AFSCME's own members strike back against AFSCME's misleading campaign mailer

[zulchzulu]

It looks like the AFSCME mailer, attributed to the continuing trend of dirty politics and Clintonian triangulation, is starting to backfire.

The controversy continues over those anti-Obama mailers paid for by Hillary-backing union AFSCME.

(snip)

... two AFSCME members -- Henry Beyer, the executive director of Illinois' AFSCME chapter, and Carter Woodruff, a former state treasurer of AFSCME in Iowa -- criticized the mailer on the grounds that AFSCME has had a long-held position against mandates for healthcare.

Beyer said he was "dismayed" to see the direct mail piece. "We've always opposed individual mandates. We were very concerned about the Massachusetts plan," he said referencing the health-care plan passed under Gov. Romney in Massachusetts, which required state residents to purchase health insurance.

Woodruff had harsh words for his international union, calling the mailer a "desperate attempt to attack" Obama and "hypocritical" considering the union's previous stances on mandates. He attributed the attack on Obama's gain in the polls. "Senator Obama has gained with Senator Clinton here in Iowa, and in some polls he was in the lead. Currently they are still neck and neck, and I think they are scared."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/21/530523.aspx

The Edwards campaign is not pleased with the Clintonian dirty politics either:

"Iowa caucus goers have been sent a direct mail advertisement that appears to be an attack on Senator Obama by John Edwards, but is actually produced and funded by an organization supporting Senator Clinton," read a statement from the former North Carolina senator's campaign.

Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, Iowa State Director for the Edwards Campaign, made the following statement: "There have been a lot of misleading tactics and tricks in the last few weeks, but we've just never seen anything like this before...It's fine to have an honest debate about policy, but Iowans deserve better than planted questions and campaign fliers designed to fool them."

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/12/20/the_attack_is_in_the_mail.html

I fully expect Hillary Clinton feign that she has no idea about any of this, much in the same way she lied about how she had no idea her campaign was planting questions in the crowd. Honesty is not a Clintonian trait, as has been proven too many times to count.

[babylonsister]

1. I've already read on DU it's AFSCME's campaign and has nothing to do

with Clinton. :eyes: Too bad their own members are pointing out that lie.

[TeamJordan23]

2. AFSCME's own president was against mandates in April. Flip Flop? Or playing politics? nm

[AtomicKitten]

3. I do believe that's a two-fer

[papau]

12. Mother Jones spin is not quite complete - AFSCME WANTS UNIVERSAL WITH % OF INCOME PAYMENT

AFSCME has never changed from wanting universal - and Obama's plan is not universal. AFSCME has had the following statement as its policy for over a year -".. will actively support campaigns to make health care universal and affordable and will make this issue a priority at the federal, state and local level"

Unfortunately there is no plan out there that is % of pay premiums, but the Mass plan subsidizes up to 3 times the poverty level giving free insurance and then reduced cost insurance.

The least expensive plan appears to be area rated with starting cost of zero, then at 150% of the Federal poverty level a cost of around $20 to $30 per month, ending for those above 3 times the poverty level with a cost that is between $322.87 and $350 (living in Worcester is $322.87 while living in Boston is $342.13). Better coverage is available at a higher cost but policies must meet state approval for value of coverage versus premium - meaning a massive cut in policy costs for individuals.

[madrchsod]

4. my wife has`t received anything from the the hillary camp

here in illinois but received a obama mailer last friday from the illinois afscme. i take it she`s not mailed anything in illinois members yet.

[Gman]

5. The Obama Pity Strategy continues

Looks like Obama figures he'll live or die politically with the Pity Strategy.

[Adelante]

7. You're really a bore with this repetition, repetition, repetition

Can you learn a new song for the new year?

[Gman]

8. Obama made pity an issue

I'm just making sure it doesn't get lost.

[Inuca]

11. No, he didn't

and calling you a bore is a polite understatement. And if it were only you... I cannot believe the level of petiness and silliness verging on idiocy of so many partisan comments around here lately. The primaries cannot be over soon enough!

[Gman]

13. This is tame and boring compared to the 04 Great DU Primary Gang Wars

where your avatar was your gang colors.

[Inuca]

16. That may be the case

I was not here back then. It does not make it better though, nor is it a justification.

Do YOU actually believe that Obama (not my first choice incidentally, not that it should matter) is playing the "pity" card? NOthing in what I saw or read seems to support such a claim. And even if you DO believe, why would you repeatedly throw that accusation in the middle of unrelated threads?

[zulchzulu]

9. The Hillary "Lie through your teeth" triangulation strategy continues

Nothing new... and nothing new about her candidacy either... unless you like re-runs of pathetic neo-Republicanism...

[Bitwit1234]

6. Only those in ILLINOIS WHO WANT THEIR AMERICAN IDOLER

candidate to be the nominaee....the other states all agree with the majority...but the bullshit from Illinois is still spewing out isn't it....

[Bodhi BloodWave]

10. Can you point out

what they said that is bullshit?

or is this just you disliking that they are pointing out the minor fact that the group have been against mandates for a fair while and now that they support Hillary they suddenly seem to be for it

[Omaha Steve]

14. I'm AFSCME, I'm Edwards all the way, have been since June

As for my local in a red right to work state. I know of several that live in Iowa. None of them are happy about the Senator Clinton endorsement. Only a few that live in Nebraska are happy about it.

[IndianaGreen]

15. "Honesty is not a Clintonian trait..."

George W. Bush can at least be excused on the grounds that he lives in a universe that exists inside his head. The same cannot be said about the Clintons. As David Geffen said, the problem with the Clintons is not that they lie, but that they do it with such ease.

[hayu_lol]

17. No direct links to Clinton for this mailer...

so just another bit of slap and tickle on the part of the Hillary-Haters who love to spin crap just as well as the Repugnants.

The union decided to send this out. Hillary had nothing to do with it. Apparently Union leaders are not happy about the mailer.