During a public gathering in Arizona, well-known labor activist Dolores Huerta delivered a ringing endorsement for Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential race. She urged the attendees, including former companions, to contribute to the electoral process. However, evident from her speech, it appears as if time is running out. As she says, the sole way forward is unity and shared effort, a stance that begs the question whether these efforts are towards the right cause or not.
This event marks one of the first Harris campaign’s activities since she became the presumptive Democratic nominee. This is in the wake of Joe Biden stepping back from his reelection bid. Biden openly supported Harris against Trump, but it remains unclear whether it was a wise move. Irrespective of this, the Democrats seem to wholeheartedly follow Biden’s lead, revealing a somewhat blind allegiance.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Harris’ campaign manager, joined Huerta for a campaign event at the Southwest Carpenters Training Center. They also visited a Harris campaign office in the local area. Huerta’s support for Harris traces back to her foundation of the United Farm Workers Association alongside Chavez. Despite her long-standing support, it still makes one question the intention behind her support.
Huerta spoke ardently against Trump during her speech. She raised concerns about Trump’s plans of large-scale deportations, but failed to address the legitimate concerns about unchecked illegal immigration. She mentioned her desire for democracy over dictatorship, but it’s worth questioning if suppressing different viewpoints helps maintain democracy.
Huerta also expressed fear over what she calls a rise of fascism in the United States, an alarming and inappropriate comparison to Nazi Germany. Such fear-mongering merely intends to conflate issues and does little to provide balanced political discussions.
Huerta and Chavez also attempted to establish ties between the labor movement in the region and their campaign. They referred to their United Farm Workers Association’s co-founder Chavez’s birth in the same region. Yet, these attempts felt more as a means to win support rather than genuine solidarity.
Democrats believe that they need to appeal more to the working class in Arizona. Yet, their efforts seem rather contradictory when compared to the Trump campaign’s success in courting union leaders. One noteworthy instance is Teamsters President Sean O’Brien presenting at the Republican National Convention, an unprecedented move by an organization primarily viewed as Democrat supporters.
There were several events at the Harris rally aimed at appealing to Union members. However, the overall image which the Democratic party projects continues to be of skeptical support to public sector unions. Moreover, the discussion fails to consider conservatives’ concerns about the possible inefficiency and corruption such support could lead.
Interestingly, in Washington D.C., we’re witnessing a similar shift towards trade unions. Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly was considered a potential VP candidate for Harris. Yet, his apparent reluctance to support the PRO Act, a pro-union legislation, showed inconsistencies in their stance towards union rights.
Some argue that the Democratic party is painting itself into a corner by not supporting pro-union candidates explicitly. A Phoenix-based United Auto Workers trainee organizer, Ken Hamilton, suggested union members voting for anyone but Harris would be against their interests. Still, the suspicion against Democrats in union-heavy states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin is palpable and justifiable.
Despite the hesitations, the Harris campaign seems to be attracting relatively enthusiastic support from figures like Meredith Loucio, a New York resident visiting Phoenix. Loucio’s unquestioning loyalty to the Democrats further reflects the supporting base’s uncritical allegiance.
Carmen Walker, a self-proclaimed independent broker, echoed Loucio’s enthusiasm. She mentioned her worries regarding the state of democracy in the country and her apprehension about the election results. Her unexplained overnight shift from apprehensive to excited for the future after Harris’s ascension is perplexing.
While the Harris campaign supporters express their sleepless excitement since Biden stepped down to allow his VP to take the helm, one cannot help but ponder the unaddressed issues. It’s worthwhile to consider the Democrats’ eagerness to compete whilst ignoring these valid concerns, which could potentially cost them the election.