Steelworker's Question: 'What's Wrong With America?'

[Hissyspit]

Run time: 02:44 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaBvGEklBvg   Posted on YouTube: August 08, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: August 08, 2007 By DU Member: Hissyspit Views on DU: 6691

 
AFL-CIO Democratic Debate, Aug. 7, 2007 - A retired steelworker who was forced to retire due to a disability and who lost his pension and his health care coverage asks John Edwards what's wrong with America and what will you do to change it? Edwards responds with what he'd do and stresses the importance of unions and universal health care.

[Bluebear]

1. KICK/rec!

[Tyler Durden]

2. DAMNED FUCKING RIGHT I want to recommend this thread.

GO John, GO!!!

[Tyler Durden]

3. KICK and will someone else PLEASE recommend this?

Edwards just gets closer and closer to the guy we really need.

[IndyOp]

4. On to the Greatest! My god, I feel like I've been heard - for the first time!

My thanks to the man who had the courage to stand up and ask that question - while conveying passion! It feels as if citizens are rarely allowed to be in contact with the candidates and that if they are allowed they are expected/required to ask "safe" questions in a clinical manner. This was a most excellent moment for our nation.

:patriot:

[JANdad]

5. K&R

[babylonsister]

6. This was so sad; how many more people are in the same boat? nt

[file83]

54. With the response of that crowd - apparently many.

[Klukie]

7. kick and rec.

[Virginia Dare]

8. Very moving..

that gentleman spoke for so many people last night. What a tragedy. We know what's wrong with America, how are we going to fix it?

[mrgorth]

9. God bless this man.

.

[Wink]

10. Legalized theft

I have been lucky. I've worked for the same company (Exelon Nuclear, formerly COMED)for 17 years. I have excellent health care, a good pension, a 401k, and decent union representation. Currently the executives at my company are raking in tens of millions of dollars a year. The company is extremely profitable and has been since its conception. Unfortunately the company, in recent years, has been pulling accounting tricks in order to make it appear that some parts of the company are unprofitable (parts that were never intended to be profitable. i.e. distribution and maintenance). This is done to force wage cuts and/or an increase in electricity rates to the consumers (who have no other electric utility to purchase from). I'm pretty sure that my generation will be the last one to see such good wages and bennies as the outrageous salaries and bonuses of upper executives continues to drain the company coffers until they are forced to cut my pay, pension, and medical. These companies are under virtually no legal obligation to comply with the contracts they sign. They drain the pensions and the profits out of the company and then claim poverty. I fully expect my company to steal my pension and cancel my medical after I've retired. And the gov't will do nothing about it. Unless we completely get rid of these union busting, anti-labor pieces of shit that currently sit in the White House and in the minority of the House and Senate.

[adnelson60087]

Wink, how many of your fellow Union members

Run time: 02:44 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaBvGEklBvg   Posted on YouTube: August 08, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: August 08, 2007 By DU Member: adnelson60087 Views on DU: 6691

 
vote GOP???? I am in a teachers' union also in IL and these dolts vote GOP in spite of their own interests. Do you have a similar thing happening with your co-workers?

[Wink]

78. Too many I'm sorry to say

At one point I believe about 50% of my shop were Republicans. About 30% were absolutely hardcore republicans. Now I think the shop is down to about 30% republican with about 10% seriously hardcore republicans. Many of the guys slowly switched over after finally realizing what a dolt * Bush is.

Some will never switch due to religion/abortion. Some just can't adjust their thinking (including one who is 43 but still has utter contempt for JFK, a president who he only knew of as a 1 year old). BTW, he holds back his union contribution that goes to politicians and he hates all teachers...and he's also a farmer who collects gov't money for his farming. Talk about a hypocrite.

[Hawaii Hiker]

52. Wink:

"I'm pretty sure that my generation will be the last one to see such good wages and bennies as the outrageous salaries and bonuses of upper executives continues to drain the company coffers until they are forced to cut my pay, pension, and medical".....

See that's the kinda of shit that is wrong with the country....If a company is making money, ok, reward the executives, BUT, make sure other depts. (accounting, HR, R & D (if applicable), network/IT, etc. are getting a decent raise, 8-10% increase annually....Wink, I'm curious, when your company was doing real well, what kind of increases did they give out (percentage wise)?...

