Senate Dems Threaten Government Shutdown Over Miners Benefits

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo

By LAUREN FOX Published DECEMBER 8, 2016, 1:54 PM EDT


A must-pass spending bill hit a snag Thursday as some Senate Democrats are banding together to vote against the legislation unless a year-long protection for miners health care benefits is included.

The continuing resolution to fund the federal government until the end of April was expected to easily pass the House of Representatives Thursday as members were anxious to skip town and get back home for the holidays, but the bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

The hold-up is over health care benefits for retired miners. The benefits help more than 20,000 coal miners and their widows. The current continuing resolution includes just a four-month extension of those benefits, and Democrats want to see more.

According to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Democrats left a caucus meeting Thursday afternoon in agreement that they would stand against any spending bill that did not include an extension of the benefits for at least a year.

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/senate-dems-threaten-must-pass-spending-bill-over-miner-benefits

[yallerdawg]

1. Democrats give the West Virginia coal miners what they want?

This would be a perfect place to take a stand!

[SlimJimmy]

4. And this helps us how?

It'll be a talking point for the repugs that we are shutting down the government.

[yallerdawg]

7. That's right - I forgot.

Only Republicans get to make a stand, and shut down the government.

And pay the consequences.

[SlimJimmy]

8. Be very careful what you wish for. This could hurt us, politically.

[cstanleytech]

11. True but being a willing doormat hasnt helped either. nt

[appal_jack]

28. Sounds like you want to "keep your powder dry."

How has that worked out for Dems since 2001? Or for that matter, since 1980?

Sorry, slimmy, but your warning is weak sauce. I wish for an opposition to fascism, and don't plan on apologizing for it.

Standing-up for miners' and the health care they have earned has no down side, fyi. Every day that the gov't is shut down (if it comes to that) a Dem leader needs to be at the podium with a passle of miners at her or his side, railing on Repubs for wanting to break contracts, toss American workers aside, kick grandpa when he's already down, and generally be bastards.

It's time to use our powder, and everything else we can in the political arena.

-app

[SlimJimmy]

31. Whatever. I guess it all changes when WE are the one's in the minority

party. It's okay to shut down the government when it's us doing it.

[True_Blue]

19. At least the Dems won't get the blame

For 20,000 miners losing their healthcare. We might even pick up 20,000 new votes in midterms.

[SlimJimmy]

24. Maybe, but it's still very risky politically.

[PearliePoo2]

2. Democrats are fighting for the miners.

And how many of those 20,000 voted for dump?

[Justice]

3. Exactly

[Missn-Hitch]

14. Ding ding ding! Bingo. I would say 80% of them voted for dump.

Excuse my cynicism but f*** 'em.

Pick the right battles. WV is a lost cause. They picked their pony.

[putitinD]

5. I remember seeing all the Trump signs, Trump digs coal. He made fools of those people, they just

don't know it yet.

[ffr]

6. No, Dems are labeled no better than Reps. I say vote yes on passage

Give the miners what they voted for, Dems that are truly no better than Reps, standing with the politicians the miners probably elect by resounding margins.. Dems are demonized left and right by miners. Fcuk 'em!

[TwilightZone]

9. Well, we are supposed to be fighting for everyone.

That includes people who didn't vote for us. That's a fundamental difference between Ds and Rs.

[Missn-Hitch]

15. We know that but nothing, and I mean absolutely NOTHING, will swing WV from a red state.

May the full brunt of the GOP lay waste for the next 4 years.

With that being said, this MAY open their eyes but I really do doubt it. I heard phrases like, "blow it all up" and "Putin is a better leader than Obama".

Democrats need to pick their battles wisely. Coal miners? C'mon. They are going to be the ones fighting against his impeachment in 3 months.

Yes, I am a bitter a**hole. Cheers.

[TwilightZone]

17. Yeah, I understand.

What a weird state, politically. Went 68/26 for Trump, 20 years after a Clinton blowout in 1996, 51/36. It was a rare bright spot for Carter in 1980. And Dukakis. It was Dem for decades after the depression. Now, it's blood red.

But, I getcha. I'm in a blue'ish part of Texas and I often wish we could build a wall (haha) around the cities and the Valley and just let the rest of the state deal with these GOP clowns.

Edit: fixed my math

[elmac]

10. Shut the Government down

it will only help the Dems in 4 years. Do what ever it takes to fight fascism, anything!!!

