SEIU: If Dems Pass Scaled-Down Health Bill, Labor'll Have Trouble Staying Focused on Nat'l Politics

[flpoljunkie]

SEIU Chief: If Dems Pass Scaled-Down Health Bill, Labor Will Have Trouble Staying “Focused On National Politics”

SEIU chief Andy Stern took a hard shot at Dem leaders just now for considering a scaled-down health care bill, strongly hinting that labor might not work as hard for Dem candidates in 2010 if they failed to deliver real and comprehensive reform.

“It’s gonna be incredibly difficult to stay focused on national politics if by the end of 2010 we have minimal health care and minimal changes on what’s important to our members,” he said in an interview, ridiculing the emerging Dem approach as “fear masquerading as a strategy.”

Stern unloaded on Dem leaders in resonse to reports today that they’re mulling either a scaled down bill to win GOPers or a broken up bill passed in pieces. His anger suggests Dems risk paying a big price with labor if they fail to figure out how to pass the Senate bill and fix it later, as labor wants.

Concluded Stern: “For the 31 million people who don’t have health care, for the 14,000 who lose it every day, for the 120 people who die every day, they elected this Congress to make change, not to set their sights lower when the going gets tough.”

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/seiu-chief-if-dems-pass-scaled-down-health-bill-labor-will-have-trouble-staying-focused-on-national-politics/

[WI_DEM]

1. I suggest that they pick and choose the candidates who have worked hard for a strong bill

and forget about the others. Bottom line, is that the US Senate is not going to pass a strong bill, however.

[ProSense]

2. Why is this being ignored? n/t

[mgcgulfcoast]

3. as long as they are exempt from the taxes

i doubt they would be saying this if they had to pay the tax as well. all these exemptions and deals is what killed the bill to begin with. everyone must be treated the same in any bill that passes.

[Imajika]

4. Nonsense...

Every lobby group makes these threats each election cycle and the political party's know they are nonsense.

At the end of the day, the SEIU will face a choice between Democrats and Republicans. The Democrats will always be the better alternative. Even if Democrats get nothing done at all, the Republicans will still be 100 times worse due to their efforts to damage organized labor at every turn.

[CreekDog]

5. Stern said to pass the Senate Bill

in case anybody was wondering.

[secondwind]

6. We need to pass this bill....but Scott Brown got in the way. Now what?

[CreekDog]

7. Stern said pass the Senate Bill (the House can do it, the Senate already has)

when is that DU government course being offered again?

[mgcgulfcoast]

9. sure, they dont get taxed.

[CreekDog]

10. the tax is not as bad as going bankrupt

and reconciliation can fix the tax to a better level.

if you don't believe reconciliation can fix the Senate bill then reconciliation also can't produce something better (public option, etc.) and that means in practice you favor doing NOTHING.

yes. i'm sure you don't really feel that way, but that's where you are going and it's frustrating to me.

[w4rma]

8. Stern is wrong on the Senate Bill. That bill needs to die. Popular reforms should be passed

piecemeal.