[graciegirl]

I raise a toast to the sweat of your brow, the difficulty you have suffered, the joy of your accomplishments, the country you have built and the pride you deserve.

No one handed it to you, you American worker you.

I am so proud of you and of us.

[njbchbum]

great thoughts, gracie! from the day i sat behind my first 'real job' desk, i thanked the workers who came before me who enabled me to start with what i did. and i knew it was up to me to achieve personally and professionally in order to advance myself and pave the way for those who would come after me.

but today i hafta question what labor day really means to anyone. the mattress sale @ macy's; a new car sale/lease special; an extended weekend at the beach; all of that.

in a day when so many people choose to disparage members of modern-day unions because of their employment security requests during contract negotiations - people forget that it was those long-ago contract negotiations that got them so much of what they have today!

i laugh when folks cheer for the affordable care act and jeer when unions ask for improved wages/benefits! how does one reconcile that it is okay for govt to provide more people with more benefits that everyone subsidizes but it is not okay for a union member to ask for the same from their employer?

i guess it's like anything - if you or your family was not part of the reason for the original celebration of something, it really doesn't matter to some why they celebrate.

[gomoho]

Here here!

[AriaGrandparents2013]

As a retiree........praise to the American Worker............need them actively employed contributing to that Social Security system.....!!!!

[DougB]

History was never one of my strong points. I'm just happy to enjoy the day off today!

[buggyone]

"i laugh when folks cheer for the affordable care act and jeer when unions ask for improved wages/benefits! how does one reconcile that it is okay for govt to provide more people with more benefits that everyone subsidizes but it is not okay for a union member to ask for the same from their employer?"

I would think it would be the same people cheering for the Affordable Care Act and also cheering for union members to get honest wages and benefits. Those are the more liberal ideas.

The more conservative ideas are the ones against the Affordable Care Act and also against unions.

Isn't that usually how it goes?

[graciegirl]

Again I say. I raise my glass to the American workers and the retired American workers.

Bless your dear hearts.

Gracie..who so loves the work ethic.

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by buggyone

"....The more conservative ideas are the ones against the Affordable Care Act and also against unions.

Isn't that usually how it goes?

No, this is a gross simplification of an extremely complex set of problems and resolutions.

Most conservatives are FOR development of fiscally sound, SOLVENT methods of getting health insurance for those who can't afford it on their own, and are for methods of covering them that do not kill small businesses that provide 70% of jobs. A 2,600-page law with everything but the kitchen sink buried in the legalese of it, and unelected bureaucrats designing 50,000 more pages of the implementation policies of it, is not the only way to help the uninsured.

And I know many conservatives who are in and are for unions, and they expect the focus and spending of their dues to be on the worker's job conditions, NOT the bulk being spent/focused on buying corrupt, detached politicians in Washington.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

No, this is a gross simplification of an extremely complex set of problems and resolutions.

Most conservatives are FOR development of fiscally sound, SOLVENT methods of getting health insurance for those who can't afford it on their own, and are for methods of covering them that do not kill small businesses that provide 70% of jobs. A 2,600-page law with everything but the kitchen sink buried in the legalese of it, and unelected bureaucrats designing 50,000 more pages of the implementation policies of it, is not the only way to help the uninsured.

And I know many conservatives who are in and are for unions, and they expect the focus and spending of their dues to be on the worker's job conditions, NOT the bulk being spent/focused on buying corrupt, detached politicians in Washington.

Oh, now I understand.

[graciegirl]

How about if we all sing God Bless America?

[ilovetv]

I like to buy Made in USA products when possible.......

American Made Products and/or Services Made in USA

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

How about if we all sing God Bless America?

can we sing this, too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lg4gGk53iY]Look for the Union Label 1978 ILGWU ad - YouTube

[buggyone]

I just went on Google and found "12 Iconic American Items Not Made in America Any Longer". They are:

1. Rawlins baseballs - the "official ball of MLB".
2. Radio Flyer wagons.
3. Barbie dolls.
4. Converse sneakers.
5. Levi's Jeans.
6. Etch-a-Sketch.
7. US Olympic uniforms (Polo Ralph Loren)
8. Most televisions.
9. Huffy bicycles.
10. Apple iPads.
11. Monopoly game.
12. Most American flags.

These were outsourced overseas. No political comment is made - although it would not be hard to do.

[DougB]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Again I say. I raise my glass to the American workers and the retired American workers.

Bless your dear hearts.

Gracie..who so loves the work ethic.

I raise my glass in a toast with you, Gracie! It's a beautiful day today.

[graciegirl]

I don't know how this got into union debate.

Historically Labor day may have been started for that reason.

I was just trying to honor the work ethic.

Our family has been both. Union and non union over time.

The unions have been enormously helpful but also enormously corrupt.

I wasn't trying to be divisive. Or political.

On my back porch around the top of the interior wall I painted this for my grandchildren when they were just beginning to read..

If your goal is to be rich, rise early and work hard.