Join IATSE and the Central Utah Federation of Labor’s Brian Faulkner as he lays down another cornerstone in The Working Family Agenda. This week, Brian talks about the shape of the year to come, what to look forward to, the incredible amount of work ahead – and about how much normal Republicans miss Bill Clinton.
I do hope your holiday season was filled with bliss, friends, families, and loved ones. With every year’s end, we each begin anew; or at least a “refresh” or maybe even a “reset” on that personal level.
Whether you’re a day-to-day list maker, long-term goal planner, we all use the changing of the year to take a moment and stop, check both directions, then move forward.
And 2012 will surely shape up to be a big year, whether you are Mayian or not.
I watch with great interest the dynamic of the politics and actions of government. In the last few years, we seem to be watching a great oscillation between various extremes.
2012 brings not only a Presidential election but a whole new House of Representatives, as well as an election for 33 Senators.
Traditionally, the vast majority of the congress, whether House or Senate, are re-elected to new terms, but we have witnessed the evolution of politics, and especially the coverage of politicians, into a “whose voice is loudest, who will say the most outlandish thing”.
Thus, the bouncing from one extreme to the other, with no clear direction from our government; in fact, we watch a gridlocked stagnating special interest government fail so many, in so many recent years.
I was speaking with a Republican friend of mine recently, yes, I have Republican friends too, a few…
and he was longing for the “peace and prosperity of a Bill Clinton Presidency”.
While I did remind of the shutdown, he was quick to point out that they were able to negotiate more effective legislation, that benefited more people, that created more opportunity, and our nation grew and prospered. We were helping Muslims in Bosnia, not vilifying them as extremists and bombing them for living under tyrants who were often set up by long-gone foreign policy interests.
I told him “I was sold”.
In fact, I’ll order a double for me and my friend here.
Too bad that is not what they, and by they I mean most politicians, (virtually ALL the Republican, and far to many Democrats) that is NOT are selling us.
My goal, or at least my intent for starting this work with Jeff Bell and Defenestrate Media and creating “The Working Family Agenda” was, is, and will continue to be returning to topic, front and center, the issues that face all working families, regardless of race, belief, or politics.
