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Unions Lean Democratic, but Donald Trump Gets Members’ Attention
The New York Times ^ | 29 Jan 2016 | Noam Scheiber

Posted on 01/29/2016 12:54:28 PM PST by Theoria

Of all the voters who might be expected to resist the charms of Donald J. Trump, the two million members of the Service Employees International Union would most likely be near the top of the list.

The union, which endorsed Hillary Clinton in November, is widely regarded as one of the more progressive in the labor movement. It skews female and racially diverse -- roughly the opposite of a Trump rally, in other words.

But the union's president, Mary Kay Henry, acknowledged that Mr. Trump holds appeal even for some of her members. "There is deep economic anxiety among our members and the people we're trying to organize that I believe Donald Trump's message is tapping into," Ms. Henry said.

In expressing her concern, Ms. Henry reflected a different form of anxiety that is weighing on some union leaders and Democratic operatives: their fear that Mr. Trump, if not effectively countered, may draw an unusually large number of union voters in a possible general election matchup. This could, in turn, give Republicans a boost in swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, all of which Mr. Obama won twice.

The source of the attraction to Mr. Trump, say union members and leaders, is manifold: the candidate's unapologetically populist positions on certain economic issues, particularly trade; a frustration with the impotence of conventional politicians; and above all, a sense that he rejects the norms of Washington discourse.

"They feel he's the one guy who's saying what's on people's minds," Thomas Hanify, the president of the Indiana state firefighters union, said of his rank and file.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2016; donaldtrump; labor; populism; populist; trump; union

1 posted on 01/29/2016 12:54:28 PM PST by Theoria
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To: Theoria

It has always been a mystery to me why blue collar union guys vote for open borders politicians.


2 posted on 01/29/2016 1:06:46 PM PST by jwalsh07
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To: Theoria

It has always been a mystery to me why blue collar union guys vote for open borders politicians.


3 posted on 01/29/2016 1:06:50 PM PST by jwalsh07
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To: jwalsh07

blue collar union guys voted for open borders politicians because the Republican opponent was also an open borders politician, until now...


4 posted on 01/29/2016 1:17:16 PM PST by Reverend Wright (Illegal immigrants: Arrest, Intern, Deport)
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To: Reverend Wright

False. But what the heck, no more false than every other post here at FR.


5 posted on 01/29/2016 1:18:42 PM PST by jwalsh07
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To: Theoria

Unions don’t “lean” DemoCRAT .. they are the enforcement arm of the DemocRAT party .. doesn’t everybody know that ..???????


6 posted on 01/29/2016 1:34:02 PM PST by CyberAnt ("The Fields are White Unto Harvest")
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To: The Final Harvest

https://www.google.com/search?q=union+endorses+nixon

https://www.google.com/search?q=union+endorses+reagan


7 posted on 01/29/2016 2:04:09 PM PST by Milhous
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To: Theoria

So let members who back Trump give to a worthy charity


8 posted on 01/29/2016 2:12:13 PM PST by stocksthatgoup (how many laws has Cruz sponsored that have become law?)
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To: Theoria

Even union guys, at least the white ones, are starting to realize that they need a good economy. A bad economy puts their pensions at risk (even government employees). Illegals are competing with them for jobs. Terrorists may target them too.


9 posted on 01/29/2016 2:41:51 PM PST by PapaBear3625 (Big government is attractive to those who think that THEY will be in control of it.)
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To: Milhous

Well .. good luck with that.

I’ve had personal experience with SEIU .. and they are the worst group of THUGS I’ve even run into.

I would never trust them.


10 posted on 01/29/2016 6:14:34 PM PST by CyberAnt ("The Fields are White Unto Harvest")
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