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As we noted in First Thoughts, Democratic-leaning outside groups are being far outspent by conservative ones.
This morning, in a meeting with reporters at AFL-CIO headquarters, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said he expects labor unions will be outspent 20-to-1 by corporate groups aligned with Republicans.
Trumka declined to discuss the amount of money the union he heads is spending or plans to spend. He said the AFL-CIO plans 25 "touches" per union member.
He added that the AFL-CIO is playing in 18 Senate races and about 100 House races, but not necessarily with TV ads.
"Information trumps those ads," he insisted, his back to a view of the White House and Washington Monument.
He said, in particular, the union is focusing on six states with heavy union membership -- Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Nevada, Illinois, and California. A union "firewall," perhaps. Trumka also said the union plans to make a "serious run" at the three-way Senate race in Alaska. Democrats hope Tea Party-backed Republican Joe Miller and incumbent Lisa Murkowski, running a write-in campaign, split votes, giving an opening to Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams (who's running an ad invoking the late-Republican-Sen. Ted Stevens).
One place, however, where the AFL-CIO played heavily -- and wasn't shy about saying what they were spending -- was in Arkansas. Unions spent about $10 million to try and oust incumbent Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln. But Lincoln won.
Asked if he has any regrets about spending that much money there, Trumka responded: "Absolutely not, because when you have principles at stake, you defend your principles. And we'll do it again. You'll see us do it in more primary races in the future. Not less -- more. And some of them will be successful and some of them won't, but people will understand that we're willing to fight for working people."
He claimed the money spent created "enthusiasm" in Arkansas, and that they have more volunteers there than they ever had before. Lincoln, however, remains one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country and is down double-digits in public polls to Republican Rep. John Boozman.
"You ever see that ad that says, you know, a cup of tea $2, baseball bat $12, shirt $25, the other one priceless?" Trumka said. "Blanche Lincoln -- priceless."
Asked if she would be worse than Boozman, however, Trumka said, "She gave us no votes. She didn't help working people. It doesn't matter if it's a Democrat or a Republican voting against you, the votes are the same."
Asked about the biggest challenge in talking to union members about President Obama or Democratic leadership in Congress, he said it was "misconceptions about the stimulus package and the bailouts, because Republicans have done a good job of skewering that. If it wasn't for the stimulus package, we'd be in a Depression right now. ... This president's created more jobs during a Recession than George Bush did in eight years as president."
Republicans, he said, are "a lot better at distorting reality."
Trumka insisted that voters who are undecided but become educated about what Democrats are trying to do, can be convinced.
"If all you're getting is Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck's version of America," Trumka said, "if that's where you get your news from, you're obviously going to have a different opinion of America than somebody that actually reads the facts and tries to get knowledgeable about various issues."
He added that the union is and will be hammering the issues of outsourcing and the minimum wage.
On Rahm Emanuel's departure from the White House as chief of staff, Trumka said, "He's pursuing his lifetime dream. ... I wish him luck."
He added that he just wants a "receptive" and "analytical" White House -- which is certainly hard to miss right outside his office window.
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Unions Rock - live better with fair wages, safer working conditions, health benefits, and retirement benefits that don't leave you solely dependent on government social programs in your old age. Unless you trust the unregulated free market, and the goodwill of corporations, to voluntarily provide these benefits, but history has shown (especially recent history) that very few ever do. Be American Buy American
Right on the mark Forrest. The public at large has abandoned a "buy-American" sentiment that used to prevail in America. Instead, even the current democratic administration is actively planning and promoting sending more American jobs to China - the very jobs that Obama promised would help America's economy - "green jobs". The White House has sent a proposal to the United States Trade Representative's office to push for "duty-free treatment of imported "green products". More green jobs for Chinese workers.
It is not surprising that unions are not enthusiastic about this administration and Congress.
In Maine, we are very excited about an underwater tidal turbine being developed to generate energy. Thanks, in part, to federal grants set up by the Obama administration, our state is finally going to be able to compete in the world of alternative energy.
http://maineinsights.com/perma/generation-of-tidal-power-in-maine-a-success
Ray-of-light - I did see something in my reading that gave me pause.
It seems that a lot of these 'green jobs ' - with wind machines in particular - are being given to American companies, like they should be. However, the American companies are using the stimulus monies to BUY the MANUFACTURED machines from China. The only 'green jobs' that will be garnered from wind farms are for the MAINTENANCE and ADMINISTRATION of the machines in the wind farm.
China yet again benefits from American manufacturing.
