who felt the same. I wonder what they could do "at the gate".

The President can't make laws. Can give a flowery speech, but it's up to Congress to actually do something.

The Executive is really just a glorified cheerleader position, with no real power, no bully pulpit, no "walking shoes".

Nor can they confirm people for the open seats on the NLRB.

Except when something good happens, then he has power.

Some of us live in places where the unions have already been broken and run out of town. Comments of this sort are irrelevant when you live in places where union organizing simply doesn't happen. It happened where I live and it will happen where you live. NO ONE is stopping the destruction of unions.

Erie Pa.
G.E. just sent over half of its jobs to non union Texas

Then we would not need the middle man to enforce fair labor rules. This should have been done ages ago.

Till that day comes. they'll always be needed.

We're not barbarians. Proles is the word I would have chosen.

He wasn't referring to workers.

Sorry, Joe.

... died in 1969.

Thank god he didn't live to see this day!

He was a union man.... as am I... and he went to work more than a few days with a pair of chain-tongs to make sure his rights, and those of his union brothers were respected.

People actually fucking died to get US workers things like weekends, overtime, and safe working conditions.

Too bad the greed on the right and the complacency on the left let this country slide into the approaching Bangladesh-style capitalism.

But what are chain-tongs?

a pipe with a mechanism that holds a chain. wrap the chain around a pipe to either tighten or loosen a pipe.some are light weight and others..well...ya earn your money.

I grew up in Wisconsin which had a long history of union membership. I probably grew up at the tail end of that - still seeing strikes in the 70s - before the companies started moving jobs in the 80s (thanks to right-to-work in the south not to mention the eventual NAFTA). My dad worked in a small plant and had the general opinion that unions weren't fantastic but they were the only thing the workers had. There definitely was violence - particularly when companies brought in scabs to try to keep production going - and that could be pretty nasty in the paper companies for example.

Many folks in the US (anybody under 40 really) have no idea what it was like then but they are about to find out. As more and more jobs go overseas folks will eventually organize here. Sadly, they are nearly starting from scratch because unions have been villianized here (with folks like the Koch Bros. paying for those ad campaigns).

now my wife`s afscme union here in illinois is under attack.

joe talks the language we understand.

I'd much rather see Biden run for President than Mrs. Walmart-NAFTA-nixGlassSteagal.

Roosevelt saved the rich from communism.

Unions save the rich from being strung up alive.

Dodd-Frank, as much as the right protests, saved the U.S. banks and is the reason so much foreign capital has poured into the U.S. People around the world feel safer with there money here.

It's funny how the rich should be truly be on their knees thanking Unions and public schools and government for protecting their wealth.

Joe Biden has this 100% right.

Sure, he's a fool for telling the truth, riding a train to work and coming from common folks but surely- at some point in time- he can be bought off? Amirite?
I support unions, just not the corruption at the top.

...the Barbarians will be at the Gates of the 1%. Think France 1789, Russia 1917, guillotines, Katrinasberg and just getting rid of another form of Aristocracy.

You do not vote out an Aristocracy, you have to displace them.

Most of the 1% are actually pretty decent but they'll be on the cabbage cart leading up to Madame Guillotine along with the bad apples..

The 1% have already started moving their money. When any uprising starts they, their families, and their money will be beyond reach out of our country they will still be living well.
I make no claim that this is right but do not think that just because they are greedy that they are also stupid.

Good going, Joe.