Our democracy is unfinished. The promise of a government by the people and for the people is not yet realized. It is not external forces, but internal ones that place democracies hopes at peril. We are now seeing the governing polices of the wealthy few over the needs and freedoms of the rest. There has been a class war for many decades, much of it occurring under the guise of lobby activity with in the halls of the peoples government. It is just now that it is made light just how far it has infected the work of our politicians. The reasoned work of democracy has been replaced with words of fear and the protection of the wealthy. The wealthy elite have bought the voices so that their fear mongering can continue. They did not buy them all.

What these wealthy elite fail to realize is you cannot buy off democracy. Really they follow a foolish course for their short and greedy path. Democracy is a persistent, progressive force. In a democratic society there is never really a status quo of any lasting length. Because the democracy is unfinished there will be those who pick up the mantle and continue its work. Abolishing slavery, true practice of equal rights, women's rights, labors rights. Unfinished business for a society working for personal liberty and freedom. All of this work is hard and requires sacrifice. When you feel the breadth of oppression, of those who would end your freedom, it is not hard to turn and stand up. The 2008 elections showed how a nation of citizens effect true change. But the short sighted wealthy elite have not given up spending their money to see their agenda forward. They are blind to being a part of a better society. Those of us who can see need to step out and demonstrate our determination to keep our democracy progressing.

Lets start at the most basic place. Our work. The wealthy elite know that if they control jobs they control politics. It is illegal to fire someone based on ethnicity, creed or believe or gender. So if you are an organizer that is trying to form a union with the rest of your workers, there are penalties for being fired for that? Not really. If you are persistent with your case and pay out of your pocket to pursue it you will get a small amount of money. In the mean time the business has succeed in their threat and labor does not get recognition. Democracy loses. As the business succeeds in these tactics our society continues to decline. Cost of living for the goods business is in control of go up. Healthy living costs more and more. Care for our sick, our children, our elderly, our disabled, goes higher and higher, while business wins lower wages. A wealthy elite is distant from the very society they use to gain wealth. When the people prosper so does society. When the wealthy prosper no one else does. A bill like the Employee Free Choice Act is aimed at keeping our work democratic. It is a step to insure that our country does not become one by and for the wealthy elite. So it is no wonder that the wealthy elite oppose it and command their paid for politicians to stop it.

Our country was founded on the idea that democracy belongs to everyone. It was not meant to be control by an elite few, or progress only those with wealth. When it was formed their where many unfinished steps to be taken. The means to progress was given to us. Many steps have been taken to bring full liberty. Lets make our next steps those of laws for labor. Lets insure that work is fair and that pay for work is one that builds our society, not lower it. Lets take our country back from the wealthy elite and place it back into the hands of the people. Lets progress the work of liberty handed to us by those who fought for its progress. Lets be a government of the people and by the people. We started it last fall with the election of President Obama. It continues on with our steps forward. Labor freedom, Health Care and the building of a democratic and free society. 

The United States has a rich history steeped in Democracy. Every one can feel Democracies hope being here and living it. This feeling of empowerment, of voice helps us all. The voice of freedom and liberty though must always be used. In todays world it is constant. Every country is affected by the idea of a democratic work place, of a fair wage and safe, respectful working places. Of living a life not exploited by our Politicians, Corporations, and religion. That personal liberty is what we are born with and should be free from obstruction and repression from any group.

Our business people in the United States have lost sight of their responsibility to their community, their nation and their fellow people. They work under a philosophy  that cannot work. Let me give you a metaphor. In hunting gathering groups there is one law that cannot be broken. Never hunt or gather everything in an area so there is nothing left. To do so is to create an environment that will never sustain anyone again. In this economic meltdown we see business taking every finical resource and playing it out. There is nothing left to sustain the future. They seek to tear down the TRUE economic builder, the middle class, for quick short term profit. The conservative idea that business will create a sustainable economy for everyone has proven out to be not true. Unregulated, under regulated business will simply take more and more money from the 'market' and not give any back. Labor unions have created prosperity only to see business attack it.

Those of us who live with the backing of democracy must voice, and take action to insure that we don't lose it. Our politicians must show they are dong their work with us being represented. Labor must stand up again for the people and our Unions organize to push back at the oligarchies formed by business. Business must return to being a part of democracy, not exploiting it for personal profit. And we the people must involve ourselves with OUR government. Only then can those who struggle to have the basics of democracy can look to us for help. The civil rights struggle of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness continues on. Now it is the right of labor to organize and form unions. To support economic stability and prosperity for community and the nation. To balance out greed of the few at the expense of the many. With what we have achieved it is hope and work that will progress us forward. Everyone who feels the darkness and hell of repression turn their eyes to the beacon of liberty here. Let not that beacon be extinguished for money, greed and power.

