Posted on 12/22/2008 1:20:30 PM PST by St. Louis Conservative
What accounts for the sudden decline in the fortunes of America’s labor unions? Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that labor leaders helped elect the most liberal chief executive in modern times? Even before he’s sworn in, the debates over the automaker bailout and Card Check are making clear that as important as the White House is, you can’t succeed if your policy goals are so unpopular that they have a hard time passing Congress.
We’ve seen how unpopular the UAW bailout is, and blackhedd today explains that the bailout debate may well dominate Barack Obama’s first 100 days. The unions may ultimately get the bailout they’re aiming for, but if they do it’s likely to require tens of thousands of job losses, and it may require Obama to spend a lot of political capital.
It seems that the effort to pass Card Check is running into similar trouble. Specifically, most Democrats seem to recognize that it’s not very popular, and they’re running from a difficult vote. Last week, Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln aired her doubts about Card Check. With a re-election campaign coming up in 2010, she seems uneasy about the prospect of defending a vote to eliminate the secret ballot for union organizing. But if Lincoln’s concern is her re-election bid in 2010, what explains the similar unease about Card Check from her home-state colleague Mark Pryor — who coasted to re-election unchallenged just 6 weeks ago?
(Excerpt) Read more at redstate.com ...
Lincoln has some amnesty votes to content with too.
What is Card Check?
hmmm... what major non-unionized company is headquartered in Arkansas.
Who was the Dem who came out against early?
I can’t see either Arkansas senator supporting card check given that it is the home state of Wal-Mart. Arkansas is a right-to-work state and Wal-Mart is easily the most powerful business and political entity in that state.
/Did a quick search I think it was McGovern.
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).
Oh ok...that too...I thought we had a thread a while back.
The “Employee Free Choice Act”. It eliminates the secret ballot for union elections and forces the company and labor unions into arbitration by the federal Dep of Labor if they don’t reach an agreement within 60 days (guess who that is going to benefit, especially with communist Hilda Solis as Labor Sec). It will basically allow unions to easily unionize business large and small all across the country.
It’s basically getting rid of the secret ballot in certifying unions.
If it passes then union thugs can say “Nice house and family you have. It would be a shame if anything happened to them. Are you going to sign that card?”
We need to oppose this as passionately as we opposed the amnesty bill last year.
I certainly will. What about you?
My husbands mining machinery company voted out the union 4 times in the past 2 years. And they fought it hard. Many guys come to work for the company because it’s one of few in the mining industry that aren’t run by union thugs.
I’m fairly certain that if this act goes through, they will be the amongst the first victims to it.
They do PLENTY of business and get fair compensation for their hard work.
And his best friend works for a union construction company...guess where he is right now? Sitting on his butt playing video games because he’s been laid off since Thanksgiving. “Protecting the workers” my behind.
I'll bite ... they're hated by the Left, they're the biggest target of the SEIU, and they've been known to close profitable stores before caving to unions. Also, they have exclusive rights to Bruce Springsteen's latest 'greatest hits' album.
Am I close?
Somebody please post the photo of Claude Rains!
I will too, along with the rest of the 0baminations coming our way.
This “bailout controversey” is one of the land mines that the Bush Administration is laying down for the nascent obama regime. Not intentionally, of course. This was just a hike back to the kicker and a punt on the fourth down.
The nascent obama regime will turn it into a land mine for themselves. They will fumble amd muff it up badly, as they will still be wanting to get the benefits back to UAW leadership, and in the process, will probably spell doom for Chrysler. GM and Ford will simply let their US operations die, closing plant after plant until they have no manufacturing presence remaining, just corporate headquarters, and those may be moved to Switzerland or another corporation-friendly venue. Both these corporations have healthy operations OUTSIDE the US, and will survive on their worldwide established presence.
This is going to get much worse before it gets better.
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