Sunday, September 04, 2005

Labor Day 2005: An Increasingly Angry, Dissatisfied Working Population

Peter Hart's firm has done an extensive survey of the attitudes of American workers, sponsored by the AFL-CIO. Among the eye-opening findings:

--Just 38% of workers are satisfied with the economic situation in the country, with 59% saying that they are dissatisfied. This marks a near reversal in attitudes from the beginning of 2001 when 65% of workers were satisfied and 33% were dissatisfied.

--A majority of workers are now [under the Bush regime] more worried and concerned (54%) rather than hopeful and confident (43%) about achieving their economic and financial goals. Back in 1999, [when we had a real President, Bill Clinton] seven in ten (70%) of workers were hopeful and confident.

--They overwhelmingly reject President Bush’s Social Security proposals.
Two in three (65%) workers say that the country is headed in the wrong direction when it comes to retirement security. Just 24% say that things are headed in the right direction.

--Seven in ten (72%) workers would like to see the federal government guarantee health care coverage for all Americans. This marks a slight increase from 1999 when 68% felt this way, and this belief transcends party affiliation as majorities of Democrats (88%),independents (73%), and Republicans (55%) say that the federal government should guarantee coverage.

And yet...a lot of these same people voted for Bush in 2004. Why? Because the Republicans appealed to fear ("Only Dubya can keep us safe!") and prejudice ("Look at them queers wantin' to get married!"). Couple this with an avalanche of lies about John Kerry ("He's just a traitor who did nothing in Vietnam!") and you have an election close enough for the Republicans to steal.

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