Blaming immigrants for a lack of "good jobs" only helps the corporations who cut wages, slash benefits, and offshore jobs. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Trump's Re-election Strategy: Pit Us Against Each Other
I’ve seen firsthand how communities get hung out to dry when politicians scapegoat immigrants for the crimes of corporations.
You would think after a white nationalist murdered 22 people and injured dozens more in El Paso, Donald Trump would lay off the hate, even just for a moment. Apparently he's not capable. Or not willing.
Whether it's immigration raids, cutbacks on legal immigration, or attacking women of color in Congress, Trump is doubling down on division. Clearly the Trump campaign is planning to stir up new levels of anti-immigrant sentiment as a path to re-election.
This strategy takes advantage of the fact that many Americans are experiencing economic decline. In large parts of the country, gone is the sense that our children will do better than we did. Instead, people are asking: "Who's fighting for us?"
It's a valid question.
For the last 40 years, leading Democrats have failed to directly name who was responsible for that decline -- big corporations hijacking our government, rigging the system, and creating the biggest gap between the rich and everyone else in American history.
That vacuum has left space for other side to blame immigration for the end of good jobs with solid benefits and health care. Sadly, that sets off a race to the bottom that benefits the most abusive corporations -- and hurts the rest of us.
Ten years ago, as a community organizer, I had an experience that informs how I think about these issues.
Over 500 ICE agents had descended on a leather factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and detained 361 immigrant workers. When I arrived at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, children were crying as they learned their parents had been taken -- and were unlikely to return.
People in New Bedford responded with compassion, bringing food, clothing, and other supplies to the church. Others worked diligently to find information about the detained workers.
There was also a backlash.
"What about us?" asked conservative talk show host Evan Rousseau. He argued, "citizens and legal immigrants" want to know how they "legally can work 50 hours a week and still have trouble buying groceries for their family."
That's a fair question, too.
An economic system where people work 50 hours a week and can't make ends meet is a big problem that we must address. Many saw the raid as progress, and assumed jobs would open up for native born workers.
At first, it did: 300 new workers were hired. But it wasn't long before Alliant Tech Systems acquired the plant -- and moved operations to Puerto Rico, where they could pay lower wages.
Ten years later, the factory still stood empty. The corporation won -- and the community was left holding the bag.
This ruse of pitting us against each other is one corporate fat cats and their political hacks go back to time and time again. Trump is counting on it, too -- even if that means emboldening white nationalists.
If we let it happen again, we'll get taken to the cleaners by abusive insurance companies, big pharma, and tax-dodging CEOs.
Instead of taking the bait, we should come toward each other.
If we unite to take on the real cause of economic decline--a corporate class intent on becoming ridiculously rich at the expense of the rest of us -- we have the power to create the change we so desperately need.
Then we can begin to bring back good jobs, expand affordable and quality health care, protect our air and water, and so much more.
FINAL DAY! This is urgent.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just hours left in our Spring Campaign, we're still falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
George Goehl is a long-time community organizer and the host of To See Each Other, which this season follows seniors in rural Wisconsin fighting to save beloved public nursing homes.
You would think after a white nationalist murdered 22 people and injured dozens more in El Paso, Donald Trump would lay off the hate, even just for a moment. Apparently he's not capable. Or not willing.
Whether it's immigration raids, cutbacks on legal immigration, or attacking women of color in Congress, Trump is doubling down on division. Clearly the Trump campaign is planning to stir up new levels of anti-immigrant sentiment as a path to re-election.
This strategy takes advantage of the fact that many Americans are experiencing economic decline. In large parts of the country, gone is the sense that our children will do better than we did. Instead, people are asking: "Who's fighting for us?"
It's a valid question.
For the last 40 years, leading Democrats have failed to directly name who was responsible for that decline -- big corporations hijacking our government, rigging the system, and creating the biggest gap between the rich and everyone else in American history.
That vacuum has left space for other side to blame immigration for the end of good jobs with solid benefits and health care. Sadly, that sets off a race to the bottom that benefits the most abusive corporations -- and hurts the rest of us.
Ten years ago, as a community organizer, I had an experience that informs how I think about these issues.
Over 500 ICE agents had descended on a leather factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and detained 361 immigrant workers. When I arrived at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, children were crying as they learned their parents had been taken -- and were unlikely to return.
People in New Bedford responded with compassion, bringing food, clothing, and other supplies to the church. Others worked diligently to find information about the detained workers.
There was also a backlash.
"What about us?" asked conservative talk show host Evan Rousseau. He argued, "citizens and legal immigrants" want to know how they "legally can work 50 hours a week and still have trouble buying groceries for their family."
That's a fair question, too.
An economic system where people work 50 hours a week and can't make ends meet is a big problem that we must address. Many saw the raid as progress, and assumed jobs would open up for native born workers.
At first, it did: 300 new workers were hired. But it wasn't long before Alliant Tech Systems acquired the plant -- and moved operations to Puerto Rico, where they could pay lower wages.
Ten years later, the factory still stood empty. The corporation won -- and the community was left holding the bag.
This ruse of pitting us against each other is one corporate fat cats and their political hacks go back to time and time again. Trump is counting on it, too -- even if that means emboldening white nationalists.
If we let it happen again, we'll get taken to the cleaners by abusive insurance companies, big pharma, and tax-dodging CEOs.
Instead of taking the bait, we should come toward each other.
If we unite to take on the real cause of economic decline--a corporate class intent on becoming ridiculously rich at the expense of the rest of us -- we have the power to create the change we so desperately need.
Then we can begin to bring back good jobs, expand affordable and quality health care, protect our air and water, and so much more.
George Goehl is a long-time community organizer and the host of To See Each Other, which this season follows seniors in rural Wisconsin fighting to save beloved public nursing homes.
You would think after a white nationalist murdered 22 people and injured dozens more in El Paso, Donald Trump would lay off the hate, even just for a moment. Apparently he's not capable. Or not willing.
Whether it's immigration raids, cutbacks on legal immigration, or attacking women of color in Congress, Trump is doubling down on division. Clearly the Trump campaign is planning to stir up new levels of anti-immigrant sentiment as a path to re-election.
This strategy takes advantage of the fact that many Americans are experiencing economic decline. In large parts of the country, gone is the sense that our children will do better than we did. Instead, people are asking: "Who's fighting for us?"
It's a valid question.
For the last 40 years, leading Democrats have failed to directly name who was responsible for that decline -- big corporations hijacking our government, rigging the system, and creating the biggest gap between the rich and everyone else in American history.
That vacuum has left space for other side to blame immigration for the end of good jobs with solid benefits and health care. Sadly, that sets off a race to the bottom that benefits the most abusive corporations -- and hurts the rest of us.
Ten years ago, as a community organizer, I had an experience that informs how I think about these issues.
Over 500 ICE agents had descended on a leather factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and detained 361 immigrant workers. When I arrived at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, children were crying as they learned their parents had been taken -- and were unlikely to return.
People in New Bedford responded with compassion, bringing food, clothing, and other supplies to the church. Others worked diligently to find information about the detained workers.
There was also a backlash.
"What about us?" asked conservative talk show host Evan Rousseau. He argued, "citizens and legal immigrants" want to know how they "legally can work 50 hours a week and still have trouble buying groceries for their family."
That's a fair question, too.
An economic system where people work 50 hours a week and can't make ends meet is a big problem that we must address. Many saw the raid as progress, and assumed jobs would open up for native born workers.
At first, it did: 300 new workers were hired. But it wasn't long before Alliant Tech Systems acquired the plant -- and moved operations to Puerto Rico, where they could pay lower wages.
Ten years later, the factory still stood empty. The corporation won -- and the community was left holding the bag.
This ruse of pitting us against each other is one corporate fat cats and their political hacks go back to time and time again. Trump is counting on it, too -- even if that means emboldening white nationalists.
If we let it happen again, we'll get taken to the cleaners by abusive insurance companies, big pharma, and tax-dodging CEOs.
Instead of taking the bait, we should come toward each other.
If we unite to take on the real cause of economic decline--a corporate class intent on becoming ridiculously rich at the expense of the rest of us -- we have the power to create the change we so desperately need.
Then we can begin to bring back good jobs, expand affordable and quality health care, protect our air and water, and so much more.