Daily Kos: Labor Leader To Blue Dogs: Don't DARE Ask For Support

[Omaha Steve]

by PaulVA
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Thu Aug 13, 2009 at 10:48:36 AM PDT

AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Richard Trumka traveled to Nevada on Monday to address the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA) to talk about the new approach the labor movement will be taking towards conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats and Senate centrists like Senators Max Baucus and Blanche Lincoln.

The SMWIA is the first union to have suspended all campaign donations to ALL Democratic candidates until the Employee Free Choice Actand a bill addressing real Health Care Reform are passed. The SMWIA, along with a coalition of over a dozen unions will be running ads next week targeting several Democratic Senators and a Republican.

* PaulVA's diary :: ::

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld2jCLgoLS8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstory%2F2009%2F8%2F13%2F765850%2F-Labor-Leader-To-Blue-Dogs%3A-Dont-DARE-Ask-For-Support-%28Video%29&feature=player_embedded

In very plain and frank language, Trumka warns the conservative Democrats who have wavered on labor and health care reform about the consequences of what working people will do when they are stabbed in the back after working so hard for these Democrats during election time:

And then there’s that other group: those fair weather friends who can’t seem to decide which side they’re on. I’m talking about politicians who love to have our help come election time, but, always seem to forget us after the votes are counted.

In case anyone wonders who Trumka is talking about, he makes it pretty clear:

You know who I mean. They’ve been in the news a lot lately.
They’re the ones who say that they’re all for health care reform – so long as it doesn’t offend the insurance industry and the drug companies.
They’re the same people who’re saying that the way to pay for it isn’t to tax the rich; it’s to tax our health care benefits!

And in case those politicians think working people will just shrug their shoulders and give them handfuls of more campaign cash and volunteers, Trumka iterates:

we need to send them a special message: it’s that you may have forgotten what the labor movement did to get you elected; but, by God, we never will! And if you stab us in the back on health care this year don’t you dare ask us for our support next year!

In case anyone forgot, Labor Unions and not the health insurance industry or the Chamber of Commerce have been the biggest financial donor to the Blue Dogs and centrists in the Democratic Party.



In addition to that, Union members have been consistently relied on to participate in the day to day phone banks, campaign rallies, door to door visits and grassroots activities that filled the grunt work on many of their campaigns.

And lets not forget all those union members that politicians like to have standing around them when they're at the podium, especially anyone who even remotely looks like a firefighter.

Good luck to the Blue Dogs when they have to start lining up insurance agents behind them instead.

UPDATE: It looks like the labor movement isn't alone in its disgust with the Blue Dogs. Irmaly has a diary up about a new report that Howard Dean is now talking about primary action against anyone who stops the public option.

[Atman]

1. K&R

Thanks, Steve

[Bluzmann57]

2. As a Union member, I applaud this action

The Blue Dogs sure aren't getting my support if they continue their current stands.

[billyoc]

3. I'm pushing for a moratorium on all political donations. I want to fund other projects instead.

[xchrom]

4. now there's some teeth. nt

[Me.]

5. That's The Way To Do It

Today must be the day for warnings. Howard Dean handed out one too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6296878

[The Magistrate]

6. Hear Hear, Sir!

[cloudbase]

7. At last.

Labor is actually growing a pair, but we'll see what happens. I've tried this within my own labor council, and most of the unions had no trouble supporting politicians who screwed them over in the past.

[safeinOhio]

8. Solidarity forever

the union makes us strong. K&R

[amborin]

9. K&R

[tnlurker]

10. K&R

[Coyote_Bandit]

11. About taxing health care benefits

There should be some parity between untaxed employer provided health care benefits and those individual policies which are purchased with fully taxable dollars.

An individual who buys a policy with a monthly premium of $900 bears a significantly higher cost. If they are in a 30% tax bracket then that $900 monthly premium really costs $1200 - the $900 premium plus the $300 thirty percent tax on that $900. Over the course of a year that is an additional cost of over $3500 for health insurance that those with employer provided health insurance don't have to bear. What should cost $10,800 annually costs $14,400.

Either tax all health care benefits or make those fully taxable dollars used to purchase health insurance non-taxable.

[frebrd]

12. K&R!

[pleah]

13. K&R

[myrna minx]

14. K&R

:applause:

[Zenlitened]

15. K&R.

[BrklynLiberal]

16. K&R

[mod mom]

17. excellent! rec'd

[svpadgham]

18. Coolness, that's my union.

Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 67 :thumbsup:

[MasonJar]

19. I am also going to let the DCCC and the Senate equivalent that I am no

longer giving them money since they (thanks in large part to Rahm Emmanuel) recruited a lot of these losers...and spent my very hard earned money to get them elected. Why have a dem if he isn't at least a semi-dem?

[robertpaulsen]

20. THAT'S how you bypass bipartisanship & get ALL Dems on the same page.

Let them understand their JOBS are on the line. WE THE PEOPLE employ them, not insurance companies!!!

[Kermitt Gribble]

21. Can't K&R this enough!!

This is the only way to get real change.

[hay rick]

22. K&R