Been doing a lot of reading. Crashing the Gate has been a great inspiration and idea generator. Currently two projects I will invest in are a non-profit progressive organization and my first documentary movie. These are ambitious and big. Both are my transition to the professional world of activist, organizer and filmmaker. It is a step from wanting to be involved to be actively working on progress. I will treat it as a business endeavor and as my profession.

For now they are the goal, that is the place I desire to take my new carrier. So now I am self educating to meet the goal and qualify as a professional. A major part is my schooling, or experience, in the politics here in Wyoming. Also my experience with being a Union Steward. It is up to me in how to organize what I am doing to become and effective learning experience. For that I rely on my five years as a Professor at Red Rocks Community College. It has been a great aid.

I may have stated it before, but these blogs are a part of the self-learning. With them I have an opportunity to publish papers (articles) that are a part of the education process. So far I have not really tried to write a complete article on any subject. That changes here. Your feed back will be the evaluation I need to make improvements. So thank you in advance for your participation. Now to get on with my studies and homework.

The two legaslative issues indicated in the title has pointed out the fact our govement is too controled by money. Both issues are important to the progress we make in a stronger, healther and truly free nation. Both have shown that Big Buisness, Banks and Insurance, pharmacutical, money controls our goverment. In other wards money buys continued wealth for the few over the betterment of our nation and its citizens. Our nation is actually being harmened by it. As we go into elections next year I for one am keeping track of this and intend to activate voters to truth. The era of bought and paid for politicians has to be put to a fitting end. Lets return to the By the People For the People nation we fought to become.

I want to give another in the idea of what unions can offer paying members. Remember it is offered beyound the contract, to increase membership. By offering a union premium it can increase membership within already exsiting unions and encourage others to form unions.

Premium Idea 1)  A Consumer Management service. The service could help in education, as well as help dealing with, consumer management and debt. There are some corporations developing such a group themselfs. But do you want a corporation's advice on debt management? As a dues paying member you could call a number and even have a consultant come to help you with debt mangement. Being a member of the union could help you with holding onto the middle class dreams. Another premium for being a dues paying union member who best represents our middle class dreams.

Let me know what you think.

The Union, Labor movement is a Life movement. We are working on the our rights to have a life. Think of the constitution and the phrase, "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Our ability to have a life is dependent on our work. More to come.

Very good article on the Employee Free Choice Act and its opposition. You can find it at:

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/07/state_laws_allowing_majority_sign-up_for_unions_sh/

I note that the comments are great in the debate. A 'Labor Lawyer' arguing the companies side of the debate. Lawyers are paid to argue, but this debate is not just a simple case. It is a civil rights issue. Collective bargaining is not just a business issue. Lawyers can argue the reasonable application of torture, or lynching. Why a colored man has not the same rights as a white man. How the imposing of an Oligarchy would be good for a community. Arguing does not make the unreasonable, or the unjust true. This issue is about democracy and the right to organize and bargain in a civil way. It is about what affects the individuals right to pursue life and use their liberty. Unions improve life, they allow for the democratic principles to be practiced. I for one do not want some 'lawyer' to argue away my freedoms or impose unjust laws on me. Right now that is what is happening to people who work. This is an argument over rights and freedoms, not business dealings. No few individuals should ever have the right to take another's freedoms and liberty. We should not have to sacrifice our liberty in order to earn a living.

Lets be clear on what this debate is about and how it affects our democracy. Lets be clear that a Business man saying you wont let us exploit here so we will go some place that will let us exploit is absurd. You can argue the merits of genocide, of racial hate, and the 'cost of doing business' but such acts are never justified. Repression of a peoples rights are never justified to make a profit.  Business can thrive in a democratic nation. Lets not loose our hard earned liberty because we need to make a quick buck. In our nation the cost of doing business should never exceed the rights of a democratic society. I have hope that this issue will be placed in proper perspective. I for one will continue to fight against the losing of liberty and freedoms. I am sure I am not alone.

Ideas for a Modern Union

We need to take a moment and examine our Unions in a more realistic manner. A question comes to mind, What are you giving me today as a member of the Union. Looking at the 30's and 40's and what drove union membership clearly you could say the 40 hour week, 8 hour day, weekends and a real quality of life. That has already been won. You cant sell the union ideal on that issue. Does union membership afford a better wage then non-union membership? In my town it does not. You can make more working for a non-union fast food outlet then for working at a Union grocery store. So my union does not offer better wages or a better life. Certainly no incentive to join there. This is partly the fault of a fractionalized union organization. Such non-united stance in our Union's makes it  impossible to have solidarity. Would it not be better to have a federalist approach as with the Union of States in the United States of America. Numbers are important to a political body of a union, just as dollars spent lobbying is important to business. A true Union of Labor seems like a model to follow. United we stand, divided we fall.

