Ronald Reagan, Champion of Organized Labor. Wait, What?

Presidential candidate, and former President of the Screen Writers’ Guild Ronald Reagan made a great speech sticking up for the working man on Labor Day at Liberty State Park, Jersey City, New Jersey September 1, 1980.

I happen to be the only president of a union ever to be a candidate for President of the United States.

As president of my union — the Screen Actors Guild — I spent many hours with the late George Meany[1], whose love of this country and whose belief in a strong defense against all totalitarians is one of labor’s greatest legacies. One year ago today on Labor Day George Meany told the American people:

As American workers and their families return from their summer vacations they face growing unemployment and inflation, a climate of economic anxiety and uncertainty.

Well I pledge to you in his memory that the voice of the American worker will once again be heeded in Washington and that the climate of fear that he spoke of will no longer threaten workers and their families.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is apparently a big Reagan fan[2]. I wonder if he knows about Reagan’s sordid past?

Kudos to my friend Cheryl for the link to Reagan’s speech