Sticking to the Union

The Republican Thugs are trying to crush the unions. This is nothing new. For decades now the rich and powerful have tried to break the working class, and you know what? Despite their crap we have WON the right to a weekend, WON the right to a 40 hour work week, WON the right to childhood without forced labor, WON the right to health and retirement benefits, WON the right to collective bargaining...

There has not been one moment since the turn of the 20th century that labor hasn't had to fight for its rights. Now is no exception and now, just as much as any other time, we have to fight together, and we have to STICK TO THE UNION.

And you know it was Woodie Guthrie that got the whole thing started:



Perhaps the best message to remember from Woodie (Hillbilly) Guthrie, is "You Fascists Bound to Lose"



That is how the union movement took off, back when farmers and workers were sacrificed for the sake of trickle down economics back in the Great Depression. Yep...NONE OF THIS IS NEW. All that is new is the communication technology we all use. The basic fight dates back to the Dust Bowl and then the Great Depression. The right wing Republicans tried to force trickle down on us back then and it FAILED then...and it will fail now.

Of course Woodie was known for another great progressive song we all know:



Later Woodie Guthrie's "Union Maid" was taken up by a later generation, represented by Pete Seeger (who stood up to the Blacklist with great determination) and Woodie's son, Arlo Guthrie (who continues to stand up to a physical disability):



And then Union Maid continues in modern times:





But Woodie's other songs also continue into today's consciousness. Bruce Springsteen called it "about the greatest song ever written about America":



And Pete Seeger, who took the torch from Woodie, sang it with Bruce, who took the torch from Pete:



SHIT, THIS is what Republicans are fighting to KILL! Why do Republicans want to KILL this spirit? This spirit is the HEART of America. I mean SHIT, Johnny Cash did the song:



This FUCKING land is YOURS and MINE. Not the damned Koch Billionaires'.

And of course Greatful Dead and Los Lobos did it as well:



And of course Woodie's son Arlo did the same song:



And what about Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Denver singing it with Arlo Guthrie:



And here is yet another version:



Yeah...I mean how much more AMERICAN can you get than this kind of WORKING CLASS, pro-fucking-union, PROGRESSIVE sentiment.

But look...the union spirit is NOT just the musicians and organizers...it is the WORKERS who are at the heart of it...there is no famous singer in this version, just blue collar, working class, AMERICANS:



THIS is what the Republicans fear most...honest, working class Americans who stick to the union, because when honest, working class Americans stick to the union the pro-Billionaire Republicans LOSE. THAT is what we have to do.

Okay...enough. What is my point.

America is NOT about Teabagger, Koch Billionaire trickle down bullshit. America is NOT about the modern Republican Party. America is about Woodie Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Willie Nelson, John Denver, Johnny Cash, Los Lobos and everyone else who sings a god damned UNION song to support America's working and middle class. We support our teachers, our firefighters, our cops, our nurses, our construction workers, our trash collectors, our road builders, our farmers...you get the point. Republicans oppose each and every one of these and help ONLY billionaires. Why is this even a contest? They have the money, but we have the votes.

It is time for farmers, firefighters, cops, teachers, nurses, construction workers, miners, trash collectors, and every single working and middle class American to unite against the Republican pro-Billionaire, trickle down bullshit.

I can think of no better thing than to fight for our teachers, firefighters, nurses and police. Republicans are screwing them over, and for what? ALL they want is tax breaks for billionaires. I'd rather teachers, firefighters, nurses and cops than billionaires. What about you?

For now, there are four key states where the fight is going down. There are more, and there WILL be even more. But for now, the four key states are Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. Help fight the good fight.

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