Desert Storm Vet Denied Freedom At Home

According to Keith Ludlum, a veteran of Desert Storm, served his country to protect the nation's laws. He was denied protection from the law when his employer fired him for trying to organize a union.

In addition, his employer - Smithfield Packing used sheriffs armed with shotguns and dogs to intimidate and harass union supporters.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Employee
• Free
• Choice
• Act
• NLRB
• unions
• labor
• elections
• AFL-CIO
• smithfield
• veteran

[local2458]

This guy is a real American hero! He is the real deal and not some phony online philosopher; he put it on the line overseas, at home, and on Capitol Hill. Three cheers for Keith!

[mod8521]

Is this the key to economic success? For more US companies to be like Wal-mart. America was shaped in part by unions. It is the unions that gave us the 40 hour work week, overtime, holidays, and many more things. Would you work with out a contract? Why should we?

[mod8521]

Your model of the effect a union has on the economy is off. Companies such as Wal-mart mark their goods overseas. They also are the worlds biggest labor rights violator. Everyone can agree how anti-union wal-mart is. "The Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce estimates that one 200-person Wal-Mart store may result in a cost to federal taxpayers of $420,750 per year - about $2,103 per employee." WAL-MART Costs Taxpayers $1,557,000,000,00 to Support its Employees.

[tegalans]

Cont... Because businesses are forced to leave or increase the price of their product you have more unemployed people and others who can't afford the product. Which means more taxes for welfare to pay the unemployed and checks to help the poor afford the costly products. It's called a downward spiral and Michigan is in one right now, California is on the way and America is about to follow.

[tegalans]

Oh and there is no such thing as a "base"; our economy is cyclical. Unions come in and raise wages and benefits above market level it forces companies to increase the price of their product. The fact that their product cost more means that they are shut off from world competition because poor people around the world can't afford our products. So in order for a business to remain competitive and stay in business they must reduce their bottom line; by moving to China. Cont...

[tegalans]

Protectionism of an industry is bad; I think we can all agree on that that. There is a great economic equation to explain why tariffs are bad for the economy. In fact the Smooth-Hawley Tariff was a major reason that the world plunged into the great depression. Now, protectionism of a job is just as bad as industry. All a reasonable person needs to do is look around per state. High Unemployment tends to come with Unions. I'd rather get payed 5 thousand less so my neighbor can have a job.

[tegalans]

The reason why companies leave places like Michigan and California for places like Texas is the same reason why companies leave the US. High tax rates and burdensome regulation is a deterrent. The best solution is for the government to get out of the way of businesses and for the Fed to be abolished. "Stage One" is a reference to a book by Thomas Sowell a great economist. And In regard to less wages; I pay less in taxes and it cost me less to live here, oh and more people have jobs.

[mod8521]

So what is the solution to our economy? Ship more jobs overseas. Outsource more? I dont like paying for others mistakes anymore than the next guy. But our country needs a stimulus.  Our country needs true patriotism. We as citizens need to invest in American companies that stay in America and don't ship jobs overseas. Bottom line Americans need to buy goods produced by Americans.

[mod8521]

In response to my "stage one" thinking albeit the base of our economy the consumer. How can you say right to work is a great model? In RTW states 21% more people lack health care. 2.3% higher poverty rates. !6% higher infant mortality rates. 51% higher in regards to work related deaths. Companies my benefit from RTW but not the worker. Right to Work is Right to Work for LESS. About $5333/yr on average.

[tegalans]

The notion that Neoliberal economic policies are the cause of this problem is false. The Fed artificially set interest rates below market level; Coupled with government forcing banks into accepting Zero down (ie. easy credit) policies fueled an economic boom that was unsustainable. The Republicans spent to much money and now you say that the solution is to spend more? Don't be a fool, big government either from Republicans or Democrats is the problem.