Calgary The Next Congress Must Make The Poor People's Agenda Its Agenda | HuffPost Opinion Archive - Action.News ABC Action News WestNet-HD Weather Traffic

Last month, McDonalds executives looked out the windows of their $250 million Chicago headquarters and saw an African-American minister from North Carolina and an openly gay female labor leader from Michigan standing with thousands of fast-food workers from all walks of life .

All we asked for that day was a livable, $15-an-hour wage and the opportunity to form a union. Executives responded by calling the police and having 54 of us arrested for trespassing .

Honored to stand w/ the #Fightfor15 in Chicago today. Before this campaign fails well all go down to jail b/c everybodys got a right to live! #PoorPeoplesCampaign pic.twitter.com/wms1AsSZJt

Rev. Dr. Barber (@RevDrBarber) October 4, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Rev. Dr. Barber","author_url":"https://twitter.com/RevDrBarber","cache_age":86400,"description":"Honored to stand w/ the #Fightfor15 in Chicago today. Before this campaign fails well all go down to jail b/c everybodys got a right to live! #PoorPeoplesCampaign pic.twitter.com/wms1AsSZJt Rev. Dr. Barber (@RevDrBarber) October 4, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1364,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DosokDBUwAAGd2I.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":2048,"title":"Rev. Dr. Barber on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/RevDrBarber/status/1047975946836484096","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5bfdae14e4b0f03cd030c489","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/opinion-congress-poor-people-agenda_n_5bfdae14e4b0f03cd030c489","entryTagsList":"democratic-party,congress,progressives,poor-peoples-campaign,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"opinion-archive","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"black-voices,impact,business,politics,us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.opinion-archive","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":6},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5bfdae14e4b0f03cd030c489","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Democratic Party","slug":"democratic-party","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/democratic-party","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-party","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-party"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Democratic Party","slug":"democratic-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/democratic-party"},{"name":"Congress","slug":"congress","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/congress","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/congress","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/congress"},"relegenceSubjectId":978813,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"U.S. Congress","slug":"us-congress","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/us-congress"},{"name":"progressives","slug":"progressives","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/progressives","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/progressives","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/progressives"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Progressives","slug":"progressives","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/progressives"},{"name":"Poor People's Campaign","slug":"poor-peoples-campaign","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/poor-peoples-campaign","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/poor-peoples-campaign","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/poor-peoples-campaign"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/poor-peoples-campaign"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Honored to stand w/ the #Fightfor15 in Chicago today. Before this campaign fails well all go down to jail b/c everybodys got a right to live! #PoorPeoplesCampaign pic.twitter.com/wms1AsSZJt
Rev. Dr. Barber (@RevDrBarber) October 4, 2018

Since our nations founding, the privileged and powerful have systematically pitted poor people against one another, using race to divide us. Theyve done so in hopes of avoiding scenarios like the one at the McDonalds headquarters, in which people unite and fight as one.

Now were seeing an even bigger challenge to the powerful few than the solidarity we shared on the picket line that day. It took place this month on Election Day, when people of all races, creeds and colors decided not to sit out these midterms.

People turned out in record numbers in support of a bold, progressive agenda that includes affordable health care for all, at least $15 an hour in wages and the opportunity to join a union, no matter where you work, along with voting rights and dignity and respect for immigrants. As a result, 39 House seats (and counting) and seven governorships flipped from red to blue.

The Democrats soon taking power must show a commitment to the voters who elected them by swiftly passing ambitious legislation to begin fixing our rigged economy and democracy. To do that, leaders in the 116th Congress will need courage, resilience and a finely tuned moral compass more than bipartisan dealmaking or shrewd political skill. Its time for elected officials to allow everyday Americans not wealthy donors and big corporations to define whats possible in our society.

That means Democrats must take immediate action to raise the national minimum wage to $15 per hour, protect and expand access to affordable health care, give more working people union-forming abilities, create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, restore the Voting Rights Act and protect equitable access to the ballot for all.

Login