Labor Unions Regroup After Being Stunned by Losses Under Obama, Democrats

[Better Believe It]

Unions Regroup After Stunned by Losses Under Obama, Democrats
By Holly Rosenkrantz
March 1, 2010


As they meet in Orlando, Florida, this week to plan their 2010 political campaign, union leaders are reeling from a succession of defeats they never expected after helping President Barack Obama and the Democrats win elections in 2008.

The union-organizing bill known as card-check, labor’s top priority a year ago, has stalled. Obama ignored union pleas to use his executive powers to appoint a National Labor Relations Board nominee blocked by Republicans. Senate Democrats such as Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas haven’t supported some union goals.

“The labor movement is at a crossroads, and it has to rethink its political strategy,” said Amy Dean, a former labor official who is co-author of “A New New Deal,” a book about reshaping the labor movement. “The conversations that we are having at our kitchen tables and our living rooms that express our disappointment with this administration are very similar to the conversations that we had under the Bush administration.”

Unions spent a record $450 million helping elect Democrats to Congress and the White House in 2008. With a mixed record of success going into the mid-term 2010 congressional elections, they are wondering what to do now.

Some of labor’s frustration is turning toward Obama. Earlier this month, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement that union members were calling the White House and “demanding” -- to no avail, as it turned out -- that Obama appoint Becker during the February congressional recess.

Dean, the author, said Obama never mentioned labor unions or collective bargaining in his State of the Union address in January.
“I am not convinced that the president sees the labor movement as an important part of his governing coalition, and even his electoral coalition,” Dean said.

Read the full article at:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-01/unions-regroup-after-stunned-by-losses-under-obama-democrats.html

[Brickbat]

1. I say, withhold all endorsements, PAC money, and volunteers for a cycle.

It's pretty clear where we stand under this administration -- time to punish.

[Donnachaidh]

4. withhold the VOTES as well

See who the WH is endorsing for November elections and find an alternate. Send a message that he'd better smarten the *f* up and LISTEN.

[rapturedbyrobots]

70. punish!?!?!

hahahaha.

they are NOT scared.

the dems work for the financial industry. they've been working hard to get finance money for 15 years now. and now they can finally break free of the unions. the next 3 years will be the official divorce... and guess who's getting the house. the white house.

[dotymed]

88. As a Union member

and former political "get the vote out" volunteer, I know that Unions are the "people on the ground" at election time. IMO, we desperately need a Progressive Party, with a progressive jobs platform, to replace the Democratic machine we now sleep with. I have not seen so poor a Union job market since Ray-gun. Previously, we could usually count on many Democrats to support Labor. Now, it is all corporate. That means they stand with management, not with workers...

[greymattermom]

92. on the ground now

Working America is canvassing for workers issues in Ohio every day. Not just at election time, but now too.

[olegramps]

109. It is time to form a Workers Party using the unions are a catalyst.

Screw the Republicans and Democrats. The have both sold out to the corporations. Form a party that is solely dedicated to worker's welfare and elect members to congress that will fight against out-sourcing, tax the rich and seize the billions they have stolen from the working class.

[d.gibbs]

2. "Obama ignored union pleas"

very important phrase there!

[Brickbat]

8. We shouldn't be pleading, IMO. We need to demand and we need to act.

[MannyGoldstein]

93. We Need To Double Up on The Strategy Rahm Calls "Fucking Retarded"

and actively attack DINOs like Obama.

Look at it this way - Rahm has never been successful at anything except sodomizing the working class and shoveling shekels into his own pocket, so if he says it's "fucking retarded", it must have great potential.

[Enthusiast]

96. Sounds like a strategy to me. nt

[Enthusiast]

95. A one termer does not care.

This was part of the plan going in. IMHO.

[bvar22]

36. Obam ignores pleas from a vast majority of Americans:

* Would you favor or oppose the national government offering everyone the choice of a government administered health insurance plan — something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get — that would compete with private health insurance plans?

