AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka spoke recently about the dangers of the Donald Trump (R) presidential campaign, in an op-ed in the Providence Journal and an appearance on “Matter of Fact with Fernando Espuelas.” An excerpt from the op-ed:
So is Trump the uniter-in-chief our nation is hungry for? In a word: no. I grew up in the coalfields of Pennsylvania. I know real down-home talk when I hear it—but I also can detect baloney and bluster. Trump is full of the latter. The only people he has managed to unite are Chris Christie and David Duke.
There is no denying that Trump has tapped into the very real and understandable frustrations of working people. In a national survey last month, 63 percent of Americans said they don’t have enough savings to cover a $500 car repair or a $1,000 medical bill. A majority of people in this country are living paycheck to paycheck. So when Trump says we’re losing, his message is heard. And when he yells or lashes out, he finds a sympathetic audience who wishes more politicians would express the frustration they feel every day.
But here is the catch: Trump’s policies would make life exponentially worse for those who count on a paycheck. Trump says he loves “right to work” legislation that would make it harder for workers to speak up on the job. He cheered and bankrolled Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s assault on teachers and nurses. He has routinely attacked the rights of workers at his own company. And despite the fact that American workers haven’t gotten a real raise in 40 years, Trump says wages are too high.
Read the full op-ed and watch the video above for more.