Unions

There are like a million political forums on the internet, why not go there and preach to them? I'm sure some would love to hear it.

Unfortunately you are not gaining much traction here.

This was a recent post of mine on the Black Smoke Matters Facebook page. Even though the main topic is law enforcement, the main thrust of the post is pertinent here.

It’s revealing to look at what we were taught growing up about law enforcement. Without casting stones (many of us have beloved friends, neighbors, and relatives who work in law enforcement), we should at least be willing to look squarely at who law enforcement works for. They work for the same people as do our government officials. They are part of the government. Bottom line, everyone including all the rest of us who work in the labor force, works for Wall Street and the huge multinational banks. Since Nixon’s appointment of Lewis F. Powell to the Supreme Court, corruption has been legal in the U.S. (see the 1971 Powell Memo for proof). Wall Street has been making its bets with taxpayer money for a long time, especially since the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1935 (separation of commercial and investment banking) and Citizens United. George Carlin said it best: “You have owners. They own you.” Let’s face facts. The big commercial interests (including the criminals on Wall St.) are our firmly established owners and they won’t give away their power without a fight. Law enforcement, no less than Congress, carries out the wishes of big money. We should probably feel some pity for our friends and neighbors who are on the front lines in this battle, especially if we believe them to be good people because, make no mistake, law enforcement is not working on our behalf, no matter how much they may want to. They are carrying out laws put into place by politicians who are owned by big money. The ELD mandates are a perfect example. These laws were put into place to keep O/Os and small business owners from being able to compete with the mega carriers. Because the game has been rigged for a long time, the only way for the little guy to continue to compete was to fudge log books and run more hours. The ELD mandates were the last straw because they closed the final loophole that allowed the little guy to compete. The writing is on the wall. Unless there is a way to level the playing field, all American workers and small businesses will keep getting squeezed the way mom and pop stores have been squeezed out by WalMart.

Drivers who work for the mega carriers have just as much to lose as the O/Os and small carriers. Why? Because once the mega carriers squeeze out all of the remaining competition, they can pay whatever they like for labor—mythical driver shortages notwithstanding. For that reason, the battle over ELD and HOS mandates are important for all of us to consider. The big picture of economic justice affects all of us. If we can’t stick together against the huge multinational corporate interests and big banks, we will have less and less true freedom. Economic freedom is probably the most important of all—even more important than religious freedom, educational freedom, and any other type you can think of—because it gives us the leverage to insist on all of the other types of freedom.

If you find that your agenda leaves you consistently taking the position of supporting the mega carriers, you should ask yourself who benefits from that support. If you believe that you personally benefit from such positions at the expense of regular working people of all professions, crony is the only apt name for you.

The ELD mandates are a perfect example. These laws were put into place to keep O/Os and small business owners from being able to compete with the mega carriers.

Perfect example of an invalid argument. The HOS laws did not change. The ELD simply forces someone to obey the laws that have been established for years. Therefore, O/Os compalining about the ELD are criminals complaining they can no longer break the law.

Kit, I honestly think you sound like you're from another planet. Nobody owns me. I have done very well in this business. Every bit of my progress has been due to my own efforts. I honestly don't know or even care who my boss is.

It's funny how you are so dramatic about Wall Street. What is wrong with large companies having their finances open to the public for scrutiny? That is the point of having a publicly traded company. If your scamming or cheating people, smart (ethical) investors will or should avoid you. I have significant funds invested in publicly traded companies. I do my research and I'm careful about where I invest my hard earned wages.

Your lessons, or arguments, on economics are almost as weak as your comments about mega carriers. Do you realize how minuscule the market share is that all the combined mega carriers share? It's paltry.

In listening to this discussion, I see valid points on both sides. Kit is correct in pointing out some of the abuses visited upon the general public by the mega rich and powerful. Perfect example the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act under Clinton's watch. But those abuses are perpetrated by powers much bigger than even the biggest carrier. I know Schneider does over 4 billion of business every year and guess what? That is peanuts in the overall scheme of things. So even the big carriers are victims of the economic manipulation by the 1% of powerful interests that keep the rest of us 99% sheep people under their thumbs. Remember Mark Twain: "If voting mattered, they wouldn't let us do it". If you or I as truck drivers think we have any influence in the system, we are badly mistaken. But they still let me drive a truck and pay the bills, so like Old School, I don't get to over-concerned about it.

the game has been rigged for a long time, the only way for the little guy to continue to compete was to fudge log books and run more hours. The ELD mandates were the last straw because they closed the final loophole that allowed the little guy to compete.

Kit, you are going to have to explain this. Just because you declare it to be so doesn't make it rational, reasonable, or reliable. How is it that the mega carriers, most of which started out as small fleets, have been able to ride their business plans to success and growth? What is wrong with all these "little guys" you sympathize with? Why do they (I include you in this group) feel compelled to lay the blame for their shortcomings onto those who figured out how to succeed? You are so eat up with envy it has caused you to lose sight of how to make a go of it in this incredibly competitive commodities business.

Why would "the government," who doesn't have very many ways to produce income other than taxation, try to keep all the independent truckers from succeeding? Their goal is for you to prosper. That's how they prosper.

I realize some folks just need to have a grudge to motivate them each and every day. For most of us it's a very poor existence to have to live that way. I've prospered in the trucking business while being employed by the very people you insinuate are setting things up so they can treat us as slaves. People squander their lives away by setting up false beliefs that establish their approach to working and living. They die just as frustrated and confused as they live. Those people are a conundrum to me.

I honestly don't care to argue with you. You've got too much experience at dragging people down to your level. You can post what you like, but I'll always try to counter any nonsense with my honest experience at having considerable success out here.

Kit you are hysterical...

I know the definition of crony... and yes I am a crony of an employer paying me a lot of money to do something I love driving new equipment.

Do you know the definition of militant? Your style of politics and attitude certainly fits. Your thinking is dangerous and radical, helps no one on this forum.

No time for your nonsense. I suggest moving to France...they’d love you over there.

Remember Mark Twain: "If voting mattered, they wouldn't let us do it". If you or I as truck drivers think we have any influence in the system, we are badly mistaken.

Bruce, I'm a big fan of Mark Twain, but unfortunately he did say a few things that were just plain dumb. That quote would be one of them in my opinion.

Kit never answers any of our questions. He just ignores them and then proceeds to enjoy posting whatever he thinks makes him look smart. I'm hoping you'll answer one question for me. If voters have no influence in the system, which seems to me what you are asserting, then how do you explain why we have Donald Trump as our duly elected President? Don't you remember the agonizingly astonished looks on the faces of the broadcasters and the "elites" on election night? Wouldn't you agree that this "system" you refer to is doing everything in its power to make sure he is removed? If the voters didn't put him there, then who do you think did and why?

Kit, please get professional help ASAP.

If you find that your agenda leaves you consistently taking the position of supporting the mega carriers, you should ask yourself who benefits from that support. If you believe that you personally benefit from such positions at the expense of regular working people of all professions, crony is the only apt name for you.

We all get it, your screeds have made your position very clear...proletariat good bourgeoisie bad. Since you saw fit to necro a thread that's over 5 years old perhaps comment on the actual topic of the thread? Unions...what do you think of them? I'd rather not be represented by a union again because in my experience they've never been anything but destructive.

Old school, it was the electoral college not the voters. And there are people like the Koch brothers who punch the buttons behind the scenes. I will defer to you on all issues of trucking because I respect your experience and reasoning ability, but I'm as old as you and I do believe the system is designed to give us just enough to prevent a French type revolution.