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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
--Theodore Roosevelt, 1918
REGISTER TO VOTE
"The time is always right to do what is right"
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The "seven social sins": Knowledge without character,
Science without humanity,
Wealth without work,
Commerce without morality,
Politics without principles,
Pleasure without conscience,
Worship without self-sacrifice."
--Gandhi
"We have not inherited the world from our forfathers -
We have borrowed it from our children."
--Kashmiri, proverb
AFL-CIO Hosts Working Families Presidential Forum
With the Presidential Candidates:
Carol Moseley Braun; Howard Dean; Senator John Edwards (D-NC); Representative Dick Gephardt (D-MO); Senator Bob Graham (D-FL); Senator John Kerry (D-MA); Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH); Senator Joe Lieberman (CT); Reverend Al Sharpton
Introduction By John Sweeney, AFL-CIO
Moderator: Bob Edwards, National Public Radio
Location: Navy Pier, Chicago
Time: 8:02 P.M. EDT
Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2003
Transcription By Federal News Service
MR. SWEENEY: �This is going to be different from any other national presidential forum. Tonight it's working people who will ask the questions. They'll bring the issues they talk about at the kitchen table right to the presidential candidates. And together we will hear the candidates' answers to our questions.
As our hero Paul Wellstone used to say, the oil companies and the pharmaceutical companies and the Enrons of this world already have representation in Washington. It's the rest of the people who need it. (Applause.) Tonight we'll see who is standing up for the rest of the people, so that we can get to work to elect a president who will be a real champion for working families�
MR. EDWARDS: �Here's how it's going to work -- we hope. In each of five subject areas we will present comments and questions to the candidates from workers from around the country. They represent the subjects that are on the minds of the people in this hall and working men and women across America. The questions were taped over the past 10 days. After each pre-taped segment, I will direct questions to the nine candidates here on stage -- the currently eight candidates on stage. Candidates will have up to 90 seconds to respond to questions. Responses are being timed, and both the candidates and I will be alerted at 60 seconds, 80 seconds -- at which time the candidate should be concluding their remarks. It's my job to move things along to another candidate or go to the next question after 90 seconds. Our time is short and I'll have to be a tough timekeeper. We're keeping track as we go along of how much time each of the candidates has had to ensure equity of time allocation. At the conclusion of the forum, each candidate will have a minute and a half to make closing remarks in an order determined by lottery.
(Begin videoclips.)
CHRIS GLENN (Laid-off Technician, Lynnwood, WA): I've been laid off two and a half months. We've got 25,000 people laid off from the Everett Plant in the Puget Sound region. What are you going to do for us? The economy is really tight. It's an employer's market. It's hard to find a job. We need some help desperately.
GAIL HIGGINS (Residential Consultant, Parkville): The Bush administration is trying to take away our overtime pay. In lieu of overtime they want to give us comp time. What do you plan to do to help me and my family in this situation?
MIGUEL AGUILAR (Waiter, Los Angeles): I'm one of 30 million immigrants in this country who contribute tremendously to the economy of the United States. And we are still concerned about the poor laws in this country, and also our jobs. So what are you willing to do for us to go out there and vote for you on Election Day.
TESS HARPER (Actress, Beverly Hills, CA): Entertainment is our second largest export, and we've lost thousands of entertainment jobs to other countries. What can you do to bring these jobs back to America?
VICKY BIELAWSKI (Crane Operator, Baltimore): Since President Bush has been in office, 2.7 million manufacturing jobs have been lost. I've lost two of them. Can you please tell me what you're going to do to save manufacturing jobs in the United States?
DOUG DENNISON (Product Associate, Monmouth, IL): My question to the politicians, to the candidates, is: What is your position on NAFTA, and if elected president will you repeal NAFTA?
DAVE BEVARD (Process Associate, Galesburg, IL): When Maytag closes this plant, we will lose 3,000 manufacturing jobs in the Yalesburg area of only 35,000 people. This will literally tear the heart out of the community. It will be completely devastating. What we would like to know is: What are you going to do to create jobs with livable wages and benefits?