But when a company is giving very low increases (2-4%) to most staff (or cutting pay),but are bending over backwards to pay top executives, then that's fucked up...
That's sorta what happened at USAIRWAYS years ago....Pilots, flight attendants, reservation personnel, etc. took big cuts in pay & benefits, but the stupid airline gave large increases to key upper management, who succeeded at doing nothing but running that airline into the ground......

[Wink]

79. To answer you....

My company has ALWAYS done well (we are an electric company with a monopoly on Illinois and Pennsylvania). My pay has always increased by at least 1.5% and my medical has always been good. My medical contribution keeps going up more than my pay increase though so I am falling further and further behind each year. There have been many employee cuts. Either through layoffs or attrition or through outsourcing our work to onsite contractors (who get paid considerably less than company employees). The cuts have always been at the worker level. They keep hiring more and more V.P.'s and other useless management types. Management pay has gone thru the roof at the same time they have been trying to diverse themselves from our pension plan and medical for retirees. They can't afford to pay tens of millions of dollars a year (literally) to upper management and still pay their current and former employees a decent amount.

We workers are slowly being strangled and, since no one is paying any better than my company, we have little choice but to stay and hope we don't suffocate.

[Hawaii Hiker]

80. Yeah, medical premiums have gone out of sight in last few years:

The company I work for pays the entire premium for an employee (and their familes if they have one)...The costs are out of sight, for single person like myself, my company pays almost $340/month...For family coverage, the premium is just over $1,000/month....We still have co-pays when visiting a doctor ($10 visit), & prescriptions generally run from about $10-40....

We do have very good benefits with the paid health coverage, good leave time personal/sick/vacation amounts, company pension where they contribute 7% of your salary (this isn't a matching, employee doesn't have to contribute anything out of his/her pocket)..But the trade-off is rather low yearly salary increases....

[bonito]

11. K&R

[aintitfunny]

12. Kick

[Tyler Durden]

13. NOT ENOUGH. More rec's.

This is one of the TWO MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES (NOT that the others are UNimportant or far behind on the list).

Health Care
The WAR

With those two gone, everything else is POSSIBLE.

[wryter2000]

14. K&R

Well said by both men!

On edit: It looked as if Jesse Jackson was sitting right in front of that gentleman. He he the one who turned around and shook his hand?

[Hobbs]

15. Well Biden answered Edwards question

You weren't walking the line John when you spent six years in the Senate.

You can't use walking the line as a Bush like PR stunt when your campaigning the be President and be trusted.

[venable]

16. Biden was out of control and sounded stupid, which he is not.

Edwards has been very pro-union all along, has massive support from unions, and had same when he was in the senate and when he ran in 04. His family history is bound up with the power of unions and with right-to-work abuses in NC.

Biden is out of control, and not for the first time.

[Hobbs]

28. But Biden was honest

You've got to do more than walk the line when your trying to won votes.

[JANdad]

23. And what is Biden's health plan exactly?

EOM

[mdelaguna2000]

17. Edwards was on fire at that moment IMO.

[EVDebs]

26. No more Mr. Nice Guy. MSNBC, NBC, Tweety and all the M$M got the message

Loud and clear. Here's a guy who fights for us and can win. He'll even make sure DK's agenda has a fighting chance because you're going to need a streetsmart lawyer to avoid the corporate 'fine print' b.s. !

This is no 'babe in the woods' !

[lebkuchen]

18. I watched the debate

and that moment brought a tear to my eye.

[liberal N proud]

19. Imagine that a candidate who supports labor from the start

[EV_Ares]

20. I knew when the steelworker finished, that was a defining moment

in this campaign; "whats wrong with America and what will you do to change it". All I know is it brought tears to our eyes so I know it was something said that tears at us all and we know something needs to be changed for working men and women of this country. It also made me think of the man who had worked at Enron and him and his wife had been planning their retirement and he lost it all. They were both sitting at the kitchen table in an interview and broke down.

I really really do hope that something turns around for all of us that are ordinary working people; that someone gets elected who really really cares and is going to work their ass off to help us.