Favor 82%

Oppose 14%

Not Sure 4%
http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2010010320/poll-shouts-message-massachusetts-voters-were-sending

ANYONE who still believes that Obama is working for US (Americans who Work for a Living) is willfully blind.
Brand Obama/"Hope & Change" was a very successful Corporate Marketing Scam.

The American Working/Middle Class is well and truly fucked.
"THEY" (Centrist Democrats/Republicans) are going to TAKE IT ALL.

[roguevalley]

37. Obama's too busy being bipartisan, which is another way of saying

I'm a republican, peasant. Teachers, unions, the foot soldiers. He truly believes we "have no place else to go". We do. We can go home and stay there.

[Name removed]

75. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Sherman A1]

87. That is my plan

I will either stay home or vote for only the people that I find to support "family values" as I define them (living wages, single payer health insurance, pensions, workplace safety, EFCA and alike)


I will not be giving any money or time to the democratic party.

[dotymed]

89. I wish we could get

Bernie and Grayson (I love Dennis, but the media has tainted him) to run on a national 3rd party ticket. (Progressive).

[bbgrunt]

3. in fact he is encouraging union busting--viz his stance

on education.

[Blue_Tires]

5. That headline makes the baby Jesus cry...

What editor signed off on that shit?

[Better Believe It]

7. The headline is 100% accurate. If you read the article you'll understand why it is accurate.

Is the labor movement stunned? Yes.

Has the labor movement suffered loses Yes.

Has this happened under Democrat control of Congress and the White House? Yes.

So tell us, what is this headline a piece of shit?

[Blue_Tires]

11. I was talking about

grammar and readability :think:

"Unions Regroup After Stunned by Losses Under Obama, Democrats"

[Zomby Woof]

17. You are...

...a true example of a PMES Language Arts student. :D :thumbsup:

[Blue_Tires]

112. Cheers, mate

:hi:

[Better Believe It]

20. OK I agree.

[Echo In Light]

6. K&R

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. What would happen if all of a sudden the unions abandoned the

Dems and gave ALL their support to Greens?

Hundreds of currently marginal progressive candidates getting HUGE infusions of cash for their campaigns.

Would that make a progressive third party actually viable?

[Better Believe It]

10. Well, most liberal organizations would probably follow the labor movement

That's my best guess but it's unlikely this is on labor's political agenda .... at least not for now.

However, If the living standards of working class people and the professional middle class continue to erode that could happen in the future.

[juajen]

73. How much more could they erode? What the hell is wrong with now? nT

[zipplewrath]

103. Maybe in Michigan

I was thinking of something similar. I wonder if the unions focused on Michigan for an election cycle, and basically started their own party (possibly co-opting some existing party) and put forth a few progressive candidates for state and federal office, could they get some attention?

A bit like you say, put their money and organizational power behind a solid congressional candidate, preferably against a sitting republican and get a guy elected on basically a pro-labor, working class agenda. It would suck the air right out of the DLC. The democrats would either have to shift left or be in danger of losing their left and having to go compete with the GOP for the right of center vote. Michigan just might be the right state if they could find the right guy.

[amborin]

12. K&R

[Tailormyst]

13. I am not union- but I will stand with the unions.

[Better Believe It]

21. And the unions should stand up and fight for ALL working class and middle class people.

[Tailormyst]

25. Yes!

[Tailormyst]

30. And I was just told that Obama is the bestest, most pro-union president EVER!

[whathehell]

60. Ditto....The Union did a lot for my family...and millions of Americans.

[tom_paine]

14. The Corporations rule this Inverted Totalitarianism almost completely

That's the bottom line, although anyone with eyes can see that the Republicans (Authoritarians/Neocons) are the FISTS of this New World Order, and the Democrats (1985 Republicans/Neolibs, with damned few exceptions) are the shield.

