“The question on the ballot is whether we save democracy in the United States of America or do we go to a dictatorship?” says the president of CBTU

The People's World on-line publication is highlighting remarks made by the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists president Terry Melvin at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Legislative Conference held in Washington, D.C. on Monday of this week. It is quite significant that AFGE chose the CBTU president as the keynote speaker.

The People's World article bears some careful reading and consideration. The article says in part:

“The 2024 election is about the soul of this nation,” Melvin, said.

“The question on the ballot is whether we save democracy in the United States of America or do we go to a dictatorship?”

“Racism, white supremacy, and xenophobia are all taking us back to pre-civil rights days,” warned Melvin...Melvin’s latest example of Trump’s stranglehold on the Republicans—and, in turn, on the republic—was the recent bipartisan “deal” on immigration which senators of both parties reached, and which gave in to most GOP demands for strong anti-migrant measures.

“And then one on the Republican side, Trump said ‘Don’t sign (actually vote for) for that bill.’ And the Republicans turned around. The House Republicans called it dead on arrival.”...Melvin said that the way to beat Trump and other anti-worker Republicans is to emphasize Biden’s pro-worker record, point out that Republican-named Supreme Court justices and congressional Republicans stymied many of his plans, and to register increasing numbers of people of color to vote, get them to do so and ensure their ballots are counted.

The article points out that the dominant trend at the union conference was critical of the "Republican’s anti-union, anti-federal worker track record during Trump’s 2017-21 reign" and highlighted the disaster that "would occur for federal workers and all workers if Trump returns to the White House next January 20."

CBTU President Terry Melvin, keynoting CBTU’s 2023 Convention, called 

out thedanger of a 'racist, anti-democratic America' that wants to see Black

 and Brown people 'eradicated from stories about America’s less than perfect 

self.' | via Machinists Union and the People's World.

The views expressed in this post are not necessarily those of the Marion-Polk-Yamhill Central Labor Chapter or the Oregon AFL-CIO.