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Tennessee Union Members Tell McCain: ‘It’s the Economy!’ |
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More than 100 union members and allies converged in Nashville, Tenn., earlier this week to ask Sen. John McCain for real solutions on the crisis in our economy.
McCain was in town for—what else?—a fundraiser with wealthy supporters, while outside, union members carried signs reading “Turn Around America” and demanding an end to the failed Bush policies that aren’t helping working families.
Unfortunately, McCain isn’t listening to these union members. Instead, he’s taking his economic cues from one of his campaign co-chairs, former Sen. Phil Gramm, a finance industry lobbyist who has been the subject of scrutiny in Newsweek, Mother Jones and Texas Observer, as well as on MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann,” in recent days.
Gramm was actively lobbying for UBS—an investment bank with interests in the subprime crisis that’s under Justice Department and congressional investigation, and warning its executives not to even visit the United States—at the same time he was helping to craft McCain’s housing policy.
Newsweek notes that Gramm is a key economic policy adviser and has “broad input into the structure, financing and conduct of the campaign.” Texas Observer says that Gramm is sometimes mentioned in the media as a potential McCain cabinet member, and the two share much in their policy views.
Ideologically the two largely agree, whether it’s on free trade or slashing government services. Given Gramm’s free market philosophy, in a McCain administration he can be expected to continue his push for privatization of important government functions, particularly Social Security. McCain now says he would favor “maybe giving people the option” of personal retirement accounts, opting out of the Social Security system.
What does McCain need to do? He needs to listen to these workers, not the out-of-touch lobbyists who are now setting his agenda on trade, jobs and the economy. He needs to propose solutions that make the economy work for everyone and a health care plan that cuts costs and covers more people. Union members, in Tennessee and across the country, deserve answers and are sure to keep up the pressure over the summer and fall.
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If you ask me Obama is no more in tune with the economy issues in this country than McCain. With the introduction of his ‘Global Poverty Act’ he’s proposing that the American people bail out the entire world! He thinks we can snatch our ‘global neighbors’ from the jaws of poverty. The Global Poverty Act proposes an extreme increase in the amount we’re already spending to help impoverished people worldwide. Our own economy is in the toilet yet he advocates increasing our taxes in order to raise other nations out of poverty. What about those living in poverty here? Don’t they deserve our support first and foremost? IMO we need to fix THIS country first. Then, and only then, can we worry about fixing our ‘global’ neighbors! Both McCain and Obama need to be made aware that as the president of the United States they are sworn to represent it’s citizens FIRST!