Posted on 02/27/2006 8:21:30 PM PST by FairOpinion
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - California labor leaders announced a campaign on Monday to defeat Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election bid, calling the former film star anti-worker and beholden to big business.
The announcement touches off what could be a fierce re-election fight for Schwarzenegger, who took office after toppling Gray Davis, a Democratic governor with close ties to union leaders.
Unions played an important role in the defeat of a series of initiatives last year that Schwarzenegger cast as reforms and workers groups saw as attempts to gut their power.
"We will find a suitable candidate and mobilize our people to replace this governor," said Art Pulaski, spokesman for the AFL-CIO's California Labor Federation. "We fear he will continue to engage in attacks on workers in his planned next term."
In particular, Schwarzenegger enraged big labor in November with a ballot measure that would have required public sector unions to ask members before spending their dues on political causes.
That initiative, known as Proposition 75, was defeated, along with three other measures championed by Schwarzenegger.
Pulaski said the organization will choose and endorse one of two Democratic candidates -- Steve Westly, the state controller, and State Treasurer Phil Angelides -- at its statewide pre-primary convention in March.
But keeping Schwarzenegger from a second term is already a top priority.
"We don't see a letup in terms of his hope to accomplish what the Chamber of Commerce, big business and big donors want," Pulaski said. "He has twice vetoed a minimum wage increase, he tried to get rid of meal breaks and overtime, and he cut workers compensation benefits for the most seriously injured workers in half."
Katie Levinson, communications director for the Join Arnold campaign, said that while the AFL-CIO announcement is no surprise, it is unfortunate that the union has chosen to attack the governor.
"Gov. Schwarzenegger has shown a strong, unwavering commitment to working families, including creating a half million new jobs and his ongoing commitment to rebuilding California," Levinson said.
Big unions and Dems gearing up against Arnold.
Well, if one can tell the character of a person by the enemies they have....
The Unions are the major financing of the Democrat party.
They only IMO thrive in a monopoly like the docks, or government employment (teacher's union).
If there were no more unions in government, there would be no more Democrat party. That's the bottom line.
They are corrupt and overpaid with tax money compared to people in the private sector doing the same thing and that is insulting.
What? Why this can't be. Arnold made a hard left turn. He hired liberals. He's asking for a minimum wage increase. He p*ssed away his Republican base to capture The Left. They should love him now shouldn't they?
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Very true.
US unions in push to help Democrats win Congress
If CA Prop. 75 had passed, they would be running scared, because there would be similar propositions all over the country, seriously cutting into the power of the unions. But since they succeeded in defeating Prop. 75, they are emboldened.
"Well, if one can tell the character of a person by the enemies they have...."
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Well said.
All we need to do is slide a little more left. Then they'll really like us. Just a little more. Really! /s
Exactly. Rule of thumb: Vote against anyone endorsed by Labor Unions.
Truth written here.
Kick the loser out,
"never thought I would see the day I would be cheering for the unions!"
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Well, maybe you should re-examine your position.
US unions in push to help Democrats win Congress
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1586803/posts
But how will the unions afford the battle? I thought they spent all their money fighting the propositions. In fact, I thought that they were heavily in debt, and that all we needed now was a feather to push them over.
My support only goes as far as sending Schwarzenegger packing...
"My support only goes as far as sending Schwarzenegger packing..."
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I guess you prefer Angelides as governor of CA then, right?
There are only TWO choices: Arnold or a leftist Dem, most likely Angelides. If Arnold loses, Angelides wins. Are you sure this is what you want?
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"Angelides calls himself a champion of "progressive values." As state treasurer, he has pushed public pension funds to dump tobacco stocks, invest in urban renewal projects and pressure corporations into cleaning up the environment. A close ally of labor, he also supports abortion rights, gay marriage, gun control and driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.
If he makes it into a general-election race, his call for increasing taxes could pose problems; Schwarzenegger has been steadfast in opposing higher taxes. "
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-phil22jan22,0,1913189.story?page=2&coll=la-headlines-politics
Give this cartoon a few more years and there won't be a California Republican Party.
Just because the Democrats are going to run a flake doesn't mean we have to, all the more reason to run a strong candidate, not a B movie star who has a command of the english language worse than a mexican Subway cashier in Garden Grove.
My wife is a state employee. She is being forced to pay an extra $11 a month to a special union political fund which will be used to defeat Schwarzenegger. She is NOT allowed to opt out (if she doesn't want the money to go to the political fund she must still pay the extortion to the union). All you anti-Schwarzenegger people don't understand the situation here in Calif. The bay area and LA rule the state. We can't outvote them. Arnolds's the only hope this state has. There is no way a true conservative is going to win in this state. For those of you who think a real liberal ruling this state would be good so people would finally get fed up well remember Grey Davis? We are still paying for his actions.
agreed. most freeps fail to grasp life in
our deep blue state.
Oh give me a break! He just gave Republican 16 minutes at a CA Republican CONvention, then ran off to Washington D.C. to rub shoulders with the big shots and leave us out here working our asses off to bear up under the future tax increases the billions in bondage are sure to generate for us, our kids and even our grandkids!!!
Arnold has absolutely out Gray Davised Gray Davis!!! Get a grip!!!
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