Happy Labor Day to All Who Labor (and a free screening of my first film on Turner Classic Movies on Labor Day night)
Happy Labor Day to All Who Labor (and a free screening of my first film on Turner Classic Movies on Labor Day night)
Episode 300: Rumble with Michael Moore
Appears in this episode
Friends,
I hope you are all enjoying your Labor Day weekend.
As a longtime union member who finds himself currently on strike with my fellow writers and actors, on this episode of my podcast (Episode Number 300!), I wanted to take a moment to salute the work that you all do, and offer my support for the autoworkers who may go on strike in September.
Also, a huge thanks to Turner Classic Movies, a channel on everyone’s basic cable, for having a special prime time Labor Day double feature on Monday night: At 8pm ET Barbara Kopple’s Oscar-winning “Harlan County, USA”, and at 10pm ET, my very first film from 1989, “Roger & Me”. I hope you get to watch both of these and let your friends and family know about them. Both documentaries have been selected by the Library of Congress’ National Film Preservation Board as groundbreaking films that the Library and Congress will protect for future generations.
Solidarity forever!
— Mike
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Music in this episode:
“Workaday World” — Jack Beaver
“I’m Proud to Be An American” — Pat Boone
Episode Underwriter:
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Happy Labor Day to All Who Labor (and a free screening of my first film on Turner Classic Movies on Labor Day night)
OPEN LETTER TO
DONALD J. TRUMP
I am writing to you as a concerned and deeply troubled citizen of the United States who believes in the principles of democracy and the values that our great nation stands for. I write today to express my vehement opposition to both your actions and those of your GOP enablers in Congress, who are supporting and attempting to reinstate you as President, thereby endorsing a violent and undemocratic attempt to overthrow the government of the United States.
I cannot remain silent as Congressmen and Congresswomen who should be safeguarding the principles of democracy are instead attempting to undermine and dismantle our democracy itself. It is deeply troubling to witness elected officials who have the duty and responsibility to protect the Constitution and uphold the will of the American people betray their oath and act against the best interests of our country.
The recent events have left no doubt that there are individuals within the Republican Party who seek to maintain and consolidate power at any cost, even if it means subverting the will of the people. The blatant attempts to dismantle the voting system, which is the fundamental pillar of any democratic society, are nothing short of an assault on the principles that our nation was founded upon. It is an affront to the countless Americans who have fought and died to protect our freedoms.
Furthermore, there is a growing concern among the American people that your agenda, alongside your GOP enablers, aims to turn the United States into an fascist authoritarian state. The fear that our country could descend into a government ruled by a permanent dictator is not unfounded, but a logical consequence of the actions being taken by certain factions of the Republican Party.
As a concerned citizen, I demand that you immediately cease all efforts to undermine our democracy. Upholding the Constitution and respecting the will of the American people is not an option, but a fundamental duty for anyone holding governmental office. I implore you to focus on unity and healing, rather than perpetuating division and further eroding the very fabric of our nation.
I am not alone in my concerns. Millions of Americans stand against these undemocratic actions and want to see our elected officials guided by the principles and values that our great nation was built upon. It is high time for you and your GOP enablers to listen to the voices of the people you were elected to represent and reaffirm your commitment to the ideals of democracy.
In closing, I urge you to reflect on the damage that your actions are inflicting upon our country and the message it sends to the rest of the world. Your legacy will be forever tainted unless you choose to take a stand for democracy, rule of law, and the principles that this nation holds dear. The American people deserve better, and I hope that you will find the strength and wisdom to lead us in a direction that upholds justice and restores faith in our democratic institutions.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
Americans for democracy
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Thank you.
I worked at a factory that had a great union, Teamsters Local 493. However, Jones Apparel Group decided to move our jobs to Bristol, Pennsylvania, to a nonunion facility.
Too cut to the chase I worked in a hospital after that that said we weren’t going to need a union like our competitor because they were going to treat us well. A couple of decades later they laid people off saying, “Don’t work harder, work smarter” to those of us that were left to take up the slack. Then they hired a union buster, froze our pension, one of the incentives that kept me working there for 27 years.
General Dynamics laid off workers clearly to give the stockholders a gift. He was 55 years old and had been there for 30 years.
So, yes, I lived it.
I saw “Roger and Me” what seems now a lifetime ago. I will try to rewatch it. But It might stir up a lot of stuff so, we’ll see.
Let’s just say I now am eligible for Medicaid and other benefits. Not the ending I had anticipated. I will spare you the rest.
I know this is a line from a civil war song but it seems appropriate for Labor Day: “The union(s) forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah!” “United we stand, decided we fall.” People gave their lives fighting for unions. And we let them slip away from us.
Solidarity forever!