I do not fault China at all for being the better businessmen. I DO fault the companies that are looking to pad theirbottom lines at the expense of the American taxpayer. I know that sentiment is pretty rosy, but if we do NOT get some sort of manufacturing capabilities back here in America, then we will have a lot more to worry about.
I do know that Americans cannot compete with the wages that are paid to manufacture the same items in China. Maybe if that equation changes at some point, we will have manufacturing back in America.
I think that the case can be made that our manufacturing capabilities have been reduced to the point that it becomes a national security issue. We won world war two with our manufacturing, I'm not taking anything away from our soldiers, but we crushed Germany and Japan with our manufacturing. Millions of men went to war and the women went into the factories and produced planes, and tanks, and ships at a rate the world has never seen before or since. But we had radio factories we turned into Radar factories and car plants to convert into tank plants ect. I not sure we could uniform an army at this point, we might have to go barefoot and naked if we went to war with the wrong country. If the whole world turned on us tomorrow, how are we gonna turn a bunch of casinos and fast food restaurants into munitions plants? Do we still make our own bullets?
You are correct. This was one of the reasons for tariffs and duty on imports. Every country in the world has higher duty rates on imports than the U.S. The idea has always been to protect a country's industry and workers. Lowering tariffs always hurts the U.S. at this stage in our economic development where much of our manufacturing capability and capacity has been crippled.
Why buy wind turbines from China when we make better? Even if we aren't willing to, Great Britain is building wind farms all over, as is Denmark- we should at least buy our gear from Democratic nations, instead of a Socialist Dictatorship like Red China.
And, yes, Unions Rock. The only reason the workers that should regard unions as their greatest ally have been turned against them is the unremitting, grossly inaccurate propaganda from the right which has been pounded into their heads for some thirty years now..
PS the underwater turbines I told you about are are Made in Maine.
http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/underwater-turbine-nearly-ready-for-a-test-drive_2010-02-20.html
Amy, the problem is that the international trade system in the US is geared toward encouraging US Windblade to move production off shore and this administration is going to give them a big duty-free bonus for doing so. When they can send their plans to a Chinese manufacturer and produce, ship and enter the product into the US for much less than building it in Maine, it is stupid for them not to. Don't blame the American company when it happens, and it will, or they will go out of business to a competitor that does do it - blame the Obama administration.
Ray-of-light in D.C.
I don't know what you are talking about. Maine has a long tradition of boatbuilding and now we are moving into manufacturing of turbines, with help from federal grants secured by our Democratic Representative Mike Michaud. What proof do you have that these Maine companies will move manufacturing to other countries?
Amy, the companies I was referring to were based in Texas. I am not sure if Maine is a part of those companies that are outsourcing.
I am sure that therewill be no economic will to do what Maine is doing.
The only way we can start keeping manufacturing here in America is to do what Maine is doing. It is an investment that we NEED to be making.
I could not agree more, thank you unions for ensuringnthat all workers now enjoy a 40 hour week and can work in a safe enviroment. If not for unions in the early 1800s who knows what our work week would be like today.
Unfortunately the time for unions in most cases has past.
The big push for wind turbines from Texas is coming from T. Boone Pickens. He's been touting wind power for some time but being the busuness man he is at heart, he can make more money by buying them from China which he has been doing. He's also about to go belly up on the deal.
There are several companies making wind turbines, like the company I work for, here in the U.S. But for some reason is seems as if the public desire for them has died down somewhat. If you have ever been near one while it is operating, you may see why. They are unbelievably noisy.
The wave turbines are getting more traction, particularly on the upper east and west coasts. They are certainly a workable alternative.
And yes, you better believe unions rock. Now more than ever.
Unions like the SEIU use to "rock"...but just like anything that turns itself into basically a mini government that only looks out for the good of the leadership, they have failed to represent their constituents.
FrankH - thanks for the confirmation about the turbines from Texas. T. Boone Pickens is part of the deal, eh? Well, then.
You say he is about to go belly up? Well, then.
Now I will admit that I don't know much about the turbines, so can you explain why they are so noisy and why no one has thought that would be a problem?
Tracy1973
Unions like the SEIU use to "rock
Too many people are equating unions of today with the unions of the sixties and seventies. They are completely different. They learned their lessons while politicains haven't.
Just compare the UAW or UMW of today with yesteryears. The United Steel Workers doesn't even exist anymore due to the closing of the steel plants. The merger of CWA and IUE has created one of the largest, stongest unions in decades. Observe some of the contracts negotiated. And no they didn't ask for and receive the moon.
And for all those companies that moved union jobs overseas because of cheaper labor and how it would save the companies so much money, which it has, I would like to ask them why haven't their prices for consumer goods dropped even a small bit.
If you stick your hand out the window of a moving car, it makes noise. Same principle.
Now take into account the sheer size of a turbine blade (80+ feet) and even moving slowly, it creates quite a racket. And factor in that each turbine has three blades compounds the noise even more.
And honestly, with all the shouting for relief from oil prices and dependence on the middle east, no one thought the noise would be a problem. Untill some turbines were located close to communities while at the same time, the price of oil dropped, then the noise became a big problem. But they are still viable alternatives for certain locations.
Thank you , FrankH, for your perspective and answers. I learned something good today.
Unfortunately the time for unions in most cases has past.
Recently there are a lot of dead miners and oil workers that would disagree.
In the past, the unions have contributed 20 times as much to Democrats as to Republicans, so?
FrankH-1860605 "And for all those companies that moved union jobs overseas because of cheaper labor and how it would save the companies so much money, which it has, I would like to ask them why haven't their prices for consumer goods dropped even a small bit."
They have - Obviously, you don't shop at Walmart.
You keep on shopping at those union run stores, and I'll keep shopping at Walmart and use the $3,000 a year I save to have nice vacations.
Unions? What a bunch, I see unions members at the paper mills driving jap scrape, I see steel workers buying paper from china, I see city union workers buying clothes for their kids from counties that are totally anti-union. They love to talk about what they make and you better buy it, but then they go out and buy non union, non American stuff and it is O.K. Here is one for you all, Tell me what is wrong here. A member in the "steel worker union" in a paper mill, buys a foreign car. A member in the "steel worker union" in a foundry buys a pallet of paper made in China for the red cross. A member in the "steel worker union" a under ground miner, vote for the democrat that they tell him to vote for, because they tell him that he will protect his job, 1 year latter that democrat forces the mine to close. The "steel workers union" give the same democrat money again telling the miner that he is still protecting their union rights, and they hope someday he will find another union job! They all talk the talk, but turn their backs on every one when it come down to it. When is the Steel Workers Union going to tell its members, better buy American cars or your out! It will never happen, unions are about politics more then buy American goods! I'm no longer in a union, but you will never see me buy jap scrap for a car! I'm more American then most unions, I still look for "Made In The USA" and I'm still willing to pay more for it. America works when we buy American!!!!! And I do not think all people should get paid the same, harder, smarter, workers should get paid more! Not that union communist pay of the lazy and the hard worker are equal in pay for the same job! What a joke! Or is it Democrats and unions are the joke!! Ask BP about the oil clean up and the Obama/union slow down. Non union workers were not allowed in because the union job was more important then the gulf clean up. Facts suck when they don't go your way!!!
Run, forest, run.
"If all you're getting is Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck's version of America," Trumka said, "if that's where you get your news from, you're obviously going to have a different opinion of America than somebody that actually reads the facts and tries to get knowledgeable about various issues."
Here, here. How can people make smart election choices, when they don't even know, for example, that the healthcare reform bill will lower the federal deficit by 1.3 trillion over the next 20 years? If all you watch is FOX, that "little" fact will not factor into your decision for whom to vote. Republicans are telling voters the healtcare bill will put their grandchildren in debt. That's not even close to true.
You can't make a rational decision without all the facts, and Americans are woefully uninformed these days.
Republicans are telling voters the health care bill will put their grandchildren in debt.
But have no problem with giving the wealthist 2% nearly a trillion in tax cuts over the next ten years, and handing that bill to your grandchildren to pay off with minimum wage jobs. They have no problem with unregulated harvesting, and pollution of the nations natural resources. The grand kids can find their own drinking water.
Amy, You are right on point. The neonuts and their minions are betting on people listening to the neoconservative media. Most people don't realize that most radio and TV stations are controlled by the right wing nut jobs. In some markets they control it all!
"...that the healthcare reform bill will lower the federal deficit by 1.3 trillion over the next 20 years?"
And just what non government entity are you getting your information from?
"Republicans are telling voters the healtcare bill will put their grandchildren in debt. That's not even close to true."
If you are are getting your information about the healthcare bill from whitehouse.gov, which you apparently are, of course you would believe that this healthcare bill is not going to be a tremendous debt on our childern and grandchildren.
You can't make a rational decision without all the facts, and Americans are woefully uninformed these days."
No, the people are MORE informed these days. Are you kidding? Common sense would tell you that, considering the multiple sources of information these days. No more are the days with the BIASED three big networks filtering your news....but that just rubs the liberals the wrong way because they know they can't control the news anymore. Sucks for them.
