Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama, Race and Civil Rights, Health Care Debate
"There is nothing, and I mean nothing, we can't do when we stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder," said AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka. "We will stand together. And we will win together. And we won't let anyone-- and I mean anyone - stand in our way."
Speakers criticized Republicans for being obstructionists in Washington and for policies that send jobs overseas.
"Stop the obstructionism. Work together. Stop playing politics as usual and to put the American people first. We're tired of the politics and the posturing and the games." said Rose Dixon, a health care worker from Pawleys Island, S.C.
The Rev. Al Sharpton urged rally participants to hit the streets in the weeks leading up to the November election.
"We've got to go home and we've got to hit the pavement. We've got to knock on doors. We've got to ring those church bells," Sharpton said.
It's a great message but this is something that supporters of the current majority should have done a while ago. It would be helpful if progressives would end their criticisms of Democrats and support their policy efforts.
It doesn't make sense that Progressives, who are angry that Democrats did not go far enough on issues like health care reform and financial reform, would play into Republican hands.
It's clear that President Obama has faced persistent criticism of his policies, often using false rhetoric, from Republicans. Despite the good things that health care reform does, like preventing health care companies from denying certain claims, many people in this country think the legislation means we are turning into a socialist country. That is solely based on the outlandishly false rhetoric from people such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh who have become the defacto leaders of the Republican party.
Progressives don't seem to remember that President Obama inherited a country that was in deep trouble. He has also encountered destructive resistance from Republicans. That is resistance not based on policy disagreement, but solely on politics. Limbaugh has publicly wished that Obama fails. If the president fails, regardless of his policies, that will hurt all Americans, not just Democrats or Republicans.
Former DNC chair Howard Dean is telling Progressives to be angry after Nov. 5. They should follow the lead of Latino voters who are rallying using the issue of immigration reform. They have seen that it is Republicans who are pushing hateful immigration legislation similiar to the type proposed in Arizona.
Instead of criticizing Democrats, Progressives should be working to help re-elect them. If Progressives are unhappy with Democratic control of Congress, they are going to be miserable with the Republicans.