Political Quotes

“Mr. President, a little over a decade ago, Michigan lawmakers convened a session in the dark of the night. They put padlocks on the doors of the State Capitol so that they wouldn't have to listen to the protesters who had gathered outside. They had come to Lansing to pass ``right to work,'' a policy that weakened the power of unions all across Michigan. But today--today--my colleagues in the State legislature passed legislation in the State senate to repeal that law, and it now moves to the house next week. They are stepping up. They are stepping up because they understand that we are living through a crucial moment. The richest Americans are only getting richer, while many working people are left behind, unable to reap the benefits of the wealth that they helped to create. Labor unions are the best tool that we have to buck that trend. They expand and empower the middle class. They allow workers to negotiate for better wages and safer workplaces and the right to retire with dignity. But union membership is at an alltime low. Many employers intimidate workers who attempt to organize and retaliate against those who are able to come together. It is one reason that the gap between rich and poor continues to grow. In order to keep building an economy that works for everyone, we need to take a lesson from my home State of Michigan. We need to breathe new life into American unions, and we need to pass the PRO Act.…”