Public Uprising for Change Offers Opportunity to Turn America Around

by James Parks, Jun 13, 2008

Millions of Americans are angry and frustrated over the mess that’s been made of our nation’s economy, foreign policy, constitutional rights and more—and that anger is spurring many to take action and bring about change. That uprising could be the beginning of a major political shift in which progressives take back the country and make significant and lasting changes—if we get our act together, says author David Sirota. 

Sirota, whose latest book, The Uprising, moved this week to The New York Times best seller list, told a recent forum in Washington, D.C., that most of us have been hit with many crises at once—rising food and gas prices, skyrocketing health care costs, the ongoing war in Iraq and jobs shipped overseas. This growing public discontent is creating a new populist political movement that is having a strong impact on the 2008 elections as grassroots groups are more openly tackling community problems. 

Sirota traveled the country to chronicle some of these new efforts, including massive grassroots participation in the primaries, anti-war marches, corporate stockholder meetings and efforts by high-tech workers in the Pacific Northwest to form unions. 

National Education Association (NEA) President Reg Weaver set the tone for the forum, held at the NEA building, saying: 

For too long, people in power have not cared about our interests. If they cared, there wouldn’t be nearly 50 million people without insurance and millions of kids would not be in underserving schools.  We are sick and tired of being overlooked, ignored and disrespected.

The union movement can play a key role in bringing about major changes, panelists said. But they cautioned that progressive change is not a slam dunk. Communications Workers of America (CWA) President Larry Cohen told the forum that our nation needs “a clear agenda” from the union movement to build a mass mobilization for change from among the thousands of local grassroots efforts. Three key issues that must be a part of the agenda are the Employee Free Choice Act, universal health care coverage and an end to the Iraq war, Cohen said. In other words: 

We have to create our own New Deal. 

Many of these movements are fragmented, local and often focused just on one goal, the panelists said. The union movement and its progressive allies must find a way to fuse the fragmented campaigns together, and provide assistance to grassroots organizing initiatives for progressive causes—even if the organizers don’t directly tie their causes to unions. 

AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker said the union movement already has a model for bringing together differing groups through Working America, the AFL-CIO community affiliate. With 2 million members, Working America combines the strength of union members and millions of workers who share common challenges and goals, even though they don’t share the same workplace.  

Holt Baker says when Working America canvassers go door to door around the country, they engage people in conversations about issues important to them and listen to their concerns. 

We’re growing so fast because people are yearning for a chance to do something about the shocking income disparities and public policies that are forcing the working class and the middle class down—instead of lifting them up. Our organizers are amazed that people embrace them with an unprecedented passion for change.

Working America members join up, take action and change how they vote because we speak to their concerns and aspirations. They are part of a genuine uprising that is sweeping through the heartland of our country.

                

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