Yesterday, the AFL-CIO General Board voted unanimously to endorse President Obama for re-election

[nofurylike]

from email

For many reasons, we are pledging to work with President Obama throughout the elections and in a second term. The bottom line is this: As president, Barack Obama has placed his faith in America’s working men and women to lead our country to economic recovery and our full potential. So we’re putting our faith in him.

We’re rolling up our sleeves and getting to work for working families. Will you join us?

Pledge to get to work for working people by supporting President Obama and other working family candidates:

http://labor2012.aflcio.org/

Although the labor movement has sometimes differed with the president and often pushed his administration to do more—and do it faster—we have never doubted his commitment to a strong future for working families. With our endorsement today, we affirm our faith in the president. We pledge to work with him through the election and his second term to restore fairness, security and shared prosperity.

Brothers and sisters, the coming election is a choice about values. President Obama honors the values of hard work, mutual respect and of solving problems together—not every person for himself or herself. Each of the Republican presidential candidates, on the other hand, has pledged to uphold the special privileges of Wall Street and the 1%—privileges that have produced historic economic inequality and drowned out the voices of working people in America.

Please join us in pledging to get to work for working people by supporting President Obama and all working family candidates:

http://labor2012.aflcio.org/

Working people are the Davids standing up to Goliath in today’s politics. Our strength is in our numbers, our values and plain, hard work. When we come together, we are formidable. And for this election, we are coming together like never before.

Thank you for all the work you do.

In Solidarity,

Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO

P.S. Here are some key reasons we support the president’s re-election:

He took America from the brink of a second Great Depression by pressing Congress to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which saved or created 3.6 million jobs.

He championed comprehensive health insurance reform, which—while far from perfect—set the nation on a path toward the health security that had eluded our country for nearly 100 years.

He insisted upon Wall Street reform—passed over the objection of almost every Republican. Now, we can finally begin to reverse decades of financial deregulation that put our entire economy at risk.

For these reasons—and many more—President Obama has earned the support of working people for a second term. We hope you’ll join us today in pledging to support his re-election. You can read more about why we’re supporting the president here:

http://www.aflcio.org/Legislation-and-Politics/Political-Action


***

great info and links at the links!

[MrSlayer]

1. Not really much of a choice.

The "right to work" Republicans make no secret of their union hatred.

[nofurylike]

2. they have had a choice, and have been asserting that all along.

i hope you will read their statements on this.

their choice is considered, and it is wise.

thank you.

[bread_and_roses]

3. No choice at all - in a lose/lose less rock-hard place

The only "choice" would have been endorse Obama/no endorsement at all. I believe our leadership made a simple political calculation: Obama will win; politicians who win can punish those who didn't support them (I might be wrong on this but my memory is that Commander Codpiece never set foot in the AFL-CIO building - which is visible from the White House - in his entire eight years in office), and much more punishment and we are dead instead of moribund.

Our leadership is not stupid; I believe they know exactly who and what Obama has served in his first term. And while Trumka has pulled his punches, if you read his commentary over the past four years it's plain enough. And, I'm sure they've heard the same comments from rank-and-file that I have: believe me, those comments are not complementary.

The AFL-CIO is quite a marvel at mobilizing political action; I'm sure they'll mount a considerable effort for Obama. And they will get a response, and have an impact. But I am not at all sure they will see the same participation and impact as in 2008. Members are demoralized when it comes to the political process.

And I doubt our leaders are immune to the old "hope" that in a second term Obama will be freed from the specter of a re-election campaign and will fulfill some of his promise.

I don't share that hope. I have my small insignificant role in the process and I get paid to do it. I will do exactly as I am told for my job - it's either that or quit, and my quitting would not make a whit of difference. But, like many, and unlike '08, I will do no more than exactly what I am told.

Like many others, I believe that the Labor movement's marriage to the political process is a dead end. However, our leaders don't agree. Yet. I had hoped that "Occupy" would wake them up, but alas, not.

[nofurylike]

7. it is good to see that you are able to understand pragmatism.

that is a good start for a comment in this group.

maybe you can translate that to President Obama's position in working with an obstructionist Congress. given what he has had to work with, or NOT work with, thanks to them; and given that he would not become the dictator that many seem to wish he would degrade into, this president has brilliantly achieved unprecedented progress. granted, he has had to take a pragmatic approach, which can be frustrating to all of us idealists, but that would be true of any person who would ever be in that office. any attempt to progress more rapidly would not only have been futile, but would have had a negative impact on what progress has been possible.

it is good that, when it comes down to vitally important matters, you recognize, and acknowledge that "i had hoped, but alas, not" is something we have to find the strength to endure in political processes. in face of that, we work in incremental processes, as the AFL-CIO has always understood and managed to do, always recognizing the peril of not having the commitment, patience, and endurance to withstand the limitations they must work within - or lose all progress.

thank you for coming to our group. i hope you will find, and receive comfort from some of the positives we are informed enough to recognize, and be thankful for, bread_and_roses (interesting name. that phrase represents the very dialectic we are limited to working with: we need some things, imperatively, and we intend to keep working toward "the greater days&quot .

[bread_and_roses]

9. I didn't notice I was in a group - and am not "joining" this group

so feel free to delete my posts, if that makes a difference. I didn't know that by posting a response I was somehow joining something. I am not a joiner, and am particularly not interested in joining this particular group.

I saw the header on the "latest" page, that's how I landed here. And I'm quite sure you don't mean it this way, but your little homily sounds incredibly condescending - rather amusingly so, I'm afraid. Like a grade-schooler laboriously instructing his grand-mother on scrambling eggs.

[nofurylike]

10. i only wish that you would take the chance to increase your understanding.

do i sound as condescending as you are to your "leaders"?

no problem not joining. i don't need to delete your post, but thank you for consenting to it, anyway.

