AP: Organized labor's agenda hits roadblock; what now?

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100228/D9E4RKF81.html

Feb 27, 7:35 PM (ET)

By SAM HANANEL

WASHINGTON (AP) - Labor's high hopes for major gains under President Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress have dimmed, raising fresh doubts about union leverage even in the best of political times.

Prospects for a health overhaul have faded. Even slimmer are the chances of achieving labor's chief goal, passage of a bill making it easier for unions to organize workers. A bipartisan jobs bill passed this week by the Senate drew tepid praise from the AFL-CIO president, Richard Trumka, who called it a "Band-Aid on an amputated limb" - far short of what unions wanted.

This wasn't what unions expected a year ago after spending more than $400 million to help elect Obama and increase the size of Democratic majorities in the Senate and House.

Leaders of labor's largest federation will try to figure out how to refocus their political agenda when they begin their annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., on Monday.


In this Sept. 15, 2009 file photo, President Barack Obama acknowledges AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka as he addresses the AFL-CIO in Pittsburgh. The high hopes organized labor had for dramatic gains under Obama and a Democratic Congress have turned sour, raising fresh doubts about how much muscle unions can wield even when they're in the best of times politically. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)


Another setback came in January when two Senate Democrats joined Republicans in blocking the appointment of labor lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. Becker has worked for the AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Republicans have said they fear Becker would push the board to require companies to recognize unions if they can get a simple majority of employees to sign union cards - the same "card check" measure that's stalled in Congress.

FULL story at link.

[joeybee12]

1. The GAYTM is closed...quick, think up an acronym for the Labor ATM...

...$400 million for squat...and the Dems think these guys will support them in 2010 and 2012? Fat phucking chance.

[Donnachaidh]

2. I think more importantly, both the gay community and the labor community need

to relay that not only are the ATM's closed, but votes will ALSO be withheld, starting in November.

Which is worse, putting all that effort in to get a candidate into office who then forgets your group and what YOU need, or voting for someone who doesn't stand a chance of getting in, but sends a message to the shameless a-hole incumbent?

NO difference, Except maybe the next guy won't be such a cocky asshole and will not go back on campaign promises.

[vadawg]

4. whats the options, a third party and you get a repub win

[Donnachaidh]

14. at this point -- there's NO difference in the two parties

choice is red jack boots or blue. Corporate control is complete right now.

[flyarm]

17. what is the difference now?????

seriously..wtf is the difference?

Obama signed the patriot act continuation

He blocked holding anyone accountable for spying on Americans with FISA

We are still in 2 wars

He is renditioning people out of Gitmo to countries that are known for torture.

This health care bill is nothing but a huge fucking bailout plan for AHIP and big PHARMA and the hospital conglomerates and he plays a dog and pony show to try to make people believe he is doing jack shit!
Public Option Obama says no
Indivdual Mandate Obama says yes
Abortion Rights for Women let make them worse Obama says O-kay
Increase IRS Penalty if you don’t buy insurance Obama says yes
Excise Tax on Union Health Care Plans Obama says yes
Drug re-Importation for Americans Obama says No

Zeke Emanuel ( Rahm's brother)is a health care advisor to Obama. Wants to phase out Medicare and Medicaid.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/03/02/090302fa_fact_lizza?currentPage=all
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/02/28/sebelius-to-hhs-rahms-bro-for-health-czar/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zeke-emanuel/sustainable-health-care-r_b_114788.html


Ben Nelson Now Angling to Kill New Health Insurance Rating Authority
By: Jon Walker Saturday February 27, 2010 5:00 pm



Ben Nelson (D-NE), living up to his role as the great defender of the health insurance industry, is now leading the fight against the new Health Insurance Rating Authority that Obama proposed as part of his health care reform package.
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/02/26/ben-nelson-now-angling-to-kill-new-health-insurance-rating-authority/

OH and I am sure many others can add to this list!

I expected when we spent our hard earned money and our footwork and our time and got a majority in the house and senate and The White House we were electing democrats..so far i have a hard time finding many democrats among those now residing in our government!

[amborin]

23. used to be a difference in environmental policy and labor; that's fast disappearing or already gone

[Hubert Flottz]

3. How's that cheap labor workin' out for Toyota? (wink)

We need a labor party...NOW!

[vadawg]

7. i think its actually engineering and software issues, hardly the fault of the line worker

who build pretty good cars...

[Hubert Flottz]

9. If they cut corners on labor costs it's a safe bet that isn't the only

place they would do it. Like buying off the hacks to kill off recalls?

[vadawg]

11. you do realise that people are still going to buy their cars dont you

its called brand loyalty, they will lose some customers but people will come back to them especially as soon as GM or Ford fuck up and have a recall..

[Hubert Flottz]

12. That's why I'm a Mopar Man!

Since 1966...

[vadawg]

16. :) yup people buy what they like.... for me toyota, BMW and land rover

[amborin]

13. G.M.'s new Michigan plants are non-union

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7801026&mesg_id=7801026

[Hubert Flottz]

18. Chevy finished selling out the working people in America I guess.

[amborin]

20. but why

was this plan approved?

weren't GM's bdlg plans vetted by the UAW and the White House?

