America and Arizona needs economic justice now

Poverty in colonias, Pima County AZ

TUCSON -- With unemployment and foreclosures worsening again in Arizona, and home values still going down, the suffering of too many Arizonans is growing as this bad economy gets worse.

So far, the bailouts and stimuli seem focused on protecting only select big corporations and white-collar workers in banking and finance, not the majority of working people who are hurting, unemployed and losing their houses. Where is the help for working families?

The time for economic justice in Arizona and America is now!

There is some hope, on the federal level, that President-elect Barack Obama gets it and will do all he can to help, but that may not have big enough effects at the state and local level, where most people need and get essential government services.

As a working family man and State Representative-elect (D-district 29), I can relate. I am already working hard to respectfully build effective relationships across the aisle at the capitol, using my leadership and community experience to build bridges and have the best chance of solving problems and helping people. We must reward hard work, not just wealth, and ensure a better economic future for workers and local business.

But if Gov. Janet Napolitano leaves the office to Sec. of State Jan Brewer, there may be little to stop the extreme 'conservative' excesses of a careless majority in the Arizona legislature. I and others have good ideas to help our economy become more prosperous, diversified and sustainable, but it remains to be seen if we'll have any real chance to have our economic solutions seriously considered. At the state level we could be in for bleak couple of years for working people in Arizona, but I will never stop searching for common ground, nor will I stop working for positive change and economic justice.

Too many Arizonans are cold, hungry and bootless, and if you have no boots, you cannot pull yourself up by your bootstraps.