[Cha]

21. Shocking!

The condescender doesn't like being condescended to. rofl.

[nofurylike]

24. isn't it?! who'd ever expect THAT, ah?

Cha!!

[Number23]

11. Well done.

Total class through and through.

[nofurylike]

13. thank you so very much

an honor, coming from you, dear Number23

[DevonRex]

15. And may I add my praises, as well?

I love the way you handled it.

[nofurylike]

16. that means so very much to me, coming from you, Devon

thank you, thank you so very much!!

i cherish all you do for all of us here

[blueknight]

4. they held their noses when they did it

unions have no friends in this election. just a lesser of two evils

[bread_and_roses]

5. Yep. (n/t)

[great white snark]

6. Bullshit.

You certainly don't speak for the unions. Your misplaced opinion is your own.

[nofurylike]

8. i am glad to see that you accept pragmatism as the nearest to ideal possible.

our President has had to understand that, too. and considering the kinds of "evils" he has had juxtaposed before him - slogging through mind-boggling obstructionism to progress, or becoming a dictator - he has done brilliantly.

most of us union idiots understand dialectic. we work for the ideal, and face the challenge of the real. if we didn't, we'd have lost everything before taking any steps forward at all.

thank you for coming to our group. i hope you, too, will find some comfort in our understanding of the imperatives of progressive process.

[Ikonoklast]

17. Tell that to members of my Union, the UFCW.

They'd laugh in your face.

From LAST YEAR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2011
CONTACT:

[e-mail]



UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION ENDORSES OBAMA 2012

(Washington, D.C.) - The following is a statement issued by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union President Joseph T. Hansen:

"The 1.3 million members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) are ready to fight for the future of our country and to stand with leaders who will stand up for working families. President Barack Obama is that leader.

"I am proud to announce that the UFCW is endorsing President Obama’s reelection campaign because our members understand how much is at stake in this election. President Obama has stood up for the jobless, the uninsured, the middle class taxpayer, Medicare recipients, working women, and accountability from Wall Street. UFCW members are ready to mobilize for the president and to elect more leaders who will stand with him in Congress and statehouses across the country.

"Cashiers and grocery workers are ready to stand up to elect leaders who will ensure good jobs stay in their communities and that their children can achieve their dream for a better life. Meatpackers and food processors are ready to stand up to elect leaders who will keep fighting to hold Wall Street gamblers accountable to the home owners and retirees who have invested in their future and deserve security and honesty from financial institutions.

"Working families are struggling during this recession - a recession created by Bush-era tax breaks, lack of financial regulation and unnecessary military escalation. Turning our economy around is going to take a tremendous effort - an effort that must be led by a president who speaks for the 99 percent of Americans who clock into work every morning, instead of those who simply watch stock tickers all day.

"UFCW members are energized because corporate-backed politicians at the federal and state level have launched an all-out assault on working people. President Obama is fighting back.

"UFCW members have never stopped fighting back in statehouses and in their communities. They are ready to win the fight for the White House in 2012. The UFCW will be mobilizing, organizing and energizing our members, their friends and families to keep President Obama in the White House and to elect a Congress that works hard for hard working Americans. Ours is an enthusiastic choice to stand with President Obama as he fights against political opposition that seeks to enrich a select few at the expense of millions of regular Americans."




Really reads like half-hearted support there, doesn't it...NOT.

With 1.3 million members, bet not one of us is "holding their noses"...except for the odd Republican or Teabagging idiot member standing ready to vote money out of their own pockets.

[nofurylike]

19. great post!! thank you so much for adding that, Ikonoklast!

i am sorry i didn't see it sooner.

that is wonderful to read!!

UFCW members have never stopped fighting back in statehouses and in their communities. They are ready to win the fight for the White House in 2012. The UFCW will be mobilizing, organizing and energizing our members, their friends and families to keep President Obama in the White House and to elect a Congress that works hard for hard working Americans. Ours is an enthusiastic choice to stand with President Obama as he fights against political opposition that seeks to enrich a select few at the expense of millions of regular Americans."

Really reads like half-hearted support there, doesn't it...NOT.

"the odd Republican or Teabagging idiot member standing ready to vote money out of their own pockets." i think that needs to be a thread!

thanks again!

[Cha]

22. But, but, but posters

who've been suckered by the profiteering left know more than the Union Members! Just post a thread about them endorsing President Obama and they'll tell ya.

[Cha]

20. Oh my, we have a

suckered emo in our midst.

[JNelson6563]

12. The UAW will be doing similar.

lolz I'd sure like my pals at the UAW to learn (from this thread) what powerless little puppets they are.

Just the notion of that.....walking into their caucus @ state convention this summer, read out the anti posts in this thread and inform them of what helpless, choiceless poor souls they are.

LOLZ! These are about the furthest you can get from helpless sods, just mindlessly voting or the guy their leadership tells them. I have never seen such low opinion of unions and their members as I have on DU, supposedly by the staunch leftists. Mmm hmm, sure they are.

Julie

[nofurylike]

14. "supposedly by the staunch leftists. Mmm hmm, sure they are." exactly!!

"LOLZ," indeed!!

hear, hear!! :

These are about the furthest you can get from helpless sods, just mindlessly voting for the guy their leadership tells them. I have never seen such low opinion of unions and their members as I have on DU, supposedly by the staunch leftists. Mmm hmm, sure they are.

great! thank you, Julie!!

[Cha]

23. That was my thought

exactly before I saw your post, Julie! We're damn lucky to have President Obama in this time and it's too bad there are so many ignorant suckers out there keeping the profiteers in business.

The good news is..there are more smart people who are able to grasp reality! YAY

[Global Teach-In]

18. Spam deleted by OKNancy (MIR Team)