Auto bailout's death seen as a Republican blow at unions

[douglas9]

For some Senate Republicans, a vote against the bailout was a vote against the United Auto Workers, and against organized labor in general.
By Jim Puzzanghera

December 13, 2008

Reporting from Washington — The congressional push to help U.S. automakers was generally cast in terms of protecting the reeling national economy from another body blow -- the collapse of one or more of Detroit's Big Three.

But in killing the stopgap rescue plan worked out by President Bush and congressional Democrats, conservative Republicans -- many from right-to-work states across the South -- struck at an old enemy: organized labor.

"If the , which is perceived as one of the strongest unions in the country, can be put under control, that may send a message across the whole country," said Michigan State University professor Richard Block, a labor relations expert.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-gopunions13-2008dec13,0,3212606,print.story

[screembloodymurder]

1. Here's a solution they can get behind: Invade Michigan.

We need to invade Michigan and rebuild the state from the ground up. We will be greeted as liberators, we have clear supply lines, and we can easily rebuild the auto industry with the kind of money we spend on other countries we invade. Hell, our new Secretary of State, Hillary of Clinton, spent the better part of the past year fighting for the rights of average folks from Michigan, so think of the good will we have with the public. This is very doable. Just tell Congress we will give KBR no-bid contracts to fix Detroit.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=14583