Or to put it another way, the Democrats let a few crumbs (pointless crumbs that do not disturb Corporate rule or Inverted Totalitarianism) drop off the table.

Or to put it ANOTHER way, Democratic "rule" is the tiny bit of rest we get between economy-destroying Bushism Vampire Bites.

Have you noticed the intervals our Corporate Aristocracy are allowing us are very rapidly getting smaller and smaller? Something very bad must be coming because they are moving so fast now to secure their ill-gotten gains and against any actual freedom movements in our Empire.

Teabaggers and Oath Keepers. The Brownshirts and Camp Guards of the future.

[Lorien]

76. Well put and frighteningly spot on. nt

[blindpig]

15. It would be the best thing to happen to unions in 50 years.

Labor needs it's own party, a working class party, the relationship with the Democratic Party has been abusive for decades.

k&r

[Starry Messenger]

29. Yep.

Obviously the goals diverge wildly at this point.

[gulfcoastliberal]

16. Union YES! DLC manchurian repubes - NO!!!!!! k/r

The dlc & repukes can't wait to impose more & more fascism. Most recent examples: Obama demanding "patriot" act renewal & congressional dems removing language prohibiting torture.

[Individualist]

26. +1

[Vincardog]

39. What can WE do to stop the FASCISTS in BOTH parties? I did not expect BO to be a progressive but not

expect him to be as wrong as aWoL on all policy.

[Eyerish]

18. K&R

I Support Our Unions...

[mitchtv]

19. Shame on the Dems

I will only support individual candidates any more( Union si)

[diane in sf]

22. Time for the unions to jon Act Blue etc. and work for real progressives

[2Design]

24. Dean supported obama and got us to donate when he was coming up

and was unknown - that did nor work out for dean and it looks like it did not work out for us either

[blindpig]

31. I think unions would be better off 'acting red'.

[Bluebear]

23. 'Obama ignored union pleas'

[inna]

27. KR for the unions.

“The labor movement is at a crossroads, and it has to rethink its political strategy,” said Amy Dean, a former labor official who is co-author of “A New New Deal,” a book about reshaping the labor movement. “The conversations that we are having at our kitchen tables and our living rooms that express our disappointment with this administration are very similar to the conversations that we had under the Bush administration.”

[Better Believe It]

28. Appraising Obama Alliance, Labor Leaders Push for Jobs

Appraising Obama Alliance, Labor Leaders Push for Jobs
By David Moberg
March 2, 2010

ORLANDO, FLA.—In the squat, spartan Painters union hall in Orlando, decorated with bright red and yellow signs saying “Jobs Is Job Number One,” workers and students described lay-offs, reduced hours, long job searches, separations from children, foreclosed homes, and dim prospects for anything but dead-end retail jobs after graduating from college with tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

That’s the economic landscape for much of working-class America today—and even more so in Florida, where the unemployment rate runs a couple points above the national average. The national AFL-CIO had arranged the community meeting of a couple hundred and the panels of witnesses to help kick off its jobs campaign as the federation’s executive council meets here this week, as I reported yesterday.

Beyond the 40 percent of the first Obama stimulus funds that have not yet been spent, the AFL-CIO plan envisions an additional $900 billion needed to restart job creation adequately. Faster growth will generate revenue to repay some of the cost, but the AFL-CIO also supports Obama proposals for banks to repay TARP costs (about $70 billion), higher taxes on bonuses and high salaries in the financial sector, eliminating the special exemption from normal income taxation for hedge fund operators, and imposing a small tax on all financial transactions (which could raise about $400 billion a year).

The federation’s stimulus and financial reform proposals go beyond anything the Obama administration has proposed. That raises the prospects of renewed tensions between much of organized labor and an administration most had seen–and still want to regard–as basically pro-labor and working families.

