What has happened in America and it’s Labor Day?

What has happened in America and it’s Labor Day?

Labor Day was a time established for the working segment of our nation to stop for a day and reflect and enjoy what they have accomplished.  People labor to endow their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.  They have always seen that their accomplishment has transmitted into a better life for them.  The question and endearing issue that the people who labor today want answered is that are they as inspired and appreciated as those of the first Labor Day?

Let’s look at a little history.  The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed into law the Labor Day holiday to be recognized on the first Monday of September.  The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations", followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the civil significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the Labor movement.
The holiday often marks the return to school, although school starting times now vary.
As time went on and Labor relations were handled by various organizations the workers of America worked hard to have what is theirs especially the right to have private property.  Those workers saw that if they worked and paid for something that it was theirs and if anyone tried to take it then a fight was to ensue.  If a hard working American only had a two room home it was their home.  Thus, the term “Home Sweet Home.”  But ominous clouds were on the horizon.
In 1909, the U.S. Congress created the Modern Era Income Tax which was ratified as the 16th Amendment in 1913 and implemented beginning in 1914.  A previous income tax was implemented in 1861 to pay for the Union war efforts during the Civil War.  This tax was continued even up till 1894 when it was repealed.  The new income tax of 1914 began taking money that many of the workers needed badly to survive.  Many of these workers were in factories making as little as 50 cents a week and up to one dollar a week.  a one percent income tax took valuable money from the workers pockets.  But many workers saw this as a way for government to have more control over their lives.  Some also saw the war clouds looming in Europe and wondered how long it would be before the United States would be involved.
That answer came in 1917 as the United States entered into the War in Europe against Germany and would become known as the great World War, “The war to end all wars.”  Many workers at home worked double shifts to turn out war materials.  This effort brought more money to the workers, but also more taxes.  And in time this would take more from their pockets to keep them from having the dream of a owning their own home.
After the War was over, the American soldier returned home to find what jobs they had before leaving for the war were already taken by those here at home.  These soldiers felt they had been deprived and marched on Washington, D.C.  and were despersed by the U.S. Army from the grounds of the White House and other areas.  Several were killed in the event.  The “Bonus Army” was the beginning of the end of a time of rennasance in America.  The Roaring Twenties went into the complete collapse of the economic system with the Stock Market Crash of 1929.  America was headed for a deep dark Depression.  And other horrors were to come.  With the workers of America having to work for much less money if they could find a job at all were struggling to survive and feed their families.  Then Franklin Roosevelt became President under the idea of the New Deal.  Socialism was coming to America under the guise of Democracy.  During this time, America suffered the Dust Bowl years when the land of the farm belt of the mid west and west turned to dust and great clouds of nasty dust killed many and even settled as far east as Washington, D.C.
During these years, President Roosevelt created jobs by the government to create an infrastructure for America under the CCC camps.  Then he devised the Social Security Tax Bill where a worker would be able to have an income based on what he paid in taxes to the system.  And during this time the workers were struggling to keep what homes they had and to retain their private property rights.
Then came the great World War II just 20 years after the first World War.  A mad man named Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany with dreams of conquering the world and he did conquer most of Europe, part of the Soviet Union, the Balkan States, into the Aegean Sea Area and North Africa.  With the alliance with Italy and then with Japan who held most of the Pacific region after their attacks and movements of December 7, 1941.  The workers of America once again went into over drive and created a mechanized force of land equipment and ships like no other has seen in history before.  After the victory of the Allies in 1945 over Germany, Italy and Japan, the workers of America remained strong and saw a time of great growth for not only themselves, but the nation as well.
From 1947 till 1965, the American worker saw a time when they could work and have a home and all that is entitled to it.  A time when they would see happiness with families and friends and a time with some money in the pocket.  Food, Gas and the prices of homes were in reach for about everyone.