[Kajsa]

21. That steel worker speaks for many, many people.

God Bless that man!

I cried before he finished his question last night.
It was the most moving moment in the entire debate.

A hard working guy who can't provide for his family
because of corporate mismanagement?
And he paid into his pension for 34 years?

He's been screwed like millions of others in our country.

I loved Edward's comment that the CEOs should have the EXACT same
healthcare benefits as the workers.

You tell 'em John!


K & R!

:kick:

[SemperEadem]

44. that wasn't corporate mismanagement--that's corporate malfiesance

willful theft. There is no reason in the world any company should be able to get their hands on the pension fund of their workers and take money out of it, nor should they be allowed to invest that money without those whose money it is OKing where it will be invested and a paper trail made to track exactly where every penney of that money went.

If they want to play with pension funds, then play with the CEO and upper managments's pension funds.

[Kajsa]

47. I agree, SemperEadem.

It was willful theft and the pension fund should be off
limits to anyone else without the permission of the workers.

Their pensions should be protected, not robbed.

[Highway61]

22. I had tears in my eyes last night when I saw him speak...

and I broke down and cried several times during Sicko. I've been a nurse all my life and gave it up 9 years ago. I can't be a part of it anymore...
Anyone see that clip this morning on the morning Today "news" program? They showed only this gentleman's face briefly and cut what he said down to seconds and would NOT show he was on permanent crutches. The despicable scum bags in government and media will burn in hell.

edit for BIG K & R!!!

[Az_lefty]

24. Edwards was right on the money with his response...

:kick:

[lumberjack_jeff]

25. Fucking A. n/t

[Hobbs]

27. Question

Everyone is asking why Edwards has a big grin on his face right after hearing this guys tragic story and before he starts talking? It's right at the 1:39 mark.

[robinlynne]

30. because the question was so very right on. and because he had the answer.

[Hobbs]

31. So Edwards was happy

he could politically gain from the guys misery? Everyone had a drawn face, as if in horror and there is Edward calculating what a gift the guy is for his campaign. It is surprising Edwards didn't bring out his violin. It is like Bush doing his PR stunts on American piles of rubble.

[insane_cratic_gal]

34. If you don't like him, stay out of the threads

Any time you want to stop trying to play it up like he's done something wrong. If you don't like him perhaps trying to cause trouble isn't the best way to win support by trying cause hate and discontent here. This is 3 times you've made a nasty comment in this thread alone.

I think We can recognize a man of compassion, we don't see as a snide thing. It isn't something dirty like your trying to turn it into.

Did you ever think he was smiling at ones man power to question the powers that be.

I was smiling at the mans strength who had the courage to stand up and ask What is wrong with America! And how do you plan to fix it.

[Hobbs]

40. I didn't mean to be disruptive

People on other sites feel uneasy about his grinning. I thought it might lead to a discussion instead of my crucification.

[Postman]

56. republican diversion tactics...

Edwards' smile is the issue, not the man's story and Edwards' answer?

Republican diversion tactics.

If you can't address the burning issue because your stand on the issue at hand is anti-human, then let's talk about someone's smile, haircut, cleavage, religous heritage, etc., etc.

Anything but the issue becuase to talk about the issue, if you're a republican, means YOU LOSE.

[Mr Rabble]

61. Ok, here is the answer-

ALL CANDIDATES ARE TRAINED TO SMILE ON THE TEEVEE.

How is this even passable as an obvious diversion? Anyone who attempts to put any meaning whatsoever into a candidate for office SMILING on TV...

[Hobbs]

67. Obama wasn't smiling

[WorseBeforeBetter]

62. "Crucification"?

What is it you mentioned above about a violin?

[prolesunited]

65. "on other sites "

Care to name some of them? Or were you lurking in GOP forums?

[jean]

36. Edwards, and most of us, were happy this man got the spotlight and spoke truth to power

Let him shine! I smiled too, through the tears glistening in my eyes.

[SemperEadem]

45. that wasn't a smile of greed or evilness like you're trying to spin thi

that was a smile of love, understanding and being proud of the man's courage in getting up and asking THE most important question of the night--and that he was honored to be the one candidate answering this one because of his work in the past for those fighting against the corruption of corporations.

