Laura Flanders: "You could choke on the irony in Charlotte this Labor Day." (with video)

Truthout with video from GRITtv:

You could choke on the irony in Charlotte this Labor Day. The United States' faux labor holiday falls on day one of the Democratic National Convention. While the Democrats will no doubt tip their hat to working people and imbibe a beer or two on labor's campaign tab, the ragged edge of organized labor's relationship with the Democratic Party will be on painful display. After all, it's supposed to be a holiday. Will Barack Obama win this November? Probably. In 2008, the unions spent at least $300 million to elect him president. As will be obvious in Charlotte, they're likely to spend even more this year. The Democrats are up against far bigger spenders - men like Sheldon Adelson and the brothers Koch - but it's hard to believe the GOP bankrollers will ultimately hoodwink enough of the American electorate to win, while Republican extremism, on everything from women to wages, gives moderate voters every reason to be rattled by Romney and Ryan. What's harder to see is how working Americans actually benefit from the situation that will likely squeak Obama back into the White House. MORE...