Melissa Bean (IL) indicated she will vote for CAFTA

[Robbien]

Labor is pissed because they just held a fund raiser for her a couple of days ago.

http://workinglife.typepad.com/daily_blog/labor/index.html

Yesterday, a group of 20 presidents of AFL-CIO unions sent a letter to the leadership of the House, expressing barely concealed anger that several Democratic Party members of Congress appear ready to vote for CAFTA when it comes to a vote

. . .

“We had just, a week ago, a very few of us initiated a major fundraising effort…to raise money specifically for these ten, highly targeted members that the leadership has asked us to afford special attention and support. We raised $300,000, we maxed out on every one of those members. And, then we find out three days later that two of them appears have indicated are for CAFTA."

Schaitberger continues: "I said no way. They have the right to cast a vote and make a political decision but the leadership doesn’t have the right to put them in a special category and then ask us for a special effort on our behalf and, then, they are going to go against a core issue of the labor movement. We can no longer give a pass on these issues."

So, I asked him, will the AFL-CIO finally cut off the spigot for any Democrat who goes south on CAFTA--and perhaps even field primary opponents for those wayward Dems. “A Democrat who votes for CAFTA, if we haven’t already given them money, will not get a dollar from us. We have to decide how egregious the . I point out Melissa’s (Bean) position, she would not be in this Congress if it were not for the labor movement. And, then, to potentially cast such a crucial vote I think is unconscionable. And I would be able to do whatever it takes to hold them accountable. This is a bright line issue for labor.


Call her please

1-877-SOB-U-SOB

1-866-340-9281

1-800-718-1008

[DanCa]

1. what the hell is happening to my poor state?

I am going to make like pilate and wash my hands. If we turn red again it's not my fault.

[Robbien]

4. She's yours is she not?

Mine is Jan Schakowsky so of course she is already on board.

[DanCa]

5. Yeppers she's mine

Probably signed a deal in blood with the gop and giving them her next male child. Shame I was going to vol. on her campaign.

[Robbien]

7. Did you call?

What did she say?

[DanCa]

8. I left a message

with her secretary he said she'd get back to me. This was two weeks ago right before the heat wave. I should call again and complain about the cafta vote.

[Carolab]

2. Call RAHM EMANUEL too. n/t

[Robbien]

6. He is in favor of CAFTA?

But labor also supported him AND he is the DCCC finance chairman.

What's his beef?

[Carolab]

9. From the article....

Finally, and this might push people over the edge, I heard that Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is helping round up a few votes for CAFTA. He has told people that because of his leadership position, he can’t vote for the legislation but he’ll round up votes in favor. No surprise here—when Emanuel served a top aide to Bill Clinton, he helped in the push to pass NAFTA.

[Robbien]

10. Wonder if he pushed Bean into voting the wrong way

She will be on her own come the next election in a heavily GOP district.

[Toucano]

3. Wonder what sort of deal Bush made her? n/t

[KharmaTrain]

11. She Also Voted For The Bankruptcy Bill

I'm in her district. I worked very hard for her election. I am not a very happy camper. Yes, I've written her office upon learning this and see if she recognizes my name (she sure has seen my checks and said so) and if I get a response.

Here's the catch...this district was held by Repugnicans...Phil Crane for over 30 years. Melissa won her seat with little help or funding from the Democratic party...much of it was self-funded and by local donations. The only real assistance from outside came in during the final days of the campaign when polls showed she stood a good chance of winning...the only Democratic house pick up of that very frustrating night.

Now the GOOP is aiming to get this seat back. There are several candidates running around raising money from big bankrolls inside the district (the multi-millionares of Barrington), RNC, RNCC and other PAC and third party groups. This seat is high on the radar.

So what do you do? Yes, it's distressing she made these votes, but this is also what some in the district want. Is keeping her seat and her votes which line up with the Democrats a majority of the time. Or do we let her hang on the vine and give this district back the the GOOP?

[nanner]

12. Bean vs. GOP

I agree with Kharma: At least Rep. Bean will vote for our issues some of the time. Her predecessor, Phil Crane, with his 100 percent rating from the American Conservative Union, never did. Further, it is unlikely that any new Republican elected from this district would vote any more liberally than Bean has. Out here, a more liberal Democrat would simply open herself up to the slings and brickbats of the GOP. This is not Evanston and we have to be realistic about what we can expect a Democratic representative in the 8th Congressional District to be able to do.

Not that I don't fervently wish Rep. Bean had been a little less focused on reelection and more willing to vote her conscience in some of the votes she sided with the Republicans on. Thank goodness her vote has never made a difference in the passage of one of these bills.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Welcome, Neighbor

Yes, I couldn't agree more. This is like being in Nebraska or Nevada. Not in a bad way, of course, just politically. And this area is far better than when I settled out here from Abner Mikva land in the early 80's. Damn thing was Crane's district first covered my Lincolnwood area (Don von Rumsfeldt filled the seat prior to that) and what a shocker it was to get that piece of humanoid waste back when I moved into the NW burbs.

Long story short, Melissa's fought long and hard to get where she's at. No one would have thought she stood any chance of beating Crane last year and this wasn't just a larger number of Democrats coming out, but a fair number of moderate Repugnicans...people who Democrats need to reach out in other similar areas to win those two dozen or so seats that will shift the balance in the House. But don't let anyone here know I actually said that. LOL.

Welcome to DU...thank you for your post and hope you find a home here.

Cheers...

[DanCa]

14. Welcome Nanner Bean is pro stem cell

Thats what I tell myself. You got to look at these things like a scale. You can't have it your way all the time.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi nanner!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Robbien]

16. We need to get her to switch her vote, it is too close

please call

[Robbien]

17. She still needs more pressure. Vote is tonight

kick