This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
Gerald Horne: Well, it's not only that, but I think if labor leaders had been closer to the Obama administration than they thought they were, they would have pushed harder for labor law reform, because if there had been significant labor law reform, this would have empowered the working class itself to push for more social democratic measures.
Paul: Well, Obama promised them the Employee Free Choice Act, and I interviewed the guy who's head of the AFL-CIO at the time, who said he would eat his shoe if Obama did not pass the Employee Free Choice Act, which would have allowed unions to organize more easily.
Paul: And of course, they didn't even put it up for a vote in Congress.
Gerald Horne: Well, once again, one of the points I would like to stress today is the interrelationship between foreign and domestic policy. I mean, for example, going back to the Clinton years, one of the signature aspects of the Clinton administration was the Great Push to admit China to the World Trade Organization. This was part of a larger foreign policy scheme, that is to say that this was part of the payoff that China got for embarking on this anti-Soviet path, beginning in the 1970s.
Gerald Horne: Those at the top of the US political system did not recognize that China would not be satisfied with being a chief labor force forevermore and they would develop their economy to the point where it's in the passing lane. And it's interesting, as we mentioned before, that part of the gospel of Steve Bannon right now, the major ultra-rightist force in the States today, is not only pushing for these sort of alt-right, right-wing populist programs and politicians, but also this Holy Crusade against China, which it seems to me is a direct outgrowth of events that were beginning in the Clinton years, that is to say, China as the juggernaut, and which if not checked, that is to say, if Bannon is not checked, he's going to lead the entire planet into disaster.
Paul: Thanks for joining us, Gerald.
Gerald Horne: Thank you for inviting me.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
