Conservative Assault On America's Families

[babylonsister]

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2007/05/08/conservative_assault_on_americas_families.php

Conservative Assault On America's Families
Beth Shulman
May 08, 2007


Conservatism historically has seen government as a problem to overcome, an albatross. President Reagan stated it succinctly when he said, “we need to get government off our backs.” Conservatives usually justify this negative view of government in the name of freedom. They conflate freedom with unregulated markets, anti-unionism, low taxes and a rabid individualism. Without so-called government interference, people would be free to make their own choices. But what has this restricted view of government and the notion of freedom it embraces meant for America’s families today? In one word—disaster.

The “you are on your own” notion of government and freedom has meant that American families must live with stagnant wages at a time of high profits and productivity without a way to get ahead no matter how hard they try. It has meant health insecurity for workers and their families as fewer and fewer jobs provide health care coverage. It has meant that workers face their older years without the means they counted on to retire, as corporations have slashed traditional pension plans. And it has meant that half of Americans don’t have the fundamental right to take a day off from work when they are sick without losing a job or a paycheck.

It has meant parents having to forgo a child’s high school or college graduation or a PTA meeting because twenty percent of America’s workers do not have any vacation or personal days. It has meant parents tag teaming their shifts to provide their children supervision leading to increased divorce rates because they can’t afford child care. It has meant families who are more stressed out as jobs become more and more insecure. And it has meant more families just struggling to get by with one out of every three workers making less than what it takes to have basic self-sufficiency. All this has been dumped on the already sagging shoulders of working families while government has stood on the sidelines.

snip//

Government can and must play the kind of role that it so successfully performed after World War II, in creating the largest middle class in America’s history. Only government can set minimum standards for wages, health coverage, health and safety, paid sick days, retirement security, and the right to organize a union that ensure that hard working Americans have the basics of a decent life. Only government can ensure that families can be both responsible workers and caring family members by updating the outdated workplace practices and supports.

Only government can play the pivotal role in leveraging our resources to provide what workers need to succeed in our new global economy, and create the supports for workers and their families as they move across jobs and/or in and out of the labor force as their life and jobs circumstances change over time. And it is government which has an irreplaceable role in ensuring that all children have the tools they need to fulfill their potential and that opportunity is not limited to the wealthiest among us.

The role of government is to ensure that the prosperity of our economy is broadly shared amongst all hard working Americans and their families and that we create a society in which all families can thrive. The conservatives have it wrong. It’s not about getting government off our backs. It’s about getting it back on our sides, the sides of working families.

[jwirr]

1. Very true.

[unpossibles]

2. I agree. I look at it this way:

For one thing, we are a nation with a representative government. Sure, you may not feel represented - I know I often don't - but that does not mean I do not have the responsibility to try to make things fair and to try to educate myself on important issues. In other words, I feel it is our civic duty to try to maintain this great system we have, to not let it be run down or ruined by those who hate it simply because of their own greed.

This becomes more and more difficult to do, however, with increasing difficulty in simple survival. It is simply hard to find the time to educate yourself on those important issues when you are busy busting your ass, not to get ahead necessarily, but sometimes just to survive. But that does not alleviate the responsibility either.

"We The People" is not just a catchy phrase. "We" are the government and we need to remember that, as well as occasionally remind those who represent us that we ultimately hold the power unless we willingly give it up because of greed, selfishness, and fear.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Another way conservatives are hypocrites

Their support of rampant capitalism has caused most of our manufacturing strength to go to China, an atheistic, communistic country. I thought these conservatives didn't like either atheists or communists, but their actions show otherwise.

[ourbluenation]

4. this is a wonderful essay. sums up the left and right view points really well. n/t

[eppur_se_muova]

5. The only freedom they want is freedom from social responsibility.

They already have freedom from conscience.

[pokercat999]

6. This should be the main point of the 2008

election. If the congress can get us out of Iraq we could have a national dialog about this.

[silverweb]

7. This is what it's all about.

Forwarded far and wide.

:thumbsup: