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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe chicago teachers union may have just elected romney
this isnt going be popular here but heres my opinion.
heres the facts. ohio and wisconsin are 2 critical states this election. the keys to winning an election are the independents. the dems and Gop'ers will vote for their party regardless so it a matter of attracting the independents.
wisconsin and ohio have governors who ran on a platform of reigning in public unions. whether you agree or disagree with then on that its what they ran on.
now you have teachers in chicago on strike. it doesnt matter what they are striking over all that the general public,who is more interested in jersey shore and reality tv will see is that some of teh highest paid teachers in the country went on strike.
the details dont matter. the soundbites do nowadays. all joe public will here is that 70k+ a year teachers went on strike. that fill feed a backlash against public unions and its the GOP that has campaigned against them in wisconsin and ohio.
that may be enough to tip those 2 critical states to romney and if that happens romney will very likely win.
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)DLine
(397 posts)From a political standpoint I don't see this helping our side at all. The fact its Chicago is even better for Fox News and right wing pundits.
abelenkpe
(9,933 posts)Perhaps you need to spend your time countering the soundbites which are generally false in that not all teachers make that amount most are paid much less. It would certainly be more productive to support workers than come on this board whining about unions and spreading fear.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)TeamPooka
(24,259 posts)Romney needs more than just Ohio and WI.
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)There's never a good time to strike. But to "time" a strike around an election is just stupid. Say the teachers agree to work without a contract, or to concessions -- you could make the argument that they have displayed weakness and will hurt "our side" by rolling over before an election, that it will give union-busters momentum coming into November.
No one wants to strike, not even union members. It's devastating, it's hard work, it's emotionally and physically draining. There is never a good time to strike. But it has to be done. Direct action through withholding labor is a powerful tool and one that levels the playing field. The fact that the teachers have picked this time to strike should give people a clue as to how high the stakes really are.
Vincardog
(20,234 posts)win 2012 in a landslide.
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)Topped off with a wee bit of "My post isn't going to be popular" self-righteousness.
Your disdain for workers and voters is obvious.
Ohio - and this is a fact - utterly rebuked its governor on Issue 2, humiliating him on the national stage and supporting collective bargaining for public employee unions. You forgot to mention that with your facts. What was the vote there? Oh yes, it was 61% of Ohioans siding with their public employee unions. The collective bargaining law in Wisconsin was forced through under the most divisive governship ever. Yes, Walker escaped a recall, but voters were generally against the procedure of recall rather than in favor of Walker's policies.
The details matter if you're NOT A FUCKING liar.
rdking647
(5,113 posts)and now people will see teachers who average over 70k a year on strike.
you average joe on the street will only see that. they wont see a debate about class sizes or test scores. all they will see is greedy teachers striking for more money.
thats the real perception. and perception is all that matters.
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)You're wrong. People are smarter than that, and smarter than you. Noticeable, in any case, that you refused to respond to the Ohio referendum, which utterly debunks your contention.
Where you from, by the way? I just dropped my daughter off at CPS strike camp at the Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club earlier. How about you? What are you doing with your kids during the strike?
hughee99
(16,113 posts)alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)hughee99
(16,113 posts)Labor outspent Kasich in Ohio (according to Human Events, anyway) and Labor won. So I guess the question is, are people "smarter than that" or are they just swayed by whoever spends the most on advertising?
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)get off his ass and apply.
I tried teaching in a big city. It was the hardest job I've ever done, I burned out.
People have no idea.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)YvonneCa
(10,117 posts)...sentence structure skills and believe you have skills in logic? In politics? OTOH, this goes way beyond the politics of the situation. It's about doing what is right for students, and the educators of today and tomorrow. Our country HAS to get that right. We teachers EDUCATE...that's what we do. It would be great if our voices could be heard without a strike...but our voices have been stifled.
If, as you say, the perception is that greedy teachers are striking for money, that's because that is how they are spinning it. That spin is wrong and needs to change. I have always agreed that President Obama can be hurt by being on the wrong side of this issue. As a supporter of his, I do NOT want that to happen.
But he has the bully pulpit and can use it. I hope he will.
obamanut2012
(26,142 posts)jpbollma
(552 posts)I agree. As a union supporter, even here in MI people have swung against the unions. When unemployment is at 8% people side with reactionaries and tend to go at their fellow workers instead of the cause of their problems. I hope this is quickly resolved.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)... the one undecided voter in the nation.
