There was the orchestrated political pep rally inside the Xcel Energy Center that culminated in the coronation of Sen. John McCain as the party\'s presidential nominee. And then there was the dynamic, sometimes chaotic outpouring of dissent on the city\'s narrow streets, leading to more than 800 arrests.
There was more contrast between expectations of great financial windfall for St. Paul\'s downtown businesses and the reality of a more limited – and scattered – economic boost.
And most importantly, there was the contrast between the lofty rhetoric employed by McCain and others on the Xcel Energy Center floor and the truth. Nowhere was that contrast more apparent then when it came to issues of importance to America\'s working families.
In his acceptance speech Sept. 4 – two days before the release of federal data showing the nation\'s unemployment rate at a five-year high – McCain acknowledged these are "tough times" for many American families.
"You\'re worried about keeping your job or finding a new one, and are struggling to put food on the table and stay in your home," he said.
McCain also acknowledged that trade deals he supported, like NAFTA and CAFTA, have "left behind" American workers.
What McCain failed to mention, however, is that NAFTA alone has contributed to the loss of more than 1 million U.S. jobs since 1994. And in spite of that fact, McCain, who once called himself "the biggest free marketer and free trader that you will ever see" on the campaign trail, continues to advocate for unfair trade deals that cost America good, middle-class jobs.
Sure, McCain pledged "to help workers who\'ve lost a job that won\'t come back find a new one that won\'t go away." But that promise flies in the face of McCain\'s record in the U.S. Senate, where he has repeatedly voted against training programs for workers in industries hit hard by free-trade deals.
Five years ago, McCain opposed dedicating $1 million to job training programs for at-risk young people. A year earlier McCain voted to kill an amendment requiring the Labor Department to establish a pilot program providing low-interest loans to workers in job training or job assistance programs, designed to enable workers to continue making mortgage payments on their homes.
And while McCain used the word "change" 10 times in his acceptance speech, the fact is he\'s voted with President George W. Bush more than 90 percent of the time in the Senate.
He offers more of the same failed conservative economic policies, from tax cuts that mostly benefit Big Oil companies, corporate America and the wealthiest, to "market-based" solutions to the nation\'s health care crisis.
Although McCain, in his speech last week, touted a health care plan that "will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance," the reality is he would tax workers\' health benefits, making it even harder for working families to afford coverage.
The lingering image of St. Paul\'s biggest political event may be police and protesters, but at a convention marked by contrast, there was none greater than the one between McCain\'s talk and his record.
Michael Moore edits The Union Advocate, the official publication of the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation.
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There was the orchestrated political pep rally inside the Xcel Energy Center that culminated in the coronation of Sen. John McCain as the party\’s presidential nominee. And then there was the dynamic, sometimes chaotic outpouring of dissent on the city\’s narrow streets, leading to more than 800 arrests.
There was more contrast between expectations of great financial windfall for St. Paul\’s downtown businesses and the reality of a more limited – and scattered – economic boost.
And most importantly, there was the contrast between the lofty rhetoric employed by McCain and others on the Xcel Energy Center floor and the truth. Nowhere was that contrast more apparent then when it came to issues of importance to America\’s working families.
In his acceptance speech Sept. 4 – two days before the release of federal data showing the nation\’s unemployment rate at a five-year high – McCain acknowledged these are "tough times" for many American families.
"You\’re worried about keeping your job or finding a new one, and are struggling to put food on the table and stay in your home," he said.
McCain also acknowledged that trade deals he supported, like NAFTA and CAFTA, have "left behind" American workers.
What McCain failed to mention, however, is that NAFTA alone has contributed to the loss of more than 1 million U.S. jobs since 1994. And in spite of that fact, McCain, who once called himself "the biggest free marketer and free trader that you will ever see" on the campaign trail, continues to advocate for unfair trade deals that cost America good, middle-class jobs.
Sure, McCain pledged "to help workers who\’ve lost a job that won\’t come back find a new one that won\’t go away." But that promise flies in the face of McCain\’s record in the U.S. Senate, where he has repeatedly voted against training programs for workers in industries hit hard by free-trade deals.
Five years ago, McCain opposed dedicating $1 million to job training programs for at-risk young people. A year earlier McCain voted to kill an amendment requiring the Labor Department to establish a pilot program providing low-interest loans to workers in job training or job assistance programs, designed to enable workers to continue making mortgage payments on their homes.
And while McCain used the word "change" 10 times in his acceptance speech, the fact is he\’s voted with President George W. Bush more than 90 percent of the time in the Senate.
He offers more of the same failed conservative economic policies, from tax cuts that mostly benefit Big Oil companies, corporate America and the wealthiest, to "market-based" solutions to the nation\’s health care crisis.
Although McCain, in his speech last week, touted a health care plan that "will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance," the reality is he would tax workers\’ health benefits, making it even harder for working families to afford coverage.
The lingering image of St. Paul\’s biggest political event may be police and protesters, but at a convention marked by contrast, there was none greater than the one between McCain\’s talk and his record.
Michael Moore edits The Union Advocate, the official publication of the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation.