Latest news with #workingclass
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sanders wades into battleground district with Wisconsin endorsement
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has endorsed Democrat Rebecca Cooke in her attempt for a rematch against Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) in a battleground Wisconsin district. Sanders said in a statement, first reported by NBC News, that he's supporting Cooke to represent Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District because she will 'stand up for working families and take on the greed of powerful special interests.' 'Rebecca is a working-class fighter who developed her populist roots in rural Western Wisconsin,' the senator continued. 'A daughter of farmers, a waitress and a small business owner — she's lived through failed policies from Washington elites and is ready to deliver tangible outcomes that working people will actually feel.' Cooke previously ran for the House seat twice, losing the Democratic nomination in 2022 before winning the primary last year. Democrats eyed Van Orden's seat as a possible pickup opportunity, and she narrowly lost to him by less than 3 points. She's now seeking to face him again in what the party hopes will be a stronger year for its prospects in 2026. Sanders said Cooke would be an ally to him in the House to enforce antitrust laws against monopolies, raise the minimum wage and expand Medicare. Cooke said she's 'honored' to receive Sanders's endorsement, calling him a 'champion for the working class.' 'He's spent his career fighting for the same values that drive our campaign here in Wisconsin's Third District: putting people over politics, taking on corporate greed, and building a future that works for everyone—not just the wealthy and well-connected,' she said. Cooke faces a couple primary opponents but has notched a wide range of Democratic endorsements from progressives and moderates. That includes support from the Blue Dog PAC, which backs moderate Democrats, and EMILY's List. Updated at 11:48 a.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump issues ominous warning to workers on Juneteenth as president claims country is wasting 'billions of dollars' on unnecessary benefit
Working-class Americans received a stark warning from President Trump as he celebrated Juneteenth by complaining about the excessive amount of federal holidays. Trump issued a directive Thursday night that declared the country is wasting too much money on closing business and said he has considered axing future celebrations. 'Too many non-working holidays in America,' he wrote on Truth Social. 'It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed. The workers don't want it either!' The president then speculated that the holiday madness could have a negative impact on the country if something isn't done. 'Soon we'll end up having a holiday for every once working day of the year,' he said. 'It must change if we are going to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' Before this year's holiday post - which failed to mention Juneteenth - Trump spent years commemorating the day which celebrates the freedom of enslaved African Americans. He even once claimed to have made Juneteenth 'very famous.' Trump honored the holiday in each of his first four years as president, even before it became a federal holiday in 2021. But this year, Trump kept silent about the holiday other than his late Truth Social post, despite the significance of the day for black Americans. Asked whether Trump would commemorate Juneteenth in any way, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: 'I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today. 'I know this is a federal holiday. I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here. We're working 24/7 right now.' Juneteenth, also referred to as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. Their freedom came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln liberated slaves in the Confederacy by signing the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War. In 2020, Trump sought to woo black voters with a series of campaign promises, including vowing to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday. After he lost the election, Biden went on to sign the legislation declaring Juneteenth the newest federal holiday. He argues there are 'too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed.' In the past week, Trump has in some way acknowledged Father's Day, Flag Day, National Flag Week and the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. None of these days are among of the 11 national holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 2017, Trump celebrated the 'soulful festivities and emotional rejoicing' when in 1865 a major general delivered the news to a Galveston crowd that all enslaved people were free. He told the Galveston story in each of the next three years. 'Together, we honor the unbreakable spirit and countless contributions of generations of African Americans to the story of American greatness,' he said in his 2018 statement. A year later, he said: 'Across our country, the contributions of African Americans continue to enrich every facet of American life.' His 2020 statement read: 'June reminds us of both the unimaginable injustice of slavery and the incomparable joy that must have attended emancipation. 'It is both a remembrance of a blight on our history and a celebration of our Nation's unsurpassed ability to triumph over darkness.' In 2020, however, Trump chose the controversial location of Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the place to hold a rally following the Covid pandemic. That decision for that venue met with fierce criticism. In Tulsa in 1921, a white mob looted and burned that city's Greenwood district, an economically thriving area referred to as Black Wall Street. As many as 300 Black Tulsans were killed, and thousands were temporarily held in internment camps overseen by the National Guard. Black leaders argued it was offensive for Trump to choose June 19 and Tulsa for a campaign event. Days before the rally, Trump tried to put a positive spin on the situation by claiming that he had made Juneteenth 'famous.' He said he changed the rally date out of respect for two African American friends and supporters. 'I did something good. I made it famous. I made Juneteenth very famous,' Trump said. 'It's actually an important event, it's an important time. But nobody had heard of it. Very few people have heard of it.' Generations of Black Americans celebrated Juneteenth long before it became a federal holiday in 2021. Biden issued annual Juneteenth proclamations during his four years in office, and observed some of the holidays with large concerts on the South Lawn. Biden's final observance in 2024 featured performances by Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle. Vice President Kamala Harris danced onstage with gospel singer Kirk Franklin. Trump, menawhile, has made sweeping orders ending diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the federal government, calling them 'illegal and immoral discrimination programs.'
