CQ Makes it Official: Labor Leaders, Abortion groups are "Special Interests" At Odds with America [View All]

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Special Interest Groups Remind Obama of his IOUs

Many interest groups, from labor unions to pro-choice groups campaigned hard and spent a lot of money to elect Barack Obama. Now they are gently reminding him of what he owes them, in hopes of getting favorable treatment of their issues. Unions, for example, want a stimulus package that would be focused on rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure, which would create millions of new jobs.

With Election Over, Interest Groups Calling In the IOUs

By Emily Cadei, CQ Staff

Barack Obama has been president-elect for only a few days, but already the special interest groups who helped him get elected are issuing reminders of the IOUs they plan to call in.

Labor unions, abortion rights groups and coalitions of progressive voters have all rushed to claim credit for the Democratic victories this year, pointing to the financial and electoral support their constituencies mustered for the party’s ticket. And they are not shy about laying out what they expect the new president and his acolytes in Congress to do for them.

The clamor for political spoils underscores the challenges the Obama administration and increased Democratic majority in the 11th Congress will face as they seek to live up to the demands of their most ardent supporters while trying not to alienate a more moderate public.

Asked at a press conference this week if the Change to Win coalition would consider moderating its agenda for the first 100 days of the new administration — which includes a controversial bill to change the way unions organize workers — because of the economic crisis, Burger said, “No.”

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