RICHARD CORDRAY FIGHTS FOR WORKING FAMILIES

By Richard Cordray

MAINTAIN FISCAL DISCIPLINE TO KEEP OUR ECONOMY STRONG. WORK FOR REAL LABOR LAW REFORM. ESTABLISH ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS TO GUARANTEE FAIR TRADE.

Richard Cordray believes that any budget surpluses in the near future should be used to pay down the national debt, with shoring up Social Security and Medicare as our first priority. The Republicans instead want to spend the entire surplus (and more) on a tax cut skewed to the wealthy, which would bloat the deficit and spur inflation. "We cannot risk our financial security for another gamble on discredited theories of supply-side economics," Richard Cordray says. "Our people work too hard to let the politicians throw away their future."

WORK FOR REAL LABOR LAW REFORM

Richard Cordray will propose real labor law reform to help working people for the first time in decades. These measures include an increase in the minimum wage, changes in labor rules to encourage efforts to organize individual employees into collective bargaining units, improvements in workplace safety laws, opposition to "company union" provisions, greater protections for employee pensions and stock options, and a ban on striker replacements. "The real strength of this country comes from the work done every day by millions of people to build this economy," Richard Cordray says. "We need real labor law reforms to narrow the divide between rich and poor, to prevent any hollowing out of the middle class that keeps America strong."

ESTABLISH ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS TO GUARANTEE FAIR TRADE

Richard Cordray understands that trade is important to prosperity, and he will work to establish enforcement mechanisms to guarantee a level playing field for American workers. We must insist that core labor standards be met by other countries that seek access to our markets, and that basic health, safety, and environmental standards be met so that trade does not undercut American workers. In every industry, illegal dumping of foreign goods must be dealt with aggressively.