(End videoclips.)
MR. EDWARDS: Candidates, five of you on this stage voted in Congress for the World Trade Organization; four of you voted for NAFTA, which the Bush administration wants to expand into a [Free] Trade for the Americas region for all of the Western Hemisphere�And would President Kucinich roll back those overtime regulations? Or you can have your choice -- you can give us your job creations plan.
REP. KUCINICH: Thank you. Well, I think all of us recognize the damage that NAFTA has done -- not only to our economy, but the damage it's done to the labor movement; how NAFTA has accelerated not only a race to the bottom but a movement of jobs out of this country.
Since March of 2001, we have lost 2.6 million manufacturing jobs. I've seen areas where the padlocks on manufacturing plants, where grass is growing in the parking lot. And we have a chance here tonight. This could be a very important debate, because we have people on this stage who voted for NAFTA and who voted for the WTO who could tell you, the working men and women of America, what they would do as president. I'm here to tell you that my first act in office will be to cancel NAFTA. My second act will be to cancel the WTO. And I challenge every other candidate on this stage -- you have a chance now -- you can let the working men and women of America know, for example, my good friend Dick Gephardt, Will you cancel NAFTA? Will you cancel the WTO? -- which you voted for, and which the bill bears your name. Let the people of this country know right now what you'll do. Howard Dean: Will you cancel NAFTA? Will you cancel WTO? Tell America's working men and women. I'm making it clear what I will do. Let's see what other people will do on behalf of labor! (Applause. Cheers.) Answer the question. Find out the answer. Let's find out tonight! We'll go home knowing who is going to cancel NAFTA and the WTO? Let's go home knowing that.
MR. EDWARDS: Thank you. And what a pity I didn't ask you first. (Laughter.) And I'm sure they'll all want to answer you in their closing remarks. (Laughter.)
At the moment we are now going to move to health care, a very important subject for all of you. I know each of you has a plan. You are ready to talk about health care. Let's see what workers feel about health care.
(Begin videoclips.)
SAGE JOHNSON (Service Representative, Baltimore): Health care is a very important issue to me. Too many people I know don't have it or in jeopardy of losing it. I want to know what are you going to do to ensure that everyone has health care?
FRANKIE HUBBARD (LPN, Renton, WA): I don't understand why people have to be on welfare to receive health care. Help us. We need help. This is ridiculous and it's outrageous this is happening in this country.
STEVE OLSON (Banquet Supervisor, Seattle): Our employer right now is expecting us to pay full price for health insurance that we can't afford, because we're making minimum wage.
MARY TAPIA BARTHEL (Cashier, Schaumburg, IL): (Speaks in Spanish.)
ERIC OLSON (Job Foreman, New Lenox, IL): My concern is the high cost of prescription drugs. My parents are working class retirees. They're spending virtually their whole life savings to buy these prescription drugs. I'd like to know what you propose to do about stemming the high cost of health care.
LORRAINE HIGGINS (RN, New York): What I want to know is what are you going to do for the families that face this prescription cost crisis.
(End videoclips.)
MR. EDWARDS: Congressman Kucinich, you too support a single-payer plan. But how do you get the political support for that given what happened when it was proposed before?
REP. KUCINICH: Well any -- any -- first of all, anyone who desires to be the nominee of this party ought to go forward to the American people and make this a great social and economic cause of universal health care for all. We have to recognize that the private sector has failed. The market has failed to provide for people. The market excludes people from health care. The market increases premiums and co-pays and deductibles. It raises the price of prescription drugs to where seniors are now splitting their pills to try to make their prescriptions last. We have to go to the American people with a great cause for universal health care.
And frankly, Dick, tax cuts really are not a great moral cause. Tax cuts will still leave workers paying thousands of dollars in premiums and co-pays. And, frankly, Howard, you know, if you are going to balance the budget you are not going to cut the Pentagon -- that means you are going to cut social spending. You want universal health care. I'm the candidate. Single-payer, universal health care, Medicare for all, backed by a 7.7 percent tax paid by employers. Right now we are paying $1.4 trillion in our gross domestic product of 14 percent for health care. We are paying for universal health care. We are not getting it, the exact cost of a universal health care program which covers all medically necessary procedures, mental health, dental health, prescription drugs -- is $1.4 trillion. We need to call for the courage of the American people in reclaiming our government from the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies, and I'm the man to do it! (Applause. Cheers.)
