Now is the summer of our discontent, with apologies to Shakespeare. The weeks from now to Election Day will be fraught with grave worries and troublesome news. The political roller coaster this year is sure to have more dramatic ups and downs than a typical election year. Every presidential election seems like the most important in history, and I guess at that moment each one was. But the results of this year’s election will have greater consequences, and the Republican campaign is already defying norms of truth and integrity in the public forum.
But while others may wallow in a “woe is me” attitude, we as union members can refresh our optimism and bring others along with us by staying engaged in the political arena. We learned back in the days of the first community school board elections that we have a choice: We can remain on the sidelines and let the bad guys make the decisions, or we can enter the political fray, enlist our friends and allies in the battle and forge victories.
You may say that those school board elections were small, well-defined campaigns with tangible goals and targets. Well, we each can take bite-sized actions that build exponentially when done in great numbers.
Think of the issues at hand in this year’s race for president. Do you know someone who depends on Social Security? The program is in better fiscal shape under President Joe Biden’s stewardship. Its future is worth discussing with friends and fighting for. Upset with the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decisions? Spread the word that the president and the makeup of the U.S. Senate will determine future court appointees. Know someone with diabetes? Talk about the Biden administration’s unprecedented success in lowering pharmaceutical prices by beating back Big Pharma. Roads, schools and other infrastructure projects are being created due to legislation supported by the president. Through smart regulatory action, the president is fighting climate change and making our environment safer. Inflation is under control, and the economy is as strong as ever.
New York Sen. Patrick Moynihan used to say, “You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.” His gold standard of truth in political discussion has blown away with the amoral wind of our times. Americans once generally agreed on basic facts, and the debate was about what to do about them. Democrats and Republicans offered different policy solutions, and voters made choices. Now one side is the keeper of the truth and the other side is evil. What to do?
The Retired Teachers Chapter offers a way forward. We UFT retirees devoted our careers to building the social contract based on truth and civility. What we do and say counts for a lot. People listen to us.
We are also the “UFT’s daytime army” — the title bestowed on us by UFT President Michael Mulgrew. What comes first to mind is phone banking. While the traditional form of phone banking continues, technology enables members to make calls from home on their own phones at times convenient for them. With the click of a mouse, we can now send emails en masse to elected officials, too. Participating in rallies and volunteering for political campaigns also are fun options.
The point is that we are not powerless. Through our actions and interactions, we can have a positive impact on the world at large. Even the discontent of a campaign summer can be made into a glorious electoral triumph in November if we work to make it happen.