I could probably fill this blog every day with ridiculous things that Republicans say about labor issues, but I’ll generally refrain — except this time. Because we’re at the beginning of a new Republican-controlled Congressional session and I believe it’s important to understand their world view. This is what we’re up against for the next couple of years. We don’t yet know who the new members (or Sub-Committee Chairs) of the Education and Workforce Committee will be. But we can be pretty sure they’ll be of like mind with their new Chairwoman. Stay tuned.
I’ve written about how Republicans changed the name of the House Education and Labor Committee to the House Education and Workforce Committee every time they take over the Committee. Last week, in her maiden speech as the newly announced Chair of the Committee, Rep. Virginia Foxx explained in great detail why the name change was so important to everything America stands for. I read it so you wouldn’t have to, and I provide the “highlights” below.
But if you’re trying to satisfy some warped masochism streak, you can read (and watch!) the whole thing here.
Warped History
“Every time Democrats take control of the House, they swap out the word ‘workforce’ for ‘labor.’ ”
Well, actually it’s the other way around. The Committee was named the Education and Labor Committee in March 21, 1867. In 1883, the House split the committee into two separate panels—the Committee on Education and the Committee on Labor and then they were recombined in 1947. It wasn’t until 1995 — 128 years after the “labor” committee was first created, that the Republicans decided that the word “labor” was far too Godless and inflammatory. And they have changed it back to “workforce” every time they’ve taken control — in 1995, 2011 and again this month.
God says “labor” is demeaning and lamentable
“The Bible tells us that when God created Adam and Eve, he gave them the garden to cultivate and animals to name. This was work. Being made in the image of God means that we, like Him, have the capacity to build, create, and bring order from chaos. And using our God-given gifts, mankind has done just that. This ability to work and create is something to celebrate—not lament.”
I wonder if “labor” in the birthing process is also lamentable and demeaning to women? Instead of saying “she’s going into labor,” we should say “she’s going into work.” Of course, that might mean she deserves to actually be paid for her work. Nah!
Maybe Rep. Foxx should read more Martin Luther King, whose birthday we just celebrated:
“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”
Labor = Marxism!!!!
Why do the Demoncrats prefer the word “labor?” Because they’re all commies. Duh!
“Influenced by Marxism, the Left prefers to call work labor. This is a mistake. I reject the idea that work freely done is toil. I reject the idea that work freely done is a curse. And I embrace the idea that having the opportunity to provide for one’s family is a blessing.”
Maybe they should listen to another Republican who liked the word “labor.”
“Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The Left uses the word labor to pit workers against employers—all in the hopes of bringing about more government control and a radical redistribution of wealth.” — Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
Labor = Radical Socialism
“Yet the Left uses the word labor to pit workers against employers—all in the hopes of bringing about more government control and a radical redistribution of wealth. The United States is the most prosperous country in history because of our free market, but embracing socialist policies and views would destroy that.
Someone help me out here. I am a student of economics and politics. Is it not true that America was at its most prosperous and wealth disparity at its lowest when union strength was at its height? Well, Republicans never claimed to be good at history, Even biblical history.
Workforce = Freedom
“Labor also implies that workers do not have a choice in who they work for or what conditions they work in. In the United States, we live in a free society and workers have freedom to choose for whom they work. If an employer is unfair or unjust, workers have the freedom to find a different employer—and to seek recompense.”
So “workforce” = “freedom” and “labor” = communism? Got it. To Foxx and Friends, “labor” means never getting to make a choice about your working conditions. Not so sure about all that. Having worked in or with unions my entire career, it seems to me it’s just the opposite: Labor unions give workers more, not less choice about working conditions. Is that bias? Or experience? How many years did Foxx spend working for unions?
Lawyers and Doctors aren’t “labor” — just those dirty mechanics and welders
“When the Left refers to labor, they aren’t talking about the work of lawyers and doctors, but the work of mechanics and welders.”
Although according to a recent poll, about one in 10 workers in healthcare and social assistance (13%), white-collar positions (11%), and administrative and clerical roles (10%) are union members.
Labor = Big Bad Labor Unions
“Democrats also insist on using the word labor because they are beholden to Big Labor. Democrats have made it clear that they wish to force all Americans into unions regardless of their preference. When Democrats oversee this Committee, their efforts focus on bolstering union bosses at the expense of employee free choice. This myopic view serves only a small spectrum of the workforce as the majority of workers choose not to be in a union.
Well, not according to Gallup: “Seventy-one percent of Americans now approve of labor unions. Although statistically similar to last year’s 68%, it is up from 64% before the pandemic and is the highest Gallup has recorded on this measure since 1965.”
But then there was this other Republican who didn’t think unions were all that bad…
“It is essential that there should be organization of labor. This is an era of organization. Capital organizes and therefore labor must organize.” — Theodore Roosevelt
Labor = Misery
“So, when I talk about the workforce, I am talking about all the men and women who take pride in their work. When I talk about the workforce, I am talking about all the men and women who work hard to provide for their families. And when I talk about the workforce, I am talking about all the men and women who have gained the skills necessary to be productive and self-sufficient citizens.”
I just can’t….
In Summary
So to sum up, to House Republicans, the word “labor” means lamentable godless socialism, union bosses, and miserable, lazy, unskilled, dependent, unproductive, lamentable workers — mostly of the blue collar type.
Whereas “workforce” means God, freedom, pride, and nice clean, skilled, productive, white collar office workers, mainly lawyers, doctors and other office workers.
To House Republicans, the word “labor” means lamentable godless socialism, union bosses, and miserable, lazy, unskilled, dependent, unproductive, lamentable workers — mostly of the blue collar type.
And they plan to put their words into action — or at least oversite — to make sure the Biden administration ceases its “illegal and sometimes dangerous activity such as targeting parents or promoting brazen union activism.” (That would be Labor Secretary Mary Walsh brazenly walking dangerous picket lines and other godless and socialist acts of supporting unions and protecting workers’ health and safety.)
“Under the Biden administration, federal agencies were empowered to conduct illegal and sometimes dangerous activity such as targeting parents or promoting brazen union activism. In the majority, House Republicans will not allow this administration to weaponize agencies against the people they are meant to serve.”
Someone could get a copy of the National Labor Relations Act and read it to the new Chairwoman. Especially the part that reads
It is declared to be the policy of the United States to eliminate the causes of certain substantial obstructions to the free flow of commerce and to mitigate and eliminate these obstructions when they have occurred by encouraging the practice and procedure of collective bargaining and by protecting the exercise by workers of full freedom of association, self- organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and conditions of their employment or other mutual aid or protection. [emphasis added]
Ladies and Gentlemen, your new House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Good luck with that.