[33taw]

12. Maybe we need to start tweeting? Seems 142 characters is all that Trump Supporters can handle.

They speak this language - use it. Maybe something like:

@UMW Members the Republicans don't want to renew your benefits. They are fucking us in the ass. Why did we vote for these a-holes?

@Kentuckians - if McConnell votes for repealing Obamacare and is successful we lose our Kentucky Connect we're screwed.

@United Steelworkers- I know we voted for Trump, but he is trying to dismantle unions in order to lower wages for his cronies- we effed ourselves this time.


Sorry, but logical arguments don't matter to them. We need to dumb it down to a level even the stupidest can figure out.

[Trust Buster]

13. Why are the Democrats backing a group that doesn't back them ?

How many of these miners stood up and supported healthcare benefit extension for the first responders of 9-11 ? It was the coal mine owners that stiffed the miners. Guys like Wilbur Ross who Trump just hired. When are Democrats going to quit playing the suckers ?

[Missn-Hitch]

16. Hear, hear!!

[hollowdweller]

20. You need to understand the history of this

The UMW struck post WW2 and the strike was nationwide. President Truman caused the federal govt to seize the mines and negotiate with the UMW.

This was an agreement between Krug, who was the interior secretary, and John L Lewis, president of the UMW to end the UMW's nationwide strike.

The agreement created the UMW health and Retirement fund, controlled by the UMW, but fully guaranteed by the Federal goverment. The Krug Lewis agreement of 1946.

Several times in the past when the industry faced downturns the gov't has stepped into keep the promise, including under George Bush.

However now the fund has lost so much money due to the contraction of the mining industry and the financial crisis something needs to be done again to keep the promise.

Now though the GOP is much more rabidly anti union not only not wanting unions to expand but also to punish members like the retirees and their families.

I can assure you that the people in WV know who is blocking this and it WILL be remembered.

I wish Bernie would say something about it.

[Trust Buster]

29. Thank you for your historical analysis.

[Douglas Kawasaki]

18. It's a good cause

go for it.

[AgadorSparticus]

21. I hope they are just warming up. I am expecting 4 yrs of total obstruction.

Nothing less. The repugnant need to taste their own medicine.

[rogue emissary]

22. At the very least they hold the line no Dem votes for the bill.

If the republicans can hold their caucus together and pass it, let 'em own it.

[KewlKat]

23. so does this mean they are okay with leaving in the language that will allow mad dog to fill the DoD

cabinet position?

They will approve the "waiver"?

[SlimJimmy]

26. Why are we wasting political capital on a popular pick for both Dems and repugs?

I say pick a fight for AG, not SecDef.

[Sunlei]

25. four-month extension is good enough for rest of country. trump 'promised' to care for coal miners.

[HassleCat]

27. Jee zuss H Ka Riced

I cannot believe the comments. Democrats finally stand up for something, and the only thing we can say is, "They didn't vote for us, so they can die of black lung for all we care." Come ON, people. Our party finally shows signs of life, and we start in on them because the "wrong group" is getting their attention.

Don't we get it? If we don't back them up when they fight for the miners, why would they be interested in fighting for us? Better to sit around, avoid conflict, and collect campaign donations.

[alarimer]

32. Well, many here would have us write off vast swaths of the country for that reason.

I don't, personally, because of electoral college math. And, yes, Hillary did win the popular vote, but most of her surplus is from California, New York and other strong blue states. The margins in WI, MI, PA are close enough that a few dozen votes in each precinct would have made a difference, so for now we do need their votes. And W.VA used to be blue, as stated above somewhere.

Now, coal jobs are not ever coming back. And the miners are angry over environmental rules, so I doubt we could get many of their votes, but it is still the right thing to do to uphold promises made years ago.

How we proceed to help these people in future is another thing altogether.

[rtracey]

30. hahahaha

The democrats in the Senate will do NOTHING.....They will block NOTHING, they will filibuster NOTHING.... they are going to roll over play dead, raise their white flag, and bitch when they lose more seats in 2018......We though the GOP was in trouble...... it is time for a major progressive takedown. I hope it happens very soon..... start with Pelosi, and clean out all the dead wood. then move to the Senate, and get new progressive blood flowing, Gavin Newsom, Martin O'Malley, et al.....