Republican Party Platform of 1956, LABOR

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

From the Republican Party Platform of 1956

Labor

Under the Republican Administration, as our country has prospered, so have its people. This is as it should be, for as President Eisenhower said: "Labor is the United States. The men and women, who with their minds, their hearts and hands, create the wealth that is shared in this country--they are America."

The Eisenhower Administration has brought to our people the highest employment, the highest wages and the highest standard of living ever enjoyed by any nation. Today there are nearly 67 million men and women at work in the United States, 4 million more than in 1952. Wages have increased substantially over the past 3 1/2 years; but, more important, the American wage earner today can buy more than ever before for himself and his family because his pay check has not been eaten away by rising taxes and soaring prices.

The record of performance of the Republican Administration on behalf of our working men and women goes still further.

The Federal minimum wage has been raised for more than 2 million workers.

Social Security has been extended to an additional 10 million workers and the benefits raised for 6 1/2 million.

The protection of unemployment insurance has been brought to 4 million additional workers. There have been increased workmen's compensation benefits for longshoremen and harbor workers, increased retirement benefits for railroad employees, and wage increases and improved welfare and pension plans for federal employees.

In addition, the Eisenhower Administration has enforced more vigorously and effectively than ever before, the laws which protect the working standards of our people.

Workers have benefited by the progress which has been made in carrying out the programs and principles set forth in the 1952 Republican platform.

All workers have gained and unions have grown in strength and responsibility, and have increased their membership by 2 millions.

Furthermore, the process of free collective bargaining has been strengthened by the insistence of this Administration that labor and management settle their differences at the bargaining table without the intervention of the Government.

This policy has brought to our country an unprecedented period of labor-management peace and understanding.

We applaud the effective, unhindered, collective bargaining which brought an early end to the 1956 steel strike, in contrast to the six months' upheaval, Presidential seizure of the steel industry and ultimate Supreme Court intervention under the last Democrat Administration.

The Eisenhower Administration will continue to fight for dynamic and progressive programs which, among other things, will:

Stimulate improved job safety of our workers, through assistance to the States, employees and employers;

Continue and further perfect its programs of assistance to the millions of workers with special employment problems, such as older workers, handicapped workers, members of minority groups, and migratory workers;

Strengthen and improve the Federal-State Employment Service and improve the effectiveness of the unemployment insurance system;

Protect by law, the assets of employee welfare and benefit plans so that workers who are the beneficiaries can be assured of their rightful benefits;

Assure equal pay for equal work regardless of Sex;

Federally-assisted construction, and maintain and continue the vigorous administration of the Federal prevailing minimum wage law for public supply contracts;

Extend the protection of the Federal minimum wage laws to as many more workers as is possible and practicable;

Continue to fight for the elimination of discrimination in employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry or sex;

Provide assistance to improve the economic conditions of areas faced with persistent and substantial unemployment;

Revise and improve the Taft-Hartley Act so as to protect more effectively the rights of labor unions, management, the individual worker, and the public.

The protection of the right of workers to organize into unions and to bargain collectively is the firm and permanent policy of the Eisenhower Administration.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/print.php?pid=25838

[RN Power Ohio]

Wow-What happened to change all that?

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

Grover Norquist et al....

[RN4MERCY]

A very interesting and rather amazing post, herring. It's almost hard to believe that any Republican ever showed much appreciation or support for labor, but then, I found this:

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln supported the workers' right to strike; and, in 1861, he said, "Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration."

What happened indeed! In 2000 we elected a President who has put corporate interests ahead of the people's interests. A whole sale dismantling of the 1956 platform has occurred under this son of a bush's Republican tenure.

And let's not forget that without our health, we're not able to enjoy the fruit of our labor. Are any of our liberties safe if we don't have our health? Healthcare is a right.

That's why we need Guaranteed Healthcare for All, based on the single-payer model. The majority of Americans believe we should have a tax-supported national health plan.

After all, the President, Vice President, and members of Congress are entitled to government supplied health care. What about the rest of us "laborers" ?

[Chico David, BSN, RN]

The Republican Party as we know it today was not the way it always was, at least not in it's attitude towards working people and things like healthcare. If one examines the historical record, you could make a very good case that Richard Nixon had a governing philosophy more liberal - more pro-worker, pro-environment, etc - than Bill Clinton. As one of the rare people who stayed awake and paid attention in history class, I am always reminded that Americans have a very short memory as a people.

[RN4MERCY]

The Republican Party as we know it today was not the way it always was, at least not in it's attitude towards working people and things like healthcare. If one examines the historical record, you could make a very good case that Richard Nixon had a governing philosophy more liberal - more pro-worker, pro-environment, etc - than Bill Clinton. As one of the rare people who stayed awake and paid attention in history class, I am always reminded that Americans have a very short memory as a people.

Agreed! And although I'm not getting any younger, I can remember back to 2000 when the supremes selected a self proclaimed pro-life president who cares more for oil and corporate interests than actually caring for people. How many men, women, and children have been left behind to die in the wake of the Iraq war, without access to medically necessary health care?

May 1, 2008 "Five years since Mission Accomplished!"

We can't afford a McCain presidency and his "100 year war." Talk about being out of step with the people on the subject of war, torture, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...our public health system, education system, clean air, water, and environment is suffering irreparable harm.

Let's bring our troops home to fight for HR 676, The National Healthcare Security Act.