Tracy, those were the numbers the CBO came up with, although they themselves state it is hard to predict these things 10 years out let alone 20.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/feb/01/barack-obama/health-care-reform-estimates-deficit-reduction-are/
As for being more informed or less informed, I would agree there are many more sources of information out there...and included among them there are many more sources of misinformation. That being said, there was much more misinformation related to health care reform than there was actual information. Conservatives are to be blamed for misrepresenting facts and liberals are to be blamed for not being able to get a clear message out there.
"Tracy, those were the numbers the CBO came up with, although they themselves state it is hard to predict these things 10 years out let alone 20."
Which is why it blows my mind when people cite these numbers as evidence of this healthcare bill actually saving money over the long term.
"Conservatives are to be blamed for misrepresenting facts and liberals are to be blamed for not being able to get a clear message out there."
No, liberals like to cite theses CBO numbers as "facts" and conservatives say that the American people should be skeptical...especially when it comes to financial estimates coming out of Washington D.C..
Amy B Portland, Show us the facts Amy, only that is and are the facts!! No DNC or GOP web sites. You might want to look at Canada, Great Britain, and Australia news papers web sites! Also look into this country's history! You are not going to like it. Fox dose not really go to deep because they do not want to make people panic, yep they add a little fluff so people don't freak out! Show me the facts! Do some home work and you are going to find out that, yes were are putting our children in debt!!
Bingo. Making stuff up is a lot easier than running on facts and solutions. Republicans have no solutions and are not interested in facts.
Bilweeler, Fact like, 1. out of control spending, 2. Obama like Bush, but 3 time worse and done it in 2 years!! 3. Failed Stimulus Bill! 4. Expensive health care for all making more then 25,000.00 a year (by the way I call it a tax!) 5. on vacation again, Mr. President? 6. People still out of work and more losing their jobs.
Yep, No facts for the Republicans to run on. What are you talking about? look at Washington, the Democrats in 2 years spent more money then we did in the past 200 years and we got very little to show for it. People wake up, vote them out!!!
Old Dog:
1. Out of control spending. Initiated by GWB.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3036
2. Obama like Bush but worse.
See previous link. Two unfunded wars, unfunded medicare Part D, and unfunded tax cuts all happened under Bush.
3. Failed Stimulus Bill. Bunk.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/30/AR2010093007382.html?wpisrc=nl_headline
4. Expensive health care. Health care was expensive before the legislation, and was expected to be out of control without reform.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/09/does_health-care_reform_bend_t.html
5. On vacation? Less than GWB.
http://www.factcheck.org/2010/01/president-obamas-vacation-days/
6. People still out of work. And it would have been worse without Obama...
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/08/research_desk_where_would_unem.html
Okay, Old Dog. The ball's in your court. I answered each of your "facts" with documentation. You didn't support ANY of your assertions with anything resembling facts. So, using your own words....
Oh, and I suspect it will be too much work for you to click on these links and learn anything from them. It's much easier to just listen to the 30 second sound bites. Prove me wrong. Please.
Nice post, Bilweeler. Great job!!
First of all I have seen some of these Liberal web sites. Now get the facts! Love to spend some time getting them for you but I have a job and I don't have all day to play! Buy the way, Who is running the fat check web site now? Is it still the DNC under a different name? And the Washington post web site is like getting facts from fox, all to one political side. Better try again and find some government facts! Start with the nations Debt..2 years of Obama and 8 years of Bush (but 2 years the Democrats had the house and congress, so to be fair subtract them, changed my mind, add them in too. Its still makes Obama look bad!) Are you one of those Liberals who is still looking for hope when the facts don't show it? Jobless people can no longer play this game, they need work, not big government and useless government waste! One more thing, look to some other counties web sites and read what they are saying about our Debt and red tape! Some are starting to pull money out of the USA and invest it in China...
Ball never left your court, and liberal spin I do not have time for!
Here I will give you a start because I feel sorry for you, I remember when I was a Liberal and thought Carter was the greatest and Reagan sucked, 4 years later, 4 million new jobs, I changed my mind about being a foolish liberal and started using the "Up and Down Politics Thought Process" Its the only way to think, and only a hand full of people use it. Like Reagan who was not a real Republican! Here is a site to start with, and good luck! Use the search to get trusted sites and infomation.
www.usa.gov ·
Pietro:
Thanks...if Old Dog and others took the time to check this stuff out, things would be a lot simpler. They just refuse to think critically.
Old Dog:
I don't have time to play all day either. Since you don't have time to check those links, don't bother spinning your talking points with me. We can't have an intelligent discussion if you're not interested in looking at the facts.