Fox News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Carville says Dems 'betrayed' working-class voters by not including them in 'too-cool-for-school' coalition
Veteran Democratic Party strategist James Carville warned on Thursday that Democrats need to acknowledge how they took part in the decades-long betrayal of White, working-class voters. Since the Democratic Party's historic loss in November, many have been trying to chart a path forward to reclaiming their coalition. While some have doubled-down on controversial far-left identity politics, some have worked to reclaim working-class men they alienated in recent years, particularly White men. On the Politics War Room podcast, hosts Carville and Al Hunt addressed a comment from a listener, who suggested that rather than being reconciliation, MAGA supporters deserve to be "beaten badly at the voting booth and then told just to suck it up." "Oh God, who doesn't have that instinct?" Carville responded, but nonetheless warned that politics comes down to winning elections, and that means persuading voters. "It is not the most satisfying way, but what in the end are we trying to do? We're trying to do one thing, win elections." He proceeded to warn against the "temptation that says 'I can't believe how godd--n stupid you were." While he said he has no temptation for the "corporate a—wipes" who voted for Trump to become richer, the strategist nicknamed the Ragin' Cajun expressed some sympathy for working-class Whites he says have been betrayed by both parties. "I have an iota of sympathy for somebody whose life hadn't turned out right," he said. "The brilliant thing about MAGA is it gives you an explanation other than yourself of why your life didn't turn out the way you wanted it, and we should say to these people 'We kind of understand what you were trying to say but you were betrayed.'" "Let's also face it, Democrats acted like these people didn't exist alright? They just did, and don't come back and say-We acted like working-class, particularly working-class non-college Whites were not part of our too-cool-for-school group," he continued. "There were some real high-end people that kind of bought in to that s---." He returned to the listener's question and reasserted his point that it's better to reconcile with working-class White voters, even if he understands being frustrated with them. "I can see it, but the best thing to do is not punch him in the mouth but to say, 'You know man I could hear where you're coming from you just got betrayed, and we betrayed you somewhat, and we now have learned our lesson,'" he said.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I face the haters full-on!' Rosie Jones on ramping up the laughs in her new drug-dealing sitcom
'No,' says Rosie Jones with a laugh. 'I have never done any drug-related illegal activity, believe it or not. But I respect your attempt to try to get me to reveal I am an underground drug-dealer. Sorry – not the world I live in!' We're having this conversation because Pushers, the comedian and actor's new series about a disabled woman who turns to drug-dealing when her benefits are stopped, kicks off this week on Channel 4. Jones wrote the script and stars as the main character, Emily. How much of it is influenced by her own life? There are, undoubtedly, similarities. 'From the very beginning,' Jones says, referring to when she originally came up with the idea, back in 2018, 'we knew my character would be northern, working class and disabled.' That was important for two reasons: firstly, Jones's favourite sitcoms growing up all featured 'gritty' northern characters; and secondly, those sitcoms lacked any representation of disability. That's where the similarities end, though. 'Not to get too political too quickly,' she says with a grin, 'but we wanted to show what it's like to be working class and disabled right now – because, well, basically it's shit for a lot of people. I think Emily is very different from me because, unlike me, she's not had opportunities. She's not really had supportive family. She's gone under the radar. When we meet her, she's almost invisible.' Invisible is definitely not a word you would use to describe Jones, but that's the point: she wants to highlight the reality of life for the disabled people who aren't on national TV. 'Obviously I want the sitcom to be entertaining,' says the 34-year-old as we chat over Zoom. 'But in my opinion, the best comedy engages with reality and says something about the state of affairs in the country. When we came up with the concept, there was a Conservative government and I had just had my benefits cut, so it's rooted in that reality. We wanted to say something about how the Tories were treating disabled people.' She pauses. 'It won't surprise any reader that I am on the left. I am liberal. I'm a Labour-voter, so when Labour came in last year, personally I was like, 'Yes! Come on!' But in terms of the sitcom, I knew it wouldn't be out until nearly a year into a Labour government. I thought we would be living in a utopia where every disabled person gets the funding and services they need, and there wouldn't be a need for a sitcom about benefits.' She's joking, but her disappointment with the direction the government has taken is evident. 'Sadly,' she says, 'now I think we need it more than ever. I'm incredibly angry.' Consequently, she is quite happy for Pushers to be seen as a commentary on what's happening politically. Since March, when Labour announced sweeping cuts to the main disability benefit, personal independence payment (Pip), as well as the health-related top-up for people on universal credit, Jones has been at the forefront of opposition. Last month, she was one of more than 100 celebrities and prominent disabled people who signed an open letter to the prime minister, calling the cuts 'inhumane'. She doesn't see any tension between being famous for comedy and taking a political stand. In fact, she thinks they go hand in hand. 