The Only Way to Mass Prosperity

[Omaha Steve]

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/2849

By: Michael Whitney Wednesday January 7, 2009 5:48 am

Harold Meyerson makes the case for the only way to restore "mass prosperity" to America:

The one great period of broadly shared prosperity in U.S. history remains the three decades following World War II, which, anything but coincidentally, is the one period in which America had high levels of unionization.

The business lobby is throwing big money into ads opposing the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which would make it easier for workers to join unions, but one concern it has neglected to address is how the United States can again become a land of broad-based affluence with private-sector unionization at its current 7 percent level.

There is no historic precedent for mass prosperity absent mass collective bargaining. The model cannot be constructed.

The Employee Free Choice Act is a surefire way to help raise the income of millions of hardworking Americans. People in unions earn 30% higher wages and are 59% more likely to have health insurance.

Obama on EFCA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4qF213IceI&eurl=http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/2849


Like Barack Obama, Harold Meyerson knows that the Employee Free Choice Act can help pave the way for mass prosperity. But Meyerson explains what needs to happen for it to become reality:

Some Republicans advocate time-honored business tax breaks that have never done anything to jump-start the economy; some Democrats fail to see how EFCA can renew their party's historical role as the expander of the middle class (or they fear a diminution of business campaign contributions in 2010). From the world's best bully pulpit, Obama needs to preach, and teach, some history.

[Xipe Totec]

1. Soaking the rich would be my first suggestion

amazingly, I'm in the minority with this opinion.

[Hannah Bell]

2. if we soaked the rich, who would give us jobs? oh, wait...

[tbyg52]

3. I'm for it - it's worked before.

Amazingly enough, during the same period of time cited by the OP... ;)

[Xipe Totec]

4. You'd think most people are rich, the way the oppose it

But nooo...

Most people just THINK someday, maybe, they may become rich...

How stupid is that?

:shrug:

[TheKentuckian]

5. It may be the dumbest thing about our society

and that says a ton.

The "I don't want to give up any of mine if I make it big someday" mentality is a destructive brand of insanity that puts a broke mentality into a dream. The broke dumbass can't even grasp how little of that dream income is used to sustain themselves or relate to the fact that money makes money once you have a bundle, it doesn't come from work if you're smart.

Projective greed is a messed up concept and you have to wonder what kind of soulless beings they must be now, bitterly clutching pennies and charging their mothers gas money to go to the doctor.