Oh. And thanks for the useless link to usa.gov. That page has NOTHING supporting anything you posted.
bilweeler OWNS Olddog26, who punts on 4th and long. Typical mushheaded response from right wingnuts! GO DEMS!
Funny how Olddog26 has no time to respond to facts with links to proof, but has time to make at least 6 posts on this topic, including one over half an hour after his punt above (see 10.6). Like I said - OWNED!
Educated:
Hey...thanks for noticing!
There's always an huge oversupply of these right wing, shallow thinking blowhards in here. If you push back on them with some facts, they are always "too busy" to run them down, or the sources are "too liberal" to even read the article.
You would think that the White House Communications Office could push back on these Fox News parrots too. But no. We have to take care of them ourselves.
Anyway, I hope "Old Dog" takes his trolling elsewhere. If he gets into another thread with me, I'll take him down again. Eventually he'll figure out that we won't be rolled by his fact free Fox News tactics...
Bill
You go Bill!
Green Jobs .... WTF are Obama people talking about and on what day can I get my new Green Job... is this like the Shovel Ready Job or the NEW.. NEW..NEW Jobs Plan the President had ???
I think if I move to China I can get my Green Job making the stupid NEW mandatory Light Bulbs that will soon save the Flocking Planet.
The DEMs and Obama Lovers had the numbers and this is the best they can do .... ??? THEY NEED TO BE BOOTED OUT
Neale, What article were you reading? Get with the program. Obama and the Dems have done more good in the last 18 months then GW and the neonuts did in their 8 years in power. GW and Friends the most destructive thieves on the planet! Just say no to the GOTea Baggers!
We need alternative energy at least the grand kids will, I know you saw us swiming in oil down in the Gulf all summer but the oil really is running out.
Neale.... I'm sorry you can't get a job.
I'm even sorrier you don't follow the relationship between incandescent lamps and greenhouse gas emissions- not that you likely understand or believe in the science behind Global Warming.
Not all of the new lamps are made in China- I use LED arrays made here in the States, myself- because I don't like the mercury the fluorescent lamps use as a coating on the inside of the tube, and because I use even less electricity that way.
Your new job will open the second the elections are over- because the fat cats running the multinationals that destroyed your job to start with are sitting on their money (instead of investing in our economy) for political reasons.
Joblessness, starvation, home loss, bankruptcy and chaos perfectly serve their goals- they don't want any recovery at all before the mid-terms, because a delay helps to put their cronies back in the driver's seat. Try not to buy their bologna- it's laced with cyanide.
FeO2 dreamer, What is this? Joblessness, starvation, home loss, bankruptcy and chaos perfectly serve their goals- they don't want any recovery at all before the mid-terms, because a delay helps to put their cronies back in the driver's seat. Try not to buy their bologna- it's laced with cyanide.
?????? Are people not seeing that jobs are going over the boarder because of higher taxes and new government rules? Most will not come back!! Where did you get this bologna from? Obama in 2 years did what? I will tell you, max out the credit card and now wants to start a new one!!! Why are you spinning, and what is your interest in this failed government Obama/Democrat plan? Unions? Expensive Green Energy, Wel-Fare Hand Outs, Hospital CEO, or something more deeper then we want to know?
Back to you statement of chaos. So if the cronies don't win, chaos will end? Or is it cronies win the chaos will end? Or is it the cronies don't win and the chaos dose not stop? That is just wrong because if you believe in that, then the chaos will not end until they, who ever you think they are, do win!! Now I'm all mixed up! Reagan said that it is not that liberals are not smart, its that they are to smart and they out think them selves! I think you fall into that group.
The forty work week, paid overtime, double-time, vacation, sick days, holidays, health-care, pensions, safety and labor regulations brought to you by your local Union brothers and sisters! Thanks to their blood sweat and tears.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Yes and I am not even in a union but I sure enjoy all they have done for us!
Thank you for noticing, yes we can all be grateful to our fathers and grandfathers, and should protect and improve on what they have accomplished with their blood sweat and tears.
But why have many unions turned into a creature of Washington D.C. instead of looking out for their members?
Because policies and legislation can affect their membership, they are trying to protect.
I do not believe the unions will be out spent 20 to 1, they are making their members cough up extra money in the already excessive dues, just to contribute to the election cycle. And how the hell can unemployment go through the roof and somehow in 18 months the annionted one has put more people to work than GW in 8 years.....FUZZY MATH, that's how. It is essential to go to Fox News on occasion, for a story that does not need hydrolics to make it seem like a level story.
You have never paid dues or you did not do the math, union dues are the biggest bargain on the planet, for what you pay in dues and the difference in income, best deal I ever got. BTW no union members can be forced to "cough up" extra money for political action, charity, or anything else, these monies are collected from members voluntarily.