[QC]

5. That was certainly $400,000,000 down the rat hole.

They might as well just give the cash directly to the Republicans and cut out the middleman.

[amborin]

6. Obama could have made a recess appt of Becker, but chose not to:

"In the statement, Obama said he told Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday that he would make recess appointments if Republican senators did not lift their holds.

"Since that meeting, I am gratified that Republican senators have responded by releasing many of these holds and allowing to receive a vote in the Senate," Obama said.

So it's all hopey, changey, biparty. But the Senate Democrats weren't able to muster the 60 votes needed to get a vote on the nomination of labor lawyer Craig Becker to be chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. The arrival of newly elected Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) didn't make any difference.


Democratic Sens. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.) also opposed the nomination, apparently after having discovered that Becker, associate general counsel to the Service Employees International Union, was actually a pro-union lawyer. Truly shocking. Who knew?

The labor folks take Obama's statement to mean that there'll be no recess appointment this round -- meaning nothing at least until the next Senate recess, in late March -- and thus the five-member NLRB, unable to function for more than a year with only two members, will continue to be crippled. "

snip

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/16/AR2010021605665.html?wprss=rss_politics/fedpage

[QC]

19. But the Republicans might not have liked that!! n/t

[Larkspur]

8. Reminds me of the Clinton Admin

Labor got shafted by Clinton via those infamouse free trade acts.

[flyarm]

10. Lets visit who has been thrown under the Obama bus?? Shall we?

Labor
Gays
Liberals
Progressives
Seniors
Young dems
Middle America losing jobs in the millions

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

who the f'eck is left???????

[QC]

21. You forgot teachers and environmentalists.

I don't think there is a single Democratic constituency left that Obama has not betrayed.

[flyarm]

22. and Gays..Thats why I asked others to add on!! Thank you ..I knew I was forgetting

many..

and You are right..not many he hasn't betrayed.

I just wonder some days ..just who did we elect? And from what party??

This is nothing I recognize from the Dem party I have belonged for 38 years!

I guess this new Democratic party has no use for us now ..they got us to do all the grunt work and used our money and now they have thrown most of us to the wolves...or under the bus.

Well my wallet is staying closed and I will sit home and see who does the work in Nov..but a assure you it won't be me!

Oh and all those young kids who came and worked for Obama..they are no where in site now..many joined our DEC and we can't even get a quorum vote now that they became members..because now none of them show up and we don't even have half the members coming, so no legal vote can be taken. Hell we can't get 1/4 of the members to show up anymore! And I am one who is now sitting it out!

[GrantDem]

15. Time to withhold the $$$$

[Donnachaidh]

24. time to withhold the money AND the votes.

F*ck them and the horse they rode in on. Ignore the voters at your peril -- should have listened, shouldn't they?

[bvar22]

25. WOrking Class America hits a roadblock....The Obama Administration

The DLC New Team
Republican Lite ONLY!

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website

”I am a New Democrat!”---Barack Obama
http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254931&kaid=85&subid=900184


How much more do you need to know?
Brand Obama/Hope & Change was a frighteningly successful Corporate Marketing SCAM.
Election 2008 was a HUGE defeat for the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party,
and a HUGE defeat for Americans who Work for a Living.

The DLC Dream List
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

"*WARS fully funded and EXPANDING. Bill sent to our children…...Mission Accomplished !

*Trillion Dollars given to friends and campaign contributors on Wall Street. No Strings Attached...Mission Accomplished!

*Military Spending INCREASED....Mission Accomplished!

*Trillion+ Dollars given to the Health Insurance Industry. Easily Avoidable, symbolic only strings attached....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Force all Americans to buy invisible products from For Profit Corporations who manufacture nothing and create no (Value Added) wealth..."A Uniquely American Solution"..indeed. .....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Kill the possibility for a REAL "Public Option" or REAL Universal Health Care for at least another generation, and begin the “Entitlement Reform” defunding of Medicare (-$500 Billion)....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Block ANY REAL re-regulation of BIG BANKS and Credit Cards....Mission Accomplished!

*Protect the Bush War Criminals and Torturers from JUSTICE....Mission Accomplished.

*Throw the GBLTs under the bus and expand "faith based" initiatives....Mission Accomplished!

*Reinforce the worst Police State provisions of the Patriot Act and strengthen the Unitary Executive....Mission Accomplished!

*Protect the very richest. Tell the Working Class that they CAN WILL compete with 3rd World Slave Labor for their jobs.....Mission Accomplished!

*EFCA (Employee Free Choice Act) killed in the crib....Mission Accomplished!

*More Anti-LABOR "Free Trade"....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Jobless Recovery....Mission Accomplished

*The Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party SHUT OUT of the Obama Administration…...Mission Accomplished!

*Accelerate the destruction of Public Education...Mission Accomplished!

*Bury next generation under such a debt burden that they will never be able to afford any social or economic programs that will benefit their Working Class....Mission Accomplished.

And ALL this in less than a year!!!

[Omaha Steve]

26. As of right now

I would vote for Hillary in the 2012 caucus. That is a big CHANGE for me.

OS