What drivel.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)This provides the President with a perfect opportunity to differentiate himself from the anti-Union Republicans.
Election season is the very best time to give OUR party the opportunity to show the Teachers Union, that unlike George Bush, Democrats stand up for the working class.
He has the support of the major unions and I am certain he will take this opportunity to show them he is on their side.
Romney otoh, most likely will do what Republicans always do when it comes to Unions.
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)than churn this crap out...
phleshdef
(11,936 posts)You think a teachers strike in Chicago is going to take precedence over debates regarding Medicare, taxes and the national debt, etc?
I'm sorry, but I don't think your analysis here is a very sober analysis. Aside from that, Ohio is still very much pro-union. Look at how we voted down issue 2.
Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)And in addition, I think most of the nation will see this strike as a local/state/City issue, and not so closely tied to Federal Elections.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,199 posts)Amongst the general public, public school teachers are one of the more favorably viewed professions. For example, whenever you hear of a questionable large taxpayer project, what is one of the first things you hear from the public? Typically, it's:
That money should be used to hire more teachers or That money should go to pay our teachers more.
You're right, though. Your opinion isn't popular here. It's not popular here for the simple fact that it's wrong.
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)There is much I would like to say about your recent posts, but unfortunately doing so would break DU rules. I will say that I find your views to be contrary to my own.
Raven
(13,900 posts)HappyMe
(20,277 posts)You are all over the place with this anti-union, anti-teacher stuff today.
The Midway Rebel
(2,191 posts)You should end your posts with the phrase "Meep!"
...Joe public is stupid, teachers are greedy Meep!...
Kind of like that.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)Good one!
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)So an undecided voter, on the fence between Obama and Romney (as if these people really exist), is sitting around pondering life, when all of a sudden: Wait--I'm off the fence now! The teachers in Chicago just went on strike! That settles it, I'm voting Mitt Romney, because, well, because Economy Union Freedom Troops!
I hope no one actually like, pays you for thinking about stuff.
A national strike for more money during bad times may have tipped a ton of people to vote for Romney, but not one city in a state guaranteed to go to President Obama.
craigmatic
(4,510 posts)friends. How hard is it to negotiate a labor contract? They want to work and you want them to work. They want a raise but you don't want to give them everything they want so you meet somewhere in the middle.
dkf
(37,305 posts)Will a strike.
I highly doubt the American public gives a damn about policy even.
It's all about who is promising better benefits from the imaginary money tree.
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,505 posts)2ndAmForComputers
(3,527 posts)Having to pretend you're happy must really, really, really suck.
dkf
(37,305 posts)And then they won't be properly prepared for the future.
Yes that bothers me.
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,505 posts)Hatchling
(2,323 posts)verb (used with object)
9.
to schedule or order so as to be available when or as needed.
10.
to put in phase; synchronize: to phase one mechanism with another.
? ?/feɪz/ Show Spelled[feyz] Show IPA
verb (used with object), fazed, faz·ing.
to cause to be disturbed or disconcerted; daunt: The worst insults cannot faze him.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)Fuck your Third Way anti-union bullshit propaganda. It is not appreciated by Democrats.
A message from all of us.
?t=1347296034
[font color="blue" size="12" face="face"]Wisconsin Recall Election: Democrats Gain Control Of State Senate After John Lehman Declares Victory[/font]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/06/wisconsin-recall-election-john-lehman_n_1572938.html
Eat that.
Chuckles Koch, the GOP woodchuck says:
This union strike is a matter of grave concern! It will make babies cry all around the world!
Unions are bad! Unions support and fund DEMOCRATS, and must be eliminated!1!1!
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)This garbage, corporate Third Way propaganda is ubiquitous here now, both condoned and protected.
Spewing right-wing viewpoints used to be grounds for termination from DU. Now wading through this garbage is part of the neoDU experience.
Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)It does get confusing for the average Democrat when they see the leaders of their party, Clinton, Biden & President Obama, praising the Simpson-Bowles Commission (aka Cat Food Commission) at the Democratic convention.
rdking647
(5,113 posts)thats a load of bullshit.
i'm allowed to think for myself.
and if you want to gloat about the dems in wisconsin gaining controll of the senate i have to ask... have the unions won the right back to collective bargain yet? is walker still the governor?
you can eat that......
Zoeisright
(8,339 posts)If you don't agree with a union you most likely are a republican.
Spazito
(50,484 posts)bullwinkle428
(20,631 posts)"But make sure you keep filling the Democratic party war chest!"
Z_I_Peevey
(2,783 posts)It's a fine thing to talk about, so long as you don't use it.
obamanut2012
(26,142 posts)"It's not a convenient time... wait...."
GoneOffShore
(17,341 posts)Mz Pip
(27,453 posts)are people who wouldn't be voting for Obama in the first place. It will probably get spun as some kind of proof of Obama's guilt by association to Chicago politics. Rush, Hannity and Beck will make hay of it but as far as changing any minds, I doubt it. Those who hate unions have already made up their minds.
cali
(114,904 posts)that's a ridiculous assumption.
rocktivity
(44,577 posts)rocktivity
progressivebydesign
(19,458 posts)Sadly, because of the narrative in the media during the Bush Recession, even the most moderate democrats are not friendly to anyone striking when other people desperately need work. I know it's not fair, but that is the public opinion.
Their timing blows... and in Chicago of all places.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)If moderate "Democrats" are not friendly to anyone striking when other people desperately need work, then they are so fracking stupid that they are not worth consideration. That line of non-reasoning shows them to be just as stupid and illogical as any conservative republican.
"Golly gee! Joe down the street is out of work, and teachers are striking in Chicago! Time to invade Iraq!"
Basing our actions on the foolishness of stupid people only adds to the stupid.
Here's are some examples of stupid moderate "Democrats" in action:
Sen. Scott Brown's (R-Mass.) reelection campaign is launching a push to highlight his support from Democrats throughout Massachusetts, an effort to burnish the freshman's centrist credentials to help him win voters in the deep-blue state.
Brown received the endorsement of Charlie Ryan, former Democratic mayor of Springfield, Mass., on Thursday, and on Friday Democratic state Rep. Chris Fallon appeared alongside Brown to become the first sitting lawmaker to offer his endorsement.
Fallon characterized the endorsement as an issue of character, rather than partisan politics, and called it an "easy" choice.
"We know where your heart is....."
Yes. We know where your heart is.
Chuckles the sensible centrist woodchuck says:
"Given a choice between a republican anti-union candidate and a progressive pro union Democratic candidate, I'll
vote for the republican every time!"
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)GreenPartyVoter
(72,381 posts)GreenPartyVoter
(72,381 posts)madrchsod
(58,162 posts)the strike in chicago is not going to change anyone`s mind. those who hate unions would`t vote for any democrat.
90% of the teachers who voted to strike are not all democrats. yes ...90% of the membership had to vote yes because rahm moved the goal post from a 50% percent to a 90%.that`s why he`s so fucking pissed off.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)Yes, the liars will link Obama to the strike via Rahm and Chicago and spin it til the cows come home. Of course they will. Won't make a bit of difference, certainly won't give Romney an edge.
Response to rdking647 (Original post)
Post removed
Pisces
(5,602 posts)leveymg
(36,418 posts)They don't give a shit about unions.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)rdking647
(5,113 posts)are you prepared for what 4 years of a romney presidency will do????
budkin
(6,717 posts)Quantess
(27,630 posts)tjdee
(18,048 posts)They're highest (second highest?) paid teachers in the country?
So what?
These people are professionals and deserve good salaries for educating this country's children. IMO their pay grade should be where doctors make.
That's not really all there is to it though.
AnnaLee
(1,041 posts)I have a neighbor around the corner with a large blue sign in the yard supporting unions and another large blue sign in the window supporting Obama. This person sported a pink theme during the attack on Planned Parenthood.
I just moved into this neighborhood and have never seen the residents of this house. I hope I meet them soon.
What is the best time to be blue? Is there one?
badtoworse
(5,957 posts)If the teachers prevail in this strike, the Republicans will point out how the Democrats gave away the store to the public employee unions. This may not play well among independents (Keep in mind that Walker survived the recall election which suggests soft support for the unions among independents). If the settlement necessitates a tax increase, it will be that much worse.
On the other hand, if Rahm prevails, it may weaken union support for Democrats generally since Chicago is such a strong, Democratic bastion.
Considering the current political dynamics, I would say the teachers have the advantage.
hombre
(20 posts)When did you become a private poll taker?
The idea on people blaming President Obama on the teacher's strike in Chicago and how it will effect he beinreelecteded is like waiting for a lighting strike to hit in middle of the south pole on the coldest day.
lame54
(35,326 posts)The Magistrate
(95,255 posts)Pizza would taste good right about now....
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Hopefully delivered in 30 minutes or less.