Class Warfare

"It's class warfare!" Such has been the right wing/Wall St. Republican chant, the battle cry which in the 08 campaign became the bleat. Sheer cynicism for the party of projection, as they waged pitiless class warfare against the poor and the middle class since the 1980s.

Now Barack Obama has won the argument: that historically, everyone does better when everyone does better--the rich prosper in a more sustainable fashion when the middle class is big and strong. But Obama isn't President yet, and class warfare is flaring.

It's gone underground with Bush's burrowing of ideologues in the federal government, and in his last pathetic power grab, his imposing of anti-union bias and other aggressions against workers in the Big Three bridge loans, perhaps including his own appointment of a "car czar" to micro-manage federal involvement regardless of what the Obama administration wants to do.

But it's way out in the open in two news stories. On the one hand, there's Merrill Lynch chief executive John Thain, who didn't let his company's failure softened by federal bailout millions stop him from asking for a $10 million bonus for himself. When the request became public, the firm's compensation committee reportedly denied it.

On the other hand there's the Chicago employees of Republic Windows and Doors whose money was stolen by their company when it suddenly closed the factory. They are union employees, and they refused to be dissed. They occupied the factory, and spread the word. These things don't always attract attention, but this one did:

Chicago workers in the third day of a sit-in on the floor of their former workplace peered through the windows of a door Sunday, amazed by a mix of supporters, politicians and journalists who packed a foyer outside.

"We never expected this," said Melvin Maclin, a factory employee and vice president of the local union that represents the workers. "We expected to go to jail."

The 200 workers demanding severance and vacation pay have become a national symbol for thousands of employees laid off nationwide as the economy continues to sour. They occupied the plant of their former employer, Republic Windows and Doors, after the company abruptly fired them last week. "

Chicago has rallied to their side--and this time they've got an additional warrior. When asked about it at a press conference Sunday, PE Barack Obama said : “The workers who are asking for the benefits and payments that they have earned... I think they’re absolutely right, and understand that what’s happening to them is reflective of what’s happening across this economy.”

Union, company and bank officials met Monday and will meet again Tuesday to resolve the Chicago situation. But it needs more than a symbolic victory. Class warfare against the working class and the middle class must end.