Vice President Joe Biden opened the executive council meeting with a speech that pleaded for understanding and support, often making personal appeals to individual labor leaders to mend any fraying relations over the slowness of progress. Biden immediately said how pleased he was to be with people “with whom we almost always agree–we might not get it done–but we agree.”

Union leaders gave Biden moderately warm applause at times, but afterwards he faced pointed questions about whether there would be more aid to save state worker jobs, whether the administration would make recess appointments of blocked National Labor Relations Board nominees, and why the administration was backing mass firings of Central Falls, R.I., high-school teachers, among others. Biden reportedly ducked and evaded the challenges, echoing his political advice for union leaders dealing with their own members: “It’s about letting them know we get it.”

Read the full article at:

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/5638/labor_leaders_push_for_jobs_appraise_alliance_with_obama/

[kctim]

32. Card check will be dealt with

before the elections. Political ploy for a political boost.

And thankfully Mr. Trumka is not the one talking about leaving the party. I would hate to see unions become even more irrelevent.

[Better Believe It]

34. It's dead. Especially if Democrats continue to tolerate Republican "procedural" filibusters.

What 60 Senators do you think will vote to end such pretend filibusters in order to pass the EFCA?

And if due to divine intervention cloture is voted, how many Senators do you think will vote for the EFCA with "card check"?

I'd guess 40 tops.

[kctim]

35. Dead or not

it will still be used for political gain one way or another. Maybe bring more of the union vote out or even make the Republicans appear even more obstructive. I have no idea.

But, with President Obama having to deal with the wars, the economy, healthcare etc..., it is not on the top of the list right now. But it is also too important to not deal with before the elections.

[Better Believe It]

38. If Democrats "can't" pass the EFCA that will not bring out the union vote for Democrats

It will have just the opposite outcome.

[kctim]

106. I agree

but at least bringing it up would be better than not doing so.

Like I said, I think the economy and healthcare have trumped EFCA, but I think it can, and will, be used for political points before the elections.

[xchrom]

33. Recommend

[Omaha Steve]

40. K&R!

Great post.

OS

[McCamy Taylor]

41. Obama takes unions for granted...at his peril.

The unions could conceivably hand the Democratic nomination to a different Democrat in 2012. And they probably will if he does not do more to help the American worker.

[girl_interrupted]

72. K&R

[Skittles]

42. WTF

OMG has it really taking unions THIS long to figure out Obama?

[Jackpine Radical]

49. Hope dies hard.

I haven't gotten over how sad I was when mine died.

[Skittles]

51. well I would have been sad if I'd ever HAD any real hope

fortunately - or, perhaps, unfortunately, I read people very well and never fell for that hope nonsense

[sendero]

52. Ain't that..

.. the truth.

[Libertas1776]

43. I guess Obama wasn't kidding when he said...

he admired Reagan :eyes: He's actively following in his footsteps. What a disappointment he is.

[amborin]

58. and Larry Summers, Obama's appt for Economic Advisor championed reaganomics!

[Overseas]

44. K&R . //nt

[MJJP21]

45. Third party

I think what needs to be done is suggest to union leaders to approach those progressive politicians and suggest they form a third party. Do it quietly on a given day. Lets take some 20 or 30 congressman and as many senators and announce they have all become members of suchansuch party. This is the only way to break the stranglehold of the two party do nothing govt. This in my mind would be a coup de tat. Imagine the media if this happened.

[SlingBlade]

46. Drip, Drip, Drip ...Deja Vu All over Again

Unions Regroup After Stunned by Losses Under Obama, Democrats

The union-organizing bill known as card-check, stalled.....

TIME: WILL OBAMA DELIVER FOR ORGANIZED LABOR???
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=367x15866

President Obama pronounced "card check" dead
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=367x20433


Obama ignored union pleas to appoint a NLRB nominee ( Craig Becker ) ....

The GOP, along with Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln, blocked the nomination of Craig Becker
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7683302



Senate Democrats such as Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas haven’t supported some union goals ....

Obama Admin Defends Corporate AR Senator Blanche Lincoln- Why?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Drip Drip Drip !

K & R for TRUTH ! And added to the Obama Dripper Thread

It started just moments after ...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7764365

[Mithreal]

47. They have nowhere else to go right now. Just like most of us.

[branders seine]

48. Unions should put 100% of their wood behind helping to organize

a real Labor Party.

[tango-tee]

61. I agree

that this is what's needed: A real Labor Party. What a disappointment this current administration has turned out to be.

[Citizen Worker]

50. $450 million!!!

When will Labor learn that we're on a fool's errand trying to curry favor with democrats? As the campaign manager for a candidate for the WA state legislature said to me when I was talking to her about the ignorance of her candidate when it comes to "free trade," she asked, "where else are you going to go?" As my anger welled up I said "that attitude is what will lead to the death of the democratic party." At the national level our two senators, the mom in tennis shoes and Maria Cantwell, aren't much different. I was part of a Labor/church/community group delegation that went to Senator Murray's Seattle office during the lead up to the WTO conference in Seattle. We numbered around 30 and I knew what everyone was going to say regarding trade and its inherent unfairness so, I decided to say something different.

When it came my turn to speak I prefaced my question with the mom in tennis shoes image and the everyday average woman that Murray likes to project and then said, "if Senator Murray really cares about how she is perceived by everyday people and is genuinely interested in those issues that affect their lives she would introduce legislation to repeal Taft-Hartley." I thought the staffer was going to wear a hole in the chair she was sitting in until she finally replied, "that would be a frivolous gesture." To which I said, "I don't think anyone in this room would consider that a frivolous gesture." The staffer quit squirming and the next person spoke. Needless to say here we are 11 years later begging our "allies" to help workers belong to a Union of their choosing. Nothing will change until Labor decides that blindly supporting democrats in the hope of achieving a "veto proof majority" is a fool's errand.

Just think for a minute or two of what the possibilities might be with, say, just 25% of that $450 million. We could use some of it to build a SECOND political party and the rest to organizing those workers who democratically vote to belong to a Union. How about working to elect REAL working people to office instead of those who masquerade as workers? If we elected REAL workers we wouldn't have to worry about how they would vote because they would vote in the interest of their CLASS, the working class. This is not say that we don't have "friends" in elective office because we do but their number is too small to make much of an impact. Witness the Employee Free Choice Act and its apparent quiet death.

As for Senator Maria Cantwell that's a story for later.

[Catshrink]

53. K&R to counter the anti-labor

teacher bashers infesting this forum tonight.

[RedCloud]

54. Feed your fucking base Obama. Enough horseshitting around.

[unkachuck]

55. K&R....n/t

[ckehm]

56. As a 20 year union member...

I can tell you that Obama ignores us at his political peril.

[readmoreoften]

82. Welcome!

Yes he does. I'd like to see a Labor Party in the US (like the "old" Labour party, not like the New Labor Party).

[eecumings]

57. Time to get to work

Find a progressive to run against Obama and make sure our criminal president LOSES!

[Better Believe It]

59. "our criminal president"??? Aren't you claiming to be a Canadian?

If you are, Barack Obama is not your President.


Or are you a United States citizen who happens to be living in Canada?

[earcandle]

102. Dennis!

A Tribute to Dennis from the last attempt to put someone meaningful in office!

Kucinich NOW 2008

[waiting for hope]

62. Obama never courted the unions in the first place.

Edwards did and held the bulk of their endorsements until he dropped out. Sad day when the Dems turn their backs on Labor .. woman's rights... LGBT rights .. what else am I missing?

[Dragonfli]

63. Rule of Law (for the ruling class) and the Bill of Rights comes to mind / NT

[asdjrocky]

64. No he didn't, but he sure took their support willingly when it came.

[waiting for hope]

65. There is a saying ..

dance with the person that brought you .. I don't see much dancing yet. :(

[asdjrocky]

66. Card check anyone?

Notice how that's never talked about by anyone any more.

