AFL-CIO To Democrats: We'll Work To End Your Career If You Cut Social Security Or Medicare

[marmar]

WASHINGTON -- With fresh Capitol Hill budget battles on the horizon, the head of the leading labor federation planned to issue a blistering warning to unions' Democratic allies on Monday, saying the AFL-CIO would "never stop working" to end the political careers of Democrats who cut entitlement programs.

"No politician … I don’t care the political party … will get away with cutting Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits. Don’t try it," AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said, according to prepared remarks for a speech in Las Vegas, Nev.

According to the draft, which was supplied to HuffPost by the AFL-CIO, Trumka stressed his point for Democrats who may be wobbly on the issue.

"This warning goes double for Democrats," he said. "We will never forget. We will never forgive. And we will never stop working to end your career." ...........................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/21/social-security-cuts-afl-cio_n_4136470.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

[newfie11]

1. Good

I agree

[roguevalley]

34. plus two trillion

[SamYeager]

2. I'm with them on this.

Cut the military to the bone.

[karadax]

21. Curious

How far would you cut ? You just had 400,000 civilian employees furloughed with lots of outcry. A large chunk of them have ties to the DoD. What you suggest implies they get a pink slip.

[SamYeager]

24. First off, kill the F-35 altogether

There are literally dozens of projects that could be cut out altogether because either the systems don't work or the military has said they don't need them. They are just in place to placate big donors for certain members of Congress and nothing else.

[Bigmack]

25. Yup! By the time the program is finished...

... we'll have 2500 planes with no mission and be out $1 Trillion.

[daybranch]

35. so true

but cut back on the aircraft carriers too please.

[karadax]

38. Drones are supposed to

Be our cheap alternative to an aircraft carrier full of expensive fighter jets. It seems they want to keep both.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

123. And human beings

full of expensive fighter jets and human beings. The expenses can be replaced. The individuals can't.

[BrotherIvan]

50. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and sound naive

But why not put the power -- man power and brain power -- to work on improving our infrastructure, our high-speed rail, sustainable energy? If laying of the military would be bad for the economy, why not put the people and the $$ toward the good of the country. I bet some of those engineers designing war toys could build some snazzy public transport and a way to update the energy grid to allow for renewables. We put our energy toward war and that's all we get.

Silly, I know.

[russspeakeasy]

66. + 1

[Enthusiast]

68. Not naive at all.

You have an excellent suggestion. Keep military spending at a reasonable level and redirect other funds to national high speed rail.

[pangaia]

81. I've said this exact thing on several other posts.

Seems pretty DUH to me !!

[thelordofhell]

87. Just expand the Corps Of Engineers to include civic improvements

[Maraya1969]

96. You're singing to the choir here Brother Ivan.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

99. I've always wpndered the same thing.

Such great resources should go towards the common good

[NCLefty]

100. GOP would block it.

[Maraya1969]

95. I think that there is a lot of room for cutting defense by cutting bombs and stuff.

[RebelOne]

59. Agreed. I am on Social Security and Medicare. n/t

[dkf]

3. No cuts to medicare...might as well resign yourself to fiscal insolvency.

Single payer Canada style would be a cut in overall health spending but an improvement in quality of life for all.

Just goes to show how irrationally attached we are to this outrageously expensive and inefficient health care system we have.

[jeff47]

9. And if they were talking about a blanket Medicare cut that would apply.

But the topic being debated by the "cut spending now" crowd is raising the eligibility age to 70.

[sulphurdunn]

43. I would love to sentence any politician

who would do that to work in a non-union coal mine until age 70. For those who are 70 or older I'd just send them to the mines for the next 5 years.

[NoOneMan]

53. So there is only 1 knee-jerk response?

Create a viable alternative narrative that also accomplishes the goals of cost cutting, while simultaneously improving the social service. Getting caught in a false dichotomy only creates gridlock and takes things nowhere

[jeff47]

61. The key is 'viable alternative'

Single-payer would accomplish all the goals you set out.

Single-payer isn't going to happen for another 20 years. The ACA gets us rolling on that, because it moves the battle for single-payer to blue states. But those states need to 1) implement single-payer and 2) produce a track record in order to overcome the FUD.

The problem is there is not a viable alternative that is currently doable and better.

At the same time, we need to be fighting against the bad ideas people propose in the name of cost-cutting. And raising the Medicare eligibility age is one of those bad ideas.

[roody]

14. Is this a joke?

[dkf]

30. Look at the CBO's projected spending.

The long term fiscal problem is medicare. Obama will tell you that as well as anyone who can read a chart.

If you don't redo our healthcare system you will have to cut everything else for years to come.

The entitlements plus interest costs are scheduled to use up all tax revenue and stay like that in perpetuity.

So these future cuts will be typical. They will have to cut a lot more than that.

Health care is 17.6% of GDP and projected to exceed 20%. Yes that is private and public spending but public spending is half of the total.

Have you ever researched the numbers I am speaking of?

If not here you go:
http://www.cbo.gov/publication/44521

[sulphurdunn]

44. Either medical insurance costs

will compel a single payer system out of financial necessity or our current system is being used as a catalyst for draconian cuts in social spending. I tend to believe it is the latter. That is where the fight should be, not on how much must be cut from Medicare.

[NoOneMan]

55. At what point does the failure (success to some) of the private market magically compel...

the creation of single payer? Isn't the US far, far, far, far past that point? I'd say so. I'd also suggest your belief in this magical point is shear fantasy

[sulphurdunn]

75. You could have made the same argument

against the abolition of slavery in 1860. After all, slavery had been part of the status quo since 1619. The idea of abolishing it, much less controlling its expansion, was considered "shear fantasy" buy the slave interests who had controlled the government since the Revolution. The only certainty is change. The only question is who initiates it, and who is assertive enough to impose it against the forces of conservatism. Society has been that way since we lived in caves. Nothing has changed.

[Enthusiast]

69. A national single payer system is already a financial necessity.

The corporate media and the corporatist political parties just won't admit it yet.

The sooner we recognize this, the sooner we can have more effective heath care at half the price.

[dkf]

71. Exactly!!! Thank you.

[Doremus]

62. 'Entitlements' is such a rightwing word, don't you agree? nt

[dkf]

72. That's what the government calls it.

What do you prefer to call it?

[Iwillnevergiveup]

78. Earned benefits. n/t

[socialist_n_TN]

82. Wouldn't someone be "entitled" to earned benefits?

nm

[Maraya1969]

97. Orrrrrrrrrrrr We could put a tax on people who make over $500,000/year.

And cut off that tax cap that I am hearing about.

[dkf]

105. They did that in the ACA.

[roody]

98. I guess we'll have to end the wars.

That will be good for everyone's health.

[rhett o rick]

20. The implication is that it's Medicare that's Medicare that's the problem and not defense

spending. Now where have I heard that from?

[MannyGoldstein]

49. Unless Democrats fight for actual health insurance reform

As you say.

We have a health care system problem, not a Medicare problem per se.

[phantom power]

4. This is the "NRA model", and I mean that in a good way.

The NRA was very, very successful at achieving their goals, and one of the main reasons is they made it their mission to replace any politician who got in their way.

[BrotherIvan]

51. +1,000,000

Tea Party too. If true democrats don't stand firm and hold them accountable, they will cut with impunity.

[Enthusiast]

70. You are right.

We must adopt the NRA style bullying of political candidates until they are scared to cut any social program. And we had better achieve this soon.

[Larkspur]

5. Has Trumka told Durbin this?

Durbin is playing the Peter Peterson mole role in the Dem Caucus right now.
Someone needs to knock some sense into him soon.

[grahamhgreen]

46. I have.

[Scuba]

6. Good. As it says in the red graphic below ....

[Arugula Latte]

7. Good. It's ridiculous that this is even a possibility.

[Starry Messenger]

8. K&R

[fredamae]

10. Yes, I'm in n/t

[aintitfunny]

11. I'm with the AFL-CIO Leadership

No cuts, no how, no way.

[indepat]

12. May every person on social security, Medicare, or Medicaid or who will ever be, join

the AFL-CIO in a solemn pledge to never stop working to end the political careers of every politician who votes to cut entitlement programs. If such pledges were kept as solemnly as Repuke have kept their pledges of allegiance to Grover Norquist not to raise taxes, the message would to loud and clear to ignore.

[Doctor_J]

13. Must have heard Durbin's trial balloon over the weekend. About time someone threatened the DINOs

I am guessing after the Cruz debacle, the "new Dems" feel like they can afford to jettison labor, liberals, enviros, and seniors and still sweep next year. If so they are sadly mistaken.

[blue14u]

107. Yes they are...

I am so tired of SS and Medicare being called an entitlement!!!

For goodness sakes, people worked hard all their lives to receive this money.

I believe the word "entitlement" needs to be re-directed as meaning

loophole for the rich!!! They think they are entitled to loopholes...

Every time I read about SS and Medicare being cut my BP goes up!!

I need help Doctor_J...

[AzDar]

15. K & R

[Cleita]

16. Thank God some organizations are standing up

to this injustice to working class people and the elderly.

[madfloridian]

17. Good for them. I will go along with that.

No excuses for empowering the 1% and harming the rest of us. No more.

[JDPriestly]

18. K&R. I will help hold the line.

[WillyT]

19. HUGE K & R !!!

[Crewleader]

28. Hi Willy T, I second that my friend. HUGE K&R!!!

[WillyT]

93. Hey Crewleader !!!

[sabrina 1]

22. Let's hope they listen for the sake of all those who will suffer

from even the smallest cuts.

[rhett o rick]

23. The Powers To Be soften us up with their Brown Shirt TeaBaggers, then figure we will welcome

the more sensible Conservatives. We must draw the line somewhere. No cuts to SS or Medicare. In fact we should push to reduce the Medicare age.

[idwiyo]

26. k&r Good!

[sabrina 1]

27. Raise benefits is what they should be calling for.

Good that the Unions are warning them.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

29. Richard Trumka for President, 2016!

[pa28]

88. I'm ready to have a hard look at that.

It seems we need a labor movement within the Democratic party in order to save it.

[UCmeNdc]

31. Agree

[Douglas Carpenter]

32. good - knr

[cui bono]

33. Hallelujah! Now that's how we ALL should be talking. Right now. No wait and see bs.

Put them on notice.

There is absolutely no need to cut them AT ALL. You want to modify SS? Raise the cap. Pay back the money taken out of the fund, with interest.

You want money for something else? Get it from something else. Cut military spending, especially when the military is used for Exxon to make obscene record breaking profits each year without paying one penny in taxes. Close corporate tax loopholes. Tax stock trades per transaction. Raise capital gains tax to income tax levels and put those income tax levels back to pre-Reagan rates.

But don't touch our SS and Medicare you corporate shills.

[JEFF9K]

36. Social Security is more important than ever ...

... with private pensions going by the wayside. Tiny tax increases on the rich, who are paying only half the effective federal tax rate they paid in the 1950s, will keep it going forever.

[Zorra]

37. Sign me up for that as well. nt

[antigop]

39. K&r nt

[DJ13]

40. "As a member of Congress, let me assure you Democrats have no intention of cutting SS/Medicare"

[toby jo]

41. Trumka - got your back.

This isn't complicated - cut tax breaks.

[peace13]

42. Well OK then!

OK!

[CrispyQ]

45. This:

But Trumka's remarks on the issue Monday amounted to a far more aggressive threat: That the AFL-CIO would actively use its war chest to unseat Democrats on the other side of the issue.

[KG]

47. obviously, just another hair-on-fire, emoprog obama-hater....

[Autumn]

48. I stand with the AFL-CIO.

"This warning goes double for Democrats," he said. "We will never forget. We will never forgive. And we will never stop working to end your career." ...........................(more)


That is all that needs to be said. And that goes for any Democrat.

Recommended

[vi5]

52. Good. Hold Dems accountable.

Groups like labor unions should stop being nothing more than ATM's for the Democratic party.

And on this issue it is something that applies to everyone not just labor.

[Greybnk48]

54. I'm with Labor on this.

Social programs are who we are as liberals. If they allow the Right to go after these programs then they are no longer what I would call a Democrat.

[Bluenorthwest]

56. This Union member agrees with Trumka.

nt

[libdem4life]

57. He's awesome. And he means it. And so do I. Go shopping down another aisle. This one is closed.

Looks like both parties are going to have a Come to Jesus moment or two.

[bullwinkle428]

58. The Repukes are SALIVATING over the possibility that Democrats might

initiate cuts to SS or Medicare, as this will become their #1 campaign issue leading up to the 2014 midterms:

"THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS COMING TO TAKE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE AWAY FROM YOU!!1! (and give it to that black/Latino/gay/non-Christian/single mother/etc.) YOU WORKED ALL YOUR LIFE FOR IT...HOW DARE THEY TAKE IT AWAY!!1!"

K&R.

[nashville_brook]

111. got that right.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

60. I notice they're not saying the same about the ACA.

As long as they have their Cadillac plans, fuck the rest of us.

Typical.

[TBF]

65. How about we read the entire resolution -

Don't even TRY to bash unions on this site. You will not win.

http://www.aflcio.org/About/Exec-Council/Conventions/2013/Resolutions-and-Amendments/Resolution-54-AFL-CIO-Convention-Resolution-on-the-Affordable-Care-Act

[grasswire]

63. the cure is simple and always disregarded

Means test social security AND Medicare.

Pay back the wealthy individual's investment. But means test. No Medicare or Social Security payouts for those who can easily afford to pay their own medical and/or their own retirement.

[TBF]

64. Union YES! K&R nt

[Enthusiast]

67. I will never forgive them. That's for god damned sure.

More than the harm the proposed cuts would cause, it is a matter of principle. It is unprincipled to cut social security when it is the lone well funded program in the entire fucking government. WTF!?

[marble falls]

73. G*d bless the good old AFL of CIO! The only union I ever belonged to that made me feel ....

they were looking out for me. My dad was an organizer with them until he organized for the Teamsters in the Cleveland local.

[CanonRay]

74. And I'll help them

Any Dem who cuts or guts these programs is in the wrong party.

[Rex]

76. AND THIS is the main reason I don't buy into the hype of them cutting SS/Medicare.

Dems like getting re-elected.

[PeteSelman]

77. And they'll yawn in the face of labor whom they've abandoned and no longer need.

We don't really have a whole lot of friends in Washington.

[840high]

79. Good.

[Laelth]

80. k&r for labor. n/t

-Laelth

[socialist_n_TN]

83. Good for Dick Trumpka and the AFL-CIO........

Now get us started on a Worker's Party in order to make the threat real and present.

[pa28]

84. AFL-CIO should direct donations to labor friendly Democrats instead of the party at large.

They still have enough money and political pull to groom and finance their own candidates in critical races. They still have the capacity to defeat third way democrats who support SS cuts and job killing free trade agreements in the primaries.

In short I'd love to see the labor wing of the Democratic party flex it's muscle before it's too late.

[bvar22]

124. The AFL-CIO is already doing this.

Organized LABOR backed a Pro-UNION candidate against virulently Anti-LABOR, Anti-PUblic Option
DINO Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Democratic Primary, 2010.


Pro-LABOR Democrats did EVERYTHING right in Arkansas in 2010.
They did EXACTLY what the White House asked them to do to "give the President Progressives in Congress that would work with him."
We organized and supported Lt Governor Bill Halter, the Pro-LABOR/ Pro-Health Care challenger to DINO Obstructionist Blanche Lincoln.
Halter was:

* Polling BETTER against the Republicans in the General,

*was popular in Arkansas in his OWN right,

*had an Up & Running Political machine,

* had a track record of winning elections (Lt. Governor)

*Had the full backing of Organized LABOR and The Grass Roots activists

*was handing Blanche her Anti-LABOR ass in The Primary until the White House stepped in

*Blanche had NO chance of winning the General in Arkansas

Guess what happened.
Our BIGGEST enemy to bring "change" to The Senate was NOT The "Obstructionist" Republicans.
NO!
Our BIGGEST enemy to bringing "change" to The Senate was The Obama White House!

