It's Election Day - Get Out and Vote!

November 6th, 2012

Election Day is finally here! After endless months of negative attack ads, truth stretching and many unintentionally humorous moments, the real election moment is finally here. We are a strong advocate for worker and labor rights. Though we cannot tell you who we think should be President - we can ask you to simply look at the issues, especially the issues of what has happened to American workers over the last disastrous period for our economy. Even though we are certainly digging out of the mess created by the casino gambling mentality of stock manipulators and big banks, we are nowhere near a full jobs recovery. This part of the recovery is critical, not only for the long term stability and overall health of our economy, but also for the survival and dignity of working families - of all types and formulations - as the bedrock upon which our communities, neighborhoods and ultimately our whole society can thrive and grow into a sustainable and equitable future.

All we ask you to do is to look at the ways in which each candidate for President and their down-ticket colleagues running at the Senatorial and Congressional level, discuss the role of the middle class, workers and the dignity of labor in this country - now and into the future. One side has actively engaged in the wholesale outsourcing of jobs from every industry to lower wage competitors overseas, the other seeks to create increased opportunity for job development here at home. One side believes in  the rights of workers to collectively bargain and to maintain fair wages and benefits which allow their families and themselves to live in dignity. The other side would like to see a return of a virtual serf style nation where masses of workers are so browbeaten they claw at each other's throats for minimum wage jobs.

This is not rocket science folks. Read the papers, listen to some news, go online. But please, please, please! Whatever you do tomorrow - no matter how hectic it gets, no matter how bad the storm's effects - and we were co-sufferers in that tragic event - our hearts go out to all those who suffered and are still suffering from the storm and the pathetic way private enterprise is allowed to respond to such a disaster - but please go out and vote! Bring your friends, bring your neighbors, bring friends of neighbors and neighbors of friends. Don't let those forces who would like to see the number of voters shrink get their way - because they can't win an election fair and square based on the merits and the real beauty of our democratic system.

GET OUT AND VOTE! Vote for the rights of working men and women, children of working families, to live lives with dignity and not fear about their future. Let them know that postive and healthy change for the better is possible and that it can happen in their lifetimes. Let all of us know that simply by thinking clearly and voting our conscience - that we can actually beat back the awful tide of corrupt corporate dollars that have washed over this election cycle.

No matter who wins, we will have our work cut out for us. Organizing and fighting for worker/labor rights does not depend on one or the other Presidential candidate or political party. It depends on all of us fighting for our human rights to organize and unite as workers - at any level of employment, on any job site - anywhere in this country and anywhere in this world. We are responsible for our futures.

Now get out there and VOTE!