(SLAVE) LABOR DAY

Another Federal Holiday is upon us. The only one that does not represent a war, battle, birth, or religious event. This one is for US, the people. Wow! Over this long weekend, we should all pay homage and think about the state of the American worker. "Unemployment is down," "Wages are up," and the "Economy is growing," are all common phrases we hear during political speeches from our leaders. And it proves once again how disconnected we are from those who represent us.

LABOR UNIONS are the backbone of the American worker. But unfortunately, they are an endangered species. Corporations detest unions and are at constant battle to destroy them. Their unrelenting quest for profit has resulted in a very HIGH percentage of American jobs overseas. WAL-MART could have been the pride of America, but instead it sits in practically EVERY neighborhood in America and sells Chinese imports. This is borderline "unfair competition." UNREGULATED CHILD LABOR, UNREGULATED HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS, UNREGULATED EXPORT INSPECTIONS, ETC.

Those familiar with the job market, know it's no fun. God forbid if you don't have the internet. Gone are the days of filling out paper applications and interviewing the same day. You're getting NO interviews before a credit and criminal background check. We're not talking Execultive level jobs either. Something as basic as a call center job requires an extensive amount of information about you before consideration. Not to mention the electronic psychological (personality) tests. You fail this, and they don't even tell you why. How do you tell you're not being discriminated against?



Without a doubt, we've been programmed as CONSUMERS. The majority of the "middle class" want money TO BUY STUFF. While the upper class, want money to save and multiply. We've also been engrained with this paradigm of "NOW." It works in two ways: "I NEED ____ NOW," this leads to spending beyond our means and credit card use. The second way, is that by spending our money before earning and receiving it, makes saving for retirement impossible.

With unrealistic MINIMUM WAGE RATES, one job usually doesn't cut it. This ideology is consistent too. Check out these POVERTY LINES:

1 PERSON = $10,210/YR
4 PEOPLE = $20,650/YR
8 PEOPLE = $34,570/YR

This demographic of the WAGE SLAVE is very diverse. It's not just those who make little money, receive government assistance, or have lots of children. It's also the recent college graduate who is carrying $10K of credit card debt (@20%), $40K+ of student loans (@5%), and is looking at an entry-level position with a salary of $30K. Or the recently divorced, or someone who just went through a medical crisis (w/o insurance). When you run out of money, you turn to the credit cards. The advertising is everywhere, making it seem OK.

Carrying debt, without using it for a higher return, makes you a slave to it. Albert Einstein was quoted as saying "the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest." And it works both ways. It's amazing if it's your MONEY that's growing because of it; but it's equally depressing if your debt has fallen victim to it. Becoming debt-free is also a farce. Our currency system, ran by THE FEDERAL RESERVE, is dependent on the interest of our debt. They issue currency based on our promise to pay back the interest. If you think about this system, you'll see it's TYRANNY!

I've often said that MONEY was the WORST INVENTION EVER. Americans have made money a god. The religion associated with money is very dangerous to blind followers. Capitalism is great if you own a corporation, BUT if you're working at, buying from, or living near, one of these corporations, you're at its mercy. For those who don't know, COPORATIONS HAVE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.

So on this Labor Day 2007, let's respect what this day represents. Enjoy your BBQ and football games, but let's take a second look within and reevaluate what we stand for. Federal Holidays are for us to reflect on times that made us proud. Labor Day is the last hoo-rah for the summer; back to school; start of the NFL; can't wear WHITE till next year...but it's also our well-being as Americans. I believe MOST people just want to be able to live their lives with no worries; they don't have to be rich. And it's very disheartening to see CEO SALARIES at record levels at the same companies that lay off thousands at a time. Pay attention to the LAWS being passed. They do affect you.

P.L.U.R.,
zAy