[SHRED]

68. He didn't?

Obama Seeks To End Federal Oversight Of Teamsters

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/05/obama-seeks-to-end-federa_n_100123.html


---

[waiting for hope]

71. Nice ...

"It's an unusual stance for a presidential candidate. Policy makers have largely treated monitoring of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as a legal matter left to the Justice Department since an independent review board was set up in 1992 to eliminate mob influence in the union."

Wow .. let the mob back in. Sounds peachy.

On edit: That was more of a move to appease management - not something that would benefited the workers.

[EFerrari]

69. Women's choice, climate change, health care. Details. nt

[ProSense]

67. Still with Obama

here

[saracat]

78. As usual, your link is horse pucky! Labor Notes says otherwise!

As apparently does Businessweek which links to the OP.



Labor Notes: "I've Never seen this much anger at the Democrats from union people"
Anger over Health Care Bill Creates Uncertain Future

by Jane Slaughter

snip

“I’ve never seen this much anger at the Democrats from union people,” said Jeff Crosby, president of a General Electric factory local near Boston, as he prepared a last-minute leaflet to hand out in the plant. “It’s worse than NAFTA.”

Top union leaders had bargained a compromise slowing down the health care benefits tax President Obama insisted on, but it was not enough to placate union members—and others—infuriated that Obama had broken his campaign promise not to tax benefits.

snip

Obama took a hands-off approach to the content of the bill as it crept through Congress. He didn’t insist on a public option nor a strong employer mandate to provide insurance. It was hard not to notice that the only issue on which he took a hard stand was taxing benefits.

At his meeting with a dozen labor leaders at the White House January 11, Obama was firm that a tax on benefits was a must-have—despite his campaign promise to the contrary. “We have a lot of video clips,” said Machinists President Thomas Buffenbarger.

Trumka...... In a January 11 speech at the National Press Club, he said, “In 1992, workers voted for Democrats who promised action on jobs, who talked about reining in corporate greed, and who promised health care reform. Instead, we got NAFTA, an emboldened Wall Street—and not much more. there was no way to persuade enough working Americans to go to the polls when they couldn't tell the difference between the two parties.”

snip

So labor leaders reached a deal with White House negotiators January 14 that accepted the tax they’d previously declared unacceptable. The deal announced by Trumka and his counterparts at Change to Win and the National Education Association would have exempted those in union-negotiated plans and state and local employees from the tax until 2018.

It also would have raised the threshold at which the tax kicked in for many other plans: those containing significant numbers of women, older workers, or retirees age 55 and up, or those in high-cost states, the latter affecting more than 38 million workers. Those provisions would have delayed those groups’ hit as well.

Trumka’s goal was to exempt as many people as possible, union and non-union, from ever paying the tax, though only the velocity of health care cost inflation would have proved how successful he was.

“Most of the 31 million insured employees who would be hit by the excise tax are not union members,” Trumka noted before the deal was struck. But in the end unions bought extra time for their members at the cost of making themselves look self-interested. The deal will create awkward moments for union health care activists who’ve spent years trying to build broad coalitions.

STILL OPPOSED
Not all top union leaders backed the compromise plan. Buffenbarger told Labor Notes his members at Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics were already over the $23,000 threshold at which the tax would originally kick in.

“No bill is better than this bill,” Buffenbarger said. “We don't care what the amount is that they peg it to: because of inflation, whatever number will be gobbled up pretty quickly.”

snip

http://www.labornotes.org/2010/01/anger-over-health-car...

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JTFrog]

94. Still sitting under the oldelmtree are ya?

:eyes:

[freddie mertz]

100. Another misleading link."But worried" is the next line.

Unions are stuck with this admin for the next three years.

Only so much they can say right now.

But I assure you, things are far from hunky-dory.