MR. EDWARDS: �it's time to move on to retirement security, Social Security and corporate accountability. Let's hear from the workers.
(Begin videoclips.)
LOUISE PARRY (Retired Secretary, Seattle): Social Security has a future as it is. It is not going broke. It is such a necessary entitlement.
CLAUDETTE GADSDEN (Residential Consultant, Baltimore): The Bush administration is trying to mess up Social Security with private accounts. I don't want my money invested in the stock market. Do you have a plan to protect Social Security?
DEBBIE KENNY (Textile Worker, Warrenville, SC): Our company has recently filed bankruptcy, which they're trying to eliminate our medical benefits for people who are retiring before age 62. My question for the candidates is: Can our country change our bankruptcy laws to protect the people who work for these greedy corporations?
RON COLLINS (Organizer, Baltimore): My concern is with corporate accountability in this country, how the CEOs make so much money, they take away workers' health care, they take away our overtime. And my question to you is: How are you going to hold the corporations of this country accountable?
(End videoclips.)
MR. EDWARDS: Congressman Kucinich, how about investing the people's Social Security savings in the stock market?
REP. KUCINICH: I think that money belongs to Main Street, not Wall Street. That's why, when I'm elected president, I'll block any efforts to try to privatize Social Security. And we need to take the retirement age back to 65. The fact of the matter is that workers everywhere -- you understand that -- because when you work a lifetime, 20, 30, 40 years on a job, people get to 65 years, they can be tired. And they deserve to be able to retire at age 65 at 100 percent benefit.
But some of the candidates up here, though -- you know, for example, my good friend Mr. Dean has said that he'd move the retirement age to 68. One time he talked about moving it to 70. This is a night for truth-telling. Which of the candidates here will take the retirement age back to 65? Which of the candidates here will commit to blocking the privatization of Social Security? Which of the candidates here will make sure that workers, when a company goes bankrupt, will be able to stand first in line with the banks to be able to protect their retirement savings? (Scattered applause.) Which of the candidates here?
Social Security is solid through the year 2041 -- through the year 2041, without any changes whatsoever. The Bush administration has been pushing an agenda to scare the American people into trying to accept the privatization of Social Security.
When I'm elected president, it'll be an end of the fear and it'll be the beginning of a new era of being direct with the people of this country, saving their Social Security, protecting their retirement benefits, protecting their health, giving their children an education, protecting jobs and restoring this nation to full economic vitality.
MR. EDWARDS: Education and the state budget crisis -- there's a full evening. Let's find out what workers are thinking about it.
(Begin AFL-CIO videotape.)
JANELLA HINDS (Teacher, Brooklyn): I'm a public school teacher, and we're all very concerned about meeting the standards and having to do much more with much less. As president, what will you do to protect education in our country?
CAROL KENEFICK (Electrical Apprentice, Seattle): You know, I live down the street from a high school which is literally crumbling. You can see the cracks in the school. And to think that they're cutting even more money from that -- I mean, what kid is going to want to go to a school that looks like that?
BRYANT BOYD (Security Officer, Chicago): My question would be, what would you do, if you were elected president, to fund more money to states for jobs and more schooling?
DANNY FORTUNA (Firefighter, Chicago): In other cities, firefighters are being laid off. Engine companies are going out of service. Fire houses are being closed. This puts the firefighters and the citizens at high risk. What can you do to help?
STACY LANDRUM (Firefighter, Captain, Rutledge, PA): Since 9/11, there's been a lot of talk about homeland security. But my question is, how are you going to pay for it? What are you going to do differently to make sure the money is available?
(End of videotape.)
(For some weird reason, Kucnich was not given a chance to respond to this item; at least his response is not included in the transcript.)