Once we are united what can a labor organization offer to keep and add to membership. How about something beyond just what a contract offers. Sorta an added bonus for membership. An example would be Medical co-pay refunded, say for prescriptions, but even adding office visits. As a dues paying member you will have your co-pay refunded as part of that membership. So the union wins a good medical coverage that non-union members cant get, and adds a benefit for members on top of it. There is a plenty of ideas that can be generated as bonus benefits to give members of the union over non-union membership. A tangible dues paying benefit makes unions competitive in the labor market. Why do members of certain unions agree to pay 100 dollars a week in dues as opposed to 11 dollars a week. Because those unions give you something extra for  the larger amount that non-union work cant give you. Grocery store unions are competing in the labor market with non-union grocery stores. Wal-Mart is one that comes to mind. We have to offer more then they could in order to have membership. Not principles or social policies, but tangible real rewards for membership.

I know that a lot of these ideas will seem radical. The unions we have now are based on models that are out dated. Business has changed with the changes around them. We as unions have got to do the same or we fade into oblivion. The civil rights issues of unions will always be there. Those would not go unfunded as the issues of democratic labor continues. Standing as united, not just in the states but globally, should be our first step. Corporations have already done it. If we believe that an economy based on a middle class holds better to the Corporate model then we need to offer something better. So there are some of my ideas. As we wrestle with dwindling membership and stonewalling tactics in negations give some of these ideas a thought and tell me what you think. As labor organizations lets meet the challenges of today. Solidarity and prosperity to my fellow unionists world wide.

Charles McDonald - May 5, 2009

Hundreds of Millions of dollars have been spent to demonize the Labor movement. To skew the public view in order to have personal profit and gain. To clear the way for an oligarchy and set it in place. Big Bankers, Big Business Men, Big Cooperation's all wish to have an unfettered, unregulated, hand in making their wealth. The way I see it, they wish to be mob bosses, lawless syndicates taking what they want and leaving the rest to fight for scraps. Place all the spin and gloss you want on it there will be the same result.

The Union idea, the labor movement, is the best form of spreading democracy world wide. Our politicians should be promoting our Unions as strongly as they do our free market system. The Union movement is a civil rights movement. It is the balance to big banks, big business. In countries still struggling with authoritarian regimes it is the opening for a foundation of democracy. It is the bases, the most basic, form of democracy. A vote, a say, on the way a person lives and works. With guns and bullets you can seize a territory, a town, a village. If you empower a people you create a nation. You cant create a democracy at the end of a rifle. You create it with rights, laws and the respect of liberty. The Union idea is the democratic idea in action.

Authoritarian regimes can take many faces. Some can be subtle and on its face legitimate. You can know it of course, because it will always suppress liberty. Business in the US is conducted under a society of law and personal liberty. Just as the citizens must adhere to those laws to enjoy their freedoms, so must business. Enough with tramping down our democratic rights. Enough with creating unjust laws and policies. Enough with anti-union rhetoric and lobbying against our rights. The free market system works and unions work. Syndicates, Oligarchy and Authoritarianism do not work in a democratic society. Stop trying to form them and let us proceed with our Unions. We can spread true democracy to the rest of the world by empowering its people. But first lets keep our own democratic ideas going, our own citizens empowered. Lets keep our Unions strong and healthy. The time is now to pass the Employee Free Choice Act as a start to a healthy democracy. It is time to stop listening to those who would take away rights so they may be allowed Authoritarianism, in what ever form. Lets clear the obstructions so we can practice our liberty and live the life of democracy.

Reading the bylaws for the Dems in Wyoming leads to some interesting juggling acts to come. I cant get contributions from a Union. Howerver I can work on labors cause. Its not much of a problem but need to watch where I step and not stepping on toes here. Going forward with my plans to have a picnic event on Labor day. Making contacts with singers/performers to create a nice little show on the day. I love doing creative work. So its nice to plan something that combines the two.

I blog at three diffrent places now. Here, my Wheatland journal blog ( Labor and Political ) and upcoming Platte County Democrats site. Writing is becoming my best asset so Im sharping the skill as much as possiable. Great thing is, I dont lack subjects to write on. The flavor of this site is international. It becomes apparent more and more why US conservitvies do not like Unions. The fact we consider ourselfs a world wide fraternity. From my perspective, it is the spreading of the Democratic idea. Employee's at the work place haveing a voice, a vote, in that work place. Basic Democratic ideal. So blogging just on that alone provides a lot of material. Perhaps blogging will become an avocation. We shall see.