[gtar100]

74. Obama ignores the labor movement at his own political peril.

Unions may not have the numbers they did in the 40's through the 70's, but I for one pay very careful attention to who and what labor unions support in elections and legislation. Because I *know* that what they have determined to be in their interests will be of the greatest benefit to the US. I don't think I'm alone in thinking that; not by a long shot.

[JDPriestly]

77. Unions need to organize the unemployed to demand jobs and

changes to trade laws. That is the only way to improve our economy for the benefit of working people.

[Lorien]

80. And more sectors need to unionize

I'm a freelance illustrator, and I'd like EVERY freelancer to find a union or guild to belong to. It's the only way we'll ever have the leverage to fight back against the wealthy corporate thieves who are hellbent on stripping everything we have away and leaving us with nothing but debt.

[upi402]

81. I just joined one! check it out; U-cubed

http://www.unionofunemployed.com/?gclid=CObFhs6QnKACFSpeagodCH6vQw

[koski]

110. they are

http://www.unionofunemployed.com/

[democrank]

83. President Obama can`t stand up for unions while he`s

busy trying to get a hug from his friends across the aisle.

[pundaint]

84. It's time America had a Labor party

[spicegal]

85. Even under a Democratic administration, it's clear that corporations wield the power in this country

I don't think Obama can fight it alone. There's just too much money in politics. He's navigating treacherous waters to say the least, and no doubt fearful of being labeled a liberal and a communist, which the righties are calling him regardless of the reality.

[Hubert Flottz]

86. The only time the politicians think of union workers is on election

day. We need to give them something to think about 24/7...unemployment.

[DisgustedInMN]

90. It's well past time that Barack Obama..

.. be held accountable for his failure to support the policies of those of us that put his ass in office. Same for ALL Democrats that have chosen to kiss corporate ass. Fuck 'em, take 'em out, each and every one of 'em.

[MannyGoldstein]

91. Least-Awful Republican President of the Past 30 Years: Obama or Clinton?

Great strategy, being slightly less of a fringe right-wing nut than the people who actually call themselves Republicans. It's moved the country very far forward in the past 30 years.

[bread_and_roses]

97. Want to see what the AFL-CIO did for Democrats in '08?

Here's part of it.

http://www.aflcio.org/mediacenter/prsptm/pr11082006a.cfm

Ninety-two percent of union members in battleground states said they heard from their union this election cycle.

The AFL-CIO’s program reached out to 13.4 million voters in 32 battleground states. It reached union members, members of union households, retirees and members of Working America, the AFL-CIO’s community affiliate for workers who don’t have a union.

More than 205,000 union members volunteered for the AFL-CIO’s political program this year. Union members knocked on more than 8.25 million doors, made 30 million phone calls and passed out more than 14 million leaflets at workplaces and in neighborhoods. The AFL-CIO’s program sent out more than 20 million pieces of mail to union households, not including those sent by affiliate unions.

The AFL-CIO’s “Final Four” program in the final four days of the election proved to be a powerful counter to the RNC’s 72-hour program. The AFL-CIO turned out 187,000 volunteers, made nearly 8 million phone calls and knocked on 3.5 million doors in the final four days.

Working America, the AFL-CIO’s community affiliate, played a central role, reaching out to 1.7 million members. Working America put special emphasis on Ohio, Pennsylvania and Minnesota, where it hired canvassers, mostly students, for the final four days. The program was effective in moving voters: Working America was able to increase the vote for Rep. Sherrod Brown among its members to 72 percent from 53 percent through the fall, for example. Sixty-two percent of Working America members who had not voted in 2002 turned out to vote this year.

The AFL-CIO concentrated heavily on turning out “drop-off” voters - - voters who usually don’t turn out in mid-term elections. The program reached these voters as many as 25 times through a schedule of worksite contacts, phone calls, mail and home visits. The AFL-CIO reached out to 496,000 drop-off voters in Ohio alone.

