Unifying around the class war is an enormous opportunity for the Democratic Party
  • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
    81·
    1 year ago

    Should Joe Biden have allowed a national railroad strike to happen, potentially at great cost to the US economy? Yes. If that is what the workers wanted, then yes.

    Oh, this is not gonna go over well here.

    • Jonna@lemmy.world
      7·
      1 year ago

      The truth is that the railroad workers know their position in the economy all too well and expected the government to end a strike quickly if they let it go at all.

      The big disappointment is that Biden and Congress choose the company’s proposals as the basis for the imposed contract instead of the Union’s demands on time off, staffing, and safety.

      In fact the companies were counting on it, which is why they never moved from their outrageous demands in negotiations.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        1 year ago

        The big disappointment is that Biden and Congress choose the company’s proposals as the basis for the imposed contract instead of the Union’s demands on time off, staffing, and safety.

        It was disappointing, but not surprising in the least.

  • Jonna@lemmy.world
    4·
    1 year ago

    I agree that the Democrats COULD win votes on a pro-working class platform.

    But it ain’t going to happen. The Democratoc Party and its associated networks have a voting base that is very different from its funding base.

    I think in lots of ways Biden has governed to the left of Obama. While Obama’s response to 2008 was to support the banks and leave the working class out to dry (mortgage support existed but was largely unfulfilled, requiring voluntary participation from banks with no interest in doing so), Biden’s covid response had more direct support and progressive programs like the child tax credit. Biden has also done more for climate change in the infrastructure bill.

    But in many ways Biden still doesn’t take the workers’ side, like in the already mentioned railroad strike.

  • Jordan Lund@lemmy.oneEnglish
    42·
    1 year ago

    Pontiac, as a brand, shut down in 2009-2010.

    So using an old photo of a failed Pontiac dealer as being an example of current labor issues is being more than a little disingenuous.

    Bonus:

    https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/kevin-rinke-channels-trumps-business-outsider-label-mi-governors-race

    GM killed:

    Oldsmobile - 2004
    Pontiac - 2009/2010
    Saab - 2009/2010
    Saturn - 2009/2010
    Opel - 2010

    The surviving brands are:

    Buick (apparently Buick is HUGE in China, they are to China what Cadillac is here.)
    Cadillac
    Chevrolet (including Corvette)
    GMC (including Hummer)

    They are also partners in two Chinese brands, Baojun, and Wuling.