Labor Day Is More Than A Parade

To the Editor:

Labor Day is almost here and it is time for our parade! The Labor Day Parade is Newtown’s “Norman Rockwell” moment. It is a day Newtowners cherish. But let us remember that Labor Day is more than a parade and more than a three-day weekend. It is a day meant to celebrate the workers of our country. However, the basic conservative vision of less government intervention in manufacturing and trade has led to many labor problems, including a decline of blue collar labor union jobs replaced with lower level service sector jobs. This has resulted in less real professional opportunities, and significant reductions in both wages and benefits for middle class working people. Some argue that the middle class is simply disappearing.

The outsourcing of manufacturing has resulted in lower quality imports that put United States citizens in harm’s way (see: China). These imports have replaced United States products and union labor. In fact, the United States private sector has less than tenpercent of all employees represented by labor unions.

The Iraq invasion and subsequent occupation by the United States has an effect on labor in addition to the military and political effects. We are spending billions (that is with a “B”) of dollars per month on the occupation at the expense of items needed at home, such as infrastructure. The Minnesota bridge disaster brought this to the forefront. Remember, infrastructure failure can hit close to home as it did years age at the Mianus River Bridge on I-95 here in Connecticut. Where will the money come from for repairs? In addition, the current mortgage crisis may be only the beginning of a severe recession. There are some real financial concerns for our “Homeland.”

Shortly after the Labor Day Parade this year, another major “spin” will be hurled onto the American people by President Bush, Senator Lieberman, and others, in concert with the report on the surge in Iraq by General Petraeus to Congress in September. Of course our military supports the surge! Our military would not be the best military in the world if they did not support their own efforts! But it is not about the military dictating our policy in Iraq. It is about the American people, via elected representatives, directing our military. The majority of Americans oppose this occupation and troop reductions are in order. We are not a military dictatorship, like Iraq during Saddam, but a democracy that follows the will of the people, like we are trying to set up in post-Saddam Iraq.

So, as you enjoy the parade, remember that many of our country’s current policies adversely affect the occupation of Iraq, the well-being of military personnel, the will of the majority of US citizens, the US economy and jobs, plus the general status of labor in our country. Happy Labor Day!

Sincerely,

Richard English

3 Curry Drive, Newtown                                              August 27, 2007