2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThe NEA May Be About to Endorse Hillary Clinton Without Input From Majority of Members
September 21, 2015
stevenmsinger
Tags: AFT, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Labor, NEA, Politics, President, Unions2015, 2016, AFT, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, labor, NEA, Politics, President, teachers, unions
The largest labor union in the United States may be about to endorse Hillary Clinton for President without a poll of its membership.
Leadership at the National Education Association (NEA) has been making troubling moves toward endorsing Clinton that could commit the organization to supporting the Democratic presidential hopeful with no regard for the wishes of its 3.2 million members.
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Last Wednesday NEA Directors were invited to an hour-long conference call with Clinton. Few directors were allowed to ask questions and only if those questions had been submitted in advance. After Clinton left the call, only three state presidents had a moment to speak; all gave positive reflections on Clinton and how she supports teachers and public education.
Despite the fact that several Democrats have been courting the NEAs endorsement, only Clinton was invited to this call.
Last summer, the NEA invited all presidential candidates to participate in the unions endorsement process. Only Clinton, Martin OMalley, and Bernie Sanders did so. Each made a video statement that was shown at the summers RA meeting and posted by many to their local groups. Though more candidates have entered the race since then, none have chosen to interview with the NEA.
Ironically, at the same RA meeting, the assembly voted specifically NOT to ignore rank and file membership before endorsing a Presidential candidate. New Business Item 79 states:
NEA, as an organization, will actively engage in conversation and outreach on the NEA endorsement process with all 2016 Presidential campaigns prior to the consideration of a primary recommendation.
The move is doubly troubling because of the strong-armed manner in which the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) endorsed Clinton in July.
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https://gadflyonthewallblog.wordpress.com/2015/09/21/the-nea-may-be-about-to-endorse-hillary-clinton-without-input-from-majority-of-members/
DanTex
(20,709 posts)endorsement followed by conspiracy theory. What's behind the new rhetorical strategy?
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)ismnotwasm
(42,022 posts)Whatever could be behind it all?
And LOL at the comments at the article
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)as it was months ago?
A well funded and well organized Clinton and Big Dog versus anyone in the GOP nightmare field of scary men and a lying woman....would there really be a contest?
Folks are being woken up with a 2 by 4 to the head by all the GOP open madness, which should be the focus.
ismnotwasm
(42,022 posts)And nope--no contest
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)thought of having 16 straight years of control of the WH and SCOTUS in the face of the barbaric GOP alternative helps me sleep at night.
ismnotwasm
(42,022 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)Be careful of what you want...
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Catherina
(35,568 posts)DemocratSinceBirth
(99,719 posts)If I opposed the endorsement I would have the courage of my conviction and go on a hunger strike to they withdrew it. If my opposition was strong enough I would consider self immolation.
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)I mean, I know you must have convictions about something and there must have been some political action taken at some time that you disagreed with. So... what did you go on a hunger strike for.
Unless this is just typical hyperbole. In which case never mind.
Ron Green
(9,823 posts)about union endorsements that went awry.
The fix is in.
Catherina
(35,568 posts)It's clear the fix is in.
Ron Green
(9,823 posts)I set a meeting with the Nurses' union to introduce myself for State Representative and seek their endorsement. A couple of days before the appointment, the local union rep called and said they could not have the meeting with me, because the state union head had put the kibosh on it; the fix was in for my REPUBLICAN opponent! He was the incumbent, and a deal was already in place with him. His votes had always been anti-union, but in this case some promise had been made, etc.
The bottom line for me, the Democrat, was that I did not even get to make my case to the Local.
The fix is always in, somehow.
Catherina
(35,568 posts)I have lots of faith in unions and union members but not, for the most part, their leadership.
Metric System
(6,048 posts)McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)leftofcool
(19,460 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Unions endorsed Bubba.
He immediately threw them under the bus.
Unions endorsed Obama.
He almost immediately threw them under the bus.
Seems like somebody needs to wise the fuck up.
Catherina
(35,568 posts)Most of them are over yonder smoking cigars in the big house.
brooklynite
(94,911 posts)99Forever
(14,524 posts)Where tone deaf is a way of life.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)German jazz band.