Unions help shift red states to blue

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/13924/

Author: John Wojcik
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 10/30/08 14:59



Scott Marshall
More than 8,000 people rally in Tampa, Fla., to get out the vote.

A united labor movement, fighting for a U.S. economy that once again creates millions of good-paying jobs, is on the verge of making history.

In the final days of the election countdown, an unprecedented labor mobilization to make Barack Obama President Obama has helped force John McCain to defend states like Virginia, Ohio, Florida and North Carolina — states once seen as solidly Republican, but now making a historic shift.

Labor leaders and rank-and-file union members are proud of what they see as the key role they have played in shaping how the public views Obama on the economy — seeing him as far more qualified than McCain to cope with the raging crisis.

When Obama addressed more than 100,000 in Denver last week, he put forward a theme that has been part of labor’s effort to elect him. “We know what the Bush-McCain philosophy looks like,” Obama declared. “It is a philosophy that says we should give more and more to millionaires and billionaires and hope that it trickles down.”

Virginia, long considered a “red” state, exemplifies how the labor movement has helped to send the Republicans running scared.

Hundreds of workers greeted Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on her recent visit to Richmond. Carrying signs with slogans like “Obama u betcha” and “Wiser older women for Obama-Biden” and “It’s the economy — Sarah. Don’t change the subject,” they cheered and drew honks of support from the steady stream of cars passing by.

FULL story at link.

[billyoc]

1. The ORIGINAL 50 state strategy.

;)

[pleah]

2. K&R