'My hero is Billy Connolly. And I think the most intelligent people in the world aren't politicians – they're comedians, because we have the power to say something true and real and political and topical, but still make people laugh. It's disarming. It gets people's guard down. A lot of people say to me, 'You should be a politician.' And I say no, because I have too much fun making people laugh, but also because I fundamentally believe I can make more change and have more influence being a comedian – because people listen to me. And when they watch the sitcom or come to one of my gigs, they can say they had a great night but also, 'I've never thought before about what it's like to be a disabled person, or what it's like to be disabled under this government.' So I'm slowly chipping away. It's not hard to have politics in comedy. It's actually a no-brainer.' That's certainly true of her forthcoming standup tour, called I Can't Tell What She's Saying – a refrain Jones, who has a speech impediment, hears all the time. 'It's a reference to a lot of the haters I get online, who say they can't tell what I'm saying, quickly followed by, 'She's not funny.' I'm like, 'How do you know I'm not funny if you can't bloody tell what I'm saying?' So, like everything I do in life, it's me facing the haters full-on and saying, 'This is me. You can't hurt me. Stop your silly comments because I'm just going to keep doing a job that I adore.'' Politics also features in the show's content, which marries jokes about being single with jokes about being treated as a spokesperson for vast swathes of the population. ('Oh,' the press release cheerfully adds, 'and boobs.') 'It's about the struggles of trying to find love while navigating the weird world of TV and fame and success and power. It's also about the pressure of feeling the need to represent disabled people, even though I am a bit of an idiot. First and foremost, I want to make people laugh. There's so much bad stuff happening, if people give me their evening, I want to give them a giggle. But I do touch on politics and how disabled people are being affected right now. Being a disabled person with a platform means I have to talk about the bloody government. Of course I do.' It's not all politics though. 'As a good Yorkshire lady, my new show is about gravy!' she adds, speaking more seriously than at any other point in our interview. 'Because I love gravy. Cut me open and I'd bleed gravy.' These days, it's not only comedy keeping Jones busy. 'Sometimes,' she says, 'I feel a little bit overwhelmed by the fact that I'm a writer who writes books but who also writes sitcoms. I'm also a standup comedian, and an actor, and also a presenter. I'm also a founder and trustee of my own foundation.' The Rosie Jones Foundation was launched in April to 'empower lives and change minds so that no person living with cerebral palsy (CP) ever feels alone or unheard'. It aims to tackle the high prevalence of mental health issues among teenagers and adults with CP. A 2019 study found that 'the risk of depression was 44% higher and the risk of anxiety 55% higher' in adults with the condition than among their non-disabled peers. The foundation takes a multi-pronged approach. Firstly, it matches people seeking support with therapists who share and understand their experience of disability. For Jones, that 'common ground' between therapist and patient is key. Secondly, it provides spaces for disabled people and their families, who are often at risk from loneliness and isolation, to meet and share experiences (Jones will be holding meet-ups in her tour locations). Lastly, it curates workshops for young people with CP to learn skills and confidence, helping them access the social and financial benefits that come from work or volunteering. For Jones, it's all linked. 'Naturally, the cuts and the lack of funding for support right now take a toll on disabled people's mental health. That's what the foundation was set up to work on. Even though there isn't a direct connection between the sitcom, my standup and the foundation, it all plays into the same cause, of me just trying to make the world better and more welcoming for disabled people.' Jones emanates a sense of drive. It shines from her. Just before we say goodbye, she tells me something that seems to characterise everything she does. 'I'm a proud, passionate disabled woman,' she says. Her work makes sure we know it. Pushers begins on Channel 4 on 19 June. Rosie Jones's I Can't Tell What She's Saying tour begins in Taunton on 9 September.
National Post
4 days ago
- Automotive
- National Post
Former Canadian Auto Workers president Buzz Hargrove has died
TORONTO — Canada's largest private-sector union says former Canadian Auto Workers president Buzz Hargrove has died. Article content In a statement Sunday, Unifor says Basil 'Buzz' Hargrove was 'a beloved and iconic figure in Canada's labour movement' who 'was a tireless advocate for working people and a deeply respected leader.' Article content Article content Hargrove was national president of the CAW from 1992 until his retirement in 2008, shortly before he reached the union's mandatory retirement age of 65. Article content Article content The CAW merged with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union in 2013 to become Unifor. Article content Article content Born in Bath, N.B., in 1944, Hargrove grew up in a family of 10 children and began his working life on the shop floor of Chrysler's Windsor, Ont., assembly plant, Unifor says. Article content 'He never forgot where he came from — and he carried that working-class spirit with him into every boardroom, bargaining session and public forum,' said Unifor National President Lana Payne in the union's statement. 'His passion, his intellect, and his uncompromising belief in justice for working people shaped the labour movement we know today.' Article content Hargrove took over leadership of the CAW from Bob White, who led the union as it split from the U.S.-based United Auto Workers in 1985. Article content The Canadian union, which disagreed with the UAW's bargaining direction, negotiated some of the richest contracts for workers in Canada, and under Hargrove's leadership it expanded beyond the auto industry into other sectors, including airlines, mines and fisheries. Article content Article content Unifor said that Hargrove was 'a committed social unionist,' and pushed the CAW to fight for broader social justice issues including public health care, retirement security, equity, and fair trade. Article content Article content 'We owe him a debt of gratitude for everything he did to build a fairer Canada,' Payne added. Article content His later activities included over a year with the NHL Players' Association, working first on the union's advisory board and then as interim ombudsman. He also served as director of the Centre for Labour Management Relations at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. Article content
