The PATCO-ization of AMERICA. As a former air traffic controller fired in the

[change_notfinetuning]

PATCO strike, it never ceases to amaze me how stupid Americans can be. We all could have stood together then, and stood for labor in America. But we didn't. Republicans (and some Democrats) were successful at dividing and conquering. They were especially successful at telling whoppers of lies about our greed. But that wasn't the end of America's middle class as we knew it. That took a bit longer. There have been many opportunities for working people to stand together since. Unfortunately, union and non-union workers (and workers should stand together regardless of union) in America have seen their good-paying jobs disappear to anywhere that's cheaper. It's reached the point where jobs are simply going down the drain. Americans may not realize or believe this, but when manufacturers in totalitarian China became "respectable" in the arena of world trade (slave labor notwithstanding), even countries like Mexico couldn't compete and saw manufacturing jobs disappear. There will always be cheaper labor. Is that what we stand for? Cheap labor? Slave labor? How appealing for the so-called, self-proclaimed "Leader of the Free World"! But they couldn't have destroyed our quality of life without our votes. And we were, for some reason, more than happy to give them our votes.

We have seen bullshit free trade agreements (next best thing to slavery, to capitalists), supported and passed by BOTH parties. In the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama said he wanted to re-visit NAFTA (passed through the undying efforts of Bill Clinton and "Democrats" Bill Daley and Rahm Emanuel). A Canadian official countered that Obama had no problem with NAFTA, saying that he was told this was just trash campaign talk? Well, guess who fell for it and got trashed. We did! President Obama, he of hope and change, now has no interest in revisiting these previous agreements. AND, furthermore, he is now planning to establish new free-trade agreements with other countries and regions.

Today, maybe, we have a last chance to stand together now, before the full effects of the new Supreme Court campaign finance ruling crushes us. Before trickle-down economics - REAGANOMICS - becomes the official policy of the Democrats. Are we going to run up to kick the football again like that lovable sap, Charlie Brown, knowing that we can't trust President Obama, and fall flat on our backs? Or are we going to stand for something NOW, stand together NOW, and tell President Obama that if he pulls back that ball one more time, he's off the team?

It's time to stop telling Obama to grow a pair. It's time for us to grow a pair!

[Extend a Hand]

1. When the raygun screwed the air traffic controllers

it was the start of a long downward spiral. We're just now starting to pay for that folly.

[Sherman A1]

3. Yes, it was the Esteemed Mr. Reagan's handiwork that

busted the Union and led us on this downward spiral, my only thought to add is that we have been paying for his misdeeds for a very long time.

[Greyhound]

2. K&R. You are quite right, but let's not forget that the methods the parasites use

are very effective and few people have any real education beyond what is required to fulfill their function, and so, are defenseless against them.

[rubberducky]

4. I always wondered why the other unions didn`t stand firm with PATCO.

We need unions now, when CEOs take home millions and labor is expected to "tighten thier belt", there is something really, really wrong. Hell, even Henry knew he had to pay his labor enough to at least buy his product. It`s very frustrating to see labor taking such a beating and to see the glee that many workers have that the unions are being so weakened.

[change_notfinetuning]

5. "the glee that many workers have" - that's what baffles me. That's what makes

me wonder if there is any hope. I thought there was reason for hope with Obama. He seemed to be a mensch in the campaign. I wish I knew how we've gotten to this point. The point of no hope and no change. It is disheartening to say the least.

[rfranklin]

6. Because too many union members bought Reagan's racist memes...

"Welfare queens" and "affirmative action" (meaning blacks) were the cause of jobs disappearing and paychecks shrinking.

[DavidDvorkin]

9. Perhaps it had something to do with Patco having endorsed Reagan.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

7. Truly excellent post...

one of the best things I've read on DU in a long time, if ever. Raygun's treatment of PATCO was the beginning of the end for the middle class and of America.

[Mike K]

8. [i]"". . . it never ceases to amaze me how stupid Americans can be."[/i]

And therein lies the tale.

Hopefully, as their pain increases they will become smarter.