sighted at the least?

 5.      Working Class & Lower Middle Income Families Comprise 60% of American Society

Working class Americans and those from the lower middle class comprise 60-65% of society. Their household income is $75,000 or less. However, they are the largest segment of society. Look at the Dennis (2002) and Thompson & Hickey (2005) models in the Wikipedia article "American Middle Class".

When the US was a manufacturing economy these workers were invaluable to Big Business. Now, it’s this group that suffers the largest number of job cuts and has the hardest time finding new positions with roughly the same wage and benefits packages.

Because working class and lower middle income comprise over 60% of the economy, because their wages are not rising at the level of inflation, and because proposed tax plans don’t favor them, they feel particularly squeezed.

 

Both state and federal governments need to provide relief for working class and lower middle income families and not place the burden of subsidizing government programs on their backs.

 

Why I Am A Centrist

Having just voted in the United States Presidential Election and having viewed countless hours of grating political ads and having viewed countless political ads by facebook friends I'm just fed up!

I feel like the democratic party has been captured by liberal activists and wants the federal government to financially support any and all minorities and special interest groups.

I feel like the republican party has been captured by the capitalists who only want the government to free them from paying any taxes, and limit government benefits in order to raise their bottom line.

Neither party is willing to work with the other to actually accomplish any meaningful legislation that takes all Americans into account. If the democrats are in power they enact some new social legislation sure to benefit the lower class at the expense of the middle class, and if the republicans are in power they enact legislation that benefits big business and their own pockets.

In all of this maneuvering, both parties lose sight of the reason they were elected--to represent the interests of their constituents, not the lobbyists.

Unfortunately, I find that even state legislatures have become equally divisive and that they often enact legislation that benefits utilities and insurance companies while forgetting about the citizens' economic situations.

Now, I find that I agree with some--not all--of the democrat's social agenda, and I agree with some--not all--of the republican's economic agenda. I favor the libertarian's smaller, less intrusive government, and agree with the statist's use of limited government regulation of industry.

My leadership style also fits well with centrism as I am a consensus builder, recognizing good points on both sides of issues and seeking for the common ground. I also value history and established procedures, so I don't jump at every new idea and want to hold on to that which has proved helpful and useful.

I think government works best when the various law makers can work together to solve a problem, rather than stubbornly insisting on following their own (or their lobbyists) interests and ideologies. we used to call this STATESMANSHIP. It is this kind of working relationship that created the US Consitution.

I believe the best answers, and the best hope for our nation, is at the political center, and so, That's Why I Am A Centrist.

The Two Americas

Republican Security Council

THE TWO AMERICAS: "America is now two countries, not on speaking terms. The culturally cohesive America of the 1950s that some of us remember, is no longer with us. . .
"One America listens to Rush Limbaugh; the other to NPR. Each America has its favorite cable news channel. . . There are plenty of smart, creative and successful people in both Americas. But they don't like to mix with each other 

these days.
"One America tends to be traditionally religious, personally charitable, appreciative of entrepreneurs and suspicious of government.
"The other tends to be secular or only mildly religious, less charitable on average, skeptical of business and supportive of government as an instrument to advance liberal causes. This was an election that pitted these two cultures against one another. . .
"Now the Two Americas disagree, sharply. Government decisions enthuse one and enrage the other. The election is over, but the Two Americas are still not on speaking terms." ~ Michael Barone, of the American Enterprise Institute and co-author of "The Almanac of American Politics."

- - - - 

I would hasten to add that The Two Americas also have a generational gap. Voter demographics show that a majority of Americans over 40 voted for Romney, while a majority of those under 40 voted for Obama. It's probably no surprise that the majority of voters for Obama lived in cities with large minority populations, while the majority of Romney voters lived in suburban and rural areas.

The challenge for centrists is to define social programs important for urban Americans and economic policy important for suburban and rural Americans. We need to focus on the issues and find win-win scenarios. That's what the politicians in DC seem unable to do. If Centrists can accomplish this task they will have the key to victory in 2016.

Mission

The mission of this blog is to clarify centrist and populist political positions and to discover suitable third party candidates for President for the 2016 election.

For the past twenty years (at least) a growing number of American voters have been displeased with the choice of candidates from the two major political parties. The time seems ripe for a strong third party candidate who represents the positions and values of most Americans. These values are close to the center politically.

I believe that by beginning to work the day after the 2012 election and staying the course centrists will be able to define their platform and discover candidates than can win elections for local, state, and national office. I am pledged to do my part.

Join me in the quest!

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BTW, you don't have to agree with me.