The White House stepped in at the last minute to save Blanche's failing primary campaign with an Oval Office Endorsement of The Witch that Wrecked the Obama Agenda,
and Bill Clinton was dispatched on a Campaign Tour for Blanche around the state bashing Organized LABOR and "Liberals" at every opportunity.

White House steps in to rescue Lincoln’s Primary Campaign in Arkansas

"So what did the Democratic Party establishment do when a Senator who allegedly impedes their agenda faced a primary challenger who would be more supportive of that agenda? They engaged in full-scale efforts to support Blanche Lincoln.

* Bill Clinton traveled to Arkansas to urge loyal Democrats to vote for her, bashing liberal groups for good measure.

*Obama recorded an ad for Lincoln which, among other things, were used to tell African-American primary voters that they should vote for her because she works for their interests.

*The entire Party infrastructure lent its support and resources to Lincoln — a Senator who supposedly prevents Democrats from doing all sorts of Wonderful, Progressive Things which they so wish they could do but just don’t have the votes for.

<snip>

What happened in this race also gives the lie to the insufferable excuse we’ve been hearing for the last 18 months from countless Obama defenders: namely, if the Senate doesn’t have 60 votes to pass good legislation, it’s not Obama’s fault because he has no leverage over these conservative Senators. It was always obvious what an absurd joke that claim was; the very idea of The Impotent, Helpless President, presiding over a vast government and party apparatus, was laughable. But now, in light of Arkansas, nobody should ever be willing to utter that again with a straight face.

Back when Lincoln was threatening to filibuster health care if it included a public option, the White House could obviously have said to her: if you don’t support a public option, not only will we not support your re-election bid, but we’ll support a primary challenger against you. Obama’s support for Lincoln did not merely help; it was arguably decisive, as The Washington Post documented today:"

<much more>

http://www.salon.com/2010/06/10/lincoln_6/

When the supporters of Pro-LABOR Lt Gov Bill Halter asked the White House WHY they threw their support behind Lincoln at the last minute, rescuing her failing campaign, the answer was ridicule and insults to Organized LABOR and the Grass Roots.

Ed Schultz sums up my feeling perfectly in the following clip.
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/ed-schultz-if-it-wasnt-labor-barack-obama-

Union Thugs may take an ass whipping from time to time,
but we NEVER forget a Sucker Punch & WHO Threw it.


You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS.[/font]

[silvershadow]

85. Good. Frankly, I'm rather sick of the DINO's. nt

[OnionPatch]

86. I'm completely behind this.

No cuts!! Not one cent!!!

They talk about compromise but in reality, American workers have been compromising for decades now, accepting lower pay and less benefits, bigger workloads and skimpy time off. It's time for the fat cats to give give a little now.

[NuttyFluffers]

89. halleluia! Overton window to the LEFT!

and i stand with them.

[Faryn Balyncd]

90. Cutting SS &/or MC would be disastrous for 99% of Americans (& for the Democratic Party)

[mike_c]

91. excellent news....

eom

[The Wielding Truth]

92. "No politician … I don’t care the political party … will get away with cutting Social Security..."

That's what I wanted to hear. It's a bit ridiculous to target Dem's only.

[mrsadm]

94. Thank God for Trumka taking this stand

I will support him all the way!

[gopiscrap]

101. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tblue37]

103. Good. nt

[bitchkitty]

104. I have BIG love for the AFL-CIO! n/t

[Lifelong Protester]

106. Big K & R here

Trumka came to Madison-we didn't win, but he came, and supported us.

He gets my support for that, and of course GO LABOR!!

