Cross posted on Daily Kos, My Left Wing and Political Cortex
Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 06:22:48 AM PDT
Dear Senator Clinton:
Where are you, Senator Clinton?
I know you must be concerned. You must know that we are in day three of a transit strike in New York City. New York is the largest city in the richest country in the world. You are our senator. I’m sure you feel kinship for the striking TWU employees.
So I went to your web site, certain I had missed a statement you probably made. I poked around, I didn’t see anything.
It’s here for any intrepid reader. Maybe I missed something. If I did, please forgive me.
Our fellow citizens are striking to remain in the middle class. This has become an increasingly impossible task in America.
They vote. You ignore them, and everyone who supports what their strike represents, at your own political peril.
Since I haven’t heard from you I was wondering, do you cross picket lines, Senator Clinton?
Now I recognize that it’s not nice to destroy the American flag.
There are other things that aren’t nice, and as a constituent, I’d love it if you’d give these other problems in our society the same time and attention you lavish on our flag.
This strike is big, in my opinion. It’s kind of an us against them moment. Or as Mr. Bush jokes, it’s about “the haves and the have mores.” I would amend that delicious nugget, and suggest the NYC transit strike is about the “have mores and the have lesses.” Most of us are like the TWU employees, we are the have lesses, this is why it’s sad that you, and so many other Democrats have been silent.
Mr. Bloomberg has been waging a war against people who are the rank and file, the base of the Democratic party. He is certainly doing his job as a good old card carrying Republican.
The have lesses, and make no mistake about it, Senator Clinton, there are tens of millions of have lesses in this, the richest country in the world, can’t hang on much longer. Please remember most, maybe all the have lesses, are proud, fierce and lifelong Democrats. That does not mean we will tolerate being marginalized. We are hurting in ways we haven’t hurt in this country in many decades.
We have been ripped to shreds for the last five years. There are 46 million of us without health insurance. Now the Bankruptcy bill will destroy many more. We don’t recognize this country any longer. We are wondering where are the leaders of yesterday who were courageous?
So, some of us see this strike as a defining moment. The TWU is drawing a line in the sand. I mean, Senator Clinton, can you really blame them for being a little militant, after Katrina? We all know, there is no safety net in America. We are on our own. We have devolved into an each man for himself society.
How sad. How very sad.
So, forgive me but it is upsetting when I don’t hear from you. Because for some of us, this strike has far reaching implications and it’s troubling that you don’t see the same reality as we do.
If you have spoken out and I’ve missed you, I apologize for what I’ve said and I’ll delete this diary.
Sincerely,
nyceve