After Rocky Period, AFL-CIO Backs Obama’s Jobs Plan

[jefferson_dem]

After Rocky Period, AFL-CIO Backs Obama’s Jobs Plan
Susan Crabtree | September 9, 2011, 10:59AM



AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka hasn't been shy in recent weeks about speaking out against President Obama's willingness to compromise with Republicans on everything from the super committee to the so-called Gang of Six's approach to deficit reduction, but last night he seemed elated over Obama's jobs plan and his pledge to "go to the mat" for workers.

"The President took an important and necessary step tonight: he started a serious national conversation about how to solve our jobs crisis," Trumka said in a lengthy statement. "He showed working people that he is willing to go to the mat to create new jobs on a substantial scale. Tonight's speech should energize the nation to come together, work hard and get serious about jobs."

Trumka also praised Obama's for rejecting the "pernicious myth" that the only way to address Wall Street's economic crisis is to punish workers who perform "critical public services" and curtail their benefits and collective bargaining rights. The president of the nation's largest union said he expects to see more proposals from the President in the coming weeks to put America back to work and pressed Republicans in Congress to stop blocking spending bills and pushing a deregulation-and-tax-cuts-only agenda.

"Republicans are going to have to stop blocking bills that sustain or create millions of jobs and start offering credible solutions," he said. "We don't have time to waste on the same old failed policies of deregulation and lower taxes that drove our economy off the cliff in the first place. All our elected leaders will be judged by whether they act with integrity and energy to create good jobs now."

<SNIP>

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/09/after-rocky-period-afl-cio-backs-obamas-jobs-plan.php

[dennis4868]

1. sorry anti Obama DUers...

must be hard day today...maybe fall back on Obama did not close Gittmo with his own money (since Congress would not fund it)?

[daa]

2. Labor caved again - that doesn't mean the members nt

[ClarkUSA]

3. Bullshit. Both the Teamsters' Hoffa and Trumka rightly praised President Obama's plan.

So did the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Of course, none of these people have an ulterior agenda in opposing the President, as Republicans do.

Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva and Keith Ellison today released the following statement on the president’s jobs speech:

“The President has delivered a good start for putting Americans back to work that includes elements we as progressives have been calling for.

Read all about it: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x768102

-------------------------------------------------

From the Congressional Black Caucus:

"We are especially pleased about the synergy between the proposal presented by us and the proposal he submitted to Congress for consideration this evening. President Obama presented a bipartisan solution–something we can all support regardless of political affiliation."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x768021

Get a clue.

[daa]

8. Do I remember the health care debate when labor threw us

under the bus and got to keep their exemption? They caved then and they caved now. Let's quit collecting social security taxes and then say we have to cut social security while we keep fighting wars of choice. We have troops in 120 countries and spend half then defense money in the world. Bullshit to you my friend.

[Dawgs]

4. Wrong! Trumka, Krugman, and others are wrong on this one.

Just because you can't disagree with someone you apologize for at every turn, doesn't mean that we can't.

[great white snark]

6. Of course they are. And when they bash Obama they are always correct.

:hi:

[texpatriot2004]

5. Thanks for the post. Your comment to the "anti Obama DUers"

is funny :+

[great white snark]

7. Careful with the Gitmo comment, you will be accused of making excuses for the Prez.

Even though you are correct.

[TheKentuckian]

9. I'll have to disagree with those labor leaders and question their assessment of the plan

I can't imagine labor supporting more free trade agreements or the lifted Georgia work program that is near certain wage erosion technique.

I'd like to see these folks drill down on what is in there and enlighten us on how workers win in the total exchange and why they think the broad approach is wise considering precedent and the origins of the ideas.

Whatever leaders say, I don't see how they are speaking for the rank and file and are probably painting targets on their backs for aggressive challengers to their positions should their reasoning be exposed as lacking or complicit with capital.