Political Quotes

On the recordFebruary 28, 2018
let's turn to another attack on workers. Our entire Constitution had a theme, had a mission statement, and that mission statement was ``we the people,'' government of, by, and for the people. My colleagues might be surprised to discover that the Constitution didn't say ``we the privileged; we the wealthy; we the well-connected; we the powerful'' because they bring bill after bill to the floor of the Senate that is exactly government of, by, and for the wealthy and the well-connected. Now we see that the Supreme Court is getting in on the act in this effort to undermine the ability of workers to organize, to get a fair share of the wealth that they create. Former President Jimmy Carter once said: Every advance in this half-century--Social Security, civil rights, Medicare, aid to education, one after another--came with the support and leadership of American labor. Well, he was absolutely right. I would also add a few more things to the list, such as 8-hour workdays, the 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, the minimum wage, family and sick leave, health and safety working standards. When workers have organized, they have fought for better conditions for every American--better pay, better safety, better and fair working conditions--and America is a better nation because of it. It is a much better nation because of the men and women of the labor movement who have fought tirelessly to ensure that our country lives up to that ``we the people'' vision statement.…
Said by
Jeff Merkley
Democratic · Oregon
Source
govinfo.gov
Feb 28, 2018

Share

More from Jeff Merkley

Jul 28, 2026

“Our veterans face tremendous hurdles, including access to medical care when they live in rural areas,”

wyden.senate.gov
Jul 29, 2026

IVF should be accessible and affordable to all – it’s critical care for folks wanting to start or expand their family.

wyden.senate.gov
Jul 28, 2026

“Safe, reliable water infrastructure is essential to every community, and this federal investment will help Redmond strengthen the wastewater system that serves local families and businesses,”

wyden.senate.gov

Other voices in this conversation