Divide And Conquer

The Attack On The Middle Class, 

                           Divide And Conquer

The disappointing results of the recall election of Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin have revealed the challenges workers and the middle class are faced with. The least of which is not the unbridled, obscene amounts of money corporate interests and billionaires poured into this race, outspending the opponent 8 to 1.

What should be a wake up call for all of us is the statement by Walker that his strategy in stripping state employees of their basic work place democratic rights is based on a divide and conquer approach.

This strategy simply pits one worker against another, based on the premise that one is getting more than the other. Thereby diverting attention to what is really causing both to lose and causing workers to vote against their own best interest.

Putting aside the fact that most of the problems with funding public employee pensions and other state budgetary problems and that our overall economic problems were and are caused by wall street/big bank misdeeds, many would rather attack what some other worker is getting. Rather than a race to the bottom, let’s stand up, fight back. Support your union.  

Why as retirees and seniors should we care? For many reasons, including our concerns for the well being of our children and grandchildren, but also to protect the attack on our benefits including Medicare and Social Security. The Republicans have already started a generational divide on their budget proposal regarding these programs.

Bill Gibbons, PACE Board Member of SOAR