Justice for All with a New Administration? It's Up to Us

In eight days, men and women who get up and go to work everyday will head to the polls with one thing on their mind: how will they ensure their children will have a better future? Over the last eight years, the gap between the rich and the rest of us has reached extremes we have not seen in generations. While a few at the top have profited immeasurably, too many of us have lost our savings. We've lost our retirement, our healthcare, our jobs and our homes. Some of us have even lost our children at war.

Make no mistake about it: the stakes of this election are nothing short of our belief in what kind of nation we will be.

But here's the good news: All indicators suggest that November 4th will be a day of victory for Barack Obama and dozens of new members of Congress who have promised to represent the concerns of working families. And it will also be a time of triumph for the common good sensibility that has defined our country at all of the brightest moments of its history.

And on November 5th, those of us who have worked so hard on this election for so many months will face a choice: do we start planning how we will stake our individual claims on the new president and Congress, or do we turn our attention to the greater--albeit riskier--opportunity at hand to work together for the good of all? Will we pursue gains for just us, or justice for all?

Too often, we in the American labor movement have not been on the right side of this question. We have been guilty of focusing our work for justice too narrowly--seeking gains in wages, healthcare, workplace safety and retirement security just for our members.

This time around, we are called by a great candidate to something greater. From the beginning, Senator Obama has run a campaign that is not fundamentally about him, but about us. He called us to acknowledge that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers--an awesome challenge that, despite the unprecedented nature of his candidacy and the magnitude of our personal losses, we as a nation have embraced wholeheartedly.

This embrace has profound implications for us on November 5th and beyond. Justice for all must be our challenge, our mission and our choice.

It means that in an atmosphere of record job loss, we must work together to create not just new jobs, but good jobs that can support a family and grow an economy. We need to invest in our infrastructure and develop green jobs that help our planet as well as our workforce. And we must ensure that workers have a voice on the job and in decisions which not only affect their work place, but also their role in our 21st century economy.

When we think about what to do with our broken healthcare system, we must not merely patch up the hole that we fell through, but instead build a new system without holes, where quality, affordable care is available to all, without qualification or precondition. This will require us to reach across the aisle and across traditional divides to help create the climate where change is possible, because one thing we can agree on is the longer we wait, the worse it gets.

As we grapple with the indisputable effects of climate change, we must use our collective ingenuity not just to lower what we pay for gas and heating oil, but to figure out how we can use less of them. And we must insist that this task be engaged by the corporations that contribute the most to climate change--not just the people who suffer the most from its effects.

In the aftermath of the unfunded mandate of No Child Left Behind, we must work for an education system where a child's opportunity to learn is not dependent on his parents' ability to pay and the quality of his education not determined by their zip code.

The true opportunity of this election begins--not ends--with the election of Barack Obama and a Congress committed to solutions for America's working families. Going forward, we must forge a bond of mutual accountability with our elected leaders and with each other.

The losses of the past eight years have meant that the American Dream has fallen out of reach for so many of us. But the good news is that Dream is not just in the past, it's in our future, too. Beginning Nov. 5th, we face an historic occasion to reconstruct an America where the dream of justice and opportunity can still come true for all of our children. It will take our courage, our creativity, our good will and yes, our sacrifice. This nation of ours deserves nothing less.

Comments

[Pulemerci]

I wouldn't be so happy about the least vetted candidate in history. Especially one with radical associates and promising to re-distribute wealth. Last one out, grab the flag!

[bobsmith]

Unfortunately, today's Dems have sold us out, repeatedly, and usually when it mattered most. I don't think there's much cause for hope. If Congress will toss Pelosi, Reid, and the rest of its leadership, maybe that will be cause for some hope. But if the same turkeys remain at the helm, I expect more of the same disastrous Republican-lite nonsense they have been dishing out. Clearly the only thing keeping the Dems in power is the fact that the Republicans are worse. In reality, most who pay attention absolutely despise their Dem representatives in Congress - they just despise the Republicans more. The system isn't working.