Of the 79% of the union drop-off voters who said they voted, 76% cast a Democratic ballot both for the Senate and the House, according to election night polling. Drop-off voters cited as their top two motivations for turning out: “send a message that we need a change” (43 %) and “support candidates who support working people” (37%).

bold emphasis added

And because I was on the ground, I know for a certainty that those numbers are short. Many of us were too busy to turn in the lists of volunteers and reports that are required for these counts.

And that's just the AFL-CIO - not Change to Win, which mounted a huge effort as well. And it's not the direct $$ that went to candidate Obama and other House/Senate Dems.

I don't have the numbers in front of me right now but union members were the only demographic in which a majority of older white males voted for Obama.

My work brings me into contact with a lot of members. Many of them were on the streets, or passing out workplace fliers, or making phone calls in '08. If the subject of politics, or the Democrats, or Obama comes up now, you really don't want to hear what they are saying. The most printable and frequent comment is: "I'm done with them. They've screwed us one too many times"

I'd like to know just who else the Ds think can mount that kind of operation? Because I don't see the rank and file willing to do it again. Anymore than they did it in '94, despite the leadership's pleas.

[mmonk]

98. Unions need to be selective in their support and hold people accountable.

Otherwise, they will continue to be run over by the parties. They can't afford switching from party to party election to election. They must give up the false choices between unfriendly Republicans and unfriendly Democrats.

[LWolf]

99. "never expected?"

If they "never expected" this, then they weren't paying attention.

Let's hope they mobilize, and quickly.

[Vidar]

101. K&R.

[earcandle]

104. Dennis! NOW!

A Tribute to Dennis from the last attempt to put someone meaningful in office!

Kucinich Now 2008

If only we weren't so shallow.

[Peacetrain]

105. Union here.. and I have not lost one ounce of support for the Democrats! NT

[proud2BlibKansan]

107. Don't forget about the president praising the firing of the teachers in RI

They were AFT and AFT is part of AFL-CIO.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

108. Rule 1. Never lose labor union support

It is most important that the Democratic Party and its reps support unions.

I wish that the unions would strengthen.

[Better Believe It]

111. Union Officials Still With Obama, but Worried

Still With Obama, but Worried
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
March 2, 2010

ORLANDO, Fla. — The nation’s union leaders said on Tuesday that they were “appalled” at remarks made by President Obama condoning the mass firing of teachers at a Rhode Island high school.

Coming the day after union presidents sharply complained to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. over stubbornly high unemployment, stagnant wages and the administration’s failure to do more to create jobs, the statement — voicing a rare vehemence toward a Democratic president — underlined the disillusionment of an important Democratic constituency.

“Labor is very disappointed, whether it’s about card check or the effort to tax Cadillac health plans,” said Charles E. Cook Jr., publisher of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, referring to a bill that would have made it easier to unionize and to tax high-cost health plans that many union members have. “They’re really disillusioned. I think one by one unions will start getting engaged and helping out the Democrats, but it could be half-hearted.”

Labor leaders are disappointed over how little Mr. Obama has delivered and are angry over his support of the firings of the entire faculty at Central Falls High School in Rhode Island because of its poor graduation rate. Nevertheless, leaders attending the A.F.L.-C.I.O.’s winter meeting here in Orlando said they would mobilize labor’s base for this fall’s elections. They hope to minimize widely anticipated Republican gains. But that might not be easy.

“People aren’t feeling so good about the president because the economy hasn’t turned around,” said Johnny Saunders, a steelworker in Martins Ferry, Ohio. “There are still massive layoffs, and people really believe that he bailed out Wall Street and forgot about Main Street. I think it’s going to be a real challenge for organized labor to try to re-energize its base.”


Johnny Saunders, a steelworker in Martins Ferry, Ohio, said the president has lost some working-class support.

Read the full article at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/business/03labor.html