[Tigress DEM]

108. Yeah AFL-CIO ** I'm with YOU. Told Durbin to retract his offer to put Social Security on the table!!

http://www.durbin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Esteemed Senator,

Have you lost your mind or just your spine?

Retract your offer to put Social Security on the bargaining table or prepare to be put out to pasture.

After this Shutdown fiasco have you learned NOTHING? We can not bargain in good faith with the Tea Party. Give them NOTHING and tell them to like it and shut up.

Raise the cap, bring minimum wage up to at least $10hr, incentives for companies providing LIVING WAGES to their employees and 40% tax on the top 5%.

This isn't brain surgery, but it takes brains and cajhones to stand up for the people of America. If you've lost your nerve, it's time for you to go home and leave the fighting to people willing to take it on and win.

[tavalon]

109. My union just affiliated with the AFL-CIO

Rock on. Don't touch the third rail, idiots of either persuasion. We in Washington state just stared down management and won and we will take you down too, if need be.

[Generic Other]

110. Proud member of the AFL-CIO

This is how you stand up to craven cowards or paid shills.

[AllyCat]

112. I can get behind that.

I will smear every one of them every way I can if they vote to cut benefits to our most vulnerable citizens who have EARNED that money!

[bread_and_roses]

113. K & R !! (n/t)

[Fearless]

114. So do I

[xchrom]

115. du rec.

[HoosierCowboy]

116. Lets hope

That all Democratic Senators and Congresspersons hear it loud and clear. If there is one clue that Dems should take from the TeaPublicans playbook it is that there are certain things that are off limits and if you cross that line you'll get primaried.

[State the Obvious]

117. Unions bring a better life....

....to so many hard-working Americans. I stand behind the importance of unions and the people (in Congress) who are willing to fight for them.

[MynameisBlarney]

118. Hell yeah!

Gotta love Trumka!

[Babel_17]

119. I stand with my Union President

[blue-wave]

120. This Union Worker

agrees with Mr. Trumpka 110%. I wish all union leaders would find the backbone to fight and push back like this. We must stop the sociopathic bullies from destroying America. People, especially union people, fought and died for the protections we have inside and outside of the workplace.....the River Rouge slaughter, Haymarket square, Pullman riots and the list of murdered Americans fighting for basic dignity goes on and on.

Here's a list of what they fought and died for.....credit to Daily Kos for the list.

36 Reasons Why You Should Thank a Union:

Weekends
All Breaks at Work, including your Lunch Breaks
Paid Vacation
FMLA
Sick Leave
Social Security
Minimum Wage
Civil Rights Act/Title VII (Prohibits Employer Discrimination)
8-Hour Work Day
Overtime Pay
Child Labor Laws
Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
40 Hour Work Week
Worker's Compensation (Worker's Comp)
Unemployment Insurance
Pensions
Workplace Safety Standards and Regulations
Employer Health Care Insurance
Collective Bargaining Rights for Employees
Wrongful Termination Laws
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Whistleblower Protection Laws
Employee Polygraph Protect Act (Prohibits Employer from using a lie detector test on an employee)
Veteran's Employment and Training Services (VETS)
Compensation increases and Evaluations (Raises)
Sexual Harassment Laws
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
Holiday Pay
Employer Dental, Life, and Vision Insurance
Privacy Rights
Pregnancy and Parental Leave
Military Leave
The Right to Strike
Public Education for Children
Equal Pay Acts of 1963 & 2011 (Requires employers pay men and women equally for the same amount of work)
Laws Ending Sweatshops in the United States

[Buns_of_Fire]

121. I'm no longer in a Union, but Mr. Trumka speaks for me.

And yes, that goes DOUBLE for those who call themselves "Democrats."

Hear that, Mr. Durbin?

[woo me with science]

125. K&R

[Warpy]

126. I feel the same way

I don't need the Social Security, but most of my friends do and have nothing else to sustain them after they retire. Most will still be working a patchwork of low pay jobs. Social Security will just drop them to part time.

I will hope to primary such politicians out.