AFL-CIO: There’s Nothing In Debt Ceiling Proposals For Working People

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/Channels/Story.aspx?ID=1460904

By Doug Cunningham

As Republicans continue to threaten the nation’s economy unless Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are cut, labor says so far there’s nothing in this debt ceiling plan for working people. AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka says both political parties keep telling us that deficit reduction requires “tough choices” and “shared sacrifices” but then we keep seeing proposals that cut Social Security benefits, kill jobs give tax incentives to corporations and lower taxes for billionaires. Trumka says there’s no shared sacrifice in any of that. It’s just more pain for working people, seniors, the middle class and the poor. Trumka says working people didn’t cause our financial crisis. He says those who did cause it are getting off scot- free and the debt ceiling proposals prove that they have accomplices in both political parties. AFSCME President Gerald McEntee says the debt ceiling proposal cuts taxes on the wealthy while cutting Social Security benefits for seniors and people with disabilities. He says it will kill jobs and create another recession and makes enormous cuts in health care programs.

[Orrex]

1. Why would there be? Working people don't create jobs, remember?

[iwishiwas]

2. seems the WH believes this also.

[patrice]

3. We need pressure for Card Check AND/or Labor friendly TRADE policies.

I'm hoping that can be approached through an honest discussion of the concrete effects of "at will" employment in our current social and economic environment.

[patrice]

4. I don't have to tell Union folk that it's ALL about body count, living bodies that is.

"No" means you don't have enough people to do the work that YOU want done.