You got a problem with that? Too bad.

[robinlynne]

49. no it isn't at all like Bush. but you are entitled to your opinions.

[venable]

66. good grief, what an absurd post.

if you really think Edwards was gloating at his good fortune for getting this question, you should take some time out and think about things.

[Hobbs]

68. It really did seem that way

because normal people don't smile with something like that. They truly don't.

[venable]

72. 'normal' people'?

look at the tape, everyone in the room was giving basically the exact same smile, including people in the audience.

it is a sign of support, of appreciation, of admiration, of solidarity.

to compare it to w's grotesque snickering on the grave of 3000 souls is just wrong.

I also happen to know that when Edwards visited Ground Zero, with no fanfare, no press, he was overwhelmed, especially when he visited the family center. Bush giggled and snickered as if he was in his living room with his frat boy friends.

The difference between these two is absolute.

[Apollo11]

74. People were applauding, not smiling

I watched the whole debate on YouTube, and as much as I like John Edwards, I think sometimes he comes across as too smooth or "slick".

Maybe part of it is the accent, or the slightly assymetrical double hand gestures. It's some of the techniques he used while talking to juries.

[venable]

77. I just think that reading something sinister into his smile is bizarre.

he may be too smooth or slick for some, but smiling at that moment was genuine, sincere, heartfelt. It is so obvious. I watched it four or five times. I showed my family, and a friend and they agreed it was obviously a loving smile. I think it is bizarre to say he's smiling because he gets the juicy question, and he doesn't give a shit about the guy's misery.

To be honest, I find that observation, the accusation itself, sinister.

[Apollo11]

76. I like a lot of what Edwards is saying

But you are right to point out that his wide smile and the whole "bless you" thing could be seen as condescending and patronizing to the questioner.

But apparently the guy who asked the question appreciated Edwards answer - at least the part about CEO pensions being treated exactly the same as workers' pensions.

I agree though that Edwards sometimes comes across as too happy and cheerful, even when he is addressing very serious issues. It's not helping him.

[iamahaingttta]

37. Everyone is asking?

What the hell are you talking?
"Some people say..."
Sounds like utter bullshit to me.
Everyone is asking stupid superficial nonsensicle questions?!?

He was smiling because the man was asking exactly the right question.
He was smiling because the whole audience knew that the man asked the right question, and they were cheering at the possibility that maybe Edwards was the only one that stage who would actually answer the fucking thing.
He was smiling because he knew that he had the only right answer to that question. Universal Health Care. Everything else is lies and fraud.
He was smiling because he knew that only dolts and CEO's care about superficialities, and that REAL people want answers to questions like that.

"Some people say that DUers with 44 posts who grill the board about idiocies are really trolls who are trying to disrupt things and sow the seeds of dissension. Everyone is asking... are you one of those people?"

See how that works?

[Hobbs]

41. Some say his mandatoring insurance coverage

plan is a gift to insurance industry and not Universal Health Care. And Kucinich is one of them.

[SemperEadem]

46. what does mandatoring mean?

is it mandating or mandatory?

"some say" is a Fux Noise-speak...

[Postman]

57. Is Medicare a gift to the insurance industry?

Is mandatory auto insurance a gift to the industry? Is mandatory home owners insurance a gift to the industry?

What if it is?

Are you not willing to pay a little more out of your taxes to ensure everyone in the country has health insurance?

How about making the rich pay for the benefits that we, the working class, provide them?

How about taking a tiny bit of the 12 Billion a month being flushed down the toilet in Iraq and using that for the benefit of we Americans here at home instead of for the benefit of the rich criminals in the White House?

[Hobbs]

69. Serious question

And I've searched pretty hard for this with no success.

What doctors, health care providers, major hospitals, medical centers, or expert economists have endorsed Edwards' plans?

[eridani]

58. Edwards' plan is nowhere near as good as that of Kucinich

--but it's ahead of what the other candidates are offering.

[ashlarah]

64. Edwards' plan will mean the end of private insurance

as we know it.

While Kucinich wants to expand Medicare to cover everyone and Obama has proposed a NOT universal universal health care plan, Edwards has the only plan that forces private insurers to directly compete with a government plan.