If the Dems gain seats it will only embolden them to sell us out even more than they have been doing. That's the sad reality. But what can you do? The obvious solution is to create a genuine party for the people and throw ALL the bums out - but before that can happen it will be too late.

[JALKO]

AMEN AND GET THE HANDCUFFS!

[gabbinjane]

Nice article, but one small thing puzzles me - who decides what's just?

[proreality]

Up until the last 8 years this country had a constitution and laws, that is what decides what's just. Not political ideology.

[CubanVoice]

Wonderful message! You represent the masses here. We DO need to keep the conversation and energy moving forward. The struggles of many are just beginning.

[SeattleDeadhead]

Nice words, Andy. Especially coming from the new union thugs, SEIU, the biggest political bullies in state capitals nowadays. They are the new Teamsters, abusing anyone who disagrees with them. I do have to admit that they have done a very good job organizing health care workers and are going after service sectors workers, who the other unions failed to serve. At least they do defend their members and those who they are trying to get.

However, what they advocate for at the state level either increases the cost of government or increases the cost of doing business, neither of which is good for taxpayers. They lie, they go back on deals they have made and cannot be trusted.

[Dan Johnson-Weinberger - Huffpost Blogger]

That's an inspiring call for forging a broad, progressive agenda from the fastest-growing and boldest labor union in the nation. Thanks for making it.

[HockeyMom]

Oh don't remove the celebration part. It seems like a lot of money but we need to celebrate and appreciate what has happened and change the mind set for the next 4-8 years. If I was anywhere near DC I would be out there in a blizzard waving and hugging and celebrating.

[Rowland]

During the past week, reality and symbolism merged as Former Federal Reserve Chairman, Allen Greenspan testified before the US House committee chaired by Rep.Waxman­. The background of this event was the growing consensus that the world view of Sen. Barack Obama will prevail in the National Elections. Sen.McCain has provided the contra temps for the argument as he lapsed into the conventional Republican so called conservatism.

Greenspan acknowledged that there is a fundamental flaw in his own world view and that the world does not work the way he has insisled all these years in which his take on reallity has been in ascension. Greenspan was an early follower of Ayn Rand's so called "objectivism" which extended the moribund life of Spencer's "Survival of the Fittest" and the attempt to cloak pure and unadultrated selfishness with science.

Even as Rand's theory was exposed as the combination of cigarettes, whiskey and "speed", Ronnie Reagan parlaided it into the idea that it was every man for himself, that government was the problem and that greed was good. Oh yes, and that Reagan was "every man."

Well it has not worked out that way and the compliance within the system, if indeed there is a system, is the concern that we all have for one another...­the willingness to act in our neighbor's interest as if it were our own. Obama has made the case that we are our brother's keeper and social dawinism shrinks from the light.

[justoverit333]

Rowland Bravo!!! Very well put

[bobsmith]

Yes, very well put.

[magicwanz]

If the new, flllibuster-proof, Democratic majority fails to move to rectify the damage of the last eight years in a decisive and successful manner, we will face a re-grouped far-right populist movement that will probably be the end of the debatable resemblance to a democracy Amerika yet retains. Without continuing attention and pressure from the electorate, as well as solid leadership from the president, Congress is poised to blow it again. Pelosi and Reid have more than disappointed me, more than a little, more than once (impeachment "off the table", torture, domestic spying, habeas corpus, the black hole war budget...t­he list is long and getting longer). After the election, the real work will just be beginning. Are we up to it? We'll certainly see....

[bobsmith]

You are absolutely on the mark. Congress will need to be prodded every step of the way. And even if that occurs, I don't hold out much hope that they'll do what's right... these are many of the same people who have sold us out, repeatedly, for two years.

[Peddler]

There is an old saying, "When money talks, the truth remains silent." November 5th, America will begin shoveling out of despair--and I fear that we will be shoveling for a long, long, long time. Time will tell.

