Joe Biden Will Be Walking the Picket Line With Striking Auto Workers.
Credit where credit is due.
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Along with virtually everyone else who considers themselves to be on the left, I have obviously had my fair share of criticism for Joe Biden. His tenure as President has been undeniably lackluster, and I still maintain that he has absolutely no business running for reelection. Having said that, it’s important to give credit where credit is due, and Biden’s made a decision that certainly warrants attention.
Betsy Klein and Chris Isidore with CNN write:
“President Joe Biden will travel to Michigan on Tuesday and walk the picket line with members of the United Auto Workers union, he announced Friday, a trip that comes after the president faced political pressure to ramp up his public support for the union members.
“Tuesday, I’ll go to Michigan to join the picket line and stand in solidarity with the men and women of UAW as they fight for a fair share of the value they helped create. It’s time for a win-win agreement that keeps American auto manufacturing thriving with well-paid UAW jobs,” Biden said in a post to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter…”
I love this, and for a number of reasons.
Of course, there are positive political implications that come from this decision. The support of the American people is heavily on the side of the auto workers, and rightly so. When the most powerful person in the country is showing his support as well, it’s simply good campaigning and political decision making. I have been asking that if he insists on running again that Biden at least show some semblance of effort to campaign, and this is a solid move.
But, even more importantly is what this means for the workers.
What this strike boils down to is dignity and respect. These workers are arguably the lifeblood of the American economy, and they know it doesn’t run without them. They are demanding that they be compensated fairly and get the benefits they deserve, and other American workers have a responsibility to show solidarity and support in their efforts. I’m fully aware that Biden’s intentions are likely all just political, but nevertheless his presence there walking with them on that picket line sends a loud and clear message to their employers that these workers have the nation behind them.
In a time of increasing political polarization and tension between the classes, we need to see a lot more of this kind of action. The American people deserve to have the people they have elected stand with them in these critical moments and using their platform to help them, and at the same time Biden cannot afford politically to turn down these opportunities. There is too much riding on this next election, and the President has a responsibility to the American people to show them that he cares.
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