Eye on 2002 — and ’04

From Gerald W. McEntee — President

President Bush apparently has started his re-election campaign. Like in 2000, he’s targeting labor and working families on behalf of his corporate and wealthy supporters. At AFSCME, we are ready to meet him head on and we expect to win.

This fight is not about parties. It’s about issues. We have backed Democrats; we have backed Republicans. But all the candidates we’ve backed have had something in common: They’ve cared about everyday people — who pick up their trash, keep their highways safe, drive their children to school, care for their sick and aging loved ones, and guard their correctional facilities.

It was easy to look at George W. Bush’s 2000 platform — his issues were not labor’s issues.

In fact, Bush has consistently stood against labor and for Big Business. He opposed national minimum wage laws and collective bargaining. He supported Right to Work laws, and said privatization should be expanded. We should not be surprised that whether he’s governor, a Presidential candidate or the President, his tune does not change.

For working men and women, Bush’s candidacy last time represented the promises of low wages, no voice on the job and ultimately a union-free workplace. For working men and women, his Presidency represents promises kept. Unfortunately for those people — our people — they were the wrong promises. And the future can only hold more of the same.

So today we know we were right.

DIGNITY?! Even before 100 days were gone, Bush’s promise to respect the dignity of Americans was gone. Clearly, he wasn’t speaking of the dignity of America’s working men and women because he quickly signed four shortsighted, anti-worker executive orders.

After 10 years in the making, our new President wiped out OSHA’s ergonomics standard in one mean-spirited act.

The Bush tax cut for the wealthy is at the expense of children, the disabled and the elderly.

As if that weren’t enough, we’ve got the President’s younger brother in Florida, where the election was stolen. As the Bush Brothers see it, the interests of Big Business can only be served if the interests of working men and women are not.

Jeb Bush and his Council of 100 — 100 Big Business people, that is — have declared war on workers in Florida. Bush seeks to lay off thousands of AFSCME-represented state workers. Words like "at will," "performance based" and "privatization" will be inserted in every contract negotiation and workplace discussion.

Let’s not kid ourselves. Little Brother Jeb and Big Brother George W. both are carrying the wealthy on the backs of workers.

FIGHTING MAD, FIGHTING BACK. But we are fighting back. We are sending our troops to Florida — as we did to protest the Presidential vote count. We won’t be silenced, and we won’t retreat. As this cloud of anti-unionism spreads, we are mobilizing our forces.

Don’t forget the 2002 election is just around the corner, including gubernatorial contests like Jeb Bush’s. And keep in mind — even now, three years in advance — the all-important 2004 Presidential election.

Last November, 26 percent of the 200 million eligible voters who went to the polls came from union households. Sixty-two percent said they made their decisions based on the issues, not personalities. Clearly, we are on the right track. And we will continue to back candidates — Republicans or Democrats — who back working families.

The Bush Brothers have landed and have fired their first volleys. But we are firing back. Brothers and Sisters, take heart: We will fight the good fight, and we will win. To do that, we must have everyone’s support, and we must increase our numbers. I now declare the 2004 Presidential race open. Let the battle begin!