Sorry, JB- that's a huge pile of fragrantly steaming, uh... bologna. There are laws on the books already which force unions to remand any portion of the dues collected for use in political activities or campaign contributions. Your blatantly deceptive (or at the very least ignorant) post is typical of the propaganda to which I referred in my post above. If you believe only Fox- a "news" organization which has been successfully sued for gross distortions and slander- you need to peel the blinders off. Try "Democracy Now" to achieve balance- then, once in full possession of two diverging sets of "facts", perhaps you can safely arrive at the reality which resides somewhere between them. Fair warning- you'll need to learn to think for yourself.
Essential to go to Fox News to get a level story? LOL! Fair and UNBalanced yellow journalism at it's best! (or should I say worst?) Fuzzy math brought to you by the new GOP! Fun for the whole family!
Ever hear of Concerned Taxpayers of America?
They're a group that is funding Republican candidates in a number of congressional districts. Yet, if you look for their web site by searching Google you won't find it.
Now, yes, they have a web site but the only way you'll find it is by checking their FEC filing. Go to their web site, however, and there is no place for you to join their cause (even if you consider yourself a Concerned Taxpayer of America). Don't bother looking for somewhere to donate to them...you won't find that either.
No, it turns out that Concerned Taxpayers of America is a front...it's a dummy organization with the sole purpose of funneling anonymous money to buy elections.
But, please go on believing that unions aren't being outspent, FOX News is fair and balanced and that Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, leprechauns and unicorns are real.
Hey, Wakeup- I've also heard Faux called "Fear and Bombast News", also "Fraud and Bogus". Thought you'd get a laugh out of those too.
To hear the right wing extremists, Rupert Murdoch and the Koch brothers spend nothing but unions spend a ton. Well, we have to fight fire with fire and the deep pockets of the former can't be matched by the latter. Unions are free to spend THEIR money any way they see fit just like the Koch brothers and Rupert Murdoch are, or anyone else for that matter.
Somebody has to fight the Republican extremist lies and the unions are often the only ones with enough resources to do that. Go unions go, go, go.
You would think that if the GOP ideas were SO good that common sense would take over. Instead, the business interests must see that have the GOP in power is so critical to their interests (not the people's interests) that they have to spend 20 to 1 (or ever 12 to 1) to convince the electorate. It makes buying a Supreme Court justice in West VA to rule favorably for Massey Coal, just child's play.
Oh, re union dues and unions in general: There are no perfect unions, and 3% of one week's pay is the average collected monthly. But that buys representation on par with what the company retains and it buys the resulting contract, which keeps the company from changing the rules in the middle of a dispute- and it results in pay and benefits 18% above the average received by those without representation doing the same job. It's interesting where unions exist and where they don't: often companies that are the best or the worst places to work don't have unions- the former because there's no need, the second because they are savagely suppressed. Companies that have them are often those that once fell into the "worst places to work" category- and are now, as a general rule, merely miserable- but decently compensated. Sometimes when a company loses to the union and the workforce certifies representation, they close doors and buy new factories and fresh slaves off-shore. I don't buy products made by those companies. They are traitors to America and scoundrels of the lowest kind. I buy products made by Americans who support MY job.
Well the unions can say whatever they want however history conflicts with their story. The unions have out spent the corporations by close to a 3 to 1 margin. This would be the very first year in history the unions did not out spend the corporations by at least a 2 to 1 margin.
I believe the unions already have a "lock" on most of the $350 billion left from the stimulus so they have a titanic head start on the lobby kickbacks.
Here are the total contributions by the 20 largest contributors over the last 20 years;
Democrats = $476,593,000 (79%)
Republicans = $128,068,000 (21%)
So the Democrats have enjoyed a contribution advantage of about $349,000,000.
The vast majority of that advantage comes from Unions, where the Democratic advantage is even more pronounced;
Democrats = $358,089,000 (94%)
Republicans = $20,611,000 (6%)
If you expand the list to the top 115 contributors, the Democrat's HUGE advantage increases to $350,000,000.
Corporations actually give nearly the same amount to Democrats that they do to Republicans. It's the union contributions that are so lopsided in favor of the Democrats.
Adams101....within the carefully delineated talking points of your post, what you say is true.
Unions DO outspend corporations- but they spend a pittance next to the amount contributed by the officers, the executives, the boards, and the owners of those corporations- all of whom benefit from the agendas of the right.
Your post is spin, propaganda, and a blatant distortion of reality which carefully selects only the few supportive elements of a far larger truth.
It's a whole new world out there thanks to "Citizens United". Money = Free Speech!