[breezyholler]

The concentration of wealth to the top 10 % of the population has never worked out for very long in any society...­there cannot be a middle class in that scenario..­.Plentiful cheap labor and rampant exploitation of resources is what sustains the Robber Barons ..What we now have in America is a group of people who have placed themselves above the law, and until WE THE PEOPLE bring the law to bear on these crooks ..We will not have democracy or justice . We must now devote ourselves to change , and make our voices heard, or else resign ourselves to serving the top 10%..

[VPjimlong]

Good Point....
To all the "nay sayers" the key word here is "make our voices heard" Too often "We the people" have made our voices heard at election time, only to sit back for 4 to 8 years, complacently watching, and complain that the system is broke. I suggest to them that they join the growing movement in America and make their voices heard. Call, write, visit your elected representatives and let your voice be heard.....­oh but that may cost you a bit of your precious time. "You betcha" the top 10% make their voices heard, and all too often it may very well be the top90% that our representatives only heard from on any issue at hand. I believe they listen more so to the ones that ultimately elect them. But you all need to call, write , visit and MAKE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD

[TonyOnly]

"Make no mistake about it: the stakes of this election are nothing short of our belief in what kind of nation we will be. " That's exactly what this election is about. Democrats govern for the benefit of the country as a whole. Republicans govern for the benefit of republicans. Neocons believe everything else is illegitimate or 2nd rate. The purpose of their existence is to direct as much money as possible into the coffers of their corporate sponsors. That's why neocons will grow huge deficits even though they try to present republicans as the fiscally responsible party.

[bobsmith]

You are correct about the Republicans. And 20 years ago you would have been correct about the Dems. But today's Dems have sold us out, repeatedly, and usually when it mattered most. I don't think there's much cause for hope. If Congress will toss Pelosi, Reid, and the rest of its leadership, maybe that will be cause for some hope. But if the same turkeys remain at the helm, I expect more of the same disastrous Republican-lite nonsense they have been dishing out. Clearly the only thing keeping the Dems in power is the fact that the Republicans are worse. In reality, most who pay attention absolutely despise their Dem representatives in Congress - they just despise the Republicans more. The system isn't working. If the Dems gain seats it will only embolden them to sell us out even more. That's the sad reality. The solution is to throw ALL the bums out and create a genuine party of the people - but before that can happen it will be too late.

[benjaminblue]

Unless Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney are held accountable -- even after the fact, when they can no longer be impeached but still can be incarcerated for their war crimes and their numerous other crimes against humanity as a whole and this nation in particular -- there will be those on the dark side plotting to "take back" the government again as quickly as possible, to recoup their privileged class status. And the country will not regain its moral ground.

As soon as the new president is inaugurated, he should launch an independent investigation of the current administration's criminal activities. Mr. Bush and his corrupt cohorts will no longer be allowed to dodge subpoenas or claim "executive privilege," and will be forced to acknowledge their nefarious deeds. In turn, they must accept the consequences of their wrongdoing.

Only when practitioners of the current regime accept their due punishment will the darkness lift.

[HockeyMom]

I agree. Maybe Nancy Paloski can find her back bone now.

[Gatormouth]

There are five big things I want from the next administration.
Fair Trade, Taft-Hartley enforced, Sherman Anti-Trust enforced, a single payer health insurance program, and a fair progressive tax system. There is more, of course. But basically I want the baby to get out of the bath water and to start kicking some serious neocon butt.

[koromuso]

And let's work on passing a law that automatically registers ALL citizens to vote (okay, if states want to make exceptions for felons serving time, I could accept that). Then let's work on a law that requires the states to distribute their electoral votes PROPORTIONALLY to the popular vote (see the National Popular Vote website). Then let's work on getting paper ballots for everyone, preferable mail-ins, so that people don't have to put up with harassment at the polls.