MR. EDWARDS: Our final subject area of the evening: Freedom to form a union. Here are the workers.
(Begin videotape.)
SHAWN FRANKLIN (Federal Security Screener, Baltimore): I've been a federal screener at BWI Airport for the past year. The Bush administration has denied us collective bargaining rights, and it's not fair. If you were president, how can you ensure us we'll have collective bargaining rights like other federal agencies under Homeland Security?
CLORINDA VALDIVIA (Former Laundry Worker, Bay Shore): My name is Clorinda. I worked for Cintas six years. When I started to fight for the union, Cintas fired me. And I would like to know what you will do for the workers' right to form a union.
CHRIS AYALA (Administrative Assistant, Richmond): I've been suspended twice for union activity. I want a union because I have low pay, poor benefits, and we need a voice on the job.
LYNNE WANG (Reporter, Los Angeles): We won the election almost three years ago, and we are still waiting for the NLRB to finalize our vote. While we're waiting, the management did a lot of harassment, intimidation, firing union supporters.
DWIGHT DAVIS (Fleet Service Clerk, Burnham, IL): I'd like to know, what are you going to do to make sure that unions are stable and that everyone has the right to organize?
(End of videotape.)
MR. EDWARDS: Congressman Kucinich, how about these workers who have been fired or otherwise harassed for attempting to organize? Apparently federal laws aren't strong enough or they're not being enforced.
REP. KUCINICH: I intend to establish what I have called a workers' White House, where workers' rights would be held inviolate. And by workers' rights, what do I mean? I mean a White House which will protect the right to organize, the right to collective bargaining, the right to strike, the right to decent wages and benefits, the right to a safe workplace, the right to a secure retirement, the right to participate in the political process.
A White House which will stand with workers is a White House which will enable all of the workers in this country, both the workers not organized and the workers organized, to have their standard of living uplifted.
Now, there's been this question raised about the right to work. Well, we know what the right to work means. It means the right to work for less. And we have to recognize what it would mean to have the power of the White House behind the workers, because as the next president of the United States, I intend to use the full power of the White House to repeal Taft-Hartley -- no more right to work for less. (Scattered applause.)
I intend to issue an executive order that will say when half of the workers sign up, there's an automatic union. We need to make sure we put the power of the White House behind workers. And I will make sure that when it comes to running the Department of Labor, it isn't going to be the corporation. The representatives in the Department of Labor will come right from the House of Labor. (Applause.)
Thank you.
MR. EDWARDS: It's already time for closing statements�Congressman Kucinich gets the last word.
REP. KUCINICH: (Cheers.) It's in the Bible, "The last shall be first." Brothers and sisters, you know me. I've never forgotten my worker's roots. I come from Ohio with 19 electoral votes. With labor's help, I defeated an incumbent Republican mayor. With labor's help, I defeated a Republican incumbent state senator. With labor's help, I defeated a Republican incumbent congressman. And with labor's help in 2004, I will defeat a Republican incumbent president.
I can win this election, and no Republican has ever won the White House and lost Ohio. My nomination guarantees a workers' White House. I have a proven record as a champion of workers' rights. Working with you and our brothers and sisters in Cleveland, we saved a steel mill, saved jobs working with the steel workers, saved a landing gear division working with the UAW, saved a muni light system working with the IBEW, saved two hospitals working with the SEIU, saved a union in a lockout working with the Teamsters. Together we can save this nation.
As president of a workers� White House, my first act will be to cancel NAFTA, we�ll cancel the WTO, we�ll institute card check, we�ll take action to repeal Taft-Hartley, we�ll have universal health care introduced in the Congress, and I�ll sign an executive order that provides the protection to the Fair Labor Standards Act to all of our immigrant brothers and sisters. And a workers� White House means an end to the privatization of government jobs and a return of the retirement age back to 65, and an end to the illegal, immoral war led by the lies and the statements of this administration!
MR. EDWARDS: Thank you, Congressman. Thank you. (Cheers.)
REP. KUCINICH: Thank you.
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