Presidential Hopefuls Join Workers at Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Convention

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/04/02/presidential-hopefuls-join-workers-at-pennsylvania-afl-cio-convention/

by Seth Michaels, Apr 2, 2008

More than a thousand union members from around Pennsylvania have gathered in Philadelphia this week for the 38th annual Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Convention, where they heard from both Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), the two contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination.



Focusing on this fall’s elections, workers are discussing the key issues in play and getting ready for the unprecedented mobilization of hundreds of thousands of union members across the state.

Clinton and Obama are trying to make their case to workers as the crucial April 22 Pennsylvania primary approaches. Union members have come out to vote in huge numbers this primary season, contributing to record-breaking turnout numbers.

Yesterday, union members heard from Clinton, who was introduced by AFSCME President Gerald McEntee. She praised the union movement, saying that “unions are America, unions built America.” Clinton also spoke about the challenges ahead and the opportunities for the next president to build a better country. She announced a plan to create an infrastructure fund and make investments in transportation and energy.

What am I going to do for the American people today? What am I going to do to make sure you’ve got good jobs that can’t be outsourced? What am I going to do to make sure we have trade agreements that are pro-American and pro-worker and make sure that we can compete with anybody, anywhere, anytime? If you give me the chance, that’s the kind of president I will be.

She also offered sharp criticism of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the presumptive Republican nominee.

John McCain admits he doesn’t understand the economy—and unfortunately he’s proving it in this campaign. He looked at the housing crisis, and he blamed consumers. His plan for the economy is to extend George Bush’s tax cuts for billionaires and give a $100 billion additional corporate tax cut. The Bush-McCain philosophy could not be clearer—it’s the “ownership society,” which really means, “You’re on your own.”

FULL story at link.