Then changes in 1965 in America would start to see a downward trend.  The government began taxing for Medicare and for other areas of keeping us under their collective thumb.  Taxes began to increase on everyone.  Civil Rights marches erupted into violence and a war in Southeast Asia was taking the lives of our young men.  Then the early 1970’s came.  People were still happy in their homes trying to push themselves to that knowledge that they were private property owners and the government had no right to interfere with them.  But a complacency had developed in the time from the 1980’s to the late 1990’s.
Americans were working and being taxed more and more and the people were becoming more and more dependent upon the government for housing, food, electricity, water, transportation, medical care, and even more.  Thus, the worker was being taxed even more so as to make it harder to balance the budget.  President Reagan had the right ideas, but no one in Congress listened.  But as the century ended the workers were still able to have a few dollars in the pocket and they just didn’t realize all that was about to change.
After George W. Bush became President in January 2001, he spoke about the recession America was in.  Then companies began laying people off, moving off shore, and just closing shop forever.  Then on September 11th America was attacked on its shores for the first time since the War of 1812 by an outside force.  America was at war with terror.  A war with an enemy with no face.  Thus we saw more and more changes in America.  The subtle days of the previous 40 years were dead.  This time period began showing how the government would enter our lives even more.
The government would not want to stop until they are seeking complete dominance over the workers of America and their families.  It is happening nationwide even after the collapse of the economy after 2008 and the election of Barrack Obama as President.  If you owned land and property the government feels that it is not private any longer.  This is happening across America and it is a frightening trend for those workers who have worked to have something in their lives.  For example a man named Eustace Conway of Watauga County, North Carolina worked to have a large area of land in the mountainous area. Here on his property he has cut the trees and milled the wood for his home and buildings.  He has gone far and above any code created by the local government.  Now after he has been on this land for over 20 years creating a haven for people to come and learn how to become self  sufficient without government aid he has come under attack.  A developer wants his property to develop a resort area.  Mr. Conway does not want to sell.  So, an anonymous letter with photo’s goes to the Watauga County Code Department.  They contact Mr. Conway to set up a visit to inspect his home and land.  They descend on his home and land in a small invasion.  They start telling him that nothing he has is up to code and he even must put water, electricity and a sprinkler system in his dog house.  They told him that a piece of tin constituted an illegal structure over his firewood.  One inspector was appalled to see that his home rested on stone pillars instead of a foundation.  Mr. Conway explained that his home is no different than George Washington’s home, Thomas Jefferson’s home or even the White House who all site on stone piers.  Mr. Conway called a North Carolina State Inspector to come and inspect his home and he said that his home meets and exceeds any codes of this county.  During an interview with the county code enforcement, the reporter was told quote, “the county doesn’t recognize a person’s right to private property.”  Yes folks you heard it correctly and it shocked me as well that our government has come so far as to want to control everything about your life and that you are no more than part of a machine they want to see continue running to their benefit not yours.  When it comes down to the fact that you must have a drainfield for a water hose then this country is not only sick it is on life support and the plug is half way out.
It is hard for a worker to go out and labor when most of his fruits are taxed and he receives little at the end of the day.  Labor Day has a more dark appearance to it.  The government has created an air of entitlement.  Those who have want more and those who work get less.  The late great United States is happening and there are blogs who promote it daily with their blinded ignorance under the guise of its for you.  Guess what its for the coffers of the elite and the pockets of the workers have so many holes its pathetic.  They walk and leave money to this one and that one.  Everywhere you go it is in the air.  The stench of unbridled greed for some and poverty for others.  And they are all under the thumb of a big brother in Washington, D.C.  It doesn’t matter what nationality or color the person is who is in power they become enthralled by the lights, the camera and the money.  And the humble worker who tries to provide a roof for the family, food for the table and a doctor for the sick child see all their money go to a bottomless pit.  And then they are told they can’t have private property any more.  When are the sleeping giants of this land going to awaken or are they just going to be euthanized in their sleep.  Think about it as you watch your children play on Labor Day.
The Staff of the Henry County Community News