The Forgotten Class Gets A Voice Tomorrow

Tomorrow's the big AFL-CIO Democratic debate. Yeah, sure, I'm sick as hell of all these debates as you are. But with my personal views on politics, I'm very interested in what the AFL-CIO debate tomorrow will bring. The Democrats still, and God knows why, are thought of as the party for the workin' man, ya know, the middle-class. The hard-working, everyday American. That, to put it bluntly, is bullshit. The middle-class is the forgotten class, as so many people call it. Democrats might be better then Republicans, but jobs are still lost and travesities such as NAFTA and the WTO haven't been really challenged yet. The saddest part of all? People are still under the impression that the Democrats will do good for the working man. I, just about a year ago, still believed this...I came from a mid-to-low middle class family and was always given this impression. My parents still are, no matter how much I try and sway them to see things as they really are. So, what am I saying...that Republicans are better for the working man? God no. I'm saying that the two major parties cater (mostly) to two groups--the rich (Republicans) and the poor (Democrats). I, for one, have nothing wrong with helping the low-income families and people of America. They don't do a good enough job in that department either. Hell, I think there should be more government programs to help people out. Call it Socialism Lite if you want, I call it helping out my fellow American. Okay, I got a little off-topic there.
So then why, or yet how, has the middle-class become the forgotten class? I think the blame falls onto are system of elitism politics, cough, I mean two-party politics. There's no real, true, choices of difference in our elections. Why can't more views be heard? Why does it always have to be the Democrats walking the party line and the Republicans doing the same? Where's the Populist party, the Libertarian party, the Progressive party and whatever party you want? When faced with a decision, the middle-class will always choose the lesser of two evils. There simply isn't any other better options. That, in my eyes, is a huge failure in our political system. Of the top-tier candidates, how much do they honestly differ? Now think of how much they'll be Centrist when the general election comes around. Either one of two things need to happen: there need to be more, real choices (give Kucinich and Gravel more time dammit!) or the workers need to start holding the Democrats responsible. No more Bill Clinton pushing for NAFTA and the WTO bullshit.
Tomorrow's debate can be a real chance for the Democrats feet to be held to the fire. Will it happen? I don't know. I don't even know if the most important questions to the AFL-CIO will be asked...Will they talk about abortion issues, or will they talk about getting rid of NAFTA and the WTO? As far as I know, the only candidate to openly oppose them is Representative Kucinich...and how much time will they give him tomorrow? I don't want to hear anymore about the plans in and out of Iraq (please, in the safest time frame...get out) or about stopping the genoicide in Darfur (should of been done a long time ago) we already know everyone's positions on that. I want to hear new questions, questions and issues relating to the working man. Will you keep jobs at home? How will you create more jobs? The issues are always brought up, but rarely ever given a good, solid response. They are afterthoughts in the election. Proving again that the middle-class is the forgotten class. Healthcare, retirement security, unions, the job market, education...these are all issues that need to be addressed tomorrow. Besides healthcare, and maybe education, does anyone truely seem like they care about those other issues? I sure hope to God that tomorrow's debate will grill the candidates about these issues.

I know that was a long-winded first blog entry, but I'm really passionate about this particular topic and I became so disenfranchised with the Democratic party that I left them...I'll give my take on the debate tomorrow.

One last thing, and I've been wanting to say this for a really long time to just get it off my chest...I am so sick, and I mean SICK, of the Ron Paul internet frenzy. "Oh, you don't want to regulate drugs?? COOL MAN RON PAUL '08" While I have some Libertarian leanings, mostly dealing with social issues (and I do think the war on drugs should shift to lesser penalties, more education and go after the big dealers) most of these people have no idea what Ron Paul would do to this country in economic issues. It would be a free-for-all. Please, honestly, stop it already.