Thoughts on Labor Day

What does Labor Day mean to you? This was the question I began to ask myself and like a lot things it lead me to my usual domino effect of thinking.

To be honest with you it has always been that holiday break between July Fourth and Thanksgiving and surprisingly that is exactly what it was meant to be for the labor when it was enacted into law. Reading about the labor day I realized the very same President Cleveland who on hand signed the act into law also sent Federal troops in to break the Union strike at mines and the Pullman strike in the late 1894. Talk about mixed message.


The striking Pullman car union standoff with National Guard

The US has always been a bit bi-polar when it comes to the common man. On one hand it will praise the common man as the backbone of the country by which it could not exist. Yet even today our government leaders elected by us will turn around and support big business interest to the determent of the labor force. Yet we continue to elect these people back into office. Makes you wonder about us.

I like to call myself a socialist. But, the truth is I am not really a true socialist and know that.
What do I believe though is this

1. all public utilities should be owned by the people and not private Enterprise
2. Public transportation should be owned by the people
3. the individual has the right to decent affordable housing even if not ownership
4. the individual has the right to WORK and expect a Living Wage
5. the individual has the right to a universal basic health care
6. The individual has the right to expect a safety net that protects the worker should they be disabled or reach retirement age or find their employment terminated without just cause.
7. The individual has the right to expect food that is safe to eat and basic food that is affordable.

It all boils down to this. We come into this world naked and without when time comes to end no matter how we have prospered we go out from this world naked and without. After all we can't take it with us no matter how much we try. What about our heirs you might ask? Isn't that kind of up to them to decide for their self. But if you prospered by the country you live in then should that country have the right to expect a large chunk of the property you leave behind. I kind of that so.

Also we need to remember that we all live on this earth together and if one man prospers all will.  For if one man lays waste to mother earth all will also suffer. We are in this together and should act for the universal good of all and for the universal good of the individual.

Current Reads and Movies

Finished reading Simon Morden "Theories of Flight" I got to admit it was pretty intense. I find it amusing how the USA is represented as a self-righteous prig. Not to far from the truth. Looking forward to reading "Degrees of Freedom".

Until I get in though I think I will focus on reading some of the back log of magazines I have stacked on my end table and "Every book it's Reader" and "Nickled and Dimed".

Been watching a lot of Netflix on-line streaming. Beside the usual clap-trap I also watched PBS Inspector Lewis Mystery Masterpiece series along with a number of really good documentaries form Snag Films web site.

Final Thought

The weather finally has started to cool down. Still no rain  Here is a question for you can an area support a large population if you do not receive enough rainfall to supply the water to people?