Democratic National Convention

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“Let Detroit Go Bankrupt,” ex-Ohio Gov Ted Strickland said at the Democratic National Convention, quoting Mitt Romney in an Op-Ed piece Romney wrote about Michigan in 2009. “Not on my watch” Strickland said, quoting President Obama.

“It is time for Democrats to grow a backbone and stand up for President Obama,” Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said.  To Mitt Romney workers are numbers on a spreadsheet. To President Obama workers are human beings, said Gov. Patrick.

Tuesday night Democratic leaders at our convention proudly called the Affordable Care Act “Obamacare” claiming the victory of healthcare reform.

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said just because Mitt Romney invests in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands doesn’t mean we Democrats will sell out America.

There was power and passion at the Democratic Convention Tuesday night. Unlike the Republicans, the diversity at the podium reflected the diversity of the convention crowd and the diversity of America. Anyone who doubts that Obama supporters will not have enough enthusiasm are having their minds changed this week.

The keynote speech was Michelle Obama. The first lady talked about fundamental human values learned in their families from a father with MS who worked in the water department of the City of Chicago, from a single mother who struggled financially. It is an argument Democrats haven’t pursued enough, the values that motivate us, that provide the foundation of our politics. Michelle Obama made the case for fundamental human values. “That is the story of this country, the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle,” Michelle said.

This Thursday morning MSNBC host Joe Scarborough said this Democratic Convention has been a “hard left” convention. I’m not sure what hard left means, but certainly this convention has made the case that Wall St, the banks, and the Financial Elite are gonna have to do their share to fix our economy.

From fair taxes for the wealthy to rebates to consumers from heath insurance companies and healthcare for all and financial and banking re-regulation this Obama Democratic Party has not backed down a bit from our agenda. The message at the Democratic National Convention has laid a strong foundation for the rest of this campaign.

The contrast between the radical Rightwing Republican Party and Republican National Convention last week and the diverse progressive fair-minded Democratic Convention this week could not be more sharp.

This election will set the country on a clear path into the future.

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Stewart Acuff is America’s best-known and foremost labor organizer. He is the former organizing Director of the AFL-CIO. Acuff has also written two books: Playing Bigger Than You Are: A Life in Organizing, and Getting America Back to Work, coauthored by Dr. Richard Levins.