Unions have a lock on stimulus funds? What union has gotten stimulus money, name one.
Money from the unions for political action comes voluntarily from individual members.
Forrest the union members are told who the union is going to support and who to vote for if they care about their jobs. I come from a union family and have had union jobs, so I know from which I speak. Some voluntary choice, Thanks,
Yes the union endorses a candidate, then members like any other American have a right (and duty some might say) to go vote for whomever they decide is the choice for them. The company also endorses candidates.
Stimulus money for roads are going to the union contractors, so yes the unions have a lock on the funds, even if a non union contractor out bid them. The non union contractors need to haul them to court and expose the politics behind these stimulus road contracts! Sorry unions, one of your union brothers from Chicago ratted yous out! As he told me, no scabs are going to work on any roads with Obama working for us. Made me sick, If my daughter ties the knot with him, I'm going to be really sick. Have fun, time to go to my non union job! (Can not take a cut in pay to work for a union, plus those wasted union dues)
Wow is your friend powerful or what? Obama is working for him. My friend says GW bush authorized the bombing of the world trade center, I don't believe everything my friends say.
As we are aware, Tea bagers have been having a number of bus tours, travelling from state to state to register as voters in those states with a motive of voting out those who they do not like in those states.
It's too bad all these bazillions of dollars that the corporations are wasting trying to buy this election aren't being used to create jobs. We could probably give everyone who is currently unemployed a job with all that money. Talk about waste, fraud and abuse...
Why are American Taxpayers forced to pay higher Union wages on government work? So they can back Democrat campaigns? Let cut spending and hire hard working non union workers.
I am so amazed that after 50 years of union decline, that there are still people who believe that active union membership can still compete with the manpower and money necessary to offset corporate interests. Except in major metro areas, primarily in the Northeast, Rust Belt and Calif. there just aren't the numbers. Next time someone knocks on your door or calls for some candidate, ask them if they are a union member. You are more likely to get a call from Ed McMahon. And if you think their money is so all powerful - why can't they unionize Wal-Mart, Toyota or Honda? It has truly become a strange day in America when so many in the electorate think we need corporations to protect us from the unions.
Unions killed the Auto industry in this country and the steel mills and have outlived their usefulness. They have let those who have spent their lives slaving for the BOSS's down and their pensions were cut along with jobs.
The things that Unions did for our country over 50 years ago are all law now and the bloated hourly wages that the workers get for standing on an assembly line or other work is unreal.
And they are the DNC backers, just as well. Let socialism rest.
History lesson, FDR created the BIG unions by sleeping with them for their votes and allowing the unlimited power. They returned the favor by threating/having strikes during WWII. Truman repealed most of that unrealistic power after FDR died. FDR was a socialist.
It is good that they have lost power and that the voting spending laws were changed.
Try to start a company in CA or HI and see what good unions are.
Republicans have been mistreating unions since they were invented. A trip through history will show that the middle class never was until unions, public education, government regulation (anti-monopoly) and the GI Bill created it. Corporate lobbyists need Republicans in order to screw the American worker. Tinkle down didn't come from Democrats or Unions. The two economic disasters of the last 100 years both followed 8 years of Republican control. They got what they wanted the first time, but Democrats kept them from their goal this time. These bastards love a depression, they're the only ones left with money and they can kowtow the workers into giving up hard won gains. Take whatever we offer or we'll give your job to a foreigner. The Bush Tax cuts for the wealthy need to expire and indeed be raised to rates similar to where they were when America had a thriving middle class. As always the Republicans are the party of "I stole mine, F.U. or " We make money the old fashioned way, we steal it from poor people." You corporate apologists need to understand that business don't provide jobs, customers do. No middle class, no jobs,period.
Damn straight Pat.
Are you kidding me? Over this weekend they had a rally the NAACP and national labor unions give tens of thousands of people free bus rides, free lunches, free T-shirts and free Metro farecards as inducements to attend.
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) gave free bus rides from major metropolitan areas within twelve hours of D.C. The United Steelworkers also busing in demonstrators. Even the Screen Actors Guild got involved. They pay, feed, bus them all in. Dont tell me that they are doing this out of the goodness of there hearts.
People are talking about big corporations and how bad they are, but I live in California and the unions are the scum of the earth. They can give a rats a@@ about the people and have our legislators in there back pockets.
The unions are corrupt and Obama is holding the door open for them.
Obama has refused to call for an audit of the secret Federal Reserve Bank and rescinded Bush-era disclosure requirements for labor union leaders — the same union bosses who provided over $100 million (and nearly half a million volunteers) for Obama and Democratic Congressional candidates in 2008.
thetotas, good and accurate post. Thanks,
Its called grassroots politics, awesome isn't it. Government by the people for the people, no problem with that.
