Ed Fesler writes: "during WWII, the United States had a national speed limit of 35mph. The purpose was to save rubber and gasoline. Before they were drafted, Willie and Joe had to live with a 35mph speed limit. If it was good enough for Willie and Joe, it should be good enough for you!"
Using that argument, one could make the case that if the bus drivers were paid $1.05 an hour in 1942 before they were drafted, then that should be good enough for them now? Many people on this list (myself included) and elsewhere support the bus drivers in their strike for fair wages and benefits. However, the kind of lawlessness that Ed proposes will not win this strike - it will only eliminate any moral high ground that the bus drivers occupy and will kill any public support for them! Jim Bernstein Fulton -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ed Fesler Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 10:35 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Mpls] Earth to Labor and progressives: escalate or give up! Is the bus strike accomplishing anything? If so, what? All the suffering is our side. Do Pawlenty and House Republicans care if transit is shut down for 2 months, 3 months, or 6 months? Their supporters aren't suffering much. A handful of Republican legislators have substantial numbers of Metro Transit riders. The others don't. If Labor ends up looking weak, union organizers are going to have trouble getting support from people hurt by the strike, especially low-wage workers and immigrants. I am not going to be a cheerleader for a no-win "strategy". It's not really a strategy, it's inertia. Passing the hat at union meetings isn't enough. Somebody has to force this strike to a quick settlement. To be fair, we don't have any recent tradition of general strikes in the United States. Wildcat strikers are usually fired. A successful wildcat strike is about as likely as a successful prison revolt. Sympathy strikes are illegal. It is absolutely necessary to defeat the Republicans who caused this strike in Novenmber 2004 and November 2006 elections. But, that doesn't do anything to force a settlement of the bus strike. What will it take? What could be done? What if Labor, progressives and environmentalists imposed a 35mph speed on the Metro area? During WWII, the United States had a national speed limit of 35mph. The purpose was to save rubber and gasoline. Before they were drafted, Willie and Joe had to live with a 35mph speed limit. If it was good enough for Willie and Joe, it should be good enough for you! Maybe you didn't know that the CLUC, Trades and Labor and the Teamsters could set a speed limit for the Metro area. Think about three or four trucks driving slowly, side-by side... If you want to help impose a slower speed limit by being a "pace car" it would be safer to do it in a bigger vehicle. Those of you who drive SUVs and other big vehicles without written permission from Greenpeace and Ralph Nader must be wracked by guilt. You could assuage your guilt and help the cause of transit by joining the drive slow campaign. What about all those Gay Farmers in rural MN? You know, the farmers who put pink triangles on the back of their tractors. They could show their outrage over all the Republican hatemongering against gays by taking their tractors to the Metro area and driving slow on the freeways. What-you mean those triangles are slow moving vehicle symbols? Not pink triangles? Never mind! Environmentalists could pick a different speed limit. An all-roads, no transit solution is terrible for the environment. Something drastic has to be done to force an end to the bus strike or else it could drag on for months. Ed Fesler [EMAIL PROTECTED] Minneapolis Corcoran __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time. http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