Employers and uninsured individuals could choose between them. In addition, there would no longer be such a thing as "pre-existing conditions." Private insurers would have to cover all that applied and payed premiums. They would also be required to cover mental health, chronic care and preventive care. The government plan would also include dental and vision care.

Private insurers currently have up to a 30% administrative cost compared to the government's 2-3%. If they fight this plan, they would be conceding that they cannot provide to the American consumers the value that the government can. If they are able to provide the services at the value the government can, why haven't they? They will not want to concede that they have been defrauding the American public all this time, though the case is easy to make.

Now is the time for a complete overhaul of our health care system. Edwards is the one to do it.

[Hobbs]

70. They already compete

And medicare pays on average 15% more than private insurance. Government can never compete with private business. That is why government on Fed, State, and Local level outsource. Heck even the military does it.

But I am open, and curious if any people in the medical industry are commenting on and/or endorsing the Edwards' plan.

[chervilant]

63. Thank you for a most

cogent response to that poor wee mannie.  If it sounds like a
troll, and it posts like a troll...

wr

ca

[willing dwarf]

48. This happens to lots of us

I think a lot of us smile from the jitters we get when we come that close to Truth. It hurts so much too hear that man's pain, and there's a reflex action that makes you want to wink back the tears. Many's the time I've been told someone died or had an accident and I don't know why but I start to smile. I've come to accept that it's not like there's a sociopathic streak in me, instead I think it's a nerve reflex.

[Jackpine Radical]

53. I watched again after reading this, and IT WAS A WARM SMILE OF COMPASSION.

There was absolutely noting wrong with Edwards" demeanor. Somebody is trying to make a Dean Scream out of this. I call BULLSHIT right now.

[Apollo11]

75. Obama wasn't smiling

Does that mean Edwards has more compassion than Obama?

If so - then let me call bullshit on that !!

[holboz]

29. I got teary eyed after I heard him last night

bless him and the millions who share his plight. Absolutely, what is wrong with America?

[npincus]

32. MSM broadcasts chop up his question

muting the power of it, quite intentional.

[insane_cratic_gal]

33. He got my support last night

after being undecided about any of the candidates and wavering on all of them, he won my support last night.

[That Is Quite Enough]

35. Recommended. Great video!

[Booster]

38. K&R for this wonderful gentleman and all Americans who are in

the same boat with him.

[Zenlitened]

39. Sweet!

:dem:

[GeneCosta]

42. Good speech

But it's time for worker councils, not unions.

[mopinko]

43. there were very few standing o's

i think half the people there had to push back the tears.

[usregimechange]

50. k n r

[Catchawave]

51. *kick*

Already rec'd :hi:

Funny how many threads are dissing JE for not responding to the guy :cry:

[madrchsod]

55. john is the only canidate i trust

hillary i`ll never vote for unless she wins the nomination. obama is my senator and i hope he stays that way for 8 more years then runs..

[machka]

59. K&R

The most powerful moment to come out of the debate last night.

:kick:

[stopbush]

60. Management asks for the workers to take pay cuts

which they do. Management offers them better benefits and pensions as an offset for the workers taking a pay cut right now. Management loves this because the benefits and pensions are in the out years, and they get a pay cut concession NOW that makes them look good.

When management sells out the company and screws the workers, the business community marvels at the golden parachutes of management while deriding the workers who didn't have the smarts to save for a rainy day. Kudlow and buds pile on with their attacks on these "free ride" workers who expect benefits after their jobs evaporate.

Of course, Kudlow and buds never point out that if the workers hadn't given in on the pay cuts and had instead said "fuck you" to management's "promise" of pensions and benefits after retirement for, lo, those many decades, that they might have had enough disposable income to create their own retirement plans and would have avoided the huge dose of anal sex that management gave them at the end of the line.

Nothing will change until we take to the streets with pitchforks in hand. Nothing.

[orleans]

71. the most touching/moving moment of all.

now...let's see how a republik would react to someone standing up and saying this to them at one of their little debates where all they want to discuss is when they found jesus and how nasty abortion and gay rights are.

[RiverStone]

73. Big Kick!

Give em hell John!