Thoughts on Disasters and Politics
some thoughts on the most devastating natural
disaster to hit the U.S. in a long time
First of all we at the AFL-CIO send our thoughts
and prayers to those who have suffered and are suffering in this continuing
devastation of Hurricane Katrina. As I have watched the coverage and pictures
that have come from this horrendous storm, I have been shocked and amazed at the
sheer destructive power it brought.
But
as we have watched developments we also saw the effects of cronyism and tax
breaks for billionaires. When push came to shove the resources weren't there and
the talent had all been forced out.
But this is not surprising considering
that we have an administration and congress whose only goals seem to be to
enrich themselves and their contributors at the expense of the middle class and
poor.
These kinds of actions can have
two kinds of effects: one, people can throw up their hands and say all
politicians are the same or we can get involved and make sure we find candidates
for congress who are going to stand up to greed and fight for the regular
American. I know its hard and sometimes discouraging. Sometimes we elect someone
who we think will be the person who stands up to the entrenched special
interests in Washington and then watch as they get seduced by the power and
money. But that is no reason to give up, we just have to go back to the drawing
board and find candidates with more backbone and
guts.
Since I am lucky enough to be in
touch with workers all over the state I will try in this blog to find a that
diamond in the rough. That candidate who will stand with us on many important
issues.
Posted: Thu - September 1, 2005 at 02:03 AM