I caught some grief for a little read diary this past Sunday entitled "
Dear President Obama, We are not asking, we are demanding," which began with these not finely worded sentences:
We demand to see the proposed TPP, TTIP, and TISA now. We are not asking, we are demanding. You may deny our demand. But we demand it anyway.
As I explained to an ally at Daily Kos:
Few people read the diary, but I never want to not have done by best as a species being. I caught some grief for the "amateurishness" of the approach in the diary, directed at a president who is obviously going to say no, and the "rudeness" of making "pushy" demands instead of begging. Other allies in the struggle may disagree, but I reject that criticism. Begging gets us nowhere. We have to make these politicians know they are either going to be the trustees of humane values or the mercenaries for transnational corporations. They can't be both and have to decide which side they are on. I made it clear that I respect the good things that President Obama did and does, but I am not going to cut any politician any slack anymore on this issue. They don't deserve it, and it is not fair to the people they are betraying and we support for us to cut them any slack.
We are done begging. As Deirdre Fulton, a staff writer at CommonDreams wrote yesterday, "
Constituents to Senators: Reject Fast Track, or Don't Come Home." (Here, courtesy of
Tasini, are the names and phone numbers of the 14 who shall not be named. Please call them now!)
Sure, I was polite when I made my calls to Senate offices and left messages. The persons I talked to were interns or low paid staffers, in other words labor. The senators themselves however, like President Obama, work for us. If I had the chance to speak directly to one of the 14 U.S. Democratic senators who shall not be named, those potential traitors to the working class, I would ask them, "Which side are you on?"
My thanks to shaharazade, who wrote this comment to my obscure diary:
Here's my favorite version of which side are you on. A great song and a enduring rallying cry for the struggle for people, democracy and justice. This is a class war and the global forces united against we the people and the common good are proclaimed inevitable and the only reality available. The global Visigoth's who want to rule the world for power and profit have gone too far and people everywhere have rein them in and say enough. This is not what democracy looks like. The only inevitable thing about this is that we the people, workers once again have to demand our universal inalienable rights both civil and human and continue the struggle. They are not inevitable.
My crude appeal to Secretary Clinton:
Dear Secretary Clinton,
It is your time to decide which side you are on too. As I wrote in a comment yesterday:
Politico says Warren and Sanders (8+ / 0-)
have been in "open war" with other Dems on this issue: http://www.politico.com/....
This is serious business. The working people of this country need for this Fast Track legislation to die. We need for Sect. Clinton to join the "open war" clearly and unequivocally.
And yes, because of her past avoidance and nuance, at this late date her words need to be strong and direct at the 14 to have credibility and functionality. I do hold her responsible and so should all of the workers of this country if Fast Track goes through.
.
Maureen Dowd and other Very Serious People are playing Psy Ops and trying to intimidate you to be true to your neoliberal self. Don't listen to them. Listen to labor, now, and speak up now, loudly and clearly, or kiss labor support goodbye.
Sincerely,
A Bernie Sanders supporter who wants to have a united Democratic Party on issues of great and lasting importance
Crude, yes, but true.