WOW! Jessie Jackson takes on Bush Confederacy Ideology

Jesse Jackson Says GOP Pushing 'Ideology of the Confederacy'
By Marc Morano
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
June 30, 2004

Chicago (CNSNews.com) - Jesse Jackson accused the Republican Party, conservatives and the retailer Wal-Mart of attempting to "push the ideology of the Confederacy" in America.

Jackson made the comments in several speeches he delivered during his 33rd annual Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Conference in Chicago.

"The ideological right in control of our nation knows what it wants," Jackson said. "The right wing fights for a series of constitutional amendments. They intend to have their ideology protected by law. They intend to push the ideology of the Confederacy and continue to challenge the vision of the Union," Jackson told conference delegates on Monday.

"In this competing vision of America, we choose the Union over the Confederacy. We chose a simple but comprehensive plan to make America a more perfect union," Jackson added.

On Tuesday, Jackson applied the Confederate label to the Bush administration's economic policies and to the retail giant Wal-Mart.

Jackson called Wal-Mart the "symbol" of the "whole ideological right-wing Confederate movement" at a conference workshop entitled, "The Wal-Mart Factor: Dumbing Down the American Economy."

Jackson urged President Bush to allow Wal-Mart employees to leave the "Confederate" policies behind. "George, join the union. Allow them (Wal-Mart employees) to organize," Jackson said.

'I didn't hear that'

Jackson made the Confederacy remarks from the podium he shared with U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.)

But when CNSNews.com asked Gephardt if he felt comfortable with Jackson's comparison of Wal-Mart, the GOP and conservatives to the now-defunct Southern Confederacy, Gephardt said he didn't hear Jackson make the statements.

"I didn't hear that. I didn't hear that. I think we were talking about these issues," Gephardt responded.

Gephardt issued a warning about Wal-Mart's impact on the American and global economy.

"The whole idea that low wages and bringing in low-price products from other countries and denying people health care is a good thing -- it's not a good thing," he said. "Low wages lead to not having enough consumers to buy the products at whatever price," Gephardt said of the nonunion company.

Wal-Mart is currently the target of the largest, private civil-rights lawsuit in U.S. history. The class-action suit, which may include up to 1.6 million current and former female employees, accuses the retailer of sex discrimination.

When CNSNews.com asked if Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer, could be credited with any positive economic impacts, Gephardt declined to list any.

'Blind obsession'

At the conference, Jackson chided conservatives for supporting gun rights in America.

"They have a blind obsession with the Second Amendment, and the NRA wants to remove the ban on assault weapons/AK 47s and Uzis in September, during a time of national security alert," Jackson said.

Kerry 'making dreams real'

Democrat John F. Kerry, the presidential contender, addressed Jackson's conference on Tuesday, calling the 2004 presidential race "the most important election of our lifetime."

"I am running for president to make America's dreams real again," Kerry told the predominately black audience.

Kerry outlined his plans for education, health care, poverty and trade policy during his nearly hour-long speech to the Rainbow/Push members.

"I have a plan to put and to keep good paying jobs in the heart of our economy," Kerry said.

'More homeless'

Kerry criticized the Bush administration for its economic policies.

"The spread between the haves and have-nots is getting bigger. There are more working poor in shelters today, there are more working poor, there are more homeless," he said.

Kerry outlined his education plan, stating, "We have to move forward toward the day when four years of college is as universal, as affordable as a high school education is today."

He said as president, he would "help keep college costs down by making a new deal for the states." That plan involves paying the states in exchange for tuition caps at state universities.

Kerry received some of his biggest applause for his comments on health care policy.

"We are the only industrial nation in the world that doesn't yet understand health care is not a privilege for the wealthy or the elected or the connected. It is a right for all Americans," he said.

Kerry also said he would simplify the tax policy.

"Our tax code has gone from 14 pages to 17,000 pages. Let me ask you, any of you got your own page? Exxon's got its own page, Enron's got its own page. Halliburton's probably got its own chapter, ladies and gentleman," he said to laughter.

Kerry said America must do better for its returning military veterans.

"We are going to make sure that they come home, men and women, black, white, brown, yellow, all of them. When they come home, they are coming home to America that they can be proud of, with good education, with affordable health care, with the doors of opportunity open to them," he said.

'Grips of special interests'

Kerry shared the stage with union leaders John Wilhelm, the president of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees (HERE), and John Coli, President of Teamsters Joint Council 25 of Chicago. A conservative legal policy group criticized Kerry for appearing with what it describes as two "controversial union bosses."

"Kerry is making a mistake in appearing on the same stage with [Wilhelm & Coli]," said Peter Flaherty, president of the National Legal and Policy Center. (NLPC)

'[Wilhelm & Coli] are associated with unions having long histories of corruption," according to NLPC.

Flaherty warned that "Wilhelm and Coli do not represent working people. Most union members are disgusted by all the high living and corruption," he said.

"For Kerry to come to Chicago to pay fealty to corrupt unions and Jesse Jackson at the same time does little to change the image that his campaign is in the grips of special interest groups," he added.