Katrina Vanden Heuvel on Labor Day

On the eve of the holiday that makes most of us think about barbecues and going back to school, I commend to you, dear readers, "Lessons for Labor Day" by the esteemed editor of The Nation. She notes the widening gap between rich and poor Americans, paying special attention to defense contractor and oil executives at the top, and soldiers in Iraq and other working families at the bottom. Polls indicate that working Americans aren't buying Pres. Bush's glowing reports of the economy, apparently in its fifth year of recovery.

I found myself nodding my head as I read each paragraph, so I'd say it's worth reading the whole thing. If you're pressed for time, though, here's the punchline:

So, on this Labor Day 2006, let's support policies and ideas that will make this economy work for those who have helped create this country's wealth. For a start: Stop the assault on labor and strengthen collective bargaining. Then, let's pass universal health care and a living wage, craft trade and industrial policies that create jobs and restore workers' rights, and rebuild our ravaged pension system. These are just a few steps toward a more humane, decent and rational system that would fulfill America's promise.

While too many "New" Democrats have forgotten how to stand up for the working class, there are still enough that this November taking back Congress will mean taking back our country from the GOP's callous policies that have sped the decline of workers in America.