Trumka: Union Votes Can Beat False Populism and Economic Treason

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/09/14/trumka-union-votes-can-beat-false-populism-and-economic-treason/

by Mike Hall, Sep 14, 2010

When U.S., corporations sit on more than $800 billion without creating jobs, when banks hoard more than $1 trillion in profits without lending to small businesses and consumers and when health insurance companies with tens of billions in profits demand huge premium increases, there are only two words to describe such greed says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:

“Economic treason!”

Addressing the Ohio AFL-CIO convention in Columbus today, Trumka called on union members to mobilize and rally behind “economic patriots” in a “knock down drag-out” fight against the “false populism and name calling” that Tea Party and Republican leaders like House minority leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) are employing in this fall’s elections.

We know what Rep. John Boehner will do if he gets the Speaker’s gave—because he’s told us! He’ll privatize and cut Social Security, protect the corporations that send our jobs overseas, slash taxes for the super-rich. There will be no more extensions of unemployment benefits. No jobs legislation. No infrastructure spending. No Davis Bacon. No retirement security. No health care.


AFL-CIO President Trumka took part in an early morning worksite leafleting of construction workers and taxi drivers at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas.


Speaking specifically about Ohio races, Trumka told union members it will be their work, jobsite leafleting, neighborhood walks and phone calls that will re-elect Gov. Ted Strickland, send Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher to the U.S. Senate and re-elect Rep. Betty Jo Sutton to the U.S. House.

He warned that if Republican candidates John Kasich for governor, Rob Portman for U.S. Senate and Tom Ganely for U.S. House are successful on Nov. 2, it

equals one ugly future for America! It’s a bleak vision of a weak nation in decline.

Brothers and sisters, our vision for America is on the line. It’s a vision of a better, stronger future, a renewal of the American Dream—the dream that all of us can earn a fair portion of the good things in life, time with our families, an education for our children, a voice on the job, a comfortable retirement—even if we’re not rich.

FULL story at link.