Very accurately transcribed from Breitbart.
"One place, however, where the AFL-CIO played heavily -- and wasn't shy about saying what they were spending -- was in Arkansas. Unions spent about $10 million to try and oust incumbent Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln."
Trumka may have no regrets about that little adventure, but I still bet he wishes he had that $10 million to spend now.
ROY WILSON-336103 You keep on shopping at those union run stores, and I'll keep shopping at Walmart and use the $3,000 a year I save to have nice vacations.
How many times do you have to go back and buy the same thing over and over because its crap?
ThinkProgress.org is doing some excellent reporting on the laundering of foreign money through the chamber of commerce to influence our elections. I recommend a look.
Why do you really think there are no jobs in America, right it is so easy to blame President Obama, The house and senate, but the top 5% of this countries riches people are controlling everything and until President Obama bows down and says OK I'll extend your tax cuts and give you back everything we passed in the last 2 years, Financial reform, etc. There will be no jobs.
You can not tell me that with all the money these top 5% have made in the 10 years of the Bush's tax cuts that they couldn't have build clothing factories, shoe factories, furniture factories, manufacturing plants etc, to get Americans back to work, come on, get real, no they send these jobs overseas.
One of the biggest reason why these top 5% of the most powerful corporations are flooding the airways with billions of dollar of advertisement is they know if the Democrats pick up many more seats in the election they will not be able to undo the financial reforms and then other major countries around the world will follow suit and they will begin to come apart. There is a reason for this madness; they do not want to lose the hold they have on the entire world.
The 5% making billions, that are considered a small business, pay no taxes, collect tax refunds and then send our jobs overseas. and the biggest and perhaps the most shameful of all is the chamber of commence that is suppose to do the best they can for Small business, jobs and the economy, is placing 75 millions dollars into ads from foreign companies, to help the GOP stop the Democrats from helping the American people and taking the power back from companies overseas, with 90% filibustering and with 430 bills collecting dust on the senate floor, just so as DeMint said this will be Obama waterloo.
Did not or are not creating jobs and now turning this around on the democrats by saying that they do not know what it will cost for hiring. Their argument is the tax cut will add to their cost and insurance cost will add to their cost, they claim because of the health care reform their insurance costs have gone up, yes they have because the insurance companies are raising everything as much as they can before the biggest part of the health reform begins. They are turning them not creating jobs, back on us, when it really is plain and simple greed.
Instead of condemning President Obama we should be standing by him for trying to give control back to US the American people that our ancestors has build up from the ground and not letting domestic and foreign corporations control us anymore.
Remember this video because republicans are against democrats and the bills they wanted to get passed.
Anything GOP bad or good money can buy to make the democrats and the white house look bad they will
No you can’t (featuring John Boehner)
http://www.coussouleforcongress.com/index.php?page=videos&vid=14
Before casting your vote Nov 2 or voting early please keep these facts in mind:
Most Tea party candidates are for removing:
Why do you think the biggest majority of the tea bag candidates do not talk to the news or have debates? They know their true beliefs will be revealed.
Most of the republicans want to go back to the Bush era and give control back to the top 5% that brought this great country of our to its knees.
Most independences running are changing sides as fast as they change shoes and using issues from both sides hoping to hit on one that works.
And next the influent of 40% of the billions of dollars in this election, from the GOP; are from unknown sources, they do not need to disclose where it came from domestic and/or foreign. Then think of the ones we do know where the big money is coming from, these people are just trying to buy the votes, but do they really have the best interest of America and it people in mind.
The Democrats are running on issues that will benefit everyone in this country and a large majority of everyone in America wants, but their candidates are not running on. Are for moving forward not back to the 1800’s or the Bush Era.
Congressman Kendrick Meek in Florida is the one right now that needs all the help he can get, he has held this post in the house since 2003, the other two Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio are acting like they are not really in it for the American people, also Crist flip flopped back and forth from one party to another to try to be on the winning end, first he republican, then independence, now he asked Meek to step down so he could win over Rubio, and run maybe independence Democrat come on does he really have anyone’s interests in mind other then winning. Rubio has really some strange tea bags ideological, one no abortion even for incest or rape, women rights etc. and is supported by the tea party and the GOP with their millions of dollars from unknown sources.
Also Jack Conway in Kentucky, why do you think Rand Paul tea party candidate is ducking the press. He’s talked about changing numerous constitution amendments, against civil rights Etc. Also receiving loads of money from outside sources.