In Big Steel States, the Bush Democrat May Be Born

The New York Times ^ | 03/10/2002 | FRANCIS X. CLINES

[Deadeye Division]

bump

[sinkspur]

Bush kept his promise.

This is a shot across the steelworkers' union's bow, as well as the steel companies.

If they don't get their act together, the tariff's off in three years.

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[another cricket]

Breathing room but not a bail out.

Good! He bought them some time, if they use it wisely they might survive. If not then they will sink and have no one to blame it on but themselves.

A. Cricket

[motzman]

"We all remember Clinton and Gore showing up in '92 and promising to save the mills and then abandoning the issue and betraying us; we never heard from them again," said Mr. Ravasio,

But the question remains; Did you still support the bums after they betrayed you, Mr. Ravasio?

I'd bet that he did...

[Issaquahking]

Let us pray that the union(s) relize that the demoncrats have sold them down the river without a second glance. Besides, what's wrong with being union and voting Republican - I've always done it, and made more money when the republicans are in, and I'm IBEW.

[jwalsh07]

There is nothing wrong with being union and voting republican, Whats wrong with unions is the leadersgip who extort money from members to line their pockets and the pockets of the marxists they support.

[Chi-townChief]

I worked at a UAW plant in the late 70's from which I was laid off and it closed around '85. And what totally sucked was that 1/4 to 1/3 of the members were driving to work in Volkswagens, Toyotas, and other foreign cars while making products for Ford, Chrysler, and AMC; and these guys would tell you with a straight face that American cars were poorly made. As far as I'm concerned, they helped put themselves and union brothers out of work just to save a few bucks.

[Common Tator]

Anyone who has had to be in the position of actually wining an election has to know what was on Bush's mind when he made this decision.

He knows that Califorina with 1/4 the electoral votes needed to win is not a good case for him. That makes PA, WVA and Ohio very, very important. Bush carried Ohio by 3 Points. If Gore had not pulled out of Ohio with 2 weeks to go, he might not have needed FL. IF Bush can take PA, as well as Ohio and WVA, and maybe even win Michigan in 2004, he will win reelection.

I keep reading all the people on Free Repubic talking about principles. The only people who have principles in the USA are the voters and unelectable candiates. Politicians are OUR SERVANTS. A SERVANT is only allowed to serve his master. At every election our political servants come to beg for our votes. There is a huge built in bias among all of our servants to do what their master wants.

The Steel workers could very well give Bush PA. The Steel workers want Tarrifs. The Servant of PA gave his Iron Working Masters their Tariffs.

We must never lose site of the fact that we live in a Representative Republic. Policticans are FREE to do the peoples will. They Represent US. They DO NOT RULE US. Failure to do our collective bidding gets them fired. Elections are where prospective servants apply for the job of doing what the public wants done.

Those of us opposed to the direction a Bush or any president takes on issues, need to understand that if we can get a solid majority of Americans persuaded to our beliefs, we will never have to worry about who is elected. When we do not persuade the majority of Americans to our view, no one to whom we give our votes is likely to do our will. Office holders who do not do the majorities bidding don't get re-elected. Those that are elected to replace them will repeal what some one did with out public support.

The name of the game is "Persuade the American People".

If I could control the views of the American people, all politicians would do my bidding.

[jokemoke]

We are Teamsters.....and have been voting Republican for many years. Many union members vote Republican, they just don't broadcast it.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Does this mean that Bush will carry Pennsylvania next time?

[curmudgeonII]

Does this mean that Bush will carry Pennsylvania next time?

FYI Astounding fact of the day......more steel is produced in Indiana than any other state.

[And, yes, I think Bush will carry Indiana in the next election.]

[Common Tator]

But the question remains; Did you still support the bums after they betrayed you, Mr. Ravasio?

I'd bet that he did...

Of course he did. He had been told since he was a little boy that no REPUBLICAN would ever lift a finger to save his life even if it cost the Republican nothing.

So he supported Clinton twice and Gore once. He believed there was Zero chance that Bush would ever even listen to him let alone give them what they wanted. And there was always a chance that Gore might help him. At least Gore would talk to them and maybe sort of try. This guys stomach fell and his heart ached when Bush got the nod from the Supreme court. I can hear him saying to himself... all is lost....

Then one year into the game Bush comes through for the West VA Steel workers. This guy didn't vote for Bush, he didn't donate money, he worked his butt off against Bush. But some Steel workers in West VA did work for Bush. They did a lot to carry WVA for Bush and Bush came through for them. What is going through his mind is that some former and some current Democrats in West VA went for Bush. They gave Bush a lousy 4 electoral votes. Bush told them that if he were elected, and they gave him the 4 votes, he would keep his word on Steel.Can you imagine the surprise on the PA unions guys face when he found out Bush's word was good?

In this article he says I got to go with the man that helps me. He is saying I owe Bush. He is saying I worked against the man that helped me. I need to pay him back.

This will make it tough for Democrats. The democrats have lied to the Union guys while telling them that Republicans were liars.

The name of the game is a majority of electoral college votes. You can do zero good as a defeated candidate. To get elected a candidate has to do things he does not believe in. He does them because he has to get voter support.

As a result and candidate in order to get to do some of the things both he and the public agree on, has to do things that the public wants and he does not.

That is why they are called Public Servants and not Public Masters.

[scholar]

"I may be a staunch Democrat, but I'll sure remember Bush for helping us," said Mr. Ravasio,...

Heard some RAT Pol by the name of O'Brien from Bethlehem, PA on WLS radio (Chicago) ranting because Bush has not done ENOUGH for the steel industry. I was in the car at the time so by now I can't remember his pithier comments.

However, he never mentioned that Klintoon/Gore campaigned there promising to help them and then never did squat. If you folks in PA are familiar with this guy and can update me, I would appreciate it.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I second that comment!

[jwalsh07]

My wife is a union member. She is staunchly pro life, has her own shotgun ( a 20 gauge Winchester Defender) and has been battling the union for years to stop taking her money and spending it on rats.

She's at her cutest when we are in the streets debating party line union members and she's trying to protect me from the designated thugs. LOL

[KantianBurke]

bump!!! Dumb union thugs.

[antaresequity]

"We all remember Clinton and Gore showing up in '92 and promising to save the mills and then abandoning the issue and betraying us; we never heard from them again, "said Mr. Ravasio

I am not surprised....

"(on Bush) The man helped us, he stepped up to the plate," said Mr. Ravasio, who as president of Local 1190 of the United Steelworkers of America

Not surprised here either....

With this in mind, the Democrats are fighting to retain their clout among the steel unions by emphasizing that President Bush, while announcing the tariffs, did not take any action on a proposal now in Congress for a bailout of up to $12 billion for hundreds of thousands of retired steelworkers.

And the Dems response is to take the back side of the argument and say they didn't get enough. Its the same old story...they cant give enough away. Had the Administration gone as far, the Dems would have found yet another group that didn't get some....they just keep moving the damn goal post.......nauseous.

[Lady In Blue]

Agree! Here's another interesting look at U.S.steel tariffs from the view of the British:

TAKE NO NOTICE OF THE EU'S CROCODILE TEARS OVER MR BUSH'S STEEL TARIFFS