Washington, D.C.
As we approach Election Day it appears that Republican candidates are poised to make some significant gains in both the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate, as well as at the state level in both gubernatorial and legislative elections. Tragically, this likely resuscitation of Republican fortunes has largely been the product of the timid and inept governance of Democrats since their large electoral win in 2008. In just two years a discredited Republican Party – led by the failed and corrupt Bush - Cheney regime – has seen its fortunes revived on all fronts. Our union warned that this day would come should Democrats play into the “bipartisanship” trap; but that said, there is still time to avoid what will be a disaster should the corporate plan to capture Congress succeed.
Not since the collapse of Democrat Jimmy Carter in the late 1970's has our nation seen such a rise and fall of political momentum as we have been witness to over the past 24 months. Democrats who just months ago harbored the illusion that they might find some common bipartisan ground with Republican oppositionists and corporate lobbyists are now targeted for destruction by these same forces. The failure of Senate Democrats to act on very much of the positive legislation passed by the House of Representatives is now proving to have been a disastrous failure, with the bulk of the damage now due to fall on the House members who did their best to move things forward during the recent Congressional session.
The astronomical and now record-breaking flood of big business money into our election process is yet another scandalous chapter in the corruption and destruction of our fragile democracy. With Republicans the overwhelming beneficiary of this torrent of campaign money, it behooves us to stop for a moment and review what it is that this corporate money will buy once the elections are over. What kind of attacks can working people expect should Republicans gain control of Congress on Election Day?
For starters, should Republicans win control of the House – or even the House and the Senate – the attacks will be swift and destructive. Leading Republicans in Congress have already announced publicly the basis of their program should they capture power. Among their legislative attacks will be a slashing of all spending which has been intended for jobs programs; an end to unemployment and COBRA extensions for the jobless; deep cuts aimed at all federal agencies except the bloated military budget; massive attacks intended to wreck the unfolding health care reform legislation; an array of attacks on Social Security and Medicare; a renewal of budget-busting tax cuts for big business and the wealthy; repeal of the limited financial reform law recently passed; as well as a number of direct attacks aimed at working people which will include a revival of various schemes to repeal overtime pay. The list of attacks is long and ugly. Much of it is dusted-off from the 1994 Republican playbook, which put working people on the defensive for more than a decade.
The looming election is certainly one of the most frustrating in living memory. While the Democrats bungled badly over the past two years – and fell into virtually every trap set for them by Republicans – the fact remains that the only means by which working people can avoid the ferocious assaults planned by Republicans is to prevent them from capturing control on November 2nd. Should Republicans take control it will also fall on President Obama to clear his head of any lingering delusions he may harbor about common ground with these anti-labor elements, and sharpen his veto pen for what may be frequent use.
We can avoid this, however. And we must avoid it if at all possible. Do your share today to convince your fellow UE members to consider the facts, and then vote on Election Day. Make use of the educational leaflets for this purpose which may be accessed on the main UE web page today! View a brief video detailing the need to get out and vote; now posted on the UE Young Activists Facebook page -- find the link on the right side of the main UE web page.