Plane Terror Proves: Republicans Fail On "National Security", Hate The Middle Class

[marmar]

from the Working Life blog:



Plane Terror Proves: Republicans Fail On "National Security", Hate The Middle Class
by Jonathan Tasini

Monday 04 of January, 2010


The Republican world view of "national security" has been laid bare--ideology is more important than the security of the people. In my view, the fallout from the airplane terror plot makes this abundantly clear.

I start from my own touchstones about the definition of "national security": it is a measure of how the people are doing overall, meaning, are they safe in their homes from threats that are both physical and economic. If you don't have a job or you are working two jobs at the minimum wage, your sense of feeling secure in your nation is pretty low and, one could argue persuasively, that economic "national security" is of much more daily importance, and a much bigger threat, to most people than any potential terrorist attack.

Which brings me to Sen. Jim DeMint. DeMint, as many of us know, has held up the confirmation of the head the Transportation Security Administration. Why? DeMint is virulently anti-union. The Wall Street Journal updates the story today:

The White House on Sunday urged senators to quickly hold a vote on its nominee to head the Transportation Security Administration, but the battle showed little signs of easing as a Republican reiterated his concerns about the pick.

The White House's appointment of Erroll Southers, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, has been held up by Sen. Jim DeMint, who has raised questions about Mr. Southers's position on worker unionization. The South Carolina Republican wants Mr. Southers to promise that he would oppose granting collective-bargaining rights to the TSA's tens of thousands of employees.

As I pointed when I first wrote about this last week, I think we need to be cautious about drawing a direct line from the failure to confirm Southers to the attempt to bring down the airplane. But, leadership and organization can matter.

However, what I think is abundantly clear is the antipathy Republicans have towards the middle class. DeMint's position--which, as far as we can tell, has not been opposed by other members of the Republican caucus in the Senate--is that he would rather leave the TSA leaderless then allow people who are trying to make flying safer have a decent wage. Letting the TSA employees simply have the right to unionize would mean that they would get paid better and have some dignity and respect at work.

Unfortunately, I have not heard enough (any?) voices from the opposition focusing on the anti-union animus inherent in DeMint's actions--and what it says about the larger view of "national security". We got into our economic mess--which has a large impact on peoples' daily lives and perception of "national security--because people could not make a decent living in the country and did not have decent paying jobs. The undisputed best path to such a decent living is the strength and power of collective bargaining.

Be clear about the good unions provide. Don't run away from it or be silent.


http://www.workinglife.org/blogs/view_post.php?content_id=14652