[BlackElk]

You don't know much more about unions in those days than you know about foreign policy or politics. The communists were purged from the unions when the somewhat communist CIO merged with the always anti-communist and much stronger AFL. Anyone who would claim either AFL-CIO leader William (?) Green or his secretary and successor George Meany as communists is ignorant. When the reds took over the Demonrat Party, Meany refused AFL-CIO endorsement to McGovern and encouraged individual unions to endorse Nixon which some did. The charter of the AFL-CIO provided that no communist could serve in any leadership position even at the lowly level of shop steward. Sweeney got rid of that provision in about 1994 which explains much that has happened since.

The Pendergast Machine was certainly corrupt but very unlikely to be communist.

Of course, none of this has anything to do with the truth that paleoPaulie is an antiAmerican antiwar peace creep who deserves to be politically destroyed.

[tacticalogic]

Of course, none of this has anything to do with the truth that paleoPaulie is an antiAmerican antiwar peace creep who deserves to be politically destroyed.

I can buy the "none of this has anything do with the truth" part easily enough.

[fortheDeclaration]

You don't know much more about unions in those days than you know about foreign policy or politics. The communists were purged from the unions when the somewhat communist CIO merged with the always anti-communist and much stronger AFL. Anyone who would claim either AFL-CIO leader William (?) Green or his secretary and successor George Meany as communists is ignorant. When the reds took over the Demonrat Party, Meany refused AFL-CIO endorsement to McGovern and encouraged individual unions to endorse Nixon which some did. The charter of the AFL-CIO provided that no communist could serve in any leadership position even at the lowly level of shop steward. Sweeney got rid of that provision in about 1994 which explains much that has happened since.

Clearly you are having a problem with the era we are dealing with.

I spoke of the Unions being influenced by the Communists in the 30's.

After 1933 the Communist Party (CP) made great strides by switching from activism in the unemployed sector to aggressive union building among those who did have jobs. There was a great upsurge in Communist participation and influence in labor unions—especially in the Pacific Northwest. This participation brought the Party new members and new credibility. In his book Labor and Communism: The Conflict That Shaped American Unions, historian Burt Cochran argues that the party gained influence and credibility by taking the lead in union-building struggles and doing the hard work of organizing and taking risks where others held back. Party members gained a reputation as fighters for the working class: http://depts.washington.edu/labhist/cpproject/grijalva.htm

The Pendergast Machine was certainly corrupt but very unlikely to be communist.

Didn't say they were going to go Communist, only that the growth of Government power was due in large part to fear of the communism throughout the 30's and communism was popular during that period.

Of course, none of this has anything to do with the truth that paleoPaulie is an antiAmerican antiwar peace creep who deserves to be politically destroyed.

Only if you consider that we ought to be governed by the U.S. Constitution as being Anti-American.

[fortheDeclaration]

1949 - Communism polarized the labor movement. Walter Reuther began to purge leftists from the UAW. The CIO expelled 9 communist-led unions.

http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/soc/labor.html