Both Sides In Employee Free Choice Fight Now Openly Threatening Senators
Don’t look now, but in another sign of just how nasty the battle over the Employee Free Choice Act is going to be, both sides are now openly threatening retaliation against Senators who don’t vote their way.
The hardening of the tone on both sides is another indicator of the extreme pressure bearing down from both sides on the six Senators who are key to this fight: Blanche Lincoln, Mark Pryor, Arlen Specter, Mary Landrieu, Ben Nelson, and Mark Udall.
The threat from the labor side came from senior SEIU official Stephen Lerner. Asked on MSNBC if the union would “under any circumstances” forgive a Senator who voted against the measure Lerner said: “If somebody votes against the bill to help rebuild the middle class in this country, that would not be forgivable.”
Meanwhile, United Steelworkers president Leo Gerard, also on MSNBC, said: “If this Democratic majority can`t pass this, then we have to wonder how much we should work for the Democratic majority in the future.”
Business groups ramping up against the measure are now making apparent threats, too. The other day, U.S. Chamber of Commerce chief Tom Donohue told opponents of the bill to take a hard line with members of Congress.
“On this deal… there’s no compromise,” said Donohue, whose group has poured huge sums into past Senate campaigns. “There’s no credit for amending the bill, the only credit anyone gets is for voting against cloture. Am I clear?”
Those statements stop just short of a threat, coming from two major union officials and an influential business leader, to withhold future support from Senators who don’t vote their way. This battle is only getting started, and it’s going to get very, very ugly.
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I agree–any representative that does not do something for the middle class people do not deserve to be reelected. I really think that all Americans making less that $500,000.00 should be given a stimulus check for 1 million dollars that would allow mortgages to be paid off, all other loans paid off and that would give the middle class some disposal income each month to make purchases to which would keep the economy going. Also it would allow renters to purchase and new home. Lending institutions would be on the receiving end of all loans paid off. Thank you.
I’d be ticked off too if I were the Union folks. They pour a lot of time and effort into the campaigns through commercials, fliers, and foot soldiers working with the campaigns identifying and registering voters. The Democrats are the only voice they have left in Government. Democrats, by blowing these guys off, are shooting themselves in the foot.
I knew this one was going to get down and dirty and it is, quickly. It’s going to be a bloody battle.
I really think that all Americans making less that $500,000.00 should be given a stimulus check for 1 million dollars that would allow mortgages to be paid off, all other loans paid off and that would give the middle class some disposal income each month to make purchases to which would keep the economy going
Dude, I’d seriously like to see the world at peace, no more hunger, the end of “female circumcision”, recognition of full civil rights for every citizen and his or her spouse, regardless of ***. Then I’d seriously love to win a sweepstakes in which I can take two people of my choice shopping with me and spend a million bucks.
And all that makes as much sense as giving every American making less than $700K a million dollars.
regardless of S-E-X – as in Gender.
And labor is going to do what to Blanche Lincoln, Mark Pryor, Mary Landrieu, Ben Nelson, and Mark Udall if they vote against cloture; hit them with that — fish?.
According to opensecrets.org PAC contributions to the first four over the 2003-2008 period was:
Blanche Lincoln – Business/Labor 84%/8%
Mark Pryor – Business/Labor 79%/10%
Mary Landrieu – Business/Labor 73%/10%
Ben Nelson – Business/Labor 83%/8%
Mark Udall, being a newbie, has only worked himself up to a 55%/19% business/labor PAC brib, er I mean contribution split.
Labor might, although I doubt it, have some pull in the House, but there isn’t a single Senator that really needs them.
Just to spell out one of the possible alternative bribe, shoot, did it again, I mean contribution streams just think:
American Taxpayer–>AIG–>Goldman Sachs–>Robert Menendez/DSCC–>Mary Landrieu (just one of many, many, many, many, many alternative circuits)
Senators don’t need labor. Period.
And the Senate is where the EFCA will die.
Period.
In fact I don’t think it will even be close. No more than 51-53 votes for cloture.
Should these Senators pay a price for abandoning the middle class? Yes. Will they? They haven’t since the Democratic Party was taken over by Republicans calling themselves DLC Democrats and I don’t see that changing anytime soon…..
They don’t need 60 votes. They need 50.
And the Senators are not going to filibuster this bill.
EFCA will pass.
Senators threatening other senators for votes. This IS EXACTLY HOW CARD CHECK WORKS!!! Employees threatening other employees to sign the card or they send Guito to torch your house. Free Choice? Yea right!
Are country is based on secret voting, no signed public cards should be allowed. as voters will be subject to abuse by unions and companies. known fact if you are old enough to remember living with that abuse.
All unions did was take money from members for the leaders to live high on. After the forced deduction the take home pay was less then no working under the union!