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Our Opinion ... Forget The Tough Year...
The Public Record • December 30, 2010
Letters • Letters Unions Need Party I have been involved in the labor movement now for about 10 years, from nonunion worker/union activist, to member, and officially becoming a union representative for UFCW Local 152. Why do we support the Democrats and Republicans when all they do is take our money, use our manpower, and then leave us out to dry? Why do we support CEOs, corporate consultants, and corporate attorneys, when 365 days of the year, if not running for office, they are fighting unions, breaking labor laws, and spreading their greed? But all of a sudden, when they run for office as a “Democrat”, they have changed their ways? This just proves that the Democrats are as corporate as the Republicans. Labor has the power to change this, and we must! Many labor unions still believe the Democrats are “labor’s friend”. Really? Democrats took 53% of the total
“corporate” contributions. Why are we, the strong men and women of the labor movement, bowing down to the corporate bosses and politicians, when we could run for office, win, and do what we need to do – enact laws that benefit working people and poor people? We have the manpower, money and knowledge to run our union representatives and win! But here is the catch: We cannot run as a Democrat or Republican. We can as a Third Party! Yes, we must do what our past labor leaders tried to do and that is build a party that is about us. Some of you might say, “That will never work, and it can’t happen.” Well, I would say you are dead wrong! The corporate Democrats only win because we fuel them, but then they turn their backs on us. If we run with a clean and fresh party such as the Green Party, we can call the shots and be as progressive as we choose. Hugh Giordano
Dec. 30- Breakfast fundraiser for Cindy Bass hosted by Congressman Chaka Fattah, Shulick Law Offices at 8:30 a.m., 100 N. 18th St., Suite 1900. For info (215) 8445443. Dec. 30- Friends of Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., host year-end fundraiser “Curt Ain’t Crying the Blues” at Le Cochon Noir, 5070 Parkside Ave., Suite 5100E 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Dec. 30- Friends of Damon K. Roberts fundraiser at 1700 Reed St., 7-10 p.m. Host Dan Oliveri. Tickets vary in price. For info Lisa Robinson (267) 334-0244. Jan. 7- Lunch with Judge
Jimmy Lynn at Vesper Club, 216 S. Sydenham St., 12:30 p.m. Jan. 14- Fundraiser Reception for Council candidate Lawrence Clark at Chart House, 555 S. Columbus Blvd., 6-9 p.m. Tickets $15. Jan. 19- Reception for GOP 1st Council Dist. candidate Lou Lanni at home of 5th Ward Leader Michael A. Cibik, Esq., 334 S. Front Street, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jan. 27- Edward J. Lowry, founder of Phila. Veterans MultiService & Education Ctr., will be honored on retirement at Waterfall Rm. in Plumbers Local 690 Union Hall, 2791 Southampton Rd., Cocktails 6-8 p.m., followed by Tribute Program. Tickets $65. Order by phone (215) 238-8050. Event Chair Ed Keenan, Board Chair Jim McNesby and Exec. Dir. Marsha Four.
Editorial Warning!! Letters from an unidentified informant without any contact information cannot be considered for publication, no matter how valid their contents.
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All of us shared one thing in common ... we closed out a tough 2010. But beaten up as we all were, it is our belief this New Year’s Day will be the beginning of a brighter, more healthy and successful new year. With that, we send our greetings for a Happy New Year to our advertisers and readers, without whom we could not exist. To Mayor Michael Nutter and his administration, doing their best to cope with the recession and now making moves to bring us a better-run city. To our row-office officials and their dedicated staffs, including Commission Chair Margaret Tartaglione, and Commissioners Joe Duda and Anthony Clark, who have made voting an easy effort for citizens of this city. To Sheriff John Green, Undersheriff Connie Little and Chief Deputy Sheriff Barbara Deeley, for withstanding the abuse hurled at them by an errant media and keeping all on the home front abreast with Sheriff’s Sales while helping distressed Philadelphians save their homes from foreclosure. To Register of Wills Ron Donatucci, for making the probating of wills and the obtaining of marriage licenses easy. To City Council President Anna Verna, who has set a record with her years of yeoman service, and the members of City Council, who despite the negative press, have passed legislation benefiting all of us. To our State Senators and Representatives, who do their best to bring home Philadelphia’s share of tax revenue, often after much battling and with a great deal of hustle. They’ll have a tougher time with the switch of control in the legislature. We single out State Rep. Frank Oliver, who retired after 37 years of service. To our three Congress Members, for what they do for us in Washington, D.C., making sure we get the federal revenue we deserve: Bob Brady (the peacemaker and strike mediator), Chaka Fattah (the educator) and Allyson Schwartz (the scrapper for her District). To our two US Senators, Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, working in tandem to bring us what they can. To the ward leaders of both the Democratic and Republican political parties in this city and their respective leaders, Chairmen Bob Brady and Vito Canuso, Esq. To the unions in this city, both big and small, and to their great leaders who work hard to make sure their members earn decent, family-sustaining wages. To Pat Eiding, president of the AFL-CIO, and Pat Gillespie, president of the Building Trades, for their businesslike pragmatism. To Laborers District Council, for its daily concern for the rank and file and the communities which make up this city. The same to the Carpenters, the Electricians, the Ironworkers and Masons unions for contributing to the many community projects in this city. To Philadelphia Regional Port Authority’s James T. McDermott and his super staff, for moving the Port forward as it strives to provide more jobs and income to the city, while it fights to bring in funding for dredging and other infrastructure projects. To the new Philadelphia Housing Authority director Mike Kelly, hoping the new year will bring more opportunities to continue developing more homes for the needy as did his predecessor. To Vince Fenerty, chief of Philadelphia Parking Authority, for getting us cleaner cabs and for keeping traffic moving through the city and for supporting various charities. To the leaders of communities of faith, who collectively labor to bind our citizens together, to tackle the problems and the sufferings of the less-fortunate, and to remind us all to find spiritual meaning and purpose in all our holidays. To those tycoons of the private sector who apply their fortunes to philanthropy, boldly meeting urgent social needs and thereby making our city a better place to live. And last but not least, to those we should have mentioned, but fail to mention because of our fleeting memory.