Stockholm Syndrome and the Labor Movement

Stockholm Syndrome describes how hostages sometimes identify with their captors, believing cooperation or small concessions might spare them greater harm. In today’s labor movement, we see echoes of that same instinct. Too often we find ourselves nuzzling up to the very forces that are cutting us down, hoping to soften the blow. But it willContinue reading “Stockholm Syndrome and the Labor Movement”

Labor Day Is Not a Holiday. It’s a Battle Cry.

Last year, 5,283 American workers were killed on the job. They died in fields and factories, in construction zones and warehouses, on highways and hospital floors. When you add work-related illnesses—cancers, respiratory diseases, long-term exposures—the toll soars to over 140,000 lives lost. That’s more than the population of a mid-sized American city, wiped out inContinue reading “Labor Day Is Not a Holiday. It’s a Battle Cry.”

Wake Up!  This Is Not Normal, or Acceptable!

Imagine if President Barack Obama had governed the way our current president governs today. Picture him dismantling the federal workforce by executive order, stripping away civil service protections without a vote of Congress. Imagine him directing the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute his political enemies, or attempting to fire members of the FederalContinue reading “Wake Up!  This Is Not Normal, or Acceptable!”

The Great Dismantling: How the 47th President Is Waging War on Knowledge, Labor, and Democracy

Let’s chat about smaller government, and bigger damage for a moment… The 47th President’s war on workers, educators, and civil servants isn’t about efficiency but eliminating resistance. Since returning to the office in January 2025, the 47th President has launched a sweeping effort to dismantle the very foundations of American civil society. The stated rationaleContinue reading “The Great Dismantling: How the 47th President Is Waging War on Knowledge, Labor, and Democracy”

Fixing What Wasn’t Broken

The 47 Administration claims it’s rescuing the economy from Biden’s failures, but the numbers tell a different story. You’ve probably heard it by now, over and over again: “We’re fixing Biden’s mess.” That’s the constant refrain from the 47 Administration as it seeks to frame the current president’s policies as a needed course correction afterContinue reading “Fixing What Wasn’t Broken”

The Tools That Made Us: A Tribute to Labor, Craft, and the Sacred Right to Build

Long before steel beams or silicon chips, before cities rose or engines turned, we learned to shape the world with six simple tools. The lever lets us lift the impossible. The wedge gave us the power to split wood, stone, and history. The wheel and axle carried us forward, first across fields, then across empires.Continue reading “The Tools That Made Us: A Tribute to Labor, Craft, and the Sacred Right to Build”

Donald Trump 2.0—A Presidency Through the Lens of Reality TV

Donald Trump’s re-election has set the stage for a second term that is already reflecting the strategies and mindset honed during his years as a reality TV star. From his time on NBC’s The Apprentice, where he cultivated an image of decisive authority, to his leadership style during his first term, Trump has consistently prioritizedContinue reading “Donald Trump 2.0—A Presidency Through the Lens of Reality TV”

Labor Day is More Significant Now Than Ever: A Call to Action for All Working People

Labor Day has long been a time to honor the contributions and achievements of American workers. But today, it’s more than just a holiday—it’s a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggles facing millions of us in the workforce. As we reflect on the challenges and opportunities of our time, it’s clear that Labor Day isContinue reading “Labor Day is More Significant Now Than Ever: A Call to Action for All Working People”

Upskilling Area Workers: Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion While Addressing Social Challenges

I firmly believe that nothing addresses our social challenges—such as food insecurity, housing instability, transportation barriers, healthcare, and inadequate childcare access—better than a good job. In the realm of urban development and community planning, investing in training and upskilling for careers in the building and construction trades holds the potential to create an advantageous rippleContinue reading “Upskilling Area Workers: Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion While Addressing Social Challenges”

Always Darkest Before The Dawn!

The first person to use this proverb was Thomas Fuller, an English theologian, in the year 1650 and the idea behind this is related to the literal meaning of dawn. Dawn begins when the first light begins to show over the horizon from the sunrise. Therefore, there is the least light before dawn begins, because there while there isContinue reading “Always Darkest Before The Dawn!”